NO RETREAT

READ: PSALM 18:30-42

The Lord is a man of war (Exodus 15:3). He is the Commander-in-Chief of the Heavenly army. Although His angelic warriors are in the Heaven, they are not required there because there are not wars in planet Heaven since the luciferic rebellion. Michael, the archangel and his billions of warring angels, are therefore created to assist God’s children in fighting and winning their battles, whether against satanic forces in the galaxies (2^nd heaven), the air, land or sea.
If you do not know the weapons you have, how would you use them? Do you know God is very interested in the various battles of your life? He is aware of them and wants to assist you in attaining the victory. That is why His angelic warriors are there. But unless you invite these Heavenly forces through serious concerted prayers, they may not be released to assist. How much do you pray?
In Exodus 14, when the children of Israel were being pursued by the Egyptian army, ahead of them was the Red Sea, and there appeared no way out. Moses told them not to be afraid. He could see the heavenly army that was on their side so he boldly them not to fear and that the enemies will soon meet their waterloo. And so it was.
Have you started the race? God expects you to continue. There will be so much opposition and attack from Satan, but God says, ‘Continue’. Whenever the forces of darkness come against you, hand over the battles to the Lord, and He will release His angelic host to pursue and subdue them. You have no one to fear. The Greater One is with you. His angelic warriors are at least twice as many as the satanic forces. And they are far more equipped and powerful.
The Lord will strengthen you to subdue all your enemies. Are you faced with any battle and you are thinking of quitting? Is that great challenge in the family, office, school or ministry almost making you to give up? No, you are not a loser. There is no retreat! You must win the war! Arise, worship the Lord and turn your enemies and challenges over to Him. Stick close to God and He will put an end to the noise of your enemies. The victory is already yours.

MEMORIZE: PSALM 18:17 –He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me; for they are too strong for me.

FRIEND OF GOD

READ: GENESIS 18:17-19

There are stages of relationship with the Lord. After you are born again, you can become a servant, friend or son. We have discussed what makes you a servant. A servant who pleases the master continuously over a period of time is promoted to become a part of the family (Matthew 24:45-47). As you excel as a faithful servant of Christ, and having passed certain tests, you will move to the level of friendship.
This is a level of increased trust and power of influence. In John 15:14, Jesus says an attribute of becoming His friend is complete, absolute and uncompromised obedience to Him. Proverbs 17:17 says a friend will love the master at all times, whether convenient or not, whether times are good or bad, while Proverbs 18:24 says such a relationship between Christ and His friends can be closer than that of blood relations.
A friend of Jesus enjoys several benefits. He becomes a close confidant of the Lord. Before events capable of affecting him, his family, community and nation take place, the Lord reveals them to him. In Isaiah 41:8, God called Abraham His friend hence He could hardly do things around him without confiding in him. A friend of God like Abraham wields so much influence on God and could actually make God to change His mind on some issues or determine the fate of individuals and even nations.
A servant serves the master because of wages. Sometimes, he looks down on the nature of the assignment, especially if it is very humiliating. A friend on the hand is the fellow who will serve his friend even do the lowly jobs without feeling be-littled because of the relationship that exists between them. A friend will go several steps ahead of a servant just out of love for the master. In John 15:13-15 the Lord Jesus told His disciples that because they had consistently obeyed His commands, they were no more servants but have been upgraded to the level of friends. Have you attained the level of friendship with God?

MEMORIZE: EPHESIANS 4:15 –But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.

SERVANT OR FRIEND?

READ: JOHN 15:13-15

God wants a deeper relationship with you. The moment you receive the Lord Jesus, you become a new born baby in Christ but because you are only a child, Galatians 4:1 says, “Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all.” This means that after becoming a child of God, you grow up to become a servant of Christ on your way to sonship. How you respond to the Lord during this period will determine whether you will eventually manifest as a son of God or not.
As a servant, your goal is to become like Jesus in every way (Matthew 10:25). To achieve this, you must give your Master adequate honour and reverence (Malachi 1:6). It is your duty to find out your Master’s will and execute it to the letter (Luke 12:47). You should be good and faithful to your Master (Matthew 25:21). In John 18:36 Jesus said that if His kingdom was of this world, then His servants would have fought for Him. You must be ready to defend His cause.
Being a servant of Christ is not the ultimate. Some believers may never go beyond this level of relationship. Being a servant has limitations. Will you begin to discuss your secret plans with your house-help or servant? I doubt it. John 15:15 says a servant is kept in the dark regarding what His master is doing. Also John 8:345 says the servant does not stay in the house forever. He is there because of the wages. If you serve Christ only because of what you get from Him, you are a servant.
If you do not receive revelations from God, you are still in the level of servanthood. If God cannot entrust you with deep secrets, then you are still a servant. A servant is limited in his relationship with his master but you can move ahead to the status of a friend. It is the next level of relationship you can have with the Lord on your way to full sonhip. Take steps to move forward today. To move from one level of relationship with God to another takes time of consistent, positive pattern of obedience, dedication, humility, praise and worship. God is no in hurry to move anyone forward in his relationship with Him because He has to be sure you have got what it takes to move to the next level. Otherwise He keeps to Himself (John2:23-25).

