Abounding in Goodness (3)

[Music] [Speaker 1] Goodness. We give Him all the adoration for the privilege of gathering again today. Blessed be the name of our God. Blessed be the name of our Father. We are grateful to God again for the first Monday in the month of March, and we pray that the new month, which is this third month of the year, will make us rich and add no sorrow in the name of Jesus Christ. Three is very significant. Jesus rose on the third day. Jesus was in the belly of the earth for three days. The Lord spoke to Isaiah—the Lord spoke through Isaiah speaking to Hezekiah. He said, by the third year, you will eat what grows of itself. And my prayer is that as the third day was the day of resurrection, may our lives individually and collectively in this month of March experience resurrection. Everything, everything that has died, everything that is dying, everything experiencing deadness, may there be resurrection in the name of Jesus Christ. Let's take this song together as we start today. [Singing] We are grateful, Oh Lord. We are grateful, Lord. We are grateful, Oh Lord. For all you have done for us. Hallelujah. We are grateful, Oh Lord. We are grateful, Lord. We are grateful, Oh Lord. For all you have done for us. Hallelujah. For all you have done for us. Hallelujah. For all you have done for us. Hallelujah. For all you have done for us. Hallelujah. You are God, for all you have done for us. Amen. Hallelujah. We are grateful, Oh Lord. Our Father, we thank you again for this evening. Unto you we gather, not unto any man. Lord, we pray that your Spirit will work within us, your Spirit will work among us in the name of Jesus Christ. Lord, we pray for individual definite encounter in the name of Jesus. Lord our God, as we look further into the matter of abounding in goodness, Lord we pray that you will instruct our hearts, you will teach us your way, you will walk in our paths in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you, eternal Father. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Last week, was about our prayer last Monday of the month, the month of February, and we took time to look at see this our topic: abounding in goodness. And we saw last week the matter that brought us to the place of prayer. Actually, abounding in goodness is becoming like God. Anybody who is not abounding in goodness is not becoming like God. We saw how good God is. We saw the goodness of God at creation, the goodness of God at the fall of man, the goodness of God at the point of judgment for man's disobedience. We saw the goodness of God in respect of the plans of God for man, how it was God who thought about it that I am going to bring man to myself, I am going to do everything to restore man. We saw the goodness of God in how God planned the restoration. We saw that nobody is indispensable, nobody can make himself anything. If somebody is really encountering God, the truth about his life is that goodness will abound in him. We saw that indeed, when the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, what the Spirit of the Lord does in me is that it makes me to proclaim liberty to the captive. It makes me to bind the brokenhearted, it makes me to open the prison to them that are bound. We saw that very, very clearly. Those are the things we were looking at last week. We saw that it will make you to comfort those who mourn in Zion. It will make you to exchange with them beauty for ashes. It will make you to give them a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. We now saw that it is when these have happened that they will be called the trees of righteousness, the planting of the Father, and then the Father will be glorified. We saw that it is when goodness abound that God is glorified. Then, the Bible talked about the Beatitudes of our Lord Jesus. And in the Beatitudes, we saw what Jesus said. He said love them that hate you. Pray for those who despitefully use you. If you greet only those who greet you, how will you be different from tax collectors and sinners? If you only love those who love you, even tax collectors and sinners they do the same. He said for when you love your enemies, when you do good to them that hate you, he said that way you will be like your Father in heaven, who makes it to rain upon both the good and the unjust, who sends rain upon both the just and the unjust. We saw very clearly last week that one thing about God is that God is inherently good. Whether human beings are wicked or they are not wicked, it does not affect the goodness of God. God still makes His goodness to go to all. Does that mean that God does not judge? Does that mean that God is unjust? No. But we saw the goodness of God. We saw again the goodness of God when the Bible say God is not slack concerning His promises, but God is patient so that people can repent. We saw in every way the goodness of God. Our prayer is that may the Spirit of God be optimal in our lives. When the Spirit of God becomes optimal in your life, you will abound in goodness. You will abound in goodness. That was how we ended: that the Spirit of the Lord will be optimal in our lives. Today, we want to move from that spot. We want to move from that point. We want to go back again to our baseline text, which is Galatians chapter 6. Let's go to Galatians chapter 6. That was where we started from two weeks ago. Galatians 6. I read again from verse 7: "Do not be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not be weary, let us not grow weary in well doing, for in due season we will reap if we do not lose heart." Take this as our baseline text and we want to take it from this point again. And what I want to we want to look at very, very importantly today is understanding this matter of the law of sowing and reaping. This law of sowing and reaping. And in doing so, I want to call our attention to a very important text in the book of Matthew. The book of Matthew where the Lord