Jide Oladimeji

In this perilous time, we need to know God and His word.

1. Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
2. 2 Kings 10:10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.
3. Jeremiah 1:12 Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.
4. Mark 13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
5. John 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

These passages of scripture make us to know that the word of God cannot change

To sinner, God said

1. Psalms 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.
2. Proverbs 11:21 Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.
3. Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
4. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

As we look at the word of God that is called –

1. The Scriptures
2. Bible

• Holy Writ

1. Word of God

It comes to us in various forms and ways. It can come through reading the Bible, through listening to a message, by God sending somebody to tell us or by God speaking directly to us.

Whichever way God used, it is His WORD, which had been passed to us, and it cannot be broken

The WORD of a man is the man. The WORD of a man carries all his authorities behind the man and all the power the man has. The way you see the man is the way you will see his WORD.

WHO IS GOD?

1. The creator of heaven and earth
2. The Almighty
3. The One you cannot see and still sees you
4. The One who is the All- Wise

The WORD of a man carries the authority of the man, and then the WORD of God carries the authorities of God.

We do not have too much problem with the recognizing that the WORD of God carries the authorities of God but we do not know God. How much of God do you know? Do you know God?

1. If Balaam knew God, he would not behave as he did.
2. If Pharaoh knew God, he would not be stubborn to God
3. If Saul knew God, he would not do what he did and he would not have died the way he died.
4. Can we say Solomon knew God?
5. Did Judas know God?

Do you know God?

1. If you know God and His WORD says – …and God is angry with the wicked every day. Psalms 7:11– you will quickly repent.
2. If you know God and the Bible says – For the wages of sin is death – you will run away from sin right away
3. When God talks, it may seams unreasonable to us because we are judging it with our small brain, remember that He created our brains. When God talks, it may look unrealistic and impossible because we do not know Him enough and we are always comparing God with ourselves, which is a great error.
4. If we know that “the scripture cannot be broken”, our lives will change.
5. If we know that, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.”, we will live better, talk better and enjoy this very life.
6. The man who believes in aggression does not know the word of God – he that believeth shall not make haste.
7. If you know His word, you will never be in a hurry over anything, you will never panic because of anything and you will learn to relax and fear will have no place in your life.
8. If God has not talked concerning any issue, pray and seek the face of God until He will talk. Immediately He talks, stand there and say like the prophets of old, “thus saith the Lord”.
9. When you hear the WORD of God, do not hold it lightly or judge it with your knowledge or experience, it is God’s word.
10. It is like a living seed, plant it on a good watered soil and it will grow.

We shall consider a case study of the famine in Samaria at the time of prophet Elisha.

2Kings 6& 7

1. There was extreme poverty, lack, want and insecurity, to the point that people were eating their own children and buying the dung of a turtledove to eat.
2. Humanly speaking, there was no solution in sight.
3. Elisha prophecy Super-abundance by that time the following day
4. The prophecy was against common sense
5. God who gave the WORD worked out the details
6. God has different ways of handling enemies, He made them afraid by making them to hear what was not there and they ran away – flee for life
7. The general of the army could not see how the prophecy could be fulfilled.
8. If you cannot see or understand something, it is better to stand and wait – wait and see approach.
9. The second prophecy was on the general and it was worked out
10. When we see the cases how they happened, we can learn some lessons from them.
11. Your case is not without a solution from God.
12. Do not see problems with your eyes or mind.

• Do not underestimate what God can do.

1. The king and people of Israel at this time were idolaters but Grace covered them and brought the superabundance to them.
2. God can use any means and practically anybody to carry out His assignment.
3. The whole thing look like a joke and God has not changed.

The storms of life are blowing up and down, front and back. Many of us are wondering why with all the efforts we had made the storm is still blowing.

Jesus gave us a perfect example –

Mar 4:35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Jesus opened His mouth and said, “…Let us pass over unto the other side.”

He had already told them that, “Mark 13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.”

