TIME TO BUILD, PLANT AND MAKE
(week 35/17)
Kunle Sokoya, Olubi Johnson and Gboyega Adesiyan
In Nigeria and in the whole of Africa, a new season has been declared by spiritual fathers of the Church for the youths and as many as are willing.
We stand on the threshold of a new beginning for the sons of Ham, the black people who are comely (Song. 1:5) to arise and shine (Isa. 60:1-2) with divine, creative light as innovators, creators and lighthouses from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia (Nigeria) and in general, Africa. Those who do so will attract ‘ships’ of investment, human capital, entrepreneurship skills to accelerate development in Nigeria/Africa.
Isaiah 5:26 KJV: And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:
This speaks of a company of spiritually discerning, hardworking young people (Dan 1:4) who, as arrows, have willingly submitted themselves to divine authority the same way the Lord Jesus submitted to His parents (Lk. 2:21-52).
At Cana of Galilee which marked the beginning of the miracles of the Lord Jesus, we see the Lord being fully submitted to his oversight, Mary, under the leading of God. He obeyed her injunction to provide wine for the feast, even though, as the Lord said, His time ‘had not yet come’.
So also, we in the Church in Nigeria, who are the firstfruits of this new beginning, and the black race in general, must arise and shine in obedience to the counsel of God through spiritual fathers and mothers.
Note also that the Lord Jesus did not give the assignment to bear the new wine to His then disciples but to others (six water pots; six is the number of man) who, prophetically speaking, had been purified by God’s grace, mercy and help (containing two or three firkins apiece), full of the word of life (water) and so became dispensers of the new wine (revelation knowledge; the wisdom of God).
Similarly, in this prophetic ‘Kairos’ moment, the Lord will and is using willing, young men and women with purified souls, in those hearts the word of God dwells richly, having followed the ways and instruction of spiritual fathers who themselves are ‘bright apostolic/prophetic, clouds’ (Zec. 10:1) of distilled doctrine (or rain, Deut. 32:2), that will bring forth a Church without blemish (Eph. 5:26-27).
These fathers are characterised by the Truth which they live and preach, their meekness and abundant fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) which they have cultivated by deep intercession.
It is to such fathers that the Lord in this new season now commits the youthful arrows (Ps. 127:4) for training to reign under God, and to apprehend and carry, under the covering of these apostolic/prophetic fathers, the Spirit without measure!
We see a type in Simeon and Anna whose intercession over many years was used to birth and prepare the Lord Christ for His early years before He could pray for Himself (Lk. 2:25, 30-36).
We, the Zion Church and other like-minded Christians are arrows that God is preparing to ‘fire’ into African society to bring light that will direct honest men (like the centurion of Lk. 7) to our Christ and show up lawless men who have forsaken Him (Lk. 2:34). God will use the character, creativity and increasing power of the Zion Church to accomplish incredible works! The rain of Joel 2:24 produces wheat (fruit), wine (revelation knowledge, creative wisdom) and oil (anointing and great resurrection power)!
This is similar to what happened with Elijah the prophet in 1Kings 18:41. After a period of drought of truth and the power of God, there is prophetic declaration of abundance of rain!
Submissive to His prophetic-apostolic declaration, Elijah goes to bring down the rain by travail! (Verse 42).
In verses 44 – 45, there is a manifestation of rain for all.
In verse 46, we see that Elijah overtook Ahab. By running the race (Heb.12:1) in sincerity and diligent Love, we will overtake the reapers and be first partakers in of the first fruits of this new dispensation in Nigeria and Africa as a whole (2Tim. 2:6). Indeed, we have entered a new dispensation, a new phase, a new pace spiritually, which we must couple with hard work, patience, integrity and excellence to build our nation and continent.
So what must we do to partake of this ‘Kairos’ time to plant, build, and make?
- Take heed how you treat God’s Word (Mt. 13: 8-9)
Do not reject it, nor do your own version of instructions!
We must be ready to obey and practise divine instructions even unto death (Rev. 12:11), and be disciplined in our use of time (Mt. 22:21) being temperate in all things (1 Cor. 9:25).
- Accept in sincerity and learn diligence in applying the blood (Heb. 13:20-21), the Word (1Jn. 2:5; 2Pet. 1:4-10) and the power of the Holy Spirit (1Jn.4:12-13; Rom. 8:10-11) to work in us by grace and mercy to make us perfect.
We also through daily travailing prayer (Gal. 4:19) and frequent communion prayer in tongues (Jude 20-21)
- We must learn to work smart. Acknowledge God into all we do. Obey Him to study, work, and relate to people. Prove Him in all your work!
Proverbs 3:6 KJV: In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
