Breath of Power - Week 18/04

Week 18: April 26 - May 2, 2004

DEALING WITH ISSUES

Key Passage: 1 Peter 5: 8 - 9

Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a strong stand against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are (NLT).

A young evangelist at a revival service preached on the story of the woman with the “issue of blood” (KJV Mk 5:25-29). He said that everyone has an “issue”. For the woman, it was “issue of blood”; while for others, it could be “financial issues”, “family issues” or other kinds of “issues”. He spoke passionately, “Whatever is your own ‘issue’, just touch the helm of Jesus’ garment, and the issue will cease.” Some intellectuals at the service rose up to argue that the “issue of blood” in the passage meant “a blood discharging ailment” and not “a matter of concern” as the evangelist thought. But an elderly pastor rose in defense of the evangelist and said that though he misunderstood the meaning of the word “issue” in the context, the message he conveyed was the truth. Different people have different issues, and it is for each person to identify the issues in his or her life and bring it to Jesus for solution.

A young believer who consulted a witch doctor spoke in his own defense that his action was due to the peculiar nature of his problem. A woman who physically abused her visually impaired husband claimed that he was the aggressor through his verbal abuse. A teenager who slept around with men said she had no option since she had no one to pay her school fees. All these people had “issues” which they used to justify their wrongdoings. However, they failed to appreciate that they were not the only ones that have “issues”, and that God does not accept any excuse for unrighteousness, wickedness and immorality (2 Tim 2:19).

We all have our different “issues”. Many of these “issues’ arise as attacks by the devil against our lives. We should watch out for these attacks, resist the devil vehemently and stand strong in faith as valiant soldiers so as not to fall prey to his ploy. We should not compromise our faith because of the nature of our “issues”. We should remain faithful to God in spite of our circumstances. God will surely see us through.

To deal with “issues” in our lives, we have to first identify them, and then seek to resolve them in line with the word of God. We should indeed meditate on the promises of God in the Scripture that relate to those “issues” and appropriate those promises by faith.

Pray, Lord, help me to deal with every “issue” in my life in line with Your word; help me to stand in faith on Your promises and not to succumb to Satan’s pressure.

Written by – Evangelist Oguazi Onyemobi



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	Week 18: April 26 - May 2, 2004 DEALING WITH ISSUES Key Passage: 1 Peter 5: 8 - 9 Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a strong stand against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are (NLT). A young evangelist at a revival service preached on the story of the woman with the “issue of blood” (KJV Mk 5:25-29). He said that everyone has an “issue”. For the woman, it was “issue of blood”; while for others, it could be “financial issues”, “family issues” or other kinds of “issues”. He spoke passionately, “Whatever is your own ‘issue’, just touch the helm of Jesus’ garment, and the issue will cease.” Some intellectuals at the service rose up to argue that the “issue of blood” in the passage meant “a blood discharging ailment” and not “a matter of concern” as the evangelist thought. But an elderly pastor rose in defense of the evangelist and said that though he misunderstood the meaning of the word “issue” in the context, the message he conveyed was the truth. Different people have different issues, and it is for each person to identify the issues in his or her life and bring it to Jesus for solution. A young believer who consulted a witch doctor spoke in his own defense that his action was due to the peculiar nature of his problem. A woman who physically abused her visually impaired husband claimed that he was the aggressor through his verbal abuse. A teenager who slept around with men said she had no option since she had no one to pay her school fees. All these people had “issues” which they used to justify their wrongdoings. However, they failed to appreciate that they were not the only ones that have “issues”, and that God does not accept any excuse for unrighteousness, wickedness and immorality (2 Tim 2:19). We all have our different “issues”. Many of these “issues’ arise as attacks by the devil against our lives. We should watch out for these attacks, resist the devil vehemently and stand strong in faith as valiant soldiers so as not to fall prey to his ploy. We should not compromise our faith because of the nature of our “issues”. We should remain faithful to God in spite of our circumstances. God will surely see us through. To deal with “issues” in our lives, we have to first identify them, and then seek to resolve them in line with the word of God. We should indeed meditate on the promises of God in the Scripture that relate to those “issues” and appropriate those promises by faith. Pray, Lord, help me to deal with every “issue” in my life in line with Your word; help me to stand in faith on Your promises and not to succumb to Satan’s pressure. Written by – Evangelist Oguazi Onyemobi

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