KEYS TO POSSESSING OUR POSSESSION

Transcription

1 KEYS TO POSSESSING OUR POSSESSION Prepared and presented by Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 24 January 2010

2 Bible passage and text Reading: Obadiah Text: Obadiah But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it. (KJV) By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 2

3 Bible passage and text Reading: Obadiah Text: Obadiah But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will possess its inheritance. The house of Jacob will be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame; the house of Esau will be stubble, and they will set it on fire and consume it. There will be no survivors from the house of Esau. The LORD has spoken. (NIV) By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 3

4 Background and context Obadiah, an Old Testament prophet, of whom very little is known, but whose name means servant or worshipper of the Lord, spoke into a situation concerning God s people, Israel He is said to have operated during the reign of King Jehoram in Judah ( B.C) or Jeremiah s ministry, ( B.C) Purpose of his prophetic message was to show that God will judge all those who disturbed or oppressed His people By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 4

5 Background and context Target of Obadiah s message was the Edomites (descendents of Esau) who historically harassed the Jews The Church is the spiritual Israel of God The immediate application is that Christ will rise to the defence of His Church against those who seek to intimidate, subjugate, mock, belittle or denigrate God will judge all those who harass the Church of Jesus Christ. Part of the Church s role is to stand and claim her inheritance By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 5

6 Background and context Our text says (God s word to His people): (i) On mount Zion, there shall be deliverance (ii) There shall be holiness (iii) God s people shall possess their possession (iv) God s people shall be lit up like fire and flame burn brightly and destroy theirs and God s enemies (v) The enemies of God s people shall be consumed like stubble Focus for this message is the third of God s promises God s people possessing their possession By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 6

7 Understanding our terms - possession Something that is owned or possessed relating to wealth or property State of being possessed The act or fact of possessing In law in means to hold or occupy with or without rightful ownership (hence, the saying, possession is nine tenths of the law ) To take into possession God s call to His people in this season is to claim, re-claim, take back what rightly belongs to them By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 7

8 God s word to Israel came to pass Israel exists as a nation today; Edom is extinct deliverance for one; doom for the other On 14 May 1948 Israel declared independence modern Jewish state was formed The creation of the modern Jewish state of Israel is a miraculous act of God a manifestation of His grace, mercy and power God s desire is to bring us into our heritage as believers What will it take? What is required / expected of us, God s people? By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 8

9 Be part of God s spiritual mount Zion Hebrews 12:22-24 The place is characterised by the following: (i) the city of the living God (ii) the heavenly Jerusalem (iii) an innumerable company of angels (iv) the firstborn registered in heaven (v) God the Judge of all (vi) the spirits of just men made perfect (vii) Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant (viii) the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 9

10 Three aspects of taking possession 1 POSITIONAL (Redemption) 3 OPERATIONAL (Application) POSESSING OUR POSSESSION 2 RELATIONAL (Connection) With the focus of today s ministry being on 2 and 3 above By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 10

11 Taking possession process and outcomes 1. Recognition 2. Relationship 3. Responsibility 4. Results (outcomes) By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 11

12 1. Recognition of our spiritual identity and authority Know who I am and whose I am identity What I have / can / empowered to do - authority We need to know what belongs to us as children of God our inheritance and how to take hold of our heritage Knowledge is the key; ignorance kills Recognition or realisation must go beyond go beyond the momentary. It should be an ongoing process By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 12

13 1. Recognition of our spiritual identity and authority Ephesians 1:3-14 sets who, what and where are positionally 1. In Christ 2. In heavenly place 3. Chosen in Him before the foundation of the world 4. Predestined to be adopted before the earth was founded 5. His choice 6. Choice that has made us accepted By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 13

14 1. Recognition of our spiritual identity and authority Elect Predestined Adopted Accepted Redeemed (through Christ s blood) Forgiven Sealed with the Holy Spirit By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 14

15 2. Relationship 1. Connected to Jesus (continuous attachment ) John 15: Loving God with everything I have Deuteronomy 10:12 3. Life in the Spirit Romans 8:4 4. Living in unity / harmony Psalm 133:1-3; Romans 13: Play my part in the Body of Christ (teamwork, collaboration / partnership) 1 st Corinthians 12:12-31; Romans 12: Loving others John 13:34-25 By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 15

16 3. Responsibility 1. A constant desire and quest to grow Psalm 27:8; 1 st Peter 2:2 2. Get rid of dead weight and focus on the prize Hebrews 12: Making spiritual progress 2 nd Peter 1: Putting on the whole amour Ephesians 6: Waiting on the Lord John 40:31 6. Ask for and take hold of my inheritance Matthew 7:7 By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 16

17 4. Results (outcomes) Isaiah 60: Glorious Restoration Isaiah 60:9, 15, Abundant Provision Isaiah 60:5, Exponential Increase Isaiah 60: Supernatural Influence Isaiah 60:3, 6-7, These outcomes are the evidences of God s people possessing their possession By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 17

18 Summary and application Begins with redemption, strengthened by our connection (with Christ and each other) but requires personal and corporate application We must know who we are and what belongs to us We must be in right relationship living by faith, loving Jesus with all we have, walking in love with one another, living holily, and playing our part We must seek and take hold of our inheritance - we will experience restoration, provision, increase and be a people of supernatural influence Why sit we here until we die? By Pastor Emmanuel Mbakwe 18