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Dr Nick Ohizu-The Voice of God
As we continue with last week’s message, it is important that we continue to look at the processes of returning to God.
Most of the time, the people who do not have a relationship with God have a tendency of misleading disappointed Christians that they are better off not going back to God.
Now for a child of God that fell out of faith, following an unbeliever comes at a price.
Firstly, analysing the way the kingdom systems work will help us understand the consequences of departing from God.
As far as the kingdoms are concerned, there are no demilitarised zones; either you are serving God or you are not. There is nothing like going to church for the sake of fulfilling all righteousness.
We have people who go to church on Sundays and still visit different mediums. What happened to ” You shall not serve two masters at a time”? [Mathew 6:24].
The first commandment requires us to serve God and Him only. “You shall have no other gods before Me” [Exodus 20:3 NKJV].
Every kingdom operates a reward system. Even Satan has a way of rewarding his followers but we need to note that there is nothing the Devil gives for free.
Most of the time his gifts costs more than people bargained. This may result in death or injuries. For some, it is the failure and suffering of their children and the list is endless.
No kingdom rewards people as soon as they subscribe. As a child of God, your relationship with God starts with repentance and forgiveness and the gift of salvation is released.
Some people just try God with the anticipation that going to church on a Sunday or a conference will solve all their problems.
Sometimes out of mercy, God releases a miracle to convince a sinner that the Lord is merciful, however.
In some instances, God delays and when such things happen, people give up and backslide. Such decision is always prompted by the temptation coming from someone who may have been rewarded by Satan. So you hear things like “try my god if your God is not working” or “try my god and see immediate results”.
However, people who are deceived by such temptation fail to realise that the person tempting them may have been serving the Devil for many years and what they are showing are rewards of 10 to 20 years of service Satan.
When a child of God decides to jump ship, they join the queue in another kingdom, forfeiting years of sacrifice they have made in the kingdom of God without knowing how close they were to their breakthrough.
This brings me to explain what happened to the prodigal son. “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry”[Luke 15:20:23 NKJV].
The prodigal son made up his mind to return to his father and when he was still a great way off, his father had compassion on him. Everyone returning to God will meet the Lord’s compassion.
God’s compassionate heart is the reason why he forgives us, not because we deserved it but because of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
The prodigal son’s repentance triggered a release of his blessings. Now all the things that his father commanded to be given to him were all at home while he was suffering. This is a clarification for people who say that they are serving God from home so why go to church?
God’s mercy will only be released for repentant people but his blessings are reserved for people who find their way back to his house. You cannot return to God without coming back to his house. Coming back to his house means going back to a bible believing church.
The robe and the ring are dressings with sizes. He had things reserved for him as a son specifically designed to fit him.
These are blessings due to him but when he left home, the blessings never followed him.
Most people leave God and leave their blessings behind. Your blessings are waiting for you where you left God. Returning back to God initiates the process of him returning our blessings back to us. The father said, “let us eat”. It means that there are people whose prosperity was tied to his returning to the father.
The hard heartedness of a backslider is not hurting him only but others intended to be blessed through him. As seen in the prodigal son’s story. The servants that ate and were happy would not have had such opportunity without the return of the son. Most of the time, a family’s restoration and prosperity may be waiting for that one person that needs to come back to God.
Dr Nick Ohizu is the senior pastor of the Empowerment Ministries and the president of the Empowerment School of Wealth both located in Graniteside Harare. He is a successful entrepreneur with vast experience in leadership, mentorship, business and marriage consultancy with a mandate from God to change lives and bless people. Contact: 0772304917
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter