The word ‘Prophecy’ Biblically speaking refers to an inspired message given to God’s people. It is a word of exhortation, admonition or promise of a future occurrence from God to His people.
2 Peter 1:21: “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
‘Prophesied’ in the Greek word of the aforementioned scripture {propheteuo} confirms this as it means the foretelling of future events as well as speaking under divine inspiration. Propheteuo is gotten from two words; Pro and Phemi.
Phemi means to reveal one’s thoughts. It also means to bring one’s secret thoughts to light – while Pro to speak ahead of time or beforehand. When these two words are brought together; Pro-Phemi they give us the meaning of revealing God’s secret thoughts before they manifest.
Prophecy is a gift and an activity that is not limited to believers; even unbelievers prophesy. Diviners and spiritualists equally prophecy; they give predictions of the future and also give inspired messages – however, these messages are not from God, but from the devil.
Balaam prophesied using sorcery (Numbers 24:1).
The prophets in Jeremiah’s days prophesied by Baal {Jer. 2:8}
Our concern as believers should not be with the prophecies that come from these folks, but with the one that comes from God’s own prophets. However, even genuine prophets, especially those who only have the gift of prophecy without productive training and mentorship from a genuine senior prophet, can give inaccurate prophecies or prophecies from the wrong source.
This is the reason a believer must properly understand what a prophecy is and what it is not, so that he/she can be able to discern which prophecy to accept and the one to reject.
Biblical Prophecy is for Edification, Comfort and Exhortation
1 Corinthians 14:3: “But [on the other hand], the one who prophesies [who interprets the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching] speaks to men for their upbuilding and constructive spiritual progress and encouragement and consolation.” (AMP)
Whatever prophecy that God is gives to His Church or the members of the Church is not to make them moody or dampen their faith. It is only evil prophecies inspired by Satan or concocted by man that aim at weakening the faith of believers.
True prophecy stirs up faith and enflames the dimming light in the heart of a believer. When a believer is downcast or is in a tight corner, God can speak to that believer through His word {the Bible} or through the pastor of that believer – that is prophecy.
When God brings a scripture to your heart during your darkest moments, that Bible verse is a word of prophecy to uphold and strengthen your faith. However, when during your dark moments, all you get are predictions of your downfall, scary tales and scary dreams, you must know how to rebuke and reject them. They are not from God! God-inspired prophecies are meant to comfort us and to also edify us.
Furthermore, prophecy is also meant to EXHORT. The word ‘exhortation’ signifies a call for an action. It could be a call to repentance, prayer etc. A lot of times, God’s prophecy does not only come to comfort or edify us, it also comes to correct us. It comes to admonish us and show us the right path.
God used the likes of Isaiah, Jeremiah and a host of other prophets to fulfil this in the Old Testament. However, a concise study in the Books will reveal that though they contained some negative prophecies about Israel, they always ended with a word of comfort and solace. And in some instances, God did this to bring them to repentance. Thus, God also uses prophecy to warn us of the consequences of wrongdoing.
The purpose of prophecy revolves around this.
WHAT HOLY SPIRIT-INSPIRED PROPHECY IS NOT.
Revealing of one’s past mistakes.
Revealing irrelevant facts about a person.
An evil foretelling meant to create fear or swindle a person
Nwodo Divine sums it up here;
“God reveals his definition of prophecy in the book of 1st Peter. 2 Peter 1:19 says ‘We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts’. 2 Peter 1:20 says ‘Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.’ 2 Peter 1:21 says ‘For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.’ Note the following,
Word of Prophecy
Prophecy of Scripture
Moved by the Holy Spirit
Prophecy is speaking forth the word of God by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is declaring the counsel of God towards a particular situation – and it is founded upon the already existing sure prophecy – God’s word.
Now, based on this definition, will you define prophecy as telling a person facts about his past and would you define a prophet as one who can tell you the colour of your father’s house and the sins of your granny.
Where is the counsel of God in that? Where and how is the will of God in that?
God bless you – it is a prophecy. Soand so has been happening, but the Lord is turning it around – such is a prophecy There’s doom in the air, but if we repent, we will be saved – such is prophecy.
Bible is the Book full of prophecies of what God has/will do for His church and the world in general.
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the WORDS of THIS PROPHECY, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Thus we see that Biblical perspective of Prophecy is giving God’s counsel.
Have you ever been told of a miracle coming your way but after a long time, you saw no miracle?
