Do yourself no harm

CALVARY IS REAL BIBLE CHURCH

#13 UKWANSI STREET, ABAKALIKI

SUNDAY SERVICE (24/11/2019)

TOPIC:         DO YOURSELF NO HARM

TEXT:           ACTS 16:16-34; GEN. 50:15-22

This message will be coming under five (5) sub-headings;

1.      Refuse to drink that poison

2.      Let go, tomorrow is brighter

3.      Close that window

4.      Examine yourself

5.      Pray till one is out of prison

A.        REFUSE TO DRINK THAT POISON (Gen. 50:15-22)

There are two things that love does; love gives and love forgives. When you reach out to someone in forgiveness, it doesn’t mean that you approve of what he/she has done. It doesn’t mean that you want them to do it again. Reaching out in forgiveness means that you value the love that God has for that person and you want to be a channel through which that love will flow to them. That is why the Spirit of God wants you to understand today that there are two great RIVERS THAT CAUSE LOVE TO FLOW into the hearts of men and women: The RIVER of giving and the RIVER of forgiveness. The world is filled with lots of heartaches and pain today because these RIVERS have become clogged with much garbage. Someone said holding on to hurt and wishing/praying that something bad happens to the person that has hurt you is like drinking poison and hoping that another person dies. No! it is you that will be a victim! Unforgiveness is poisonous and it’s a demonic tool designed to stop you from moving forward.

Forgiveness is me, giving up my right to hurt you, for hurting me. Did you get that? I remember that Martin Lurther King Jnr. once said Darkness cannot drive our darkness; only light can do that; Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. As 2019 ends and no matter who has hurt you this year, refuse to drink that poison. Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Hate cannot drive out hate. Let the love/light of God flow into your heart and let it help you to win over every kind of Satanic arrow of hurt, bitterness and pain that has been sent to stop your upcoming Elevation story! Remember Joseph

Prayer points:

·        Hate cannot drive out hate; I release everyone who has hurt me in any way (mention names if any). I forgive him/her (them) and I pray for their peace/welfare now.

·        Father is 2019 ends; let the river of love, grace and mercy that you have put inside me flow day by day. Every evil plan to dry up that river; scatter now In Jesus name.

·        Pray about the remaining days of this year now. I receive healing/freedom/peace from every kind of hurt today In Jesus name.

B.        LET GO, TOMORROW IS BRIGHTER           Lk. 23:8-34; Mrk. 11:25

It was Katherine Ponder who penned: When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free. The devil is on a wild mission to hurt you, deceive and stop you from moving forward in life. And one of the tools he uses is offense. If he can’t stop you from praying, attending church meetings, fasting, giving and doing every good thing that you have learnt to do, he is going to use the people that you love to get to you. This is why forgiveness is important! Extremely Important

If you cannot be offended, there is nothing the devil can use to stop you. If you refuse to be hurt or offended by what people say or do to you or about you; you have become unstoppable! you become a hard nut for the kingdom of darkness to crack!

Hear the words of the Lord. “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” Even on the cross, He refused to be offended. At one time, they tried to stone him but He refused to be offended”. Another time they said that He was casting out demons using the devil’s power; He still refused to be offended. His trusted disciple and friend betrayed Him, and then another denied Him. Yet, He refused to be offended. His forgiveness may not have changed these people, but if He did not forgive, he would not have been able to fulfil destiny.

Hear the words of Louis Smedes; “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you” As 2019 ends, the Holy Ghost is again screaming out these lines “Refuse to be held in any kind of demonic prison of hurt and resentment. Let go of everything, forgive and move on; Yes! Let Go and let God!” Your future is brighter than every ugly thing that people have done or said to you in the past!

N/B: In these days, most Christians prefer love feasts and music/entertainment to evangelism or prayer meetings. Don’t join them! Your case must be different. Don’t give up on this duty!

Prayer points:

·        As 2019 ends, every demonic chain of unforgiveness that has been hidden anywhere, limiting me and holding me back to the past; be revealed now and destroyed by the fire if the Holy Ghost

C.        CLOSE THE WINDOW

Something in your life may just be attractive to or attracting your enemies; give room to attract you. If you break the hedge, the serpent will bite you. You can open your window through the way you dress, your tongue, busy body in other peoples affairs; inability to keep secrets like Samson and Delilah.

Judas opened window due to love of money. Too much eating, laziness to study God’s word, prayerlessness, going here and there, ceremonial bother/sister, bitterness and unforgiveness etc; close all these windows to live long.

D.        EXAMINE YOURSELF    2 Cor. 13:5

·        Examine your life

·        Examine your family

·        Examine your spiritual life; take care of yourself; no matter what you preach many people cannot change

·        Examine your health; e.g is the medical doctor who died on his wedding day

·        Examine your expenditure – buying of informal things or costly things

·        Evaluate your church

·        Examine your relationship – if you don’t relate with people, how can you preach, win them, help them; evil communication corrupt good manners

·        Examine your prayer life, bible study life etc.

·        Examine your resting life

E.        PRAY TILL ONE IS OUT OF PRISON Acts 12:1-11

Give the gift of your absence to anyone who does not respect your presence. Yes! catch this; when the political powers that be seized James, the church tolerated it and kept quiet. After some days, James was killed. Acts 13:3 explained that when he saw that the Jews were glad that James had been killed, he took his assault a step further by arresting Peter too. Did you get that? When you keep quiet and decide to endure the assault and onslaught of the enemy, he will be encouraged to seize more and more of what rightly fully belongs to you. Oh! Satan is a liar. Put an end to tolerating intolerance. God will not rise up to fight for you if you don’t authorize Him with your prayers. Notice that the death of the man of God i.e James, the brother of John brought to the Jews. But, here is the truth. It did not bring Joy to God. Note also that no matter how good/holy you are, some people will not be happy with you. They will be so sad that you are alive. Your progress or having a job angers some people. When you are happily married, some people fast and pray to scatter it. Yes! Some people take pleasure in your destruction. They have sworn that they will not sleep until your life, family and ministry are reduced to nothing. Ah! Your God will not give you into their hands. As 2019 ends and 2020 is set to roll in, let the devil know that enough is enough; you are not a garbage bib! You will not tolerate any rubbish or satanic intolerance again.

Prayer points:

·        Enough is enough! I return to sender whatever my God has not planted in my life, family and ministry (mention them)

·        I refuse to tolerate any nonsense! I arise and return it back to sender 7 fold in Jesus name

·        Pray about today! Uproot evil gang ups!