Friday 3rd May 2019 Prayer Devotion
Scripture Reading:- 1 Corinthians 13
Topic:- The Two Paths [2]
Text:- 1 Corinthians 13:12
The Second Path:
C. The Narrow Way:-
1. The point that Satan – the god of this world – is only god to those who reject Christ and therefore default to him.
2. For those who trust in Christ, Satan is there, and attacks, but he is defeated. So rather than being under the god of this world, followers of Jesus are under God’s Fatherly care, as children. See Romans 8:15-16.
3. The god of this world lost all authority over believers through Christ’s death and resurrection. See John 12:31.
4. There are few people on this Path. It can be lonely, since only a few find that Narrow Gate!
5. As they walk this Narrow Path, believers can be guided along it and protected from wrong turns or decisions. See Proverbs 16:9; Psalms 37:5.
6. They can even be protected from Satanic attack. Of course, even this Path has dangers and believers often suffer in this fallen world. [For instance, believers are told to fight for justice, but often they do not see justice done. It’s as though there is a boundary to the execution of true justice, and we have to wait for true justice to be done at the judgement]. See Micah 6:8.
7. In this sense the path is narrow and difficult.
D. Enter by the Narrow Gate to the Path of Life:-
1. Life on the Narrow Path is one of serving God rather than ourselves. Our self-defined ambition in the Dawkins World morphs into serving God and life takes on real purpose.
2. With God’s help, our service to God can be seen as unbounded and powerful. Jesus put it something like this in Matthew 16:25.
3. The concepts of guidance and service suggest that God has a plan for our lives. See Psalm 139:16.
4. Life is not a pointless existence. Certainly our steps along the Path are ordered by God, and if we listen, God instructs us in the Way to go. So what appear to be free-will decisions often turn out to be the best for us. See Psalm 32:8; 37:23; Romans 8:37.
5. Then there’s belief and understanding. As we travel along this path, believing in God our Father and the living Lord Jesus, God promises to guide us into all truth. See John 16:13.
6. This puts transcendent bounds on our beliefs, making them firm and preventing them from wandering off into myths and humanistic thinking. Absolute truths are revealed. Since this understanding is from outside ourselves, it implies there is almost no limit to obtaining a true understanding of the world – a world as God sees it. Of course, the limit is our finite minds, and we see only part of the picture. See 1 Corinthians 13.12.
7. Likewise, as we walk this Narrow Path we can develop a Christ-like love that is almost without bounds. This is the most important attribute we develop as we walk the Path, 1 Corinthians 13.
8. Lastly, the Narrow Path constrains us to live moral lives and places boundaries on sexual relationships.[For example, in God’s eyes these should be heterosexual and then only within the bounds of marriage].
E. Consequences of Our Actions:-
1. Just as wrong actions on the Broad Path lead to bad consequences, so a life of good actions on the Narrow Path leads to many blessings. This also is God’s unseen spiritual law.
2. As mentioned, it is indeed possible to wander off the Narrow Path into error.
3. We can do ‘bad actions’ as well as good ones whilst walking the Narrow Path. And when we do wander off we suffer the consequences of our error.
Sadly, many Christians have found this to be true, but it is also true that we can be forgiven and reconciled to our Father in heaven. See 1 John 1:9.
Are You On The Right Way?
Prayer Points:-
1. Oh Lord God, help me to walk in Your own godly path way henceforth, in the name of Jesus Christ.
2. I command every evil, broad path that I may find myself in, cease now and never reappear again in my life henceforth by fire, in the name of Jesus Christ.
3. I will walk by the path and way You have chosen for me, help me oh Lord God henceforth, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Beloved! T.A.C.N. Ijebu Ode Area will be embarking on 40days of Prayer and Fasting Revival starting on Sunday 5th May over 13th June, 2019. You can get a copy of the book produced for it at Apostolic Book Shop, Olorunda-Ketu, Lagos or Call Elder Equere @ Abuja: 08036590077; Presiding Elder Akingbade @ Ojoo-Ibadan: 08038530922; Pastor Olatubi @ Molipa, Ijebu Ode: 08030452014; 08033016351 or E-mail to this box for the soft copy: timogundelejesu@gmail.com
Happy Weekend!
