THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 3, No. 4 – Monday, 22nd January, 2018
(Habakkuk 2:1-3, Daniel 10:1-2, Ezekiel 21:26-27, Psalm 30:4-5)
YOUR GREAT DREAM OF THE NIGHT WILL SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY: ONLY KEEP HOLDING ON
How so dark, gloomy and uncertain about the future were the years from 2011-2013 for me. Life’s turn of events have never been before then so bad. They were my darkest days as a living being whilst then in the city of Aberdeen.
Surprisingly, the brightest sonnets I have written so far were not written at any other time but during those horrid days of uncommon despair. Perhaps you are interested in what a sonnet is. A sonnet is any poem with exactly 14 lines. So, I invite you to take a read of the sonnet below. It is titled ‘The Impossible Dream‘. It is a brief summary of the struggle between the night and the day; it is a reminder of the contest between doom and fulfilment of man’s great dream.
THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM
How so dark and deep the night
Beyond the day’s most ebbing dusk.
Darkened skies, brassy heavens, thickening clouds
Lowering so low;
Ever in war
To keep the day’s dream impossible.
And yet so slow the night
Its feet may drag,
But soon breaks forth the dawn
From the night’s impossible grip.
And from its imprisoning bars
Rolls out the day with its alluring beauty.
Then the dark gloom of night fever
Away will fade for the day’s brightening lights.
Having great dreams on the one hand and seeing their reality on the other hand, are two extremes at opposite ends. Consider for a moment how many great dreams you have had. The great dream about that good job, that beautiful future, a happy marriage, pleasurable moments, sound spiritual health, etc. The question is, how many of those great dreams have yet seen the light of dawn or even seen clear reality? For many people, the answer to this question is simply, none or not many. The further question is, why?
Again, the simple answer is that there is constantly an ongoing struggle. That struggle is the experience of the day with the night as we just saw in the sonnet above. But I tell you what! I don’t care how long your great dreams have been delayed, what I care about is this: you will certainly laugh and laugh well this year. The hands of personal attitudes, the hands of evil men and the hands of dark forces making struggles against your testimonies shall cease to exist. Understand this dearly beloved that your great dreams are like inflated balloons pressed down under water. As soon as God removes the hands and embargoes keeping those great dreams down under water, those great dreams will jump up and out of the waters of delay and bounce into limelight and your announcement shall be loud, very loud and long too.
Therefore, do not entertain the thought that you have gone the way of this prayer and fasting prior to this time. Rather, exert spiritual energy on every prayer point, allow the flesh to die completely and make good deeds a priority now and always.
Hear what Abraham Lincoln had to say after so many failures in his life. Lincoln stated: ‘my great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure’. To be content is to accept defeat. There is no greater evil a man can do to himself other than giving-up. He who gives up is a villain, not a hero and will never be counted among the greats.
The testimony of Baba (Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye) is a shining example of never giving up until one’s great dream dawns on the shore of reality. As a lecturer at the University of Ilorin (in northern Nigeria), his residential apartment was a mansion. Then the Call Of God came to him. In consequence, he had to leave his pleasurable mansion for a single room in a slum called Mushin (in Lagos south-western Nigeria). There, he prayed, requesting the Lord to give him a small flat for his family to move into. The response from the Lord to his request was shocking and unbelievable. The Lord instead of promising him a good flat (being a good father in heaven) said: ‘stop asking for small things. Ask for big things because I have decided to build you a city’.
Hmmm! how so silly and crazy that may have sounded. But is He not God?! The owner of the universe! After such length of time, that dream, that vision and promise from the Lord to Baba, Pastor E.A. Adeboye is now a reality. No one will doubt the fact that Redemption Camp is a city within a city and yet works are ongoing in process of another city close to the first. Listen, dearly beloved, He, God who is good to one is good to all. You shall certainly laugh this year and your laughter shall not cease.
IN THE END, CLINGING ONTO THE GARMENT OF THE LORD JESUS GUARANTEES YOU THAT THE DAY WILL CERTAINLY DAWN ON THE NIGHT OF YOUR GREAT DREAMS WHICH TODAY SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE. ONLY REMEMBER AND VERY OFTEN TOO THAT THERE IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE A TOMORROW AFTER THE NIGHT OF TODAY. HOLD-ON.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Counselling, Prayers and Appointments: All counselling and prayers and appointments to see any worker including the pastorate must be forwarded to the following e-mails only: contactus@expressimageglory.com, admin@expressimageglory.com and residentpastor@expressimageglory.com
Donations and Financial Supports: Please contact the following e-mails: accounts@expressimageglory.com, residentpastor@expressimageglory.com
ALTAR CALL:
Backslidden – living in sin – needing fresh recommitment (say):
Christ Jesus, You are the Anointed One of the Most High. I come to you today as I am. In your mercy, help me out of my situation. Heal my soul, my spirit, my body, my life and my destiny. I acknowledge you as the only true lover of my soul. Please, deliver me on every side and save me through and through. I promise from the depth of my soul to be yours from henceforth, in Jesus name. Help me now O God. Be my Lord, my Saviour and my all in all from this day. Thank you Lord (read Ps.54 in closing and pray more).
HYMN: Grace Greater Than Sin
PRAY NOW:
Pastor Mike
