ARISE AND DEPART: PASTOR MENSA OTABIL – SPECIAL SUNDAY SERVICE, SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2021
SPECIAL SUNDAY SERVICE BY DR. MENSAH OTABIL (GENERAL OVERSEER INTERNATIONAL CENTRAL GOSPEL CHURCH (ICGC) CHRIST TEMPLE, ACCRA GHANA)
TOPIC: ARISE AND DEPART.
DATE: 12TH SEPTEMBER, 2021
TEXT: MICAH 2:10
Amen and Amen! Let’s keep Standing, as we make our DECLARATION OF FRUITFULNESS in this Year of Fruitfulness:
Are you ready? Well say with me:
The Eternal God is our Refuge. He opens Rivers in desolate Heights.The Lord makes the wilderness a Pool of water.
The LORD God is my Sun and Shield; The LORD gives Grace and Glory.
Therefore, I delight myself in Him. Those who are Planted in the House of the LORD shall be Fresh and Flourishing.
Though the Earth be shaken; the Name of the Lord is my Strong Tower. By Faith I affirm that: In Christ alone is my Salvation. In Him I live, and move and have my Being.
It is written: The Righteous are like trees Planted by the waters; bearing Fruits in its Season.
So I boldly declare: As for me, my God has made me Exceedingly Fruitful.
In this Season, my Spirit bears Fruits of Righteousness, my Talents make Way for me. With my hands, I will Plant, I will Build, I will Harvest – Day by Day, Step by Step.
In Jesus’ Name – Amen!
Well, as I indicated, I am doing a Series with the word: “Rise or Arise” in it.
And I have spoken about: “Let God Arise”; I have spoken about: “Rise up and Walk”. Last week I spoke on: “Rise Above your Shortcomings”.
Today, my Message is Titled: “RISE AND DEPART”.
Somebody say: I’M RISING, AND I’M DEPARTING.
One of the most destructive circumstances of Life happens when you find yourself stuck in the wrong Place! When you find out that you are in a Place that is not Good for you, but you are not able to move away from it.
Sometimes we find ourselves in a Place that is wrong for us because we were born into it; Other times it is because some People made decisions and landed us in the bad Place. Or we could find ourselves in a bad Place because of decisions we have made ourselves.
So when you find yourself in a bad spot, what do you do?
… I say that you: “RISE and DEPART”!
That does not mean that any time you find yourself in a difficult situation you must arise and depart – If you do that, that will turn you into an Unstable Person; who is not able to Stand and win their battles.
… That is not what I am talking about!
Life generally has tough spots: in our Marriages, in our work and School, in Relationships, in Church, in Politics – Generally in Life, you will come against tough decisions.
It doesn’t mean that anytime you come against a tough decision, you rise up and depart. That is not what I am talking about. But there are Places that you don’t have to stay.
There are moments in our lives when we need to arise and depart.
And this moment do not happen every day – It may happen once in our lives, twice in our lives, three (3) times in our lives; but there are special moments in our lives when we must get out from a certain Place that Life has locked us in.
… And those are the Moments that we are talking about today!
And I am going to start by referencing Micah.
Those of you who are not familiar with all the Books of the Bible – Micah is also in the Bible.
And just to give you a little background: Micah was a Prophet to the Kingdom of Judah. You know, Israel was divided into two (2) – There was a Northern Kingdom and there was a Southern Kingdom.
The Northern Kingdom was generally what was called Israel. The Southern Kingdom was called Judah.
And Micah was a Prophet that God raised for Judah – The Southern Kingdom.
And Micah’s first time of Ministry was about the same time when Isaiah was also in Ministry – And so both of them were Prophets about the same time.
Micah’s Ministry went through the times when Jotham was King; when Ahaz was King; and when is Hezekiah was King – Just to give you a background!
So let’s go to Micah 2:10 (NKJV):
“Arise and depart, For this is not your rest; Because it is defiled, it shall destroy, Yes, with utter destruction.