With the confidence that the creature cannot swallow the Creator, He slept. Peter, John and James and the rest of the apostles could not sleep. With all the experiences of the fishermen among them, they could not get solution. Then, they woke Jesus up and rather accused Him of not caring for their lives. Jesus rose up in a calm way with a calm voice said to the sea and the wind, “Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

It is not energy, it is resident confidence in the unchanging word of God, remember He told them, “…Let us pass over unto the other side.” Jesus knew the storms would come but He also knew that they were going to the other side. Whatever the storm may be in your life, family, or business, Jesus knew about it before it came and a solution had been proffered on it. All you need is the green light to move and pass the storms.

Another unique example I will give is that of Moses and the children of Israel at the Red Sea.

Exo 14:9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon. 10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. 11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

Exo 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. 15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

Moses saw all that they saw and also saw what they did not see, the Invisible God. At that point, Moses did not know what to do or what God would do but he knew that God would do something because nothing is accidental to God. Before a problem comes the solution from God is always waiting. Solution comes before problems but we see the problems and not the solutions.

Moses calmed them down. He knew that their God was powerful, caring and able to handle Pharaoh and his army.

God wants us to be calm whatever is happening to us His name is Emmanuel.

We are to be calm because;-

• God is in control of our lives
• His word can never change
• He has no challenger
• He is bigger than all our problems

If we can only rely on Him, all the storms of our lives will hear, “Peace, be still.” And the storms will ceased, and there will be great calm.

Psalms 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

However bad the economy of the jungle may be, the children of the lions will not eat grass. As long as you are one of my children, you shall not lack any good thing, it shall be well with you.

Mat 21:1  And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2  Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3  And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 

Mat 21:6  And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7  And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8  And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

An ordinary ass, a tied down ass, a useless ass, when the ass got to Jesus, the ass became very important. That is the power of TRANSFORMATION.

God is in the business of transforming lives. Look at these examples

1. Abram – this unknown, unrecognized man became Abraham, the father of nations and the friend of God.
2. Joseph – a slave that was promoted to become a prisoner without terms suddenly became the prime ministers of Egypt.
3. Rehab – this woman was a harlot, a very dirty profession but she became an honorable women in the lineage of Jesus, this is transformation.
4. David – the last born of his poor father, became a wanderer in the wilderness going from wilderness to wilderness because Saul the king wanted to kill him. He became the most celebrated king the world had ever seen. This is TRANSFORMATION.
5. Mordecai – the very day he was to be killed was the day his promotion and celebration started from the hand of the one who wanted to kill him. This is TRANSFORMATION
6. Peter, John and James – uneducated, unknown, uncelebrated, became great apostles of Jesus and they were doing wonders. This is TRANSFORMATION.
7. Paul – Saul of Tarsus was a terrible enemy pf the cross but God changed him and became PAUL – the great apostle to the gentles. This is TRANSFORMATION’

These are but few examples, to show the greatness and the goodness of God. He is not a partial God whatever He did for others, He will do for you.

How do you see your situation, He has not changed. Come to Him with open mind and He will transform your life.

Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Things around can trouble us. The problems of the world can also trouble us.

Among the children of Jacob, none had problems like Joseph. So, we should not allow any trouble to disturbed us.

Hab 3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

Even though everything look upside down, still we should not be troubled.

With all the problems that Jesus went through, He was never troubled.

The promises of God should encourage us. He said “I will never leave thee”. So we should not be troubled whatever we are going through.

David moved away from being troubled to God before God could talk to him and that was when solution came because of those that carried their families away.

Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee 7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

God expects us to relax in His hands

Mar 10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, 30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

Jesus must be in your life. He is able. Always remember that prayer brings solutions down.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

With all that Joseph went through, he overcame.

With all that Joshua faced in the wilderness, he reached the Canaan Land.

With all that Saul planned for David, David still reined.

With all the noise of Nebuchadnezzar, the three Hebrew children could not be burnt by his fire.

Why will you not relax in the hands of the Almighty God?

Has He ever disappointed somebody in the past?

Is He not there for you?

RELAX IN CHRIST.