It is not Beyond His Control

[caption id="attachment_15552" align="alignnone" width="600"]Rev. Dr. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle[/caption]

Mark 4: 35-41

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Introduction

Everybody wants change and progress.

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After Jesus Christ our Lord completed an outreach successfully around the Sea of Galilee, he and his disciples decided to move forward to the other side. That had to cross the sea to do that, so they entered into a boat to cross over. That was progress! However, as good as this intention was, there was a challenge on the way to scare or prevent them from reaching their destination. A storm came and they were about drowning. Progress is for all those who are ready to pay the price of crossing the sea. There is always a sea between us and our progress, our Promised Land. There must be determination to cross that sea, those challenges that do come up along the way. Thanks be unto God on this occasion, because Jesus was in the ship with them, they called upon him and he rebuked the storm. Peace finally came and they were able to reach the other side with testimonies in their mouths. The past year 2016 was exceptionally tough for many people and organizations because of the recession in our country, nonetheless, we are aware that Jesus is in the boat with us because God’s children are in this nation, by His grace, the storm of hardship would soon be over in this nation and we would experience great peace and abundance in this new year in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Our situation is not Beyond the control of our Heavenly Father.

NIGERIANS EXPECTATIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR AND THE UNPLEASANT TURN OF EVENTS

The year 2016 was a year of change indeed for many Nigerians. The expectations were very high when we entered the year because a new government just settled down to business and better days were expected, especially when the slogan under which the administration came into power was ‘change.’ The change really came in many ways. Some were positive while some were negative. Such positive ones are:

1. Progressive/Successful war being waged against Boko Haram. The Federal Government and our armed forces must be commended strongly for this and be encouraged to sustain the war against Insurgency because in a country where there is no safety, there would be no development. Insurgents are enemies of the nation doing nobody any good except for their craziness. We would see their end in no distant time in the name of Jesus Christ.

2. Recovery of some of the abducted Chibok secondary school girls

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This was another feat for which the Federal Government deserves a pat on the back. If the previous administration had been reasonable and apt, we would have for long recovered these girls. The kidnap of the Chibok girls would continue to be remembered as the fatal failure of the immediate past administration. It was a mark of a clueless leadership. We pray that such would never happen again in this country in the name of Jesus Christ.

3. War against corruption

The war this administration has been waging against corruption is heart gladdening and a beckon of hope for our nation because the corruption is a cancer that has the potential to destroy our nation and humanity unless we are all do something deliberately to stamp it out.However, care should be taken that fight against corruption is not used for witch-hunt of opposition but rather all embracing. Corruption and corrupt people are not limited to any political party but all. They must be fished out and be properly prosecuted according to the law of the land. The excesses or over-zealousness of the law enforcement agents leading to forceful breaking into the houses of suspects must be discontinued. We are in a democracy where due process must be followed, we are not in a military government or dictatorship.

4. Some of the abandoned roads like Lagos-Ibadan Express Way have started experiencing rehabilitation. We urge the government not to relent but continue to push forward more and more until we get to the glorious dawn. The road from Owo to Lokoja vis Okenewhich is a federal road from the West connecting the Federal capital Abuja deserves being rehabilitated or being turned into a dual carriage way. There are other roads like that for which the Federal Government must take responsibility in order for the nation to development and also allow voters enjoy the dividends of democracy.

THE NEGATIVE THAT WE DID NOT EXPECT

As the disciples of Jesus did not expect storm in their journey, we also faced certain unbelievable hardships last year more than ever before. Some of these hardships were the following:

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1. The biting killings and destruction of farms by the Fulani Herdsmen without much being done by the government to prosecute the perpetrators of such acts. The most recent of them was the Southern Kaduna massacre of which the majority of the dead were Christians. The response from the law enforcement agents was so lethargic that the Christian Association of Nigeria had to call for national day of mourning and prayer to seek God’s face so that the destruction might stop and to protest and let the government know that they had failed to protect their citizens.No one that died untimely in that unchecked mayhem deserved to die. The killings of the Agatus and other citizens in Benue State under the watch of both State and Federal Government were unfortunate and should be stopped immediately.

2. The rising wave of kidnapping.

This used to be rampant in the East but has almost become a lucrative business now in the West and North. The writer also had one of his cousins kidnapped on her farm and kept in incarceration for eight days under the most inhuman condition. This was reported to the police but they had no clue. It was very badexperience that Nigerians do not deserve to be passing through. A special squad if possible should be trained with necessary surveillance equipment to fish out these criminals who are in the business of kidnapping for ransom. If the government claims that they are doing something, they must do more.