was making reference to a very important thing I have spoken about this at some point and I just want to amplify some things about it. The Lord was making reference to a discussion talking about the matter of our life in terms of how we relate to others and how the matter eventually come back to us. And in looking at it, He said something very, very, very important. I want us to to see this scripture in Matthew. The book of Matthew chapter 7. Let me start reading from 1: "Judge not that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with what measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye,' and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." Now, when you look at this scripture, this scripture is calling attention to something. I want to see how I bring two things together this evening. If we'll be able to come to the end of abounding in goodness. I want to make you see reason why you must abound in goodness. And the conclusion, which is likely to be next week, will be understanding what it means to sow to the flesh and what it means to sow to the spirit. He who sow to the flesh reap corruption. He who sow to the spirit reap eternal life. What I want to do today is to make you see something about this matter of goodness. See, no matter what is happening, go and check. Anything that God is doing, God is doing it out of His goodness. Whatever, whether God is punishing, whether—look at how God dealt with Israel. God brought nations upon them, God brought kingdoms upon them. They were scattered, they were killed. But what was God working towards? He was working towards that so that they can change, so that they can turn, so that they can come back to Him. And when God did everything they did not come back, God prophesied again. He said, "Okay, I am going to establish a new covenant. That old one did not work, I am going to make a new one. That new one will not be like the old one. In this new one, I will not write it again on the stone. I will write it in their heart. That heart of stone, I will take it away. I will give them a heart of flesh." I want you to see God. Ordinarily, you would think that God has forsaken them. God would throw them away. I want you to see that everything that God did, He was doing it so that His relationship with Israel can continue. And when ultimately they could not keep that covenant, what did God do? He established a new covenant. And you will notice what the Bible says. The Bible says God will not cast away Israel because Israel is the root. That even though God will save Gentiles, the Gentiles should be careful because it is the root that holds them. They were wild olives; they were engrafted into this thing. They should be careful because if Israel leave unbelief, God is able to bring them back again. What I'm trying to make you see is the goodness of God. And what I want to bring to you is why you must abound in goodness. Why in every situation, you must keep doing good. That's what I want to bring to you. Now, the first thing I've tried to make you see in what we read is that the Lord Jesus said, "Judge not that you may not be judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged. And with what measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye?" So the judgment He is talking about here, we'll understand it better in the book of James. Let's see the book of James. Let's go to the book of James, where we'll be able to understand that matter better. We'll be able to get it clearer, that matter that the Lord Jesus is raising in that text in Matthew. James chapter 4, I begin from verse 11: "Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?" Do you get the point he is making? Can you coincide this with what the Lord Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7? So he's talking about—what he's talking about here when the Lord said people because people have interpreted it to mean that you should not correct your brother. No, that's not what the scripture is saying. There's nothing stopping us. The Bible says the scripture is written for instruction, for correction, for rebuke. That's the purpose of the scripture. But what He's talking about in judging, he's talking about speaking evil, backbiting, tongue-lashing, insulting, abusing. That's what He's talking about. Now, the Lord Jesus said the measure in which you measure to people, what will happen? It will be measured back to you. With the same measure in which you judge, it will be measured back to you. So please, what is that trying to make us see? That what you sow to people, what will eventually happen to you too? Is it not what you sow? Is it not what you sow? Now, let's look at another scripture that is often being used for offering, but I want to look at it beyond the matter of offering. I want to look at it within some other context. When the Lord Jesus was speaking and He said, "Give and it will be given unto you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will men give back unto you." I want to read that in Luke chapter 6. Luke chapter 6 verse 38: "Give, and it shall be given unto you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again." Let's take some other translation for that. Luke chapter 6 verse 38, let me read NLT: "If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving, large or small, it will be used to measure what is given back to you." NIV says: "Give, and it will be given you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you measure, it will be measured to you." So please, brethren, what are you seeing about sowing? What do you see about sowing? When you give—I think that giving is sowing—now, we have used this place to preach giving of money. It is not wrong. But it is also good to look at it in a broader way. This matter was used in relations to "do not judge your brother." Please don't forget. Do not speak evil of your brother, that the measure with which you measure to your brother, it