August 31st 2022.

REASON TO REJOICE

Luke10:20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”NIV

Oftentimes, preachers speak about how they cast demons out of people and how God used them to perform a miracle. They narrate such events with great joy. This is similar to the experience of the disciples in the opening text.

I have spoken to several believers who were so proud of a powerful preacher. Some would even exaggerate the miracles and healings. Invitations these days sound like "Come experience a miracle".

No thanks to social media. Some persons have created false image for some ministers. I have watched short video clips of impartation services. Some things I saw were okay with me but some looked staged.

You need to see the views those videos had and the numerous comments of praise. We humans are freaked when we see the supernatural in display but God is not surprised a bit because what we call supernatural is natural to Him.

Truly, there's a joy that comes with winning souls, casting out devils and healing the sick. As a minister, I know this by experience. Sometimes, when we prepare for services with great expectations of miracles, healings and deliverance and nothing happens, we feel bad. I am in this mix too.

Those meetings with great testimonies are a reference point in our preachings. We love to talk about it so that people can believe.The disciples of Jesus had that experience too and they came to Jesus telling him about those amazing wonders God did through them.

It was as though Jesus burst their bubbles. Jesus said they should not rejoice that the spirits submitted to them, but they should rejoice that their names are written in heaven. That's profound.

God is not surprised when people get healed and delivered. We publish that in our church bulletins and handbills to draw crowd but God is asking a question, is your name written in heaven?

As a preacher, it is possible to preach a storm and go to hell. It is possible to sing like angel but not found in heaven's register. It is possible to build great cathedrals for your church, give to missions and help the poor yet, heaven is saying, 'I don't know you'.

Jesus said on that day, some will come to him to advertize their exploits but he would tell them, 'depart from me you workers of iniquity'. Supernatural manifestations makes no meaning to God if you're still living in sin.

The man that is fit to rejoice is the man whose name is written in the lamb's book of life. We should seek to be faithful to the one who has called us and to please Him not for the applause of men. Miracles, healings and deliverance are good but they don't determine our status with God.