"And say, Thus says the king, put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace" (I King 22:27)
There was a king in the land of Ìdẹ̀rùn who while going on an exile told the people of the land that when he returned, he will come and deal and that decisively with some people...
The fore-fathers of this king rule the land of Idẹrun with the fear of the Lord @ the peak of their hearts. And this essentially made the town progressive in all facets, everything that people laid their hands upon in the land prospered. The obvious transformations that usually followed everyone who migrated into the land made people began to move into this land, this is because even those whom people thought would never made it in life, when they get into the land of Idẹrun, their lives receive a sudden transformation that is beyond explanation with everything they laid their hands upon becoming prosperous. This therefore made people believe that there is something (or a force) working in the land that supports the people’s progress.
Soon enough the land become transformed, due to the migration of people into the land, there was expansion through-out the town.
These kings ensure that they train their wards and everyone whom they presumably think will inherit the throne after them the ways of the Lord. This trend had continued for quite a while, for centuries.
However, a king assumed the throne sometimes after the 21st king's short reign, this was because the 21st King's tenure did not last long, he did something that the Lord did not like, cheating the wife of his Youth despite being warned against such by those who are close to him, and those to whom the Lord usually revealed His mind. Because this 21st king decided to follow his own path, God also decided to cut his reign short, he did not reign more than 3 years.
This short reign makes room for the kingmakers of the town to look for another king and majority of those selected were obviously unprepared for the throne, since the town could not be without a king and according to the standing rule of the town, the new king's election or selection or whatever must not be more than 2 months latest, 60 days from the announcement of the demise of the king.
After all said and done, this man eventually became the king of the land. But this king's actions were sub-cortical of what was expectant of the kings’ of the land as he started to favor those from his tribe, he was favouring the members of the families alone, giving wrong judgments on all occasions of justice... The worst of all was that he started meddling in religious affairs, he wanted everyone to be worshipping his god, and this was nay the practice of the land, because freedom of religion had been the standing order of the land....
He started arresting priests of God, started making decrees that would kill other religions, started signing the killing of those who did not belong to his type of religion...
This action of his moved the Lord of heavens to anger and he decided to silence him, albeit before doing that he sent one of his messengers to him to go and warn him that if he failed to repent he will not last another 150 days. The 150 days were given him because the Lord wanted to give him ample room for repentance, but instead of repenting, he did not but continued his ways and he asked his security guards to arrest and reprimand the man sent to him to some corners of the prisons...
After keeping this man in a prison with the aim of coming out to silence him, an urgent meeting involving all kings of the nations of the then world was sent to him and he left before the day break the following morning to go and attend the meeting giving his guards instructions to keep the man in the most darkest of all dungeons till his return.
When he got to the land, after the successful completion of the meeting he had went for, he was about 4 miles away from home when some Armed bandits attacked him and his entourage, they killed everyone and took him to a high mountain where he was pushed down headlong, his heads hit the stones and he became meat for the birds of the air....
The king never returned to execute his demonic orders on the man God sent to warn him...
No one antagonising the gospel will ever return to the throne irrespective of whatever, God is the one who establishes leaderships, He is the one who crowns kings and rulers, when a king or ruler is going against His Children, such a king is indirectly attacking thorns and directly doing so when the king wants to silence the Way to The Kingdom of Heaven...
Reasons Why You, As Believer, Should Not Fear
I will like to state here some of the reasons why a believer should not fear though a wicked ruler is heading an establishment or a country.
1. You Have a God That is Above All
God is an English word derived from Indo-European root word found in Germanic languages which indicates a superhuman person who is the object of worship, one whom men call upon or invoke.
In Hebrews he is called Elohim which is the plural of majesty. His personal name is Yahweh (Lord)
In the New Testament however, the Greek calls God “Theos” which has relationship with spirit (John 4:24) while God in Hebrews, Old Testament, has link with a person.
Joh 4:24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
Christians see God as the almighty spirit who is worshipped and whose aid is invoked by men. It is believed that God speaks with authority through three levels: from whom, through whom and by whom.
He speaks as a providing father, through a son that accomplishes his wills and a spirit that applies his words in redemptive purposes.
Having seen some things about the God of the bible who is the real God, I will want us to see some things about other gods from other mythological believes.
