5 minute read
UNLIMITED GLORY
from Sunrise Summer 2019
by Sunrise
UNLIMITED GLORY
Haggai 2:9
This scriture informs us that God’s pattern is for glory to be increased. It would be an error for the glory upon your life to stay static at the same level. In fact, the glory upon your life can reach such a height, that it is unlimited. Hallelujah!
How can we partake of Unlimited Glory? You must know these three things:
1. The Christian life is a life of responsibility. Know that wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it and right is right, even if no one is doing it. Keep doing the right thing.
1 Corinthians 2:9 says “But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”
2. Life will make sense when you are able to see beyond what is seen to the unseen, for it is the unseen that determines the outcome of the seen.
2 Corinthians 3:18 says “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
3. Your greatest wisdom will be learnt in your greatest pain. Nothing will make your life purpose clearer than what you have been through.
Job 36:11 (NIV) says: “If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.”
Your glory is in your story, your opportunities are in your mess and your purpose is in your pain.
There are four phases of glory:
1. Unattained/Unachieved Glory - this is the phase of no Glory.
Think of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:9- 10 who was born into sorrow and shame. The name Jabez is Hebrew (yabetz) for «distress or pain»; his mother stated, «I gave birth to him in pain».
However, Jabez prayed to God for blessing and God answered him. He became a well-respected man and an ancestor in the lineage of the kings of the tribe of Judah.
Another example is Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:2-2:21 who was mocked because she was barren. However, when she cried out to God, He delivered her from barrenness and she rejoiced.
2. Manifested Glory - this is glory revealed.
This is Glory unashamed or glory unveiled. This is when a believer encounters the goodness of God.
This is the phase like when the songwriter says: “When I think of the goodness of Jesus, and what he has done for me, my soul cries out, “Hallelujah!” Praise God for saving me.”
Apostle Paul was once a murderer but after encountering God’s Glory on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:4- 5), he was used mightily by God. God’s glory became manifested in his life and he said, “I am what I am by the grace of God” (1Corinthians 15:10).
3. Unlimited Glory - This is when you see God in His entirety.
To attain unlimited glory, there is a price to pay. Indeed, it may cost the recipient everything.
In Genesis 12:1-3, and Genesis 15:5, God called Abraham and promised him glory unlimited. To attain this, he had to leave his family to an unknown land (Genesis 13:14-17) and he had to obey God by being willing to sacrifice Isaac, his child of promise (Genesis 22:7). After the obedience of Abraham, God again promised Abraham unlimited glory.
Genesis 22:15-18 says “Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son - blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Jesus who was born in a manger also manifested extraordinary glory, but first He had to die on the cross.
Philippians 2:9-11 (NKJV) says “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Apostle Paul said, “I die daily”. 1 Corinthians 15:31 (NIV) In 1 Corinthians 9:27, he said, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”
4. Unexplained Glory: This is a sudden unexplainable encounter.
An example of unexplainable glory is the Man that was born blind. John 9:1-7 says “Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.”
The situation of this blind man was pitiful. His name is not even mentioned, he was only known as the blind man. Jesus healed him and those around him could not believe or explain what had happene
d to him. His status had changed! The Jews began to attempt to explain the situation by arguing that perhaps he had not been blind at all (John 9:18). However, their arguments were silenced when his parents confirmed that the man had indeed been born blind. His parents said: “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself….” (John 9:20-21).
It is my prayer that God will turn your shame around to Glory. He will give you a testimony that cannot be explained in the name of Jesus. Your glory shall be manifested and unlimited in the mighty name of Jesus!
Akpo Onduku
