GOD’S COMMITMENT
God has announced that the DAY HAS BROKEN.
Even now, the hand of the Lord is stretched out over the nations, to bring about His promised restoration through the cross of Christ.
God Himself decreed it.
Even now, the hand of the Lord is stretched out over the nations, to bring about His promised restoration through the cross of Christ.
God Himself decreed it.
Isaiah 14:24-27 NKJV
24 The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying,
“Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass,
And as I have purposed, so it shall stand:25 That I will break the Assyrian in My land,
And on My mountains tread him underfoot.
Then his yoke shall be removed from them,
And his burden removed from their shoulders.26 This is the purpose that is purposed against the whole earth,
And this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.27 For the Lord of hosts has purposed,
And who will annul it?
His hand is stretched out,
And who will turn it back?”
“Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass,
And as I have purposed, so it shall stand:25 That I will break the Assyrian in My land,
And on My mountains tread him underfoot.
Then his yoke shall be removed from them,
And his burden removed from their shoulders.26 This is the purpose that is purposed against the whole earth,
And this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.27 For the Lord of hosts has purposed,
And who will annul it?
His hand is stretched out,
And who will turn it back?”
Holy men of God prophesied it.
On the Day of Pentecost, Peter was moved by the Holy Spirit as He spoke from Psalm 110:
On the Day of Pentecost, Peter was moved by the Holy Spirit as He spoke from Psalm 110:
Acts 2:34-36 NKJV
34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:
34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’
“Sit at My right hand,35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Nothing can stop God from doing what He has committed to His Son that He would do, after He willingly suffered and died, just to execute His Father’s plan.
OUR COMMITMENT
God needs us to response to His commitment. He has definite expectations from us. This is why Jesus Christ said to us: Occupy till I come.
Luke 19:13
“Occupy till I come” – KJV
“Do business till I come” – NKJV
“Engage in business until I come” – ESV
“Invest this for me while I am gone” – NLT
“Buy and sell with these while I go and then return” – AMPC
JESUS is expecting a good return for His investment at Calvary from all over the nations when He returns.
Ours is to commit to ‘doing business’ until He comes and to ensure we have contributed to the increase of His kingdom which is sure to happen.
What is the business we are to do until He returns?
It is the business of inviting nations to the abundant life of Christ through the gospel and labouring in fervent prayer as people who are looking for and hastening the coming of the Day of the Lord.
Isaiah 55:1-5 NKJV
“Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.3 Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The sure mercies of David.4 Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people,
A leader and commander for the people.5 Surely you shall call a nation you do not know,
And nations who do not know you shall run to you,
Because of the Lord your God,
And the Holy One of Israel;For He has glorified you.”
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.3 Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The sure mercies of David.4 Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people,
A leader and commander for the people.5 Surely you shall call a nation you do not know,
And nations who do not know you shall run to you,
Because of the Lord your God,
And the Holy One of Israel;For He has glorified you.”
We are called to ‘buy and sell’ this gospel but we cannot trade with what we do not have. The life of Christ is the currency of this trade. The gospel has to be our life otherwise we will not be able to invite anyone to ‘come, buy and eat’.
PRAYER FOR 'THE CALLED'
- Lord, please make us part of Your move.
- Restate the complete gospel in our lives.
- Qualify us to enter into the business of inviting people who thirst to come, buy and eat. Qualify us for this end-time work of inviting people into Your abundant life so that we can call on nations who do not know You and they will run to You.
- Give us understanding of what you have called us into. Help us to understand our inheritance so we do not squander it.
- Make us samples/specimens of the life of Christ so that the reality of the gospel will be seen in us.
- Grant that we will commit to bringing profit into the kingdom.
PRAYER FOR REVIVAL IN NIGERIA
A revival started in Nigeria in the early seventies with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit through Scripture Union. These converts (called SU’s) were on fire for the Lord and Christian fellowships in universities and other higher institutions were set ablaze. Many people, both young and old, became born again with evidence of speaking in tongues.
There was a deep hunger for God and before long, many churches and fellowships sprang up. Millions heard the gospel message through revival meetings and many young people who were caught up in the revival have grown to become the pastors and teachers in Nigeria today.
What killed this revival?
- The message of the cross was no longer preached.
- The lives of the leaders no longer reflected the truth of the gospel. They were not samples of the life of Christ.
- False teachers seeped in with another gospel. People who had no understanding became deceived.
- Worldliness seeped in. There was no longer a demarcation between the Church and the world.
- Mammon seeped in. People became like Esau – exchanging their inheritance for a mess of pottage.
- Born-again became a cliché. People say they are born again without letting go of their sinful life. There have a zeal but not according to knowledge.
There is a need for us to pray fervently for NIGERIA. God is poised to break the yoke of the enemy. He is ready to pour down the Holy Spirit as He did before to revive the people again.
- Ask the Lord to bring back the cross to the centre of the pulpits in Nigeria.
- Ask the Lord to raise faithful men as leaders, who will preach the gospel.
- Ask the Lord for leaders that the qualities of the life of Christ can be seen in their conduct. They can only pass on what they have to the people in whom God has created thirst.
The Lord has His remnants in the nation of Nigeria. Despite the situation with leaders of the church, God is making His disciples – His ‘worm Jacobs’. He is making them into sharp threshing instruments having teeth to thresh the mountains and beat the hills as mere chaff - Isaiah 41:14-15.
- Pray that disciples will grow and multiply until false teachers are swept into the river of this revival.
- Pray that discipleship centres to spring up all over the nation.
Raise a cry for the young people:
- Ask the Lord to visit the young people and revive them again.
- Pray that the Lord will revive fellowships in the universities.
- Ask the Lord to cause them to stand on the complete gospel and make them part of His move.
Sustaining a revival calls for wisdom. We have an enemy that is ready to outwit us. ‘Occupy till I come’ means – there is a time-frame in which we are called to ‘do business’.
- Ask the Lord to give us heavenly wisdom to ‘do business’ until He comes.
- Ask the Lord to raise men and women in Nigeria who would have wisdom and divine strategy in this day of His power so that the revival will not fizzle out - James 1:5-6; James 3:13-18.
- The Lord has given us ‘minas’ (life of Christ, grace) needed to do business – Luke 19:13. Ask the Lord to grant that when He comes and He asks what we have done with what He gave us, would be like the servants who gave a good report.
There will be an in-gathering of souls into the kingdom of God from the nation of Nigeria in the name of Jesus – Amen.
