2021 INTERNATIONAL YOUTH PROGRAMME

 

THE LORD’S CHOSEN CHARISMATIC REVIVAL MOVEMENT

Corporate Int’l Headquarters Ijesha, Lagos

THEME : MY GOD, MY GLORY

Under Character Study/Discussion

TOPIC  : JOSEPH AND RUTH: A MODEL FOR MODERN YOUTH

TEXT : Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11; 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16, 17; Rom. 8:28-39

Prepared & Preached By: PST. EBI NURSEMAN ISAAC 

on Friday Sept.10, 2021 at Chosen Revival Ground, Ijesha, Lagos

Preamble: In life, we are admonished to learn from those that are succeeding or succeeded and not from failures or those given excuses or shifting blame on others for their failures.  We should be like a CHILD and apply its inspirational definition which is: "Christ Humility In Learning Disciples". We shall consider this topic under the following subheadings: (1) Joseph: A Model of God’s Faithfulness to His Covenant Youths (The Chosen Ones) (2) Ruth: A Model of Personal Unshakable Conviction on God and the Chosen Man / Woman (3) Our Application and Benefits 

Point 1: Joseph: A Model of God’s Faithfulness to His Covenant Youths (The Chosen Ones): 

Joseph was one of the children of Jacob (Israel) and his father loved him more than all his brethren because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours which attracted deadly hatred from his brothers (Gen. 37:3-4). At his young age, God revealed His plan and purpose to rule over his brethren including his parents which also attracted more hatred from his brethren when he narrated his dreams to them (Gen. 37:5-11). We learn the following from the life and character of Joseph

The father of Joseph unknown to him made him a coat of many colours which symbolizes the different aspects of life he will go through (Gen. 37:3). RED COLOUR symbolizes (a) The Power and Strength of God (b) The Heat of Persecution and Hatred from within and outside the family (c) Love and Compassion to serve God and Humanity (d) Danger of Sin of Anger, Retaliation / Revenge, Fornication / Adultery and Compromise to avoid (e) Warning against evil doers and supporters of evil (f) it also symbolizes the blood of Jesus Christ that washes whiter than snow. ORANGE COLOUR symbolizes excitement (Overflowing Joy of Salvation), Unshakable Confidence in God and His unfailing promises concerning his life, Sound Health, vitality and being extrovert (Open Mindedness) that is willing to use his God – given gifts and talent to help others. YELLOW COLOUR symbolizes brightness, vibrancy, youthfulness, energetic, hopeful, intelligent and happiness. GREEN COLOUR symbolizes the earth and its fullness including its agricultural produce, money or wealth that attracts jealousy and envy. BLUE COLOUR symbolizes peace and tranquility in times of trials and adverse situation / circumstances; it also symbolizes trust and confidence from God and from the earthly Boss. PINK COLOUR symbolizes happiness, compassion, immaturity, hope and inspiration. 

PURPLE COLOUR symbolizes Royalty (Kingship Position / Authority), nobility, spirituality, luxury, righteous ambition, mysterious, preservation and moodiness. BROWN COLOUR symbolizes longevity, conservative or preservative, honest, natural and reliable. BLACK COLOUR symbolizes dark, confused and hopeless moments of his life by the definition of man. WHITE COLOUR symbolizes purity, sanctification, holiness, innocence, goodness, freshness, cleanliness, simplicity but very firm and uncompromising 

Joseph was accused falsely and was sentenced to life imprisonment without legal representation or observance of the Principle of Fair Hearing but was vindicated by God. 

Joseph’s gifts and talent were hated and were not recognized, empowered and utilized by his own people (which is one of the major problems of nation building) but were recognized, empowered and utilized by a Foreigner who made him a Prime Minister and gave him absolute authority and power to rule his nation (Gen. 41:37- 44). Just last month precisely August 25, 2021, it was published in Guardian News Paper that one Master Ignatus Asabor 22 years old Nigerian Drone Maker left Nigeria after he was employed by a Company in Finland. It is on record that the person who invented the fastest computer in the world is Dr. Philip Emeagwali - Nigerian born Computer Scientist living in USA.    

