PAINS OF EX-CHAMPIONS

Memorise: But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house. (Judges 16:21)

Read: Judges 16:20-21

And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him. (Judges 16:20)

But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house. (Judges 16:21)

Bible in one year: Mark 4-6

Message

To maintain a champion, there are certain activities that must be sustained, failing which the champion will lose his position. You shall not be dethroned in Jesus name. activities such as prayers, fasting, self denial and regular study of God’s Word do not respect educational level, wealth, status or marital status. In other words, if you were very prayerful during your secondary school days, but now believe that since you have bagged your doctorate degree, you do not need to pray as much again, don’t be surprised if you end up in the teeth of lions.

If you were poor but prayerful, now that you are rich, you should pray more not less. If you could pray and fast while still young, now that you are older, do not diminish in your prayer and fasting so that what the enemy could not do to you when you were young, he would still be unable to do it to you now that you are old. This is why Mark 13:13 says only those who endure to the end will be saved. Your sacrifices and efforts must continue until you reach the finishing line. Philippians 3:12-14 says your past must not come between you and your future. If you think the cost of remaining a champion is too much, then you may consider the alternative

– being an ex-champion. It is better to pay the price to remain a champion than to face the horrors of being an ex-champion. After Samson was dethroned, judges 16:21 says, “But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.” It is horrible to be an ex-champion. It is better never to have been a champion than to be an ex-champion. Samson lost God’s presence, his sight and freedom. An international champion became a local prisoner, a laughing stock to those he once terrorized. Do everything possible to refuse compromise, as the goal of that seemingly harmless temptation is to make you an ex-champion. Just one sin is all the camp of enemies requires to shut you up permanently. There are many ex-champions around us today who are savouring the shame and losses of their new status. Are you an ex-champion? Come back to God in repentance, restitution and humility. Make 100 percent obedience your watchword henceforth. If you are sincere and steadfast, it is possible that God may reconsider using you again.

PRAYER POINT

Thank God for your nation. Pray that God’s plan and purpose will be done and that God will uproot every hindrance on your path.

RELATING WITH ENEMIES

Memorise: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (1 Peter 5:9)

Read: 1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8) Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (1 Peter 5:9)

Bible in one year: Job 38-42

Message

The Lord Jesus Christ gave three orders to His army on earth. First, we are to love, which is the greatest of all. Second, we are to recruit civilians into His army. The third order has to do with our relationship with the enemy. James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

If you are a soldier of Jesus, you are expected to resist the devil. To resist entails applying force in preventing something from happening. If you do not understand you relationship with your enemies, you will waste God’s valuable resources and turn yourself into a laughing stock. For instance, many people bind the devil while they are expected to resist him. He will only laugh at them and continue to do what he was doing. Such a Christian may think that the devil has either become powerful or God’s word has become less potent, not knowing that the problem is with him or her. Stop straying from the code of conduct guiding God’s army! According to Revelation 20:1-3, the only time Satan will be bound is sometime in the future. One big angel with great authority will bind the devil and throw him into his prison – the bottomless pit; he will be there for 1000 years. On the other hand, you can bind demons or evil spirits and cast them out.

How do you resist the devil? It is by being steadfast in the faith. Satan is a very persistent opponent, in resisting him you must be unmoveable. You must doggedly refuse to shift grounds. Satan knows how to muster several demons to put pressure on someone to give in. he cannot sustain this for too long but within that period, the fellow will be virtually under immense pressure. At such a time, leave the vicinity of that temptation, shut the eyes of your mind to that temptation, pray in the spirit and consciously affirm that you are not yielding to Satan’s pressure. Confess in the name of Jesus Christ, I resist you Satan. Every demon assigned against me on this matter, I bind and cast you out of this situation. In the name of Jesus, I refuse to

yield my members to sin but to righteousness (Romans 6:11-14). Sin shall not dominate my body because I am now under grace, etc. As you continue to resist even in tiredness, the devil will flee from you. So always use the word of God to ward him off.

ACTION POINT

Pray that God will grant you grace to increase your resolve and not to yield to Satan as Satan increases his resolve to bring you down.

AVOID PRAISE SINGERS!

Memorise: That no flesh should glory in his presence. (1 Corinthians 1:29)

Read: 1 Samuel 18:5-9

And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants. (1 Samuel 18:5) And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick. (1 Samuel 18:6) And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. (1Samuel 18:7) And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? (1 Samuel 18:8)

And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. (1 Samuel 18:9) Bible in one year: Job 35-37

Message Another tool Satan can use to derail you from your trip to Heaven is the friend you trust. It is good to have friends – good and God fearing ones at that. Yet you have to deal cautiously with such friends so that you don’t fall if the devil decides to use them. Learn from the relationship between Jesus and Peter. Peter was very close to the master and loved Him greatly. One day, Peter received a revelation from God and Jesus openly commended him. When the devil saw this, he immediately used the same Peter in bid to derail God’s plan for Jesus (Matthew 16:15-17, 21-23). Be watchful of prayer warriors! If the devil sees they are used of God to strengthen and direct you, he might want to speak through them to derail you. You shall not fall into Satan’s trap!

