THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 2, No. 3 – Monday, 16th January, 2017
(Gen.42:17-24, Ps.105:19-22, 1 Cor.13:1-13)
WHY WASN’T ANOTHER PATRIARCH OF FAITH TAKEN? WHY WAS IT SIMEON?
Part 1
Have you ever wondered why Satan targets the prayer life of Christians and our ability to hear God especially in moments of crisis? The answer is in the mystery being revealed today by the Great God of heaven and earth, the very founder and pillar of this Ministry.
There is a singular item of tradable jewel in the show-room of the spiritual realm. So precious a jewel that for centuries, it has attracted the keen attention of two masters. This precious jewel has equally been contested over by these two since the moment their attention was first drawn to it.
But what could this tradable item of uncommon jewel be? It is the life of you and me. Why is the contest over it so fierce? I suppose you do agree with me that anything that has the power to provoke a man’s passion can equally sustain that man’s attention.
Love and hatred are no doubt great passions with commensurate ability to sustain attention. Unarguably, Almighty God is passionately in-love with man. So then, man is the object of God’s love. But God is the numero uno (number 1) enemy of Satan.
God is too mighty to be attacked directly by Satan. But Satan can attack God indirectly by attacking the object of God’s love. Much worse is God’s pain when Satan succeeds in sweeping away God’s object of love to himself. Do you ask how Satan does that?
Then join me today in learning another deep spiritual mystery from the God of Express Image Glory Ministries.
The Holy Scripture informs us in Genesis chapter 42 that at some point in human history, there was a severe dearth (famine) throughout the entire world. In consequence, ten out of the twelve ‘Patriarchs of Faith’ excluding their youngest brother, Benjamin (see Acts 7:8-9) left the land of Canaan bound for the land of Egypt in search of sustenance.
Their arrival in Egypt was greeted by tumultuous surprise. They were taken as spies by the ruler of Egypt, Zaphnathpaaneah otherwise known as Joseph. He was a Patriarch of the same stock whom his brothers had previously sold into slavery by reason of envy.
In the end, Joseph put them in prison for three days. At the expiry of the third day, He released them, demanding rather that one of them must remain in Egypt in order to prove the worthiness of their defence and the account concerning Benjamin. Whilst they lingered in the choice of who would remain, Joseph selected Simeon (Jacob’s second son), bound and imprisoned him.
The questions for serious spiritual consideration are these: why was it Simeon? Reuben was the first child. Why not him? Apart from Joseph, Judah (the fourth child) was Jacob’s choicest child and indeed, the one on whom Jacob conferred much responsibilities since Reuben’s fall.
Couldn’t Joseph have taken Judah? Judah was the lawgiver, and indeed, the ‘Star of Jacob’ (that is, the Lord Jesus Christ) was to come through his loins (see Num.24:17, Rev.5:5). Humanly speaking, would not Joseph’s selection judgment have been more apt if Judah was taken and bound? For that would certainly invite their father Jacob into the matter and into Egypt.
Levi (the third child) could have been selected and bound by Joseph since the Levitical priesthood was his portion. Why was it not him? Alternatively, it could have been Asher, Naphtali, Gad, Issachar, Zebulon or Dan. Why were they not?
Hmmm! and hmmm! Before answering the key question here and unraveling the mystery behind Simeon’s selection, there is a yet serious spiritual matter demanding swift attention. With respectful humility, the ten who sold Joseph were called Patriarchs of Faith. Yet in their Patriarchism and faith was found envy.
Hmmm! there is a mystery with deep spiritual equations here. Equation 1: the presence of divine love is the absence of all evil. Equation 2: the absence of love is the availability of all vices. Equation 3: every other spiritual virtue excluding love can be present in a man’s life and yet all spiritual vices are also therein present too.
Therefore, love trumps all other spiritual virtues and gifts. Without love there is no heaven. Great anointing on a man does not mean great love in him. Great prophetic gifting and charismatic auratory will not take the place of Love. Nothing in the universe will ever be equal to, or replace love. Jesus is that love.; embrace Him and accept Him today.
Love is a gift obtained by asking and seeking. With all spiritual strength and tenacity, let us wholeheartedly seek the Lord’s face until His ‘love is shed abroad in our heart by the Holy Ghost’ (see Rom.5:5). It is only such ‘love of Christ (which has the ability to) constrain us’ from sin and Satan galvanize us into righteous action for evangelism and perfectly glue us to the Eternal faithful Father (2 Cor.5:14).
Finally, to the questions: why wasn’t another Patriarch of faith taken? Why was it Simeon? (To be continued next week Monday). Meanwhile, please keep praying; never stop. Satan is still alive. Keep your righteous heart infested with Christ like love.
Remember that every other spiritual gift or grace will become obsolete and unnecessary when we get to heaven; only love will remain.
LOVE GOD AND EVERY MAN FOR JESUS IS COMING AGAIN AND VERY SOON TOO.
Hymn: My Life And Love I Give To Thee
Pray now:
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O God, I repent today and forever from every sin of envy.
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O God, turn me to an admirer of good things in the name of Jesus.
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Read Mat.27:18 (and say): O God, celebrate me before every one that is envying me.
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O God, break the backbone of every battle of envy warring against me.
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O God, with your hand of power, lift me up to surpass where others stopped in my lineage and generation.
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O God, fill my heart with love from above for you and for man.
Pastor Mike
