The Redeemed Evangelical Mission, Lagos (TREM)- Abridged Sunday Sermon April 10.16- "Blessings of Delay" by Bishop M. Okonkwo

God is never too late....

BLESSINGS OF DELAY

PREACHER: BISHOP MIKE OKONKWO

Text- John 11:1-25 -  ⁶So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days,⁷ and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” ¹¹ After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”

Key Points to connect with

1.       He loved them that is why he delayed. Love made him wait for another 2 days. Because he wanted to reveal a dimension of himself that no one had ever known before that time. He had not died yet. Death was missing in the way he introduces himself. Through death he has brought immortality to life.

2.      He says I'm the resurrection and life. This means that death is no longer an issue to us as believers. Whatever is dead in your life will come alive. He revealed himself as the resurrection. He loved them too much so that he could open their veils so that they would see what others have not seen. 

3.      After the delay, when he says it's his time, the restoration is always awesome.
I would rather have one special blessing than have riff raffs. Understand that when it comes to delays, just TRUST God that it's coming.

4.      Genesis 12 v 1: once you give your life to Christ. Your life happens supernaturally. When you put your hands in what God wants to take the glory for. You produce flesh. Abraham produced Ishmael. The delay brought about the revelation of God that he is the all sufficient God. Gen 17:1. They waited for 14 years. They saw other Hebrew women give birth to children.

5.      One of the things the devil does, is that he would start by saying it is because of sin or that you haven't done some things enough that is why you're experiencing delays. God loves you so much. If I were the only sinner on earth, he would still have died. Romans 8:33. Don't ever accept condemnation. It is root of all evil. He whom the son sets free is free indeed. There is no believer that is not acceptable to God.

6.      Get connected and let God do the job. Like a branch that has dead leaves, those leaves will fall off. Same way when we connect with God, he's the one that would uproot the bad things in our life. God then changed the names of Abraham and Sarah. Think of the embarrassment, father of nations yet they didn't have children when he changed their names.

7.      I am complete in him. My life is hid in Christ in God. For the devil to reach me. He has to face God, then Jesus then me. The reason the enemy is accusing you is for you to become self-upright. You cannot come to God on your qualifications. God had already moved.
Pray for others in that situation.

8.     Gen 20: 11-18. Gen 21v 1- God beautified her so much that Abimelech wanted her even in her delay.  When last did you intercede for others. Job 42:10. You have nothing to give in order for God to move on your behalf Joshua 14. Joshua and Caleb were part of the 40years journey but what killed others did not kill them.