Have you ever wondered why despite the fact that the preacher was genuine and inspired, the prophecy was never fulfilled?
“Or was he lying? ” you might have asked within yourself.
Well, he was not lying 😊
Romans 3 vs 4 says, “Let God be true but every man a liar ”.
Those prophecies were totally true. Why didn’t they happen? You ask.
Truth is, certain prophecies are not assurances that a certain thing will happen in your life! They are not.
What do I mean?
Take for example, a high ranking official in the government promises to give you a job, a well paying job.
Knowing how genuine this man is, you immediately become rest assured that the job is now yours.
Though he has promised you the job, you still have your part to play in getting it. You have to prepare and submit your CV and prove to be competent in an interview. The job will only be yours when these procedures have been followed.
Getting blissful prophecies to manifest in our lives is similar to this.
Prophecy has two major purposes,
1. Faith
2. Alignment
Prophecy strengthens our faith in God. It gives us the assurance of a better future in spite of the difficulties we may be experiencing.
Prophecy is also released to put us in alignment with God’s will.
However, that a good promise has been prophesied to us does not mean it will automatically come true.
It is not magic. You have a part to play in its fulfilment.
1 Timothy 1:18 “This charge I commit to you…. according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare”
In the aforementioned verse, Paul admonishes is that the prophecies and promises that God has made to us aren’t just released to make us feel good.
They are given to us to equip us for spiritual warfare. In the text, Paul charges us to wage a good warfare with the prophecies.
This is because there exist several powers and forces that will fight against us in our Christian journey.
This is further revealed in Ephesians 6:12;
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
These principalities and powers are working daily to bring obstacles and hindrances our way. Their mission is to ensure we do not achieve our God-given purpose.
It is with God’s revealed promises and prophecies that we pray and stop their activities. So when you see poverty in your life even when God has promised you great wealth, do not relax thinking it will come true.
The Prophecy did not come to make you relax, it came to equip you to fight for its fulfilment. Go to God in prayer and constantly remind Him of His Promise to you.
Keep declaring it in your life. Even when everything around you seems to contradict the promise, keep declaring it and praying for its fulfilment.
When we do this, we nurture the seed of Prophecy to germinate and become a reality in our lives.
What is that promise that God has given you? What positive prophecy have you received that has not come into manifestation yet?
Now is the time to go to God and remind Him of the promise and demand for its fulfilment!
Whether it is long life or business opportunities or a prosperous future, keep praying with it and expecting its fulfilment in your life.
One of the greatest challenges plaguing the world today is the problem of systematic racism between blacks and whites.
Unfortunately, this evil trend has succeeded in creeping even into the Church as pastors and congregations are now classified based on their color.
The recent systematic racial abuse against black players in England simply reveals how this problem of racism has eaten deep into the society.
However, as the body of Christ, we must do all we can to speak against it and discourage ourselves from participating in racial abuse.
Why?
Because the Bible condemns racism!
Romans 10:12 “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him.”
When God wants to work with a man, the least thing He considers is the color of that man’s skin. He said to Samuel that He doesn’t look at man’s appearance but the content of the heart.
God does not select who to bless between black and white. James tells us that He practices no favoritism, blesses everyone equally and gives everyone equal opportunities to excel irrespective of their descent.
If God loves everyone, then our attitude to the different races should also be one of love and not of hate or discrimination.
GOD SAVED A CANAANITE {JOSHUA 6}
Rahab was never an Israelite. Yet, because of how she supported God’s people, God saved her and her family and made her a part of the Israelites.
However, God didn’t stop there. Rahab went on to marry an Israeli Prince and become one of the mothers through which Jesus was brought into this world.
God also demonstrated his love for all races in the New Testament by pouring His Spirit upon both Gentiles and Jews.
Therefore, it is our obligations as believers to do the same. We are to show love to people of all social class and racial background. Whether they are black or white, rich or poor, we must love them with all our hearts.
Also, it is very wrong for one to attribute a certain negative behavioral pattern to a race alone.
I’ve heard people who say Africans are terrible thinkers who are plagued with poverty. This really amazes me because the person writing this article is not an African and he isn’t an average thinker.
Oprahz Winfrey is a black lady. Steve Masiyiwa is a black man. There are several black folks holding top positions in Microsoft and Google. A black folk recently graduated with a CGPA of 5.0 in a Russian University.
