Contributor: Ngozi Roberts

INTRODUCTION
For the past few weeks, we have been studying the benefits of being in God’s Plan for our lives and come to understand that it brings fulfilment to us. We learnt that we are able to live an ordered life when we are living in accordance to God’s plan and last week we considered divine intervention as one of the benefits that we will enjoy when we work and live in harmony with Gods plan. We understood why we needed divine intervention, its characteristics and also had a peep into the lives of those in the bible that experienced divine intervention.
Today we are going to continue in our study of the benefits of being in Gods plan for our lives and we will be discussing

Fruitfulness. In general when one is successful it can be said that person is fruitful. In Christendom, the way we place value on success is different from the way it is done in the world. Usually, people tend to place a lot of value on every success we achieve as if it were to be by their own strength that they achieved that success. However, Paul said in 1Corinthians 15:10 that

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me."

So we see Pauls fruitfulness being attributed to Gods’ Grace. This is why it is very important for us to understand Gods idea of success or fruitfulness. We are all destined to be great, fruitful and succeed in life as Christians. We are made aware of this fact early in the scriptures in Genesis 12: 1-2 when he called Abraham:

12 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

So being the descendants of Abraham, we are all destined to be great, fruitful, and successful in life as children of God. As we go through this study, I pray that the Lord will open our eyes of understanding to find the missing link to our fruitfulness in Jesus’ name.

Text: John 15:5-8
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish,
and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

One of the benefits of Gods plan for our lives is Fruitfulness. In other words, when we are working in accordance with the Plan of God, we will be fruitful. Let us break it down a bit.

Fruit - fulness
Fruit meaning – In God’s kingdom fruit has been used to describe an effect, or outcome or result of somethings. For example in Psalms 128 it says that “You will eat the fruit of your labour; blessings and prosperity will be yours. It means the outcome of our labour is the fruit which we will eat. This is likened to the regular meaning of fruits that come from trees like oranges or apples. So, if a farmer labours to plant an orange tree for example, he will eventually harvest the fruit to eat which is oranges.

Fullness - Simply put, the online dictionary says it is the state of being filled to capacity. This is simple enough.

Therefore, when we put them together, we can say that Fruitfulness is the state of being filled to capacity with fruit. It now depends on the type of fruit you are labouring for. So you will be filled to the brim or capacity with whatever kind of fruit that resulted from your planting or sowing.

John 15:5 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing

Remember we are talking about being in Gods plan. As children of God who are working in according to Gods plan, God is saying in this scripture that we ought to attach ourselves to Him. He brings an analogy of the plant called the Vine. There are actually different types but generally A vine is a plant that its stems requires support. It either climbs up a tree or sprawls over the ground. The most common plants that come to mind are grapes and tomatoes.

How can you differentiate the Vine from the branch?
From research I found out that the vine is the source of life for the branches. It provides the water and nutrients by which the grapes are produced. Without the vine, no fruit could ever result. So the vine and branches contain the same substance, the same life. There is one plant. The function of the vine is to pump life to the branches and the function of the branch is to produce the fruit of the vine.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Therefore, Jesus is letting us to know that we are the branches. As long as we are attached in him, we will receive all that is need of us to be able to fulfil our purpose in this kingdom. So there is a condition to this promise just like almost all the promises of God in the scriptures. Now there is a flip side in the next verse

6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

But this is not our mission. We all want to fulfil purpose or be fruitful. Therefore, must fulfil all the conditions required of us which is to Remain in Christ. So what then can we do to remain as a branch?

To remain in Christ
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth
The scriptures made us to understand that God should be the beginning of everything in life in this kingdom. Without God being at the beginning of our purpose in life, there is no way we can succeed. Note that everyone of us is destined for greatness /fruitfulness. The fact that some of us have not attained our desired greatness is because we have not understood the steps to greatness.

These steps are highlighted in Deuteronomy 28:1-2
And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

So from the above scripture, I understand that to remain in Christ and be fruitful and obtain these promises:
• to be set thee on high above all nations of the earth
• to be blessed and overtaken by blessings

That if I want to remain in Christ, I must fulfil these conditions:
• hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD
• to observe all his commandments
• do all his commandments

A typical example is Abraham our father. – Genesis 12:1-4
12 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee :2And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran

Promise: (fruitfulness)
And I will make of thee a great nation, and

• I will bless thee,
• and make thy name great;
• and thou shalt be a blessing:
• And I will bless them that bless thee,
• and curse him that curseth thee: and
• in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed

Condition: (action)

• Get thee out of thy country, and
• from thy kindred, and
• from thy father's house,
• unto a land that I will shew thee

Now did Abraham fulfil these conditions? Yes. Did God fulfil his promise? Yes!
Genesis 17:6 "And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee."

Interesting! So after twenty four good years, God still reiterated and elaborated the same promise and Galatians 3:29 confirms this –
"And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

So the moment we said ‘Yes’ to Christ. The moment we accepted Christ as our Lord an personal saviour, at that point, we are surely testifying to the fulfilment of this promise.
It’s comforting to know that it does not matter how long it takes, Gods promises will surely come to pass!
Therefore, the first foundation to being a branch of Christ is to be born again. If you want to succeed in the kingdom of God, your first step is to encounter the God of the Bible. The day you encounter Christ is the day the clock of your destiny begins. John 3:3 says
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

And verse 15 says:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life

That is the life of God, a life of purpose, fulfilled vision, why, because we have to be relevant even after this life as the testimony God has given us is eternal life.
So you have to receive and encounter God in Christ to be a branch

Secondly, you have to encounter the Holy Spirit. It is in building a relationship with the Holy Spirit that the guidance to your purpose will be found. That empowerment you need to remain as a branch will be released unto you. Jesus introduce the ministry of the Holy Spirit in
John14: 16

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
As branches we have the Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth as He is dwelling in us!

Thirdly, to remain as a branch we must encounter the Word of God. The logos of God. The principles and mysteries embedded in the word of God. Matthew 13:11 says

11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

The Word of God is the instrument of transformation. We will be transformed through enlightenment. Our minds will have the opportunity to change towards the mind of Christ. Romans 12:2 tells us that 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Therefore, to become a branch, we must strive to get the knowledge and the ways of God.
Another case in point is Moses. In Exodus 33:13, Moses first asked for the ways of God to be shown to Him -

13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

Then after God had answered him, Moses asked for the God’s Glory in verse 18 -18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
So first strive to know God’s ways before His Glory. It is when we act upon the ways of God that you have learnt from his word that you will start experiencing the manifestation of His Glory and not the other way round.
In the process of encountering the word of God, you strive to get knowledge which is the access to information but it is not enough. When you get the information, ensure that you have a godly understanding of the underlying principles that comes with the information and then finally act on it by applying wisdom. This is the experiential application of the knowledge you have received. In doing this diligently, you are gradually rooting yourself as a branch ready to bear fruit.

