It grieves the heart to see us believers currying favour of and courting the world to get its acceptance. When our glorying is on the same basis that the world glories, are we still believers? Are we so drunk with the wine of Babylon fed us by the hordes of untaught followership in the name of celebrating us? In the aftermath of the show of divine power by Jesus Christ to meet the most basic of needs of thousands of followers, they wanted to make Him king. Jesus knew what to do (John 6:14-15 ; Isa. 52:12-53:12), so ought we to!

All the people were astounded as they saw with their own eyes the incredible miracle Jesus had performed! They began to say among themselves, “He really is the One—the true prophet  we’ve been expecting!” So Jesus, knowing that they were about to take him and make him their king by force, quickly left and went up the mountainside alone.” John 6:14-15 (TPT)

John the beloved wrote further in 1 John 3:1-3 words that should be a daily mirror for the believer, particularly the church leadership that stands on particularly slippery grounds! Great and of inestimable value is our grant of sonship and it should neither be traded for being counted in the annals of worldly comparison nor its halls of fame!

Our text is clear, if the world did not recognise my Lord, why should I pursue a goal so inferior. This is the time of the prince of darkness and his subjects. They will not be there in our recognition, if we remain faithful to our call and testimony. The saints of old understood this and willingly and intentionally separated themselves from the world!

Some of these faith champions were brutally killed by stoning, being sawn in two or slaughtered by the sword. These lived in faith as they went about wearing goatskins and sheepskins for clothing. They lost everything they possessed, they endured great afflictions, and they were cruelly mistreated. They wandered the earth living in the desert wilderness, in caves, on barren mountains and in holes in the earth. Truly, the world was not even worthy of them, not realizing who they were. Hebrews 11:37,38 (TPT)

Hear O beloved, the warning again is being sounded to you (Rev. 18:2-8). Do not take it for granted, for if there were no believers drunk with the wine and were comfortable with the taste and deeds of Babylon, there will have been no such cry to come out of her. Awake thou sleeper and deliver yourself from the wrath to come. Shalom.


Pastor Afolabi Oladele