FOR WHOM THE HEAVENS OPEN – PART 46 (CASE STUDY OF JOSHUA – PART 33): INTEGRITY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE -ONLINE SUNDAY SERVICE

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TOPIC: FOR WHOM THE HEAVENS OPEN – PART 46 (CASE STUDY OF JOSHUA – PART 33): INTEGRITY

MINISTERING: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

DATE: 9TH JUNE 2024

BIBLE TEXT: J9SHUA 9: 17-19

Let Us Pray!

SONG

We bless You Lord
We bless You Lord
We bless You Jehovah Almighty
We bless You Lord
We bless You Lord
We bless You Lord Jehovah Almighty

We Love You Lord
We Love You Lord
We Love You Jehovah Almighty
We Love You Lord
We Love You Lord
We Love You Jehovah Almighty

We Trust You Lord
We Trust You Lord
We Trust You Jehovah Almighty
We Trust You Lord
We Trust You Lord
We Trust You Jehovah Almighty

OPENING PRAYER

Almighty God, King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords; the King of Glory Himself – We Worship You.

Thank You for Your Mercy because it is of Your Mercy that we are not Consumed.

Thank You for Your Holiness because that is what made You so Trustworthy.

Thank You for everything that You have done for us in the Past, Thank You because our Future is in Your Hands and so we know that our Tomorrow will be alright.

Please, accept our Thanksgiving in Jesus Name.

Father, Please today speak to us, encourage us, Challenge us where necessary and let all just be well with all of us.

In Jesus Mighty Name we have Prayed – Amen!

Praise the Lord – Hallelujah!

Well, you may shake hands with one (1) or two (2) People and say: God will bless you Mightily today – Amen!

As we continue with our Series: “For Whom The Heavens Open” and we move on to Part 46.

This time around, we are moving into Joshua 9: 17-19.

Actually, we should have read the whole Chapter but I will just read Verses 17 to 19 at the Appropriate Time.

After the Victory at Ai and after Joshua had wiped out Ai; some Kingdoms nearby: The Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Jebusites including Gibeon – They all gathered together and say: Wait o, this Man that is comimg, we can’t beat him. And if you can’t beat them, then join them.

So they said, Let us use Wisdom here o – Strength is not going to Prevail.

Let us go to this People and made an Alliance with them.

So, they took Old Bread, they took some rugged looking bottles and they made it look as if they are comimg from a Long Way – They were their Neighbours o.

So they came to Joshua: Sir, we have heard of you, we have come a Long Way as you can see the the Bread – This Bread was fresh when we were leaving home but it has become rusty now.

All the things that you see looking Old, they were New when we left home.

So we said that before you come to our Territory, let us come and meet you and say: We are your friends and we want to be friends with you.

And so Joshua and the Princes; they didn’t ask God – Oh, you want to be friends and you are far away from here? They said yes.

Okay, we swear to you – We shall be friends!

And then we come to Verse 17 now and I will read from Verse 17 to 19.

Joshua 9:17-19:

17. And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their Cities on the third day. Now their Cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.
18. And the children of Israel smote them not, because the Princes of the Congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the Congregation murmured against the Princes.
19. But all the Princes said unto all the Congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.

This is a Story that has a lot to say to you as a Christian about something called “INTEGRITY”.

A Child of God must be a Man or Woman of Integrity.

What do we mean by Integrity?

Integrity simply means that your “Yea must be your Yea” and your “Nay must be your Nay”.

2 Corinthians 1:17 says: Your Yes must be your Yes and your No must be your No.

… You don’t Change what you have agreed upon.

In the Life of a True Child of God, there is Nothing Grey – White is White and Black is Black.

And the Word of God is very Clear – Psalms 24: 3-4; if you want to make it to Heaven, if you swear to a Oath, you must not Change.

You made a Promise and then you discovered after you made the Promise: Ha: I made a mistake – You must keep that Promise.

There are some of us Christians, when we say that we are comimg; the People who knows us will say: Well when we see you, then we will know that you have come.

Which is very, very sad – You made a Promise, you must fulfil that Promise.

Years ago, one of my daughters Abroad was turning fifty and a year before, she had told me and I said okay when you are 50 – Because she said daddy, that is the only thing I want in my Life; I want you to be Present at my 50th Birthday.

I said, sure I will come – I didn’t ask what was the date.

And then on the Friday or so because the day was going to be a Sunday – Daddy, when are you arriving?

So I said arriving where?

You are arriving for my 50th Birthday – My 50th Birthday is on Sunday.

And that was Holy Ghost Night – Which means that if I am going to be there on that Sunday, I have to travel on Saturday.

I had to buy a Ticket that I couldn’t afford because all Planes were Full and there was only one seat that was empty – It was First Class.

But I had Promised – Because I remembered I said, yes I will come.

I arrived at the Airport – I had to go from the Airport straight to the Venue. I had Promised.