Fruitfulness
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:7-8

In Matthew 21:18- 20 Jesus was hungry and went to a fig tree to pluck a fruit to eat but found nothing! Jesus was unhappy and therefore caused it and the fig tree withered.
18Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. 19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. 20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

This is exactly how God feels when we do not bear fruit. It is the desire of God that we bear fruit. When we engage in the mysteries of the kingdom that we understand; the mysteries apportioned to bring result that we desire, we see ourselves exhibiting some peculiar ways and experiencing some results that are of higher dimension that is far from the norm. Then we know that we are bearing fruit.
Jesus told us another story, a parable of the talent in Matthew 25:20-30 the Master was not happy with the servant that did not yield any fruit, what did the Master do? In verse 30 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
What then are the criteria for fruitfulness

1. Humility – Psalm 51:17 - 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
When we put on humility, meekness, broken and contrite heart, God will embrace us. The fact that we are humble enough to receive his food, learn at his feet, we will surely be filled up and bear fruit. Remember, in the beginning we established that the work of the Vine is to feed an nourish the branch. Note that even if we get the knowledge, wisdom or understanding that we talked about, they will be useless in a proud heart. The proud heart is like the heart of stone, there is no way it can yield any fruit. When there is pride and arrogance, the word of God cannot pass through the life of that person. He said to Abram, get thee out…” and he obeyed.

2. Total Trust and Confidence – Gen 12:1 - Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
In the economy of God, He does not give you details of the instruction of where you are going. The mission is “Follow me”. When he was selecting his disciples, He would simple say “follow me” and they did. The time he told Peter to follow him and went further to tell him, he will make him fisher of men. To a Fisherman, what does that even mean! It does not make sense! Yet Peter followed him. Same way the other disciples followed in trust without asking questions and followed Him.
What about Abraham, he trusted God and obey in confidence. He was 75 years when he was promised this greatness, yet here he was 99 years still being promised, am sure if it were to be some of us, we would have compromised but Abraham was still faithful and still trusted God till the end and you and I are the end product of his obedience and trust.

3. Encounter with the Spirit of revelation - At this stage you do not stop at the gaining of knowledge but become an expression of the knowledge. As a result of your brokenness, you are able to do as He guides with ease. Because you trust Him, He uses you to manifest His will. It is like having Intercourse with Him. You see yourself experiencing the word e.g.

Psalm 23: 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me

You are experiencing a life changing tribulation in your place of work or family but you are not bothered because you have the scriptures reassurance.

CONCLUSION
I will leave us with the mantle scripture
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:5-8

Shalom!

Contributor: Esther Alajiki

INTRODUCTION
Through the last weeks we have considered the benefits of living within God’s will; we have considered - Perfect Peace, Fulfilment, An Ordered Life, and this week we shall be considering Divine intervention. Divine intervention is the interference of a deity in human life, popularly extended to any miraculous-seeming turn of events, an event that occurs when God becomes actively involved in changing some situation in human affairs. For you to attract divine intervention, you need divine attention which attracts divine visitation.

2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. (Read Psalm 34:15, 1 Peter 3:12, Job 36:7)

Isaiah 41:18 – "I will open Rivers in high places fountains in the midst of the valleys I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and dry land springs of water."

Exodus 23:25 "So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take away sickness from among you."
There is a part for both parties to play. All of God’s best blessings are conditional

Exodus 15:26 "If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, then I will not bring on you any of the diseases I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you."
(Read Deut. 28 – 1, 14, Psalms 91, Ps 23)

As children of God we must be aware of not only the promises and provisions but also the conditions attached.
Deuteronomy 7:15 "And the LORD will remove from you all sickness. He will not lay upon you any of the terrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but He will inflict them on all who hate you."

WHY DO WE NEED DIVINE INTERVENTION?
1. Every great and outstanding achievement is by God’s intervention.
2. Many wonderful dreams can only be fulfilled by God’s intervention.
3. By strength shall no man prevail
4. Divine intervention and removes barriers puts an end to prolonged delay.
5. Divine intervention brings you out of the pit of reproaches, confusion and sudden death.
6. Divine intervention makes your heaven to open and release her dews upon you.
7. Divine intervention makes your cloud that is full of rain to pour it down.
8. Divine intervention sponsors sudden miracles and elevation in your life like Joseph.
9. Divine intervention brings victory
10.Divine intervention will make helpers to remember you - Mordechai and King Ahasuerus.
11.Divine intervention prevents untimely death and resurrects dead good thing - Lazarus.
12. Divine intervention delivers answers to payers.

CHARACTERISTICS OF DIVINE INTERVENTION
1. It is promised – Psalm 91:14-15. Answered prayer is promised – Matthew 7: 7, Mark 11:24, John 15: 16, Jeremiah 33: 3. If God did not promise to intervene when we face difficulties, we will have no grounds to ask for it.
2. It is for a purpose. Every miracle is done to bring glory to God’s name and to advance the cause of the kingdom.
3. It is pure. God will never use unholy means to solve your problem. Trading hard drugs, ungodly relationship, fraud
4. It is powerful, nothing can stop it. When God stretches forth his hand to deliver, nothing can turn it backwards. (Psalm 66:3).
5. It is peculiar. if your problem is peculiar, but God will give you a peculiar solution.
6. It is sometimes progressive divine intervention may be instantaneous sometimes but can occur in phases.
7. It is recipient-participatory. Your faith is absolutely essential. God is not moved by need but by faith.
8. It takes place at God’s own time, not necessarily at the time you expect. Lazarus John 11.
9. It is perfect. It is complete. Lazarus raised back to life, healed of the sickness that killed him. • (Psalm 138: 8).
10.It is permanent. The Red Sea ended the Egyptian army.

BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF DIVINE INTERVENTION
1. Heavenly intervention: Joshua 10:11-14.
11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. 12 Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. 13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.” 14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.

Judges 5:2 “Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.”

Judges 5:20 “They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera”.

2. Financial Intervention: Matt. 17:24 – 27 Tribute money from the mouth of a fish

3. Debt Settlement Intervention: 2 Kings 4:1-7 (Go, sell the oil and pay your debt”).

4. Angelic Intervention: Angel opened the prison doors. Acts 5:17 – 20

5. Healing Intervention: Man at the pool of Bethesda John 5:1 – 4 Acts 3:6 – 9 (Man at the Beautiful Gate)

6. Security Intervention (Daniel in the Lion’s Den), Daniel 6:13–22

7. Protection/Rescue Intervention- (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) Daniel 3:22 – 25

8. Turn around Intervention (Obed-Edom) Psalm 126:1 – 6

9. Restoration Intervention 2 Kings 8:1 – 6 Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.

WHAT HINDERS DIVINE INTERVENTION?
1. Lack of Salvation – John 10:9
2. Sin – Destiny Killer – Secret Sin – Prov. 9:17-18 and Besetting Sin – Heb. 12:1; Col. 3:5-16.
3. Association – 1 Cor. 15:33
4. Compromise – Prov. 1:10
5. Unsanctified Life – 2 Tim. 2:19-21
6. Prayerlessness – Luke 18:1
7. Disobedience – 1 Sam. 13:1-14.

CONCLUSION
Ask God for divine intervention by His mercy
A cry for mercy is a key to access divine attention, Mercy opens doors can bring you into remembrance and qualify you for uncommon favour. Mark 10 – Blind Bartimaeus first asked for MERCY before asking for His eyes to be opened.

