Pressure Part II

Want pressure.
Financial want:
[Read the first part Here ]
In the book of Job, we see how the devil used want pressure on Job with the intention to destroy Job's relationship with God. He destroyed his children, wealth, health, etc.
The devil was envious of Job's relationship God, security, and wealth. Job 1:10. But he failed cos Job's relationship with God was not based on his wealth, health, or riches. That was why Job did not break his fellowship with God. His response to the terrible situation he found himself, is very intriguing. "...the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Job 1:21 KJV.
Job trusted God even while facing sore trial. "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him..." Job 13:15 KJV.
The devil wanted to wreck Job's faith by pressuring him with wants. Satan took away everything that was dear to Job, yet he came out victorious. He didn't change from one church to another, neither did he change his religion.
But today we see some Christians who change from one church to another because of some financial wants. Some even deny Christ because of a little hardship that confronted them.
Because of want pressure, some Christians so called, now serve God and mammon. They're one leg in the church and another leg in occult. Some Christian sister who use to serve God fervently have turned into professional prostitutes. Some gospel singers have changed to secular music cos of the pressure for fame and affluence. While some tongue speaking, Holy Ghost filled Christians don're even mind selling their bodies, going nude to make money. Some once faithful brothers dump their Christian faith for robbery and 419. While some pastors don't even wait to be filled with the power of God, they go to magicians, and witch doctors to collect power. They have "...a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof..." 2 Timothy 3:5 KJV.
Our Lord Jesus Christ categorized them among the rootless, and fruitless categories of Christians, when he told the parable of the kingdom in Mark 4:5-7,15-19.
Verse 19 KJV says "And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful."
Stop!!!
Halt for a moment and ponder on these words. If your spiritual life was to be measured in what I call "spiritualitometer" ( God's word )
What category would you belong?
Are you free from want pressure?
If God were to shake your finances ( I'm not praying that He should though) how would your life be?
What would be your response? Are you sure you'll be strong enough like Job to maintain your integrity?
# DailyInstructions...To be continued
Follow me on Twitter @Ubongeazeal I'll follow back

Pressure

The free dictionary defines pressure as:
1.
a. The act of pressing.
b. The condition of being pressed.
2. The application of continuous force by one body on another that it is touching; compression.
We will be looking at pressure, as it relates to the Christian life. Its effects on the Christian's spirituality, and how to over come it.

Pressure is one of the most effective weapon at the devil's disposal, with which he uses to inflate or weakens Christians spiritual life.

Refs.: Judges 16:16, Proverbs 7:23, 1 Kings 13:15-22.
Satan uses different kinds of pressure on different people, base on their point of weakness.
These are some of the common pressures:

• Want Pressure
• Peer pressure
• Personality pressure
• Habitual pressure, etc.

Want Pressure.
Want pressure has to do with our individual needs, and wants.
Sometimes the things we want may not necessarily be what we need, but because we're being pressured, pressed, or constrained to want things we don't really need.
These want pressure sometimes may come in various ways and means. They may come as:

• Financial want: wanting to get rich quick. 
• The want to be financially superior to someone else.
• The want to make ends meet. Although ends would never meet.
• The financial want to amass wealth.
• The want to satisfy loved ones financial needs. Etc.

Financial want.
This (Financial want) is one of the toughest pressure that seems irresistible by many Christians today. Even Judas Iscariot, one of the first twelve disciple of Jesus was not able to resist this pressure Matthew 26:14-16,47-50. He sold his own master for just thirty pieces of silver. He ended in shame and regrets Matthew 27:5.
...To be continued...
Are you like Judas, who'll trade his salvation, and Savior for a piece of cake? #GodForbid
May you receive grace and strength to resist every pressure from the tempter.

Your Faith And Your Destiny

Refs: Genesis 12, Romans 4:17-22, Hebrews 11:8-10 (KJV)

Abraham, though he'd not seen nor have a clue where the land God called him to go and possess was, yet he believed. Considering the fact that he was from Idolatrous background ( Genesis 31:30 ) and wasn't so acquainted with God at that time, yet he departed without knowing where he was going. His decision was such decision that many folks today would regard as "dumb". He obeyed by faith.