will be measured back to you. That was how it was used. But there's nothing wrong if you use it for money. But my challenge for us is this: that the Bible is speaking something very clear. That what the Lord said in Genesis, that seedtime and harvest time will not cease. He's making us to see something very, very, very important. That that which for whatever reason you sow, anyhow it's going to come back to you. Whatever that thing is. Whatever that thing is. So if that is the case, we are looking at abounding in goodness. One thing that we must get very clear and we must understand is this: that God ensures that whatever action that comes out of us comes back to us. God ensures that whatever action, whatever thing, do you know why? That's why the Bible says that do not be deceived. God will not be mocked. God cannot be mocked. Whatsoever a man sows, he will reap. So we saw in the first lesson that God is the one. Because when people are sowing, you can't really say exactly what they are sowing. We gave a very good example in our first lesson. The Bible says even if I give my body to be burned and have not love, it profits me nothing. When people give, giving their body to be burned, would you say they are doing good? But God can also make it not to profit them. Because they are doing it, but not out of love. So it is possible you are doing what looks good, but God will measure that it does not profit you. Because what you are sowing, even though people are looking at what is good, but in truth is that what you are sowing is not to the spirit, it is to the flesh. And God understands the seed. What I'm trying to say is this: it doesn't matter how people look at what you are doing. It doesn't matter how people judge what you are doing. It is important for you to know something very well: that God will ensure that that thing you do, it comes back. And what I'm trying to bring to you is that there is a way God ensures. It is human beings you do this thing to, whatever you—that thing that you do, that action that you are taking. God also see how that same action comes from you, come from humans. While they look human, it is God that is working. It is God that is coordinating that you get back what you sow. Now, what we are now looking at very seriously, brethren, is this. Please, let's look at something vis-à-vis themselves. We said God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. I said whatever God is doing, God always do that thing in light and out of His goodness. And so God also charges us—please let's look at this reading and let's look at what is God charging us to do—Matthew chapter 5. What is He asking us to do in this reading? What is it that we are asked to do? I read Matthew 5 from verse 38: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. Whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brethren, what do you do more than others? Do not even tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." Romans chapter 12, I take my reading from verse 14: "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. Therefore, 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." First Peter chapter 2, I read from verse 13: "Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. As free, yet not using your liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondmen of God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and you suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow in His steps: 'Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth'; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." All of these texts, what are they pointing to? They are pointing to—exhibiting the nature that we have received, which is the nature of God. So that's goodness, that God does goodness at all times. So the three scriptures were all pointing that we have no excuse not to exhibit goodness at all times. So it is pointing to regardless of the situation, we must keep doing good. Now, what am I now trying to show you is this: if in some situations we decided not to do good, what exactly what is the implication for us as believers? Particularly to those who persecute us. It is easy to do good to those who do good to us, we don't have problem with that. Particularly to those perceived enemies, or actual enemies, or avowed enemies. Now, do you notice something that is consistent in all of these reading? That we find it difficult to do good when we are dealing with wicked people, evil people, bad people, defined enemies, defined people we don't have association with. But something was consistent all through: that regardless of who we are dealing with, what should we be doing? We should be doing good. Why? Yes. Now, that is an excellent answer. Actually, He says so that you can be like your Father. Be you perfect like your Father is perfect. It's not talking about sinless perfection. Look, it's like God has a nature. The nature of doing good to all, regardless of who they are. And do you realize something about this matter? First Peter chapter 3, I read from verse 8: "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing." Notice that "knowing" is a continuous knowing. That knowing is a deep realization. That knowing is coming from a depth of understanding. That knowing is flowing from something deeper than the normal human nature. That thing is coming from the point of revelation. Revelation is the key to that knowing. It's that you have a revelation. There is a knowing, and that is where I'm talking about the basis why we must abound in goodness. You must have an understanding. He said, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. What is trying to make you see? That when this don't form your life, you don't know you have an end. There is an end. The end of life is not the physical life. You look at life from the point of light. You look at life from the point of eternity to understand what they are doing. If you see people who trouble doing