Joseph did not make merchandize of his God-given gifts and talent hence he did not negotiate how much the two Officers of Pharaoh that were thrown to the prison where he was before interpreting their dreams (Providing solutions to individual problems). Neither did he negotiate with king Pharaoh before interpreting his two dreams (that is, solving National socioeconomic and Political Problems) in Egypt at that time. 

Another major problem of Nation Building is ‘Exchanging of other Peoples’ Idea or Proposal, sidelining the Originators and presenting it as their own to Government Institutions, Agencies and Corporate Organizations. But Joseph was willing to give his idea / proposal to solve socioeconomic problems of Egypt for any other person to use it because he knew that the ultimate solution to solve the problem is not what is being said or the written idea or proposal but is within him.

There is no record in the Bible that Joseph attended Nursery, Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Institutions to acquire Certificates like Diploma, First or Master’s Degree, Doctorate or Professorial Degrees but was trained from the Heavenly University and Heavenly School of Postgraduate Studies and was gifted with Managerial Skills, World Class Economic, Financial, Administrative and Strategic Planning Principles to manage wealth and up-coming Economic Recession upon the nation Egypt and all over the world at that time  (1 Tim. 3:13; John 7:14-15; Mark 6:2-4; Luke 5:17; 1 Cor. 2:4-15; 1 Cor. 1:26-29) it is like Joseph had Spiritual Degrees which we can refer to as (a) BA or B.Sc – Born Again or Born of Spirit and of Character (b) M.Sc – Master of Sanctification and Circumstances (c) Ph.D – Power over Hell and Death (d) Professor of Fruit and Gifts of the Holy Ghost such as Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Gift of Faith, Gift of Healing, Gift of Working of Miracles, Gift of Prophecy, Gift of Discerning of spirits, Gift of Diverse Tongues, Gift of Interpretation of Tongues,  Gift of Apostleship, Gift of Teaching, Gift of Preaching, Gift of Helps or Hospitality,   Gift of Government or Administration, Gift of Deliverance, Gift of Evangelism, Gift of Church Planting, Gift of Mercy, Gift of Instant Miracle of Judgment, Gift of Intercessory Prayers, Gift of Singing, Gift of Writing, Gift of Science/Technology or Inventing of Things etc  

 Joseph was not like Biblical Jeshurun and begins to use his gifts and talents to fight or work against Pharaoh who recognized, empowered and utilized his gift for nation building (Deut. 32:15)

Joseph was a man who have passed through Leadership Test in his life and used same to test people aimed at knowing their truthfulness and sincerity of their commitment and dedication; to find out those who are committed for selfish aggrandizement purposes and relate with them accordingly; to identify Jacob’s kind of commitment for purpose of wanting to marry Rachael in Laban’s house (Gen. 42:5-15) 

Joseph with all his knowledge and position of authority, power, wealth and riches still recognized and accepted with all his heart the superiority of his father’s wisdom, knowledge and ways of doing things by the leading of the Spirit of God. Hence, when his father (Jacob who could not see by reason of his old age) was about to bless his two children, he placed the first child at the right hand side of his father and the younger one at the left hand side but the father cross his right hand to the left hand side of the younger child and blessed him and when Joseph was trying to tell his father that the first child was on his right hand side already, the father said ‘I know what I am doing’ and he (Joseph) accepted (Gen. 48:8-21; John 6:5-13) 

Joseph’s service to God and Humanity was not conditional. That is, he did not serve God and human beings only when things are good or he’s appreciated or being loved and then refused to serve God and Humanity when things are bad (when it appears the whole world was against him or when his position or privilege is withdrawn or when he is being tried and tested etc). He was not also serving God for what he can gain. It was like Joseph was always singing this song ‘The God of the good time is still God in the bad times, the God of the mountain is still the God in the valley, and the God of the day is still the God of the night’. 

