WHEN DARKNESS SEES LIGHT, THERE IS BOUND TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF CONFRONTATION
‘I WAS SHAKING HANDS WITH NEW CONVERTS AND A LADY AMONG THEM SAW ME AND STARTED RUNNING’ – PASTOR ADEBOYE
WHEREVER I GO, WHEN DARKNESS SEES ME COMING, DARKNESS RUNS BECAUSE I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
WHEN I ARRIVE, JOY ARRIVES BECAUSE I AM THE SALT OF THE EARTH
3 MAJOR QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE WILL ASK YOU WHEN THEY ARE MEETING YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME
- Pastor E. A. Adeboye on Going Higher Part 79 || ONLINE SUNDAY SERVICE || Redeemed Christian Church of God November 27th 2022.
God of laughter, multiplication, God who loves even before we were born, the Almighty God we worship you. Church Gist. Thank you for the salvation of our souls, thank you for we know that our tomorrow will be alright. Lord as we proceed in our studies, we pray that you will fulfil all your promises concerning us.
We are continuing with our series, GOING HIGHER Part 79. Today we are looking at 2 Kings 1:5-8. You know the story from where we started last Sunday: a king was sick and he sent his servants to go and find out from an idol whether he will be healed or not. Church Gist. There are 3 major questions that people will ask you when they are meeting you for the first time and you should be able to answer those 3 questions today if you have gone this far in this series.
Question Number 1: Who are you? When you meet somebody who you have never met before you want to know, “who are you?”
Question Number 2: What are you? I mean ‘who are you’ – I am John Obed. Church Gist. ‘What are you?’ – I am a teacher or an engineer or a preacher.
Question Number 3: How are you?
Later on as you get more acquainted they may begin to ask, “What’s your address? Where do you come from? What can I do for you? Etc” But first and foremost, 3 questions because the King asked a question, ‘Who met you on the way?’ who are you? I hope your answer will be “I am a child of God” because according to John 1:11-13. Church Gist. For your information, according to Romans 8:16-17, I am a heir of God; a joint heir with Jesus Christ. Jesus is my senior brother; he is the first born in our family. Romans 8:29. Not only is Jesus my brother, I am a chosen friend of Jesus Christ. Jesus has many brothers and sisters but me, I am not just his friend I am a chosen friend. John 15:14-16.
But that’s not all; I am a soldier in the army of Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 2:3-4. Many of us don’t really know who we are. I am the light of the world – Matthew 5:14-16; and my light is shining. Church Gist. Wherever I go, when darkness sees me coming, darkness runs because I am the light of the world and it is written in John 1:5.
Couple of weeks ago, I went to preach in one of our Churches and I made an altar call and some people came out to surrender their lives to Jesus. They were few in number and to encourage them I decided I will shake hands with each and every one of them who came forward. Church Gist. I kept on shaking hands (saying) ‘God bless you’ and it came the turn of one particular young lady. She was struggling hard to run away. The Ushers were saying, ‘Go forward, this is a great opportunity.’ She was running. When darkness sees light, there are bound to be a little bit of confrontation.
Those of who are already true children of the living God and have gone this far with me in this particular series, I pray that from now when you arrive, darkness will scatter. According to Matthew 5:13, I am the salt of the Earth meaning that when I arrive, joy arrives because salt is a seasoner; it makes what is unpleasant pleasant. Church Gist. If anybody asks you from now, ‘Who are you?’ Tell them who you are – child of God, heir of God, joint heir with Jesus Christ, younger brother of Jesus Christ, the chosen friend, a soldier of Christ, light of the world and salt of the Earth.
What are you? What are you is different from ‘who are you?’. ‘What are you’ wants to know what you do. What can you do? I am a teacher means you can teach. I am a preacher; hopefully if you are truly a preacher you can preach. Church Gist. I said hopefully because some preachers need to be preached to. What are you? You can tell them, ‘I am more than a conqueror – Romans 8:37.’ How do you know you are more than a conqueror? It is because you are a beloved of the Lord. Romans 8:37.
When they say, what are you? – I am a temple of the Holy Spirit – 1 Corinthians 3:16 and that is why I live holy. Holiness is what I do. 1 Corinthians 3:17. Church Gist. It didn’t say if I defile the temple of the Holy Spirit He will pat me on the head and say, Alright boy, my grace will cover it up. He warns me not to defile his temple.
- 2 Corinthians 4:6-7. I am a divine treasure. You may see my earthly vessel (my body) but I have a treasure within this earthly vessel. I am divine treasure very precious to God because the greater one dwells in me. Church Gist. I may look small to you but the overcomer of the world is dwelling in me. 1 John 4:4. It may interest you to know that if you make this kind of declaration, they may want to check you out to find out if you are truly what you say you are.
