Continuing from our exhortation on a right start to the New Year, we take our second scripture.

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. John 12:26-32

Beloved, you say you serve the Lord, do you know that the cardinal rule of service to the Lord is to follow Him and be nowhere other than where He is! As a follow on to John 10:4, He provides the leadership and speaks as to what (hear the voice) and leads where to go.

The serving sheep follow the shepherd and are always where He is. Note further from the scriptures that for His serving sheep’s sake, God will speak with clarity that standers-by will not understand. You have no reason to expect those around you to understand what you hear and follow, and so should you not be constrained to follow their lack of understanding! When you see this dichotomy in understanding the utterances of the great God—the sheep hear, the world hears but interprets differently—know that judgment is near!

In particular in the time of trials and temptations, your focus must be to understand purpose and not ask why. The Lord’s confession in John 12:27 speaks. Focus on purpose and prayer are key to endurance, steadfastness and grace to go through. We will speak more to this under the title The Ford of Jabbok. For now, DO NO DEFER TO THE WORLD’S UNDERSTANDING, NO MATTER ITS LOGIC, STICK WITH THE WORD YOU HEAR FROM THE LORD. Selah.



Pastor Afolabi Oladele