JESUS: UNDERSTANDING THE MYSTERY AND POWER OF HIS NAME 9 Breakthrough In His Name

1 Corinthians 16:8-9
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8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.

9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

Those statement came from the lips of Paul, the apostle. There, you will see his response to opposition. How could Paul have said that he would stay in the midst of many adversaries not because of them but inspite of them. If that is in our days, that scriptures in first Corinthians will be written like this

"But I will run away from Ephesus until the rapture. For thou a great door and effectual is opened unto me, but who dare stay in the midst of many adversaries."

Today, there are too many inconsistencies in the church because many have been made to believe that if it is good it is G.o.d. What the scripture say is

Romans 8:28

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love G.o.d, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

If you will not mind the truth, I will like you to know that anointing and appointing go together. There is no anointing without appointment and the appointment is dictated by G.o.d. He is the employer, he is the Lord of the harvest, he is the commander of the vision, he is the one that equips you for service. If you will settle this with G.o.d, doing what G.o.d Commands even if it is not comfortable to the flesh, you will walk in fresh anointing all the days of your life. It is what you suffer with him as you maintain what Christ Jesus obtained for you that gives you access to your inheritance in Him

Romans 8:17

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of G.o.d, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Later in life Paul told the Philippians his heart desires

Philippians 3:10

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellows.h.i.+p of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

It implies that in the midst of the greatest opportunities in life, there are storms and ragging waves. But they are not meant to drown you but are meant to establish your triumph in Christ.

Ephesus was a place of pilgrimage for tourist- wors.h.i.+ppers all curious to carry away talisman from the city. You will see that in the nineteenth chapter of Acts- I will call those intellectual- demons

Acts 19:19

19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

That was the result of Paul staying put where G.o.d had placed him. Apart from the magical arts in that town, the city was built near the shrine of an old Anatolian fertility G.o.ddess. The deity was taken over by the Greeks under the name of Artemis, the Diana of the Romans. See how fanatical the city was. They held their G.o.ddess in a very high esteem.

Acts 19:34

34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the s.p.a.ce of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

Paul understood the fact that in the battle front, soldiers do not waste their time fighting already captured soldiers. He knew that the reason why there were adversaries at the opening of a great door was because the hold of the enemy was threatened. No one waste time fighting the dead on the battle ground, but rather you face the living ones. That is why the devil is angry. When you left the camp of the devil. It means you are no more his captive. But the devil being a tyrant would not just give up like that on you. He will stir up challenges on your way to get you back to his domain. This is because he has been ruling over you and he enjoys wors.h.i.+p by men who are created in the likeness of G.o.d. You see why the adversaries are all over to challenge you. But this should be your confidence that in the midst of the adversaries, G.o.d has great plan for you.

Many times when you meet face to face with the adversaries you may think the end has come. You are even tempted to feel that G.o.d is no longer working on your behalf. Adversaries are always bound to come as long as you are living on the surface of the earth, but what really count is how you respond to them.

Today, as a result of mismanaging adversaries, many prophecies, dreams and G.o.d-given ideas died unborn. The grave yards today are full of great men and women who have died with their G.o.d-given ideas because of the fear of adversaries.

Let us see what David said; the psalmist of Israel, the man who went through many trials

Psalm 23:1-4

1 he LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

In the scriptures above, we can see the confidence of the Psalmist in the Lord. He said "I shall fear no evil for thou are with me". He was more conscious of the presence of G.o.d than the evils in the valley of the shadow of death.

When you are conscious of the fact that you carry the presence of G.o.d, you eventually fear no evil, in verse 5, he said

"….. you prepare a table before me in the midst (presence) of my enemies"

The enemy will definitely challenge your faith, but your confidence in the power of G.o.d and the consciousness of His presence will take you to the table He has prepared for you in the midst of your enemies.

Adversaries are princ.i.p.alities and powers for we are not fighting against flesh and blood. We are not fighting against human beings. The reason why many prayers are not answered today is because they are directed against human beings. Many think their enemy is the old woman near their house. The danger of it is that the moment you are fighting the flesh and blood, you can no more win the battle of life. In kingdom principles we are not fighting flesh, but the devil that possesses them. When you fight flesh and blood, you fight shadows. Don't take man as your enemy. You are to pray that G.o.d should open their spiritual eyes of understanding.

My advice to you is that you should learn how to face the devil each day.

Ephesians 6:11-12

11 Put on the whole armour of G.o.d, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against princ.i.p.alities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Briefly before I end this chapter, I will like to show you how Peter in his ministry moved forward in the midst of adversaries.

John 21:17-19

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify G.o.d. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

Peter in his earthly ministry moved forward in the midst of adversaries. Jesus, before his ascension to heaven made sure he did not leave the leaders.h.i.+p of the apostles.h.i.+p vacant. He had to restore back to Peter. You know, he denied Jesus on his way to the cross. In Verse 19 of John 21, Jesus prophesied that Peter would be crucified, but this would happen at his old age.

Some months after Jesus had ascended to heaven, the devil- the adversary entered into Herod. Act 12:1- this was about the time king Herod arrested some who belonged to the church intending to persecute them. He had James the brother of John put to death by the sword.

And because he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the feast of unleavened bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handling him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out of the public trial after the Pa.s.sover. So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to G.o.d for him.

The night before Herod was to bring him out for public trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers bound with two chains, sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up.

"Quick, get up! He said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists. Then the angels said to him, "put on your clothes and sandals"

"wrap your cloth around you and follow me" the angel told him

Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.

When you look at verse 6, you would see that Peter was sleeping even when it remained only two days for Herod to execute him publicly. In the midst of adversaries, he was sleeping. Why was he so confident even when he knew he was going to die in two days time? This is because he had confidence in the Lord and as a result of his confidence in the Lord, the angel of the Lord came for his rescue. He escaped! You can escape today from the hand of your adversary.

John 10:39

Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

If Jesus escaped as stated in the above verse, you will escape in the exalted name of Jesus. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of G.o.d is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption.

Job 28:20-23, 28

20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

23 G.o.d understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereo

28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.