KEY SCRIPTURE: John 9:4 “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work”

The Lord said there is a time called the night for all persons. The night is God’s scheduled programme for everyone to end their work. It could be an old age session or a time when one has to depart this life. The import of this statement is that we do not have all the moments to ourselves. This must cause us to work with some urgency. Work with every energy in us to complete the task given to us.

Too many Christians have not come to the consciousness that we are here on assignment and that there is a period to complete this task. They go to church as a tradition or because they may be looking for solutions to some problem of some sort. Some understand we have a task to do, yet they are doing it as if they have all the time to themselves. There is no sense of urgency in their work. The Lord knew he had only three years to reach the whole region and also train his disciples to learn so much, so they would be able to take over from Him. No second was to be wasted. Every moment of His time was very precious. He said, “I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day, the night comes, when no man can work”.

Dear brother or sister, there is a night when you will have no more time. Some of us are procrastinating their responding to working for the Lord. Others are waiting until they get very old before they respond to God’s call to serve Him. The younger you are to start serving God, the greater you can serve, and the better your rewards will be when you meet the master. There are neighbours whom we have to reach with the gospel, yet we keep postponing. There are others in distant areas, and we do not even think about them at all. Too many Christians are not doing any work of evangelism.

Please do not deceive yourself. One day, we would stand before the judgement seat of Christ. (2nd Corinthians 5:10) All that we might spend our precious moments labouring for will mean nothing before the Lord. It is the souls we bring to the master that matter.

Please take counsel from the Lord. The night is coming when no one can work.

CONFESSION

I do not have all the moments to myself. I commit my life to the cause of Christ, leaving no moment to pass by. I would judiciously use my time to maximise all my results.

FURTHER STUDIES.

1 Corinthians 7:29-30 “But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;”

Romans 13:13-14 “Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad”.

Prayer Point: O God, my father, help me to see the urgency of your task that I may stay on course.

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 9:4 “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work”.

The final part of our key scripture says “…..for the night comes when no man can work”.

There are days and nights in everyone’s life. We are active and work during the day, but at night, everything comes to a standstill. At night we go to rest. The Lord said the night comes when no man can work.

There is a kind of night that comes our way that some of us yield to, yet this is not the night God has instituted. The bible calls it the evil day. Ephesians 6:13 “wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand “. Please, the evil day is not the night the Lord is talking about. The evil day is a satanic aggression that rises against you to stop you from doing what God has asked you to do. The evil day is like the Red Sea that came across the Israelites’ path to the promised land. They had to team up with God to overcome the evil day.

The evil day can be a threat from the devil to your life. It may come as a sickness or something that comes to stop you. Every evil day is meant to be overcome. God expects us to stand in the evil day and overcome. (Ephesians 6:12-14)

Please, children of God, you are a great target of the devil to resist you to terminate God’s agenda for your life. The bible suggests that we daily put on the whole of God’s armour to be able to stand in the evil day.

Please do not confuse the evil day with what the Lord calls the night. The night is a natural occurrence that happens to all men. It could be one’s old age or even a call unto glory in God’s own time. The evil day is very different. In Paul’s ministry, he had a lot of evil days, yet he stood and overcame them all. The following passage reveals a series of events that could be described as days of evil, yet he stood on the word and overcame (2nd Corinthians 11:23-28). You will overcome on the evil day.

CONFESSION

There is a time called the night, and there is the evil day, which is an aggression of the devil. I stand on the word and always overcome the evil day. I commit myself to finishing my task in Jesus’ name.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Matthew 8:24. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

Luke 22:53 “When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness”.

Prayer Point: In the name of Jesus, no power of darkness shall stop me from finishing my assignment, for it is His will that whatever He leads me to start, He also leads me to finish.

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 9:4 “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work”.

The Lord said, “I must work the works of Him that sent me…..” The Lord Jesus knew He had been sent to fulfil an assignment.

The Lord never stopped declaring on several occasions that He had been sent to do the Father’s task. There are about forty references in the bible where Jesus said the Father has sent me.

Let us consider some instances in which the Lord revealed that He had been sent by the Father. John 4:34 “Jesus saith unto them, ‘ My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me and to finish it”. In this instant, He said my satisfaction is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish it. The following are a few of the scriptures that talk about the fact that Jesus was sent by the Father. (John 5:30, 5:36; 6:38, 39,40,44,57….).

The Lord kept making references to the fact that he had been sent. This act always reminded Him of His assignment and, subsequently, His commitment to the assignment.

Many Christians today have lost their sense of awareness that they have been sent. To be sent means a superior has sent you to do an assignment, and that He is counting on you to execute your task to the end. This task, if well executed, would attract rewards. Now listen to what the Lord said about us in John 17:18: “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world”.

