Hello beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, I hope you’re all fine by God’s grace. As for me, I’m quite fine by God’s grace.
2021 has been an awesome year thanks to God, I’ve been learning so much from the Smith Wigglesworth Devotional, from Dominion Life Church online and more recently from The Congress Conference 2021 in Douala Yaounde and also Living Word Fellowship International Yaounde Cameroon Church that I recently joined.
Today I’ll share with you my sermon notes from Sunday’s sermon at Living Word Fellowship International (26th December 2021). The sermon was preached by Pastor Victor Makembe (who was one of the guest preachers at the Congress Conference 2021).
In our walk with God, we can see different types of attitudes, which somehow make us think about the Tabernacle: the inner court, the Holy place, and The Holy of Holies.
Some believers are content with the inner court experience. They know they’ve bee’ saved by grace and they think it’s enough for them, they don’t so much want to draw nearer to God, they think they’re okay at that spiritual level.
Some other believers want to live by God and for God, they experience signs and wonders, they’re in the Holy place, there’s more to the relation with God but they don’t go further.
Other believers choose to go deeper with God, deeper than The Holy place. They know that the veil separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies has been torn by God Himself (verse). They’re desirous of true intimacy with God, and separation unto Him, they stay alone with God in His presence.
Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
Matthew 27:51 NKJV
One nice thing about God is that He doesn’t limit us, He doesn’t force us to remain at the inner court or in the Holy place, we decide if we enter the Holy of Holies. God doesn’t hinder us from entering in a deeper dimension with Him. We get to choose. Draw nearer to God and He will draw nearer to you.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:8 NKJV
Enter the Holy of Holies. In the Holy of Holies, you’re neither hungry nor thirsty, not lacking, only God matters to you, you develop a deeper desire to be like God, nothing other than God can satisfy you.
Now, talking about lessons of faith from an unbeliever who drew near to God, we’ll discuss the story of the Syrophoenician woman from Canaan (Mark 7:24-30, Matthew 15: 21-28)
Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Matthew 15:21-28 NKJV
Our Lord Jesus Christ First Ignored Her (Silence)
Last week Pastor Achille Tchomte from Living Word Fellowship International preached about Mark 5:1-14, the man who was possessed by a legion of demons and the demons begged Jesus to not send them out of the country but to let them enter swine, and Jesus gave them permission. If our Lord Jesus Christ can answer favourably to the plea demons (to relieve a demon possessed man as soon as possible) how much more you a believer, why will you doubt?
Going back to the Syrophoenician woman, Jesus was silent. One may wonder knowing the story from Mark 5:1-14, he answered favourably to the plea of demons, but for her a human being He first remained silent.
We learn resilience from that woman, for she didn’t give up at all. She kept insisting. She wasn’t even a believer but she was resilient. How many believers give up when Jesus “seems to be silent”? A lesson of faith we learn from this woman is that Jesus’ silence doesn’t mean No.
The Disciples Asked Our Lord Jesus To Send The Woman Away
She was rejected not even because she was doing the wrong thing, she was rejected for asking for help from all her heart for her child. At times us Pastors, men and women of God, we are stumbling blocks for other believers. They come to Jesus for help and we misunderstand or reject them, like the Disciples here, or like Eli who saw Hannah cry and pray in the temple and first imagined that she was drunk (1 Samuel 1:9-17)
However, the Syrophoenician didn’t leave. Another lesson of faith we learn from her is that rejection from men and women of God doesn’t mean No, it doesn’t mean rejection from God.
Limitations faced by this woman and Apparent Indifference from Jesus
Jesus clearly told her that He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel. In other words she wasn’t part of the Covenant so she didn’t deserve the blessings (healing, deliverance etc) . Imagine Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world saying that to you.