This Prophecy that God spoke through Micah happened at the time when the Southern Kingdom and the whole of Israel was going through a bad situation.
Where Powerful People were dominating the weak People; and there were False Prophets in the Land.
So the Land had become a very bad Place; the People were in a bad Place of their lives.
And so God raised Micah to go and speak about this.
And when Micah started to Prophesy (if you read earlier) he spoke a lot of ‘WOES’ to the People.
But in this Particular statement of his Prophecy, he is talking about the People who have settled for all these destructions and deceptions, and False Prophecies and all the evil that is going on and the People have just settled!
And so God spoke to Micah to go and announce to the People: Don’t sit here, don’t settle here – He said, ARISE and DEPART.
Somebody say: I AM RISING and I AM MOVING.
And the reason why God said they should Arise and Depart is because he says: The Place they where was defiled.
So let me just define the words for us – What it means to be defiled – When Micah said the Place was defiled, what did he mean?
- He meant first, that the Place was Unclean.
A Defiled Place is an Unclean Place – It means it is not wholesome. Something that is Unhealthy; it is not Good for your well-being.
So God says: The People must not rest here.
Why because it is Unclean; it is not Wholesome, it is not a Good Place to be.
- The Second definition of Defiled is Corrupted.
… Something that has lost its Purpose.
When we say something is corrupted, it means it used to have a Good Purpose but now it has lost its Purpose.
It used to serve a Good Purpose, it is no longer serving a Good Purpose – It is Corrupted.
- Thirdly, Defiled means something that has been Degraded.
… Something that has lost its Power!
It used to have Value but it has no Value.
It had no value now; it has become cheap!
So that is what God is saying to His People: ARISE AND DEPART.
Why? – Because where you are is Defiled. It is Unclean, it is Corrupted, it is Degraded, it is not a Good Place, it is not a Wholesome Place to stay in.
… And that is why He says: ARISE AND DEPART.
A Defied Place is a Destructive Place. And God warns the People – He says: “if you stay there, it will destroy you!”
And there are many things that can Defile a Place – A Place can be Defiled with Idolatry – Where People are worshipping False gods.
Or it can be Defiled by Oppression; it can be defiled by Bitterness, it can be Defiled by envy, it can be Defiled by sin, it can be Defiled by lust, it can be Defiled by bad friends.
When we find ourselves in a Defiled Place, we must not settle there – We must rise and we must depart.
And that is what God is saying to His People – The Place you are is bad for you; it is not a Place where you are supposed stay.
So I am going to Illustrate this Concept of RISING and DEPARTING with Three (3) Biblical Stories.
… And I will run through them quickly:
- The first Story is the Story of Abraham – When God told him to Rise and Depart.
Abraham departed from a world of Idolatry.
Genesis 12 1 – “Get out of your Country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a Land that I will show you.”
Just listen to the instruction – GET OUT!
… Arise and and depart. Move away from your Country, your family, your father’s house.
And in Genesis 12:4 – So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
He departed, why? – Because God says depart!
Abraham, in the Land of the Chaldeans – That was his native land, that was his Culture. He lived among his People and his family.
Normally, when you live amongst your own People, in your own Country, with your own family, that is the Place to feel comfortable.
That is the Place to rest! You do what they do.
But Abraham’s family was living in a Land of Idolatry. And God wanted to start something New with Abraham. And for that New Thing to happen, Abraham had to depart.
The thing to note about Abraham is that, he got into Idolatry because he was born into it.
That was where he was! He got into Idolatry because he was born into it; he didn’t know any better. He worshipped the gods of his People, he believed what his People believed.
But God had a different Purpose for him; He wanted to reveal Himself to Abraham. Abraham could not have the Revelation of God by being in the same Place that he was born into – He had to ARISE’ and DEPART.
When God wants to do something New for you, He will demand something New from you.
So He says Abraham, I’m going to do something New for you. So, I am going to ask you to do something New; and that something New is: You are going to Rise from your familiar Place and you are going to Depart.
