THE BROKEN WINGS
Luke 15:11-19.
"11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”
From The Mansions To The Pigsty
This is a story of a young man who asked for his share of inheritance from his father. The father granted his request and not long after, he went to a far country. The prodigal son left a prosperous house - a house which he did not face lack or shortage. When the son spent all he had, he faced a severe lack when a famine arose in the land he was living in. He got a job with a Gentile, he ended up feeding pigs, and finding he has the same desires as the pigs.
The son of a great man living in a mansion has now become a co-tenant with pigs in the pigsty. It was this problem that brought him back to his father.
Like many of us today who have wandered away from the Father. God lets us experience sicknesses, financial problems, trials, and challenges just to bring us closer to Himself. He uses these things not to punish us but to help us realize that without Him, we cannot stand alone and we cannot make it in this life.
Judges 16: 21-25.
"21 Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison. 22 However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven.
23 Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice. And they said: “Our god has delivered into our hands Samson our enemy!”
24 When the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said:
“Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy,
The destroyer of our land,
And the one who multiplied our dead.”
25 So it happened, when their hearts were merry, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may perform for us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he performed for them. And they stationed him between the pillars."
The Deliverer Who Became A Joke
Every time God's people wandered away and sinned. He permits the enemies to afflict them. Whenever they cry out, He sends deliverer to rescue them. One of the deliverers that God raised up was Samson.
Before he was born, the Angel of the Lord told his mother, "he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5). As soon as Samson grew, “…the LORD blessed him. And the Spirit of the LORD began to move upon him…” (Judges 13:24-25).
Samson was a "superman" before superman was ever created in the comic world. He was stronger than any man before or after him. But, he violated God's command. He went down like an eagle whose wings were broken. Samson fell.
Delilah said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him” (Judges 16:20).
What a tragedy! Samson eagle's wings were broken. “Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison” (Judges 16:21).
Here was a man born with glorious destiny, mission and assignment, to deliver a nation, his people, now doing the lowest, most degrading and hardest type of work.
Samson had not been born to be a grinder; he was born to be a deliverer! No wonder the Bible says, "I have seen servants on horses, While princes walk on the ground like servants." Ecclesiastes 10:7.
Not only had Samson became a grinder in the prison but, he was also humiliated in chains as a prisoner. How the mighty fallen!
Pray: O God, do not allow my enemies to rejoice over me, in Jesus name!
Joshua 2: 1 - 4.
"Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.”
So they went, and came to the house of a HARLOT named Rahab, and lodged there. 2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country.”
3 So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country.”
4 Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from."
The Famous Harlot in the Bible!
In preparation for entering Canaan, the Promise land, Joshua had sent out two spies, who were eventually received by a woman simply known as “Rahab the harlot.” Her personality and identity is in three words "Rahab the Harlot."
She was lost and looking for love in all the wrong places. Her neighbours called her a woman of the night. Some referred to her as the "night nurse." Rahab was “a woman who sold her body for money.” She was a sinner. Am very sure while she was growing up Rahab's parents had high hopes concerning her future. Now she is a prostitute.
Thankfully, God gave her a clean slate, a fresh start. Rahab became the mother of Boaz who married Ruth, who became the great-grandmother of King David. Jesus Christ, came from the line of King David.
Regardless of her past, Rahab was rescued because she believed in the power of the Almighty God. She was taken in as an adopted daughter of the Jews. Her old life as a prostitute had ended. God gave her a new beginning.
Self Discovery
The major reason why many great men and women are living below the expectation of God today is because of an identity problem. When you are confused about who you are, you can become convinced that you are useless, worthless and a failure.
When you lose your identity you lose your destiny. Identity is who you are. It is your self-definition. When you discover your identity, it gives you boldness and authority. Identity enhances your worth, gives you a sense of importance or value and boost your self-confidence. Every child of God has a glorious destiny.
