WHYS OF THE AFFLICTIONS 1

"THERE IS HOPE FOR YOUR FUTURE,” SAYS THE LORD. “Your children will come again to their own land."
Jeremiah 31:17 (NLT)

• God promises to restore the nation of Israel.

• When God disciplines, it is for the good of those He disciplined. When He chastises, He restores back (Hosea 6:1).
• God's discipline, chastisement or punishment, are mainly for the correction and the restoration of the corrected believer.
• There is hope for whoever committed a Sin and genuinely repented. For it is not God's delight that anyone should perish (Ezekiel 18:23,32; 1 Timothy 2:3,4).
• God sent the Israelites to the captivity as a Discipline, and that was done with the hope of restoration—He had the intention of restoring and reestablishing them: "FOR THE LORD WILL CAUSE SOMETHING NEW TO HAPPEN—ISRAEL WILL EMBRACE HER GOD" (Jeremiah 31:22 NLT).
• God disciplines, and the reason is; whoever is disciplined should embrace Him and His Word. God knows more than you do. He knows the path you are treading that would be dangerous and harmful to both your spiritual and physical wellness.
• Suffering usually is the weapon used by God to call back any erring child of His. And after the repentance of the whoever, the person, God will cause a new thing to happen or begin.

• God uses correction to shape or mould.

• He wants to write His laws in the heart of whoever professes to be His:
  "BUT THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAW IN THEIR MINDS, AND WRITE IT ON THEIR HEARTS; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE" (Jeremiah 31:33 NKJV).
• The above Scripture is accomplished in the New Testament Believers: "BUT YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND HE LIVES WITHIN YOU, SO YOU DON'T NEED ANYONE TO TEACH YOU WHAT IS TRUE. FOR THE SPIRIT TEACHES YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW, AND WHAT HE TEACHES IS TRUE—IT IS NOT A LIE. SO JUST AS HE HAS TAUGHT YOU, REMAIN IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST" (1 John 2:27 NLT).
• Being allowed to suffer is one of the ways through which God's Word is taught or passed across to the believers, especially those who are dull of hearing, or those who proved difficult or stubborn for God to handle (2 Corinthians 4:17).
• God resulted to the Use of sufferings; challenges or problems, to shape or mould the Israelites when they refused to learn through the teachings of His Word formally.

• The people of the world say experience is the best teacher, but It is not, the Holy Spirit is the best teacher; however, experience is a teacher, If the Word taught by the Holy Spirit is not heeded.

• What a believer would not agree to learn through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit—such would be learnt through the experience of life.
• So, God uses challenges, sufferings, or problems to teach, shape and mould whoever wants to prove difficult to be taught. Through His permission, Satan is allowed to bring difficulties on the way of such a person.
• God's discipline or chastisement is not about physical cane, but sufferings; denying of certain benefits or blessings—progress and promotion and other good things (Hebrews 12:5,6).
• God would not force anyone to Will, however, He would make whoever is obstinate to Will (Philippians 2:13). In other words, If you are not willing to do God's bidding or Will, He simply withdraws His benefits or blessings and allows you to grapple with the consequences of your choice of being recalcitrant.
• You definitely would need God in your life for any number of things, so, when He withdraws His backings, you would then know your level. God does not force, but would make you to be willing!
• A believer who is hardheaded or stiff-necked would be made willing through sufferings, that is, chastisement or whatever; for him or her to be conformed or harmonized with the image of Christ Jesus (Romans 8:29).

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

• Whatever is not of God in your body that is working against your health and wellness is completely uprooted in Jesus' mighty name.
• The affliction will not rise the second time in Jesus' mighty name.
  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. As you took the steps A and B your name is written in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, congratulations, 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!