- “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
- AND THE LORD GAVE JEHOIAKIM KING OF JUDAH INTO HIS HAND, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god.”
Daniel 1:1,2 (NKJV)
• God may permit unpalatable experiences if you disobeyed and rebelled against Him in your leadership assignment (Daniel 1:2).
- Every leader should always bear in mind that he or she is given the leadership position by privilege, not by right, God can equally use another person to do whatever is being done or achieved by such.
NOTE: No one is indispensable in God’s sight. - God always has someone as a substitute to replace any leader or minister who rebels against the instructions given him or her, regarding the work of the Kingdom—the assignment committed to the hand of such (Deuteronomy 3:23-28).
- For every Moses there is always A Joshua trained alongside or together with him, to take his place, if rebellion is discovered, and there is any need for a change or replacement (Numbers 27:18-23).
- There is always a replacement of the vessel that would not cooperate with God to bring to the fulfilment whatever He [God] intended to do through him or her.
- If you will no longer agree with God on that which He wants to accomplish through you, He may not hesitate to give your place to another person (1 Samuel 15:19,20).
- Whatever God has chosen you to do or accomplish in His Kingdom on Earth, such assignment is not given you because you are the most competent and most qualified person, but that you are being privileged and favoured.
- If you think of yourself more than you ought to (Romans 12:3); that would amount to haughtiness or pride, and your place might be given to another person: "PRIDE GOES BEFORE DESTRUCTION, AND A HAUGHTY SPIRIT BEFORE A FALL" (Proverbs 16:18).
- If you are appointed and given the privilege to serve in God's vineyard, minister to His people; OR lead in one capacity or another, THEN the opportunity must not be wasted or abused.
• Also for every KING SAUL, there is always A DAVID, prepared for the replacement, if the KING SAUL would not do whatever said to be done (1 Samuel 15:28).
ARE you faithful in what you are assigned to do?
HOW far have you gone about the instructions given you by Him lately?
- And Samuel told him, “ALTHOUGH YOU MAY THINK LITTLE OF YOURSELF, ARE YOU NOT THE LEADER OF THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL? The LORD has anointed you king of Israel. 18. And the LORD sent you on a mission and told you, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, until they are all dead.’
- WHY HAVEN'T YOU OBEYED THE LORD? Why did you rush for the plunder AND DO WHAT WAS EVIL IN THE LORD'S SIGHT?”
1 Samuel 15:17-19 (NLT)
• Know that after you have ascended the throne, that is, you have been exalted to higher honours, you would still need God.
GOD would not lift you to THE level or position where you would not need Him. You will always need Him!
- When you will not need God again on Earth here, it equally means your presence would relevantly not be needed or necessary on Earth.
THEREFORE acknowledge Him and honour Him in whatever level of attainment and honour you have found yourself (Proverbs 3:5,6).
- REMAIN IN ME, AND I WILL REMAIN IN YOU. A branch can't produce fruit by itself, but must remain in the vine. LIKEWISE, YOU CAN'T PRODUCE FRUIT UNLESS YOU REMAIN IN ME [Jesus].
- I am the vine; you are the branches. IF YOU REMAIN IN ME AND I IN YOU, THEN YOU WILL PRODUCE MUCH FRUIT. WITHOUT ME, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
- IF YOU DON'T REMAIN IN ME, YOU WILL BE LIKE A BRANCH THAT IS THROWN OUT AND DRIES UP. Those branches are gathered up, thrown into a fire, and burned."
John 15:4-6 (Common English Version)
NOTE: God may use someone who is not as righteous as you ARE, to discipline you, if you rebelled or turn your back against Him.
JEHOIAKIM the King of Judah was given into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon, and took him to Babylon as a captive (Danie 1:1,2).
- If you are being opposed Or oppressed by someone who would not usually stand up to you, not up to you in power, position, or honour;
OR you are opposed by someone who used to be your subordinate: "Then Solomon's SERVANT, Jeroboam the son of Nebat..., ALSO REBELLED AGAINST HIM (1 Kings 11:26);
OR opposed and oppressed by someone who poses as your enemy, who has been pursuing a vendetta against you [who does not agree with you all along], but now think they have a chance to take a revenge on you: "Now the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was a descendant of the King in Edom" (1 Kings 11:14).
"And God raised another adversary against him, Rezon the son of Eliadah, who had fled from his lord, Hadadezer King of Zobah (1 Kings 11:23);
Read 1 Kings 11:14-25 for the detailed;
IF it thus happened, it usually means God is speaking to you, AND you are being chastised by Him—using the person or people who are against you as an instrument (Hebrews 12:5,6).
YOU have been sold to the hand of such a person or people! - A believer, child of God, would not have been sold to the hand of whoever opposes him or her If such had not rebelled against God.
- If you are under any disobedience, your prayers would be made ineffective, and would be an ineffectual attempt to undo the work of the enemy [the devil and those whom he uses]; AND the prayers would be made to fall to the ground (1 Samuel 3:18).
YOU will see yourself praying more but having little or no result, and those who are against you would be undeterred. - You would be made susceptible or vulnerable to the devil and the person or people whom he uses against you.
- At such a time, stop praying against those whom you think are against you, humble yourself before God and ask for His Mercy (James 4:10).
RIGHT your wrongs, and be willing to do whatever He had earlier instructed you to do.
• You will not be THROWN OUT AND DRIED UP in Jesus' name.
Peace!