Contributor: Martins Olubiyi

INTRODUCTION
Mariam Webster dictionary defines an Ordered Life as a life marked by regularity or discipline. Moreover, order implies a neat and logical organization of items, task, or people. Now for emphasis, it may be good to consider other verses of scripture that are germane to our text.

Prov. 20:24
“Man’s steps are ordered and ordained by the Lord. How then can a man [fully] understand his way? (AMP)

Psalm 37:23-24: “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by His hand.”

Proverbs 16:9: “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”

God Is A God Of Order
1 Corinth. 14:33, says ‘

for God [who is the source of their prophesying] is not a God of confusion and disorder but of peace and order’.

The Greek word for peace is inclusive of oneness and quietness. This verse is backed up by:
• God’s entire creation- Universe. Everything God made is perfect, orderly, and consistent. Living in an orderly way helps us to be in line with God. God’s universe is orderly. He created everything in an orderly sequence within six days and set the world into motion. (Gen. 1:31; Exod. 20:11; 31:17). He created the sun, moon, and stars to regulate time and seasons (Gen.1:14-18; Psa. 104:19). The cosmos, the moon and the star operate with precision and accuracy.

• Living bodies are another example of God’s orderliness. The heart pumps blood through organs designed to receive it. The brain fires thousands of messages per second to regulate pain, temperature, respiration, and thought.

• God is a God of order within His own person. Although no human being can fully comprehend the tri-unity of the Lord God Almighty, we see orderliness in the three Persons of the Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, yet they function in complete harmony (Mat.28:19; John. 14:26; 15:26). Within God Himself is completeness. He needs nothing. He is complete love, complete joy, complete justice, and complete mercy.

• God’s creation of time is another indication of His orderliness. God exist outside of time as we know it, but He created time as a way for earth to mark changes. Time is orderly, sequential, and does not vary based on anything mankind can control. Times keep us orderly. Rich or poor, young, or old, we all have the same number of hours in a day. The sun will rise and set on schedule no matter what may be happening on earth. He keeps everything in motion as He first designed it. It is His orderly hand that holds the world in place. (Heb. 1:3; Col. 1:17).

• The arrival of Jesus. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world at just the right time (Gal. 4:4). God planned the arrival of Jesus with nearly five thousand years of a sacrificial pattern designed to teach people about holiness and repentance (Lev. 4:35). Through the
Hebrew nation, He gave His law and showed us what was required to approach a holy God (Exod. 19:12; Lev. 17:11). By the time Jesus came, the Jewish people were well schooled in the sacrificial system and understood their need for a Messiah to make them right with God (Zech.9:9; Heb.9: 22-23). God did not spring the idea of a Saviour on the world. He spent centuries patiently preparing the world in an orderly fashion (Mark. 14:49; John 3:16-18; 5:39).

What Does It Mean To Have A Well-Ordered Life According To The Scripture?
The foundation of a well-ordered life is rooted in Gal. 5:25 ‘If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]’ AMP.
In other words, as we walk in the Spirit, we must remain in step with Him.

The Analogy Of The Vine And The Branches- Jesus Our All In All.
In John 15:4-5, Jesus said; ‘

Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. 5 [b]I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing’.
We can be the most organised people on earth but miss out on the rich blessing of abiding (remaining) in Jesus day after day. A well-ordered life is a life that gains every nourishment from the vine- The True Vine- Jesus Christ. As we remain in Jesus, His life flows through us, producing fruits for His glory and the good of others. We must focus on His word and attending to details of His word as revealed in Psa. 1:1-3. Check (Job.23:12; Psa. 119: 11, 105.

We Should Do Everything For The Glory Of God
1Corinth. 10:31 says,

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”.

This verse keeps us from trying to order our lives according to the world’s standards. Such as doing things to please man instead of God; working hard to store up treasures on earth instead of heaven. When we turn away from ordering our lives after the pattern of this world and instead order our lives in honour of God’s glory, we will find ourselves most content and at peace. We should remember that nothing in the world worth sacrificing God’s peace. Paul said

‘Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. 7And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours]’. Phil. 4: 6-7.

A well-ordered life is grounded in the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.
Live a Quiet Life of Love, Work, and Witness. 1 Thess. 4: 9-12. (Read AMP).

CONCLUSION
Since God is a God of order, we should be, too. We were created to think in orderly ways, reason, judge, and consider all aspects of a matter. God invites us to “come, let us reason together” (Isa. 1:18). God enjoys our communion with Him, our questions, our studying of His word, and our willingness to let Him bring order to our chaotic thoughts. The more like Him we become, the more orderly our lives will be because He is a God of order.

Note: message culled from crosswalk web; contributors: Jennifer Waddle; Jennifer Heeren.

Contributor: Okwudili Prince-Isaac

INTRODUCTION
It may be good to attempt to define God’s plan. The most concise and accurate definition of God’s eternal plan is found in the Westminster Confession of Faith, which reads:

“God from all eternity did by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass.”

God’s plan is greater than anything we can fully fathom because it is all designed to bring Him the maximum honor and glory. God’s sovereignty, knowledge, wisdom, love, and justice (to name a few) are all displayed in his plan of salvation (which is the door-way to fulfilment). The more we grasp this, the better we understand our own finitude and reliance on God, and ultimately fulfilment.

Psalm 1: 1-3
“[1] What delight comes to the one who follows God’s way. He won’t walk in step with the wicked, nor share the sinner’s way, nor be found sitting in the scorner’s seat. [2] His passion is to remain true to the Word of “I AM”, meditating day and night on the true revelation of light. [3] He will be standing firm like a flourishing tree planted by GOD’s design, deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss, bearing fruit in every season of life. He is never dry, never fainting, ever blessed, ever prosperous”. TPT

OTHER TEXTS
1. Eph. 1:3
2. Jer. 1:4
3. Jer. 29:11
4. Gen. 39:3
5. John 4:34
6. Gen. 18:19
7. Deut. 30:19
8. Josh. 24:15
As God’s creation He has a purpose for your life that if followed will reap maximum benefit for His glory. The majority of people live in frustration and despondency because they may not know God’s plan for their lives. What’s worse is that a few may know it but still choose to ignore/avoid it.

BENEFITS
Below are four benefits of following God’s plan for our lives:
1. Peace of mind
As children of God, we will have an internal compass that guides your decision-making based on the values of the word of God. This is the Holy Spirit who guides us in all truth revealing to us the mind of God. The Apostle John put it this way,

“However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” (John 16:13)

Even when situations don’t make sense but we have peace in your heart we can trust in God’s faithfulness. We just need to be obedient to what He commands us to do. But when we choose to do our own things instead of God’s, that when we experience trouble. A good example of this is Old Testament prophet Jonah whom God instructed to go to Nineveh to preach the word; He fled to Tarshish instead. The result of his disobedience was almost tragic as many people almost perished. Exact opposite of peace. He then repented of his disobedience and did what God told him to do in the first place.
When we contend for what we should be contending for, the result will be a peace the passes all understanding (Phil 4:6).