Another lesson of faith we can learn from her is this “Lord Jesus I don’t accept Your indifference. I will be resilient, I won’t leave till I get what I came for”. In fact it makes me think of Jacob fighting with God and saying “I won’t let you go unless you bless me”
And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”
Genesis 32:26 NKJV
Shame
Jesus told the woman it’s not good to take the children’s bread and give it to dogs. The Syrophoenician woman not being part of the Covenant with God could be considered by Jews as a dog. It looks like that was perhaps how they called them.
This woman could have said “Jesus insulted me, I’m going, I’m done” but she didn’t. She didn’t give up, she instead humbled herself.
Jesus son of David
Every time someone in the Gospel called Jesus the son of David, something huge happened. In The Old Testament, the son of David (prophetically talking about Jesus) is mentioned as The deliverer of Israel. When you call Him son of David, He knows you’re calling the One who delivers. The woman never gave up because she knew only Jesus could solve her case. Just like the widow in the parable of the wicked judge never gave up since she knew he was the one who would solve her case.
Worship is a Weapon
This woman called out, cried, shed tears, insisted, she did everything she could but it’s when she bowed down and worshipped (v.25) to adore Him that her answer came.
There are certain answers that your tears, your arguments, your tithes and offerings, your attempts, your hard work won’t give you, but when you bow down to worship Him and you rely 100% on His mercy and His identity to come through for you, you receive your breakthrough.
Now if Jesus Christ answered this woman who wasn’t even part of the Covenant, how much more you? : believer, accepted in the beloved, recreated in your spirit in the image of Christ, joint-heir with Christ.
Notice that she never changed her prayer request. How many believers change their prayer request when they don’t see an immediate answer? Look at how Jesus loved her stubborn faith
Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Matthew 15:28 NKJV
My Conclusion
So long as you’re asking according to God’s Word don’t give up. As 2022 is starting, get into God’s Word, find out God’s Will for you and your family (salvation, healing, deliverance, prosperity, divine health, joy, peace, obedience, evangelism etc.), ask God, receive from God, declare it over you and your family and bow down to worship Him. No matter how hard it seems, don’t give up, have stubborn faith.
Prayer
Father Lord God Almighty King of Glory, forgive me for being doubtful in 2021, forgive me for giving up too fast. In 2022 I decree and declare that I will find out Your Will for me through Your Word and I will believe and be resilient no matter what happens, till I see and receive my answers in Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen
Prayer to Surrender Your Life to Jesus Christ
Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, I have sinned against You and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You love me so much that You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I make the decision today to turn from my sins and I invite You to come into my life, change my nature from a nature of sin to a nature of righteousness, set me free, give me a new nature, transform my life so that I live a holy life. I choose from this day forward to love You, to obey You, to humble myself under the mighty hand of God, to practice self-denial, to put You first and to live above the world. I want to live a holy life which glorifies God’s Name. I surrender myself completely to You Lord, spirit, soul and body. I choose today to trust and follow You as my Lord and Saviour. My life is Yours. I choose to obey You. Amen
Weekly Prayer Meeting
I would like to announce that every Saturday from 11:00PM- 01:30 AM (GMT+1) I host a prayer meeting on Zoom (online) to pray for the salvation of our loved ones, our friends and acquaintances etc and to minister healing to the sick. You can join and invite others to join with you, believers as well as unbelievers. You can click on the link here to join.
Looking for an online Church?
I can recommend to you Dominion Life Church with General Overseer Apostle Curry Blake. In case there is no campus near you, you can watch online every Sunday at 3:00 PM (GMT +1) for first service and 4:00 PM (GMT +1) for second service
Looking for a Local Church in Yaoundé Cameroon?
I recommend Living Word Fellowship International Church in Yaoundé Mvog-ada Carrefour Pakita to you, Church services on Sunday 7:30am to 9am and 9:00am to 1pm latest
Looking for a Prophetic Prayer Platform to receive healing, deliverance and breakthroughs?
I recommend NSPPD (New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations) by Pastor Jerry Eze every Monday to Friday 7am to 9am GMT+1 (Cameroonian/Nigerian time)
Thank you for reading, God bless you and Happy New Year 2022
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