Remember years ago my first visit to South Korea. Men came from all over the world to attend Yonggi Cho’s minister’s conference at that time. His Church was the biggest in the whole world and the whole world went to find out how. As we had break and we were all eating little snacks, one man came to me and said, ‘Who are you?’ Church Gist. I told him who I am. ‘What are you?’ I told him I have a Ph.D in Mathematics and I am a lecturer in the University. I didn’t know that he himself was an engineer but he looked at me and said, ‘You a mathematician?’ I said yes Sir. ‘You have a Ph.D in Mathematics?’ I said yes Sir.
The next thing is he took his program and at the back of the program which was plain, he drew something – a little bit of Calculus and said, ‘Integrate.’ I looked at him and laughed. He asked why I was laughing. Church Gist. I said, ‘what you are asking me to integrate you didn’t even put the limits.’ He looked at me and shook his head. He said, ‘you don’t need to worry anymore.’
Somebody may ask you to prove that you are a soldier of Christ. Be ready at any time. If you say that you are the beloved of God, the greater one is dwelling in you, they may tell you, ‘I have a problem.’ Church Gist. Don’t shy away – pray in the name that is above every other name and a miracle will happen. God loves to prove Himself in situations like that. But you must be confident that you are what you say you are.
- They ask what are you? Tell them you are a power house of God. Acts 1:8. If you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, you are a power house of God. if you have not been baptized I encourage you today to seek the baptism in the Holy Spirit and you will become a power house of God. Church Gist. You may look ordinary; it doesn’t matter. What is important is who is dwelling in you. Of course, if you are a power house of God you must also be able to tell everyone loud and clear, ‘I am a witness for Christ’ – Acts 1:8. Let them know, ‘just give me a minute and I will tell you about the one who is called the Lord Jesus Christ.
Question number 3: How are you? After you have introduced yourself, told them what you are, can do, the next thing anyone will want to say politely is, ‘how are you?’ Don’t just say casually, ‘I am okay.’ Let them know how okay is your okay. Church Gist. When you say, ‘fine,’ you are telling them that physically you are healthy, strong, whole. 1 Peter 2:24.
- Let them know you are a free man. John 8:32, 36.
- Let them know you are strong, capable – Philippians 4:13. Even when you are feeling weak remember the Bible says, ‘Let the weak say I am strong.’
I remember one daughter of mine when I say ‘how are you, why are you calling me?’ She will say, ‘Daddy I want you to pray for me.’ What’s the problem – I am strong. So I know the strong she is saying is not exactly that of a boxer about to enter the ring. Church Gist. But let the weak say I am strong because whatever God hears you say, that’s what He will do for you.
- Don’t moan and say, ‘Oh you know the situation in the country. Economy is bad. I am broke.’ Never let that proceed out of your mouth. Tell them, ‘I am rich.’ 2 Corinthians 8:9. Always say, ‘I am rich by His poverty.’
I remember years ago in the late 1970s and early 1980s whenever I go to America to attend Kenneth Hagin’s camp meeting, Americans will come to me when they hear about what God is doing in Nigeria. ‘How can we help you?’ They are hoping that I will say, ‘If you can give me some Dollars that will be a good idea.’ I always tell them, Come and See. Come and See what God is doing. Church Gist. The God in America is the God in Nigeria. Come and See so that your own vision might be enlarged. Thank God the Almighty God who put those words in my mouth in those days had brought it to pass. They can come and see because the God I serve is not a beggar; He is more than sufficient.
When I will say, “Come and See” we had to look for places where you can eat lunch for 3 Dollars; more than that, we can’t cope. We didn’t have the money but we had God and God is more than sufficient.
- I am rich, healthy, free and strong.
- Finally, if anybody asks ‘how are you?’ tell them ‘I have a glorious tomorrow.’ Colossians 1:27. If Christ is dwelling in you, your tomorrow is glorious. I’ve said it again and again, ‘My tomorrow will be alright.’ It doesn’t matter the situation you are passing through now child of God, your tomorrow will be alright. Church Gist. That is why I want to remind those of you who are yet to be born again, you need to give your life to Jesus Christ so that when they ask you who you are you will be able to say, ‘I am a child of God.’ ‘What are you?’ I am more than a conqueror. How are you? – I have a glorious tomorrow.
I will remind you of the fellow who came to us once and said, ‘Sir, I heard you are a Prophet.’ I said I am not a Prophet but a Pastor. ‘But I heard that whatever you say God said comes to pass?’ yes, God has been faithful. ‘Can you tell me my future?’ That’s an easy thing but answer a question: are you born again? Church Gist. He said no and I told him his future will be terrible. He said. ‘How do you know? You have not even prayed, you don’t know my name.’ I said, ‘it is written in Isaiah 3:11 – you are not born again, your future is terrible.’ ‘But suppose I said I am born again?’ I said then I can tell you your tomorrow will be glorious. ‘How do you know?’ it is also in the same Isaiah 3:10.
You want your future to be glorious and you have not yet given your life to Jesus Christ? All you need to do is to surrender to Him today and you can boast, I am a child of God, I am more than a conqueror, I am the light of the world, salt of the Earth and my future is glorious. Church Gist. That is what is waiting for you.
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