GO IN THE STRENGTH OF THE SENDER

GO IN THE STRENGTH OF THE SENDER

It is not news anymore that every year, students keep graduating from the Department of Accounting, University of Jos. But the question is: in what strength are they been sent out to the wider society; is it in their own strength and confidence or in the strength of the Lord? This is a question you must unearth for yourself. 

There is no doubt that where you (Financial Paragons) are going to is bedevilled with different challenges, but the Lord is sending you in His strength as a change agent. The economy of Nigeria might seem unfavourable today, but God seems to send you as a saviour of this messed up economy. The world system and the evil practice of men might have occupied everywhere to the point that it now seems visible to the blind, but God desires to use you as a vessel unto honour to turn things around. There may seems to be hardship and complains all around, but God longs to use you as an instrument of change in this generation. The state of our country may seem to be as if nothing good can come out of it, but God is looking for someone who will go in His might to change things for good. This was the scenario of the Children Israel many years ago when they did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years. They were been molested by the midianites for years. The economy of Israel was in an impoverished state. But as long as the children of Israel could not cry to the Lord because of the Midianites, their situation remained unchanged.

Who are these categories of people that God desire to send to the wider society to be an agent of change?

·        These people are those who are uncomfortable with their present state of life, and desire help from God wholeheartedly. The bible says “and Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the Children of Isreal cried unto the LORD.” (Judges 6:6). The issue of emphasis I must lay at this point to you (financial paragons) is that; if you must see a change in any named area you desire, the first person you must report and cry unto is to God. As you cry unto God and he responds, be ready to heed to His instructions. It is God’s instruction that can keep you moving in the wider society. If we must come to see revival sweep over Nigeria and to be salvaged from this economic mess, we must first cry out to God with all sincerity over the present state we are in today, trusting that He will intervene. If a man is comfortable with his present condition of life, he will never put in more strength and effort to tap into the desired comfort that God offers. Nobody who is comfortable with sin will see the need to cry for help for a changed of life. Could it be at this point as fresh graduates of UNIJOS 2014/2015 session, you are still troubled and molested by “Midianites” and you are comfortable with it? You must personally cry out this hour. Your Midianite could be the secret sin that you do engage in day after day. Yours could be that lifestyle of cheating and exam malpractice. Yours could be that relationship of lust. Yours could be that lifestyle of drunkenness, wild partying, sexual immorality, lies, falsehood, and masturbation, among several others. The Lord expects you at this point to cry for help. He will never fail in sending deliverance to those who passionately and sincerely cry unto him.

·        These people are those who must be salvaged from sin. The bible says that: “And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites, That the LORD sent a prophet unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of Bondage…” (Judges 6:7-8) The issue to draw out here is the matter of been brought out from bondage into freedom. Every sinner is a prisoner of sin and under the bondage of the devil. Anyone who engages in sin either publicly or privately is in the prison of sin. The children of Israel were at a point comfortable in Egypt, but “…in process of time, that the King of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by the reason of bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.” (Exodus 2:23). Egypt is a symbol of bondage and suffering. For as long as a man is not salvaged from sin and bondage, he is not fit to be sent as an agent of change to this perverse, untoward, crooked and corrupt generation. It is an aberration from the truth to claim to be salvaged from sin and yet you love the things of this world with passion. It is an aberration to claim to be free from sin and yet you engage in falsehood of age to go for NYSC or to secure a Job. It is an aberration to claim to be free from sin and yet you make your ways to serve in a state that you long desired. It is an aberration from the truth to claim to know Jesus and yet you don’t hate iniquity and love righteousness like Jesus did as stated in Hebrew 1:9. If you don’t have a clear testimony of your salvation, it is pointer that you have not been salvaged from the bondage of Egypt. God’s call to you is to beg Him for forgiveness now and He will come to your help. A contrite heart and a broken spirit, God does not overlook. God demands your response NOW.

