Ministering: Pastor Shola Awobajo (Senior Pastor).
Text: Gen. 17:1-10.
” 1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. 3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. 9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.”
Today is our Annual Covenant Day in IGA. Annually, we return to renew our Covenant with God. Every child of God operates by Covenant. Christianity is based on a Covenant. Every relationship with God is rooted in a Covenant. Our above Text relates to God calling Abraham to a Covenant with Him. As believers in Christ, God’s means of relating with us is different from his dealing with unbelievers; He deals with us based on The Covenant in Christ. Gal. 3:13-14. Every Blessing we receive from God is because of The New Covenant in Christ.
Psalm 50:4-5 says – “He shall call to the heavens from above, And to the earth, that He may judge His people: “Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” The Sacrifice of our Covenant with God is The Blood of The Lord Jesus Christ.
Why a Renewal of The Covenant? As humans, we often get distracted from the important things of life, hence, the need for us to gather as a congregation to bring to remembrance The Covenant with God. Jacob apparently had forgotten his Covenant with God, thus, was instructed to go back to Bethel to renew The Covenant. We are back today to “Bethel” to renew our Covenant with God. Also, before the Children of Israel crossed into the Promise Land God instructed Joshua to circumcise the children of Israel that were yet to be circumcised (the token of The Covenant). The reproach of Egypt was removed from their lives as they were circumcised.
What is A Covenant? A Covenant is formal agreement or an undertaken that is legally binding. It is also a commitment between two or more parties. Joshua 2:14. Upon our acceptance of Christ, The Lord became our ransom and thus, there was an exchange of our life for His Life. His Divine Life is ours today. A Covenant is often symbolized, institutionalized, and memorialized.
Facts about Covenant and God:
1. God does not relate with any man except by Covenant – Matt. 11:28-30, John 1:11-13.
2. God does not receive a man’s service except by Covenant relationship. – Jer. 1:4-5, Exod. 23:25.
3. God does not bless a man except in a Covenant. – Deut. 28:1-2, Mal. 3:10.
4. Every nagging problem bows to a Covenant with God – Joshua 11:28-37.
5. God never violates His Covenant. – Ps. 89, Num. 23:9.
6. God does not forget His Covenant. – Exod. 2:25-26.
7. God will not break His Covenant with Man. Jer. 13:20.
8. God wants you to keep your own side of The Covenant – Ecc. 4:4-6.
9. God wants you to keep your Covenant in every area.
Provisions of The Covenant:
1. Under Covenant, there is Peace – Isa. 9:7.
2. Under Covenant there is Favor – Dan.1:9.
3. Under Covenant, there is Direction for Life. – Exod. 23:20, Ps. 23:4, Rom. 8:14.
4. Under Covenant, there is Healing. – 3 John 4, Isa. 53.
5. Under Covenant, there is Deliverance. – Exod. 3.
6. Under Covenant, there is Prosperity – Deut. 8:18.
7. Under Covenant, Devil is always a loser. – John 10:10.
8. Under Covenant, The Lord takes over your Battle. – Ps. 126.
In closing, Heb. 8:13 says – In that He says, “A New Covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
God Bless You!
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