 

 Joseph’s gifts, talents, life of holiness, purity, dedication and commitment to the service of God and humanity attracted temptations from all kinds of women (Married and Unmarried) who think that part of his gifts and talents will come to them by sleeping with him and while some were anointed by satan to make him fall so that his God-given dreams and goals will not be realized but through it all, he overcame both in secret and in open.  

Joseph only spend seventeen years with his earthly parents and was sold into slavery yet in the strange land where he later became the Prime Minister at the age of 30, he did not forget the God of his father. He kept to holiness and purity and lived an uncompromising life without parental care, supervision, correction and without any spiritual parents teaching him on Tuesday Revival Hour, Thursday Counseling and Deliverance, Saturday Workers Meeting / Bible Study, Sunday Worship Service, Crusades and Retreats, no prayer partner, no wife etc. In less than three months, The Lord’s Chosen will be Nineteen Years and some people who claimed they joined The Lord’s Chosen from beginning while some might have spent 17, 15,12,10,8,6, or 5 years in the Ministry yet they are still like baby Christians giving us headache in the Church or those that left their believing parents to Boarding Schools or gained admission to higher Institutions Learning within or outside the country to further their education are they like Joseph? 

Joseph was a young man whose Godly utilization of his God-given gifts and talents maketh room for him to stand before king Pharaoh of Egypt which also resulted to him becoming the Prime Minister (Second-in-Command) (Prov.18:16; 22:29). 

Joseph as a covenant child of God, enjoyed covenant blessings of protection, mysterious deliverances from circumstances that would have claimed his life. A Covenant Child of God is Untouchable. If you plan to kill a covenant child, a covenant Man or Woman of God, plan to destroy a covenant Church, it must surely backfire.  (Isa. 43:1-4; Matt. 2:13-20; Acts 12:1-11, 21-25).           

 Joseph also suffered many things from what we can refer to in today’s language: Pentecostal and Charismatic Witchcraft activities (John 9:1-41).

Joseph dreams (God’s Plan, Vision and Mandate) for his life that the devil and its human agents fought against, came to fulfillment at last by God’s supernatural events and the right application of the principle: ‘Because of Me’. (Gen. 37:5-11, 18-20; Gen. 41:1-46; Gen. 42:5-10; Habakkuk 2:3) and we know that through the same supernatural signs and wonders, the Three Fold Vision and Ten Billion Souls Mandate God has given to our Daddy G.O will be fulfilled in Jesus’ Name, Amen!   

            

 Joseph was: (a) to his brethren, sold to slavery, forgotten and perhaps both he and his dreams of ruling over them were dead (b) while to his father, a wild beast has devoured him according to the gospel of Joseph’s wicked brethren and lastly (c) to Potiphar’s wife and Potiphar himself, Joseph will spend the rest of his life in prison for offence he did not commit and perhaps will die there.

Joseph lived to the fulfillment of the LETTERS of his name: Letter ‘J’ represents Jesus or Emmanuel meaning, God was with him and made him to prosper in every situation, circumstances and life endeavours. Letter ‘O’ represents the Three Ominous of God (Omniscient, Omnipresent and Omnipotent God) that was with him throughout his life (Gen. 39:2, 21-23; Rom. 8:31). Letter ‘S’ represents Salvation of his soul, Satisfaction of his life, Sanctification of his heart and the Spirit of God that gave him the gift inspiration and interpretation of dreams. Letter ‘E” represents Egypt a country of fulfillment of his God-given destiny. Letter ‘P’ represents Pharaoh king of Egypt – his God ordained destiny helper that made him the Prime Minister having recognized his gifts and talents even in a strange land. Letter ‘H’ represents Heaven at Last and from Bible records he is in Heaven (Exo. 50:19, 20:15-26). Whatever anyone becomes or archive in this life without making heaven at last is a wasted and worthless venture     (1 Cor. 15:19). 

