The Unchanging Counsel of God
One good thing about our God is His counsel, which will always stand. Jesus counseled the church at Ephesus to
‘Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent’ (Revelation 2:5).
That was simple obligation or requirement they must meet to compliment or balance the good things they were doing already. It was an instruction they must obey to add to what they were doing already. It was an order issued or commanded by the commander of all commanders. This is good for our learning.
This instruction was meant to be received by the church without addition or subtraction. But today, many ministers are modifying the gospel to suit their purposes and sound pleasing to their members. For this reason, God has removed the candlesticks of many ministries without them knowing. This can be likened to what happened to Samson after the Spirit of the LORD had departed from him.
‘And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him’ (Judges 16:20).
Consequences of Ignoring God’s Instructions
When genuine repentance is no longer being exhibited in any church, such church is dead and cold before God no matter the amount of noise they make. A ministry without true and sincere testimony of repentance of sinners is worthless before God. Christ told the Ephesians to remember where they were and repent of their lack of love, first work. Many churches are filled with florescence or shinning bulbs when in actual sense darkness has taken over them. The Word of God is very explicit. If we continuously refuse to listen to God, then we can be sure that He will not listen to us in the time of our calamity.
‘Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you’ (Proverbs 1:23-27).
God’s promise to every believer who obeys this command is restoration, spiritual awakening, understanding and renewal of relationship. The ultimate purpose for warning us is to bring us back into fellowship with Him to release His blessings for our obedience. For those who wish to ignore this command, charge and order, they can be sure God will not help them in time of need.
God is omnipotent and omnipresent but will not manifest in the absence of your obedience. Instead, he will laugh at your calamity, mock you in times of your destruction, desolation, distress and anguish. Many people have become discouraged, confused, disillusioned and disappointed that in the midst of surplus prayers and deliverance ministries yet things are not getting better. With all these overwhelming Christian activities in the country, yet prayers are not answered. The reason is because the commands, charge and issued order from the commander-in-chief of all the commanders has been set at naught. That is why you pray many prayers, do much fasting, deliverance upon deliverance, sow seeds, pay tithes, sponsor programs, do all manner of things, yet your prayers are not answered. Did God not warn us?
‘Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore, shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil’ (Proverbs 1:28-33).
The Path to True Deliverance and Restoration
Many deliverance ministers ordained to deliver others are not obeying God’s command. Many deliverance candidates seeking for deliverance are not obeying God’s command. Many prophets, prophetess, intercessors and church leaders are not obeying God’s command. That is why people call upon God in their calamity, fear, desolation, destruction, distress, suffering and the answers refuse to come. They hear God’s counsel every now and then but they would not heed God’s counsel. Instead, they prefer all night prayers and continuous deliverance programs.
It is foolishness to disobey God’s command, set His counsel at naught, ignore all His report, despise His knowledge, refuse to be afraid of His Word and then turn around to pray for forty nights or live in the church seeking for His deliverance. If you have chosen to do things your own way, why worry God or force Him to deliver you when you are filled with your own devices? If you chose the prosperity of a fool, you must be ready to reap the destruction that is attached to it. If you want deliverance and answers to your prayers, then obey God’s command, His charge and orders. The maker of heaven and earth is saying to you today –
‘Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool…For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD‘(Isaiah 1:18, 55:8).
I have studied the bible repeatedly but I am yet to see anyone that was punished, suffered to death or sent to hell because he committed sin. No, not even one. People suffer to death and go to hell because they refuse to come to God through repentance and forsaking of sins. The primary purpose of God’s commandment is to return us back to God in repentance. No matter how sinful, wicked and bad you are, or have been, you can still return to God and obey His commandments.
But if you chose to remain in your sinful ways, then you cannot expect God to dishonor His Word and come to your help, no matter how much you pray or how much pastors pray for you. Do not be deceived. God is saying to us every passing day –
‘If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land’ (2 Chronicles 7:14).
This is an open invitation to fellowship with God our Father, enjoying His love, blessing, guidance and protection.
‘The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit’ (Psalm 34:18).
No matter how big your problems are, God knows that. That is why He made provisions in advance for all solutions. The solution mostly lies in our humility to follow God’s counsel; keep His command, seeking His face at all times and turning away from our wickedness.
You may argue that God has delivered people in your deliverance ministry without precondition of obedience to His commandments. That may sound true because God can even heal sinners or deliver the wicked in order to give them chance to repent. Some ministers have gone into covenant with the devil in their quest to solve problems. But the truth is that they are succeeding in postponing, transferring or suspending such problems. They do not cast out demons really. They only have demonic anointing of transferring problems from the head to the leg.