Moreover, another tool Satan can use to derail you is people showing gratitude. It is good to be grateful. But if the devil knows that you like to be appreciated a lot, he may use someone who is very , very grateful and at the end, it will be a different story. There are some grateful ladies who started by just going to thank the pastor for the way the Lord used him to bless, help or deliver them. They kept going to thank them until they were a little grateful, and before long, they got pastor into adultery. Beware of very grateful people! One way out of this is to point the fellow to the one who did the miracle – God. He will not share His glory with anyone else, not even the vessel He used! In 1 Samuel 18:5-9, after David defeated Goliath by God’s backing, the women were so grateful that they compose a song of praise just to say, Thank you to David. From that day, that song created problems for David and he knew no rest for several years. Never allow those who are praising you to derail your trip to Heaven!

KEY POINT

When men thank you, never receive it, simply forward it to God. It is to

save your neck.

GOD, SO APPROACHABLE

Memorise: Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (Hebrews 10:19)

Read: Esther 5:1-3

Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. (Esther 5:1)

And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. (Esther 5:2)

Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom. (Esther 5:3)

Bible in one year: Job 32-34

Message

When Queen Esther went to the inner court of the king, she risked her life, but because she obtained favour, the king stretched the golden sceptre he was holding towards her. She was then allowed to approach the king and he made her an incredible offer. The first thing we learn in this story is that powerful kings are not easily approached except according to laid down rules, otherwise the individual could lose his or her life. As it is with earthly kings with regards to access, so is it with King of kings. When God was about to come down on Mount Sinai, He gave specific instructions to the children on Israel. For them to approach His presence, they were to be set apart for two days, abstains from sex, wash their clothes and make themselves presentable. Yet while in God’s presence, they must keep a safe distance from the mountain. Whosoever touched the mountain – be it man or beast would have to die (Exodus 19:10-13). Not even the priests were allowed to climb up and meet the Lord at the top of the mountain; any priest that dared violate God’s instruction would be personally dealt with by God (Exodus 19:22).

Similarly, during their worship in the temple, while everyone else could worship at the outer court, only the Levites could access the inner court, while only the high priest was allowed once a year, to enter the innermost part – the Holy of holies, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. While going in, the high priest will have a rope tied to his leg and some bells were attached round about the lower ends of his apron, so that if he goes in and is not clean enough and dies in God’s presence, the rope will be used to pull him out. But while ushering in the New Testament by His blood, our Lord Jesus Christ changed this. When He died, the curtain preventing people from seeing the Holy of holies was torn into two, meaning through Jesus Christ, we can now access God directly (Hebrew 9:1-8; Matthew 27:50-51). Today, to access God’s presence by the blood of Jesus, all you need to do is to come to Him with thanksgiving and to worship Him with praises. However, never take such easy access for granted! It cost Jesus Christ His life! But if you come before His presence with sin in your life, you will not be able to gain access except you first repent and forsake the sin. You must have clean hands and a pure heart, a right spirit and humility. Come with praises and thanksgiving. Come in the name of Jesus and you will gain entry. Thank God for the easy access we now have into God’s presence.

PRAYER POINT

Father, thank you for giving me access into your presence. Lord, let me never be denied this access both now and in eternity.

SUSTAIN YOUR SACRIFICES

Memorise: I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

Read: Philippians 3:12-15

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12)

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (Philippians 3:13)

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. (Philippians 3:15)

Message

Life is full of battles, contests and struggles. When you win an opponent in a contest, you become a champion or winner. It is not easy to be a champion as it requires great efforts, but to sustain being a champion is even more challenging. All those involved in a contest are potential champions. However out of these, some may never experience what it is like to be a champion. For those who succeed in making it, being a champion is not the end but the beginning of the story. After making several costly sacrifices to become a champion, more daily sacrifices will be required of you to remain a champion. An adage says: “the price of safety is unrelenting vigilance”. For your light to continue to burn brightly there must be constant supply of fuel. There are some spiritual exercises that you cannot afford to stop doing in order to remain relevant. Why do you think Paul said we should pray without ceasing? Or, why do you think he fasted often as recorded in 2 Corinthians 11:27?

You cannot say because you prayed throughout January, there is no need for you to pray for the remaining part of the year. Why? The prayer effort for January cannot sustain you to the end of the year. Certain things must be repeated in order to achieve greater impact. As it is in the spiritual, so is it in the physical. Take a cue from the daily ritual of bathing, when you clean up your body on 1st of January, would you refuse to clean up on subsequent days? When you cut your nails, not long after you will discover they are grown again. 1 Kings 18:1-24 indicates there is no stopping until you get to your destination. After the monthly Holy Ghost service, some who attend never bother to have their own vigil. In the same vein, some people who take part in the month of fasting early in the year never bother to fast for the rest of the year. That you attend bible study on a particular Tuesday does not mean that you should not make out time to personally study the bible for the rest of that week. You must never forget who you are! Usually, when believers fail to do what they are expected to do, it is because they have forgotten who they are. You are a divine champion. You are created to stay that way. But what are you doing to stay a champion? Every daily effort you fail to make gradually erodes your position. Pay the price today!