The fact that there are certain black folks with wrong lifestyles doesn’t mean it should be generalised. There are also white folks who are plagued with poverty. They exist everywhere. Instead of debasing and ridiculing one another, let’s endeavor to help and uplift one another.
This is sole responsibility of believers. It is our job to show the world what true, unconditional love entails. We are to teach the world to love each other.
We are to heal the deep wounds and bridge the divide that has been caused by racial and ethnic discrimination.
Let the Church awake from its slumber and put away the cliffs of racism from her eyes. Let’s advocate and provide for equal treatment of all races. Let’s pray for them both and favor them all.
Leviticus 19:34: “The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.”
For the first time in many years, England advanced to the finals of the World Euro Cup. After what appeared to be a curse of international football upsets, they appeared to be on the verge of victory; however, they fell short.
Sterling, Harry Kane, Saka, and Pickford’s names rang out across England as they progressed from the group stage to the round of 16, quarter finals, semi-finals, and finals.
However, this changed when Sancho, Saka, and Rashford – three African-descent footballers – all missed their individual penalty kicks.
As soon as it happened, certain white people took to the streets to deface Rashford’s images and billboards, as well as post derogatory comments about him on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
What fascinates me about this scenario is that the same way Rashford was celebrated for his dribbles and unusual goals in the English Premier League, these radical, racist individuals slandered him for missing a single penalty.
It teaches us how quickly humans forget a person’s great deeds because of a single error. It teaches me, in particular, how the average human thrives on exalting people’s mistakes over their triumphs.
It’s amazing how quickly people forget how Rashford spent millions of Euros to ensure that children don’t go to bed hungry. We seem to have forgotten how Rashford was able to overturn a British Parliament bill and secure free school meals for children.
However, this is not the main issue. The crux of the issue is what we aspirants for greatness and national recognition should take away from this situation.
1. Every day will not be a victory day
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. – Winston Churchill.
The truth is that there is no successful striker in world’s history that has not missed more than one penalty shootout in his career. Yet, what makes them great and successful is their ability to move on from their mistakes and continue in the journey to greatness.
Likewise, there is no great businessman, entrepreneur, preacher or leader who has not made a miss in life before. No one gets to the top without scars. But we are carried away by their flashy cars and sparkling suits that we fail to discern the scars and welts behind those suits.
David was a very great man in the Bible. He had a lot of victories and political success. But one day, David was driven away from his own throne by his very son. And as he was running, he came across one who was supposed to be his subject. Unfortunately, his very subject who paid obeisance to him insulted him and mocked at him.
I believe it must have been a very traumatic experience for David. But even as he seemed to fall from the palace to the bush, David’s faith remained in God and in the course of time, he returned to his throne even more powerful than he was before.
Therefore, do not be dismayed if you seemed to have missed a mark in your shots for greatness. Do not be dismayed if your kick seems to be out of the mark. The failures and shortcomings are all a part of the travails through you will birth a miracle!
Move on! Do not despise your shortcomings! Do not weep over your past miss when you still have hundreds of opportunities in the future. If you continue to cry over the past, you will be so blinded by your tears that walking into the future greatness God has for you will be nearly impossible.
Therefore, when you make mistakes, learn your lesson, but do not dwell on it. Recompense your past by striving for a better future and an improved performance in the next opportunity that comes your way.
2. Focus on the love from those who matter in your life.
Not everyone will like you – especially when you are Christian. But if you truly stay focused in living for Christ, God will definitely bring people along your way who will show you love and ensure you stay strong even in your darkest times.
These are people you should stay with. People who you know genuinely care for you. People who rebuke in love and encourage in goodwill. Take your mind off the haters and envious critics and bask in the love of these gems.
3. Be moved by neither the extravagant praises of people or their ridicule
I think a lot of public speakers teach us not to listen to the ridicule of people, but very few actually teach that one must not also be moved by the praises of people.
If your heart is lifted when people praise you, share your posts on social media and speak very well of you, your heart will be downcast when they ridicule and mock you.
Jesus understood this very well. He distanced Himself from men several times because of it. He knew their hearts – that those same men who praised him would someday betray him.
Thus, if you will develop strength against criticisms, you must be your own motivator. You must be your number one fan. You must be your own secret admirer. You must develop love for yourself. Correct yourself when you’re wrong and give yourself a high-five when you achieve giant strides.
Do not ever look to people for fulfilment. Look unto God. Your joy must be in fulfilling your purpose and God’s commands, not in the praises of people.
