Your Steps Will Be That Of Glory This Year, by Pastor Samuel Obafaiye
Walking is something we do often and constantly too, that most of us do not attach any consideration to or give any thought to. Even though, some people, especially the young have a way they take their steps, for most of us, we just walk.
As I prepare this message, it dawned on me that walking is different from walking. So I have tried to classify walking into three broad categories:
– Routine or normal walk. These are usual steps we make day by day. The steps we take to school, to church, to the market, etc. There are no special connotation to them, we set out to go and so we are there.
– Walk of shame. These are negative steps people take that leads to reproach, ridicule, disgrace, failure, etc. These steps are not to be desired. Walking to the court as an offender, to a job disciplinary, to a jail as the culprit, etc.
May you not take any of them this year.
– Walk of glory. These are unusual steps in the positive direction. They are taken when one is called upon to be elevated, coronated and celebrated. They are walks that are usually accompanied by applause, whistling, medals or awards.
They don’t happen always, but when they do, they are always special.
The person embarking on such walks feels light as though they were floating; their heart will be filled with joy; their faces very bright and their lips stretched wide with laughter.
For example, Salvation, baptism of Holy Ghost, Wedding day, Graduation, Citizenship day, Driving test, Children special days, etc.
You will do these walks this year.
Illustration: I remember my PoP day from Regular Army training on 08/07/88. One of the toughest 6 months I ever had. When a recruit dies, a blanket is lost of an apple has fallen. On the passing out day, the synergy, euphoria, feeling we had cannot be described. Our morale was beyond the skies, our strides glorious.
In Exodus 2: 11-21, the bible makes us to know that Moses ran away from the presence of Pharaoh, his adopted grandfather. He was already in line to the throne, but he took the walk of shame as he left the palace and ran into the wilderness. He became a glorified house-help to Jethro who was also his father in-law.
Forty years later, Moses was to make a glorious walk back to Egypt with the Rod of God in his hands. He was in great fear forty years before that, going back home now, his steps were decisive, calculated, determined and majestic.
There is someone listening to me now, you hurriedly ran away from an environment that matters to you, your walk back shall be calculated and glorious in Jesus name.
To another person, when you took that walk of shame, you didn’t involve God. But now, God says He has stepped in and you will see the difference.
In another instance, in Exodus 34:10-35, Moses was asked to come to Mt Sinai to receive the replacement of the Ten Commandment. Moses did not know what to expect, as he was the one that broke the initial tablets that God wrote before.
The physical condition on the mountain was terrifying, but Moses went. When he was coming back, his steps were different. It was remarkable strides. No one could look at his face
There is someone listening to me, you have been pushed and provoked to take a wrong step. I hear that, you are now given another chance.
You will not blow it in Jesus name.
In Genesis 20:1-18, the bible tells us that at a point in Abraham’s life, he had to take his household to Gerar. It was to be a walk of shame as Abraham was to disown his only wife for such a move. His spiritual state must have been very low at this point, a man that was to be the father of many nations, now had no wife. Where will the nation come from?
King Abimelech had taken his wife. Sarah must have been going through the customary 12 months purification and beautification period when God intervened. God appeared to Abimelech in the dream and told him that he was a dead man if he didn’t return Sarah back.
Abimelech and his people became extremely fearful, Sarah was returned. Abraham was given sheep, oxen, male and female servants, a thousand pieces of silver and the choice of land they wanted! Abraham began to take glorious steps in Gerar, he had to pray for the king for his family to be fruitful and he was revered by all.
There is someone listening to me, fear has made you take what is a step of shame. God will show you mercy and reverse that trend today in Jesus name.
You will walk on high places.
You will take a step of glory you will forever live to cherish.
To another fellow, God says I’m re-arranging your steps.
Things are already messed as they are, but I will re-arranged them.
After Elijah called down fire from heaven, one would think he has reached the height of prophethood, but that same day, he received a threat from Jezebel that made him flee. It was a walk of shame. Elijah would probably have committed suicide if not that it would amount to murder and hell fire.
However, God stepped into his case. He was fed supernaturally, instructed and empowered to go back to anoint God’s chosen rulers. He was able to take the walk of glory back to Jezreel and finished his assignment gloriously.
There is someone listening to me, there is a prevailing threat that wants you to take a wrong move. God will avert it in Jesus name.
There is another fellow, you are embarking on disgraceful steps, God says retrace your steps.
In Genesis 37: 13-14, Jacob sent his favourite child Joseph to go and check the welfare of his older brothers, only not to return home. Jacob strides in the compound would have been hampered seriously. His beloved son was no more, and he was the cause of it. It was a decision he would have rejected.
He had to take solace in Benjamin, which he never left out of his sight.
But in Genesis 45: 26-28, when Jacob heard that Joseph was still alive, that he was the commander in Egypt and that he had sent ‘limos’ to bring him; his walk changed. He regained strength and power and became youthful again.
There is someone listening to me, something happened years ago that has taken your joy and honour away. God says, He will resurrect that source of joy and honour again.
To another person, I am asked to tell you that what you thought was lost is not really lost; it’s only metamorphosing into a better form to bring you glory and honour.
Time will not permit me to talk about Namaan who took the walk of shame to Israel to look for cure for his leprosy, but returned to Syria with remarkable strides as his body was smooth as that of a baby (II Kings 5:1-10).
Others like Peter and John that walked to church without offering in their pockets, but became objects of amazement after healing the lame man at the beautiful gate (Acts 3:1-11).
Or even Jesus Christ who took a very agonising walk from the Garden of Gethsemane, through His trial period, only to walk with glorious strides after His resurrection.
May your steps be that of glory this year.
May your style of walk change for better.
May you walk tall.
May you walk big.
May God cushioned your feet for remarkable stride.
May those who you walked with today, see you ahead of them tomorrow.
May your feet carry you to only where you will be celebrated.
May your feet reject and refuse the walk of shame.
Prayers
Father, in 2017, let me not experience the walk of shame.
Father, in this year, turn my ordinary strides to extraordinary.
Father, let my steps this year be with honour and glory.
The sermon, Your Steps Will Be That Of Glory This Year, by Pastor Samuel Obafaiye was delivered on February 5, 2017