THE GARMENT OF GOD’S CHAMPIONS.

The great men of God of all ages are distinguished by one characteristic- Humility. This is the apparent garment of God’s champions. It is the indispensable quality of those who do exploits through God’s power. Without it God may bypass you. With it God stands by your side. 

God demands that his people develop this quality before they can enter His roll of honour. Indeed the word of God praises this quality in man very highly. Humility attracts God’s favour. He has a soft spot for the humble . The following verses in the scripture illustrate this point:-

Ps 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Ps 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Pr 15:33 ¶ The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

Mt 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Jas 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Most people that God has used greatly in time past have had to first train in the university of adversity, to the intent that they will develop this quality.  Moses had matriculated from the university of Egypt, but when he showed zeal to defend Israelites in Egypt God sent him for preparation to the university of adversity in the backside of the Desert the . After 40 years of serving as a shepherd for another man, in the harsh conditions of western Arabia, God appeared to Him and commissioned Him.

Similarly, Joseph was promised a great position of leadership, but before God could usher him to his seat, He first took him through a process of humbling that involved being a slave, servant and prisoner.

When he successfully completed this manner of schooling, God took him and elevated him to the throne in one day.

What about David? After his anointing to be king of Israel, he had to suffer as a runaway fugitive , living in caves, and feigning mad to survive in enemy territory. That was his training in humility. When he graduated, he became the best king of Israel ever, and God promised him an everlasting kingdom.

It is the same with us. Until you learn and cultivate humility, God cannot entrust us with His kingdom business.

SOME QUOTATIONS ON HUMILITY.

It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels. -St. Augustine

True humility is not an abject, groveling, self-despising spirit; it is but a right estimate of ourselves as God sees us. -Edwards

After crosses and losses, men grow humbler and wiser. -Franklin

Those that are truly desirous to be owned and accepted by God will likewise desire not to be taken notice of nor applauded by men. -Henry

When thy latter end is greatly increased, remember the smallness of thy beginnings. -Henry

Those are best prepared or the greatest mercies that see they are unworthy of the least. -Henry

Don't let us think that we need to be "stars" in order to shine. It was by the ministry of a candle that the woman recovered her lost piece of silver. -Jowett

Some people talk of how humble they are; but a lighthouse does not have a trumpet blown, it is its own witness. - D.L. Moody

The proud man counts his newspaper clippings-the humble his blessings. -Sheen

Humility is not denying the power you have but admitting that the power you have comes through you and not from you. To deny your power is to lie. We... simply have to admit that power comes through us and not from us. --Fred Smith

Humility is strong-not bold; quiet-not speechless; sure-not arrogant. -Smith

True humility is intelligent self-respect that keeps us from thinking too highly or too meanly of ourselves. It makes us mindful of the nobility God meant us to have. Yet it makes us modest by reminding us how far we have come short of what we can be. -Sockman

The more fit a man is for God's work, the lower he esteems himself. -Spurgeon

Humility like darkness reveals the heavenly lights. –Thoreau

The scripture reveals that the purpose of the wilderness experience for Israelites on their sojourn from Egypt was to humble them. He could have taken them from Egypt through philistine territory and got them to the the promised land in 2 weeks. They would not have had to suffer hunger or thirst. But God wanted them through the desert as a training process.

De 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

Unfortunately, the children of Israel like many of us did not understand, what they had to go through, so they failed the test. They dropped out dead from God’s university. They did not graduate. They did not develop the humility that God desired of them. 

You and I need to take heed, to develop this noble quality that God is looking for. Then God will deem us fit to receive our inheritance, and position in the kingdom.

Pst. Ngethe.

BREAKTHROUGHS COME FROM SACRIFICE.

 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny

 himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mt 16:24)

Jesus Christ the son of God left His glory, his position and lived sacrificially on earth in order to accomplish His redemptive mission. Few people understand that noble accomplishments in any field demand a measure of sacrifice. Great leaders have become great through sacrifice. Mahatma Gandhi liberated India from colonial rule through sacrifice. Mandela accomplished what he did through sacrifice. Martin Luther King led a movement that resulted in civil liberties and emancipation of the blacks in America through sacrifice that included his own life. The list goes on and on.

Without sacrifice, our lives will be confined to mediocrity. Nothing of value is ever accomplished without sacrifice. Jesus wanted His followers to be revolutionary winners. So He demanded sacrifice of His followers. You and I are called to a life of accomplishment that can only come through sacrifice. If we are to be worthy of this calling we must embrace the principle of sacrifice . “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” (Mt 10:38) True disciples of the Lord know the value and practice of sacrifice. “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” (Lu 14:27)By the way, it is impossible to be a true Christian without sacrifice.

Do you want spiritual breakthrough in your life, it is found in the way of sacrifice. Prayer breakthrough must entail sacrifice. Financial breakthrough will entail sacrificial stewardship.

Many times , comfort, convenience, complacency, failure and poverty go together. Why did the early disciples accomplish so much with so little? They embraced the way of sacrifice. They enjoyed spiritual breakthrough as a result. If you want your life to count both here and in eternity, commit yourself to sacrificial service. You will experience breakthrough in a dimension you have never dreamed.

Pastor Ngethe.