Matthew 26:39, 2 Timothy 2:12, 1 Peter 1:6-7, John 3:16, Gen 22:3, Luke 5:5-11, 1 Peter 1:19, Proverbs 16:20, 1 Kings 2:3, Philippians 2:8-10

Men and brethren, we live in a generation of quick and easy fixes; drugs of one form or another are expected to solve all of our physical and for some, even our spiritual and emotional problems. A lot are in the house of God with this mentality. They want quick fix to every problem, they expect the pastor to deliver to them feel good messages as tablets to their soul. Many of us continue to search for a world where there will be no pain, no suffering, and no death. We run away from and rebel against anything that seeks to bring us back to this reality.

Unfortunately, most of us feel happiness means being free from pain and suffering. We assume that happiness and pain are opposites, and this is a very wrong assumption. Happiness is elusive because it cannot be achieved as an end in itself. It’s a by-product of a well-lived life. And suffering is part of any well-lived life. So when we seek to avoid all pain (whether it be physical, mental, or spiritual), we actually cheat ourselves out of true happiness. I want you to picture the master as he was nailed to the cross, picture the pain in the stripes he was given, picture the pain of death facing him. He cried out when he saw it in a revelation “And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Matthew 26:39. Today I would like us to understand that Jesus pain was our gain.

Until recent times, Christians accepted that suffering would be a necessary part of their lives. (2 Timothy 2:12, 1 Peter 1:6-7) This attitude helped them to work through their pain and suffering. It purified them, making them stronger, more compassionate, and more useable for God.

The reason God the father did not answer Jesus cry was because, he was committed to fulfill his words in John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” Jesus must do as commanded even in Pain.

Let me recap the experience of our Father of Faith, Abraham; In Gen 22:3. Abraham saddled his horse and did as God commanded him without delay, and without questioning God because not only is God a change agent; he also can empower you to become successful in life. He can put your enemies under your feet. He can make you rise up against all obstacles on your way. God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son, the son he waited after 75 years to get a promise and extra 25 years for the promise to be delivered. Wow! What has God told you to sacrifice that is holding your generational blessings? It could be that sin that you love, or your seed. As you obey God today, may you receive Abrahams blessings in double fold. 

Peter was in an all night pain, financial difficulty, worked like an Elephant but with no results, no evidence of his labour. “Simon answered Jesus, Master we have toiled all the night and we have caught no fish”. Luke 5:5-11. Have you ever heard God asked you to give an offering when you have no money in your pocket except that little money you have reserved for something. Is there anytime God had asked you to give and you are not willing to give or to forgive those who have wronged you, and you were not willing to forgive. If you are going to be the kind of person God wants you to be, you must be willing to obey God totally and completely. We are not the only ones who sometimes suffer for doing good, Jesus did! He allowed death to happen for the benefit of others and he set an example of how to handle persecution! Today, I see God honouring you in grand style.

Jesus was an innocent person. He lived a perfect sinless life. The bible shares this with us in many places. 1 Peter 1:19 says His blood was spotless, without blemish. No wonder in the midst of Simon frustration about life, in the heat of financial difficulty; “Simon said to Jesus, nevertheless at thy word; what you have asked us to do does not make sense but at thy word I shall lower my net”. You must come to that place where God says forgive your wife/husband and because God has spoken you will forgive her/him. When God says stay away from anything that will lure you into sin; say to God it does not make sense but I have decided to obey you.  May God grant you mercy and happiness and make you completely whole.

There are three things to do when you find yourself in the situation of Peter; when you are in the valley where there is no water or ladder; when it seems all has forsaken you; when you have tried everything and it seems instead of getting results, you are witnessing a rise of trouble.

Number One: God prospers by instruction. What is He saying to you? It is your duty to find it out. Proverbs 16:20, 1 Kings 2:3. If you are a child of God and God speaks to you, you will have no business with failure. Prophesy upon yourself, I shall not go through life empty handed. Obeying instructions in pain elevated our master “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth” Philippians 2:8-10.

Number Two: God explodes your miracles when you obey him. Obedience is the master key to success. There were sermons Jesus did not preach; there were sermons he demonstrated. What happened in the life of Peter was a demonstration of his sermon. He came that you may be somebody. We need to obey God because he knows the number of fishes in every ocean. The fishes that refuse to obey you shall obey him. That buried dream – dream of success, the dream of rising above the limitation of your family, because Jesus resurrected, those dreams shall resurrect.

Number Three: How many of us have learnt the reward of gratitude. Peter fell down at Jesus feet to show appreciation. Jesus was on his kneels asking God to let his will be done. All of us must learn how to be grateful to God even in Pain. There are things we must not take for granted; how many of you are happy that Jesus died because of you? How many of you are happy that God has a plan, not to take you to America but to take you to Heaven. Men and brethren, those who are grateful in life, receives double portion of the reward of life. You must ask God to teach you how to be grateful. Anyone who becomes grateful; you are going to single yourself out of the crowd, people will always love you without you knowing why they love you. Therefore, you must pulse, ponder and celebrate the person that blesses you. When you go to your village and see your mother, tell her ‘Mother I am happy you are still alive’. Peter did and he became the Bishop of others from being a fisherman.

If you are here with anything that is not working in your life; maybe you are here as a preacher but you are not doing well. Whatever is your instrument of work; whatever God has empowered you to use for the welfare of your family and yourself; whatever is your training, my desire is that God will turn it to be instrument of feeding your family members and feeding you. The bible has already promised that whatever you lay your hands to do shall be successful. Right where you are, I want you to prophesy to your hand and say ‘you my hand whatever I shall lay you to do shall prosper’. Your hand, your body, your womb, your career, your promotion in life, may have been declared dead but because Jesus resurrected, whatever that was dead in your life shall resurrect.

I don’t care how young you are, every one of us was sent to this world to solve a problem. I don’t know what the problem is; everything God created was created to solve a problem. I declare that you must solve a problem in your family, in your church, everywhere you go; you must be use by God to solve problems. Tell God to step into your boat, into your business, into your studies, into your finances, into your training, and step into your calling.

Before I share testimonies and the concluding prayer. Please ignore fake profiles of Uma Ukpai Breakthrough Prayer or Rev uma ukpai jnr.. We dont have Ophanages.