TOPIC: IDENTIFYING THE JERICHO WALL III
MEMORISE:
The slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. Proverbs 19:24
READ: Proverbs 6:4-11
4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
MESSAGE
As l conclude my discussion on the forces that can obstruct a person's progress, I want you to know that the real wall of Jericho hindering people's progress may actually be they themselves and not necessarily a spiritual force or a relationship. No matter how much support such people get in order to progress in life, if they have certain bad habits or traits, they will still not make progress. Romans 8:31 says:
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
The answer to the above question is 'we ourselves'. Even if the Almighty God is for you, you must ensure that you are not against yourself. Certain negative traits can make a fellow work against himself or herself in the journey of life. These traits are hindrances to progress. For example, laziness is a great hindrance to progress. King Solomon, considered by many to be one of the wisest people who ever lived, said in Proverbs 6:10-11:
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
When we were building what has now become Redemption City, I knew some people who worked with us who were lazy. If only they were hardworking, considering all the work that was done then,, they would have been very wealthy by now. Nobody wants to give opportunities to a lazy fellow. This is because lazy people will eventually waste the opportunities that are given to them.
Another trait that can be a wall of Jericho to a person is talkativeness. Proverbs 29:20 says that a fool has more hope for tomorrow than the one who is always quick to talk.
Dishonesty is yet another trait that can be a wall of Jericho to a fellow and hinder his or her success. This is because nobody will trust people who lack integrity to handle sensitive responsibilities. Jesus Christ said in Luke 16:10 that whoever is faithful in a little will have more committed into his or her hands. If you say one thing and turn around to do something completely opposite, it will be difficult for you to have access to the things that you have been asking and trusting God for.
Beloved, be wise. Don't be the wall of Jericho in the path of your progress.
ACTION POINT
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you let go of any habit or trait that can hinder your progress.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 1-4
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 24: I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS
1. I want to be like Jesus,
So lowly and so meek;
For no one marked an angry word
That ever heard him speak.
Refrain:
I want to be like Jesus,
God's well beloved Son;
I want to be like Jesus,
The pure and holy One.
2. I want to be like Jesus,
So frequently in prayer;
Alone upon the mountain top,
He met his Father there.
3. I want to be like Jesus,
Engaged in doing good,
So that of me it may be said,
He hath done what he could.
4 Alas! I'm not like Jesus,
As any one may see;
Thy gentle Spirit, Savior, send,
And make me like to thee.
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