Do you know who you are? You're valuable. You're not defined by your past or failures. Your history is not your destiny! Sometimes, we allow the past to stop us from taking fresh opportunities. We allow the feelings of guilt, regrets, rejections, pain, depression, betrayals, bereavement, and self pity to overwhelm us to the extent that it becomes difficult to move on. In order to walk in the newness of life, we must forget the past and forgive as well. Forgetting doesn’t mean, of course, that we wiped out our memories. It means we make a conscious decision to not let the past absorb our attention and hinder our progress. Forgetting means we’re not worried about the past anymore.
Today is a gift to erase all the ugly memories of yesterday. Learn from yesterday’s mistakes. Refuse to concentrate on them. Repent and confess all sins. Receive God’s grace and keep pressing forward. Your destiny supersedes your mistakes!
When you know why you're here and what your God-given dreams are, you become an impact and a solution. What's your desires or passions? What motivates you? What do you do that doesn't seem like work? What makes you refuse to quit when you meet with resistance or opposition? What do you do that brings positive response and support from others? What keeps you going forward when you worn out? What makes you feel good about being who you are? What are you willing to sacrifice to accomplish it? What are you doing that you'd be proud to offer for God's approval? What would you do without being paid for?
Your Destiny Will Attract Satan
The discovery and fulfilment of your destiny scares the devil. Nothing gives him as much pleasure as keeping you from going after your purpose.
Perhaps you’re not who you should be now. Sadly, the real lives of many exist only in their dreams. They count money in the dreams but they are poor in real life. They own companies in the dreams but are jobless in the real world. They preach to thousands of people in the dreams but are still living in sin in the physical. They own and live in mansions in the dreams but can’t even afford a rent in the physical world.
But, God's saying, it is time to shake off the dust of depression, failures, poverty, sickness, and of defeat. It's time to come out of the pigsty! Do no sit in the dust anymore. Sit in your rightful place. Take up your authority. Sit on your seat of power. Sit on your throne. You're royalty! Take up your rightful position. You’re not a slave!
Enemies of Destiny:
1. Sin:
Sin causes us to fall short of God’s glory. It prevents us from becoming who He wants us to be. Sin is a sinker! It delays progress, restrains the finger of God, cut short dreams, truncates hope, reduces potentials, hinders breakthroughs, limits greatness, puts up a wall of resistance, and render ones effort fruitless.
Are you willing to take responsibility for your sin? Why not acknowledge them and repent today? “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28: 13.
2. Wrong associations.
There are four people in life: those who add, those who subtract, those who divide and those who multiply.
3. Laziness:
Laziness is the killer of hope and dreams. At times, it does not mean you are not doing something, but that you may not sincerely do what you ought to do, or fail to do what is to be done when it needs to be done.
4. Wrong Positioning:
Every time you position yourself correctly – God responds. Many a time we miss our blessings because we won’t go to the place that God prepares for us.
If you are living in sin, you are already out of position. Just like the prodigal son, why don’t you come to the Father today? There are testimonies awaiting you.
5. Evil Manipulation.
The purpose of this manipulation is to stop, delay, divert and suppresses your destiny. The devils mission is to kill, to steal and to destroy, (John 10:10). He's a killer and a thief. A lot of great men and woman today are roaming the streets as ordinary people because the devil has robbed them of their glorious destinies. This is indeed a great tragedy.
There are many unseen forces fighting us from discovering and fulfilling destinies. Satan will always come to you with a lot of distractions aimed at moving you out of glorious destiny. That is why we must fight a good fight of faith to discover our God ordained destinies. We must resist and engage in intense spiritual warfare.
6. Procrastination:
7. Wrong Mind-set:
The Bible says that we should put on the mind of Christ. We must acquire the mindset that we can do all things through Christ. You must change your attitude and mindset.
8. Lack of Faith:
Faith is built on trust. God wants us to trust Him.
9. Failure to pray or wrong prayers.
11. Fear. It paralyzes.
What To Do?
