DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE

Wednesday 28th September 2022

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Throughout the scriptures, every man and woman who encountered Jesus whether in the old or new testament would release their faith in Him and their lives never remained the same.

Sadly, some people had an encounter with Jesus and they never changed. One of the sad stories in the bible is the life of Judas. Not only did Jesus call him but also knew his love and greed for money. However, Jesus believed that if Judas came to Him, a transformation would take place.

John 12:6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

As close as the Lord was to Judas, He could not deliver him out of this bondage of love and greed for money because he decided to stand a blind eye and become indifferent to what was about to become his downfall. For three and a half years, Judas sustained this evil heart while living, talking, and eating with Jesus.

It depends on your degree of willingness to allow the Holy Spirit to work through your soul and reproduce the very life of Jesus. God has never preserved anybody's will but it takes surrender(total release of yourself) to see the Holy Spirit work in the different areas of your life.

Mark 3:5. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched [it] out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.

Jesus did not tell the man with the withered hand which hand to stretch forth. It was his choice and he chose to release that hand that was weak and he received healing.

Every time you come to the presence of the Holy Spirit, the choice is yours because you know which areas of your life are unproductive and withered. He could have lifted the hand which was whole but he was humble enough to realize; I need that healing and he stretched out his withered hand and the power of God was able to flow through.

Lamentations 3:22-23 [Through] the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. [They are] new every morning; Great [is] Your faithfulness.

The mercies of God are available but it takes faith and demand to see that mercy work through your life and reproduce the necessary changes in your life.

What is it in life that you are holding onto like Judas because you think it's serving your advantage?

Judas was furnishing his appetite with the money he was taking from the puss because he took his weakness as an advantage to get staff.

This has affected many believers. What weakness do you have in your life that you are using it to your advantage yet it's a bondage that will send you to hell?

Mark 10:46-47 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

As Bartimaeus called on the mercies of God, Judas was right there walking with Jesus but couldn't cry out to Him. Judas was so close to the master yet so far.

Could it be you this evening? If you do not allow the Holy Spirit to help you, you will end up in the wrong direction like Judas. The Lord may be using you and you are known as a man or woman of God but deep inside your spirit you know there is something like greed, envy, etc killing you (Proverbs 14:10).

Tonight, confront yourself and lift your eyes to the one whose mercies are new every morning. If you can permit that mercy to flow through that withered area of your life, life will start to flow into that place (Exodus 20:6).

All the disciples that Jesus picked had their weaknesses but the reason why Judas stood out is that he looked at h