27th April, 2022.

LIKE AHIMAAZ?

2Samuel18: 22 But Ahimaaz continued to plead with Joab, “Whatever happens, please let me go, too.“Why should you go, my son?” Joab replied. “There will be no reward for your news.” 23 “Yes, but let me go anyway,” he begged. Joab finally said, “All right, go ahead.” So Ahimaaz took the less demanding route by way of the plain and ran to Mahanaim ahead of the Ethiopian.NLT

Do you know the man called Ahimaaz the son of Zadok? Let me refresh your memory about this old testament character. When Joab needed someone to deliver the news of Absalom's death to David, Ahimaaz volunteered to go but Joab was sensitive enough to know that he won't deliver the message properly to David. He restrained him from going but this man pleaded. Reluctantly, Joab permitted him. Though Joab had sent an Ethiopian to deliver the message to David but Ahimaaz took a short route and outran the Ethiopian. When David asked him about Absalom his son, his response didn't make much sense so he was told to stay aside. When the Ethiopian was asked the same question, his wise response hit the nail on the head and communicated the sad event to the heart of David. Ahimaaz was not sent, he didn't have the message for that hour. He may have delivered well at other times but that very assignment wasn't meant for him. Little wonder why his response didn't fulfill the intended purpose.

If I may ask, who sent you? That someone around is doing a program and pulling crowd doesn't mean you should go and do same. That you have the charisma that can hold people's attention is not tantamount to a call to pioneer a church. Whatever God hasn't sent you won't make much sense to your listeners. I see a generation of preachers, teachers, ministers and believers trying so hard to deliver a message God hasn't sent them. I listened to a preacher who preached the message I heard from another preacher. The original preacher of that message preached with so great anointing to the extent that at bus stops, music stores kept playing that particular message severally. This other preacher preached the same message without inspiration and anointing. He copied another man's message without having the grace and anointing that backed it. One of the deceits of the enemy for those in ministry is to make you feel you can do what the person next door is doing without checking with God to know if it His will. Ministers of the Gospel often fall into this trap. I once considered starting a church in the heart of Lagos years back because I saw many young men of my age doing so not until God stopped me.

There are many echoes today but only few voices. I have decided to be a voice not an echo. It is not about social media popularity or numerous posts on social media but by divine originality. Some don't copy messages alone but even mannerisms. Today, we have so many 'thus saith the Lord' when God hasn't spoken? They are trying to deliver a message God didn't send them thereby attracting a "woe" into their lives. Ezekiel 13:3 says, "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!". I see you're trying hard to leave a 'spiritual impression' in the hearts of men when God hasn't sent you. This generation won't take you serious if your message isn't original. God will only maintain what he ordain. Are you sent?