2022/2023 OPERATION 18-18 – THE BEST WAYS TO CELEBRATE JESUS IV (A MESSAGE DELIVERED ON 25TH DECEMBER, 2022)

Seven Best Ways to Celebrate Jesus:

3. Be a righteous influence where God has placed you.
When every other person is stealing in your office, be the odd one out. The fact that every other person is doing it does not make it right. That is what separates you from the others. 1 John 2:6, “Anyone who says he is a Christian should live as Christ did” (TLB). You say you are a child of God, act it out, live the life of Christ. Today people find it difficult to endure real teachings; they feel that some preachers are too harsh with the message. Has God changed? Pastors who preach hard messages are labeled judgmental. They prefer those who preach grace as a licence to live anyhow.

I once heard a preacher say that Christianity is not right living but right believing. Nothing can be farther from the truth. You can imagine the state of anyone who accepts this as the truth and makes it his or her theology of faith. What kind of Christian will such a person be? Can you go into a relationship with that kind of person and not get wounded? So many people understand grace to mean license to live anyhow.

“If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.”

1 John 2:29 KJV

It is not just those who profess righteousness but those who do it, those who practice and demonstrate it are the true believers – practical demonstration of righteousness. Righteousness is not in theory but in practice. In your home, be an enforcer of righteousness. A lot of families are going in the wrong direction because those who should be enforcers of righteousness do not even know the right direction. Leadership is direction. You are not qualified to live until you know the direction you are going and you are taking those who you lead. Jesus said I am the way, the truth and life, no one cometh to the father except by me (John 14:6). I go to prepare a place for you so that where I am there you will be also (John 14:3). Everything Jesus did was about direction. If you follow him, he takes you to the Father but if you follow other leaders, they will take you to their homes. That is why it is very important to know the leader you follow. Be a righteous leader, start from your home; insist that things be done the right way in line with the righteous ordinances of God as enunciated in his word. Let the word of God be an open book in your family – learn it, read it and teach your children to learn it. Ensure that you are not a breaker of covenants. This is so common today. If you cannot keep it, don’t say it.

Pray –

• Lord, I want to be a righteous influence in the environment where you have placed me. Help me to be an enforcer of righteousness. Do not allow me to live a compromised life in the name of Jesus Christ. Don’t let me succumb to satanic pressure in the name of Jesus Christ.
• Help me to break away from anything that is capable of derailing your purpose for my destiny.
• Make it impossible for me to indulge in any carnal appetite that would rob me of my eternal inheritance in Jesus’ name.

TO BE CONTINUED……..