Dear child of God, you are here to execute the Lord’s assignment. He said as thou hast sent me, even so have I sent them. He is saying we must go about preaching, teaching, healing, and blessing humanity like He did.  If He is sending us as the Father sent Him, then we have been given the same provisions that were given to Him. We must respond with that same sense of urgency as He did.

We should also say our meat or satisfaction is to do the will of Him that sent us and to finish it.

 CONFESSION

I have been sent by God to continue doing what Jesus started. My satisfaction is when I willingly do this commission.

FURTHER STUDIES.

John 20:21. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

John 17:23 “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me”.

Prayer Point: I pray that by the grace of God, I do my assignment with gladness.

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 9:4” I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work”.

The Lord said, “I must work the works of Him that sent me…” In our previous study, we looked at how diligently he worked. Today, we would consider what the works of God are. What is the work of God?

In the verse in question, the Lord was about to heal a blind man. Healing the sick is one of the works of God. The Lord said on many occasions that every child of God has to heal the sick (Matthew 10:1, Luke 9:2, Luke 10:9, and Mark 16:15-17). Every child of God has received the authority to heal the sick.

The Lord was a man of prayer. Prayer is one of the works of God. Praying is like sending up incense unto the Lord (Rev 8:3). God loves to see His children pray. Prayer is fellowshipping with the Lord. He appreciates it when we come to him in prayer, Jesus prayed when He was been baptised (Luke 3:21), He prayed at Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36), He rose up very early to pray (Mark 1:35) He prayed all night (Luke 6:12). Prayer is work, and it is hard work. The apostle said in Acts 6:4 that they would give themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. The Lord said men ought to pray and not to faint  (Luke 18:1)

The Lord also went around preaching and teaching God’s word and the goodness. Until the truth is preached, men would continue to grope in darkness. The Lord spent most of His time preaching and teaching the Word. Luke writes in Acts 1:1, “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach”. (We have spoken a lot about His preaching expeditions in our previous study) The Lord taught one time and kept teaching till three days, when he felt the people could faint if he allowed them to go home  (Mark 8:2). Dear child of God, the Lord calls on you to preach the word in season and out of season (2nd Timothy 4:2). He says we must go into the world and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19, 20).

The works of God also include everything that the Holy Spirit would lead you to do. (Rom 8:14)

Please take the task he gives you gladly; let His work your pleasure be; answer quickly when he calleth; here am I, send me, and send me.

CONFESSION

God’s work is giving yourself to please Him in all situations. I give my life over to Jesus to live for Him all the days of my life.

FURTHER STUDIES.

2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

Luke 10:9 ” And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.”

Prayer Point: In the name of Jesus, I have received grace to occupy till He comes.

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 9:4 “ I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work”.

The Lord saw a man born blind. His disciples asked who sinned that he was born that way. This statement reveals that it was the mindset of the Jewish community in Jesus’ day to think and believe that one’s predicament is a result of some sin committed. The Lord Jesus answered them that it was not the sin of anyone but that the works of God should be made manifest in Him. The Lord then went on to make the statement we are considering.

He said, “I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night comes when no one can work”. The emphasis is, I must work the works of Him that sent me”. This statement gives no room for options. I must; this is obligatory. The Lord talked about *working. He said my father is working, and so I must also work. (John 5:17).

 The Lord Jesus was a very busy worker for God. At the age of twelve, He had started doing His father’s business. (Luke 2:49). From the day He ended His fasting, He immediately started working for His father. The Bible says in Luke 4:14 that “Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee….” After his forty-day fast, he did not hide to eat and sleep so he could regain His depleted strength. He would rather carry on the work of the Father.

THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THE LORD WAS OCCUPIED WITH.

 He was in the synagogues (Luke 4:15), He granted audience to various enquirers (John 3:1-16), He visited people in their homes (Luke 19:5), He went from town to town, preaching the good news (Luke 9:6), He preached on the mountain (Matthew 5:1-3). He preached at the lakeside. (Luke 5:1-5). He travelled on the sea often (Mark 4:35, 36). The Lord Jesus was no lazy man. He was very busy with God’s work.

Dear brother or sister, how busy are you for God? We do not have all the days to ourselves, and neither will we live forever. The Lord said,” And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds and said unto them Occupy till I come”.( Luke 19:13). This means keep working till I come. God calls his servants labourers. (Matthew 9:38).

No matter your office, whether a Pope, Bishop, Pastor, Elder, Prophet, or whatever, you are a labourer, and you must prove yourself as such.

