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Chapter One

God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

God is coming to introduce or re-introduce Himself to you. Yes, He did that before, but there is the need for Him to do it again as the time for the fulfillment of His promise to you has come. He already knows that your faith is getting weak. He knows that you urgently need a fresh revelation, a fresh encounter and encouragement for the final push into your Promised Land. For Him, He does not need any encouragement, help or push to perform His will, promises and purposes. He is the sovereign universal authority. He sees and manipulates the end from the beginning. In fact, He Himself is the alpha and the omega; the beginning and the end, the first and the last. But for us, we will always need a fresh revelation to carry on, especially, when the vision seems herculean, near-impossible or will take a long time to come to pass.

When God met Moses in the wilderness, through the burning bush, to commission him for the operation ‘Come out of Egypt’, He had to introduce Himself to Moses. Yes, that might not be the first time Moses was hearing about the God of Israel; the God of his ancestors (remember the Jews are very good at transferring their history to the younger generations through the oral tradition), but because of the nature and the level of this particular assignment, God came in a very spectacular, special and convincing way to put His ‘divine signature’ to that mother-of-all-assignments. The burning bush, the warning not to come close, the instruction to remove his sandals, and then the ultimate bombshell, “I am the God of your ancestors – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”  Wow!

In fact, God was literally excited about the mission He was about sending Moses. Yes, Moses was going to be unenthusiastic about the whole thing, but God was excited, determined and committed  because the integrity of His name, His word, promises and sovereignty were at stake. Remember, He had told Abraham hundreds of years ago that his descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, and that they will be oppressed as slaves in that nation for four hundred years. And after that, He will come with a strong hand to bring them out with great riches. Truly and promptly, He came to bring this to pass after hundreds of years. God keeps His covenants promises. If He said it, He is eagerly watching over it to perform. He monitors the timing, the variables and the total performance of His words. His words concerning you will not fail.

He Honors Covenants

God honors covenants. We can forget, we might stop believing, but God will always watch over His promises to bring them to pass. Divine covenants are always trans-generational. They are not just performing on you, but will outlive you to speak for your future generations. True! I know this very well because I am a product of one; where God tells a young lady that when she gets married that her first issue will be a male child, and that he will do great things for the kingdom. And after about thirty years, even when the child is not aware of such an agreement, the covenant begins to speak and perform exactly as God said. That is my story. Everything God said about me is perfoming. I remember one of my aunties came to me few year ago and said, “Gab, everything God said about you is happening.” I was so happy to hear that. God’s words are powerful, sharp, eternal and faithful. Time, circumstances, opposition do not stop them.

God of Abraham

God said that forever He shall be known as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The God that is consistent, constant and faithful. And that simply means that if He did not fail these people, He will certainly also not fail you. Now, we have to briefly try to look at the way He walked with these three so that we can be able to appreciate what we are saying here. Now, we can comfortably say that Abraham was in a deep confusion and frustration when God first met him in Haran. First, he had lost his youngest brother called Haran. The guy died prematurely. The bible said that he died very young at his place of birth. I pray that our life, joy and visions will not be terminated prematurely in the name of Jesus!

Secondly, his wife Sarah was barren. Abraham was about seventy-five years old without any issue and no solution to situation at sight. Childlessness is always a very difficult experience, especially to those that value family. Nothing substitutes the desire to have children. You can go and ask Hannah, Rebekah, Rachel, Elizabeth, etc. In fact, Rachel once shouted to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die.” Hannah wept, was humiliated and will refuse to eat because she had no child. Barrenness is something that one will not even wish his enemies. So, Abraham and Sarah were in that condition. As I write this, I am watching on our national television network the thanksgiving of a couple who had their first baby after seventeen years! Come and see joy unlimited. Now, every barrenness, every unproductive ness in your life will be broken today in Jesus’ name! Thirdly, Terah; Abraham’s father took them to go to Canaan (the Promised Land), but settled on the way and later died there. He did not reach his destination. His vision and hope were aborted. As you read this, everything that will try to stop your destiny on the way will be stop by God.

And all these challenges were before Abraham when God suddenly spoke to him,

“Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land I will show you. I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will make you a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and will curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

Gen 12:1-3.