Joseph’s Coat of many Colours that his father made for him was taken away by his envious brethren, dipped and stained in the blood of an animal and presented to his father as if he was killed by a wild beast: signifying taking away of his dreams and vision from him but his Dreams and Vision was INSIDE of him and NOT ON the Coat of many Colours hence his dreams still came to fulfillment.    

        

Point 2:  Ruth: A Model of Personal Unshakable Conviction on God, the Chosen Man / Woman of God (Ruth 1:16-19; Heb. 11:24-27, 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 4:6-18; 2Tim. 4:10; John 21:20-23; 1Kings 19:19-21; 2Kings 2:1-15; Ruth 4:9-22; Matt. 1:1-6)

One of the quotable quotes of our General Overseer (The General Overseer of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry Worldwide) is, ‘Heaven is Individual Race’ (John 21:20-23). The life of Ruth summarizes this statement of our General Overseer in the sense that, she took personal decision to first follow the God of her Mother in-law, and secondly Naomi her Mother in-law despite the temporary negative circumstances that surrounded her which includes (2 Cor. 4:6-18)  (i) The death of her Father in-law (the husband of Naomi) (ii) The death of her own husband and that of her Sister – Orpah’s husband which were the two sons of Naomi (iii) The backsliding or turning back of her Sister’s in-law – Orpah in going to her own people and to their gods did not make her from following the God of Naomi and also Naomi (iv) Ruth passed the first and second phase of the rigorous Leadership Test of Naomi (permissive statements) on their way to Bethlehem-Judah which includes: (a) pronouncing God’s blessings on them and encouraging them not to follow her but to remain in their own land of nativity (b) The impossibility of her getting married again at her old age (c) even if it is possible to get married, there is no assurance that she will give birth to male children first (d) and even if she gave birth to male children, can they wait until they were grown to the age of maturity of getting married to them, which by calculation can be another 30years or more from that time (Ruth 1:7-19). 

All these and many more did not hinder Ruth from following after the God of Naomi which is the God of Israel and Naomi representative of God of Israel. ‘But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi? (Ruth 1:16-19). So from the above analysis, we learn the following from the life of Ruth:

Ruth decided to come out from idol worship, paganism and traditions of her country Moab and believed in the God of Israel thereby breaking herself away from the curse that was upon her land of nativity. 

Ruth has personal unshakable conviction on the God of Israel and of course Naomi who introduced the God of Israel to her hence she overcame the strong persuasion of Naomi telling her not to follow her and the God of Israel to Bethlehem-Judah. 

Ruth did not allow negative circumstances in her life and in the life of Naomi to make her backslide from her faith in God. 

Ruth identified Naomi as a Chosen Woman of God and prefers to stand with her and to follow her not minding the negative things that had befallen her. Ruth also like Joseph was always singing this song ‘The God of the good time is still God in the bad times, the God of the mountain is still the God in the valley, and the God of the day is still the God of the night’. 

Ruth was a lady that understood and passed all the leadership tests that came her way from Naomi and became the Great, Great, Great Grand earthly Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior (Ruth 2:1-3, 11-14, 19-23; 3:1-13, 17-18; 4:1-22) 

Ruth possessed the characteristic of a Virtuous Woman. She was very Industrious and Hard-working (Which was testified by her own HOD in the place of work Ruth 3:11; 2:3-8) and that contributed and also paved way of her getting married to Boaz – a kinsman of Naomi’s late husband (Elimelech), a mighty man of wealth through God’s divinely orchestrated events and gave birth to a son called Obed and she became part of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ (Ruth 2:2-8, 17-20) “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;” (Matthew 1:1-6). 

