IKOYI BAPTIST CHURCH's Podcast

Who is Ready for Supernatural Help?

January 28, 2018 Rev. Adekunle Oyeniyi
IKOYI BAPTIST CHURCH's Podcast
Who is Ready for Supernatural Help?
Show Notes
Amongst many things that God has called our attention to, last Sunday’s message confronted us with the truth that the man whom God will use must guard his walls and gates with passion and purpose, and also, build enduring consecrations. The journey to supernatural help is neither accidental nor coincidental.  We cannot afford to be passive and illusive about our spiritual deterioration and of those around us and expect God to rise in our defence. Nehemiah took responsibility by acknowledging his sin and that of his people and was decisive in rebuilding the broken walls and the burnt gates. The Lord surely provided supernatural help in achieving this mission.There is no doubt that the Lord is consistently willing to rescue His people from their helpless estate, gather them from their despondent locations and bring them to Himself. However, certain conditions must be met to experience supernatural help, about which the Scriptures have never left us in doubt. For every promise of God, man has a crucial part to play. Consider these:“IF you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:19).“IF My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).“IF anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).“SEEK first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).Supernatural help is not based on wishful thinking or just positive confession. God’s terms and conditions apply.NEHEMIAH’S PERSPECTIVE (Nehemiah 1:7-8)Nehemiah did not view the colossal loss that his people suffered, which ‘climaxed’ with the broken wall and burnt gate, as happening due to the military might of their surrounding enemies.  But rather, as God’s judgement on the Jews for their sinfulness. It was a spiritual problem! It was a sin problem! Nehemiah confronted the reality.Nehemiah in his prayer recalled what God promised Moses (Deuteronomy 30:1-5), but this prayer, as reiterated by Nehemiah, reveals why God’s chosen people found themselves in exile. The people of God were guilty of the sin of ­unfaithfulness (which according to dictionary meaning is ‘not being true to a promise or vow’). This is confirmed in 1 Chronicles 9:1.The sin of unfaithfulness is still prevalent in the church today. Many are unfaithful to God. Anyone who is unfaithful to God is capable of any form of evil. Unfaithfulness to God manifests in:Unfaithfulness to His ­Word (1 Chronicles 10:13)Unfaithfulness in ­giving    (Malachi 3:8-12)Unfaithfulness in our ­stewardship (Proverbs 11:6)Unfaithfulness to our vows (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5)Unfaithfulness to the great commission (Matthew 28:19)Because of this sin of unfaithfulness, the Lord scattered them and gave them into the hand of their enemies (Ezekiel 39:23). It is a very devastating experience to be scattered by God, because, when God scatters an individual or a people, they remain shattered and battered, no one else under the sun can gather them. The only remedy for a sinful lifestyle is genuine repentance (Proverbs 28:13). If you don’t deal with your sin, your sin will deal with you (Numbers 32:23).CONDITIONS FOR SUPERNATURAL HELP (Nehemiah 1:9)‘But’, ‘if’ are conditional words that show there is still hope. After we have dealt with the sin issue, God expects us to take certain steps to show our readiness for supernatural help. We must:1) Return to the Lord.God is calling us to return to Him. Return to daily fellowship with the Holy Spirit. He is calling us to return to commitment, service and ministry.2) Keep His Commandments (1 John 5:3).God is calling us to give careful attention to His instruction.3) Do them.God is calling us to act on His