Exciting times are ahead
In Eccl 3:1, the bible tells us that ‘To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven’. For example, the bible says, ‘there is a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted’. There is a way we normally feel in our tough seasons, it always seems that the season would go on forever. Meanwhile, it is a season that would pass in due course.
There are many crops that are grown in Africa. For example, we have maize and cacao tree. Twice a year, from the year of cultivation, the maize farmer would probably smile to the market/bank, as he harvests his crops.
The cacao farmer however would have a long way to go before he too can start smiling to the market/bank, as cacao takes about 3-5years before having fruits ripened for harvest.
At any rate, whether it is to the maize farmer or the cacao farmer, the planting season is not always as exciting as the harvest season. When the fruits of the crops planted are many and are getting ripened; the farmer surely knows that exciting times are ahead of him.
The vision God showed me is that exciting times are ahead of us. Wonderful things are brewing up. Glorious ‘flowers’ are budding. Marvellous things are taking shape.
In I Kings 17: 8-16, the bible makes us to know that the famine in Israel was very sore when Elijah declared a drought on the land. Water became scarce; food became scarce. When Elijah got to the widow of Zarephath as God instructed, the woman was about to bake her last flour for she and her son to eat and then die.
However, at the obedience to the prophecy of Elijah, the woman and all her entire household entered exciting time ahead of them.
There is someone listening to me now, you are at your wits end, as something particularly important for your family is running out. I am asked to tell you that the thing in question will not finish. The few shall be multiplied to many. The scarce to abundance. The empty to full in Jesus name.
The same king of famine happened during the time of Elisha the prophet. Syria sent troops and cut of supply to Samaria, so that no one can go in and none can come out. This time, families were even eating their children in turn (2 Kings 6: 24). It was awfully bad! King Jehoram planned to kill Elisha if he did not do something about the situation. Elisha then gave a word of prophecy that food will be surplus in 24 hours’ time (2 Kings 7: 1-20).
It was a prophetic declaration that exciting time was about to commence. His word went before God and got Divine approval. Heaven began to orchestrate things to make that prophecy become a reality.
By early hours of the morning, God made the Syrian soldiers who had laid siege on Samaria to hear noise of chariots, and noise of horses, and noise of a great host; so that they concluded that the Israelites must have hired superpowers and mercenaries to fight against them (Egypt and Hittite). They therefore fled in a hurry, leaving behind their tents, horses, donkeys, and everything in their camp untouched.
It was four lepers that first got to the scene of the Syrian camp. Guess what? Exciting time began for them as Elisha had prophesied. They ate and drank; they took gold, silver, raiment to hide away. They came back and did the same again, before they thought to themselves that they should sound an alarm to the King and the people in Samaria.
Rather than King Jehoram to believe that the miracle prophesied by Elisha had happened; he came up with a conspiracy theory that one of his servants had to debunked was wrong. When they finally went to check, the Syrians had actually fled and crossed the Jordan River dropping their belongings as they fled.
So, the whole of Samaria went out and spoil the camp of the Syrians. Food became ridiculously cheap; money was readily available to all. Exciting times began for them indeed!
There is someone listening to me now, that which is causing you distress and hardship shall hear a noise from heaven and flee from you in Jesus name.
To another person, the season of you been under besiege is over. Your territory is now free. Your surrounding is now clear.
The four lepers said, ‘this day is a day of good tidings, and it’s not good that we are keeping it to ourselves…’. What they were saying is that we better let the king know before something bad happen to us.
As the messenger of God to you this morning, I need to let you hear and know this, ‘this is a day of good tidings. I will not keep quiet in proclaiming this.
This is a day of good tidings! Exciting times are about to start! Exciting times are ahead, so says the Lord God of Israel. Can you dare to believe me? I see you enjoying the spoil of the hidden riches of darkness in Jesus name.
Isaiah 45: 2-3
2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:
3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.