There are many Christians who have still not departed from the idols of their fathers – The spiritual world view of their fathers.
You know these days, a lot of Christians respond to God the way their fathers used to respond to their idols. They respond to Men of God the way we used to respond to Fetish Priest.
So, at one Point, it looks like we are Christians; but we have not departed! Our world view is still “African Traditional Religion”.
That is why People these days, can’t just simply believe in the Name of Jesus – They want the Name of Jesus Plus you have to do something!
Sometimes you go to Church, People say you have to do something! – That is African Traditional Religion; where you go and the Priests must do something. He must do some incantations, some magic – Something!
In Christianity, we don’t go to a Man of God to do something. We go to hear the Word of God – That is the difference between Christianity and the other Religions.
… It is not about doing something, it is about hearing what God says!
That is why every revelation of God in the Bible (Just check your Bible) always comes with God says something – Telling People something, telling them what to obey; what to depart from, what to change.
Abraham had to depart from Idolatry! – That is the first Story of a Person Rising and Departing.
- The Second Illustration of Rising and Departing is about the Nation of Israel.
… Israel departed from living under oppression in Egypt.
Numbers 33:3 says: They departed from Rameses in the first Month, on the fifteenth day of the first Month; on the day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with boldness in the sight of all the Egyptians.
… They went out with Boldness in the sight of all the Egyptians.
Unlike Abraham who was in the Chaldeans because he was born there; he was born into the wrong environment.
The children of Israel were not born into the wrong environment – They got into bondage because of Choices made by their Ancestors.
… Their fathers made Choices for them.
A Previous Generation made Choices for them – Going to Egypt was the best Choice at the time.
Why?
I. Because there was food in Egypt.
II. Because Joseph was in Egypt and Joseph had become the Second most Powerful Person in Egypt.
And so when they went to Egypt it was the ‘Best Choice’ – It saved them from famine. And in Egypt they had Privileged Position because Joseph was there!
They got the best Land, Pharaoh favoured them, respected them. So it looked like a Good decision had landed them in Egypt.
Then the Bible says, a New Pharaoh arose, who did not know Joseph.
It doesn’t mean he did not know Joseph had existed – It simply means he didn’t care about Joseph. He didn’t owe Joseph anything. And he decided that he was going to treat the Israelites differently.
I have always wondered: when a New Pharaoh arose who did not know Joseph, did the People know it? And if they knew it, why didn’t they leave?
But I am sure they were thinking – Well, the days of Joseph will come again. One day maybe somebody will favour us. One day we will be favoured again; one day it will become better.
… And they stay there and they were in bondage for a very long time.
Abraham was born into the situation but these People, they got there because something that started right turned bad! And God had to get them out.
Because sometimes, something that started out right can turn bad and you are stuck in the Place.
Because oh, it used to be Good here – Oh, in the Good Old Days!
It is not the Good Old Days; the Good Old Days are gone!
I. Your father is no longer whom he used to be.
II. You may have been born rich, but now you are broke!
Don’t continue talking about it – Oh, how we used to live in London, when we used to live in Paris, when we used to live in Australia, when we used to live in America. My father was this, and my mother was that!
My friend, you are no longer in that situation – You are in Egypt, you are in bondage!
And if you keep living on your Past and your Old Heritage, you will stay in bondage for a very long time!
I came to announce to somebody: Stop dreaming, Arise and Depart from that situation And stop talking about how things used to be.
That was the Problem with Israel – Things had changed, but they were still stuck.
… God says Arise and Depart.
Somebody say: I Will Arise and I am Departing!
And I like the way God told them to Arise and Depart – He said that day:
I. They had to eat their bread before it arisen.
Ii. They had to eat meat with bitter herbs.
III. And the day they were departing, they had to leave in the Night – Not in the day.
… Because, when it it is time to Arise and Depart, you don’t waste time!
Somebody say: I am Rising, and then Departing.
- The Third Example of Somebody who had to Rise and Depart – We are familiar with the Story): The Prodigal Son.
