HE DIED FOR THE UNGODLY
"And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled" (Colossians 1:21).
The scripture above describes the ungodly as alienated from God, and enemies in their minds by wicked works. In other words, they were enemies of God in their minds because of their wicked works. Evidently, it wasn't God who declared them enemies; rather, He's the One reconciling them. The Bible says, "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them..." (2 Corinthians 5:19).
This is similar to what transpired between God and Adam in the Garden. Adam sinned against God and ran into hiding (Genesis 3:8). But God came looking for him; He said, "Adam, where are you?" How gracious He is! While we were sinners, in God's mind, we weren't enemies; He was working out how to bring us to Himself; He was working on a plan.
Colossians 1:22 tells us that the purpose and summation of Christ's redemptive work was "...to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight." He knew what He was going to do before He did it. Romans 5:6 says, "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." This is so touching.
He didn't wait for us to become godly before He died for us. He initiated the reconciliation: "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life" (Romans 5:10). Hallelujah! Let this love be expressed through you to the ungodly in reaching out to them with the Gospel. Let them know God isn't mad at them; they can come to Him just as they are and be accepted.
He said in Isaiah 1:18, "...though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." He's the One that washes, sanctifies and justifies the ungodly in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Hallelujah!
OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
When God looks at you, He sees that whatever might have been wrong in your life before you were born again is now passed away. You may not “feel” or think so, but that doesn’t negate His truth. Besides, that’s the reason He told you, because you couldn’t know any other way, except through the Word. So now, you’re to act on His Word.
If it’s true that old things are passed away, then it means you can’t have “inherited curses” or an inherited sickness or disease. There couldn’t be such a thing as a generational curse, because you’re a brand new species one that never existed before. What if you were born with leukaemia or a heart condition?
Well, old things are passed away, and all things are now new. The eighteenth verse explains that all the new things are of God. Leukaemia isn’t of God! Heart condition isn’t of God! Therefore, you say, “I’m a new creation in Christ Jesus; I have a brand new life, free of sickness and disease.” You may still feel the symptoms in your body, but God says it’s passed away; so you keep affirming the Word. Keep declaring, “My body has become new. Christ lives in me now; He’s given me a new life that can’t be infected by sickness, disease and infirmities.”
The new creation is the new superman in Christ. You’ve been called to a life of glory. You’ve been separated from defeat, failure, poverty and a life of uncertainties into a life of victory, success, prosperity, hope and assurance.
Meditate on this truth today: you’re of a special breed. You belong in a new class of beings the new creation infused with life and immortality; impregnable to infections, superior to Satan and the debilitating elements and rudiments of this world. Hallelujah!
YOUR TRUE VALUE
The value of a product is usually measured by the price-tag on it meaning, It is more valuable when the price-tag is high. Hallelujah!
2 Sam. 24:24 - And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
This was what David did when he needed offer burnt sacrifices to God after he had sinned against God in numbering Israel and Judah. He offered burnt offerings which where of value ... neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. This was the worth of his offering. It cost him so much.
The Bible says in 1 Corinth. 6:20 - For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. You have been bought with a price. God demonstrated clearly and unequivocally what your true value is when he sent Jesus to die for you. If you had been the only person who needed salvation in the world, Jesus would still have come to die.
Now, the value of the price-tag on you is the blood of Jesus. Your value is the life and blood of Jesus Christ! This is why you are special.
FOCUS ON WHAT REALLY MATTERS
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance (Luke 15:7)
Living for Jesus Christ and making yourself His partner in building and transforming lives around the world is what counts the most in life. God did the ultimate: He gave His Son to die to bring us to Himself; to win us to Himself. So everything in your life—your thoughts, ideas, the excellence in your life—should be about soul-winning.
Many are concerned about the lesser things of life; but you must focus on the Gospel. True fulfillment and satisfaction in life is only derived from living for the Lord, fulfilling His dream. Many get carried away by their needs or their personal dreams; that’s wrong. Take your eyes off yourself; pursue and fulfill God’s dream. Live your life as an ambassador and steward of the mysteries of Christ; that’s what your life is for.
He already said all things are yours (1 Corinthians 3:21). In Matthew 6:25, 32, 33 He said, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Don’t major on the minors; fulfill God’s dream. Be passionate about soul-winning; commit your life and resources to it. As you saw in the preceding verses, God doesn’t want anything, including “your needs” (for you really don’t have any needs), to distract you from preaching the Gospel. That’s why He made all things yours and plugged you to an unending supply. So, focus on what really matters. Be a fervent, persistent and consistent soul winner.
CONFESSING THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved (Romans 10:9).
The opening scripture reveals the fundamental requirement to receive salvation. Anyone desirous of salvation must believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord over his or her life. No one can be born again by merely wishing to be. The reason for this is simple: Jesus consciously did something to become our Savior and Lord. He fulfilled the righteous demands of justice that consummated salvation for all mankind.
Hence, to be born again, you have to consciously confess the Lordship of Jesus over your life; that’s the principle that guarantees salvation. You’ll have to say: “I believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead; I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord of my life.” That confession is the key to salvation.
