EPISODE 778 – BE WATCHFUL AS THE LORD COMES 1
Apostle Benjamin Nana Amissah AnsahCHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY
The Love-Life Agency
BE WATCHFUL AS THE LORD COMES 1
“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
1 Thessalonians 5:6 (KJV)
Beloved in Christ, understand that our Lord Jesus shall surely come. His coming is not to the disadvantage of the believer. His coming is a day of celebration for His Church.
Every believer in Christ must set their affection on the coming of Christ.
As we discussed in the previous episode, the coming of Jesus is not to overtake you (the new creation) as a thief attacks at night.
The reason the day of the Lord wouldn’t be like a thief creeping on you to steal is not because you have diligently followed the Mosaic Law. It is not because by your own self-effort you have achieved some self-righteousness which is at par with the righteousness of God in Christ.
Well that is not even possible in any way. Your self-efforts can not bring you into the righteousness of God in Christ. Your self-righteousness is no righteousness at all, before the Lord.
“We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.” Isaiah 64:6 (NLT)
The coming of the Lord will not be to you (the born again) as a thief pounces on the innocent; not because of your good deeds.
Whatever you enjoy in Christ as a believer, is not essentially because of your self-effort. It is first according to what Christ has accomplished for you. You received all that Christ has accomplished for you through your faith in Him and His finished work through His death, burial and resurrection.
Your faith in Christ brings you into an eternal reality of life. This reality determines what you enjoy and how you function. Whatever you enjoy in the Lord, and whatever He instructs you to do is according to what He has supplied into you and how He has positioned you.
Take note of Paul’s admonition in 1 Thessalonians 5.
He said, “But you, beloved brothers and sisters, are not living in the dark, allowing that day to creep up on you like a thief coming to steal. For you are all children of the light and children of the day. We don’t belong to the night nor to darkness. This is why we must not fall asleep, as the rest do, but keep wide awake and clearheaded” 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 (TPT).
Did you see that?
Two crucial matters are stated here:
1. A benefit — that day shall not creep on you like a thief coming to steal.
2. Instruction — therefore keep awake or be alert or be watchful.
And these above matters I have mentioned are because of:
– The believers’ identity and disposition in Christ — We are children of light and the day
– The believer’s position and possession — You are not living in the dark, but in the light. You don’t belong to darkness. You belong to the day and your source is the Father in whom there is no darkness neither is there a shadow of turning (James 1:17).
This then puts Paul’s instruction, “be watchful…” into proper perspective.
The Apostle Paul’s instruction is not to create any sense of trepidation. Clearly, from the first few verses of chapter 5 of 1 Thessalonians he quashed every idea of fear, anxiety and hopelessness at the thought of the Lord’s coming.
Therefore Paul’s instruction to believers to be watchful cannot be because of the Lord’s coming. But to be watchful because you are in the light and must not live under the influence of deception and spiritual blindness as the people in darkness.
He was admonishing the Church that because we are in the light, we must stay awake in the spirit and alert with our eyes fixed on the truth.
Refuse to live in the fear and anxiety as of those who are in the darkness. Refuse to be unconcerned and ignorant about the coming of the Lord.
When you are watchful or alert of the Lord’s coming, you will live in the consciousness and care of shining forth the light of the Lord in a crooked and perverse generation.
Hallelujah!
Joshua 17" data-status="ok" data-translation="King James Version" data-verses="<sup>(17.1) </sup>There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead: because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan. <sup>(17.2) </sup>There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families; for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida: these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph by their families. <sup>(17.3) </sup>But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. <sup>(17.4) </sup>And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father. <sup>(17.5) </sup>And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan; <sup>(17.6) </sup>Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh’s sons had the land of Gilead. <sup>(17.7) </sup>And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that lieth before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of En-tappuah. <sup>(17.8) </sup>Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim; <sup>(17.9) </sup>And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea: <sup>(17.10) </sup>Southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east. <sup>(17.11) </sup>And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries. <sup>(17.12) </sup>Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. <sup>(17.13) </sup>Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out. <sup>(17.14) </sup>And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto? <sup>(17.15) </sup>And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee. <sup>(17.16) </sup>And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Beth-shean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel. <sup>(17.17) </sup>And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only: <sup>(17.18) </sup>But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong. ">Joshua 20-22
2 YEARS PLAN
Exodus 19" data-status="ok" data-translation="King James Version" data-verses="<sup>(19.1) </sup>In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they
into the wilderness of Sinai.
