#storms #fire #salt #light #transformation #sacrifice #livingsacrifice #perseverence #purification
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
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Blog link: https://www.otakada.org/inevitability-of-storms-and-fire-for-lasting-transformation/
Inevitability of Storms and fire for Lasting Transformation
Friends, storms are inevitable in life. They test the genuineness of our faith. They test the authenticity of what we spew out from our pulpits, pews, prayer and in the closet. They test our claims. Apart from testing what we claim to have, testing and storms of life are needed for the change and transformation God is calling us into and unto. Nothing teaches like pain. When we ask God for revival, He permits pain in our realm by the agency of the one who kills, stills and destroys (John 10:10b) paraphrased. That is Satan’s ministry. If God needed Satan to kill His Son, He will surely and loudly use Satan to adjust our brains and eventually or hearts, minds and deeds into transformation. Jesus promised His disciples and us inclusive that in this world we will have trouble, but we should be of good cheer, for His has overcome the world. (John 16:33). What is cheerful about painful, stormy and testing situation and circumstances? As if that is not enough, James, the brother of Jesus comes along and tells us to count it all joy when we go through diverse temptations (James 1:2-3.) Instructive to note that these words came at the very beginning of this admonition of James.
We can be cheerful and joyful in storms through the agency of the Holy Spirit BUT, big “BUT” by the activation of effective fervent prayer of the righteous (James 5:6.)
“Availing much” , apart answered prayers could also mean the staying power to go through the situation and circumstances through prayer.
Tomorrow morning, as we continue the series on prayer, we shall be praying on endurance.
The wisest man who ever lived said in Proverbs 24:10 said
ESV If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. NIV If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! NASB If you show yourself lacking courage on the day of distress, Your strength is meager.
What keeps us going is not just positive confession, or faith talk. What keeps our faith alive in times of crises is prayer. Jesus said, Men always ought to pray and not lose heart. – Luke 18:1 . We lose heart or faint when we don’t pray.
The just shall live by faith – Romans 1:17: Habakkuk 2:4; Galatians 3:12; Hebrews 10:38
We need to gird ourselves for long haul because as God showed us in 2020, this storm will last another 2 to 3 years at most if the Lord tarries in coming.
In God’s wisdom, every 100 hundred years, the Lord permits storms especially to touch His children for the purpose of purification. This is the season of purification. You need to know the purpose of storms so that you can position yourselves to build yourself up in the Holy Ghost, through prayer and transformation in daily living, with fruits the world can attest to.
Jesus said in Mark 9:49 – Everyone will be salted with fire and every sacrifice will be salted with salt.
Romans 12:1-2 Present your bodies as living sacrifice, Holy and acceptable unto God, do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you will be able to proof what is that God and acceptable will of God.
God brings transformation through fire. We become salts, through fire. We become useful vessels in the hands of the master through fire. We become relevant to our generation and world as salt and light. (Matthew 5:13). We should not run away from fire but allow fire, through perseverance to do it’s perfect work, at the end lacking nothing. James 1:4 (paraphrased.)
We are here to equip you to carry out strategic spiritual warfare for these end times in the place of prayer: We should be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath or anger – James 1:19-20
The series on prayer will go on for a very, very long time. So, fasten your seatbelt for the long haul brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen.
Join us tomorrow morning as we build endurance through 27 prayer points.
Shalom!
Ambassador Monday O. Ogbe
God’s Eagle Ministries
Https://www.otakada.org
Where we are seeding the Nations with God’s Words and God Himself is transforming lives through His timeless Truth – One content at a time – Evangelism, Discipleship, Counseling, Healing, Deliverance , Restoration, and Prayer with Walls, Borders and Denominations