It doesn’t matter that you’re the ‘nicest’ person around. You can’t trust in your good deeds to save you. The words of Jesus in John 3:7 when he said “ye must be born again,” is not a cliché or a suggestion; niceness and good deeds don’t save. There’s a definite act required for salvation; you’ve got to “receive” (Greek: lambano) or “take hold of” the eternal life that Christ brought.
Christ already made salvation available to everyone; it’s your responsibility to reach out and receive your salvation. How? By confessing His Lordship! So you see, the key is in your mouth! No wonder the Bible says, “…The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach” (Romans 10).
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GET THE MASTER’S ATTENTION
“For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans10:13).
When the Bible uses the term ‘whosoever,’ it means anybody! Anybody can call on the Name of the Lord and receive a miracle, but it must be a call of faith. God has great respect for faith. There’s no discrimination with Him; all you need do to receive a miracle is to make the call of faith.
Reliving the lessons learned in the story of blind Bartimaeus, the Bible says, when he heard that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was passing by, he cried out to Jesus. And when it seemed as though he hadn’t caught the Lord’s attention, he cried out the more. He yelled out loud until the Lord couldn’t resist his call of faith and commanded him to be brought forward. How wonderful!
You may have been calling out to the Lord for help and it seems as though He is yet to respond. It’s time to cry out the more, a great deal like blind Bartimaeus! Don’t keep quiet. Let your faith concerning that new job you have believed God for get the Master’s attention today! Call on Him concerning your business, family and all that has to do with your life; and your call of faith will produce the miracle you desire. Glory to God!
EMPOWERED FOR SOUL WINNING.
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31).
The only serious evidence that shows anyone has genuinely received the Holy Spirit is soul winning; dynamic evangelism. Everyone who is filled with the Holy Spirit speaks the Word with boldness. The Word enjoins us not only to receive the Holy Spirit, but to be filled with Him continually (Ephesians 5:18 AMPC).
Jesus said, “…If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37). Having drunk of Him, what should follow? He gave the answer in the very next verse: “…out of his (your) belly shall flow rivers (gushers) of living water” (John 7:38). The evidence that you’ve drunk of the Spirit is the gushers—the fountain of words of life that flow from you to the world.
Read the Bible! The most consistent thing that happened after men were filled with the Holy Spirit in Bible days was that they spoke the Word of God with boldness. When the apostles had prayed and got filled with the Holy Spirit, as read in our theme verse, the result was that they spoke the Word with boldness! Their lives manifested that glory to win souls.
The Holy Spirit came into your life to make you a witness. Jesus said: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me…” (Acts 1:8). If you’re timid about preaching the Gospel, it means you haven’t recognized the Holy Spirit in your life, because the Spirit grants you boldness to stand up for Jesus Christ.
You can’t have the Holy Spirit and not know how to win souls. All it takes is for you to take the step; decide to speak to someone about Jesus, and as you open your mouth, the Holy Spirit will put words in your mouth that they can’t resist or gainsay. The boldness of the Spirit will be stirred within you. There’s a depth in God you’ll never know until you begin to win souls; therefore, be excited to do it. As you do, you’d enjoy the glory and blessedness of Christianity, beyond what you ever thought possible. Praise God!
POSSESS THE LAND
All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers (Deuteronomy 8:1).
When the children of Israel were about to enter the Promised Land, Moses explained to them that they had to go in and possess the land. You see, it wasn’t enough merely for them to go into the land; they had to possess it as well. In other words, they had to take charge of the land, and enjoy the benefits therein.
In the New Testament, we're not "going to the Promised Land"; we were born into it. However, the instruction to possess the land remains the same! Now that you're in the Promised Land, you must possess your inheritance in Christ. You must possess your divine health, prosperity, peace and joy. You've been born into the land that flows with abundant blessings, but you have to possess yours.
The way to possess your inheritance in Christ is through your confessions! You must boldly declare that all what God says are yours belong to you. Keep declaring you've arrived in the place of abundance, where you enjoy unlimited wealth and divine health. Keep declaring that you're making progress and moving forward in life. Keep declaring that you've been brought into a large place!
Open your mouth everyday and take possession. Take charge! You can do what He says you can do.
A PURPOSEFUL LIFE
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work (John 4:34).
In Christianity, our lives have a meaning; there’s a purpose for your life. You’re not living for nothing. Jesus knew, and understood His purpose. In John 17:4, He said, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” This ought to be your thinking as well; glorifying the Father should be your passion and purpose for living, and the way to glorify Him is to finish the work that He commits to your hands.
Have you discovered God’s purpose for your life? Do you know the specific purpose for your being? Are you at it? The purpose of the Father is the salvation of the whole world. That’s the reason He sent Jesus. The Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The Bible says He’s not willing that any should perish but that all men should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), and that’s our job. We’re His partners in soul winning.
God seeks to beautify the lives of those around you, and lead them into righteousness through you; that’s living for His glory; that’s a purposeful life. You must influence your world positively and help those around you receive salvation through the power of God that works in you.