3. The increasing youth unemployment 

The increasing youth unemployment is another ugly situation that is being experienced in our nation. The earlier the government did something to it, the better it is going to be for us. University graduates are roaming the streets without anything to do. Those who are working have too many mouths of the unemployed adults to feed. This has increased the level of poverty in our nation and job creation remains a big challenge the government must pay serious attention to. The increasing wave of kidnapping may not be unconnected with the lack of tangible employment for many of our able bodied youths.

4. The inability of the government to pay salaries not only in the States but at Federal level as well is a bid dent on the government. My Bible says that the worker deserves prompt payment of his or her wages. Of course the Bible says that the wages must not be delayed till the next day.This delay in the payment of salaries has in turn affected the operations of many private organizations including the church. Churches are finding it difficult to carry out their mission responsibilities because their members could not bring their tithes and offerings. Our economy is public sector driven, so to a large extent, whatever is the economic policy of government has excruciating challenge over all other sectors.

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5. Devaluation of Currency

The devaluation of naira which has led to galloping inflation to the extent that the cost the of living has risen and makes life unbearable for people.Fowls used to be a common gift to friends during Christmas celebration, this year, it hardly featured as Christmas gift item. Humanly speaking, things are tough for many. Businesses that are foreign currency dependent are closing down and people are loosing their jobs. This economic policy appears to lack human face. What is the essence of banning foreign goods when the government has not been able to make such goods locally available in abundance? Such ban would just encourage smuggling and a lot of revenue would be lost by the government.

Our Situation is Under God’s Control

We need to be assured however that no matter how tough things might have been in the past year or presently, 2017 is seen with the eyes of faith and we can assure that these storms will soon be over and a glorious dawn would be experienced by us all in the name of Jesus Christ. To experience the glorious done, the following must happen:

1. Recognition of Divine Presence.We must recognise that Jesus is in the ship with us. Since he cannot be overcome by anything, since he cannot sink, since his boat can never capsize, we shall not be overcome also, we shall not sink, our boat in 2017 will never capsize. This calls for a close walk with him by all of us and a clear direction received from him by our leaders. They must allow him to rule this nation through them. They must be agents of God in the lives of the people.

2. His thoughts towards us are always good. Jeremiah 29: 11.

We must have the awareness that the Lord who is the Lord of this new year, who made everyday of it was the one that spared our lives to make the journey into the new year despite the storm of last year and he must always have His way. 

His thoughts towards us are of good and not of evil and he would give us an expected end.May this year end with full testimony for all in Nigeria in the name of Jesus.

3. God can never abandon His People. He would deliver, he would turn the situation around positively. The perceived silence of God about this situation is not tantamount to abandonment. He heard the cry of the children of Israel in Egypt when their pains became unbearable. He sent them Moses to deliver them. God is going to send us deliverance in the new year in the name of Jesus. He would use our leaders and the means we may not think about to redeem our nation in the name of Jesus. Remember what the Bible says in Isaiah 44: 21, ‘Remember these, O Jacob,And Israel, for you are My servant, I have formed you, you are My servant;O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me!’

It is very wrong for people to think of God’s abandonment when things are tough. Abandonment is never the nature of God and he will never abandon His own.

4. Don’t be weary in calling upon the Lord

Call upon him more than ever before in prayers and more commitment. His ears are ever open to hear us and act in our favour. (Luke 18:1)

He rebuked the wind and there was a calm. The Lord would rebuke all the things causing pains and hardship for us in the nation in the name of Jesus. Nigeria would experience abundance in this new year in the name of Jesus.

Psalm 46: 1-3, 6-7 says:

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling.

The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.

May the Lord not only speak but speak with finality so that inflation and hardship might become a thing of the past in Nigeria in the name of Jesus Christ. 

5. We would not doubt God about the expected positive turn around.

Warning. Don’t doubt God. Your doubt may be the only hindrance that would prevent you from experiencing God’s abundance in the new year. Doubt exempted the officer 9f the king who did not believe Elisha not to partner of the abundance that followed thereafter in Samaria. (2Kings 7: 1-2)

This is the full text of the sermon preached by His Eminence, Rev Dr Samson Olasupo Ayokunle at the 2017 International General Wokers’ Conference and Ordination Interview held at the First Baptist Church, Garki, Abuja on Saturday 14 January, 2017.

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