Sunday 13 January 2013

2013: Prophetic Word to the Church in Nigeria (Part 2 of 4)


(We now turn our attention to Isaiah 32, from where this word derives its substance. As God’s people ruminate upon this text, the Spirit of God will multiply the words hereunto).

THE KING AND HIS PRINCES

“Behold, a King will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule with justice.” (Isaiah 32:1)

This is the season for the rule of Christ in and through His Church. His rule of righteousness, beginning in and from the hearts of the redeemed, and extending to everywhere the soles of their feet shall step, shall become manifest like never before. The increase of His government and peace is coming to a new level, for the King is taking over the kingdoms (hearts and structures) of men.

It is also a season for His princes, sons of the Kingdom who have been raised to rule with Him. Everyone called by His name has this honour, but not everyone has endured the times of testing and maturing, and thus not everyone will rule with Him. The effect of their dominion will be righteousness and justice - the life, love and character of God revealed through them to those in their spheres of influence. Whilst these sons of the Kingdom refer to all the saints and their dominion under Christ will extend to every sphere of human endeavour, those who have governmental responsibilities in the Church are very much in focus here. The outworking of the grace and authority of the various offices of those such called will reflect the heart of God more than any other era in the past. The atmosphere of the Church and the churches that fully come under the lordship of Christ and His Spirit will be remarkably different from those who remain bound to religiosity and the operation Babylonian principles (in which case, not under the Kingship of Christ).

PLACES OF REFUGE FOR THE BATTERED


“And each one of them shall be like a hiding place from the wind and a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land [to those who turn to them].” (Isaiah 32:2)

The House of God, those with the King’s princes functioning in leadership capacities, will once again become places of refuge for those battered by the hard winds of global tensions. The winds of financial and moral turmoil will continue to gather pace in this season; they will become unbearable storms and will cause unprecedented dryness. Global and regional famines will increasingly weary the land and its people. BUT, the House and people of God will truly become a hiding place from the wind; a shelter from the storm; streams of water in a dry place; and a shade of a great rock in a weary land. Many will come to the Lord’s house and to His people and find rest indeed, for the principles that operate in their midst will be glaringly different from what obtains elsewhere. Outside the domain of Christ, sons of men will scurry around for survival; but under His rule there will be peace that surpasses human understanding.

INCREASED KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND HIS WAYS

“Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed or dimmed, and the ears of those who hear will listen. And the mind of the rash will understand knowledge and have good judgment, and the tongue of the stammerers will speak readily and plainly.” (Isaiah 32:3,4)

Whilst in times past, multitudes have attended church for years but have not grown in the knowledge of God to any considerable degree; and the crowds that come in search of a blessing have been dull of hearing and slow in comprehending the truths of the Kingdom; the atmosphere around congregations and gatherings that enthrone Christ will be different.  It will be conducive for the exposition, retention and reproduction of truth, and thus for rapid growth in the things that pertain to the Kingdom. Eyes shall be open. Ears will hearken. Minds will understand. Tongues shall declare knowledge. It shall be as the Father had originally intended: “All shall know me” (Hebrews 8:11), for it is our heritage; yes, the right of the sons of God, to understand freely the mysteries of the Kingdom. No longer will there be those who perpetually remain spiritually blind, deaf, dull and dumb in the House of the Lord, because God Himself shall be their teacher and He will raise unto them shepherds (princes) after His own heart.

DISCERNING THE HEARTS OF MEN

“The fool (the unbeliever and the ungodly) will no more be called noble, nor the crafty and greedy [for gain] said to be bountiful and princely.” (Isaiah 32:5)

Appallingly, we have endured a season where those with little regard for the Lord and His righteous ways, just because of the fraudulent offerings they bring to the Lord’s altar, have been welcome as “noble” in the House of God. The greedy, ruling class have had easy access to our sacred gatherings and private meetings as though the Lord approves of them or their ways.  But “no more will fools become celebrities, nor crooks be rewarded with fame” (The Message). No more! The fear of God will return to the Church and with it a commitment to His righteous standards.

Our altars have not made the bearers of gifts holy, neither have they struck the hearts of men with awe. But the Lord will expose the ways of the ungodly and what they really are will be plain for all to see. This is particularly important for God’s people in Nigeria if our involvement in governmental affairs and our desire for transformation will have any meaningful impact. Through the enthronement and exaltation of the statutes of God’s Kingdom, we will discern the hearts of men and not shy away from identifying and rebuking the dubious.
“For the fool speaks folly and his mind plans iniquity: practicing profane ungodliness and speaking error concerning the Lord, leaving the craving of the hungry unsatisfied and causing the drink of the thirsty to fail.
The instruments and methods of the fraudulent and greedy [for gain] are evil; he devises wicked devices to ruin the poor and the lowly with lying words, even when the plea of the needy is just and right.
But the noble, openhearted, and liberal man devises noble things; and he stands for what is noble, openhearted, and generous.” (Isaiah 32:6-8)

It must be stated again that this truth-based discernment is crucial for the nation, especially in the light of 2015 and the elections slated to take place at that time. If we fail to distinguish between those whose hearts devise wicked oppression against the poor and those who devise noble things that will alleviate the plight of the downtrodden, the consequences will become most severe than ever. Nigeria stands in the balance and God’s people have the opportunity, indeed the responsibility to tip her in the right direction. SELAH.

3 comments:

Unknown 14 January 2013 at 20:16  

Amen.

Femi Emmanuel Olulaja
(I was the one that posted the comment in part 1 with the link of Tunde Bakare's video interview.

Unknown 14 January 2013 at 20:19  

Eyes shall be open. Ears will hearken. Minds will understand. Tongues shall declare knowledge.

It shall be as the Father had originally intended: “All shall know me” (Hebrews 8:11), for it is our heritage; yes, the right of the sons of God, to understand freely the mysteries of the Kingdom. No longer will there be those who perpetually remain spiritually blind, deaf, dull and dumb in the House of the Lord, because God Himself shall be their teacher and He will raise unto them shepherds (princes) after His own heart.

Appallingly, we have endured a season where those with little regard for the Lord and His righteous ways, just because of the fraudulent offerings they bring to the Lord’s altar, have been welcome as “noble” in the House of God. The greedy, ruling class have had easy access to our sacred gatherings and private meetings as though the Lord approves of them or their ways. But “no more will fools become celebrities, nor crooks be rewarded with fame” (The Message). No more! The fear of God will return to the Church and with it a commitment to His righteous standards.

Amen
Femi Emmanuel Olulaja

Tokunbo Emmanuel 25 January 2013 at 00:15  

Thanks Femi for the Tunde Bakare link.

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