MEMORIZE: 2 PETER 3:18b –But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus-Christ….

LOVING OTHERS

READ: JOHN 15:9-10

While every Christian claims to follow the Lord, 2 Timothy 2:19 says, the Lord knows His own. This goes to show that what matters is not what you profess or claim about your relationship with God, but what God says about it. I pray that the Lord will count you among His own in Jesus name.
“These things I command you, that you love one another.” (John 15:17).
This verse reveals another important attribute of a disciple of Jesus Christ – the ability to love other Christians irrespective of their place of fellowship. Do you truly love your brethren? If you do, how come you are harbouring hatred, grudges and bitterness against fellow believers? How come you are fighting one another as enemies?
In John 13:34-35, Jesus says your love for the brethren should be made practical and visible to all unbelievers around you. It is true test of discipleship. 1 John 4:20-21 says if you find it difficult to love your fellow brother or sister, you automatically cannot love God. This means the extent to which you love Jesus is determined by the degree of love you have towards the brethren. The one who hates his brother is called a murderer and is headed for hell (1 John 3:15).
Why is it difficult for you to demonstrate the love of Jesus to members of your parish and other believers? You may say ‘nobody has visited me for long’ or ‘that brother hurt me so deeply that I cannot forget even though I have forgiven him’. The pointer showing that you have not forgiven him are: The fact that your heart still misses a beat each time you hear his name or meet him; your resolution never to have anything in common; the feeling of bitterness each time you recall the unpleasant incident and wishing him evil in your heart. If you must make Heaven, you must settle these squarely and begin to love again with the love of God. You have been commanded to love others. It is not optional.  

MEMORIZE: JOHN 15:17 –These things I command you, that you love one another.

LIVING WORD

READ: MATTHEW 8:5-13

No word of God is void of power. This means that every word that proceeds from God is backed up by the power of the Trinity. God is not flippant or talkative. His words are few. But when He speaks you ought to listen and comply so that the power behind His word can accomplish His purpose.
Hebrews 4:12 says the word of God is quick (alive) and powerful. Jesus says they are spirit and life (John 6:63) and shall not pass away unfulfilled (Mark 13:31). But whether the word that is sent to you accomplishes it purpose or not depends on you. You are the one to make the word of God work in your life and situations, or make it of no effect. How do you treat God’s word?
In today’s passage, a centurion having a very sick servant came to meet Jesus. By virtue of his position as a centurion, he was the captain of 100 soldiers in the Roman Army. This man impressed Jesus in some ways. He was humble. He came to Jesus by himself. Some people who have attained a measure of wealth, prestige and power would have sent for Jesus to come to them. He was caring. It was not his son that was sick but a servant. Yet he cared to the extent of going to look for Jesus. He had unlimited faith in Christ. He believed that Jesus could do anything by merely sending His word irrespective of the difficulty, distance or obstructions.
The Lord Jesus commended his faith and told him. “…Go your way; as you have believed, so be it done to you…” (Matthew 8:13). His paralytic servant was healed that moment. How big is your faith? Do you believe that if you prayed where you are the Lord could move to touch your loved ones hundreds or thousands of miles away? To what extent do you receive and allow God’s word to perform it purpose in your life? Any instruction God gives is backed up by His power to accomplish His purpose. If Peter had refused to cast his net in Luke 5:1-7 at Jesus’ command, he would have missed his breakthrough. If Abraham had refused to leave Haran in Genesis 12:1-5, he would have become a nobody. Whether you obtain your desires or not is dependent on how you treat God’s word. Let Him have His way in your life and situations.

MEMORIZE: PSALM 107:20 –He sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.