Bible-in OneYear- Day 8 (January 8)

Genesis 22-24          

The greatest problem of humanity is rivalry. It is a horrible spirit. It is the greatest weapon in the hand of Satan to turn the back of family members against each other. It is the stronghold of destiny destroyers among siblings of different mothers. The best name for it is polygamous witchcraft. The ugly part of it is that, the children may be in good terms, but their destinies have been tampered with by the mothers in rivalry.

The children will usually grow to respect, love and support each other if the influence of their mothers were not there. Otherwise, everything between them will be misinterpreted. When you notice cordiality in a home of two different mothers, one of the women is not in contact with her children; either through death or abandonment. The moment there is a contact, the tune will change. Exception is rare.

Hagar was Sarai’s maid. Sarai respected and believed Abraham’s conviction. But she, within the logics of man, thought that wouldn’t be realistic as far as her agility is concerned. She was absolutely ignorant of what God had in stock for her. She was ignorant of the uprightness of God and His faithfulness to His promises. In order to actualize God’s promises to Abraham, she took a step not to be a hindrance to God’s move in Abraham’s life. She gave Abraham her maid because Abraham was not ready to come as low as to be promiscuous within his own household. After all, Hagar was beautiful enough to look at, otherwise he would have rejected Sarah’s offer.

The moment Hagar was upgraded to wifery and she conceived, Sarai felt despised. A pregnant woman will always have a change in body chemistry which will affect her domestic duties. Many times, they look more beautiful. This might probably be the condition of Hagar which Sarai misinterpreted. On the other hand, she might have lost a little bit of respect for Sarah. She definitely became not submissive.

Genesis 16:4 “And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.”

As woman, who felt despised, that home became inhabitable for Hagar. The angel of the Lord met her and told her to learn submission and the house will be okay. She did and we never heard of another fight or contention between them until she found Ishmael playing the ‘big brother’ pranks on Isaac. Then, the subdued fire flared up again.

Genesis 21:9-11 “And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had bornunto Abraham, mocking. 10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. 11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.”

She did not even call Hagar and son by name anymore, but by what she represented in that home; slave. She was intimidated that Ishmael might take over the inheritance in future. This was grievous in Abraham.

Rivalry is the problem of the church today. Rivalry between founders of ministries. Rants of spiritual leaders against another leader. It so bad that cliques are being formed now as against brotherly love among the body of Christ. One clique calling another demonic and unscriptural ministry. To another clique, uneducated. Some even rate anointing. Satan is winning just because the children of Abraham are at war with each other through the doctrine of the various mothers; rivalry.

Just as rivalry is polygamous witchcraft, so it has become witchcraft in the body of Christ and this is a grieve in Jesus Christ. Some thing has been violated in the body of Christ and that is LOVE.

John 13:35  “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Members cannot worship with another ministry. If a ministry was faced with satanic attack, it is the church that would first condemn that ministry before the gentiles. They delight in the plight of one another. Members in the body of Christ are no more one but divided. The body is in pain.

The rivalry between Sarah and Hagar terminated the recognition of Hagar and Ishmael in Abraham’s life. Nothing was heard of both until Abraham’s death and Ishmael had to come and bury his father. The death of Hagar was not stated in the Bible. They were lost in the wilderness.

This is the dilemma of victims of polygamous witchcraft.

After ousting Hagar and son, Abraham was left with Sarah and Isaac. He had no option but to regard Isaac as the only son. The greatest test in Abraham’s life was when God requested for Isaac for a sacrifice. Sarah was too protective of Isaac. To the point that Abraham did not tell her God wanted her son for a sacrifice but sneaked out to carry out the Lord’s instruction. At this point, he had regarded God as first before Sarah without hurting Sarah.

Genesis 22:16-18 “And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”

To pass God’s test, it is a personal thing; not joint efforts. Your heart must be totally given to him and it must be tried and tested. Abraham made a good bargain with God on behalf of his descendants. This bargain is extended to his children by faith through Jesus.

Since Isaac was a child of covenant, everything about him fell in pleasant places. In the choice of a wife, it was prophetic. And the servant carried his ministry under oath of a covenant. In all of his journey to find a wife for Isaac, he was always mentioning the God of his master, Abraham. He was under an oath and he recognized the covenant under which his master operated and he prospered.

Every genuine ministry is established under a particular covenant struck under a horrifying condition, Genesis 15:12.

Genesis 15:12 “And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.”

Once they remain under that covenant, the ministry prospers. If another covenant is mixed, problems starts. Many have deviated into the ministry of mammon. This is the reason many become intimidated when they see one in prospering in his ministry.

The covenants are different form each other. Each covenant has its own detailed instructions. Abraham’s was detailed. Ministries are different from one another based on the divine encounter and place.

The workers under the ministry are under oaths. Once they remain under oath to the covenant, they will prosper just like Abraham’s servant.

Unfortunately, many who are supposed to be under oath have assumed their gifts to be a covenant and, therefore, broke the oath to start their ministries. Such have caused a lot of problems in the body of Christ. They are usually not stable. They listen to other messages and take them to preach, claiming ownership. Some use the miracles of other ministries to pass their messages thereby taking credit for it; spiritual fraud.

Servants under oath find things easy in ministry, while servants who have broken the oath become problems to the body of Christ.

Is your ministry under oath or out of oath? To remain under oath is to remain under the blessing of your mentor.

Genesis 24:40 “And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house:”

Abraham’s servant remained under oath and here is his testimony, prompt answer to his prayers.

Genesis 24:45 “And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.”

May the Lord plant your feet in the place of blessing this year in the name of Jesus Christ

Keep the fire burning

Supo Abayode

MFM, Delaware, USA