good to all men, what is their problem? Their problem is not the evil that was done to them. Their problem is the short-sightedness that they could not see their inheritance. Goodness should naturally abound out of you, regardless of situation. Not because you are not feeling the pain in the natural world, but there is a knowing that there is an inheritance. And that inheritance is founded on being like God. That it is more I am perfect like my Father is perfect. This is my calling: that I may inherit a blessing. That if there is an eternal perspective to my life, once you cannot define that eternal perspective, it will become difficult. It will become a difficult thing to do because you are also living like the natural men. You are living like them, you are at their level. I give this example I normally give very well. Elisha and the servant, they were operating from different realms. When he saw all the armies, he was not seeing the chariots of fire surrounding them. When the servant saw the army, he was not seeing the chariot of fire. So Elisha was calm, and the calmness looked ridiculous to the young man. The calmness looks foolish. That is why men who see beyond the natural, they look foolish. But you know that they are smarter than you. They are smarter than you. They are seeing beyond you. You are seeing natural, they are seeing spiritual. You are judging life by what you see; they are judging life by what is unseen. You are looking at what is temporal; they are looking at what is eternal. Who is smarter? You say he's a fool. He's not revenging. Why take advantage of—who is smarter in the two of you? You don't know where your life is flowing from, that's why you think you are not smart. You are smarter when you don't give evil for evil. You are smarter. You are seeing, you are not at the same level. You are not at the same realm. And when the boy was getting too troublesome, what did Elisha do? He said, "God, open his eyes. Bring him to my level." So there is this need for us as believers, particularly let me tell you, wickedness is abounding. The Bible says brethren will betray brethren. The offense is abounding in the land, brethren. I mean offense, it's part of the end-time series. Reason for bitterness is abounding. Reason to hold people and wish their head to be off the world is abounding. People you think are brothers, the Bible says because iniquity will abound, you know many people whose love will be waxing cold. True love—true love is not a common thing. What you find is selfish love. And so you need, you need to be consistent. You don't need to give back, you don't need to hit back. But you need to watch something. The Bible did not say there will not be evil, but it says you must watch out for yourself. When you see evil, not returning evil for evil. You see He's not telling not to do so. He said for but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were—see there is a knowing and that is where I will stop with this. I tell people your struggle is not what was done to you. Your struggle is lack of revelation. Your struggle is lack of revelation. If you can see the invisible and you can hear the inaudible and you can comprehend the incomprehensible, you will discover that you will be smiling. And they will be wondering, what is making you normal is revelation. Revelation is the key, knowing. Now he said, knowing that you are called to this. That is the reason: knowing that you may inherit a blessing. So there is a blessing. Oh, there is a blessing. And I tell people, if people take everything you have out of their evil, and God decide to bless you in return, do you think you will have less or you will have more? Look at it physically. People do you evil, you did them good, you did them good, you did them good, and God decide to bless you for what you have done. Do you think you will have less than—do you think you will be where you were before? When the Bible says that the blessings of God make it rich and adds no sorrow, where do you think you will be? Not to now talk of the fact that Baba is not even talking about mundane things. He's talking about something bigger, something higher. Knowing that our real reward is not on earth. Believers must realize this. This Jesus said, "In my Father's house, there are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And I will come to take you there." So the reward of the believer is not on earth. The believer must get that clear. Whatever God gives you here is still not the blessing. That is not the blessing. That is just temporal sustenance. Temporal sustenance, temporal sign to make you know that there's something bigger. Temporal sign to make you know that, "Sure, just take this one in the meanwhile." Why? He said, "Because your Father knows that you have need of these things." So when some things happen and God decide to give you five times promotion, it's still not the blessing. It's just that the Father knows that you have need of these things. He knows that we need some promotion here, we need some lifting here, we need some houses here, we need to point some points here, like He did with Joseph. We need to turn some things around here so that the wicked even know that "Heh!" they'll say, "Ah, that God is too much." But that is not the blessing. It's just to prove that God, the Most High God, rules in the kingdom of men. That's the one that God wants to prove. That is why while you are here, while you are in this body, God does certain things. But please, that is not our blessing. It's not our blessing. Our blessing is reserved. It cannot be spoiled, it does not fade. It is reserved where? For you in the heavens. That is it. So the second thing I'm saying is that even if God decide to play game and watch or Ludo with the earthly things, and God say don't worry, just let them dispose you, I will bless you. Do you think materially in the earth, will you have lost anything at the end of the day