2. Blessing and increase
The ultimate purpose of life is to bring glory to God and advance God’s Kingdom agenda. He loves to show Himself mighty on our behalf so that the earth may know that there is a God in heaven. When we walk in obedience, He will validate our purpose by causing us to prosper. (Ps 1:3). There are numerous examples in the Bible such as Joseph (Gen 39:3). Others are Joshua, Moses and Daniel who experienced the blessing of God in such a way that it made the people they led to believe on the Lord.
The blessing was not just for these individual but for the benefit of those they led too. When we are careful to obey God’s will He will certainly bless us so that you become a blessing to those around us as well.

3. Joy at seeing changed lives
At the end of our race. what matters is the difference each of us would have made in other people’s lives. Can people point to you and say their lives have been that much better because you lived? Your work and everything we do is a form of ministry that impacts the people God puts in our life.
A general misconception in some places is that in order to minister to people a person must be a full-time Minister or have some other ministerial role. We can still minister to people outside that setting through our work in the marketplace, on the sports field, social work, classroom, etc. However, our life’s calling is our ministry and the people we serve can be likened to our congregation. So whatever God has called us to do is our ministry and His plan is for each of us to follow through on it so that we touch the people He has called us to serve. Therein lies a great measure of fulfilment (John 4:34).

4. Securing the destiny of future generations
Our choices today will have an impact on future generations and understanding the weight of that will help you make the right ones (Gen 12, Gen 18:19). Choosing to be selfless and doing what God commands you will attract a blessing to your life; blessings that will pass on to our children and generations after that.
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.”  Deut 30:19
The greatest legacy we can pass on is that of the faith (Josh 24:15). The blessing is passed to the third and fourth generation in our lineage. May our families point to us as the person that made a difference in our family’s history by seeking fulfilment following God’s plan and Word.

ROLL CALL OF PEOPLE WHO OBTAINED FULFULMENT IN GOD’S PLAN
1. Abraham (Gen 18:19)
2. Joseph (Gen 39)
3. Moses
4. Joshua and Caleb (Num. 14:24)
5. The Rechabites (Jer. 35)
6. King David (1 Kings 11:32-36)
7. Jeremiah the Prophet (Jer. 1:4)
8. Daniel (Daniel 6)
9. Apostle Paul (Phil 1:14)

EXAMPLE OF PEOPLE WHO DEPARTED FROM GOD’S PLAN
1. Esau (Gen 25: 31-34)
2. Joab (2 Sam 3:29)
3. King Saul (1 Sam 15:9-28)
4. Samson (Judges 16)
5. The nation of Israel
6. Judas Iscariot (Matthew 27:3-10, Acts 1:18)

CONCLUSION
Most products come with a manual from the manufacturer to give you a blueprint of how to use that product. Our lives are similar, and well planned out by God. God’s plan for creation is perfect and of the highest good, and produces the end for which it was ordained. Just as Jesus told His disciples, let our redeemed souls also testify “….my food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and complete it”. (John 4:34)

This is ultimate fulfilment.

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION

So far in this exciting journey of following God’s plan for our lives we have studied what God’s plan for us is, how we can identify and live in His purpose, how the Holy Spirit leads us, etc. We were also made aware that our arch enemy; the devil seeks to thwart God’s plan for us and last week we concluded the section about the consequences of being out of God's plan. This week we will be commencing the concluding part of this year’s study. This final section aims to answer the “what’s in it for me?” question, as we consider the first of 7 parts of the benefits of being in God's plan for our lives, titled: “Perfect Peace”

Isaiah 26:3 (AMP)
“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].”

I. THE PROMISE
“You will keep in perfect and constant peace”
Many people do not appreciate the value of the perfect peace God promises until they lose it! Perfect peace is not the absence of chaos but an overwhelming calmness despite being surrounded by chaos. To be asleep like Jesus in the middle of a raging storm. (Matthew 8:23-27)
Psalm 119:165 says: “Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble."
Psalm 29:11: "The Lord gives strength to his people, and the Lord blesses his people with peace."
John 14:27 says: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

This peace is Perfect and Constant
In Hebrew, the term perfect peace is actually shalom shalom. This Perfect Peace is one that is absolute and complete. Peace with God (Romans 5:1), peace with yourself (Psalm 4:8) and peace with others - even with your enemies (Proverbs 16:7). Peace in all circumstances and situations and one that surpasses human understanding. In other words, the human mind cannot fathom it! Philippians 4:7 says: “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Constant Peace is one that is occurring continuously; never ending and never changing! Not here today and gone tomorrow; like the world offers!

Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."

Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."
Also, note that the promise does not say the Lord will give us perfect and constant peace; but that He will KEEP US IN perfect and constant peace.
It is therefore, not just having perfect peace but living it and living in it! Perfect peace thus becomes a lifestyle as well as a dwelling place!

II.CONDITION #1
“the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character]:
The only guaranteed way of keeping our minds steadfast, committed and focused on the Lord is by following after His plan and purpose for our lives.
Isaiah 57:20 tells us that there is no peace for the wicked - those who are working contrary to God’s plan and purpose for their lives.
“But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.” [NIV]
On Sunday we learnt that whenever there is a promise of God that comes with a condition, we should focus on and fulfil the condition and the blessings will come naturally.

This is a practical example.

The condition here is that a person’s mind is steadfast, committed and focused on the Lord – in both inclination and character. This is not an occasional or seldom commitment or focus of one’s mind on the Lord but a continuous and consistent steadfast resolve.

Many times, we commonize the mind and lay all emphasis on the spirit. But here the Bible reveals the importance of engaging our minds as well when it comes to our relationship with the Lord.

Matthew 22:37 says: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”

To be kept in this perfect peace, our minds cannot occasionally come to and lean upon the LORD; it has to be steadfast or stayed on Him.

According to Strong’s Dictionary, the Hebrew word sawmak used in this verse comes from the root “to prop,” and has the idea “to lean upon, stand fast, stay, etc.

To be kept in this perfect peace, our minds must be stayed on the Lord or steadfast on the Lord and nothing or no one else. Not on ourselves, not on others, not on our problems, or the problem people in our lives. And not on their possessions (Isaiah 31:1)

The AMP version expanded our anchor text with the addition of two important words:
Inclination and Character
Inclination is a person’s natural tendency to act in a particular way. And a person’s character refers to the sum of the moral qualities possessed by that person. It is the makeup of a person.
So keeping their minds stayed on the Lord is their nature; not only when it is convenient for them; they do not pick and choose when to be steadfast with the Lord. This condition has become their default mode. Psalm 1:1-2 characterises this further – they do not follow
the advice of wicked people, take the path of sinners, or join the company of mockers. Instead, they delight in the law of the Lord, and habitually meditate on it day and night.
They remain steadfast and committed to the Lord in season and out of season. There is no downtime for them; they live in the will of God and follow Him as sheep follow a shepherd. Psalm 23

III. CONDITION #2
“Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].”
The second reason God keeps us in perfect and constant peace is because we trust and take refuge in Him. It is a given that you keep your mind stayed on whatever you are trusting. When we trust the LORD, we keep our mind stayed on Him. We give no room for doubts. We trust with hope and confident expectation.
James 1:6b – 7 says: “A person who has doubts is like a wave that is blown by the wind and tossed by the sea. A person who has doubts shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord.”
To take refuge is to find a safe place;
It is only the knowledge of the Word of God that can bring us to a place where we can trust the Lord to the point where we are stayed on Him and seek refuge in Him.

