GODLY CHARACTER: A PRODUCT OF PASSION AND DESIRE FOR GOD 2

12 ABISHAI SON OF ZERUIAH DESTROYED 18,000 EDOMITES IN THE VALLEY OF SALT.
13 He placed army garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.
14 So David reigned over all Israel and DID WHAT WAS JUST AND RIGHT FOR ALL HIS PEOPLE."
1 Chronicles 18:12-14 (NLT)

• Some of the lessons to learn, in the points being shared from the first part of this teaching are:
a. Do not be selfish with whatever God has blessed you with. That is, do not eat alone what God has blessed you with, find a way of sharing it with others (1 Samuel 30:23,24; 1 Timothy 6:18; Hebrews 13:16).
b. Do not rejoice or gloat over the calamity of whoever stand as your enemy. If any evil befallen the person or people, do not gloat or rejoice over it (Proverbs 24:17,18).
c. Do not ask for the death of whoever stand as your enemy (1 Kings 3:11).

• One of the things that made God okay the request of Solomon when he was asked by God to ask for whatever he wanted was, he did not ask for the life of his enemies—he did not ask God to kill them:
  11 THEN GOD SAID TO HIM [Solomon]: "Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, NOR HAVE ASKED THE LIFE OF YOUR ENEMIES, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, 12 "BEHOLD I HAVE DONE ACCORDING TO YOUR WORDS; SEE, I HAVE GIVEN YOU A WISE AND UNDERSTANDING HEART . . ." (1 Kings 3:11,12 NKJV — Also read verses 13 and 14).

I. One could deduce from the passage that God does not have delight in the death of a sinner, and He does not want us to pray for the death of those who hate us: "SAY TO THEM: 'AS I LIVE,' SAYS THE LORD GOD, 'I HAVE NO PLEASURE IN THE DEATH OF THE WICKED, BUT THAT THE WICKED TURN FROM HIS WAY AND LIVE. TURN, TURN FROM YOUR EVIL WAYS! FOR WHY SHOULD YOU DIE, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL [the believers in Christ Jesus]" (Ezekiel 33:11 NKJV).
READ: Ezekiel 18:32; Matthew 5:43,44).
a. This same principle Jesus emphasized in His teaching, the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5:38).
b. Also, the principle was affirmed in the book of Luke, when Jesus was not received in a Samaritan's village, James and John wanted to call fire down on them to kill them as Elijah did, but Jesus reproved them (Luke 9:51-56).
LIKEWISE in Proverbs it was reiterated:
17 DO NOT REJOICE WHEN YOUR ENEMY FALLS, AND DO NOT LET YOUR HEART BE GLAD WHEN HE STUMBLES; 18 LEST THE LORD SEE IT, AND IT DISPLEASE HIM [it be evil in His eyes], AND HE TURN AWAY HIS WRATH FROM HIM" (Proverbs 24:17,18 NKJV).
READ: Obadiah 12-14
II. Another thing is, Solomon's request was not self-centered. God noted this when he said Solomon did not ask for long life for himself, and he did not ask for riches, and did not ask for the death of his enemies (1 Kings 3:11).
HE only asked for what he needed to govern with—the wisdom to lead the people of God.
THE request was not about himself, how to make himself comfortable or whatever.

• Now, some would not want to believe and agree that God considered these things before He granted any request brought before Him.

• What you asked God to do about others tells Him about the state of your heart, your heart towards other people, even those who offended you.
• The God of heaven is a God Who usually would be angry with any evil that someone or a group of people are doing, but would not want you to ask for the death of the person or people.
  BECAUSE, the person is, or the people are, the work of His hand and would not want them to perish; though the person or people might be sinners and doing hideous things, yet He would not want them to perish (Ezekiel 18:23,32; Luke 9:56; John 3:17; 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).
• The same principle was reiterated when Jonah was angry about the repentance of the people of Nineveh (Jonah 4:1-4).
• Jonah did not want to go and preach there, in Nineveh, because he knew If they repented genuinely, God would not carry out His threat, He would not destroy them—even though they were heathens (Jonah 3:10).
• So the point we are making is, let your heart be right towards God and your fellow Humans (Romans 12:17,18,21).
• In order to balance the message, God might choose to stand against those who are against you, even kill them, but that would be His discretion, not you asking for the death of those who are against you, or those who stand or pose as enemies.

• David served his generation and the services are still speaking today.

• What you do here on earth would determine your place in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:10).
• Serve that you might be great. The people you raise are the ones who would announce you and enthrone you.

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

• If you had accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord, sickness is not allowed to reside in your body, thus, whatever ailment in your body is cursed and uprooted completely now in Jesus' mighty name.
• The hold is broken and the affliction will never rise again in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
  Peace!
  TO BE CONTINUED

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!