 CONFESSION

My father is working, and I must also work. I give myself to working diligently for the master, for there is a crown for me.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Luke 2:49 “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”

John 5:17 “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work”.

Prayer Point: O God, my Father, help me to complete fully whatever you called me to do.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:28” But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart”.

 To stop any wrong actions, you must first stop all those wrong thoughts and imagination. Dr Billy Graham of blessed memory, speaking on this verse, said, “After the first look, do not take the second look”. He added “mind the second”. He meant that after the first look, you have the opportunity to make up your mind either to look again or not to look. To look the second time with lust means you have willingly chosen to do so, and therefore, you are fully liable.

Now listen to how the upright and righteous man Job put it, “I made a covenant with mine eyes, why then should I think upon a maiden? Job 31:1. He covenanted with his eyes that he would not think on a woman. You can do the same. The eyes, ears, touch, taste, and smell are all gates into your heart, but the mind is the ultimate part or door that allows whatever it is to get to the heart. Always remember that “a decided mind cannot be tempted “. As Job said, put the mind in the right path,” and your actions shall also be right.

The apostle Paul says in Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind …” The mind is always the control center of all actions, so renew it. Change your mental programming by feeding on the word of God. The psalmist asked in PS 119:9, How can a young man keep his way pure? And he answered, by taking heed according to thy word. In verse 11, he said, “thy word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Do not fight your wrong actions. Just give extra attention to the word. Read it over and over again, meditate on it, and say it to yourself. As you do this, you are setting your mind on the right path to determine how to act in line with your thinking. The Lord Jesus said all that I have said earlier in Matthew 12:33: “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit”. Feed yourself with good things (the word), and you will be good.

CONFESSION

My mind is the door to my heart. I feed my mind continually with the word, and therefore, my actions are always in agreement with the word.

THOUGHT: YOU CAN NOT ACT ABOVE HOW YOU THINK

FURTHER STUDIES.

Joshua 1:8  “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success”.

Psalms 119:130. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

Prayer Point: Open my eyes of understanding to your word in Jesus’ name.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:28 “But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart”.

The Lord Jesus made statements that transcend all generations.

The Lord made a very important truth that can help anyone who wishes to lead an impeccable moral life to do so. The Lord said in our opening scripture that if a man looks on a woman to lust after her, then he has already committed adultery with her in his heart. This is a very serious statement. Let us bear in mind that God looks at the heart while men look at the outside. 1st Samuel 16: 7b “…..for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart”. There are some men, and even some Christian men, who believe that it is alright for a man to go out with other women outside their marital home. This opening scripture says, if you just look lustfully at a woman (who is not your wife), then you have committed adultery with her.

It is true that as a man thinks, so is he. Proverbs 23:7. Your thoughts are very important. The Lord says if a man should look on a woman to lust after her, then he has already committed adultery with her. (This also goes for a woman, too.) Before any act is done or committed in the flesh, it has already happened in the heart. Before God, you are as guilty in the heart as you are when committed in the flesh. Many so-called well-cultured individuals have committed adultery in their hearts before God by the things they think about.

I wish to bring to the awareness of all readers of this material that thoughts are not only ideas or images from a person’s thinking, but also they proceed from either God, through the agency of the Spirit or from the devil. (2nd Corinthians 10:4) When a child of God allows his thoughts to dwell on things contrary to the word of God, he is fellowshipping with devils. The Lord said these thoughts defile the man. Mark 7:23 “All these evil things come from within and defile the man”: Your thoughts either sanctify you or defile you. They will project you into whatever heights you can imagine or dwarf you to any minimal level that you allow.

 The choice is yours. You pay no pesewa to allow whatever thought that comes to you, but you are either the loser or the benefactor, depending on how you think. Choose always to think in agreement with God’s word.

 CONFESSION

I am what I think about. I choose my thoughts in line with God’s word. The Word gives no access to wrong thinking instigated by the flesh.

THOUGHT: IF YOU ALLOW YOUR THOUGHT TO DWELL ON THINGS CONTRARY TO GOD’S WORD, THEN YOU ARE FELLOWSHIPPING WITH DEVILS.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee”.

Romans 8:6-7 “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be”.

Prayer Point: In the name of Jesus, I take authority over my thoughts to think only in line with the word of God.

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 14:27” Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”.

In the last part of our key scripture, the Lord said, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”. The Lord knew very well that there would be a lot of situations and moments that could cause many to be troubled or even afraid.