… The Prodigal Son departed from a Low and Miserable Life
Luke 15:17-18 – But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired Servants have bread enough and to spare, and I Perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you,
I. The Prodigal Son was not like Abraham – He was not born into Misery.
II. The Prodigal Son is not like Israel – Nobody made Choices for him to get to where he is.
… The Prodigal Son got into misery by his own choices and his own actions.
So we are looking at Three (3) Categories:
- You were born into it.
- Somebody’s decision got you into it.
- Your own decision got you there.
Whether you were born into it, somebody got you there, or you got yourself there; the instruction is still the same – ARISE AND DEPART.
… It is time to Rise up, it is time to Depart!
Many times we think we are the cause of our own woes – We got ourselves where we are.
You know, when People feel that they got themselves where they are – They feel they deserve it: “I brought it up on myself, it is okay. I made a mistake, it is okay. This is karma!”
By the way, KARMA is not Christian Philosophy – Because between Action and Reaction, there is God, there is Grace, there is Mercy, there is favour, and there is forgiveness.
… Karma does not have that inside it – That is an Heisten Philosophy.
But in Christian Philosophy – You hit the ball against the wall; before it gets to you, God can catch it. Hallelujah!
Between sowing and reaping, God can intervene.
So don’t just say: “I did it, so it must happen to me.’ No! You may have messed up, but God didn’t mess up. You made a mistake, God didn’t make a mistake.
And God is a Redeemer – The whole of the Bible is about Redemption.
The Prodigal Son got into the mess; and by the Law of Karma he should suffer and wait to die, or maybe sometimes come out as a Monkey!
But he came to himself and said: “I messed up, I put myself here. It is my fault! But I remembered my father and I will Arise and go to my father.”
I don’t know where you Stand in these Three (3) Examples:
I. Maybe you were born into it.
II. Maybe it was a decision that was made at the time it was good but it has become bad.
III. Or maybe you messed up yourself.
In any of these Three (3) Categories, the instruction is the same – ARISE’ AND DEPART.
God can deliver you from what you were born into; God can deliver you from where People took you to; and God can deliver you from where you took yourself to.
Don’t sit down there and say: “This is my lot, this is my Destiny, this is how it is in my family, in my father’s Lineage they all go through this. Everybody in my Ancestral Line goes through that!
I. You are like Abraham – Everybody in your family is in that Place. God says: Arise and Depart!
II. You are like Israel – Somebody made a decision at the time it looked Good, but it has now turned bad. Don’t stay there. You will Arise and Depart!
III. You are like the Prodigal Son- You made the decision yourself and you got into the mess. But you will Arise and Depart!
Because, this Place is not your resting Place: This is not your resting Place – don’t stay there!
Because you know, sometimes we allow ourselves to stay in Places:
I. God wants us to depart from our Defiled Places – Don’t stay in a Defiled Place.
II. Many of us have allowed ourselves to stay in our Defiled Places. We are living in a Defiled Place – A Place Defiled with envy like Cain. Or a place Defiled with disobedience like Saul, who embraced fame. Or like Judas Iscariot. Or a Place filled with greed like Achan. Or we are bitter and seeking for vengeance like Absalom.
Each of these People did not end well.
Why? – Because they stayed in a Defiled Place.
Listen! – Don’t stay in bitterness no matter what has happened to you don’t stay in bitterness, it will destroy you. Don’t let your heart be filled with so much vengeance, it will kill you.
You must rise from vengeance, you must rise from bitterness, you must rise from envy, you must rise from greed – “I want it, he has it, I will get it.” That is Greed – It will Defile you, it will destroy you. Don’t stay in that Place.
Somebody say: I am RISING and I am DEPARTING. We have to Rise and Depart.
So what happens to those who do not settle in the wrong Path – Who Depart?
Micah 2:12-13 – “I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob,
I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together like sheep of the fold, Like a flock in the midst of their Pasture; They shall make a loud noise because of so many People. The one who breaks open will come up before them; they will break out, Pass through the gate, And go out by it; Their king will Pass before them, With the Lord at their head.”
