by Pastor Afolabi Oladele

Genesis 2:7 shows the making of man. The first man failed the ultimate and total test of absolute and total dependence on the Living God.

God’s purpose can never be thwarted and God decided to recreate man as seen in Jeremiah 18:1-4. The allegory of the potter making something new of the clay that was marred in his hand was the clear indication of what God was planning with respect to the new man He was going to recreate.

In the conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus in John 3, God’s intention was now being brought to pass. Jesus said some things that were pertinent in Is discussion with Nicodemus.

Who came to Jesus at night and said to Him, Rabbi, we know and are certain that You have come from God [as] a Teacher; for no one can do these signs (these wonderworks, these miracles–and produce the proofs) that You do unless God is with him. Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God…Jesus answered, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, unless a man is born of water and [even] the Spirit, he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God. ( John 3:2, 3, 5 AMPC).

The recreation that God had in mind when Adam failed, God spoke of in Jeremiah 18:1-4 and then He set it in motion in the conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus in John 3, in terms of making it manifest that man needs to be born again, that man needs to be changed. That old creation that was in the Garden of Eden could never ever see nor enter into heaven.

In John 1:12 God said something about the sons of God which is very key for the events that we are facing in these times.

Who is a son of God? Are you living in the full potential of who God says you are?

But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name. Who owe their birth neither to bloods nor to the will of the flesh [that of physical impulse] nor to the will of man [that of a natural father], but to God. [They are born of God!]
John 1:12‭-‬13 AMPC

Note that He gave as many as received Him, the authority, power, privilege and right to become the children of God. Everyone that believes on the Lord Jesus has the authority, power, privilege and right to become a child of God and to and act the same. Now the question is, in the days that we are, giving all that we are seeing, are we truly living in the manner in which the word of God says? Have you appropriated what is revealed here in John 1:12?

I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), [just] as I am not of the world. Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth (John 17:15‭-‬17 AMPC, emphasis on verse 16).

John 17:16 AMPC shows that everyone who belongs to the Lord has dual citizenship. As a child of God while you’re living here on earth you’re actually a citizen of heaven. You’re here only temporarily. Jesus did not make a mistake in John 17:16, when He said that we are not of this world.

Do you really know that you’re a citizen of the kingdom? That the kingdom rights, the kingdom power, the kingdom privilege, that you can actually begin to exercise them now? Right from the day that you gave your life to Christ and allowed Him to come into your life as Lord and Saviour?

This is what I’m trying to let us know, particularly in these times that there are so many challenges around us. Look at Jesus what Jesus did. When His disciples were caught in a storm, He actually walked upon the storm; when it was time to create, He created; when it was time to heal, He healed; when it was time to chase demons out, He did. And if you are also a citizen with same rights then why are you scampering in fear? Why are you cowering in the face of challenges? The word of God is true, it can not be broken. Except you don’t believe.

I believe that where there may be challenges for many of us is either because we don’t believe what He says or we are afraid of failing or we are just embarrassed to show that we are citizens of the kingdom of heaven.

Those who have believed in Jesus are also His disciples. Every promise that Jesus spoke to the disciples of His day also work for us who believe in Him. This was the basis of His prayer in John 17.

In John 8:23 Jesus said that He was not of this world. Tie this to what we read in John 17:16, we are also not of this world. We are not here as people who have no rights, who have no privileges, who have no power. We may not have what the world is looking for but we have what Heaven has conferred upon us, what Heaven is now affirming again particularly in these days that we are faced with. Believe me if we refuse to live in the way that the word of God says that we should live, I don’t know what solutions we have to the things that the wicked one is throwing at the nations. Men are scampering, men are fearful, running for dear life and yet we have an answer from the God that created all the things.

Paul expanded this same thing, giving further light to this in Philippians 3:20, declaring to all those who will listen:

But we are citizens of the state (commonwealth, homeland) which is in heaven, and from it also we earnestly and patiently await [the coming of] the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [as] Savior (Philippians 3:20 AMPC).

Did you know that? Are you living it? Do you believe it?

Since these things are true, why are we living like weaklings, like those who have no hope, who have no help? I’m sharing this with you as I also have had to look and sit down with the Lord saying, if all of these things were spoken concerning us, we must have robbed ourselves of so much we can do, not only for self protection but in proclaiming the power and authority of our God over whatever may be coming along the line. It is in our hands to believe the word of God, to take what He’s saying and begin to live the way He expects us to live.

When I came to hear again the things spoke in 1 Corinthians 15, it was like an explosion in my spirit. How come we have let go of all that God has given to us? How come we are not living all that God has unfolded to us but are living as people who have no help? It’s time for us to wake up and begin to believe all that God has said of us.