You want to make it to Heaven? You must be a Man/Woman of Integrity.

No matter what it is going to cause you; once you have made a Promise, you must fulfill it.

The Princes said to the Congregation – We have Promised these People in the Name of our God that we will not harm them.

Now we discovered that they have deceived us but that doesn’t release us from our Promise.

1. Child of God, consider your Father (God).

He is a Covenant Keeping God – Deuteronomy 7:9. He keeps Covenant.

In 2 Corinthians 1:20; the Bible says that His Promises in Him are yea and in Him Amen.

When God has Promised, that is a Settled Matter.

In Numbers 23:19; it says that God is not a Man that He should lie, neither is He the Son of Man that He should repent. Once He has spoken, it is Settled.

Romans 3:4 says: Let all Men be liars but God will be True.

Psalms 119:89 says: Forever Oh Lord, thy Word is Settled in Heaven.

… Not here on Earth where Wind may blow it off.

I’m sure that you have seen several Streets in your Town whose names has been Changed – They gave your name to your Street, then they find Somebody who is Superior to you and they Change the name of the Street.

That is why we Thank God that our names are written in the Book of Life in Heaven – A New Government cannot come and Change that one.

Psalms 33: 8-9 says: Hey, the reason the whole Earth should fear God is because He Speaks and it is done.

When He speaks, it Stands firm – God is a God of Integrity.

Which will explain to you the quick Action He took in Joshua Chapters 7 and 8 – Because you may not understand fully why as soon as Joshua fell on his face and said: Lord, what am I going to do?

He came – Not only did He come, He told him what to do so that he can win battle.

Why? Because He remembered that He said in Joshua 1: 1-9 – I am going to be with you like I was with Moses.

Okay, you have messed up? Yeah, because I told you at that time that if you want to Prosper, the Word of God must not depart from your mouth.

Remember I told you, but I made a Covenant – You have caused me Pains by Stealing, by taking what I said is not yours; but Please do this for me so that my Covenant shall Stand.

2. Or you can go a little Deeper and consider David.

In the Previous Series (Part 45), we mentioned David and spoke about all the terrible things that he did.

But remember in 1 Samuel 16: 1-13 – When God said to Samuel: Go to the House of Jesse, I have found a King there.

And when they couldn’t find a King among the seven (7) Big Boys; He said that he is somewhere there, go and get him.

In Acts 13: 20-22; God said: I have found a Man who will do all my Will and I am going to make him King.

And then came 2 Samuel Chapter 11; and David messed up Big Time – Brought some Pains to the Heart of God.

But God cannot say: How am I going to say that I didn’t find a Man after my Heart, who will do all my Will? I said so.

That’s why you will read in 2 Samuel 12: 1-13; as soon as the Man of God said to him that you are the Man.

David himself had already Passed Judgement on himself – The Man who did that one is going to die.

The Prophet said that you are the one. And David said okay, I am downfall.

Immediately, God said Thank You for making it easy for me to keep my Promise – And God had also taken away your sin.

Ha! So quick?

King Saul didn’t do one-third of what David did and God said that you are rejected.

Why? Because it wasn’t God who choose Saul – It was the People who said that they wanted a King and so He gave them a King. If the King mess up, we move him out of the way.

But in the case of David, He said that I have found a Man who will do all my Will.

And when he messed up, He said that we will take care of that – You will be Punished but we will continue as friends.

3. Let’s take the case of Solomon.

And then consider also in 2 Samuel 7: 1-16 – When David said that I want to build a House for God. That was before he messed up.

And God said: Thank You. You are a Good Boy, you can’t build a House for me because you have been a Soldier and your hands has been soiled with blood; but your son will build a House.

And concerning that your son, I will love him – I will never take my Mercy away from him like I did with Saul. That is what God said.

And there will always be a King on your Throne – Covenant Keeping God.

So, when Solomon messed up full time – Hey, that boy had so many wives so many concubines and so many idols.

The Almighty God said: Ha, I Promised David that there will always be a Ruler in his Line – 1 Kings 11: 11-13.

God said okay, Solomon I am going to tear the Kingdom out of your hands but I will leave a Tribe – Not because of you, useless boy o but because of David, my Servant sake.

Like Father like son – Be like your Father, be like God. Be a Man/Woman of Integrity.

4. Let’s take the case of Jacob

In Genesis 27: 1-33 – You know the Story.

Jacob deceived his father and got the Blessings that should belong to Esau.

When the father discovered the mistake he had made, the Bible said that he trembled violently – Ha, I have made such a terrible mistake.

But do you know what he said? I have blessed him and he shall be blessed.

Don’t forget that Isaac had the Ability ro rain Curses upon Jacob – Jacob you did this to me your father? You deceived me?

And then He can begin to say that: Hey, this is what will happen to you – Your Children too will do like this to you etc.