Mythology is the study of myths, the online free dictionary says it “refers variously to the collected myths of a group of people or to the study of such myths. Myths are the stories people tell to explain nature, history, and customs.” And the Wikipedia says, “Myth, a story of the gods, a religious account of the beginning of the world, the creation, fundamental events, the exemplary deeds of the gods as a result of which the world, nature and culture were created together with all parts thereof and given their order, which still obtains. A myth expresses and confirms society's religious values and norms, it provides a pattern of behavior to be imitated, testifies to the efficacy of ritual with its practical ends and establishes the sanctity of cult.”
From this we shall be able to see some few believes about other gods from other continents with which I believe you will see that you have a God that is above them all.
“gods” From Other Mythologies
These are few things from myths from other continents explaining the history and how things come into existence.
i. Egyptian Mythology: there are three different sets of mythos account with respect to this
a. Heliopolis mythos, they called god atum.
b. Memphis those who subscribe to this mythos called god ptah
c. Hermopolis mythos calls god Ra
These mythologies did not make mention of man’s creation in all their works. It was very much later that it was said that “Khnum”, inferior god to all the three fashioned out man out of clay from the Nile river.
ii. Greek Mythology: their belief is in a god called “chaos” whom after years of living reproduced asexually, like a unicellular organism according to Biologists (or Scientists), to produce “Gaia”. Gaia also reproduced in a similar manner to produce Ouranous. Gaia and Ouranous met sexually to produce the titans. It was one of those titans named Prometheus that created man. After a while. Zeus ordered Hephaistos to create woman.
iii. Sumerian Mythology: four creator gods are said to be available in this mythology. These gods are An, Ki, Enlil and Enki. Those gods are said to represent heaven, earth, air and water respectively. Each one of them created his namesake and then gave birth to other gods. It was later that man was formed out of clay.
iv. Mayan Mythology: in this, the formidable (standing) man was said to have been created from maize (corn) because the ones experimentally formed from clay and wood failed to subsist and were destroyed. They believe in gods like heart of heaven and Quetzalcoati who formed the earth.
v. Norse Mythology: in this mythology, a foggy void between lands of fire and ice produced a primeval cow, the god Buri and the frost giant, Ymir, who was later killed by Odin, a grandson of Buri. Ymir’s flesh became the earth, his bones the mountains, his teeth became rocks and his blood became rivers, lakes and seas. Mankind was created later by 3 gods: Odin gave them life; Vili gave them intelligence and Ve gave them the 5 senses.
There are other mythologies believed by different countries, peoples and or continents of the world apart from the above ones.
What to Take Note of These “gods”
The followings should however be noted about these gods:
a. That they do not show their god as all powerful or all knowing. In many cases, if not all, a creative god would be introduced, cooperating with other gods to kill or maim others or even practice trial and error methods all in a bid to create.
b. There is no Ex-Nihilo; creation out of nothing but primordial air or water would be present that will later change to a god or gods.
“Dr Henry M. Morris of blessed memory in his commentary on the Genesis record said Satan believes that he was not created but that “all of the angels as well as God himself had just arisen from the primeval chaos…and that it was only accident of the priority of time that placed him with all his wisdom and beauty in the angelic hierarchy”.
Man’s Creation
From the account given by Prophet Moses in the bible, Genesis 1:26, we see that:
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (Gen. 1:26)
A. Man’s creation was not an after-thought as some mythologies want us to believe,
B. Man was the pinnacle of God’s creation,
C. God discussed with others before forming man (Genesis 1:26; 2:7, 21-22)
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (Gen. 1:26)
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
“And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
“And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.” (Gen. 2:7, 21-22)
D. The woman was created to help the man, providing the needful companionship to the man when he was not there with the man.
Perspective of Other Mythologies
Greek mythology says creation of the woman was a punishment to the man this is not what the bible says. And Hinduism on its part says man is created to feed, cloth, bathe and sometimes awaken their gods.
Those mythologies believe that gods must be worshipped, provide foods, drinks and shelter for because they were once great warriors.
It would be seen that those gods in accordance with the presented belief of their worshippers as above, need mankind for benefit and other purposes. But Yahweh did not need anything from man. He though, sent Jesus Christ to reconcile man to himself but he is not dependent on our worship neither does he needs anything from us. (Acts 17:24-25; Romans 11:34-36).
“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth,
dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
“Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things”(Acts 17:24-25)
“For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
“Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
“For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Romans 11:34-36)
We are created to glorify and worship him (Ps. 86:8-10; 150:6; Rev. 15:3-4; Ecc. 12:13)
“Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
“All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
“For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.”(Ps. 86:8-10)
“Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.” (Psa. 150:6)
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecc. 12:13)
“And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great
and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
“Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.” (Rev. 15:3-4)
From Historical Details
The historical details of these other gods show that they are like man in every sense of it because they were hateful, lustful, vain, drunken and selfish. All these are the attributes of a carnal person as stated in the bible, but the presented God of the bible does not exhibit any of these.