Psalm 9:10 says “And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.”
Proverbs 18:10 (NKJV) says: “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.”
This confident hope can only be attained by a person who is following after God’s plan; being led by the Spirit of God and the result is the being kept in perfect peace.
Proverbs 3:5 says: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding."
The word for lean in Proverbs 3:5 comes from the same root as the word stayed in Isaiah 26:3.

CONCLUSION
The songwriter says: “Oh what peace we often forfeit . . . all because we do not carry everything to God in prayers”
We pray to the Lord because we trust in Him; and because we trust in Him, our minds are stayed on Him and we consequently are kept in perfect peace. So unlike the lyrics of the hymn, we do not forfeit our peace. (Philippians 4:6-7)
The perfect and constant peace the Lord offers to keep those who follow after His will in is one that is all encompassing. Peace with God, peace with yourself and peace with others.
Peace in all circumstances and situations.
It is a calm confidence that keep us unruffled regardless of whatever comes our way because we know that the One who keeps us neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121:4). That He covers us with the wings of His feathers and keeps His angels charge over us (Psalm 91) and that by Him we can run against a troop, and leap over a wall (Psalm 18:29).
Shalom! Shalom!!

Contributor: Peter Folikwe

INTRODUCTION
We have been taken through series of the consequences of operating outsides of God’s plan namely: Wasted years, Lack of fulfillment, Lack of peace, Exposure to the enemy, Failure to fulfill destiny, and last week Pastor Wale treated ‘Death’ (physical and spiritual). Today, we are concluding the series with the topic: Consequence of being out of God’s plan - Loss of eternal reward. And our anchor scripture is Matt 7:21-23.
The Most devastating and irreversible consequence of operating outside of God’s plan, is loss of eternal reward; missing out of the roll call in heaven. Eternal rewards are special reserves for candidates of heaven.
Matt 7:21-23 says
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”

 Meaning not all “born again” Christians will make heaven.
 Worse still; not all those anointed to perform miracles, signs and wonders in the name of Jesus will make heaven.
 Jesus categorically made the above declarations.
 Sound scary, but Jesus in the same passage gave the condition precedent to partake in His eternal rewards - “he who does the will of My Father in heaven”.
 Simply put, if we stay within the Father’s will, we avoid the consequences we lose Eternal reward.

We are in a Race for His Eternal Reward
Since we stand the chance of either receiving or losing a reward, we can’t be tired or weary of running the Christian race to the end.
- It is a personal race. Not like earthly race where we try to outwit each other.
- Finishing well and finishing strong is the ultimate. Focus is how it will all end.
I Cor 27-9:24 NKJV
- Successful athletes are disciplined always to keep their bodies in shape for the race with an objective of getting a price or reward after the race.
- In our heavenly race, keeping our bodies under assures eternal reward.
Apostle Paul also emphasized the unending war between the flesh and Spirit in Rom 7:15 NIV
- Like sportsmen, we must discipline the body and subject it to the will of God in this race in order to receive a crown.

Types of Rewards
1. Earthly Rewards:
We have rewards meted out to recipients that do not extend beyond this world for their good deeds. They include among others, giving to charity, helping the needy, reward for hard work and dedication to official duty, profit from business etc.
Matt 6:2 NKJV explains how some chose to mortgage their eternal for earthly reward
- They show-off their gifts/deeds to impress men.
- They will receive accolades from men here on earth, and it ends there.
Matt 6:5 also detailed how some do the work of God with eye service to men.
- They offer prayers to impress men instead of reverencing God.
- Again they only receive approval of men for their deeds at the expense of answers to their prayer from God.
Matt 6:16 NKJV
- These group are classified hypocrites with sad countenance during their fast.
Gal 6:7 says Be not deceived; God cannot be mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

2.Eternal Rewards
Reward of Salvation
- The fundamental basis on which anyone can access eternal reward is premised on remission of sins and rebirth in Christ through the blood.
John 14:1-3 encourages us to believe in God, and also believe in the Son. This step of faith automatically gives us a position in a mansion prepare for the children of God.
- Jesus promised to come and receive us unto myself.
- Every born again/regenerated soul is promised eternal relationship with Jesus.
Luke 6:22-23 NKJV narrates rewards awaiting those who are persecuted for the sake of the gospel.
- Many have become ostracized in their families just because they got born again.

- Here again Jesus assures them of great reward in heaven.

3.Reward for Soul Winning
- Our Lord Jesus’ main assignment on earth was to reconcile us back to God.
John 6:38-40 NIV promises who believe in the son shall have eternal life and will be raised up on the last day.
1 Timothy 2:3-4  states that it is God's will that all men be saved.
- When it comes to the great commission, God’s will is for us to go to the ends of the earth and make disciples of men.
- If we commit ourselves to sharing the good news with others, we will be right at the center of God’s will.
- Crowns await soul winners.

4.Reward of Obedience Honesty: before God and man
Eph. 6:5-8 NKJV instructs us to with sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eye service, as men-pleasers,
- No employer can adequately compensate for your labour.

5.Reward of Loving the Unlovable
Loving our enemies come with a reward. Luke 6:35 NKJV prayer for your enemies and support for them when in need is tough, but Jesus encourages us to love them.
- Humanly difficult, but divinely easy to love those who despitefully hate you.
- It takes maturity and nurturing in the word of God to display this attribute.

6.Reward for Giving to the Poor and Needy
Luke 14:13-14 NKJV
- The poor cannot repay you for blessing them because you are better privileged
- We shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.
- Jesus also gave a glimpse of judgement day in Matt 25:35-40 NKJV Pro. 19:17 NKJV saysHe who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has “”given.

7.Reward for Giving Towards Kingdom Advancement
- You can’t separate love form giving.
John 3:16 says ‘for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son’.
- He gave His son to reconcile the erring world back to himself.
- If you love God you will give towards the things of God.
- Giving towards kingdom advancement is not only financial.
- The ‘3 G’s’ of mission/evangelism for instance gives is a guide.
- 1Cor 2:9 says no one can imagine the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
- Matt 6:19-21 encourages us to lay not up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

All Shall Be Settled At The Judgement Throne
.Cor2 5:10 NKJV says we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
- Believers will be judged based on their deeds after and not before salvation.
- It will be a fair judgement and we shall be judged individually.
- It will be a big disappointment for Jesus on that day, if after all the privileges we have as Christians, we still carry loads of baggage on that fateful day.
Pro. 24:20 clearly states that “For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.”
- As a matter of fact unbelievers shall be facing the white throne judgement.