In Gen. 26: 1-11, the bible also makes us to know that in Isaac’s time, there was a harsh famine in the Palestinian region. People were migrating to Egypt in order to survive the hardship. God however told Isaac to remain in Gerar; which he did. While people were holding unto their precious seeds for food at least; Isaac planted his own precious seed, even though the physical conditions did not warrant it.
That year, Isaac was able to reap bountiful harvest (100-fold returns); which made him become exceedingly prosperous, to the extent that he became the envy of the whole nation of Gerar.
What is famine?
Obvious – An extreme scarcity of food. Extreme hunger. Poverty. Lack
A great shortage of anything at all. A kind of drought. A deficiency. A time of insufficiency. A time of failure. A time of scantiness. A period of deficit.
It is not a new thing to say that the whole world had entered into a period of famine over a year ago. Even though some people might have made fortune within the same time; for most people though, it had been a tough time. Nations have also borrowed greatly; what they are hoping to take back from you and I who had suffered the heat too.
What God has however whispered in my ears is that, for His people who will obey His word and believe what I say, exciting times are ahead of them.
I am asked to tell someone, ‘Do not run away’. You are planning to run to some kind of green pasture. What I hear is that ‘stay in this land, sow your precious seeds, a hundred-fold return awaits you at the harvesttime’.
Not too long from now, you shall become the envy of many in Jesus name. God will settle you in your own Rehoboth. Jehovah will grant you peace. He will give you rest in Jesus name.
Exciting times are certainly ahead of you!
When Isaac was putting his seeds in the ground, he would have been in great trepidation. What if the seeds did not germinate? What if the plant did not grow up and dry up? What if it grew but did not reach flower stage? What if it did not bear fruit? What if the fruit did not ripe? What if the fruits are scanty?
But at a time when he saw all the crops ripened, he knew that of a true, exciting times were ahead of him.
You may not be seeing the physical manifestation yet; but as Elijah declared to King Ahab; I declare to you; I am hearing the sound of an abundant of rain; I can see exciting times coming ahead.
When Jesus was with His disciples; they were so bold and courageous. They knew that Jesus would not allow anything bad to happen to them. They would not even wash their hands before eating (Mt. 15: 1-6). They would not fast (Mt. 9: 14-15). Hardly do they pray (Mt. 26: 38-46). Jesus had to do everything on their behalf.
When Jesus was arrested, tried and killed; all their boldness vanished. They became very fearful and had to hide themselves from the Jewish leaders (Mk. 14: 50 ran away; John 20: 19 – hid themselves).
But on hearing the news and seeing the proof of Jesus resurrection; Jesus disciples became extremely bold, even more than when Jesus was with them physically (John 20: 19-20; Acts 4: 8-22).
There is someone listening to me now, there are certain things you used to do and enjoy that suddenly stopped because of an undesirable incident. Since then, your courage, boldness, joy seem to have dissipate or deflated.
I decree, there shall be a resurrection of that joy, courage, boldness and tenacity in Jesus might name.
To another person, what has made you fearful and kept you hiding shall no longer be able to withstand you again. Your courage will now amaze the world.
In Esther 3: 1-6, the bible makes us to know that because Mordecai did not do obeisance for Haman; Haman plotted not to just kill Mordecai, but the whole Jewish race.
Haman got the permission of the King Ahasuerus to promulgate a decree to execute all the Jews on a certain date 13th of the 12th month.
In Esther 4: 1-17, Mordecai sent messengers to Esther the queen in the palace regarding Haman’s plot and made her understand the urgency of her to do something; that God might have made her the queen for such a time as this; and if she refused to do something; God is able to raise help from another quarter; only that her family might be wiped off instead.
Esther asked that the all the Jews in Shushan should embark on a three days’ fast for her; and she and her maid would fast as well; after which she would present herself before the king unrequested for, which was against the law; and that if she had perished in the process, so be it!
Esther did as she said, instead of incurring the wrath of the king; God made it that she found favour instead. The king asked what she wanted, and that it would be given, even to half of his kingdom!