… That is what God says to them, after He says ARISE and DEPART. So these are what God Promises them.
Three (3) Things that I want to highlight in these Promises .
When we choose to Arise and Depart, this is what God Promises us:
- First God says, I WILL HELP YOU TO BREAK OUT.
… If you want to Rise and Depart, God says I will help you to do it.
And this morning, Somebody would Rise and Depart because you are Breaking Out from whatever situation: Whether you were born into it, whether you got into it by somebody’s decision, or you got into it by your own decision, you are breaking out – Amen.
Somebody say: I am Breaking Out! God says I will help you to Break Out- Amen.
- Secondly, God says: I WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE GATE.
He is your Way Maker.
Where doors have been shut, the Lord will lead you out into a Good Place – “I will take you through the Gate.”
3.The Final Thing God says: I WILL BE YOUR HEAD.
When the Lord is with you, you are never alone – He is your Head, He is your Guide.
So, I came here this Morning to tell Somebody: ARISE and DEPART. The Place you are is Defiled, it is Polluted. If you keep staying there, it will destroy you.
I. Maybe it is a sinful life, you must Arise and Depart from it.
II. Maybe it is envy and bitterness, you must Arise from it.
III. Maybe it is just a heart of Vengeance, Arise from it.
IV. Maybe it is Greed, Arise from it.
V. Maybe it is bad Relationship that you have gotten yourself into and you know ‘this is not where God wants me to be; you must Arise from it!
Don’t stay in a Place – God doesn’t want you to be; where your own heart condemns you, where you know within yourself: ‘This is not what God wants me to have; this is not the Place God has for me; this is not God’s Will for my Life”.
If you know that, don’t stay there; don’t entertain it.
Don’t say: I was born into it; don’t say: Well, I can’t do anything about it because some People brought me here; don’t say: My own mistake brought me here.
… You are going to Rise up and you are going to Depart.
And this Morning, if you desire to really Rise and Depart, I am going to Pray with you, I am going to agree with you wherever you are or reading this Message now on The Label of DMC; that God will Break you Out.
He will break you out and He will get out of that situation now and Miracles will happen in your Life – A Breakthrough Miracle, a Full Transformation in your Life.
If you believe there is something in your Life – You havee been there for too long and you know: ‘This is not where God wants me’; God will break you up!
… Let us rise up together.
I don’t want you to just do it alone. But you know, put your hands upon your Heart!
CLOSING PRAYER
Father, You have not called us to defilement; You have not called us to destruction; You have not called us to be Prisoners of our father’s house; You have not called us to be Prisoners of bad situations we find ourselves in; You have not called us to be Prisoners of bad Choices of our Actions.
You have called us to be Free and to be Free Indeed!
And so Father, I Stand in Your Name and in the Name of Jesus, in Your Presence, before Your Throne; on behalf of Your Children:
That anyone who has found themselves in Defiled Places, who has desires to be Free this day – In this moment, Break them out of it LORD.
Anyone Oh God, who desires to be Free from Defiled Places, open the gate for them Oh Lord.
Anyone Oh God, who says: I need Help, Lord be their Help and Lord, take them out!
From today, in this Place: I speak Liberty to your Spirit; I speak Liberty to your Soul; I speak Liberty to your Mind; I speak Liberty to your Emotions; to your Purposes, in the Name of Jesus.
Any Defiled Places you find yourself, you are Breaking Loosed from it!
You will not be Defiled in this Place, and this situation will not destroy you.
I speak Life to you; I speak Health to you; I speak Strength to you; I speak Favour to you; and I speak the Fullness of God’s Purposes.
You will Arise and you will Depart, in Jesus’ Name – Amen and Amen!
Somebody say: I RISE AND I DEPART, in Jesus’ Name – Amen.
… Give the Lord some Praise!!!!!
Don’t walk in bondage again; walk is the Victory of the Lord – Amen!
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