In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul said:

Thus it is written, The first man Adam became a living being (an individual personality); the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving Spirit [restoring the dead to life]. But it is not the spiritual life which came first, but the physical and then the spiritual. The first man [was] from out of earth, made of dust (earthly-minded); the second Man [is] the Lord from out of heaven. Now those who are made of the dust are like him who was first made of the dust (earthly-minded); and as is [the Man] from heaven, so also [are those] who are of heaven (heavenly-minded). And just as we have borne the image [of the man] of dust, so shall we and so let us also bear the image [of the Man] of heaven (1 Corinthians 15:45‭-‬49 AMPC, note verse 48).

This is where the issue is with many of us, we are so earthly minded, so earthly focused, so earthly riveted that we can’t free ourselves of the constraints this world puts upon us. Are you heavenly minded or are you still carrying that earth mindedness that makes it impossible to free yourself from the afflictions and all the things that are here?

God called us to be deliverers in His stead and here we are bound and subjected to the difficulties that the earth is going through. This is the challenge that I’m putting before us, that this is the time that God has given us to get close to Him, to understand what He is saying concerning us, to believe Him and to begin to act the same.

These things have been freely written in a way that we do not fail God to be His representatives at this time.

Having shown you what has been written concerning you, child of God, the question is: do you believe?

Until you start believing this and living it you would never see the working of these things. The key to living these things is described by the Lord Himself in John 5. Look at the pattern that Jesus Himself went through in John 5:19-20 and pay attention to the implications of what He said here.

So Jesus answered them by saying, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the Son is able to do nothing of Himself (of His own accord); but He is able to do only what He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does is what the Son does in the same way [in His turn]. The Father dearly loves the Son and discloses to (shows) Him everything that He Himself does. And He will disclose to Him (let Him see) greater things yet than these, so that you may marvel and be full of wonder and astonishment (John 5:19‭-‬20 AMPC).

It take a person who is waiting in His presence to see what the Father is doing. This was where the first man Adam failed. He allowed himself to be deviated from the instructions that he was given and that was why he had to die. And if God is recreating and bringing us into a new order, why can’t we live in that new order? The basis of living in that new order is in watching Him.

David understood that it was in waiting in the presence of the Lord that you hear and you see and that’s why he said in Psalms 27, One thing have I desired of the Lord , that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple (Psalms 27:4 KJV).

Let’s use this time, rather than fritter it away in distractions. Let’s get the right balance and wait in the presence of the Lord to hear Him, to see what He is doing and to do exactly what He says.

In John 5:20 Jesus says, The Father dearly loves the Son and discloses to (shows) Him everything that He Himself does. And He will disclose to Him (let Him see) greater things yet than these, so that you may marvel and be full of wonder and astonishment.

The same Jesus said to us that as the Father hath loved Me, so hath He loved you. So if I am loved the way the Father loved Jesus that means that He would show and disclose to me everything that He Himself does.

I am sharing these things so that we can look at these things and see why are we not living exactly the way God wants us to live, why are we missing out on the things that are so crucial for us in these times?

In verse 30 He says, I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord–but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide. As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and My judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me (John 5:30 AMPC).

Are we able to get ourselves into this same place? This is Jesus repeating those things spoken of Him in the book of Isaiah: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back (Isaiah 50:4-5 KJV).

It is this same thing that I believe that the Lord is giving us the opportunity for in these days of so-called lock down and lock-in. O ye sons of God who have believed on Him, do you truly believe that there are rights, that there are privileges, that there is power that He has given to us? If only we would wait in His presence. Put away all the distractions and fleshly excitement that make it impossible for us to hear. Open your heart, open your ears and see what it is that God is wiling to do with you. He is awakening the sons of God in these times. Would you stand and would you work?

The truth is that you’re of Heaven living here on earth. You have all the attributes of the heavenly nature and must begin to exercise it. You must begin to live in this.

This lockdown is an opportunity to be like Mary of Luke 10:38-42. In the contest that you saw: one was busy absolutely trying to please the Master but that was not what was crucial for the Master at that time. He said, Mary hath chosen the more important thing.

I appeal to you in the name of Jesus. Can you decide in your heart what is more important for you in seeking the Lord, in waiting on Him?

Jesus said as the Father hath love Me so hath He loved you. So you see that the Father would disclose what He is doing to those that He loves. We don’t have to be in darkness. We don’t have to fear their fear, we don’t have to shout confederacy when they are shouting confederacy. It is only when our hearts are not following and walking according to the One who called us that we have an issue.

The scripture below is a mirror for us to look at ourselves and see what steps we need to take after you have listened to this.
I say again that this lockdown is an opportunity to be like Mary of Luke 10, to receive and obtain the things that matter from the Lord. Stop being a debtor to sin, live in the victory purchased for you.

Every God-begotten person conquers the world’s ways. The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith. The person who wins out over the world’s ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5:4-5 MSG).

We have all been schooled in the ways of the world, it’s time to start getting reeducated, getting imbibed in and soaked in the word of God, in the ways of the Lord. Without these we don’t stand any chance. We would just perish like many.

But God is giving us this opportunity again to awaken ourselves, to seek the Lord. He loves us, He wants to show us the things to come. The empowerment He already gave. As a son of God you have power, privileges, right and authority.