when God now take it away? Okay, let me now give you. When Lot decide to go away, was he eventually better than Abraham? He wasn't. So I'm not saying that physical things—but the point I'm emphasizing today, the reason why goodness cannot abound is that we don't understand that we have been called to something. We need to have this understanding of who we are. We have been called to something. We are in this place we have been placed, and when we stand in that place, it's not because we don't know who we are; it's because we understand where we are going. That is it. We understand where we are going. Look at it. He said, "For he who loves life and will see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, his speech from speaking evil. Let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears open to their prayer. The face of the Lord is against them who do evil." Who is he? Verse 13. Verse 13. Verse 13. Look at something. He said, "Who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?" Who can harm you? You cannot be harmed. Who can harm you? And that is the second place where I'm going. He said, "Who can harm you if you are doing what is good?" You cannot be harmed. You cannot be harmed. And that is the second thing that most of us don't understand. That you need to understand something. Nobody can never ever ever reap evil if you don't sow evil, or God ceases to be God. You cannot reap what you don't sow. God will cease to be God. You cannot reap what you did not sow. He said, "Who can harm you if you are doing what is good?" So in everything they will do, they may take from you, they may have cheated you, it may look as if you suffer for righteousness' sake, some things happened, some things—like I was discussing with somebody. I saw something and it got me discouraged. I said what is this? He said, "I'm going to be like the life of Uriah." I said, "What happened to the life of Uriah?" He said he was so godly, he was so good and everything. And it looked like God did not even defend him. The way everything just happened and he just died like that. And you know, David have everything and you know that David died like—they say David have everything. I said, "Yes, but God punished David." He said, "But even Uriah died." That is looking at it that he did good, but it was evil that ended him. I said, "Why are you so foolish and slow of heart to believe what have been written in scripture?" I said, "Why are you so foolish?" I said, "You know what you have just said? You have just said there is no resurrection." He said, "Resurrection?" I said, "Exactly what you have said. You are saying that when this man died, he ended. Why don't you have—I prayed for God to open your eyes to clear your heart." You are saying that when this man died, he ended. You are saying that when this rich man died in comfort and Lazarus died wretched, it is better to live and die like the rich man. Is that not what you have just said? That's what you just said. Because you have said the end is at death. Whereas the beginning is at death. We just start after we put down this body. That is when life is starting. That is everything for anybody who have this hope in Him. Reality. It is because you have said the end is at death. Whereas the beginning is at death. Life just start after we put down this body. That is when life is starting. That is everything for anybody who have this hope in Him. Reality. He said, "Who can harm you if you're a follower of what is good?" What he's saying is this that most of us don't understand: that you need to understand something. Nobody can never ever ever reap evil if you don't sow evil, or God ceases to be God. You can never be harmed. Evil can never be done to you if you did not sow evil. But look at something where we have problem: "But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." We normally think that if we suffer some material loss and all that loss, it means evil have been done to us. That's where we normally make mistake. No. Even if you suffer for righteousness' sake, there's no problem about that. The Apostles were beaten and they were dancing that they were beaten. You may suffer for righteousness' sake; there's no harm about that. But the point He's making is that that thing you call evil, no nobody can ever harm you. Because you cannot reap what you don't sow. God will cease to be God. You cannot reap what you did not sow. So no matter how they do it, look at what they did to Joseph. Were they able to do evil to Joseph? He entered prison, he entered all together. Were they able to do him evil? Look at what they did to Jesus. They did everything they liked against Him, they did this, they did that, they did that, and at the end of the day, what evil was done to Jesus? What is the summary of all that they did? The Bible says they did to Him all that was in the predetermined counsel of God. And when they were through, He was buried. So all that they did was all that was in the counsel of God. Could they do anything different? So did they do Him any evil? No. What did they do to Him? All that was in the counsel of God. So you cannot do what is not in God's counsel for my life. You cannot. You can only do what is in His counsel. And that is the understanding that must flow, why we must abound in goodness. We begin to be defensive. The problem is that you will reap evil. You will reap evil. That's the challenge of it. That's why when He was reviled, He didn't revile back. When He suffered, He didn't threaten. But committed Himself to God. He knew there is a blessing. The Bible says who, for the joy that was set before Him, he did what? He endured the cross. He did what? He despised the shame. So was Jesus foolish or smarter? Was He not smarter than the devil? What did Satan later say? If I had known, I would not have crucified the Lord of glory. May that be the summary of your enemy's activities over your life in the name of Jesus. That