This, folks, is an art we must develop on the road to success. Do not get carried away by their extravagant praises or ridicule. Stay focused and glued on the goal!
Finally, remember that whether you win or lose is not what matters, what matters is the courage to keep going and the determination to keep shooting your shots until you get your goal!
This is the story of how God transformed a 38 year old man named Joshua Broome from a pornstar into a preacher of the Gospel.
In his testimony, we see why Paul described the Gospel as the power of God unto salvation. Nothing else could save Broome from homosexual pornography other than the power of God released through the Gospel.
The Gospel did not only bring Broome into repentance, it brought him into favour with God.
Today, Broome is happily married with kids as well as a blossoming ministry that is blessing lives around the world.
Nicholas James Vujicic is a Christian evangelist and motivational speaker from Australia who was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by the absence of arms and legs.
He was born with incomplete limbs. According to his autobiography, his mother refused to see or hold him when the nurse held him in front of her, and she and her husband vomited after seeing their son with no limbs, but they eventually accepted the condition and saw it as “God’s plan for their son.”
None of these stopped him from pursuing his activities as an exemplary preacher and writer. Today, Nick is one of the most inspiration preachers in the world. His books has blessed the lives of many. He bags a Bachelor of Commerce in Accountancy and Financial Planning in Griffith University. He won Best Actor in a Short Film at the 2010 Method Fest Independent Film Festival for his starring role as We ll.
Stephen Hawking’s experience reveals many things that anyone who is disabled should be aware of;
– Your accomplishments are more a function of your mindset than of your current state or circumstance.
Physical disabilities do not necessarily define who you are, nor do they define who God created you to be. It is essential that you begin to see yourself as great as God sees you and refuse to focus on your current limitations.
You are perfect, capable, great, exceptional, and valuable – this is who you are! The key to your success and fulfillment is hidden deep within you. You have everything you need to live life to the fullest if you set your mind to it and concentrate on the things you can do. You are God’s image, and He took his time in creating you to be perfect and wonderful (Psalms 139:14).
No disability or circumstance can make you less than perfect; the only thing that can make you less than perfect is you.
God is still in charge and cares about your life and success; the world still needs the great star in you – so don’t settle for anything less. It makes no difference whether you can walk on your own legs or not; the world is looking for men and women with developed minds, not men and women with developed bodies. Avoid negative thoughts that make you feel less than others! You are just as perfect as God says you are His very image.
Finally, I want you to read this,
Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”
You may have believed that God had abandoned you because of your disabilities; however, God knew you before you were born or were diagnosed with that disability.
God was aware of your physical stature.
There is nothing that you are going through presently that is a surprise to Him.
In spite of your disabilities, God still chose you. He won’t discard His plan for your life because of a mere physical disability. He has a purpose for you.
In Jeremiah 29:11, God says that the thoughts He has for you are thoughts of good and not of evil. God has wonderful plans for your life, beloved, so do not count yourself out!
Instead, seek solace and comfort in the fatherhood of God. Choose now to believe in yourself! Start investing in yourself. Seek for classes to take, good books to read, opportunities to bless people even as one who is disabled. Be an inspiration and a blessing to your world like Nick Vujicic.
We at Koinonia Art love you and we believe in you!
In the old testament, the Israelites often received immediate punishment whenever they transgressed the law.
God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for homosexuality; Achan was stoned to death for stealing, witches were killed, Zechariah was struck with dumbness when he doubted etc.
However, Jesus came to put a stop to this and introduce a new system in which our sins can be forgiven.
He not only became the sacrifice for our past sins, but also our defender for any sin we may commit in the future.
1 John 2:1: “But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” (NIV)
Thus, the believer can be rest assured that sin is no longer a problem. It is no longer a hedge between him and God. God no longer punishes us whenever we sin because of the blood of Jesus.
However, this truth can be taken beyond the divine intention by an immature believer – one who is still carnally minded.
Since the Blood of Jesus cleanses us of all our sins, why can’t we cast off all restrains and live a life of sensuality.
Here are scriptures that admonish us against such;
1. Ecclesiastes 10:8 “… whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.” (KJV)
Even though we have been free from the obligations and demands of the old testament law, we are still subject to the commands of Christ in the New Testament as well as the instructions of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.
There are sins which a believer must never engage in. Engaging in these sins, especially intentionally, will expose such believer to the attack of the enemy.
