Date: 16-Mar-2023
Name: Eddy Aigbologa
Topic: SURRENDERED FOR GLORY
Content:
We will be sharing an added layer to the topics we have had this week. Pastor Lakers talked about God's presence, which we carry with us because Jesus promised He would never leave or forsake us. He also says we are His temple. It is not just enough to carry God's presence around. We should be able to relate to His presence with and in us. Hence yesterday's message on "Tuning in" by Folarin was timely. Today we will take it further by considering the importance of surrendering to God's instructions we receive by tuning into the frequency of His presence. Yesterday's example on FM radio is a perfect one to illustrate the topic "surrendered for Glory". Many times we find ourselves in frustrating traffic conditions just because we did not tune into our FM radio which most times announces road accidents or whatever occurrence ahead in our journeys, or we failed to obey or surrender to the road traffic warnings received for whatever reasons. The bible says that he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, will be blessed in what he does. James 1:25
It is not just enough to hear God speak to our situations, but more importantly, is our ability to obey those instructions concerning our situations. In obedience to God's instructions, we get our victory and manifest His glory. Paul encouraged Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:15 to meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.
We sometimes mistake having the knowledge of God's word or receiving His instructions as a guarantee that we will obey them. Yes, the logos and the rhema of His word are great and make us grow. 1 Peter 2:2 says as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby; however, just knowing His word or receiving His instructions is not enough. Just like being tuned into our FM radios is not enough, as bro Folarin and Pastor Lakers explained yesterday. So there is a need for us to be surrendered to God's instructions. The bible admonishes us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service, Rom 12:1.
Romans 8:14 says for as many as are led by the Spirit of God; these are sons of God. The word *led* as used in the verse, is a verb. Being led suggests action should take place by responding to the spirit speaking to our situations. I have been caught up in situations where I get leadings to carry out particular instructions, but I could not fathom how that would be possible. I began doubting such instructions because of the magnitude of their consequences. I am not saying all the inner voices we hear are the leading of the spirit. No, I am speaking to those voices or inner nudges we get that are genuinely from the spirit of God. So again let's not assume that if we get that genuine leading from the spirit, we can obey them.
We all want to be in a position where we are tuned into God's presence and are willing to fulfil those directions we get from God - but this could be very challenging for us. Consistency in obeying God's instruction comes from practice and empowerment. The bible talks about Jesus in Hebrews 5:8-9 that though He was a Son, He learned obedience by the things He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. Also, Jesus was empowered to die a gruesome death on the cross after asking God for the experience to pass over him but eventually surrendered to God's will.
Abraham is an excellent example of a person who learned obedience and perfected it. From the time God called Abraham to leave his place of birth to a promised land and to the ultimate point of his obedience to sacrifice his covenanted son, Isaac, we could see his consistency in surrendering to God's instructions which earned him the title "the father of the faith." As we exercise our faith in the instructions we receive from God, we grow in our ability to surrender to God's instructions.
Prayer Points:
PRAYER POINT
Lord, help me to exercise my faith in the instructions I receive from you. I do not want to be a hearer of your word but also a doer of it so that I can be blessed in what I do.
Peter is an example of a person that received empowerment to obey. Before Jesus finally left His disciples, He instructed them in Mathew 28 to go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But Jesus knew it would be easier for His disciples to carry out this instruction with empowerment. Hence he told his disciples in Acts 1 to wait in Jerusalem until they were empowered. We saw how after being empowered, the same Peter that was so fearful and went back to fishing, boldly preached Jesus crucified to a gathered crowd, and in one day, about three thousand souls were added to the church. In Luke 22, the Lord said to Peter, satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail; when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren. Also, Hebrews 4:15-16 says that we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was tempted as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in times of need.
PRAYER POINT
Lord, empower us the grace to surrender to you and obey your instructions.