Benefits of Eternal Reward vs. Eternal Damnation:
1. Millennial reign with Jesus/First Judgement - Satan would be bound with chains and thrown into the bottomless pit with a seal not the deceive nations for a 1,000 years Rev 20:4 NKJV ; Rev 20:6.
- Those who partake in the first resurrection will not partake in the second death.
2. The White Throne Judgement: For Unbelievers.
Rev 20:12-13 NKJV says the Book of Life will be opened and the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. They were judged, each one according to his works.”
- Each time we see evil happen, we wonder why God is not responding to evil. He will ultimately respond to it.
- However God is not interested in the death of a sinner. In Luke 15:7 Jesus speaking: “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth,”
- You and I are saved by grace and forgiven our sins when we confessed Christ, however we need to keep the faith to avoid the white throne judgement.

Negative Consequences of Operating in the Flesh
- Though saved by grace, this does not absolve us from the consequences of indulging in sinful habits as a result of our fleshly desires.
Apostle Paul in Gal 5:19-21 enumerated the works of the flesh to include: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like.
- He warns that those who practice such things will not inherit eternal reward.
- These are behavioral traits that should not be heard with the body of Christ.
- All sins are forgivable, yet all sins have irreversible consequences.
- Gal 6:7-8 NKJV warns that we cannot deceive God.
- Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
- He who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life with eternal rewards.

CONCLUSION
Matthew 6:24 AMP says “No one can serve two masters. . . You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].”
Rev 3:11 admonishes us to jealously guard our salvation so that none loses his crown/eternal reward. The reward is too precious to lose. None of us shall lose these rewards in Jesus Mighty Name.

Contributor: Wale Abiona

INTRODUCTION - BEING OUT OF GOD’S PLAN

Text: "The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the LORD. For the LORD had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey." Joshua 5:6

God’s plan - Jeremiah 29:11- For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Being out of Gods plan – is to not know what is coming until it comes on you suddenly and takes you out. It’s to live life anyhow without God’s guidance.
2 Kings 6:8-22 - From the passage God guidance keeps his children from harm, give them hope, protect their future, and keeps them in peace with their enemy
Proverbs 16:7 - When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Merriam Webster Dictionary defines death as: A permanent / the irreversible cessation of all vital functions

HOW DOES BEING OUT OF HIS PLAN BRING DEATH?
We learnt in the first part of this scripture how this brings wasted years. When the Israelites were living in disobedient and refuse to honour God, God was not happy with them. The result of their action was that God delayed them from entering the promised land. God had to ensure that those people that had committed the evil had died, and it took them 40 years before the plan of God for the Nation of Israel was fulfilled.
From the wilderness experience, their death was in two-fold, hence there are 2 types of death, Spiritual and Physical.

SPIRITUAL DEATH: Some bible passages teach that death is a consequence of sin, including Genesis 2:16-17, Genesis 3:19 and Genesis 3:22, Romans 5:12-21, and 1 Corinthians 15
Humans would have been immortal without sin. In Genesis 2:17, God warns Adam and Eve, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat you shall die.” The word die would literally mean physical death.

In Genesis 3:19, God carries out this punishment, cursing Adam with labour and death, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.

In 1 Corinthians 15:22-22 Paul contrasts and compares Christ and Adam, highlighting Adam’s fall as the cause of physical death for the whole human race.
21For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

This suggests that Adam’s sin caused the sudden painful death that we experience today, a pulling apart of the physical and spiritual aspects of humans.
If Adam had not sinned, a gentler kind of physical death or “passing” from life into life would have occurred: “Truly the first man would have passed to a better life, had he remained upright; but there would have been no separation of the soul from the body, no corruption, no kind of destruction, and, in short, no violent change.”
In this view, humans were created mortal, but intended for long healthy lives and graceful deaths, such as described in Isaiah 65:20–25.

The Old Testament speaks of death at the end of a long life in purely positive terms, such as 1 Chronicles 29:28 where King David “died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth, and honour.

These passages show that the consequence of sin is spiritual death, not physical death. If Adam had not sinned, humans would still probably have died like we do today, but without “the sense of loss, uncertainty about an afterlife and regret for unfinished work” that comes with spiritual death.

The death that entered the world with Adam is understood as something that takes man apart from God, a spiritual death, in the sense that the access to God is now closed and can be restored only through faith in Christ Jesus.

In Genesis 3:19, God tells Adam “for dust you are and to dust you will return,” meaning that Adam was created mortal from the dust. God warned Adam and Eve that they would die in the day they ate from the tree Gen. 2:16-17, and yet Adam lived to the age of 930 Gen. 5:5.

What did happen on the day they ate from the tree? Adam and Eve felt shame and were expelled from the Garden, breaking their fellowship with God–spiritual death. Gen. 3:22-24
It worth saying that some sins still bring about physical death, such as Abel’s death at Cain’s hand, and the death of King David’s infant son after the king’s adultery 2 Sam. 12:13–14

PHYSICAL DEATH: Both the believer and unbeliever will experience it, and it is the means of exiting this world for everyone. For believers, it is when mortality will give way for immortality 1 Corinthians 15:54 and for unbelievers, it’s their first death that pave way for their second death. For believers it the exit from pain into glory and for sinners it is the exit from fry pan to fire.

It is more difficult to see human death in a positive light. For those who have lost a loved one, death can feel like the ultimate evil. Jesus mourned the death of his friend Lazarus John 11, after all. Paul writes of death as the pay-check for sin Rom. 6:23 and as the last enemy to be destroyed 1 Cor. 15:26.
Rom. 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 Cor. 15:26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death
The New Testament seems to emphasize death as an evil because it is incompatible with the kind of life promised in the fulfilled kingdom of God. Jesus’ earthly ministry signified the arrival of that future kingdom of God into the present age, but we still live in a world in which the kingdom has not been fully realized. Thus, the continuing reality of physical death clashes with the promise of the redeemed future. Only when believers are clothed with their new resurrection bodies will death be finally conquered.
However, death also appears in the Bible as the utmost expression of Gods’ love. Jesus said that the greatest love one can show is to lay down one’s life for another John 15:13. He then proceeded to lay down his own life for us while we were still sinners Rom. 5:6–8.
The cross for us is the supreme demonstration of sacrificial love. Jesus said, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” John 12:23–25. Jesus pointing out that except he dies, reconciling us to God will be impossible. His own death allows for our rebirth, so the death of Jesus leads to a rebirth and new life for believers.
So physical death today for believers, is a separation from sinful world to be reunited with the Lord.

EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE THAT EXITED THE FACE OF THE EARTH WITHOUT DYING.
• Enoch did not experience physical death. God simply took him away from the earth. Genesis 5:24
• Elijah did not die a physical death. God used a chariot of fire in a whirlwind to evacuate him from the earth. 2 Kings 2:11
• Jesus died but He resurrected and ascended to heaven. That means that He conquered the power of death.

There is a big difference between being raised from the death and being resurrected from the dead. Being raised from the dead is a temporary victory. In the Bible, all those who were brought by back to life, later died again. But being resurrected from the dead like Jesus did, is a permanent victory over death. Jesus died and resurrected and never to die again.

There is yet another set of people who will not taste death in this world. These are believers in Christ who would be alive when Jesus returns to earth in the second-coming. It will be begin with an event known as the rapture. 1 Thessalonians 4:17
So, one way or the other, God would have transition man from one level to the other without necessarily dying because of sin.