In John 16:33, the Lord explained that, “these things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulations, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”. In the world, there would always be tribulations. Satan, the arch enemy of God, and his children raise all kinds of attacks against the people of God. The Lord tells us not to be troubled or to be afraid. A good look at the Lord’s statement in John 16:33 reveals something very powerful: He says in Him we shall have peace, but in the world, we shall have tribulation. This statement would literally be interpreted that the Lord will always give peace to us, while the world comes with its tribulations and antagonism.

When do the children of God become troubled and even afraid? When the child of God loses awareness of the presence of God because he or she fails to keep the promises of God at heart. One such promise is Hebrews 13:5-6: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee

So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me”.

The Lord is forever with us. He has promised never to leave us. The word used in Hebrews 13:5b is an emphasis. The real wording reads. “I will not in any way fail you nor give up, nor leave you without support, I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless, nor forsake, nor let you down (relax my hold on you) (Amp Bible). This is a very strong message of assurance, and every child of God must meditate on these words. This would make your heart ready to stand with the Lord, no matter the challenge that comes against you.

The other thing to do at that time of trial is to confess the promises that the Lord has given us. Hebrews 13:6 says,” ……he has said so that we may boldly say….” Say what the Lord has said boldly.

Do not be worried about whatever comes your way. The presence of the Lord will see you through.

CONFESSION

I am in Christ, in the world, trouble and challenges may abound, but none of these things move me, for I am well secured in the Lord.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Daniel 3:16-17 ” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.”

Proverbs 3:5” Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”.

One strong promise that our Lord Jesus has left every Christian is His peace.

What is the peace of the Lord? In Philippians 4:6, 7, the apostle Paul talks about this peace of God. He said, “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”.

He tells us to be careful about nothing. Nothing means nothing at all. No worries whatsoever, but rather give over the issues to him in prayer with Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the act that consummates our faith. The peace of God then comes as a guard to protect our minds and hearts. The peace of the Lord is not just a mental state. It is a supernatural power that protects our minds and hearts; it also passes human understanding. In times when one should have been unnecessarily troubled, this peace comes into action to keep our hearts and minds.

Please remember that our minds and hearts are two aspects of our being that, if affected or destroyed, there is nothing to be done to that individual. If an individual’s mind goes bad, he or she is useful for nothing. The proper functioning of the mind is simply indispensable. The heart is the centre of life for a man. A dead heart means a dead man. Any adverse state of your heart will render a man devastated.

The peace of God is the authority of God that makes nothing able to affect him. His throne is never under any threat. He is all-powerful; it is God’s Omnipotence that comes to secure us. This is only made possible when we put our trust in Him. This is how the bible says it in Isaiah 43:2: “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

THE PEACE OF GOD IS THE PRESENCE OF GOD THAT STAYS WITH US ALWAYS.

In every challenge, be assured of His presence.

CONFESSION

I am never moved or worried about anything, for your presence gives me a lasting peace that makes me triumph always.

FURTHER STUDIES.

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you”.

Isaiah 54:10 “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee”.

Prayer Point: In the name of Jesus, because the Lord is with me, nothing will forever disturb my peace.

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 14:27. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”.

Jesus said, Peace I leave with you. My peace do I give to you.” True peace has eluded a lot of people. Peace is not the absence of trouble. Peace is an inner tranquillity irrespective of what you have heard, seen or what may be happening around you.

He said His peace is not the kind the world gives. What kind of peace does the world give? The worldly peace is basically how comfortable the natural things can bring or make for you. This has led men to do everything to get the things of this world. Proverb 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right unto man, but the end, therefore, is the way unto death”. Men have continually chased after riches, pleasure, and fame, yet they are still very miserable.

 I always ask the people I share the gospel with one-on-one level, whether they have peace? Most of them say they have no peace. People go to any lengths to get riches. Riches are a blessing, yet riches without Jesus cannot give peace. The bible said many have pierced themselves with many sorrows because of the lust for riches (1st Timothy 6:10). Peace can’t be found in anything outside. It is found only in the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

Some have also sought peace in oriental meditations. These people focus their minds on certain things to the point that their minds become empty. In this way, they anticipate getting peace. Please ask every sincere one in these practices if they really have peace?  True peace can only be found in one person; Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

No one comes to Him and leaves without His peace. The scripture says we enter into peace with God when a man places his faith in Him. (Romans 5:1). “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus.”. You can have the peace that Jesus gives.

Come to Him in faith. Acknowledge that He can give you the peace you need. Accept Him as the Lord over your life today.

  CONFESSION

Lord Jesus, you came to end my turmoil and inner suffering. I accept you as the Lord over my life. Today, I received your peace right now. Thank you, Jesus, that I have your peace now.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee”.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God”.

Prayer Point: In the name of Jesus, I refuse to let anything dominate my life, robbing me of the peace of God.