Topic:         Taking Spiritual Responsibility
Text:           Exodus 15:9-10
Preacher:   Pst. Adesoji Oni

Exodus 15:9-10

9. The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
10. Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

INTRODUCTION

I want to encourage you not to rely on anyone to take up your responsibility: though, pastors can pray for you, relatives who are believers can pray for you also, but like people always say “The person that is wearing the shoe, is the best to handle the pain”. There is nothing people do in life that they were born with, rather they developed themselves in it. Nobody was made a prayer champion; they learnt to go into it.

We learnt how Fathers in the faith had disciplined themselves in the place of prevailing and travailing in prayer. Prayer is good and we need to encourage ourselves to go into it; a prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian, also, a prayerful Christian is a powerful Christian. There are so much potentials locked up in the believer, but what gives him access to these potentials is his ability to take responsibility in the place of payer. When we talk about prayer, we are talking of all-encompassing prayers: thanksgiving, intercession, supplication, etc.

Proverb 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

You may never be made in the game of working with God, alone, as we all need ourselves to survive, we need each other to be who God wants us to be. God himself has designed life in such a way that there is no limitation to the level we can go in life, if only we can key into what he has planned for us.

The exercise of prayer is labour; of course you will have to labour to enjoy the benefits that come with prayer. “2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”

We often times, don’t want to labour spiritually but we want to enjoy the blessings of God. Comfort is good, but when you live on the plane of comfort for too long and refuse to make what will sustain your comfort, there is trouble for you.

Reason why we must have fire constantly in our prayer altar 

Exodus 15:9-10 where we read, tells us about the agenda of the enemy

1. The Enemy “said”: words can be said in any form, verbally, audibly and even through actions. There are contentions around us always, whether we know it or not; at the workplace, environment, family, relatives, etc.

Also, bible says in John 10:10, the thief cometh not but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Nobody has seen Satan face to face, but he enters into people and make them to come against you. The beautiful thing is, when we take up responsibility in the place of prayer, God declares the plans of the enemy vain.

Psalm 2:1

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

Psalm 33:11

The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

2. When you don’t bow to the enemy, oppression follows: Esther 3:5-6 – And when Haman aw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

The enemy is also contending for rulership and dominion, he wants to put everyone in servitude but if you can connect to God’s will for your life you will be unstoppable.

CONCLUSION:

As the enemy is making plans, the lord will win our battles for us. In all these things, God’s plan for us is thus: “Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.” Isaiah 54:15.

Exodus 15:10 also shows how God will answer the enemy with action.

PRAYER/CONFESSION:

• Our Father I thank you, I give you glory for your word today, I speak over my life that anywhere the enemy has raised his voice against me, you will answer by action in Jesus name. amen.