PRAYER POINT

A champion who fails to sustain what took him up will soon be an ex-champion. Father, by all means help me that I may maintain my position as a champion.

NEW FOCUS

Memorise: And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2)

Read: Numbers 11:10-17

Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased. (Numbers 11:10)

And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? (Numbers 11:11)

Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? (Numbers 11:12)

Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. (Numbers 11:13)

I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. (Numbers 11:14)

And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. (Numbers 11:15)

And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. (Numbers 11:16)

And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. (Numbers 11:17)

As you advance in age, there is need to adopt more effective ways of serving the Lord. There is need to move from hitting the rock to speaking to the rock. There is need to shift from human wisdom to divine wisdom. You will need to move from doing things in your strength to doing things in His unlimited strength. Furthermore, according to Exodus 17 : 8-13, you should learn to apply the principle of division of labour to be more effective. It is not possible to do everything by yourself. Even if it were possible, result will come to you at great expense. Let everyone play their God-given role, you just create an atmosphere conducive for them to work. Delegate more responsibilitie s without abdicating your supervisory role. When you delegate, release the commensurate authority for the fellow to perform. In Numbers 11:10-17, the Lord asked Moses to enlist 70 elders to help him with his assignment. Before then, Moses carried all the anointing alone.

Some leaders fail to delegate responsibilitie s to younger ministers and pastors because of fear of the unknown. They are afraid that such minister may fail. It is possible they fail, but if past leaders never trusted you to a point of giving you the opportunities you had, where would you be today? A true leader will create opportunities for those under him to grow. What opportunities are you giving to those under you? It is your responsibility to train those who will take over from you. Your degree of success in ministry or otherwise will depend on how many seemingly unusable or untrained brethren the Lord used you to turn around into reliable dedicated workers and ministers. Besides, as you grow older, you must increasingly work on your intimacy with God. Zechariah 4:6 says it is not by your ability but by His ability. When divine goals are set, you need divine strength, wisdom and grace to accomplish them. As you grow older you should reappraise your focus. You should be thinking more about Heaven and hold Colossians 3:1-2 dear to your heart. You should be working towards your Heavenly crowns and loading your heavenly bank accounts. Some people are still so committed to pursuing money even at old age that you would wonder if they have anything at stake in Heaven. In what direction is your labour, heart and focus tilted to – to the earth or Heaven?

KEY POINT

The overbearing attitude of some leaders has robbed them of their helpers and fast-tracked their untimely exit from the earth.

SECURED FUTURE

Open Heaven of Wednesday 20th March 2013.

Memorise: Therefore For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Read: Psalm 33:8-12

Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. (Psalms 33:8)

For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. (Psalms 33:9)

The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. (Psalms 33:10)

The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. (Psalms 33:11)

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. (Psalms 33:12)

When Elijah arose from sleep and started to eat of the meal from Heaven in 1 Kings 19:5-8, his hope was on the rise, and he began to say, ‘I may be down but I shall not end in defeat’. It is one thing to fall and rise and another to fall and stay down. For the first category, falling is just a bus stop, and you know, you will have to go through several bus stop to get to your destination. For the second category, falling has become the destination. In life, simply remember that every point you fall or fail is a bus stop, not your destination. That you failed or fell several times does not mean that you cannot be celebrated tomorrow if you overcome. Thirdly, know that you are falling or failing because there is a great destination for your life which is worth all the fight, struggle and suffering. However, no child of destiny will turn his bus stop into final destination. Are you down? Rise up this moment, dust yourself and continue the march to Heaven. Has your hair been shaven like Samson out of carelessness? Your hair shall grow again (Judges 16:20-22).

Or have you been killed or buried with a big stone placed over your tomb like Jesus? Like Jesus, you shall arise; you shall be brought back to life (Luke 24:1-7).

When the angel came the second time to Elijah with a second meal telling him to rise and eat because of the journey ahead, he then was sure that God was not through with yet. Sometimes, people write themselves off. If God is not through with you, you cannot afford to give up on Him; else you will be committing great harm against yourself. If you retire yourself from God’s work before your appointed time of retirement, you will face a query in Heaven instead of a commendation. God is not through with you and His counsel for your life will ultimately stand in spite of your circumstances (Psalm 33:11; Jeremiah 29:11). When Elijah ate the meal, he knew there was hope for brighter tomorrow. Isaiah 3:10 says your future is very bright. Forget the darkness that is presently surrounding you. According to Proverbs 4:18, it will gradually give way to God’s glorious light. Rise up and serve Him. Praise Him. Obey Him, knowing that your tomorrow is secured in Jesus.

ACTION POINT

There is no place for giving up in God’s plan for His children. Ask that God will give you the strength to fight the fight of faith to the end.