No, the Man of Integrity said that I have blessed him and he shall be blessed.

Even when Esau now said: Have you only one Blessing? Can’t you give something else?

He said that I have already made him your Lord.

5. Consider the case of Hannah

In 1 Samuel 1: 9-20 – God give me a son and I will give him back to you.

Didn’t she? She did – 1 Samuel 1: 21-28.

She took the son to the Lord – And she said: Hey, I begged him of the Lord, let him go back to the Lord because I Promised.

Remember those few years when she was nursing the Child – At long last, I have a baby that I can carry about.

But she made a Promise.

And of course, you know the result – God gave her extra five (5) children.

You see in Ecclesiastes 5: 4-5 says: Hey, Pay your Vow.

When you made a Vow to God, Pay quickly – Prove to be a Man/Woman of Integrity.

And then, I will just take you just one little step deeper:

Out of this thing that we called “Integrity of God”; comes “The Law of Harvest”.

Galatians 6:7 – You sow?

Oh God, the Almighty God will see to it that you will reap.

The Law of Harvest is so Solid because it is backed up by the Integrity of God – That God Himself operated that Law!

How? In John 3:16; the Bible said that God has only one Begotten Son.

But He wanted many children and so He applied the Law of Harvest so that according to Romans 8:29; the reason He sowed the Lord Jesus Christ is so that He can become the First Born of many Brethrens.

So, I am advising you – Based on the Integrity of the Most High God, sow in Famine – Genesis 26: 1-14

Sow even in Famine so that God can fulfil His Promise of Abundance for you.

Genesis 22: 15-18; God had made a Promise: Isaac, I will Multiply you.

So, when the Famine came in Genesis Chapter 26, and Isaac was about to move; God said that you don’t need to move to anywhere – Stay where you are and let’s work together.

You sow and I will Prpsper you so Mightily that even a Nation will become envious of you.

Let’s Conclude:

Have you any Prophesy from God? – I want to assure you that it will come to Pass (Amen).

In Habakkuk 2:3 – It says: Has God given you a Vision? Hey don’t worry; it may tarry but it will come to Past.

Why? Because God is a God of Integrity.

He Promised Abraham that you will be the father of many Nations.

Time Passed by, Nothing seems to be happening.

He said: Don’t worry, I am still the Almighty God and I can use my Ressurrection Power to bring even the Dead back to Life – Romans 4: 17-20.

The body of Abraham was dead, the Womb of Sarah was dead but God said: I Promise you o and I will fulfil my Promise.

Consequently, I have Good News for all of you who are True Children of the Most High God – According to Psalms 30: 4-5; weeping may endure for a Night, Joy will come in the Morning.

As sure as Day follows Night, the Promise of God concerning your Life will be fulfilled – Amen!

ALTAR CALL

That is why, if you have not given your Life to Jesus Christ, you can see why I keep on crying to You – Surrender your Life to Jesus Christ.

Do so because you are missing a lot by not Surrendering your Life to Him.

There is a lot you can get from a God who is a God of Integrity.

So, if you will want to Surrender your Life to Jesus Christ, bow your Head now and call on Him and say:

Lord, I want to belong to You – Have Mercy on me, save my Soul and give me a Brand New Beginning just like You Promised.

Call on Him now and I will Pray with you for the Salvation of your Soul.

Thank You Father!

In Jesus Mighty Name we have Prayed – Amen!

PRAYER FOR SALVATION AND CLOSING PRAYER

My Father and my God, I want to give You all the Glory and all the Honour.

You the Covenant Keeping God, the God who never lies and You the God that will fulfil all Your Promises.

I Thank You for Your Words today and I Thank You for all those who has decided to Surrender their lives to You.

Wherever they may be Lord, inclusive those reading now on the Label of DMC; Please receive them, and have Mercy on them.

Remember Your Promise that whosoever will come unto You, You will no wise cast out.

Receive them, save their Souls, let Your Blood wash away all their sins, add them to the Family of God and give them a Brand New Beginning.

From now on, anytime they call on You, Please answer them Speedily.

As for all of us who are already Your Children Lord; all Your Promises concerning our lives, Father bring them to Past very quickly.

Let our Night Change to Day and let Your Name be Glorified.

And the Grace for us also to be Men/Women of Integrity, Please release to us today.

In Jesus Mighty Name we have Prayed – Amen!

Praise the Lord – Hallelujah!

Now, I rejoice with those of you who has given your Life to Jesus Christ.

I can guarantee you because my God is a God of Integrity – A New Beginning starts in your Life today.

So, Please Contact me – Let me have your names, your Address and your Prayer Requests; and I Promised you that I will be Praying for you.

And Contact the nearest Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) to you – Tell the Pastor there that I sent you and he will tell you what to do next.

God Bless You!

Praise the Lord – Hallelujah!!!

Thank you so much for staying all through to read.

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