Topic: God cannot be boxed to a corner
Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 4-6; Luke 12: 35-59.
Memory Verse: “And she named the child I-chabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.” 1 Samuel 4:21 (KJV)
The story is told of a preacher who was used mightily by God. Through him God wrought great miracles and the wicked ones feared him. Then sometime he decided to go to a village where they were known for their wickedness and demonic power for a three day crusade. The first day was great; many in bondage were set free and the second day was greater with several miracles. So the villagers trouped out for the third and final day. As he was ready to commence on the final day, the whole sky was cloudy showing that it was about to rain. Then he raised up his hands and prayed that it should not rain thinking that the unbelievers wanted to bring the rain to disrupt the crusade! And he went further that if he was serving a true God, it would not rain that night and if it rained, he would throw away his Bible. He then urged all the demonic powers to come out and face his God. But a few minutes later, there was a heavy downpour and the congregation scattered and the preacher was ashamed and truly threw away the Bible and left the altar in shame.
Then he left the village and was on his way back to his base. Along the way, he stayed by the roadside under a tree to relax and a leperous man walked towards him and called him a powerful man of God but he renounced that saying the God that could not back his servants. The leperous man then told him his story that he was the most powerful man in the village where the man went for a crusade and that he was prepared to kill the preacher the third day because he had set almost all his captives free in the first two days of the crusade. He got all his charms ready and positioned himself where he could see the evangelist to invoke his incantation but suddenly, it was about to rain but he did everything to prevent the rain as it would have great repercussions for him but the rain fell and that was why he became a leper. He has since been looking for the evangelist to cure him as his God is the most powerful! He said the rain was caused by the God of the evangelist and not the demonic god as thought by the evangelist.
He thereafter presented himself for healing by the God of the evangelist. The evangelist became remorseful and sought for God’s mercy and he was restored.
This was the challenge with Eli’s daughter-inlaw who said the Glory had departed from Israel because the Ark was taken and she died! 1 Samuel 4:21 (KJV) says, “And she named the child I-chabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.” But God is sovereign and does his things as he pleases. God only allowed His Ark to be taken by the Philistines to fulfill his earlier prophecy concerning the extinction of Eli’s family as stated in 1 Samuel 2:27-36.
What are you expecting from God? Don’t assume, He will come to you again. He can alter his ways at anytime. All you need is to ask God before taking any action. Remember Matthew 7:7-8. God is not a rubber stamp. He may not do according to your wish but according to His will based on his knowledge. No wonder the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 3:19 that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.
Action point: Ensure you seek God’s direction before making a pronouncement on his behalf.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero