Virtuous Living

As Christians, many a time we pray fervently for God to speak to us or show us a sign and we expect Him to speak in a specific manner (through dreams, visions, a Prophet, an unusual circumstance or disruption of the elements). Some of us have even flipped Bibles to miraculously open to a page where a verse will jump up to us for direction.

Prophet Elijah had a similar experience:

11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

1 Kings 19:11-13 NLT

Don’t get me wrong, several people have had their breakthroughs or impact revealed in these forms. However we need to understand that God mostly speaks to us in the ‘language’ that we understand and this could be in the minute details of our everyday lives that we tend to conveniently ignore.

By all means, spend personal time digging into the word. Make time to meditate on God’s word and ruminate it as much as you can. It forms the foundation to hear from Him. Communication is 3D, speaking-listening-understanding. Each element is divinely critical.

Observe the journey of your life through the mirror of His word and you will notice that along the way He has been speaking all along. God speaks to each of us uniquely; just as purely as His love for each one is. Just as we pray and meditate, we need to be intentional about LISTENING.

After all Job endured to keep his faith, God still asked him to listen:

“Give ear, Job, listen to me;

Hold your peace, and I will speak.

If you have anything to say, answer me;

Speak, for I desire to justify you.

If not, listen to me;

Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Job 33:31-33 NKJV

Read good books, watch inspiring videos, listen to great sermons BUT after all these LISTEN TO HIM. He yearns to commune with us if only we will give Him our time.

Clarity usually occurs when we pause and listen…

🎧 LISTEN !!! 🎧

Love, Esinam.

The word REVERENCE stems from the English word Revere and in Latin Reverentia/ Revereri meaning “to stand in awe of”. To revere God means to illuminate His sovereignty in our lives. Let’s take a cue from the book of Job.

Satan believed that Job loved God because God had blessed him and shielded him. For him, if God took away His protection and stripped Job of the good gifts, he will turn his back to God. But God knows His own, he sees the heart and deepest desires. He could boast that Job would fear Him still (i.e. revere Him) even if He took away all that he had. “Have you considered my servant Job?”

Let’s see Job’s first test:

“One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.”

Job 1:6-12 NLT

Even when God is testing us He stills looks out for our best interest. Consider that although he gave satan full access to Job and all he possessed, He entreated him not to harm him physically. Our God cares. As the story of Job’s first test unfolds, notice that the devil deploys three tools to inflict hurt on Job. He stole his cattle and oxen, he killed his shepherds and children and he destroyed his property.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 10:10

The life that God has freely gifted us is one embellished with flourishing and abundance. The tests we endure are processes to weigh our motives and our hearts to ascertain if the outward characters we portray are a true reflection of our reverence for God.

Job’s trials came all at once and suddenly. Out of nowhere he began to experience pain and loss. The test you are facing now be it financial loss, marital challenges, emotional torture, social imbalances, psychological trauma, whatever it may be could be as a result of something you are actually doing right (provided you are obeying God’s ordinances and walking in His will). The word of God entreats us to be steadfast…

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

1 Corinthians 15:58

God is on our side and His has our best interest at heart. The purification of our hearts is to make us vessels of honour; to reveal the Glory of God’s divine nature. In our moments of pain, of struggle, of failure, of weakness, we may grief or be angry but only for a period. We must never forget our fear of God. We must return to worship Him for we are because HE IS!!

“Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.”

Job 1:20-22 NLT

🎶 You are beautiful beyond description. Too marvelous for words. Too wonderful for comprehension. Like nothing ever seen or heard. Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom. Who can fathom the depths of Your love. You are beautiful beyond description. Majesty enthroned above 🎶

We can portray reverence through our attitude, our focus and our actions. I pray that you begin to manifest the best version of yourself as led by the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Love, Esinam.