My God! Is He also speaking to you now?

Obedience is the key to actualizing God’s promises in our life. When we obey, we trigger off all the dynamics of divine covenants that will ensure that all that God spoke concerning us come to pass. Faith, obedience and patience are indispensable as far as our covenant walk with Him is concerned. You must believe that God is true, able and willing to perform all His words upon your life. You must obey all His commands and directions. And you must be willing to patiently wait for His time. Every covenant has contents, conditions, timing, and if you keep them, you automatically activate all the benefits. If you can do this, I assure you that all His promises, covenants and words on your life will come to pass. True!

After God spoke to Abraham, in obedience, he immediately left Haran with his entire household. His was a total obedience. And it took absolute faith and courage to leave because God did not even tell him where exactly He was taking him to. He simply told Abraham to, “…go to the land which I will show you.” He had not told or shown him the particular place at that point, yet Abraham trusted and followed Him.  We have a lot to learn from here. Sometimes, God may not give us all the details, but we must obediently follow Him, trusting that He loves us and will always want the best for us. After all, He said that His thought for us is of good and not evil and that He will give us a good future (an expected end). Praise God!

Where are you now in your walk with God? You must totally trust and walk with Him in obedience. If you are sure that He is the one that called you, if you are sure that you are His, you will definitely not sink in your current challenges. Yes, I repeat, you will not sink! Now, the journey might look difficult, long, gloomy, uncertain, just don’t worry; He that called you knows the path to your destination. You will surely get there. Even in the ministry, God does not tell you all that He will be using you to do or that will happen in future. Best, He may give you a glimpse of the mission, and may not also tell you all that will happen between the call and the fulfillment. He expects you to trust and follow Him by faith and Obedience. We comment more on obedience in the last chapter.

Then, Abraham also believed Him when He said that he will be a father of a great nation. Imagine that! At seventy-five years and with a barren wife?? Yes, along the line, the man’s faith could not carry the promise again, but God brought him out in the middle of the night and told him to count the stars in the sky, assuring him that as the stars are uncountable, so also shall be his descendants.  As you read this message today, your doubts and fears will give way to God’s assurance and miracles in the mighty name of Jesus! If Abraham could not count the stars, you will not be able to count the multiplication that the Almighty is bringing to you way from now.

Yes, you must be in total submission to His directives when in a covenant with Him. You must be willing to obey all His words. You must pay attention to every detail of His leading; believing that the outcome will be for your good. The word of God says that the end of a man or woman that follows God is peace. It doesn’t matter what is presently happening, God will ultimately maneuver all to bring about His glory and your blessing. Go and check this out with everyone that has totally committed to following Him in the bible. Truly, those that trust Him shall not be disappointed!

I remember on December 28, 2001, while praying, God gave me the names, sex and the order which my children will come. I was not married then. But something happened about four years later. I was in my bedroom lying down when suddenly a being appeared to me in the night. He called me by name, and pointing to a framed picture by the corner, told me that the person in that picture was made not to have children. So, when I looked, I was shocked to see that it was my picture. I turned immediately to ask the visitor what the problem was, but he quickly stretched his hand and pulled something out of my waist and disappeared. My God! I have never experienced the pain that followed. I was like somebody coming out of the theatre after surgery. For the next two weeks I could not walk well physically. The pain was so much. And what was it? Sure, divine surgical operation was performed on me that night to remove what would have stood on the way of God’s promise of children to me. I have not seen anything like this since I was born. There are indeed mysteries about this life. True!

God while given me that promise in 2001 knew that the enemy had blocked the way, but cared less because no power, nobody can obstruct His words and promises. At the time of performance He came by Himself to remove the obstacle. Today, to the glory of God, I have my children just as He promised. And to my amazement they are coming in the specific order, sex, and character as He told me. God’s covenant promises cannot fail! Do you now see why some of us will serve this God forever? Let’s go back to Abraham, please.

