Bread of Life Voice

Giant is a very large, strong person who is often cruel and stupid. It also means a very large and powerful organisation. Third, it means a person who is very good at something. Christians are called to be strong in the Lord, firm in faith and constantly led by the Spirit of God (Ephesians 5:6-18).

In time past, we have seen Christians including Charismatic members who exhibited characteristics liken to that of a Giant: Always awake and in battle line, defeating and destroying the works of Satan, always showing annoyance over Satan and his agents, always in pains showing displeasure over societal ill and moral depletion, continuing in prayer, being visionary, and ready to teach and deliver those held in bondages.

But this zeal is rarely seen today! And we ask ‘what is happening now’? Why are there no giants? Why are our spirits dull and boring? The reasons are not farfetched:

1. New teachings: There are a lot of new teachings and information that are coming up today, which have helped to reduce the zeal and commitment of some people to Christian/charismatic activities. For instance, some members have bought into some health teachings that they seldom come to fellowship nor hold vigil as they ought to. Reason being that sleeping late or waking at midnight will affect their health negatively. Gradually, they lose interest, become dull and totally complacent in their spirituality. But Christ warned that those who saved their lives will lose it.

2. Sin: Jesus made it known that he who sins is a slave of sin, and a slave does not stay in the house forever (John 8:34-35). Sin is a cankerworm! It destroys your confidence as a teacher, your strength as an intercessor! Sin brings confusion in someone’s life distablising everything that person does.

3. Wealth: The love of money is the root of all evil. Often, we use the force we should apply in spreading the gospel in pursuit of money. And in the end, we become dejected not getting the money nor retaining our spiritual powers.

4. Worldly Organizations: Many charismatics have engaged in and mixed up with worldly and satanic organizations and clubs whose values are totally against Christians morals and Charismatic zeal. These associations pollutes their lives leaving them empty.

5. Making a Distance from God: Matthew 26:36-46 showed what happened when Jesus left Peter, James and John to continue praying while He go yonder and pray His own. Surprisingly, these three leaders fell asleep even after Christ woke them twice! Why? Because they allowed Jesus to leave them! Most of us do not have personal time with God anymore! We have given God a distance and are now snoring away!

6. Eating and Drinking: In Genesis chapter 9, we saw Noah who, after drinking too much wine, slept off naked! And his son came in and mocked him! Later, he rose and cursed that his son! Image! Why should he curse his son while he was the cause? Many of us have eaten and drunken much! And are now slumbering!

7. Wickedness and Envy: In 1 Samuel 24 we saw Saul striving to kill David. It led to his weakness and, one day, he went into a cave to sleep, not knowing that David was inside the same cave. That is what envy and wickedness can do to someone. You should not waste the time you ought to use in praying and doing good works in thinking bad of another person!

Shall we continue to sleep while Satan have the filled day? No! We should rise as Isaiah prophesied in chapter 60 verse 1 saying ‘Arise and Shine for your light has come’.

Baruch 5:1-5 calls us back to righteousness as only way to stand again and get protection from God. We should uphold righteousness. Ephesians 6:10-13 instructs us to rise and put on the whole armour of God. This we must do now. There no time! We must rekindle our prayer life now! We should begin all the good works which we have stopped. God is with us and will reward us accordingly if we continue to the end.

Shalom.

(Note: This message was developed from Talk given on 29/01/2018 at St. Patricks Catholic Cathedral, Awka, during the 21 Days Programme of Awka Diocesan CCRN)