₦Sermon 46
WAKE UP! WAKE UP!
“Wake up for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” — Romans 13:11, NLT.
Texts: Romans 13: 11 – 14, 1 Thessalonians 5:6, Matt. 25:13, Eph. 6:12, Rev. 2:5, 3:3
There is one famous analogy that Satan called his disciples and sent them a deadly mission to attack the Christians. One reported to him that he had killed many Christians. This disciple expected his master (Satan) to appreciate his dreadful act but Satan wasn’t happy. He replied to his disciples that he shouldn’t have killed them because they are all going to heaven (Selah — remember the story of Stephen — his death and the death of John the Baptist) thus, Satan was not happy because those righteous ones are going to heaven. The second disciple of Satan reported that he had put to destruction the properties of the Christians with a great enthusiasm that Satan would appreciate him but Satan replied to him that he did not do well because they will now come to attack them (Selah, could you remember how the property of Job was destroyed? Thus, Satan acted to bring down the faith of Job. He wanted a way to cause Job to curse his God. He even used Job’s wife so that Job’s faith would no longer be active. The third disciple came to Satan thinking that Satan would not commend him since those that acted dreadfully upon the lives of the Christians are not commended. He reported to Satan that he had weakened the Christians and caused some Christians to sleep. Very good! Thank you, replied Satan with a smiling ugly face.
Apostle Paul really understands the tactics of Satan, how he lures Christians to sleep. This is why he wrote to the Thessalonians and Romans to wake up and not to continue sleeping. Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober (clear-headed) — 1Thessalonians 5:6. We the Christians are really the watchmen that God called to watch over his people. We know that a watchman hardly sleeps and if he’s caught by his boss sleeping, he’ll definitely be sacked. Though, if he is not sacked and perhaps some armed robbers invade his boss’s compound/house and steal things away, he, the watchman will be responsible for everything lost because he did not sound any alarm to his boss as a result of his sleeping nature. Ezekiel says: “But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t sound the alarm to warn the people he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins but I will hold the watchman responsible for their death” — Ezekiel 33:6. God will hold us responsible when we become weak and Satan takes the advantage to ruin the souls that are given to us to care for.
Today, most of the Christians have unknowingly deviated from the gospel truth. We are no longer preaching the truth about God; instead, we devote our time preaching prosperity and breakthroughs. But what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? — Matt. 16:26. As a watchman, why will you be there and people die as a result of evil attack? Don’t you know that God has given you the authority to cast evil spirits and many more?—Matt. 10:8. Because you are sleeping that is why those powers to perform miracles given to you are also sleeping. God will judge you if you are not using the powers given to you for effective ministry.
We should be awake because:
Our salvation is nearer than when we believed (Rom. 13:11): This is the high time the Christians should be awake waiting for the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we don’t wake up now, we will not follow the bridegroom to the wedding banquet. Just like the five foolish virgins in the scripture who were not adequately prepared with oil to keep watch at night. Christ intimates us to keep watch for we do not know the day or hour of his return”— (see Matt. 25: 13).
It is a time for spiritual battles: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of wickedness in the heavenly places — Eph. 6:12. Here Apostle Paul does not mean that we should be fighting against our enemies with a mere gun. He does neither say we should fight one another nor kill our enemies. What he means is that Christians should be more diligent and vigilant in prayers so as not to be conquered by the forces of the wickedness in the heavenly places. We should be awake and put on the armor of God so that we will be able to fight and win our spiritual battles— the battle of those who have taken your name to one juju priest to another to cause or wreck mischief to your lives. You can only stand firmly to fight against the devil when you are awake. Having the spiritual armor of God, you can stand firm against the wiles or strategies of the devil (Eph. 6:11). The reason why Joseph was able to be at the height God placed him is that he was wearing the spiritual armor of God and this armor did not allow him to defile himself with the wife of Potiphar. Thus, with the help of God’s armor, those who are awake will resist the power of the flesh. They partake not in the darkness of wild parties, drunkenness, in sexual promiscuity, immoral living or in quarreling (Romans 13:13). It was also God’s armor that protected David to fight Goliath. Thus, David was awake spiritually and therefore he was able to kill Goliath the Philistine soldier who tried to taunt the Israelites as to defy their God. We should remember that David did not war against Goliath with any spear or gun but with the armor of God’s grace. If David had been asleep spiritually, he wouldn’t have been given the armor of God’s grace to kill the Philistine champion— Goliath. Therefore, let us, those who are called Christians always be awake.
Awake, God will come unexpectedly— Rev. 3:3: We Christians have lost our first doctrine of love which is the basis of practical Christian living. We forget that we are our brother’s keepers and everybody cares not for their neighbours again. This is the life that the church at Ephesus was living which made God to be angry with them. Though mercifully, he warned them to repent and do the work they did at first which was to loving one another— Rev. 2:5. We should wake up from hatred to love because anyone who hates his brother is a murderer and which no murderer can by anyway inherit the Kingdom of God without repentance. The church at Sardis, their action did not meet with God’s requirement. They are asked to wake up and believe on what they have heard at first. My brother what is that we heard at first and failed to do it? We should be re-awakened by the gospel truth and then abide by it so that we can live a holy and righteous life. May God be with you – Amen!
————Meditation Point————
I lie awake, yet I am like a bird isolated on a rooftop—Psalm 102:7, ISV. O GOD, awake my mortal soul so that when you come for the second time you’ll not find me sleeping in my sins. I pray that you reawaken me from spiritual slumber.
A Sermon Preached By Rev. Fortune Emerence Chinemerem Nwaiwu
WAKE UP! WAKE UP!