1. Carry out a thorough personal spiritual examination and genuinely repent of every sin..
2. Seek your destiny in the Word: It is a mirror revealing who you truly are.
The Bible is God's instructional manual. If you want to discover your purpose and destiny in life, you must go for the Word of God. Everything you need to know about your life is packaged in the Bible. When you study the Word, God opens your eyes to see His purpose for your life on this earth. He shows you visions and revelations of His plans and purpose for your life.
Make the Word of God your number one priority from today, study it passionately, chew on it, give yourself wholly to the Word and God shall visit.
4. Seek your destiny in fasting and prayer: Prayer is the key that unlocks glorious destinies. Prayer changes every situations. You're not a product of fate, with prayer you can control your fate in this world. Prayer is a catalyst that speeds up our progress in life. That you are on your way to glory and greatness does not mean you will arrive there safely, that is why you must engage in persistent and prevailing prayer. Jesus started with prayer and ended with prayer.
Beloved, no matter what you've done, the good news is that, you too, can have a fresh start. Jesus can save you. No matter where you've been or what you've done, it is not over! God can give you a brand new start. The same grace Rahab received is now available to you today.
Don’t let your past, steal your future!
It's time for your broken wings to fly again. It's time for your eagle to soar again. Believe in God. Believe in yourself. See yourself as God sees you.
However, if you reading this sermon and you have never at one time in your life surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus Christ or you backslide, I would advise that you do so.
"But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31.
Spread your wings!
Destiny Discovery Prayer Points
1. By the power of God,I reject every satanic re-arrangement of my destiny, in the name of Jesus.
2. I refuse to live below my divine standard, in Jesus’ name.
3. Every evil power having negative impact on my destiny, die, in Jesus name.
4. I paralyse every destiny polluter, in the name of Jesus.
5. Every damage done to my destiny before today, be repaired now, in the name of Jesus.
6. O Lord, restore me to Your original design for my life.
7. O God my Father, anoint my eyes, hand and legs to locate my divine purpose.
8. Let the spirit of excellence come upon me, in Jesus’ name.
9. I command all powers of darkness assigned to my destiny to leave and never return, in the name of Jesus.
10. Every incantation, ritual and witchcraft power against my destiny, be destroyed, in the name of Jesus.
11. Every household wickedness struggling to re-arrange my destiny, loose your hold, in the name of Jesus.
12. O Lord, bring to light every darkness shielding my potentials, in Jesus name.
13. I break every curse of backwardness, in the name of Jesus
14. Oh Lord, do not let me come to this world in vain, in the name of Jesus.
15. Every local charm burnt against me, be roasted and neutralised, in Jesus name.
16. I release myself from ungodly parental linkage, affecting my destiny, in the name of Jesus.
17. I render null and void, the influence of destiny polluters, in the name of Jesus.
18. Every household wickedness struggling to re-arrange my destiny, die, in the name of Jesus.
19. My destiny is attached to God, therefore, I decree that I can never fail, in the name of Jesus.
20. I reject every satanic alternative for my destiny, in Jesus’ name.
21. I recover my stolen vehicle of destiny, in the name of Jesus
22. O Lord, anoint my destiny afresh.
23. Every power waging war against my destiny, fall down and die, in Jesus name.
24. Destiny thieves, release me now, in the name of Jesus.
25. I overthrow every satanic re-arrangement programmed against my destiny, in the name of Jesus
26. Every power derailing my destiny, fall down and die, in the name of Jesus.
27. Anything programmed against my destiny in the heavenlies, be shaken down, in the name of Jesus.
28. Every satanic altar, fashioned against my destiny, die, in the name of Jesus.
29. My destiny shall not suffer affliction, in the name of Jesus.
30. Today, I raise the altar of continuous prosperity upon my destiny, in the name of Jesus.
31. Dear Father, I thank you for answering my prayers, in Jesus name.