There is no protection for the rebellious or the disobedient.
Smokers will always have lung problems no matter how much of Christ’s blood was shed for them.
A fornicator will always be prone to STDs and HIV; a liar will definitely have a lot of business losses; a believer who delves into homosexuality and transgenderism will definitely experience a lot of regrets at the end of his life.
When a believer wilfully decides to live in sin, he has rebelled against the commands of God and will be prone to the assault and abuse of Satan.
Thus, we must learn to live in obedience to the Spirit of God and His commands in scriptures. They are not meant to keep us in bondage, but to liberate us.
They are not meant to make our lives boring, but to keep us within the reach of God’s mercy, away from Satan’s territory.
2. Hebrews 12:1: “… let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” (KJV)
The Christian life is like a race run till eternity. However, to prevent us from reaching the finished line, Satan distracts by getting them entangled in their fleshly desires. No believer can make true progress in piety while living in sin.
Living in sin makes one lose focus on God. It brings guilt and shame upon the soul of a believer; making it difficult for such believer to sense the presence of God.
Thus, the Bible admonishes us to mortify our flesh and flee lusts, because these things have very negative consequences on even our faith.
The beginning of apostasy is wilful sinfulness. So we must avoid it at all cost.
3. 1 John 2:5 “But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him.”
The truth is that one cannot claim to love God while living in disobedience to God’s word.
Love and disobedience do not go hand in hand. Instead, true love for God will inspire awe in our hearts and cause us to live holy lives.
A child who claims to love and respect his parents will definitely not do whatever will offend his parents or taint their honour.
The evidence that we really love God and honour the sacrifices He made for us on the cross is that we present our bodies to Him as a living sacrifice and live holy lives.
One who lives in sin willfully has no love for God, and those that do not love God have no place in His kingdom.
Therefore, dear believers, let us abstain from sin and carnality. Though it seems pleasurable, it’s only poison hidden underneath ecstasy. Stay within the boundaries of God’s moral law.
However, God isn’t a wicked God. He isn’t a God without mercy and pity on those who sincerely want to be free from their carnal desires.
And that is why He has given us His Holy Spirit to guide us and help us live holy life.
A true believer desires freedom from sin and not freedom to sin.
When I was a kid, I never got to experience the full range of childhood exploration. This was due to the fact that I had extremely low self-esteem. I was embarrassed about myself, my family, and my body.
As a child, I was short and lanky, and my peers thought I was a nerd. One thing people always noticed about me was my lanky stature.
As a result, I was ridiculed and even threatened. As a result, I ceased public performance. I no longer attend parties or other public gatherings. I felt self-conscious every time I walked across the street.
People’s negative words infiltrated my mind and became a stronghold there for many years, until I began to experience a spiritual reawakening and turnaround.
I became interested in my Bible, and as I studied it, I discovered that I had believed a lie all these years.
The things I saw in the Bible about myself were the polar opposite of what I had been told as a child. I began to see myself in a whole new light.
This viewpoint was initially difficult for me to accept because my mind was already programmed to believe negativity.
It had become so accustomed to negativity that it dismissed and filtered out any positive statement that came its way.
However, as I began to study my Bible and learn more about God’s love for me, this stronghold of negativity began to crumble.
Today, I am living up to my full potential. I am a bold preacher of the Gospel; I am a leader in my organization, and there is no trace of timidity in me.
Your current situation may be similar to mine. Perhaps you’ve been told that you’re not beautiful enough.
That you’re not beautiful enough; that you’re not holy enough; and you’ve been living in the shadow of those voices. It’s time to toss them aside and listen to what God has to say to you.
You are God’s design. You are His child, and He adores you.
See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him. (1 John 3:1)
I recall talking with a friend who had adopted a child from an orphanage. I asked her why they chose the young lad out of all the kids. ‘I don’t know,’ she replied. I saw him and I fell in love with him.’
This is the type of love God has for us. He adores us without condition. He loves us despite our flaws and weaknesses, both physical and spiritual.
Everything changes the moment you realize and accept this truth. It changes your perspective and mindset. All that matters is that God loves you.
He regards you as Holy and beloved. Height has nothing to do with one’s ability and innate quality, whether you’re slim or fat, tall or short.
One can have a large stature and be hollow on the inside, or a very large stature and be full of massive potentials.
Whatever your situation is, learn to accept yourself. Accept your body for what it is. You would never have had that kind of body if it didn’t look great on you.