…Origin of Morality
We can deduce from the above that morals do not come through any of those gods, because they themselves had no attributes of morals in them while they were on earth and it is what one possesses that one can give, no one can give what he or she does not possess.
It is through the God presented in the bible that morals came into the world, because this God is Holy and he wants all to be holy like him. It is because he is holy that he gave the Israelites laws, through those laws we know that killing is wrong and helping people is right; hatred is wrong and love is right. But none of those gods show that because they approved hatred, killing and lusts because they also did that.
The Person sent into the world who is Jesus Christ expresses these attributes of God in the perfect sense of it. (Lam. 3:33; Ps. 19:9;119:95;Rm 11:33;Isa. 55:8-9;Heb. 1:1-3)
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
“For by it the elders obtained a good report.
“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Heb. 1:1-3)
…They All Died
These other gods fade off, died and did not resurrect, (Ps. 41:13; 90:2)
“Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.” (Psa. 41:13)
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” (Psa. 90:2)
But God of the bible did not, he sent his son to die for our sins and he was raised up the third day (Rev.22:13; Jn. 10:17-18; Heb. 12:2).
“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
“No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (Jn. 10:17-18)
“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.” (Heb. 12:2)
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” (Rev.22:13)
After his resurrection he appeared to people (Jn. 20:24-27; Acts 2:27).
“But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
“The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them,
Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the
nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
“And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came
Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
“Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” (Jn. 20:24-27)
“Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” (Acts 2:27)
This is the God you have, the all sufficient God, the all knowing God, God who sees all and is present everywhere at once, God who sits on high seeing all that is happening in the world and heaven. The God who forms the heaven and the earth and all that is there in out of nothing. The God who can kill and make alive, a God who cannot be questioned for his actions or in-actions. As believers, we should rejoice and be glad for having this kind of God on our side always as he said, “lo I am with you to the end of the world” (Mt. 28:18)
2. Your God Controls The Affairs of The World (Dan. 4:25),
Control according to free dictionary online is “to exercise authoritative or dominating influence over; (it is to) direct” while affair is defined as “an event or happening”. Believers should know that their God has authoritative influence over the events or happenings in the world. When we thus have a God who influences something, a God who can make things happen, why do we need to fear? When a baby knows his parent is nigh by the baby would not be afraid of anyone that may want to harass him. There is a proverb that says, “a dog that has (hunters) people supporting it will kill monkey”. Ordinarily we all know that dogs cannot kill monkey, but when such a dog is receiving support the dog will become fearless and would dare anything because the dog knows that it has supporters. That is how believers God is to them, he is always supporting us, thence we need not to fear.
3. Holy Spirit is Always Jealous Over You,
Jealous is defined as being “vigilant in guarding something”. When one loves something, one will keep watch over the thing, one will not want the thing to leave one’s sight for a second. It is also the same with those who are monitoring someone, particularly the security personnel who have apprehended a notorious criminal or terrorist, they will not want the person to leave their sight because they know what could happen if the person is not placed under close observation.
This is neither a talk about terrorists nor law enforcement agencies, but I am using that as an illustration to show us how God keeps watch over us always, he watches over us because he loves us not because he wants to apprehend us neither to harm us, but he watches over us because he cannot afford evil coming nigh us because he knows that if evil comes nigh us, he is the one that evil has come nigh.
May be I should explain this a bit more. Take as instance our children, when something good or evil happens to them, we shall be a partaker of that which has happened to them. If our child is sick it is we, the parents, who is indubitably sick, because we are the one who will take the child to the hospital for treatment, we would become restless until the child’s health is restored. That is why parents will always keep watch over their children not wanting any evil to come nigh them. I hope this is a bit clarifying?
This is how God is to each and every believer in him, he keeps watches over us through the Holy Spirit he has given charge to always look on us as he said in the Holy Writ that if I do not go the spirit will not come, he decided to leave the world so that the Holy Spirit will come, so that the Spirit would be able to oversee everything that all believers are doing all over the globe without restrictions neither limitations as well as oversee everything that is happening to all believers all over the globe. (John 16:7)
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (Joh. 16:7)
The book of prophet Zechariah shows us the kind of jealousy the Lord has over us, his people.
