Turning Misfortune Into Miracles
Dr J.E Akpami
What will enable us reap a harvest of miracles in the
same place where life wanted to disgrace us is to
resolve to be doers of God's word.
Obedience to God's word is key to experiencing any
form of divine intervention. Obedience to God
places you in a position where Satan is at your mercy.
Nothing exposes his impotence like obedience to
God's instruction.
When God promised to bless the children of Israel in
Deuteronomy 28, He was more concerned about
their obedience rather than satan's ability to stop
Him. If they would obey God, their land would be
blessed, their storehouses would be blessed; the fruit
of their bodies was not existing. Once their
obedience was complete, the wicked witches were
put out of commission! No doubt, God will meet you
at the point of your obedience.
It was the same sea, the same fishing boat and nets,
the same fishermen. But when Peter obeyed a divine
instruction his misfortune was turned into a miracle.
God is no respecter of persons. If it happened for
Peter, it will happen for you also.
Those who come to say 'sorry' to you will end up
saying 'congratulations!' God will turn the shame
into glory in Jesus' name.
Prayer:
Receive grace to be a doer of God's word not just a
hearer.
"Reap a harvest of miracles". What a shameful perversion of God's word. The promises that God made to Israel don't apply to Christians in the church age.
Instead, the New Testament promises us trials to make us grow.
(James 1:2-4 NIV) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, {3} because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. {4} Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
(1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV) In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. {7} These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
(1 Peter 4:12-13 NIV) Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. {13} But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
God's greatest desire for our lives is to make us like his Son. It isn't to give us whatever we want so we can satisfy the desires of our sinful nature.
(James 4:2-3 NIV) You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. {3} When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
God wants us to be focused not only on our interests but on the interests of others.
(Philippians 2:4 NIV) Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
You should be praying much more for other people than you do for yourself. Maybe if you sincerely love and care about other people maybe then God will give more consideration with what we want.