FAILED PRIVILEGES

God is continually faithful to his promises he has made to his people, and he has a good plan for our life. In spite of the remarkable privileges given to us, most of us fail to listen to God and live and die in the wilderness. When the people of Israelites left Egypt under the promise of God, they were helped constantly by the supernatural provision of God. The miraculous hand of the almighty God guided them through all the challenges they faced. In addition, God had to make their heart humble before him in the wilderness. Yet they did not cooperate with the plan of God. Had they cooperated with the plan of God, they would have enjoyed the full provision of God. Nevertheless they grumble and remained in the wilderness. Out of the millions of people who got out of Egypt with Moses only Joshua and Caleb entered the promise land, Canaan (Nub. 14:22-24).

Paul in his letter to the Corinthians, refering to what happened to the Israelites in the wilderness, said, “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Cor. 10:11). What, then, should we learn from the people who died in the wilderness? These people did not inherit the temporal earthly rest with Joshua and Caleb. In contrast, we are called to enjoy the eternal and heavenly rest of God. If we are not enjoying the provision of heaven in Jesus Christ how much more heartbreaking would it be to God. “Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness” (1 Cor. 10:5). Nothing breaks the heart of God more than his children disobeying him and falling short of his perfect will for them. All commandments of God are benevolent. Whenever we break God’s principles, we break both divine law and loving heart.

The children of Israel in the wilderness were not without promise but they were without obedience. We should not grumble as they grumbled and shrink back form God as they did. The writer of Hebrew’s said,
“Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need to endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. For yet in a very little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one shall live by faith and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul” (Heb. 10:35-39).

The purpose of God will be established with us or in spite of us; however, his eternal purpose, regardless of what we are, will not be thwarted. It is an honor and privilege to be part of the last day’s army of God. We are the end time harvesters of souls for the master. Therefore, let us take heed and take pain that we will carefully follow the counsel of God so that we do not fail to see what is coming. Seeing alone is not enough, we have to prepare ourselves to it too. God is faithful. No turning back in Jesus Name!

Thy will be done

More than ever my spirit is convinced that God will demonstrate his power in our generation. We belong to God and our generation not to ourselves. Surrendering our will is not an easy thing to do. Most people aspire doing great things in the kingdom of God, but they are not willing to lay down their will to the will of the Father. Though God’s call qualifies us, the price we pay is evidence for our character. The price is too great. By choice, I have choosen God’s will and denied myself to serve God. Is Jesus part of our life or our whole life? How much of our life is sacrificed on the altar of God daily. A life that is not surrendered to the will of God is simply seeking God to use his provision to its own ends. The surrendering of our will to God makes us available to be used by God. In other words, we have become a vessel ready to be used by God.
Jesus prayed a prayer of consecration at the Garden of Gethsemane. The name Gethsemane is a Hebrew name, and it means “oil press” a place for squeezing the oil from olives. There is a pressure that we must be under for the anointing of God to flow out of us, and what more pressure is there than to lay down our will . The Scripture tells us that Jesus sweat blood while he was praying. “Abba! Father all things are possible for you; remove this cup from me; yes not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:32). This shows that even Jesus had a separate will than the father. Jesus submissively prayed that God will have his way. Prayer is not forcing our will on God; it is laying down our will.
There are many of us praying to be used of God but reluctant to obey God. It takes more than an assumption or a feeling to serve God. We better know and do his will for our life. When we chose God’s will over ours, we will be misunderstood by man though we are approved by God. Any spiritual height is attained and also maintained by sacrifice.
We have but one life and it is too short. Let us not waste our life. The choices that we make can shake the world for God. God is not going to compel us to lay our will down. Little do we know what God has for us when we lay down our will for the purpose of God? It is not an hour for going after our selfish motive.
God is willing to help us to submit our will to him. As we get to the point of making a decision, let us choose God’s will and make up our mind not to turn back. Now is the time to do God’s will. To be in the will of God is to be in such a position where you are secured and knowing that all of God’s promises will come to pass. We should not be content with where we are. Whatever the cost may be, let us press on to carry out God’s mandate for our generation. God is waiting on us. Our generation is waiting for us. Once and for all let us be done with our selfish ambitions and lay our will to the glory of God.