CONCLUSION
Consequences of being out of Gods Plan in our today’s study is the spiritual separation from Gods plan that leaves us to our way which exposes our frailty and subject us to circumstance out of our control without the help of the Father. These circumstances become overwhelming and leads to death. This kind of death is the first and the beginning of the second death away from God’s presence into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14
Even our Lord Jesus, when bearing out sins could not get the fathers attention because His eyes could not behold sin. Hence, He cried Matthew 27:46.
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Anyone who walks away from God’s plan will be forsaken by Him and will experience the fierceness the devil has for them. It’s very clear that the assignment of the devil is to ultimately destroy but he starts in a subtle way, by first stealing your intimate relationship with God, there killing the spirit of God in man and prepare them for the ultimate destruction in the lake that burns. Revelation 21:6-8
However, for those who will walk in His plan for their life will live. Though they were dead from this evil and physical world, but they will live again John 11:25
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

The first death is the door to a new life with Christ. Revelation 21:1-5

"1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

Contributor: Clem Roberts

INTRODUCTION

Over the last four lessons we have studied the consequences of being out of God’s plan. We have truly come to the knowledge that failure in achieving God’s plan will result in wasted years, lack of fulfilment, lack of peace and exposure to the enemy. 
Every man has a plan but only God disposes those plans that align with His Divine Will and Agenda.
Proverbs 19:21 says: Many plans are in a man’s mind, but it is the LORD’S purpose for him that will stand (be carried out). - Amplified Bible
The realization of God’s plan in our lives is highly dependent on the choices we make.

Deut. 30:15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil,
Deut. 30:19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

God in His Majestic awe is pleading with us to choose a better life and Proverbs 16:3 states, commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. (ESV)
We must first commit to God before any of our plans can work or be successful.
When we commit to God our plan, our purpose, He carries all the burdens and frees us from any responsibility. Our only duty is to follow His directions for our lives and He is committed to bringing them all to fruition.

John C. Maxwell said “It is our decisions not our conditions that determine our quality of life”

The power to fulfil destiny is in our hands. We can plan wisely or unwisely as we are confronted with decisions, temptations, choices and priorities. We make plans every day. Some plans have far reaching consequences and other plans are not so far reaching. But the alignment of our plans will determine the values, character,
direction, and destiny of our life.

God said it, He will do it! But will you comply?
Let’s look at a few Biblical characters to see how the consequences of being out of Gods plan can result in failure to fulfil destiny.

Samson:
God's plan for his destiny was known before he was conceived. For two decades, Samson walked in the Fullness of God's plan and divine authority for his life.
• He became a leader and judged Israel.
• He tormented the enemy and restrained them.
• He brought hope to the nation of Israel.

Saul: Destiny truncated
1 Samuel 9:17 - So when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, “There he is, the man of whom I spoke to you. This one shall reign over My people.”
• God's plan for Saul was reign over His people
• Rule over His people
• Lead His people

Did it happen? yes. Did Saul comply till end, no.

Jacob’s Sons: Loss of Identity and lineage
• Rueben – Lost his birthright
• Dan – Lost inheritance and missing in the row call as seen in the Book of Revelation.
Read 1 Chronicles chapter 3 to 8, 2 Chronicles chapter 2:14, Revelation chapter 7

CONCLUSION
Any plan outside of God's order will bring misery, illness, harm and death. You have the power to decide and choose God’s Word over your own or man’s ideas and philosophies in other to bring total fulfilment. Avoid chasing shadows and travelling in a direction that is going to take you to a destination that you do not want to reach.
Prayerfully consider the everlasting nature of your Creator. Remember that God is the source of all wisdom, the Master Planner. In Psalm 90:12, Moses prayed a humble prayer; “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom”. Teach us to plan our days, teach us to number our days. Moses could have asked God for anything else, but he decided to go for wisdom on how to plan his life in alignment with God’s season, plan and purpose for him.
Philippians 2:13 says, “God Himself is at work in you inspiring you to want those things which please Him and to work for them.” Just like He led Moses, God will lead you by placing His desires into your heart.

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
Every child of God living in the will of God and consequently His plan and purpose for their life has a spiritual and invisible hedge of protection around them that prevents any attack from the enemy. We know this from Job’s account in Job 1:1-10 when God boasted about Job, Satan then declared, confirming this truth: “Hast, not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?” (Job 1:10). This statement tells us that the hedge of protection is not limited to the individual alone but his/her family, their property and everything that concerns them. Undoubtedly Satan must have attempted to attack Job and met with the hedge; and that is why he was protesting to God. John 10:10a tells us of the devil’s MO - “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
But he has no power to infiltrate the protection the hedge provides unless access is granted to him by a breakage of the hedge.

Psalm 125:2 tells us of this same level of protection
As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.

Psalm 91 also tells us of this same level of protection. However, three verses in this chapter calls out the conditions for this continued protection that keeps us protected from the enemy’s attack that we should be conscious

Verse 1: He that dwells in the secret place of the most High. This implies that the protection is for dwellers; not tourists. A tourist is one who does not take any responsibility whatsoever; they come and go, they don’t dwell.
Verse 9: Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
Verse 14: Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

But when we stray away from God’s plan and purpose for our lives, we tend to veer away from these conditions and consequently remove ourselves from the protection offered by the hedge exposing ourselves to the attack of the enemy (Ephesians 4:27)

HOW CAN SOMEONE BREAK THE HEDGE?

Participating in any act of defilement that can cause the breaking of the hedge. We will focus broadly on actions that cause defilement and exposure. They are, unconfessed sins (in general), compromise, disobedience and unforgiveness.

There is however, another scenario as we see in the instance of Job, where God can choose to take away the hedge Himself for the trial of our faith. Or He can also take it away as punishment as we see in Isaiah 5:5

"Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled."

The difference however is that when it is taken away as a test, it is for greater glory as opposed to when we break the hedge ourselves; or when it is for a punishment where the consequences may be dire.

• Sin (Proverbs 5:22-23)
An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him. 23 He will die for lack of self-control; he will be lost because of his great foolishness. The Lord withdrew His protection from the Israelites in the battle of Ai when Achan sinned. (Joshua 7:2-5). On the cross when Jesus was carrying the sins of the world upon Himself, the Father turned His face away. Mt 27:45–46

• Compromise (Genesis 13:12-13 & Psalms 1:1-2)
The tragic tale of Lot and his Daughters in the book of Genesis. We see from the story of Lot that he engaged in a series of compromises (Genesis 13:12-13) that left him exposed to the attack of the enemy (Genesis 14:11-12). Even after being delivered from captivity by Abraham, Lot returned to Sodom. (Genesis 19:1 tells us that Lot was sitting in the gate; implying that he had so entered into the society of Sodom that he was a judge there However, in spite of his position, the men of Sodom had no respect for him because they knew he was a hypocrite. (Genesis 19:9). His belief system had become eroded by living in compromise (Gen.19:8 – offering his daughters to be abused) and finally, culminated with Him sleeping with his 2 daughters (Genesis 19:30–38).
Samson in Judges 16:20 stood up and said, “I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself.” And he knew not that the Lord had departed from him

• Disobedience (1 Kings 13:1-25)
The young prophet in the book of 1 Kings (1 Kings 13:1-25) disobeyed the Lord and the consequence was his death. Because just as in Isaiah 5:5, God took away the hedge around him and he was destroyed . “. . . I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled.”