·     These people are those who are not fearful because God is with them: The bible says: “and the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, They LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of Valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us…” (Judges 6:12-13). The issue to draw out is the matter of whether God is with you. A man who doubts and has fears whenever a question of “are you born again?” is thrown to him is not fit for this commissioning unto been an agent of transformation. If you don’t have a clear definition of your PRESSING IN into the Kingdom, you may never be able to PRESS ON toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. If you are not hidden in Christ, you are likely to miss it in the wider world. Gideon never knew he was a mighty man of valour even when he truly was. For you, could it be you are still assuming to be a carrier of Jesus all these four (4) years you have spent in accounting department; the Lord is calling you now to settle the matter. Let your coming to Jesus not be on the basis of what he will give you or on the basis that you will not pass through turbulent times outside campus, but let it be a resoluteness to follow Him till the end. God with you does not exonerate/exempt you from suffering or challenges, but His Grace will give you the elasticity to withstand every challenge that will come your way. Is God actually with you dear brother? Is God actually with you dear sister? I must not fail to quote the words of Dr. Yohanna G. Jugu (H.O.D of Actuarial Science Dept. Unijos) on our send-forth day which says, “As a child of God, you must not be limited by fear, but go out in faith” In reality, God in you is actually the hope of glory.

·        These people are those who God choose to use in Mercy as vessels of Change: The bible says, “And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have I not sent thee?”(Judges 6:14).The issue to draw out from here is the matter of having a clear and defined assignment as you go out from the department of Accounting. God is sending you as an agent of change to save those who are held captive and bound by the devil in the accounting profession or any named area He will be placing you after now. He is calling and sending you unto been answers and solutions to the perplexing questions and challenges of our time. He is sending you to go in His might and not in your strength. He who is sending you is saying to you “Be strong, courageous and firm; fear not nor be terror before them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you” (Deut. 31:6). As God desires to use us, please note that your family background is never a hindrance. As God desires to use you, the present state of our economy should never a hindrance. Just put your confidence in God and He will lead you to the end. Just put your confidence in God and He will lead and sustain you through life outside the four walls of Unijos.     

v You cannot go in the strength of the sender if you have not encountered the sender. The sender in this context is God Almighty. I must emphasise at this point that no one can do exploit for God if he has no clear encounter of Him. You cannot PRESS ON in the wider world in Christ if you have not PRESS IN into the kingdom. The pressing in I am driving at is to have clear-cut encounter with the sender-Master Jesus. As FINANCIAL PARAGONS, God is ready to use you in this field of Accounting if only you are born again. Do you remember the encounter of Saul on his way to Damascus which led to his journey being interrupted? His name later became Paul and he did very great exploit for God. Also, hear what Prophet Isaiah said, “Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 6:7). This is a man who has been in ministry for many years, but when it came to a point God desires a man who shall go in His strength to declare his counsel, he needed a man who has a clean hands and a pure heart, a man who has an encounter with the Him. Isaiah having his sin purged did not waste time to answer the call of been sent. He quickly responded by saying send me Lord. The bible says, “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me” (Isaiah 6:8). God is calling the Accounting Department 2014/2015 session (The Financial Paragons) to go in His strength. But as good as God desires this session to go, He still desire everyone to answer the call for himself. You must answer the call for yourself; this is because only you will stand to give account of your life on the judgement day. What is that unclean thing in your life that will hinder you from responding to God’s voice and invitation? Could it be secret sin? Could it be because you are preparing to change your age to go for Youth Service (NYSC)? Could it be because you still engage in masturbation, uncleanliness, sexual immorality, rage, wrong relationship, bribery and corruption, cheating and deceit? Could it be because you are still crouching between two burdens –to serve the world and to serve God? Could it be because you have no genuine relationship with God? Lay all these weights aside and come to Jesus now. I must tell you that if your confidence is in your B.sc certificate or in your connection, you are on your way to missing it. This is because, “…Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departed from the LORD.” (Jer. 17:5). As you go to the wider society, just trust in the Lord with all your heart and never lean on your own understanding. As you go to the wider society, acknowledge God in all your ways and he will direct your path.

Lastly, it is only when you come to Jesus Christ that you can go out and face the challenges that awaits you in the wider world. “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Dear FINANCIAL PARAGONS, do you want rest from sin and sickness, do you want rest from deliberate rising and falling life, do you want rest from pride, cheating, masturbation, addiction, sexual immorality, lust, anger, drunkenness, ungodly relationship, pornography, jealousy, filthy and indecent actions, disobedience. The answer is found in Jesus Christ. “You will never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins. Confess them and give them up; then God will show mercy to you.” (Prov. 28:13). Confess your sin today and forsake them and God will show you mercy, and grant you the enabling grace to go in His strength to face the challenges that awaits you in the wider society. God bless you.

God Bless Accounting Department!

God Bless CAMSF Fellowship

God Bless the Financial paragons

(Accounting Department 2014/2015 session)

From:

Daniel Okpanachi Samson

(The President of CAMSF Fellowship 2014/2015 session Unijos)