Events continued to play out in Mordecai and Esther’s favour against Haman. The king eventually ordered the execution of Haman and gave authority to Mordecai and Esther to make another decree overturning the previous one done by Haman.
The Jews were asked to gather together on the 13th of the 12th month to protect themselves and fight back any force that try to destroy them. At this juncture, the Jews knew that exciting times are now ahead of them.
Esther 8: 15-17
15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.
17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.
So, it turned out to be that on the date specified that the Jews were to be crying, wailing, mourning as they would have been massacred; they withstood their enemies; and following that, they were able to rejoice, jubilate and gather to celebrate instead (Esther 9: 1-4 – overpower, 18-19 big celebration).
There is someone listening to me now, the date that has been set for you to mourn have now been overturned by God. This is not an abstract statement, you have been given a specific date for an unpleasant thing to happen (spiritually, medically, financially, etc). What I hear is that that date shall now be date of joy, jubilation and celebration.
To another person, I am asked to tell you that you shall see the end of the ‘Haman’ plotting your downfall. Whatever that Haman stand for, will not see your end in Jesus name.
To another person, I am told that you have taken a decision which is risky and damaging. This was done in order to save your family. By the mercies of God, that decision will no longer be harmful you in Jesus name.
Peradventure there is someone listening to me, and you are thinking, ‘well, I am not experiencing any kind of famine as it is’. Glory to God! Something I have come to understand in life is that no matter all that a man might have; there is always something he still need, whether he realises it or not.
2 Kings 4: 8-17
11 One day he came there and turned in to the upper room and lay down to rest. 12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her and she stood before him. 13 Now he said to Gehazi, “Say to her now, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us; what can I do for you? Would you like to be mentioned to the king or to the captain of the army?’” She answered, “I live among my own people [in peace and security and need no special favors].” 14 Later Elisha said, “What then is to be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “Well, she has no son and her husband is old.” 15 He said, “Call her.” So Gehazi called her, and she [came and] stood in the doorway. 16 Elisha said, “At this season next year, you will embrace a son.” She said, “No, my lord. O man of God, do not lie to your maidservant.”
17 But the woman conceived and gave birth to a son at that season the next year, just as Elisha had said to her.
She thought she had everything she needed, lo and behold she was still in need. It is possible she felt certain things have passed, they can no longer happen. But with God, nothing shall be impossible.
So, if here are things you had hoped for and think are no longer possible, I decree that they will still come into being in Jesus name. If you feel you still do not lack anything; may God still improve upon what you now have in Jesus name.
How can I be part of this exciting time coming?
- Obey whatever God says you should do: both in general and specific terms (Gen 26: 26: 2-6).
- Believe His prophet’s word to you (I Kings 17: 13-16; 2 Chro. 20: 20).
- Be courageous to take necessary risk (2 Kings 7: 3-5).
- Keep moving, progress might not be visible, yet move on (2 Kings 5: 10-14).
- Keep praying for it (I Chro. 4: 9-10)
Exciting times are ahead! It shall not elude you in Jesus mighty name.
Altar Call
If you have not accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour before. Today is a perfect time to do so. If you want the power of God to work on your behalf, you must be one of His. If you are prepared to do that; you will need to pray this short prayer with me: Father, I come before You; I ack that I am a sinner; I confess all my sin; I repent of them; I ask that You please forgive me; write my name in Your Book of Life; keep me saved until you come for me or Your Son comes again. Thank You for saving my soul in Jesus name
Prayers
- Father, let Your love in my life be steadfast, do not allow Your mercies upon my life to come to an end. Let both Your love and Your mercies be renew in my life every morning.
- Father, do new things in my life, the type that ears have not heard, eyes have not seen and had not entered into the heart of man.
- Father, whatever the locust, worms and caterpillar, have eaten from my life; please let such be restored a hundred-fold now.
- Father, make my latter years to be more glorious than my former years.
- Father, let my past failures metamorphize into today’s success.
- Father, transform every area that I have been mocked to areas where I will be envied from now on in Jesus name.
Sermon delivered on June 6, 2021.