The Resurrection that removed us from the curse of rejection

Scripture Reference

Genesis 3: 23-24 says: “So the Lord God banished him from the Garden from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”

When God created man, He had a good plan for him. He placed him in a garden having prepared everything that was necessary for his survival. However, one day, Adam and Eve sinned and this caused them to lose that privileged position and to be removed from the Garden of Eden. It is from this time that the curse of rejection started following mankind up to this day.

This is why, at some point, as children grow up, they will start feeling this emptiness inside of them (especially during teenagehood) and they will try to look for ways to fill it, sometimes even by indulging in bad behaviors. All of us, in one way or another have felt rejected and alone in this world.

The word of God tells us that before we were conceived in our mother’s womb, God knew us. In our day to day life, we plan and organize things before they happen. For instance, for you to be seated on a chair in this church did not happen by mistake. It was planned ahead of time, and even the type of chair you will sit on was planned ahead of time. If human beings can plan such little things ahead of time, how much more did God have a well-laid out plan for you before He created you.

This is why you should know that it is not just by coincidence that you were born in that family even though, you might have felt rejected in it at some point.  This also happened in the life of Jesus Christ, Joseph, Moses and many other great servants of God.

A great point to remember is this:

Just like in the Old Testament, where a goat would be taken somewhere in the desert carrying the sins of the people, Jesus Christ was taken outside of the city somewhere up on a mountain to be crucified for us. He became our scapegoat. He was rejected by his own, including Peter his close friend. His life was exchanged to that of Barabbas, a renowned criminal. Those who sang “Hosanna, Hosanna” for Him, now wanted to see him crucified. He carried the curse of rejection for us in him (Isaiah 53:1-6).When he was buried, they put him in a grave outside of the city as a sign of rejection again. 

But when He rose again, He resurrected with Victory over rejection. And we resurrected with Him as His disciples with Victory over the Spirit of Rejection and we have received a new nature as a result of our resurrection.  Romans 8: 15 says that: “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

Because of your faith in Christ, you have been accepted in the family of God never to be rejected again.
Rest in this fact, and stop trying to gain the approval of people. But rejoice, because the Most High God has approved you. And if the Almighty God has accepted you, who can reject you?

                                                                                Sermon preached by Nahimana Dieudonne

                                                             on Sunday, 27th of April 2014

Image retrieved on the internet from this website:

http://notes.envato.com/submission-tips-2/dealing-with-rejection-part-1/

Easter

Scripture Reference: 

Exodus 12: 1-14 

Easter did not start with the resurrection of Christ. It existed before as we see it in the scripture. However it was a shadow of what was to come. On the day of Passover, Jesus Christ told his disciples that things are going to change; that Passover will no longer be celebrated the way it’s been in the past. This is because He was going to die for us.

Today we celebrate Easter, testifying that Jesus defeated death and that those who believe in him are no longer under the slavery of pharaoh, satan or sin...that they are indeed free !

Jesus Christ was pierced, flogged and crucified so that you can be redeemed. He was paying the price for your redemption. He sweated blood in the Garden of Gethsemane as He was bearing our grief, so that no matter the circumstances that we may be going through as his disciples, we will have rest through it all.

He wore a crown of thorns and bled, to remove us from the curse of not advancing in life that came from Adam and Eve as a result of their disobedience to God. He was flogged that we may be healed. He was pierced on the side, and blood and water came from him, that we should no longer feel rejected or abandoned as His bride.

This was all part of the price that had to be paid for us to be redeemed. However, after He said that it is finished, He still had to do more for us to be born again. He descended to Hades, defeated death, received new life and became the first born from dead.

Important points to remember are these:

- When Christ was being crucified, we were in Him (as born again believers)

- When He said that “it is finished” (John 19:30), we were in Him

-  When He went down to Hades and defeated death, Satan and all the powers of darkness, we were in Him

Just like Christ, We have overcome Satan, and he knows it. Easter is a time of celebrating this eternal victory even as we remember what the Lord has done for us

.

And If you are not born again, remember that good works cannot save you. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can save you. Only the blood can remove your sins, only the work of Christ is valid in the sight of God. Your works cannot take you to heaven. But the blood of Jesus can. Are you born again? This is not about the church you go to, the family you come from, but it’s a decision you make. 

For more information on how to get born again this kindly click on this:

http://egliseoasisburundi.blogspot.com/2013/12/thanking-god-for-christ-whom-he-sent-to.html

God bless you all and 

Happy Easter!

Sermon preached by Pastor Nahimana

Dieudonne

Image extracted from slowbuddy.com

Dying to self

After the resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus Christ became more famous in the region. Jews saw him as the king who has come to bring an end to foreign rule.

 That is why they welcomed him saying: “Hosanna!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Blessed is the king of Israel!” (John 12:13)

What they didn't know is that he would be exalted through His death so that we can have life. He died so that we can have eternal life. For us to receive the manifestation of His life in our lives, we have to also accept to die to our nature. 

Paul said in Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Stop seeking the approval of people, trying to impress them. People may see you dying, but remember that after you death, there will be a resurrection.

Extract of the Sermon preached by Pastor Dieudonne Nahimana

On Sunday, 12/04/2014

Image "dying to live" extracted from:

http://soulawakenings.wordpress.com/2011/02/02/dying-to-self/

HOW TO PRAY FOR YOUR LOVED ONES WHO ARE NOT BORN AGAIN

PRAYER AS A WEAPON

Last Wednesday we looked at how to pray for our loved ones who are not saved. We said that those who are not saved, are blind and bound by Satan. They are his prisoners and operate under his power. They are not free to do what they want to do, just like prisoners in the physical realm, they do what their master tells them to do. They are in captivity under the power of the enemy.

We also said that we have received, as the disciples of Christ, the power to get them out of those prison cells where they are held in captivity. Jesus Christ said to his disciples: "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 18:18). We are not called to argue and dispute with them. But rather we are called to prophesy over them and call them out from those prisons. We are supposed to use the power given to us by the word of God.

Today, we are going to continue by talking about prayer as a weapon. The Prayers that the righteous make in faith are stronger than bombs. If God opened your eyes to see what happens in the spiritual realm when you pray in faith...you would be surprised. 
Sometimes,Satan builds up walls that hinder us from going far. These walls can be poverty, sickness and all sorts of problems and generational curses.

It takes one who has understood who they are in Christ to break those walls and limitations and bring transformation in their family and neighborhood. Let's not look for ways to go to India and China to set people free when in our own villages and towns, we still have not finished the duty that God has given us. We have to start with our Jerusalem. 

We have the Lion of the Tribe of Judah living in us. Remember, It is not about us- our power and strength. It is about Him who overcame. Jesus Christ. Use the power given to you by the Word God. Bind and close up those hangout spots in your neighborhood where young people sit while using drugs. Prophesy and use the power given to you by God.

However, all this is possible if you have a good relationship with God. You need to evaluate yourself. Is your life pleasing to the Lord? just because you are born again doesn't give you a license to sin. You need to have a good relationship with Jesus Christ to be clothed in power. It takes one who has an intimate relationship with God, who spends quality time with Him, to be used by Him for great things. 

Jesus said: "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." (John 15:7)." Living in sin can stop us from hearing the voice of God and progressing in our spiritual life. Anytime the children of Israel sinned against God, they did not move forward; they made no progress. We need to avoid sin and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, then we will be able to get to our destinies prepared for us by God.

Other passages to read:
John 5:14
Matthew 5:22
1 John 3: 20-21