“Wake up for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” — Romans 13:11, NLT.
Texts: Romans 13: 11 – 14, 1 Thessalonians 5:6, Matt. 25:13, Eph. 6:12, Rev. 2:5, 3:3
There is one famous analogy that Satan called his disciples and sent them a deadly mission to attack the Christians. One reported to him that he had killed many Christians. This disciple expected his master (Satan) to appreciate his dreadful act but Satan wasn’t happy. He replied to his disciples that he shouldn’t have killed them because they are all going to heaven (Selah — remember the story of Stephen — his death and the death of John the Baptist) thus, Satan was not happy because those righteous ones are going to heaven. The second disciple of Satan reported that he had put to destruction the properties of the Christians with a great enthusiasm that Satan would appreciate him but Satan replied to him that he did not do well because they will now come to attack them (Selah, could you remember how the property of Job was destroyed? Thus, Satan acted to bring down the faith of Job. He wanted a way to cause Job to curse his God. He even used Job’s wife so that Job’s faith would no longer be active. The third disciple came to Satan thinking that Satan would not commend him since those that acted dreadfully upon the lives of the Christians are not commended. He reported to Satan that he had weakened the Christians and caused some Christians to sleep. Very good! Thank you, replied Satan with a smiling ugly face.
Apostle Paul really understands the tactics of Satan, how he lures Christians to sleep. This is why he wrote to the Thessalonians and Romans to wake up and not to continue sleeping. Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober (clear-headed) — 1Thessalonians 5:6. We the Christians are really the watchmen that God called to watch over his people. We know that a watchman hardly sleeps and if he’s caught by his boss sleeping, he’ll definitely be sacked. Though, if he is not sacked and perhaps some armed robbers invade his boss’s compound/house and steal things away, he, the watchman will be responsible for everything lost because he did not sound any alarm to his boss as a result of his sleeping nature. Ezekiel says: “But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t sound the alarm to warn the people he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins but I will hold the watchman responsible for their death” — Ezekiel 33:6. God will hold us responsible when we become weak and Satan takes the advantage to ruin the souls that are given to us to care for.
Today, most of the Christians have unknowingly deviated from the gospel truth. We are no longer preaching the truth about God; instead, we devote our time preaching prosperity and breakthroughs. But what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? — Matt. 16:26. As a watchman, why will you be there and people die as a result of evil attack? Don’t you know that God has given you the authority to cast evil spirits and many more?—Matt. 10:8. Because you are sleeping that is why those powers to perform miracles given to you are also sleeping. God will judge you if you are not using the powers given to you for effective ministry.
We should be awake because:
Our salvation is nearer than when we believed (Rom. 13:11): This is the high time the Christians should be awake waiting for the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we don’t wake up now, we will not follow the bridegroom to the wedding banquet. Just like the five foolish virgins in the scripture who were not adequately prepared with oil to keep watch at night. Christ intimates us to keep watch for we do not know the day or hour of his return”— (see Matt. 25: 13).
It is a time for spiritual battles: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of wickedness in the heavenly places — Eph. 6:12. Here Apostle Paul does not mean that we should be fighting against our enemies with a mere gun. He does neither say we should fight one another nor kill our enemies. What he means is that Christians should be more diligent and vigilant in prayers so as not to be conquered by the forces of the wickedness in the heavenly places. We should be awake and put on the armor of God so that we will be able to fight and win our spiritual battles— the battle of those who have taken your name to one juju priest to another to cause or wreck mischief to your lives. You can only stand firmly to fight against the devil when you are awake. Having the spiritual armor of God, you can stand firm against the wiles or strategies of the devil (Eph. 6:11). The reason why Joseph was able to be at the height God placed him is that he was wearing the spiritual armor of God and this armor did not allow him to defile himself with the wife of Potiphar. Thus, with the help of God’s armor, those who are awake will resist the power of the flesh. They partake not in the darkness of wild parties, drunkenness, in sexual promiscuity, immoral living or in quarreling (Romans 13:13). It was also God’s armor that protected David to fight Goliath. Thus, David was awake spiritually and therefore he was able to kill Goliath the Philistine soldier who tried to taunt the Israelites as to defy their God. We should remember that David did not war against Goliath with any spear or gun but with the armor of God’s grace. If David had been asleep spiritually, he wouldn’t have been given the armor of God’s grace to kill the Philistine champion— Goliath. Therefore, let us, those who are called Christians always be awake.
Awake, God will come unexpectedly— Rev. 3:3: We Christians have lost our first doctrine of love which is the basis of practical Christian living. We forget that we are our brother’s keepers and everybody cares not for their neighbours again. This is the life that the church at Ephesus was living which made God to be angry with them. Though mercifully, he warned them to repent and do the work they did at first which was to loving one another— Rev. 2:5. We should wake up from hatred to love because anyone who hates his brother is a murderer and which no murderer can by anyway inherit the Kingdom of God without repentance. The church at Sardis, their action did not meet with God’s requirement. They are asked to wake up and believe on what they have heard at first. My brother what is that we heard at first and failed to do it? We should be re-awakened by the gospel truth and then abide by it so that we can live a holy and righteous life. May God be with you – Amen!
————Meditation Point————
I lie awake, yet I am like a bird isolated on a rooftop—Psalm 102:7, ISV. O GOD, awake my mortal soul so that when you come for the second time you’ll not find me sleeping in my sins. I pray that you reawaken me from spiritual slumber.
A Sermon Preached By Rev. Fortune Emerence Chinemerem Nwaiwu
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