The strong redeemer (I)

We thank God that we are alive to see yet this year.By His mercy He spared our lives to see this New Year.  I wish you all compliments of the season as we begin another journey with the Lord.  It is a privilege for me to speak the word of the Lord to you in this column.As I welcome you, I pray that you will continue to enjoy the abiding presence of God.  He was with the people of old such that he led them in their distresses, they passed through many waters yet they were not consumed.  The Lord sent His word, they were enlightened and were not destroyed. So it has also been the experience of the saints, the righteous and faithful followers of the Lord in our generation.

This our God, has not changed.  He will be with us as He was with our fathers if we are faithful unto Him. He has been giving us annual watchword as anchor over the past years, to encourage us, strengthen our faith, make us firm, and edify us. These are inspirational lines that often serve as an axe for battle, in which our confidence and courage is built to wade off the wiles and attacks of the enemy.

I want to share with you the word of the motto for this year taken from the book of Jeremiah THEIR REDEEMER IS STRONG; THE LORD OF HOSTS IS HIS NAME; HE SHALL THORUGHLY PLEAD THEIR CAUSE, THAT HE MAY GIVE REST TO THE LAND, AND DISQUIET THE INHABITANTS OF BABYLON (JER.50:30NKJV).

The Lord wants us to appreciate His word as “our Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is His name, he shall surely plead our cause”.There are many versions of the Bible almost saying the same thing in different interpretation. They all point to the emotive appreciation of the omnipotence and superiority of his power to do being the I am that I am, who no one can stop when he decides to move. This integrity of God ascribed with the adjective surely is similarly rendered as fervently or jealously, thoroughly or thoroughly by various versions of the Bible.

They are all saying that our Redeemer shall surely fight for us, he shall surely plead our cause.We are confident in is ability to do this successfully. So we can declare boldly:

“Our Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts isHis name; he shall surely plead our cause”.

The year is a year of newness in which God will do new things in your lives.  The year is a year of greatness and God will do great things in your lives.  A year of restoration in which God will restore all the good things you have lost. The only thing expected by God from you is faithfulness.

The Israelites were in bondage in Babylon for many years because of their stubbornness.  They had disobeyed God, discountenanced his statutes and injunctions for righteous living.  The Lord God thus allowed the enemy from Babylon to carry them away into captivity in their own country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But when it was time for God to act, he instigated the king of Babylon to release them.

God made it known to the enemies that the Israelites’ Redeemer is strong; because He had compassion on them after 70 years in captivity when they had learnt their lesson.

Many Christians suffer many things or are enslaved today because of their sins,thoughwe always attribute every problem to the activities of witches and witchcrafts.

Whenever we are suffering or passing through any difficulties, God wants us to examine ourselves, rather than blaming our misfortune on the activities of the enemies.

God wants us to examine ourselves and repent.There are some people who are wicked and would always refuse to repent, whatever misfortune that may befall such people can never be the fault of God.The Lord shows here that the Redeemer of the people of Israel is strong, even though they were in captivity, under taskmasters, oppressors and intimidators.

How many battalions of army, or missiles, or armored cars do you think that God need? Some trust in horses, some in chariots but none of them can withstand the Lord’s battle, when he arises to redeem the afflicted, the oppressed and the captives.

According to the dictionary; to redeem is to save somebody from the power of evil. To buy back something/somebody from the holder.  Redeeming may be a common thing in every day life of man but this cannot be compared with the redeeming power of God.  He Himself is the Redeemer, and He is strong. Jesus Christ is His manifestation as the Redeemer of mankind. He redeemed us from sin, from darkness to light and from the captivity of satan to salvation in Him. His redemptive work is marvelous, and astoundingly, was done on the cross at Calvary when he laid down his life. Here we have the Lord of hosts working as our saviour to destroy the works of the devil, release us from the stronghold of death and the grave. Death is swallowed up in victory (1 Cor 15:54-56)

Often time when God wants to redeem His chosen people from the bondage of oppression, affliction, terrorism or of sin; the Lord would come down in a powerful way that would shake and amaze the world.  He, may come down as the avenger of His people, and would prove Himself as “stronger than their enemies that holds them fast; “He can over power all heforces that isagainst them, and put strength into His own people though they are very weak”.

We see Him doing this in the terrible manner as Hehumbled King Herod who became proud that he claimed to be God (Acts. 12:20-24).The redeemer sent His angel to strike King Herod dead, and gave His body to be ridiculously eaten up by maggots.

That same God that struck Herod dead is still alive today.  David said before Goliath you come to me with sword and shield, but I have come to you in the name of the Lord God of Israel”.  It is that name of God of Israel that entered into David’s stone, and transformed it into the killer bolt. Because the Lord was provoked to rise and plead the cause of His people.

Even though David was 17 years old, he killed Goliath because he exalted the name of the Lord God of hosts.  (1 Sam. 17:45-47).  As the Lord of hosts, He is the mighty terrible one who will always answer to His name. Andwhen He does you see that He is truly what the people call Him.  He will be the Lord of hosts to them for which they depend upon Him.

God has said that we should not fear any enemy this year because the Redeemer who is strong is ready to plead our cause.

This year, you will match forward, you will be great in your homes, your offices and your resources; no poverty this year, because He is a great God and He has all things (blessings) in His hand.

As for fight, he will plead our cause.  He will fight our battle for us, in the open and in the secret places.

Who can withstand the wrath of the Almighty?

But, whether this strong Redeemer will plead your cause this year or not is in your hand because you cannot be the enemy of God and still be asking Him to fight for you.

This year is a year of deliverance from Babylon/captivity. God said it,and He did it for the Israelites in Babylon. When He pleaded the cause of His people in captivity He tamed the arrogant Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon.  He changed his humanity and made him to stay in the forest eating grass for seven years.  This year, you will not suffer because your Redeemer is strong.  Try to be in oneness with Him.

Be righteous.The Bible says;”Buy the truth and sell it not (Prov. 23:23). Some know the truth but cannot defend it, this is why we have hypocrisy in the churches today.

If you want this Redeemer that is strong to fight your battle this year, be at peace with Him.