Today, we will discuss Part 2 of my Column on, ‘The Blessings of God’. Please, read on: To be born-again is a blessing from God. It is marriage with the Lord Jesus Christ. For a marriage to succeed, the Bible says that the man must leave his parents, as the lady has done, for them to be joined together.  If I am on okada and from your car, you invite me to join you, I will decide, whether to continue on the okada or to join you. To join you means that I must leave the okada. It will be suicidal for me to place one leg on the okada and one leg inside your car. Many marriages are like that, one leg on the family and one leg on the spouse. It does not matter what a spouse gives to the parents, they deserve the best from their children, but they should not control the wife or the husband.  

Many Christians are like that, they do not leave their old lives. It was water that brought the woman to the well and after knowing Jesus personally, her life changed. Her priority changed. She surrendered her water pot. Some people may give their lives to the Lord Jesus but refuse to surrender their hidden lifestyle to Him. Such people always remain stunted in faith and go back easily to their old life.

When I was born-again, 47 years ago, without being told by anybody, right there in my room in the University of Nigeria, I surrendered my girlfriends to Jesus. I met one of them one day, and apologized to her for the sin we were committing. I surrendered the love letters I received from them. I would write in the past, how I had not been eating well since I left them and went back to school, they would reply, how they had not been sleeping well since I left. All lies! I surrendered to Jesus three packets of condom because I would not need them again. I surrendered my pride by writing to a girlfriend that I had been born-again, and that she should return to me the book I gave her, because I stole it. I told her that I would return it to the owner, the college where I was teaching before going to the university. I surrendered my pride by writing to the college about my new birth and that I stole their book, which I was returning to them. I surrendered the god my sister bought for me for protection in 1970. That was not a big deal because the one I bought for protection in 1966 was stolen during the war. I reasoned that if it could not protect itself from thieves, how would it have protected me?

Surrendering your old life to Jesus means that you have burnt your boat or that you have crossed the Rubicon, which means that there is no going back! You cannot go back, even if you want to. That was why they taught us in the Scripture Union, “I surrender, I surrender all, I surrender…all”. What have you surrendered to Jesus since you were born-again?

Without waiting to be ordained by anybody, this woman ordained herself in the Evangelism Ministry. She must minister immediately to that sixth man in her life, that Uncle, who she was cohabiting with. He must repent, like her, and leave her house. She must go to her Jerusalem and minister also to her people. It is amazing that a woman, who had never attended any prayer meetings and vigils, with no record of fasting, nor giving of tithes and offerings, could have such zeal for souls the very day she was born-again! We thank God that her ministry was very successful, even before the Lord Jesus commissioned His disciples for the work. When did you witness last to somebody about Jesus?

When a man is born-again and he surrenders his all to Jesus, God gives him peace. In Roman 5:1, the Bible says, “Being justified by faith, we have the peace with God”. Peace is given by God. “My peace I give to you, not as the world gives,” John 14:27. There is the temporary peace the world gives. A man asked his nephew, why he was smoking Indian hemp always and he replied that after taking it, he would have peace and men, no matter, who they were, would look like chicken to him. “In reality,” his uncle asked him, “are they like chicken? If you touch any of them, would he not beat hell out of you?” He kept quiet. “Who is then being deceived, you or them?” his uncle asked. He realized his error but still, could not stop smoking the deadly hemp. You owe me some money and you get drunk and have peace as you forget that you owe me, have I forgotten that you owe me? Will I not be disturbing you, demanding for payment?

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The peace which the Lord Jesus gives is described in Phil. 4:7 as, “The Peace of God that passes all understanding”. Yes, it passes all human knowledge and all academic research. How can you explain that a maid, who knows Jesus, will have peace while her unbelieving mistress does not? How is it that a child of God, who lives in one room in your servants’ quarter, who cannot afford a table fan, will sleep very well at night, even snoring, but you, his landlord, whose house is fully air-conditioned, cannot sleep? How is it that a child of God, with dry pocket, will have peace but an unbelieving multi-millionaire, is awake all through the night?

God’s thought for His children is that of peace, not of evil, so that He will give us hope and a future – Jer. 29:11. For the unbeliever, God says in Isaiah 48:22, that there is no peace for the wicked. The Lord Jesus told His disciples, “My peace, give I unto you”. That is the type He exhibited when He was in a boat with them and there was a storm. It brought great panic to everyone but they saw Jesus sleeping on a pillow! Akirika! Storms, problems, need, et cetera, are not frighten believers. “Peace be still,” He issued a simple decree and the waves obeyed – Mark 4:36-39. As His joint heir, you can command ugly situations around you and they will obey you.

I have had the privilege of knowing some big and small markets in Lagos, Aba, Ibadan, Enugu, Port Harcourt and some big shops in the US and UK. I have never seen where peace is sold. God gives it. This is the peace a Christian has, even in the midst of calamities, such as death, though other people want to kill themselves. It is difficult for the unbeliever to understand it. The consolation of a believer is, “All things work together for good to them that love God”. Peace will forever, be God’s blessing to His children.

Material possession does not guarantee peace. If a man eats a cow for his breakfast, another one at lunch and another one at dinner, it does not give peace. Having a battalion of soldiers as security details, does not guarantee peace. Living in the most luxurious house, and riding the best expensive cars do not also guarantee peace. Peace comes from God.

For further comment, Please contact: Osondu Anyalechi:    0802 3002-471; [email protected]