EXPRESS IMAGE GLORY MINISTRIES
THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 5, No. 19 – Sunday, 17th May, 2020
(Matt.28:20, Gen.39:2)
THE MYSTERY OF ‘AND LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS’
The secret behind Joseph’s success, many would doubtlessly argue, is his gift of dreaming, his cup of divination, divine favour or his inspired ability to interpret dreams.
I contend so sharply however in the polar direction. Unreservedly, the secret of Joseph’s success cannot be anything else other than the fact that he had the God of heaven constantly on his side and with him.
Please understand dearly beloved that it is one thing for God to be on one’s side. It is another thing for God to be with one. Understand further that God is with everybody. For He is omnipresent; He is everywhere and so, He is around everyone whether in the air that blows around everyone, on the land on which everyone walks or in the skies which is above everyone.
It is however a statement of sound spiritual fact that God is not on the side of everyone. The Godhead is perfectly pure; His purity is defiantly stunning and has no place for the tiniest impurity. As such, based on the purifying blood of the Lamb, the Blessed Holy Trinity is constantly only on the side of those who have submitted their lives to God through the Saviour Jesus Christ.
Notice that at no point did the Bible inform mankind that ‘the Lord was with Joseph’ until Joseph had passed the test set for him by satan through the lustful and the fleshly corruption of the wife of Potiphar.
Likewise, no one earns the grace to have the trinity on his/her side until the test of Calvary have been successfully passed and other Christian conditions commanded by God have been fully heeded.
The question concerning the last phrase is how? In verse 19 of Matthew chapter 28, the Lord gave a clear commandment to His own instructively saying: ‘go ye into all the world and make disciples of all nations’…… Having seen their hearts of willing compliance then He followed up His commandment with an eternal blessing, promising to remain with them even to the end of the age.
There is a note of serious observation here. It is the observational note of due and worthy service. My sister, you have been dutifully serving the Lord. Are you already planning in your heart to halt that service? Why? Because somebody in that ministry is misbehaving? Because God is not turning up as He ought to?
Whatever is your reason. Please remember Joseph. Even while he was persecuted and imprisoned, he kept the fire of his divine service aglow. Whilst in prison, Joseph nevertheless interpreted dreams and continued to give God glory for the gift of interpretation of dreams even before Pharaoh until that gift made not just a room but a palace for him (Prov.18:16).
Who can tell whether it is in the course of your rendering service that your delay, your stagnation and problem of whatever kind will be solved. Who has the ability to predict God and the wonders of His hands?
Christ commanded His followers to see the great commission of global soul-winning and evangelism as a qualifying criterion for all blessings. How and what does this mean?
Every blessing that a man will ever have and every height that any man will ever attain are all attached to only one commandment. It is the commandment to make Christ known having known Him personally first. It is on only this one spiritual assignment of soul-winning and evangelism that the Lord promised to be with man. In no other was this promise made.
My dear beautiful daughter and sister, you sing in the choir and so sonorously too. That is good. But the Lord is asking me to tell you that you should lend your voice to Him in practical soul-winning and person to person evangelism. What do you do in the office? Find time for evangelism there. Every Saturday is not for merriment, laundering, and recreational activities, go out for evangelism.
The mystery is this: whosoever has the Lord on his side and with him has access to all blessings. For the Lord Himself is the blessing. And if the One who is the blessing of all blessings be with one and on one’s side, would there then be any need to ever be in want of blessings?
Listen to me dearly beloved, paying tithes and offerings and supporting the work of God is very good and very rewarding. However, evangelism, soul-winning and service in the kingdom is of pivotal importance. Ruth met her husband while serving God in Boaz’s field.
Part of the reason for attending that vigil was because I thought I was going to minister that night. At the end, because I was just recovering from malaria I was not called upon to minister. But right there at the minister’s stand where I sat, the Spirit of God ministered to a lady in the midst of a crowd of people possibly close to 2000 saying: ‘that man over there is your husband’. She is the QUEEN of my heart and home today.
What can’t God do for the man duly and worthily serving in His vineyard. In the modern world of Christianity today, deep backsliding and diversion from Bible truth is now the order of the day. In some churches today, evangelism has now become a departmental assignment, no longer for everybody. But Christ made it compulsory for everyone. O backslidden pastor and hell-going church (irrespective of how so great a pastor and mighty a church you are), if you don’t repent and make evangelism a priority for all members, hell is well prepared and awaiting you.
IN THE END, MAKING CHRIST KNOWN MAKES YOU KNOWN AND GETS YOU FULFILLED IN EVERY STRATUM OF LIFE. IN THE 70S, BABA APOSTLE WILLIAM FOLONSHO KUMUYI RODE EVERY TUESDAY ON MOTOR-CYCLE FROM LAGOS TO BENIN CITY (OLD BENDEL) ALL BECAUSE OF MAKING THE SUFFERINGS AND THE SACRIFICES OF CHRIST KNOWN TO THE PEOPLE OF BENDEL STATE. ISN’T HE KNOWN THE WORLD OVER TODAY? YOU CAN TELL.
Question and Answer Section
Question: The great questions again! When was the last time that you preached to any soul? Do you serve God with joyful heart or with reluctance? How much hurt is in your soul against that fellow? Won’t rather forgive them and forget their mischief so that you can rightly serve your loving Father? When was the last time you smiled genuinely and truly from your heart about yourself bearing in mind the bright days to come? when was the last time you heard a force praying within your belly without your consciousness? When was the last time you gave some thing to support God’s work apart from your tithes and offerings? When was the last time you supported any man to fulfill a divine or a personal agenda? When was the last time you put smile on the face of someone?
Answer: Hmmm!.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Counseling, Prayers and Appointments: Please contact contactus@expressimageglory.com Alternatively, meet us every Sunday at the address below:
Suit 26, 2nd Floor, Nikky Africana Plaza, 70C Allen Avenue, Opposite UBA/MTN Office, Ikeja, Lagos.
Donations and Financial Supports – Please support the Kingdom of God through Christ Jesus in this Ministry by paying your hard-earned money to only this one account and no other: Express Image Glory Ministry, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Account number – 0020881228.
Further information: Be informed that this Ministry has only one Facebook page and no other. Any other Facebook page or bank account is counterfeit. Any Concerns or questions about this facebook page or bank account should be directed to: contactus@expressimageglory.com The General Superintendent Minister of this Ministry therefore pleads and urges you to desist from all such fake and ungodly Facebook pages or accounts. Be informed also that there is only one medium for soliciting donations and that medium is via our weekly magazine – The Message Now through our Facebook page or website: www.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: Throw Out The Life Line
PRAY NOW:
1. I thank you God for this word you have sent to me through this edition of The Message Now.
2. O God, please forgive me for failing you in the area of evangelism and soul-winning.
3. O blessings of soul-winning and evangelism begin to manifest in the following areas of my life.
4. I sack and banish all spirits, forces and circumstances depressing me from performing my assignment as a Christian.
5. O deadly flood coming to level even a city in Nigeria, I send you back.
6. O Spirit of God, take over my soul, spirit and body.
7. I retrieve that child about to be carried away by large body of water.
8. My loins shall bring forth miracle children who rule the world for God in their generation.
9. O God, answer the cry of sisters looking for the fruit of the womb.
10. Present your personal petitions now.
