TOTAL LIBERATION FROM ANTI-PROGRESS FORCES

Text: Mark 3:1-7

Jesus was never a conformist, He was a radical and as Christians we should stop being conformists and become transformers. There are two classes of Christians; conformists and transformers. Become a transformer wherever you are; in your office, at home, in your neighbourhood etc. God is looking for transformers not compromisers, not those who say things that are spiritually wrong in order to be socially correct. Jesus was not a pacifist; He wasn’t a dancer. Nobody can make progress in the real sense by being a conformer. Every anti-progress power is an enemy. In our text today, everything that was supposed to work for the man with the withered hand became anti – anti-progress, anti-miracle, anti-healing, anti-restoration and anti-transformation. Every anti-progress force is an enemy and the best way to deal with your enemies is to align with God. You must come to the point where you become a friend of God; you must come to terms with your Father so that your enemies will become His enemies. This is high level spiritual warfare strategy. You will record strategic victories when you learn to allow God take over your battles. It is easier said than done because we always want to fight, bind and loose but no one can fight better than God. Don’t forget that your adversary, the devil, has been an actor in the business of fighting battles for thousands of years. Learn to hand over the battles to God and your enemies will become His enemies.

The man with the withered hand had a lot of enemies; some were environmental, some are people, some, inherent.

1. The enemy called infirmity – the man was infirmed; he had a withered hand. To have a withered hand means he could not function; he could not fight; he could not receive; he could not handle, he could not touch. One of the beautiful things we have in Christ Jesus is that He is living; we are not serving a dead God. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, Heb. 13:8. Whatever He did thousands of years ago, He is still doing. We need to walk in the consciousness of His ever-abiding presence. Jesus was a typical change agent. Anywhere He appeared things change; He was a transformer. Everywhere He went, He confronted issues. Those who touch Him got healed and those He touched were also healed. Jesus is asking you to stand forth. What does it mean to stand forth? It means come out from the crowd; you are supposed to be a banner flying Christian; a ‘flag officer’. Can you stand for what is right? Can you proclaim in your place of work that you are a child of God? Today, many Pastors, because of the exigencies of their work have compromised. They try to justify what God hates. Whenever you try to justify what God hates, you are not standing forth. What you are doing is that you are teaming up with the enemies of God. You cannot team up with the enemies of God and expect the assistance of heaven. The resources of heaven are only meant for those who can ‘stand forth’.

Hosea 6:3 says “Oh that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him and he will respond to us as surely as he coming of dawn or the rain of early spring” (TLB). One of the characteristics of those who know their God is that they will be strong; strong in defence of their faith, strong in their commitment to the Lord, strong in character. These were some of the characteristics of the early Apostles; they were ready to be martyred rather than renounce Christ.

Hosea 7:8-9 says “my people mingle with the heathen picking up their evil ways, thus they become as good-for-nothing as a half-backed cake. Worshipping foreign gods has sapped their strength … weak and old he is”. Any time the devil succeeds in making you compromise, you have become a half backed Christian. The god a lot of people worship today is money. God promised us in His word that we shall lend to many nations and we shall not borrow. The Church today is in serious need of prayers. Note that the devil has nothing good to offer. Jesus said stand forth; defend the faith that was committed to you. Don’t eat swine’s food. Devil’s apples are full of worms; full of poison. Make up your mind to stand out.  When you stand forth, heaven will back you up, the resources of heaven will be made available to you and you will lack nothing. Daniel purposed in his heart not to be defied – Dan. 1:8. A lot of people are progressing towards destruction while many are succeeding to fail. Salvation is free but not cheap. It cost God His best!

to be cont……….