Topic: I KNOW YOUR WORKS.
Text: Rev.3:15-19; Jn.9:4; Eph.4:1; 1Sam.13:14; 2Chr.12:14; 25:2; Matt.20:1-16; Heb.12:2-3.
Introduction: "But they will become his slave so that they may LEARN THE DIFFERENCE between My service and the service of the countries" 2Chro.12:8 NASB. When Rehoboam rebelled against God, the prophet sent him chilling message. He told him he would show him the difference between working for God and working for the nations of the world.
There is difference between working for God and working for the world. Amassing wealth in this fading world cannot be compared with the high calling of God. To build and eternal city with real foundations is the highest privilege for mortal man. Most men spend their lives building temporary things which have no future. The average man is simply a builder of worthless sandcastles.
Pharaoh is a "type" of Satan. Egypt is a "type" of the world and Israel is a "type" of God's people. Pharaoh afflicted God's people with hard labour and made them build treasure cities. This clearly depicts secular work today. Most the time we spent in the secular world is spent building the cities of the world. By the time we are dead and gone, we have only added more beautiful buildings to the skyline of this world's cities. The work of this world is with much rigor, much tension and much sweat. We are made to work harder and harder without realizing that we are actually building treasure cities of this world. Don't defy the purpose of your calling as a prophet and prophetess. Eph.4:11-12. New York City, Paris, London, Accra, Lagos and Nairobi were built with the sweat of the hard working human beings. These human beings are dead and gone but the treasure cities remain. Are you spending life to build the world kingdom or God's kingdom? Luke 4:6; 2Cor.4:4. This shows us that it is actually Satan who exercises power over the cities of this world. Exo.1:8-13.
Escaping from the world system is not going to be easy. Moses didn't have smooth exit from Egypt. It was only through a determined struggle that the people of God finally escaped from Pharaoh.
Body: "And it came to pass, when PHARAOH WOULD HARDLY LET US GO" Exo.13:15. Pharaoh which is the type of this world system will not want you to go and serve God in full-time ministry. THERE ARE FOUR STAGES THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN AND MINISTERS OF GOD MUST GO THROUGH TO BREAK OUT.
Stage 1: PHARAOH DOES NOT WANT YOU TO LEAVE HIS EMPLOYMENT.
"And Pharaoh said, who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, NEITHER WILL I LET ISRAEL GO" Exo.5:2. Pharaoh wants you to work for him until you're dead. He wants you to sweat and toil until you die. Satan knows that many people will never reach the retirement age. He deludes them into working towards an imaginary retirement which will never materialize.
Stage 2: PHARAOH WANTS YOU TO SERVE TO SERVE GOD BUT REMAIN WITH HIM. "And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, SACRIFICE TO YOUR GOD IN THE LAND" Exo.8:25. This form of service is politely called the lay ministry. Serving God, but well fastened to the world system of earning money. Don't let the system of this world determined when you should serve God as a prophet. It's God's desire for you to serve Him in freedom.
Stage 3: PHARAOH DOES NOT WANT YOU TO GO TOO FAR.
"And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; ONLY YE SHALL NOT GO VERY FAR away: intreat for me" Exo.8:28.
The world system does not want you to go far with God in the ministry. Many Christians side with Pharaoh at this stage. Good and moral Christians will warn of the dangers of extremism. Today's church is full of "Mr. Goods and Mrs. Perfect" who neither hot nor cold. It is a church of "mature, moral, never-do-wrong" Christians who neither go too far nor too near! Mr. Clean is neither hot nor cold! When you suggest the idea of full-time ministry, they say you should not go too far.
Stage 4: PHARAOH DOES NOT WANT YOU TO RISK YOUR FINANCES IN MINISTRY.
"And Pharaoh called unto Moses and said, Go ye serve the Lord; ONLY LET YOUR FLOCKS AND YOUR HERDS BE STAYED: let your little ones also go with you" Exo.10:24. Today's lukewarm Christians want to serve God without risking anything. They fully agree with Pharaoh's suggestion about serving the Lord without risking their business and their earthly possessions. The modern church, including the modern pastor and prophet is amazed at the idea of professionals leaving their vocations for the ministry. What a glorious honour it is to receive an invitation of the Lord to build His tabernacle! Yet the voices of the ones who are neither hot nor cold drown the voice of the Spirit. They say, "Don't risk your resources on a crazy adventure."
Conclusion: Dear prophets and prophetesses there's no higher calling than to serve the King of kings. Fight your way out of prison. Make it your life's ambition to follow the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire. Make it your life's work to build His tabernacle rather than building the treasure cities of Pharaoh.
Prepared by: Prophet Sam Adebayo.
samadebayoministry@yahoo.com
+2348038943366 or +2347088831001.
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