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.” (Zec. 8:2)
4. He Has Given us The Spirit of Power,
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines power as the ability to control people or things or the right or authority of a person or group to do something. The power that the Lord Jesus has given believers through the spirit enables us to control people or things. (2 Tim. 1:7)
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Tim. 1:7) (NIV)
The King James says,
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7)
and more importantly enables us to control the demonic powers operating in the world. (Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:18-20)
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall
They cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
“They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)
“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:18-20)
For we fight not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers against the unseen forces controlling the universe. (2 cor ; Eph. 6:10)
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3-5)
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph. 6:12)
We, believers, have not been given the spirit of fear or timidity, but we have been given the spirit of power, to control fear, to send out fear from our lives, so as to live a whole life, a life that is devoid of depression. You know when someone is afraid, soon enough the thing that is bringing fear to the person’s heart will lead the person captive, controlling the life of the person and in no distant time if the person is not delivered from such posit, depression will set in which would now become a bigger problem to the person. We have been given the power to overcome depression by sending out of our hearts the spirit of fear, for he says, “fear not” (Isa. 41:10-11)
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isa. 41:10)
As believers when we have a promise like this we should be glad, rejoice and not allow anything to put us where we do not belong again.
5. God is Always With You
Jesus Christ said in the last chapter and the (b) part of the last verse of gospel according to Saint Matthew that “lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20b) as the proverb of a dog stated above, that when a dog knows that it has supporters, hunters backing it up the dog will go extra-mile, why will the dog do that? The dog will do this because the dog knows that the person is always there with him. I watched a video clip on twitter recently of a dog that chase a tiger in one of the Asian countries. The dog was able to chase the tiger that entered their village because the dog saw people nigh by. If an animal can have such confidence, because it is seeing people around it, behind it, when won’t you and I as believers do something like this? Why won’t we be bold for Christ and his Lord as well as the gospel knowing full well that we have a God who is always there with us. He did not only promise to be there with us, but he is actually, practically there with us. The spirit in us bears us witness that he is always there with us. (Romans 8:15)
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Rom. 8:15-16)
When the Lord says he is with you he is not a man that he would lie, we should not take his word to mean what some other people in the world says.
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isa. 41:10)
6. No Word Uttered Against You Shall Stand
We do not have to be afraid or become timid because he has said in his word that there is no word uttered against us that will stand. (Isa. 54:17; 8:9-10; Num. 23:23)
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every
tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their
righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” (Isa. 54:17)
“Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces;
and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be
broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.
“Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word,
and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
“Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say,
A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.” (Isa. 8: 9, 10 &
12)
and he said through Balaam that there is no enchantment against Jacob neither any divination against Israel, today we are spiritual Israelites
“Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any
divination against Israel…” (Num. 23:23a)
“And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.” (Gal. 6:16)
Those evil words that may be uttered against us will not stand because they have no basis in the spiritual realm, they do not have solid foundation. Something that does not have foundation may look flashy, may look attractive may look as if it will subsist but when the test comes across those things they will pack up and fall. Shall we read the story of Jesus Christ on a building without foundation? This building though appeared attractive, was accommodating people and things for a while, in fact we would have seen people who will be envious of the owner of a building without foundation, but when the test arose, Jesus said the building collapsed and that terribly such that it affects everyone in it and everything stored in it. That is the terrible collapse that he was talking about. In other words, those who have erstwhile trusted in the building were left bare, naked with nothing to hang on to, their arrogance was pulled down. That is how the arrogance of those who uttered ungodly things against believers will be pulled down, their words will come back upon them like a person who blows a powder, the powder will come back to the person.
“And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
“And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” (Matt. 7:26-27)
Any word not found in him will not stand because Jesus is the word. No word can be formed outside the word. It is just like alphabets in English language or any language at that, no word could be formed outside the present alphabets of those languages and any attempt at anyone to do that would cause chaos except if the person wants to establish a new language altogether. That is how it is with those words, no words could be formed outside Jesus Christ whom the bible calls the Word.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God.
“The same was in the beginning with God.
“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing
made that was made.
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-3 & 14)
Any attempt by anyone to form another language would fail because he controls everything in heaven, on earth and beneath the earth, he owes everything there. If the person is saying the language or the utterance are those given him from beneath the earth, then Jesus would be there to prove the person wrong that.
