By Minister Gabriel Adunmade
Text: Philippians 4: 4-7
This month is a month of great and sweet victories. Someone here will experience great and sweet victories this month and beyond in Jesus name. However, before one can talk of great and sweet victories, one must have experienced or passed through great bitterness and tough battles and won greatly. It is then one can appreciate what is called great and sweet victories.
Losing is an inevitable part of life. It gives us an invaluable window into development of our character. How do we handle it when the promotion we apply for goes to someone else? How do we react when we go for an interview, do our best and the panel of interviewer confess to us that we did well and that we will hear something positive from them very soon, only to receive letter few days later that reads “with reference to the interview you had with us a few days ago, we regret to inform you that on this occasion, you were not successful, thank you for the interest you have with this establishment”. How do we feel when we file in our application in home office for extension of visa or leave to remain, but our application is turned down and we are told that we don’t have the right to continue staying in the country
To live is to lose, but to lose badly, gracelessly can be lethal. When you don’t get what you want, be gracious. 2Peter 3:18; but grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.
One of the greatest promises in the bible is, you will keep in prefect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. [Isaiah 26: 3]
Who are you trusting to solve your problem, God or yourself? As a child of God, you need to live by principle; do your best and let God do the rest. We don’t have to be discouraged or miserable when things are not working the way we want. Satan doesn’t know what to do with us when he cannot get us upset. We have taken a powerful weapon out of his hands. Keeping your peace does not exempt you from life’s difficulties. It just allows God to have the last and the final word.
By trusting God completely, you are no longer at the mercy of circumstances, other people or your own emotions and limitations. When things go wrong, do what God leads you to do, then rest in Him and watch in work on your behalf.
Luke 17: 11-19 was the story of ten lepers. Three lesions we can learn from this story;
1. When people reject you, draw closer to Jesus. James 4: 8a; draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you. The 10 lepers were rejected by the society, the people, but they drew closer to Jesus
2. Sometimes, you have to “walk out”. We read in the passage, as they went, they were cleansed. Some times change takes place quickly, but most times, it happens slowly, step by step. You don’t know exactly which step will bring victory. So you need to keep walking in faith. SO KEEP WALKING.
3. Gratitude and praise are so important to God. This story reminds us how quickly we forget God’s goodness. Only one out of ten of us will pass gratitude test. Ten lepers were cleansed, only one was made whole.
Peace is our inheritance. John 14: 27a; peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth. It is your birthright, devil will try all he could to steal that peace from you through disappointment, discouragement and misfortune in life. Don’t allow him to rub you of your peace. Your best problem solving resource is peace. Solutions arise more easily and naturally out of a peaceful state; whereas fear and anxiety empowers the problem. God’s peace is available if you chose it.
The central chapter in the bible is Psalm 118 and the central verse in the bible is Psalm 118 verse 8 which reads “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. So when you don’t get what you want, don’t lose your peace.
Excerpts of a sermon delivered by Gabriel Adunmade on October 13th, 2013