Put a stop to the intimidation. Satan will always try to use those voices to make us fearful and prevent us from reaching for success.
When everyone else is speaking with this voice, however, look within and listen to the voice of God within you.
Speak positive thoughts to yourself. Speak up for yourself! It makes no difference what your physical disability is – success is determined by what one has within, not by the shape of one’s body.
So don’t bother with plastic and cosmetic surgeries to alter your body. You are ideal just the way you are!
Put a stop to the timid voices! They will always be there for you! People will make fun of you if you are thin. People will make fun of you if you gain weight.
People will make fun of you if you are short. People will still make fun of you if you grow tall. So don’t let other people’s perceptions of you shape your own!
Turn their stones of mockery into a push for success as they hurl them at you. Never go back to respond to them! Maintain your focus on the task that God has assigned you, and complete it with joy.
Finally, live a positive and optimistic life. Fall in love with yourself on a daily basis – look in the mirror every morning and speak genuine words of affirmation to yourself.
Allow positivity to serve as your filter, allowing it to filter out negative thoughts and voices in your head.
Hosea 2:7: “Then she will say, ‘I will go and return to my first husband, For then it was better for me than now”
God used the metaphor of a husband and wife relationship to speak to Israel in the preceding passage. They had abandoned God in favor of idols and carnal desires, and they were on the verge of facing severe punishment for their sins.
When a believer abandons God’s work to do the work of the flesh and the enemy, that believer is like a bride who has abandoned her husband for another. Jesus referred to Himself as “Our Love,” (Revelation 2:4) and we are referred to as “His Bride” in the book of Ephesians.
Since we are His Bride and in a mystical union with Him we must ask ourselves if we are faithful to this marriage with Jesus. It is critical that the believer performs a constant heart check to determine whether he is conscious and faithful of his union with Christ.
Just as when a lady gets married, her groom places a ring in her middle finger as a reminder that she is married no matter where she goes, when Christ married us in faith, He gave us His Holy Spirit as a sign in our hearts to remind us that we are married to Jesus and that our lives must be lived for Him alone.
Some believers, however, have grieved the Holy Spirit and have lost this consciousness. Instead of living in devotion to Christ, they have joined forces with sin and demons. They have abandoned their first love because they were deceived by another, who poses as a true lover.
However, the Bible teaches that Christ is the only true Love. He not only loves us, but He is Love Himself. Jesus embodies all of love. Love is the essence of His Being and the driving force behind His nature and actions. Only Jesus can truly love us, bless us, and give us the kind of future we desire.
If you have not been faithful to Jesus, in your fellowship with Him, in your obedience to His commands; if you have not been faithful with Jesus, now is the time to return to Him, repent of your unfaithfulness, and renounce any ungodly union you have had with the world or with the voice of the flesh.
Every unfaithful Christian, like the prodigal son and this unfaithful bride, will eventually realize that Christ is the better husband. Some, like the prodigal son, will realize this here on Earth. Some, however, may not have the opportunity to repent here and will only come to that realization in hell.
Nonetheless, it is not God’s will for anyone to perish. He desires that we repent and serve Him in true love and faithfulness. So let us return to the Lord. Let us repent of our disobedient actions and recognize that only Christ can truly love and bless us.
The next verse is also of utmost priority;
Hosea 2:8 She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold– which they used for Baal. (NIV)
The starting point of spiritual complacency is in the failure to acknowledge God for the blessings He has bestowed on us. Archbishop Trench says,
‘How prone are we all to ascribe to chance or fortune those gifts and blessings which indeed come directly from God–to build altars to Fortune rather than to Him who is the author of every good thing which we have gotten. And this faith of men, that their blessings, even their highest, come to them by a blind chance, they have incorporated in a word; for “happy” and “happiness” are connected with “hap,” which is chance; how unworthy, then, to express any true felicity, whose very essence is that it excludes hap or chance, that the world neither gave nor can take it away.’
The unfaithful bride used the gifts given to her by God to serve idols. We must not be like the bride, who failed to recognize God as the source of all her talents and gifts.
Let us make it a habit to acknowledge God as the source of all blessings in our lives, both rare and common, even the breath in our nostrils.
This is what God expects of us: fidelity to our relationship with Him. Keeping His commands in the face of pressure and temptation to disobey. Let us walk this path of faithfulness so that, in the end, we will be known as the Lord’s faithful bride.
KOINONIA ART 