all that they would have done—if they would have done, it will be that ah, all we did was to bring him into his blessing. Was that not the summary of Joseph's brothers toward Joseph? If we have left him in Canaan, maybe he would not have become the king in Egypt. The summary of all their evil was that if they have known, they would not have sold him into slavery. And so when you need to be concerned, may that be the summary. The activities of obvious enemy. Activities of men who say yes. When they will gather, they will gather against us. The Bible says association of men will gather against us. They plan, they collide, they did everything, they will gather against us. But if you are doing good, if you constantly do good, if goodness abound, nobody can harm you. They will take from you, they will worry you, they will mock you. They will bring you into goodness. They will bring you into greatness. They will bring you into blessings. They will bring you—they will see life and you will see good. That is the reality of all the summary of all the absence of evildoers. They would have ended up bringing you into your inheritance. They would have ended up bringing you into your blessing. I want you to pray, just two prayers. Number one, Lord, I need a deeper revelation. I need a deeper revelation. Lord, clarify my taste organs. Baba, I need deeper revelation. Lord, take me deeper. Oh Lord, bring me into the depths, the depths, the depths, the depths of the riches, both of your knowledge and of your wisdom. Bring me into the depths, the depths, the depths, the depths. Bring me into it. Bring me into it. Oh Lord. Lord. Lord. Lord. Lord. That I may be perfect like my heavenly Father is perfect. That I may be like you. May I be like you. Understanding that, understanding that nobody can harm me. If I don't sow evil, I can never reap evil. If in everything, in everything I seek to goodness, I seek to goodness. We are going to define this next week: how do we sow to the flesh? How do we sow to the spirit? But today we are looking at why you must abound. These are the two fundamental principles about it. One: understanding of who you are. What you are called to. Then number two: revelation. Pray to God for deeper revelation. That's the solution. Pray for deeper revelation. And the second reason is you must get something clear. Nobody will be able to harm you. You can only reap evil if for any reason you sow it. That's the only time when evil can be done to you. So no matter how they do it—look at what they did to Joseph. Were they able to do evil to him? He entered prison and all that. But altogether were they able to do him evil? Look at what they did to Jesus. They did everything they like against Him. They lie against Him. They did this. They did that. And at the end of the day, what evil was done to Jesus? The Bible says they did to Him all that was in the predetermined counsel of God. And when they were through, He was buried. So all that they did was all that was in the counsel of God. Could they do anything different? So did they do Him any evil? No. What did they do to Him? All that was in the counsel of God. So you cannot do what is not in God's counsel for my life. You cannot. You can only do what is in His counsel. And that is the understanding that must flow, why we must abound in goodness. We begin to be defensive. The problem is that you will reap evil. You will reap evil. That's the challenge of it. That's why when he was reviled, he didn't revile back. When He suffered, He didn't threaten. But committed Himself to God. He knew there is a blessing. The Bible says who, for the joy that was set before Him, he did what? He endured the cross. He did what? He despised the shame. So was Jesus foolish or smarter? Was He not smarter than the devil? What did Satan later say? If I had known, I would not have crucified the Lord of glory. May that be the summary of your enemy's activities over your life in the name of Jesus. That all that they would have done, it would be that all we did was to bring him into his blessing. Summary of Joseph's brothers toward Joseph: if we had left him in Canaan, maybe he would not have become the king in Egypt. The summary of all their evil was that if they have known, they would not have sold him into slavery. May that be the summary of the activities of obvious enemy. Activities of men who say yes. They will gather against us. But if you are doing good, if you constantly do good, if goodness abound, nobody can harm you. They will take from you, they will worry you, they will mock you. They will bring you into goodness. They will bring you into greatness. They will bring you into blessings. They will see life and you will see good. That is the reality of all the summary of all the absence of evildoers. They would have ended up bringing you into your inheritance. They would have ended up bringing you into your blessing. [Speaker 2] The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forevermore. Amen. This message is coming to you from Family Tent Ministry, a Christian ministry involved in enriching the lives of singles and married through preaching and teaching of God's Word, discipleship, family life enrichment, social and community development, and mission hit. Our regular activities are discipleship class every Monday 5:00 PM; adolescent and singles club every first Saturday of every month at 10:00 AM; marriage forum second Saturday of every month at 10:00 AM; family life seminars; regular square trees and everyday counseling. For further counseling, you can reach us at our location: Life Camp by the first bridge, Ileri community, opposite Very Joy filling station along Igerere road, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. You can also reach us through our social media handles: familytent@yahoo.co.uk, familytentministry01@gmail.com, www.familytentministry.org. Our phone numbers are 08033861136, 07033613848. God bless you all.