READ: 1 KINGS 19:19-21
“And from the days of John the Baptist until
now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12).
Being violent requires force, energy, persistence and determination. Youths have the capacity to be violent. But it is only the wise youths who channel their violence towards the right direction, especially in achieving positive goals. That is your portion in Jesus name. Elisha is an example of a positively violent youth. The day he decided to follow the Lord, he did it in a violent manner. In 1 Kings 19:19-21, he was busy ploughing in the farm. Twelve ploughs were working, eleven of which were manned by his father’s labourers. One day while ploughing on the twelfth Elijah passed by his farm and threw his mantle o him. Elisha knew this was an invitation. To prevent divided attention, he violently burnt his bridges. He must succeed in this call to service. He ensured everything capable of pulling him back to the world was destroyed. He killed all the animals. He turned the yokes of oxen into firewood. He violently ended his farming business so as to take up a divine call. He never went back because there was nothing else to return to.
Today, many youths who have determined to follow God are returning to their vomit. They retain their sinful partners and relationships. They retain their old acquaintances when they are quite aware of the negative impact that might have on their faith. They have refused to burn their link with the world. Elisha knew there was no power elsewhere other than in God according to 1 Chronicles 29:11-12. Have you decided to follow the Lord? Burn your bridges! Destroy every physical link to your past sinful life-style. Burn the photographs of former sinful partners. Destroy occultic books and regalia you received from secret cults. Destroy those pornographic and x-rated materials. Some youths still retain such thing so that when they are spiritually low, they will employ those nude pictures or films in masturbation. If you still do so, you have not yet decided to follow the Lord. If you are still keeping that boy friend or girlfriend instead of violently breaking off, you have not yet convinced Jesus you are following Him. Today, destroy anything capable of taking you back to the world.
Being violent requires force, energy, persistence and determination. Youths have the capacity to be violent. But it is only the wise youths who channel their violence towards the right direction, especially in achieving positive goals. That is your portion in Jesus name. Elisha is an example of a positively violent youth. The day he decided to follow the Lord, he did it in a violent manner. In 1 Kings 19:19-21, he was busy ploughing in the farm. Twelve ploughs were working, eleven of which were manned by his father’s labourers. One day while ploughing on the twelfth Elijah passed by his farm and threw his mantle o him. Elisha knew this was an invitation. To prevent divided attention, he violently burnt his bridges. He must succeed in this call to service. He ensured everything capable of pulling him back to the world was destroyed. He killed all the animals. He turned the yokes of oxen into firewood. He violently ended his farming business so as to take up a divine call. He never went back because there was nothing else to return to.
Today, many youths who have determined to follow God are returning to their vomit. They retain their sinful partners and relationships. They retain their old acquaintances when they are quite aware of the negative impact that might have on their faith. They have refused to burn their link with the world. Elisha knew there was no power elsewhere other than in God according to 1 Chronicles 29:11-12. Have you decided to follow the Lord? Burn your bridges! Destroy every physical link to your past sinful life-style. Burn the photographs of former sinful partners. Destroy occultic books and regalia you received from secret cults. Destroy those pornographic and x-rated materials. Some youths still retain such thing so that when they are spiritually low, they will employ those nude pictures or films in masturbation. If you still do so, you have not yet decided to follow the Lord. If you are still keeping that boy friend or girlfriend instead of violently breaking off, you have not yet convinced Jesus you are following Him. Today, destroy anything capable of taking you back to the world.
MEMORIZE:
MATTHEW 11:12 –And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of
heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