Life of Sacrifice

Look at when He told Abraham to ‘sacrifice’ his only son. You already know how this miracle baby was born. After several years of promises, waiting, psychological and spiritual trauma, against all known natural and medical laws, against all expectations, Sarah at seventy-five and Abraham at a hundred years gave birth to this child of promise. I love the way the word of God captured it,   “Then the LORD did exactly what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant, and gave a son to Abraham in his old age. It all happened at the time God had said it would.” God cannot fail! Isaac’s parents were so happy and showed it by the big parties and ceremonies they threw. Now, just imagine the same God coming back to demand for this same boy in sacrifice. What?? And remember also that a better part of the promise will be fulfilled through him. He was the ‘seed’ of that promise.

Now, before we go on, I will like you to note the words that God used in this very expensive ‘joke’. Listen,

“Later on God tested Abraham’s faith and obedience. ‘Abraham!’ God called. ‘Yes’, he replied. ‘Here I am.’  ‘Take your son, your only son – yes Isaac, whom you love so much- and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will point out to you.”

Gen 22:1-2

Extreme obedience attracts extreme divine performance. Did you note the two words only and love. God knew that Isaac was the only, the all in all and that they loved him so much, yet He demanded for him. What is that only you love so much that He is demanding from you today? Are you willing to oblige him??

Abraham, without consultation, without questioning or agitation took the boy, two of his servants and woods for the fire and headed to where God told him. This guy was really sold out to God. No wonder I can feel God saying “forever my name and operations shall be attached to this man’s name. I have seen faith; I have seen obedience and trust, but none is like Abraham’s.” Abraham would have sacrificed the boy if God did not stop him at the point of stabbing him. He believed that even if he had killed him that God was able to raise Isaac again from death. O my God!

Now, check out God’s response to this uncommon loyalty,

“Then the angel of the LORD called again to Abraham from heaven, ‘this is what the LORD says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your beloved son, I SWEAR by myself that I will bless you richly. I will multiply your descendants into countless millions, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. They will conquer their enemies, and through your descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed – all because you have obeyed me.”

Gen 22:15-18.

This will also be your portion in Jesus’ name!

Building Altars

“Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, ‘I am going to give this land to your offspring.’ And Abram built an altar there to commemorate the LORD’s visit… There he built an altar and worshiped the LORD. Then Abram traveled south by stages towards the Negev.” Gen 12:7-9

There are things you must consistently do if you really desire the divine covenant to continue to be speaking for you. One is that you must learn the secret and the power of the altar. An altar is where you meet with the supernatural. Altar is a place of worship. It is a place of renewal, sacrifice and prayer. If we must continually, perpetually activate the power and benefits of our covenants with God, then we must learn how to permanently make an altar for Him. And not just building a structure, but become a mobile altar ourselves. True!

Abraham learnt this quite early in his walk with Him. Each time God visits him, he builds an altar. Each time He speaks to him, he builds an altar. Each time he has victory, he builds an altar. Each time, he travels or relocates to a new place, he builds an altar. Wow! Just imagine that. I wonder how many altars this man built in his life time. And this clearly shows how serious he took his relationship with God. Now, like I said we must move a step further by become mobile divine altars. How? We shall soon know.

Worship

After Abraham met with God in Haran, he seized every opportunity to reverence the Almighty. He not just mouthed his love and respect for Him, but demonstrated same at every point through his actions. He loved, trusted and was indeed very proud of this his new Friend. No wonder, they had a very deep and close relationship to the extent that God said that He was not going to hide what He was going to do from His friend Abraham. Yes, God called him “My friend.” I’m already green with envy. I want God to call me names also.  If you want your relationship with Him to become very cordial, then you must learn how to reverence and respect Him, apply His words in every area of your life, in every situation and everywhere. He says that if you honor Him, then He will also honor you. And you know how He greatly honored Abraham. Divine covenants are not just activated by claiming (as we do today), but by practically honoring and acting on God’s words.

We must begin to give Him our best and all; our life, our best time, best resources, and strength to Him. Yes, that is exactly what sacrifice is all about. We must sacrifice quality and enough time to pray, praise and worship Him. Sacrifice is simply offering something very dear, precious, of great value, ‘painful’ to another.  God automatically fell in love with Abraham because of the quality of his obedience, gifts, services and offerings. Sometimes, he gave God his only. Or you think God will just wake up and begin to swear to bless somebody? No! Only sacrifice can attract that level of divine commitment. True! Now, you too can become an altar for God today. Give every part of your life to God.