“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth” (Phil. 2:9-10)
Therefore, as believers if we know this why ought we to fear of any ruler or king? We need not to fear. We are afraid because many of us are ignorant of this. We are afraid because many of us on seeing a house without a foundation thinks such house would last forever, that is why we are afraid, but when we know the house without a foundation will soon fall, then less will be our fear, we will be on the lookout for the fall of the building because we know it sure will.
7. You Are The Apple of His Eyes
Online Wikipedia says, “the phrase apple of my eye refers to something or someone that one cherishes above all others”. You and I as believers ought to know that we are cherish by God of heaven and earth above all others people in the world.
“For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.” (Zech. 2:8)
“Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings” (Psa. 17:8)
as someone cherished above all other things in the world, the Lord will not allow any thing evil to come nigh you. This is why you need not to be afraid.
8. Anyone Who Fights You Fights With God
Since you are apple of his eye, if anyone fights with you, that person is invariably fighting with the Lord himself. This was what Saul was doing before his conversion without his knowing that he was the one injuring himself. God called out to him that you are the one injuring yourself, why do you want to continue to injure yourself?
“And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
“And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” (Acts. 9:4-5)
Saul thought by killing the disciples he was injuring the gospel not knowing that he was the one hitting the pricks and briers no one will continue to hit briers and pricks without ending his or her life in the hospital. Saul did not know that by killing the disciples the believers in Jesus he was actually delivering them from this ending world, from the suffering of the world they were being taken off to go and rest with the Lord. He did not know this not until when he believed.
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21)
What You Are Expected To Do
1. Keep Praying
Online free dictionary says, “to make a devout or earnest request for” something or someone. The online Wikipedia says, “prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship, typically a deity, through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication or intercession directed towards a deity, or a deified ancestor. More generally, prayer can also have the purpose of thanksgiving or praise, and in comparative religion is closely associated with more abstract forms of meditation and with charms or spells…. Prayer may be done privately and individually, or it may be done corporately in the presence of fellow believers. Prayer can be incorporated into a daily "thought life", in which one is in constant communication with a god. Some people pray throughout all that is happening during the day and seek guidance as the day progresses. This is actually regarded as a requirement in several Christian denominations,although enforcement is not possible nor desirable. There can be many different answers to prayer, just as there are many ways to interpret an answer to a question, if there in fact comes an answer. Some may experience audible, physical, or mental epiphanies. If indeed an answer comes, the time and place it comes is considered random. Some outward acts that sometimes accompany prayer are: anointing with oil; ringing a bell; burning incense or paper; lighting a candle or candles; See, for example, facing a specific direction (i.e. towards Mecca or the East); making the sign of the cross. One less noticeable act related to prayer is fasting.”
We need to keep praying because prayer helps us to be in continue communication with God. A child derives joy and pleasure in telling his parents things about himself, his surroundings, what he is passing through in the school and more. No child will keep to himself. This is how we should be. We should not relent in telling God our position about the present, the past and our future. Jesus Christ shared with us a story about a woman who was persistent in communing with a king to address the on going anomaly, the cheat she was passing through. Due to her persistence, her case was addressed. When we also keep putting God in remembrance of our situation our case shall be resolved.
“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought
always to pray, and not to faint;
“Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither
regarded man:
“And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
“And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself,
Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
“Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her
Continual coming she weary me.
“And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
“And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night
unto him, though he bear long with them?
“I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.” (Luke 18:1-8a)
Apostle Paul admonishes us to make prayer like our breath it is when we pray without ceasing that we make prayer our breath. This is because we breath without ceasing, immediately our breath ceases it means we are dead.
“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess. 5:17)
If we do not want to be dead, we need to pray without ceasing.
2. Keep The Faith
Keep is defined as “to retain possession of”. The faith that has been delivered unto us, the faith in the Lord which we have received needs to be kept so that we will not lose it.
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7)
It is by the keeping of this faith that we shall continue to be in tune with the Lord, it is by the keeping of this faith that we shall continue to please the Lord.
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb. 11:6)
3. Don’t Turn to The Right Neither to The Left
This implies that we should not deviate for any reason. We need to always be in tune with the Lord.
“Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.” (Deut. 5:32)
This we can do by doing the will of God always and the will starts from accepting Jesus into our lives as our Lord and Savior.
Conclusion
Have you seen a leader troubling a child of God? Such king's days are numbered in that position of authority, soon enough the person would be taken off the place if such a one’s life is not totally cut off from the surface of the planet called earth. Therefore, fear thou not, for the bible says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7) “and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matt. 28:20b)
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