<sup>(19.2) </sup>For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come
to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.
<sup>(19.3) </sup>And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
<sup>(19.4) </sup>Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and
how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
<sup>(19.5) </sup>Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth
is mine:
<sup>(19.6) </sup>And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These
are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
<sup>(19.7) </sup>And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.
<sup>(19.8) </sup>And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.
<sup>(19.9) </sup>And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.
<sup>(19.10) </sup>And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
<sup>(19.11) </sup>And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
<sup>(19.12) </sup>And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves,
that ye go
not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:
<sup>(19.13) </sup>There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether
it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
<sup>(19.14) </sup>And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
<sup>(19.15) </sup>And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at
your wives.
<sup>(19.16) </sup>And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that
was in the camp trembled.
<sup>(19.17) </sup>And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
<sup>(19.18) </sup>And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
<sup>(19.19) </sup>And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
<sup>(19.20) </sup>And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses
up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
<sup>(19.21) </sup>And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
<sup>(19.22) </sup>And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.
<sup>(19.23) </sup>And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
<sup>(19.24) </sup>And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.
<sup>(19.25) </sup>So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.
">Exodus 20
Anytime God’s Word comes to me…it produces faith in me… Thank You Jesus!
The second coming of the Lord is not a disadvantage to me…rather, it is a day of celebration for me… gloreeeeyyyyy!!
I set my affection on the coming of Christ!
What I enjoy in Christ is as a result of what Christ has accomplished in me. I have received these things through my faith in Him and His finished work through his death, burial and resurrection.
Your faith in Christ brings you into an eternal reality of life. This reality determines what you enjoy and how you function. Whatever you enjoy in the Lord, and whatever He instructs you to do is according to what He has supplied into you and how He has positioned you. Gloreeeeyyyyy!!
Because I am in the light, the day of the Lord will not come upon me as a thief in the night. Therefore I must be alert and stay awake in the spirit and fix my eyes on the truth!
I refuse to live in fear and anxiety!!!
I refuse to be unconcerned and ignorant about the coming of the Lord!!
I live in the consciousness and care of shining forth the light of the Lord in a crooked and perverse generation.
OH GLORY TO GOD!!!!!
Through me many are turning to light in the name of Jesus 🔥🔥🔥
Thank you lord Jesus for your word
Thank you for Apostle Bennie
Thank you Apostle for all that you do for our sake.
Glory to God!
Gloreey
In the name of Jesus…I am watchful as the Lord comes.
As a believer in Christ, I set my affection on the coming of Jesus.
My faith in Christ brings me to an eternal reality of life. My faith in Christ make me enjoy rich verities of God
HALLELUJAH.
My takeaway is, Apostle Paul’s instruction to believers to be watchful cannot be because of the Lord’s coming. But to be watchful because you are in the light and must not live under the influence of deception and spiritual blindness as the people in darkness.
I refuse to live in fear and anxiety.
I refuse to be unconcerned and ignorant about the coming of the Lord
Through me many that are in darkness are turning to the Lord that their hearts will be illuminated.
Thank you Jesus
Thank you Jesus
This is an amazing expose
Two crucial items
These are refreshing..these verses seemed like enigmas to me but through machaira with Apostle Bennie, I am receiving illumination into the heavenly pattern God is carving through the writing of Apostle Paul.
Obviously being watchful could not mean being afraid. It obviously means being conscious of the grace of God and the supply of God. If it meant being afraid of the Lord’s coming, then it defeats the pretext.
Oh I love the word of God
I am of the light. Thank you Jesus 🙏
Men are turning to the lord to be illuminated by his light