Ruth lived a life of appreciation to God and Man and recognized the role and place of Grace and Favour of God in her life (Ruth 2: 2 &13) 

RUTH like Joseph also lived to the fulfillment of the LETTERS of her name: Letter ‘R’ represents Relying wholly on God of Israel (God of Naomi) to succeed in life. Letter ‘U’ represents Unshakable personal conviction on the God of Israel and Naomi - the Chosen Woman of God. Letter ‘T’ represents Total Loyalty to her Mother In-Law (Naomi) in good times and in bad times. Letter ‘H’ represents Heaven at Last and from Bible records we know that she is in Heaven. Whatever anyone becomes or archive in this life without making heaven at last is a wasted and worthless venture (1 Cor. 15:19)   

Point 3: Our Application and Benefits (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11; Heb. 13:8; Mal. 3:6; Deut. 28:1-2; Psalm 23:1-6)

Joseph had a dream (Vision, Goal) in life and overcame devil, self and the world to achieve it. Do you even have a dream of what God wants to you become in life or are you running without a dream or vision thereby flying like a bird in the sky without placing any good memorable mark for present and future generations.

Joseph dreams (vision and Mandate) were all fulfilled through God's supernatural miracles signs and wonders. By same token, the Ministry's three fold vision of: Grassroots Revival All Over the World, Revival of the Apostolic Christian Experiences Among the Body of Christ All Over the World, Revival of Heaven Consciousness in the Heart of Believers All Over the World and the 10 Billion Souls Mandate will be achieved by God's Supernatural Miracles, Signs and Wonders 

Ruth left her cursed people, Country, the worship of idol, and practice of paganism to serve God of Naomi (the God of Israel), moved to Bethlehem -Judah the place where Jesus our Savour was later born and became the Great, Great Grand Mother of Jesus.

Ruth said the God of Naomi shall be her God and she will follow her and the God of Naomi till death do them part. Have you made up your mind to follow Jesus Christ even the God of our General Overseer (The God of Chosen) or you are tired of the message of Salvation and Holiness, Christian dressing, separation from the world, attending Vigils, Putting On of Apron etc and trying to run away from the Church in the name of marrying someone outside The Lord’s Chosen?

Ruth has unshakable conviction on the God of Naomi (The God of Israel) and as a result nothing from the pit of hell was able to make her to change that conviction, do you have unshakable conviction on God of Chosen and the Doctrines of the Bible? 

Ruth manifested absolute and unconditional loyalty, dedication and commitment to Naomi the Chosen Woman of God in Good Times and in Bad Times. Are you like that to our Daddy G.O, Mommy G.O, the Ministry or do you run away when they or the Ministry is passing through trials and temptations? 

Ruth was described as a Virtuous Woman, Industrious and Hard-working and her Head of Department or Fore-man appraised her and gave positive recommendation to Boaz, the Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer. She comes to work very early and closes very late and was diligent in performances of her duties (Ruth 2:4-8, 3:11; Prov. 31:10-31). Can your HOD say the same thing of you?   

Ruth was a young widow but was not messing up herself with men or boys but patiently waited to marry again according to the Will of God (Ruth 3:5-11). Can we say the same thing of you? 

Joseph and Ruth followed the Lord till the end and made Heaven At Last despite all the negative challenges and circumstances. We should follow after their examples for it is written in Luke 9:62 ‘And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God’ and in Matthew 24:12-13 Jesus said ‘And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved’.

Our prayer, commitment and consecration should be that of Paul the apostle as recorded in Roman 8:28-39 ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?33 Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord’.

Hymns for Consideration: 1. Stand By Me 2. Sweet is the Promise 3. Thou Art My Everlasting Portion 4. Farther Along, We’ll Know All About It 5. The Old Rugged Cross      6. Living by Faith 7. The God of the Good Times is Still The God of the Bad Times   

Choruses for Consideration: 1. We are on the Lord’s Side and Victory is Sure 2. I have decided to follow Jesus, No Turning Back (The World Behind Me, Heaven Before Me, Though, No One Joins Me, Still I Will Follow) No Turning Back 3. Until I Reach My Home (Wear My Crown, See Jesus, Enter Heaven) No Turning Back, No Turning Back. (4) Keep me through; Lord Jesus Keep me through 2x There is a Race I must Run, and There is a Victory to be Won, Give me Power Every Moment to be through