In the wake of the WHO declaring the Coronavirus a pandemic and various posts, news and events that are following the world over, I began to meditate on God to ask what is going on Lord and what message are You passing across to the church?
I began to think, who is that person that can be so powerful to shutdown world system just in few months. You can imagine the news of powerful nations of the world shivering before just one pestilence. World government and economy are becoming sweep over in a twinkle of an eye.
Parliament is closing down, President and leaders of nations and their families are under house arrest, ministers of health (the war leaders against diseases) are being infected, international flights are being cancelled, gatherings that are crowd is being suspended and world sport, with its powerful influence cannot stand this ongoing ravaging effect of COVID-19, major tournaments are being called off. Schools are closing, businesses are closing, stock market is freezing, nations are calling for help and mighty hands are becoming weak, with a lot of lives lost already. Some of which are without Jesus. Is the church not seeing a greater advantage and urgency in this event?
For any Bible believing person, this event should not be shocking to you at all, because the Lord Jesus has spoken of it ahead of time, so Apostle Peter said what manner of person should you be as a believer seeing this event happening, in 2 Peter 3:11-12,14 KJV
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, [12] Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? [14] Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
But my focus in this right up is what should will be doing as believers? Is it to panic and be buying face mask and sanitizers and distributing them to our members? I think this might not be the main direction the Lord is calling us to focus very seriously, however not ignoring that as well.
Two things readily in my heart:
1. It is a time to spread Jesus fast – World evangelism should be top on the agenda of all churches and powerful Christian organisations. All prosperity messages and motivational speaking should be suspended. Church leaders should begin to remind people of the great commission. This is the easiest time to spread the news of Jesus and His coming faster, through our gatherings wherever it is still allowed, on our cable TVs, our medical outreaches and community efforts. We have to take the advantage of the fear in the atmosphere to spread faith in Jesus and His healing power. This is a time that laws of nations are suspended, especially in those places you cannot share about Jesus freely. Just like God afflicted the house of Pharaoh, He is already afflicting the leaders of nations and their household. So, access is opened to us, the way it was opened to Moses to challenge Pharaoh, which He could not do earlier. This is a time to speak loud about Jesus at every opportunity that we have. Christian Doctors, Nurses, Health workers, responders, researchers, you don’t need long messages, just mention to someone that without Jesus, eternity is not guaranteed for you. Especially, where you don’t have access before but because of the crisis now, you have the opportunity to speak.
2. The best time to call on God and repent – When God visits nations with pestilence in the scripture, it has always been as a result of major error or sins that may have been committed in the land. God doesn’t just get angry at people and allow mass death like this. I don’t need to begin to mention the error and insult to God that nations are committing in our generation. If I don’t want to talk of them all, I will talk about the rate at which homosexuality and same sex marriage is gaining ground. God must deal with us, especially when the church is not free from this critical error of insulting the order which God has created. Where we can conveniently talk of joining same sex marriage in churches. We have become so indifferent to sins that our altars no longer preach repentance and salvation.
If my people that are called by my name will repent and call upon me, I will heal their land says the Lord (2 Chron 7:14). There are so many abominations in holy places. Churches named after God are not representing God. They are embracing His name on a daily basis. If you see the signs then you know the end is near.
Matthew 24:15,33 KJV
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) [33] So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
In this regard, he that has hear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. LET REPENTANCE SERVICES BE CALLED CHURCH OVER. Let us ask God for pardon like David did, when God visited his sin with pestilence and sanctify the body of Christ again.
2 Samuel 24:13-15,18,25 KJV
So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days’ pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me. [14] And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord ; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man. [15] So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men. [18] And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. [25] And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.
May be the Lord will be merciful to hear us before it is too late. Before He begins to inflict this strange disease on the church leaders world over. He has started with leaders of nations, Church leaders don’t close your eyes. Begin to talk about those sins you have been over-looking and ignoring among your members for many years. Take this opportunity to tell them enough is enough, of the abomination in the Holy place.
The devil is taking this advantage to harvest more people to hell, let us also be wise and populate the kingdom. Let no one pass you without sharing the gospel again and let no sin pass you without condemning it and calling for repentance. JESUS SAVES
Finally, let us do our best to take simple precautions without panicking and pray for His mercy over our land.
Shalom.
Rev’d Bamidele Oni
deleoni2002@yahoo.com
Treasure Land 