• Unforgiveness (2 Corinthians 2:10-11)
Hebrews 12:14-15 tells us that many are defiled through bitterness, which is the fruit of unforgiveness: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”

SIGNS AND CONSEQUENCES OF A BROKEN HEDGE
Breaking the hedge exposes a person to the devil, his wiles as well as the powers of darkness. Ecclesiastes 10:8b says - He who breaks the hedge the serpent will bite
Isaiah 5:5 tells us that when God Himself takes away the hedge, the result is destruction
Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled.

Considering what Job suffered as a result of God's removal of the divine hedge (Job 1:13-22), the following are the signs of a broken or removed hedge:
• Great loss and disaster (Job 1:13-17)
• Attack by the enemy on self or any member of family (Job 1:18-19)
• Sickness (Job 2:7)

CONCLUSION
Breaking the hedge exposes a person to the devil, his wiles but that is not the end of the story for believers. Ezekiel 22:30 says: And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. This tells us that the hedge can be repaired, the walls can be rebuilt (Amos 9:14), the altar can be restored (1 Kings 18:30), what was lost can be recovered (Job 42:10), crooked paths made straight (Isaiah 40:4) and destruction averted (John 10:10b) by returning to the Lord in faith and prayers.

Contributor: Dolapo Olaoye

INTRODUCTION

Last week, we looked at lack of fulfilment been one of the consequences of being out of God’s plan where we focused on Psalms 1:4-6 which enlighten us on the requirements for a fulfilled life, reveals the characteristics of a fulfilled life, and we were made to understand that that we cannot have the fulfilment of life if we do not align our life with God’s plan. While the Bible is full of promises for great things it also has warnings about what happens when you’re not living your life according to God’s purpose. What’s the most trouble you remember getting in? Did you know going into the situation that there would be consequences or were you caught off guard? The good news is, there’s nothing we can do to make God love us less than He already does. Even though nothing we do can change God’s perfect plan, there are still consequences of being out of God’s plan. Today we will continue the series and focus on the area of lack of peace.

Bible Reference: Isaiah 57:20 (NKJV): But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

Have you ever found yourself doing something and you had internal conflict in your spirit? That’s usually the Holy Spirit telling you that you’re going off course because where there is no peace, you are most likely heading for danger. If you allow the Holy Spirit to lead you, he will keep you from unnecessary trouble.  It’s only a fool that will not heed warning signs and suffer the consequences that come as a result. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be your guide here on earth to lead you in the direction of His purpose for your life. Isaiah 26:3 tells us, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee.” Peace is the legacy Jesus gave to His disciples and to all believers through the person of the Holy Spirit. There is an expectation of peace for those who trust in God.

Any child of God who loses his peace is open to the enemy’s attacks. The scripture reveals how God uses lack of peace as a revelation to warn us of error or danger. Lack of peace is God’s supernatural warning system. When our teenage child wants to attend a party and we have a strong check in our spirit, or when an opportunity just doesn’t feel right, we need to recognize that God may be revealing error or danger.

Each day we are confronted with choices. Just like you decided today whether or not you would join bible study. You are here because you decided to do that and acted upon it. Each step of our spiritual life is the same. When God looks down at us, He sees three areas that impact our lives. He wants to transform, control, and fill each of those three areas (1 Th. 5:23): Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s look at a few symptoms of emotional affliction of lack of peace to emphasise the importance of always being in-line with God’s plan for you:

1.     Anxiety – This is number one sign of no peace. Once you feel a bit anxious within you stop and identify the source so that it doesn’t pierce any further. Obviously, being anxious expresses lack the peace of God. Lack of confidence in God’s ability to help you, protect or deliver you will make you insecure and that will aggravate the anxiety (Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future). You may express the anxiety in hot-temper and anger towards others.

2.     Eating disorder – Some people not knowing how to handle the anxiety building up within them resort to eating anyhow and uncontrollably and yet others lose appetite (1 Corinthians 6:19-20: Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honour God with your bodies). Eating disorders eventually leads to health challenges and all these because there is lack of peace of God somewhere.

3.     Instability – Lack of peace of mind can lead to Instability. You may find yourself doing one thing now and the next minute the very opposite thing. One minute you are happy and another minute you are sad (uncontrollable mood swings), one minute you are rational and another minute you are irrational. At one point you seem to know what you want and then you lose it (James 1:8: A double minded man is unstable in all his ways). The dangerous part of it is that you will worsen to the negative part, even to the extreme of suicidal thoughts if you don’t regain your peace fast.

4.     Prolonged Sorrow – This saps you of energy and hinders you from actively forging ahead to live a happy and successful life. It can lead to depression which is not a good state of mind at all. Hopelessness is not of God, for where there is life there is hope (Isaiah 40:29: He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak). Lack of peace triggers lowliness of the spirit. Depression snatches your future and destiny from you. But when you have peace of mind, you are able to coordinate well. The peace of the Lord enables you to quickly overcome sorrow, because what the enemy planned for evil, God can use to be a blessing to you and many others.

5.     Unhealthy relationships – Some people on the other hand vent their troubled minds on others. They become unforgiving and fault-finding, nothing the other does pleases them. They become bossy, unbearable and unpleasant to be with. When you do not have the peace of God, you wouldn’t deal wisely with any challenge that comes up in your relationship with people. You need to be at peace within you before you can make peace with another.

Cain, in Genesis 4, lost the peace of God when his sacrifice was rejected, and Abel’s was accepted. He became stressed emotionally and rather than dealing with his attitude towards sacrifices unto God, he chose to vent his anger on his brother to the point of killing him.

God detected that he was going to do something terrible if he didn’t control his anger and warned him, but he didn’t listen, and he got severely punished for killing Abel. An inner peace causes a peaceful relationship. You are a true child of God if you are a peacemaker (Matthew 5:9) and where God is there is liberty.

CONCLUSION

As we have learnt today, lack of peace is extremely dangerous, and we need to remember that we have Peace in us already (Holy Spirit) we just need to listen carefully and always work in alignment with God’s plan for our life.

You can achieve a state of inner peace by teaching your mind to be silent and let you be (let the Holy Spirit take over). All the worries, fears and thoughts just go away, and you feel calm, happy, and free. Just imagine how it would be to live your life, work, interact with people, read, watch TV, travel, read or do whatever else, without thoughts and worries claiming your attention. Think how your focus will become steady and your senses become enhanced, because there is nothing to distract them. Just imagine how your understanding, comprehension, awareness, and intuition will increase.

This will not happen overnight. To be silence and have your mind at ease, to shut down its never-ending thinking and enjoy inner peace, you need the Holy Spirit inside you activated. There are no short cuts to overcoming nonstop thinking and lack of inner peace.

Ref: The Effects Of Lack Of Peace Of God - Steps with God - https://stepswithgod.com/