• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Hes Alive Chapel

  • Home
  • The Church
    • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Our Vision
    • Our Belief
    • How it all started
    • The General Overseer
    • Meet Our Pastors
    • HAC Centres
  • News & Events
    • Diary
    • Family Month
    • Sunday Service
    • Theme of the Month
    • Thursday Morning with Jesus
  • Our Ministries
    • Children Ministry
    • Youth Ministry
    • Men Alive Ministry
    • Women Alive
    • Community Outreach
    • Activity Groups
  • Missions
    • The Activities
    • The Work
    • Finances
    • Road Map
    • He’s Alive Chapel Missions
  • Mercy Hands
    • Vision/Mission/Values
    • Our Work
    • Membership
    • Our Funding
  • Resources
    • Testimonies
    • Send Us Your Testimonies
    • Prayer Request
    • Invite a Friend
    • Ask Pastor
    • Donation
  • Media Center
    • Books
    • Video Messages
    • Photo Gallery
  • Contact Us
  • Blog

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH OUR GOD

HACMinistries    July 27, 2014 Leave a Comment

IMG_8086 IMG_8094 IMG_8103 IMG_8121 IMG_8125 IMG_8197 IMG_8203 IMG_8202 IMG_8201 IMG_8199 IMG_8234 IMG_8244 IMG_8242 IMG_8283 IMG_8286 IMG_8277 IMG_9593

Sunday 27 July 2014 (End of July Fast)

Pastor Austen UkachiSpeaker: Pastor Austen Ukachi

“But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days.’ says The Lord of hosts. For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew – I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these” (Zechariah 8:11-12).

At the inception of the July fast, God spoke to us through a Guest Speaker from Zechariah 8:19. I have every reason to believe what this passage says that we shall end the fast in “joy and gladness and cheerful feasts.” As I have stated at different occasions, one of the main reasons for our one month long fast is to secure an improved relationship and closer intimacy with God, as our Father. Knowing God more intimately is the ground upon which all other blessings flow. When a child reconciles with his father, it eventually gives rise to joy, gladness and cheerfulness.

Zechariah chapter 8 is about God’s promised restoration to the nation of Judah and to the city of Jerusalem. After punishing Judah for her sins, God decides to change his disposition towards her- to bless her and lift the curse and judgement on her. Judah’s restoration to a place of favour was dependent not on her past, but on the faithfulness and righteousness of God. All that God required of her was for her to live in truth with her neighbours, show justice, righteousness and equity in her dealings. Zechariah 8 shows how amazing God is, and His sovereign ability to turn impossible situations around for His children. Like most other scriptures, the promises that are made to the remnant in Judah are also applicable to us, the Church.

God’s promises to Judah are ten-fold and found in the following verses of the chapter: verses 2,3,4,6,7,9,14,18,20 and 23. Some see these blessings as futuristic, while others see them as partially fulfilled. Each blessing starts with  the word, “Thus says The Lord.” For a better understanding, these promises could be divided into four segments. Verses 2 to 9 constitutes the first section; and verses 10 to 13 another segment; verses 14 to 17 another section, and 18 to 23 the last segment.

In verse 2, God expresses His jealousy over Judah. A jealousy that is marked with great intensity. In a similar way, God is jealous over His Church and over you His child.

In verse 3, God promises to return to Jerusalem and make it a City of Truth. This is a promise of a change in identity. The word ‘return’ is a strong word that implies God’s willingness to visit His people again. The word presupposes that God for some reasons left sometime and is willing to come back to his people for good.

In verse 4, God promises to restore peace, harmony and longevity to his people in Judah. In verse 5 God promises that Jerusalem shall once more be populated with people.

In verse 7, God promises to re-gather His people from the land of captivity where they had been scattered.

In verse 6, God climaxes His promises in this first segment 1-8 with this challenge, “This may seem impossible to those of the nation who are now left, but it’s not impossible for me” (GNT). The things God promised to do for Judah seemed incredible to the remnant of Jews to imagine, hence He challenged them with this word, “but it’s not impossible for Me.” Is God not saying the same to His Church today? Do we not  often doubt God’s ability to do what He says He will do? God is poised to do amazing things for those who dare to trust Him. There is no limit to what God can do for a child of His who is in a good relationship with Him.

IMG_8250 IMG_8245 IMG_9520 IMG_9534

The second section brings us to another climax in God’s promises to Judah. Verse 10 starts with the phrase, “For before these days..” This refers to the past and is in sharp contrast with verse 11 where God says, “But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days.” Here we see a change in disposition by God; a change from anger to favour, a change from curse to blessing, a change from abandonment and neglect to care and blessing. Here God promises to change the condition in Judah from what it was when He was angry with them to something better. The evidence of God’s change in disposition is to be seen in the blessings that would come on their seed, on their vine, on the ground they cultivated on, and the heavens which would now give them  abundant rain.  Verse 12 sums up this new divine disposition thus: “For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew – I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these.” The single determinant, all that matters or influences whether a people are blessed is God’s disposition. This is why our fasting before God matters. As I said, one purpose of a fast is for an improved relationship and intimacy with the Father. He is our Saviour, Sustainer and Source.

When we are at peace with God, He will not withhold any blessings from us.

But like other times when God deals with his people, His new disposition is not without some preconditions. He required Judah to change in their moral and ethical relationship with their neighbours: “For thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Just as I determined to punish you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath, says the LORD of hosts, and I would not relent, so again in these days I am determined to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah, do not fear. These are the things you should do: speak each man the truth to his neighbour; give judgement in your gates for truth, justice, and peace; let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbour; and do not love a false oath, for all these are things that I hate,’ says the LORD” (Verses 14-17).

As in Isaiah 58, improvement in moral and ethical obligations with our neighbours matter a great deal to God and should be a major cause of reflection as we conclude this one month fast. Fasting is good, but we must take steps to improve on our relationship with God and our neighbours. This is of great importance to God. Our purpose for fasting should not be limited to receiving blessings, as much as it should be to settle conflicts with our neighbours, our loved ones, to forgive those who have hurt us and take care of the less privileged ones.

May His blessings linger with us. Amen

IMG_8383 IMG_8381 IMG_8386 IMG_8396 IMG_8402 IMG_8410 IMG_8443 IMG_8448 IMG_8453 IMG_8476

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Deliverance, July Fast, The Mighty Hand of God, Theme of the Month, Walking in Divine Blessings Tagged With: Abundance, Africa, Answered Prayer Turn Around, Austen Ukachi, Church in Africa, Divine Blessings, Faithfulness, Fasting, Forgiveness, God in Africa, He's Alive Chapel, Lagos, Mercy, Mighty Hand of God, Nigeria, Plenty, Power of God, Relationship with GOd, Repentance, Restoration, West Africa

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Verse of the Day

Blog Categories

Recent Posts

  • STARTING THE YEAR ON A NOTE OF OPTIMISM
    January 1, 2023
  • CELEBRATING THE WONDERS OF JESUS AT CHRISTMAS
    December 25, 2022
  • BUILDING UP SPIRITUAL MOMENTUM (3)
    December 14, 2022
  • BUILDING UP SPIRITUAL MOMENTUM (2)
    December 10, 2022
  • Pst Austen UkachiBUILDING UP SPIRITUAL MOMENTUM (1)
    December 6, 2022
  • PERSEVERING PRAYER (8)
    November 16, 2022

Archives

Subscribe To Our Blog

Enter your email below to received our blog post in your inbox.
Loading

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · He's Alive Chapel · City Gate Sanctuary - Plot 134, Amuwo-Odofin G.R.A, by Festac Link Bridge, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos · All Rights Reserved · Site by APWD.