THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH
Dearly Beloved, it’s such a joy to be with you once again on this wonderful Sunday morning. Firstly I want to say a Happy Children’s Day to all our incredible children worldwide, the Lord shall indeed perfect all that concerns you. We truly thank God for your lives, and we know that we will continually have cause to rejoice over you in the name of Jesus.
Today is the last Sunday in the month of May, and we truly thank God for His grace and mercy that has seen us through this month, despite the challenges, the Lord kept us, and so we give Him all the praise.
As we go into the second half of the year, I’ve come to ask you, whose report do you believe? Because what you believe will determine what you say, and the Bible states very clearly that you shall have what you say (Mark 11:23-24). Beloved, it does not require faith to believe defeat, failure lack; you don’t need faith to be afraid, because they are more often in line with your experience. However, faith is required to believe victory, you need faith to believe God for your healing, for provision. The bible says the just shall live by faith, and that faith pleases God. We are called believers, because we believe God.
Beloved, whatever you believe is what will manifest, so if you want to know what you believe, check through your life, and find out what is manifesting, then you will know exactly what you believe.
“Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1 NKJV)
Our text above lets us know clearly what it takes for the arm of the Lord to be revealed; believe the report of the Lord. You cannot go on believing wrongly and expect for good things to be made manifest, no, it does not work that way. I know that things might not be going right, I know there are difficulties and challenges facing you, but in the midst of that, you must hold on to what God’s Word says concerning you, and never let go. Even in the face of contradictory evidence, you are who God says you are, you have what He says you have, you can do what He says you can do; only believe. Your part is not to know how it will happen, your part is to believe what He says, and He will figure out how to bring it to pass. Mary said I don’t know how this will happen, but be it unto me, according to your Word (Luke 1:38). The first half of the year is gone, what are you going to believe about the second half, and what are you going to say about the second half because you have what you say.
Therefore, it’s completely in your hands – you must decide to live by the Word of God. Choose to believe His Word and stand on it, and watch God perform His Word. I declare that your experiences will submit to what God has declared concerning you before the foundation of the world. You will fulfill purpose; the enemy will not cut short your life, in the name of Jesus! I speak peace to every contrary wind that is blowing in your direction, and command every mountain to be leveled before you. I bless you today in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Maranatha!
In His Royal Service,
Dr. Mike Okonkwo
The Presiding Bishop