It doesn’t matter how fruitful or effective you might have been in other areas of your life, you must seek to excel in soul winning too. You’re a co-labourer with the Lord (2 Corinthians 6:1) in taking the Gospel to the lost, hopeless, hurting, and downtrodden in your world, and in the regions beyond.
Remember, a successful life; one that pleases God, is that which achieves those things that God has called you to do, and He’s called you to be a soul winner, a minister of reconciliation. That’s your purpose; bring him glory by being fervent and effectual in leading souls to Christ. .
HE ANOINTS AND SENDS MEN
When people pray for a revival in a city or for the salvation of souls, God doesn’t come down from heaven Himself to make it happen; He sends a man There was a man sent from God, whose name was John… (John 1:6-7).
There’re people who say that God doesn’t send anybody; He only sends angels; no! Our opening verse says, “There was a man sent from God….” If He sent men in Bible days, He still does today, because He hasn’t changed.
When people pray for a revival in a city or for the salvation of souls, God doesn’t come down from heaven Himself to make it happen; He sends a man. Always, He anoints and sends a man when He needs to help men.
To save the world, He sent Jesus in the form of a man. When He wanted to bring joy to the city of Samaria, He sent Philip (Acts 8:5-8). Hosea 12:13 says, “And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.” Notice that He didn’t do it through angels; why through a prophet? The reason is that the anointing of God is primarily borne by man, who is made in the image and likeness of God. God anoints the man or woman that He sends to you, and expects you to recognize that anointing, because it’s for your benefit.
For example, the man of God or Pastor that God sends to you bears the anointing for your benefit. As the Pastor stands in that office and functions in it, that anointing will work through him, to bless you. It’s the Spirit’s calling on his life, but it’s the Spirit’s blessing for you. This is one reason you must be a functional member of a Church where the Word of God is taught.
When you come into Christ, God sends you a man of God—one He has anointed to nurture you through His Word and provide you with pastoral guidance. Such a man is anointed to bring you God’s message that’ll guard your life against all odds. 2 Chronicles 20:20 says, “…Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” Even if you were in trouble, the counsel (of God) from the man sent to you from God will get you out of that situation, and establish you on the right path. .
YOU'RE ANOINTED FOR GOOD WORKS!
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him (Acts 10:38).
Prior to Jesus' baptism by John at the River Jordan- where the Holy Ghost descended on Him, there was no record of Him performing any miracles. It was after He received the Holy Spirit that He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38). John wrote that if all the miracles Jesus did were to be chronicled in books, even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written (John 21:25). The Lord Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit for good works; thus, His life was an unending stream of the miraculous.
Jesus Himself testified; "the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works" (John 14:10); He wasn’t referring to the Father in heaven but to the Holy Spirit that indwelt Him. It was the Holy Spirit that brought power into Jesus' life.
Now, for us who are born again, we've been anointed by the same Holy Spirit for good works. The Bible lets us know that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us today (Romans 8:11); that same Spirit vitalizes and energizes us for good works. No wonder we are described in Scripture as peculiar people, zealous and empowered for good works (Titus 2:14).
The anointing for the miraculous came into your life when you received the Holy Spirit. This is why in Matthew 10:8, the Master instructs that you, "heal the sick," cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils ." Like Jesus, you've been anointed for good works: in your sphere of contact, you ought to be doing good, healing all that are oppressed of the evil, for God is with you.
What you need in your life is the Holy Spirit, and a day-to-day consciousness of His indwelling presence. He is the miracle-worker, the power of God , and He has filled you with His miracle working ability. Jesus said, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (John 14:12).
PRAY FOR GOD'S PEOPLE
Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).
John Wesley, a great man of God, once said, "It appears that God will do nothing except we ask Him." It's no wonder that he was credited to have, through prayer, effected remarkable changes in his day, both in his own life and ministry and in the society at large.
In Luke 18:1, Jesus taught that men ought always to pray and not to faint. It's our priestly ministry as believers to pray for our brothers and sisters all over the world, that through them, God’s Word will be preached in the nooks and crannies of their nation.
Paul in his epistles, admonished believers to pray for his missionary work: "Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds" (Colossians 4:3). This let's us know that we also must pray that the Holy Spirit will grant the saints all over the world utterance and opportunities to preach the gospel where they are. In the scripture we just read, Paul highlighted two important points: utterance and opportunities. You might have the utterance and not have the opportunity to preach the gospel , and vice versa; this is the reason we must intercede as admonished by the Spirit through Paul in Colossians 4:3.
If every Christian would pray with this consciousness, there will be a great change throughout the world. Also, Paul said, "...that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith" (2 Thessalonians 3:2). The Greek word translated "delivered" is "rhuomai: it alludes to the rushing of a current or a flood. By implication, he's saying that God will rush to deliver His people from the crutches of wicked and unreasonable men who are against the preaching of the gospel.
Get concerned about what happens to Christians in your nation and around the world, and let your concern drive you to your knees in prayer.