Faith and destiny are two inseparable words. From the above Bible references, we see how faith was the key player, or rather the main driver to the fulfillment of Abraham's destiny. His exemplary life of obedience to God is worthy of emulation. Here are some lessons to learn:

-He believed God, even when there was no tangible evidence to assure him that there'll be a happy, and better ending for him. All he had was seemingly empty promises. "...I will shew thee..." Genesis 12:1. "...I will make of thee..." verse 2. "...I will bless..." verse 3

-Without hesitation, "...Abram departed as the Lord has spoken unto him..." Genesis 12:4. He didn't consult with his kinsmen to know whether he should go or not. His faith made him to obey.

-He saw the invisible through the eyes of faith, by believing the "...God who...calleth those things which be not, as though they were." Romans 4:17. Don't hang your destiny on the people you see, nor on the things that are seen today, cos they may fail you.

-He was full of hope even when there was nothing to hope for Romans 4:18.

-Was not "...weak in faith..." Romans 4:19. Even when such faith was scientifically proven to be 'foolish' cos he didn't care whether Sarah had passed the age of menopause.

It sometimes sounds so easy reading this verse, but if we were to be in Abraham's shoes, I'm sure we'd know how hard it pitches.

-He was strong in faith. Romans 4:20 He didn't stagger at God's promise. Also in the midst of his trails and challenges, he glorified God. Meaning he sang in the midst of the storm.
To fulfill your destiny, you need a faith that is stronger than your mountains ( challenges )

-He was fully, completely persuaded that Gosh was able to perform what He has promised. Romans 4:21.
Once God has spoken, we need not to doubt His word, knowing that God is able to do all things.

-Finally his obedience was the overall thing God cherished the most. He obeyed, even when he didn't know where he was going, Hebrews 11:8. He didn't even considered whether he and his family would starve to death in the strange land, or probably get killed by people, famine, diseases, animals, etc. Faith saw him through. Today, Abraham is the father of many nations because of faith and obedience to God.

To fulfill your destiny in God, you cannot do without these two words, rather virtues, 'Faith' and 'Obedience' May God helps us, and grant us the grace to exercise faith in God on our journey of destiny, and may He grant us the grace to lead the life of obedience.

Don't Sell Your Destiny

Hebrews 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

February 14 is celebrated all over the world as Valentine's day, also
known "lovers day" day, but the true meaning of Valentine's day was
the day of honor, where a courageous preacher died for his faith in
Christ Jesus. You can read the full details here.

From our Bible verse today, we are told that Esau was a fornicator,
and a profane person who sold his birthright, just for a morsel of meat.
He thought it was just an ordinary, insignificant birthright, but not knowing
it was actually his destiny he was selling out, and in today's Val's day,
many people will sell out their God's ordained destiny for some minutes,
perhaps some hours of pleasure.

Destiny is God's precious and divine gift to us. And we all have a choice,
either to toy or gamble with it, or to guard it as a precious gift, and walk
towards its fulfilment.

The choice is yours. #Remember in verse 17, Esau sought for a second
chance, but it was too late. Don't allow the devil to trick you into his dirty
deal, you may have no chance of recovery.

The Path Of Destiny

Hebrews 11:8.
"By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place
which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and
he went out, not knowing whither he went."

The pathway to fulfilling your God's ordained destiny may not
be immediately visible to you.
It takes the eyes of faith to see beyond the mountains ( worries,
anxieties, doubts, fear of the unknown, unbelieve, and impossibility)
that obscure the way. And when I say faith, its not just bread and
butter faith, but a crude and rugged kind of faith, just like Abraham's.


You don't need all the details before you step out to follow God's way.
All you need is victuals (grace) for your journey to walk into your God's
redemptive destiny. #DestinySeries