Fear Not My Little Flock Your Father is Sovereign

[music playing] [singing] [Speaker 1] We thank our God again for today, for another time in his presence, looking into the scripture, learning from his word. And we trust him again that as we gather, it'll be a time again of blessing, a time of God's divine visitation in the name of Jesus Christ. We have been considering what is in the form of a series for a while now, taking our text from Luke 12:32, looking at "Fear not little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." In the course of this series, we have been able to look at the matter of fear not, the matter of little flock, the matter of your Father. Also, in the course of the series, we have been able to look at the place of hope, even in the face of seemingly hopelessness because we understand the way the Father works. In the course of the series, we started three Mondays ago, we were looking at "Fear not little flock, for your Father is sovereign." That took us to consider the matter of the place of it will be well, the wellness that will follow the righteous, that will follow the godly. We saw that no matter how long it stays, we can tell the righteous that it will be well with him. But for the wicked, no matter how seemingly prosperous they may be, we are very sure from the word of God that it will be ill with the wicked. Last week, we had to consider several scriptures that show that those who fear the Lord, it will be well with them. No matter how things turn, I remember this statement in one of a particular program I was watching sometime. It says, "Anyhow the wind blows, mountains don't bow." Anyhow it goes, no matter the storm, no matter how it goes, we were able to see last week that it will be well with them that fear God. Those who fear God, it will be well with them. We saw the place, what the fear of God brings into the life of a man. What that fear brings into the life of a man, the benefit, the wonderful blessings that come the way of a man that fears the Lord. We saw all of that last week, which was a subsection of our discussion on "Fear not little flock, your Father is sovereign." Today, I trust the Lord that we'll be looking at the book of Revelation to bring the matter of the sovereignty of God over the universe to a close in looking at the scripture. We have started this matter of the sovereignty of God. We are saying this so that the little flocks, they need not be afraid. Disciples need not fear. Children of God need not be afraid. Those who fear the Lord, they need not fear because their Father is sovereign. Today, I trust the Lord that we'll be looking at the book of Revelation to bring the matter of the sovereignty of God over the universe to a close. Let us have a word of prayer. King of glory, almighty God, we commit today gathering into your hand. We pray for our brethren who are here physically and our brethren who are connecting with us online. We say, Lord our God, meet with us all this evening in the name of Jesus Christ. As we consider the matter of your sovereignty over the universe, Lord, let it not come to us as a mere information. Let it become, oh God, a clear revelation of the Spirit in our heart so that, Lord, we may rise above everything that makes us afraid in the name of Jesus Christ. Lord, open our eyes again to see over and over and over again that our Father is sovereign. Thank you, eternal Father. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. So today we want to explore "Fear not little flock, for your Father is sovereign." In this, under your Father is sovereign, this is our third subsection under it. I want us to move to the book of Revelation. Between Revelation 5 and Revelation 8, we were able to establish the sovereignty of God over several calamities that in the book of Revelation came upon the earth. Several things that happened. Today we want to move on to further look at this matter. Isn't God sovereign over what would be our fear? Honestly, God is sovereign. God is sovereign. As you look through from Revelation 9 today to around Revelation 17, 18, 19, just paying close attention to selected verses of Revelation, I believe that we'll be able to see much more that our God is in charge. Honestly, God is in charge. God is in charge. COVID-19 started in February, although the whole episode started sometime last year, but it became a serious matter with us in March. As the months go on, it became more and more serious that eventually there was a complete shutdown of the economy, of homes, of schools, offices, all of that. Then by the time we are getting into August, September, particularly the month of September and October, we began to see a kind of ease on the lockdown and gradually life began to return to normalcy. But as life starts returning to normalcy, another episode again started, EndSARS. And then we're in that again, going through it as a nation, going through it as a nation. By the time EndSARS will be ending, we don't know what again will come up again. By the time that one will be ending, we don't know what again will come up again. What am I trying to say? As at the beginning of 2020, none of us ever imagined that the year would go this way. None of us ever imagined. In fact, it was not something that was in the immediate imagination. For some people that were having something that looks like a revelation, they were wondering how will it be, how exactly is it going to look like. But by the time the whole thing came down, it was a global phenomenon. Everybody, everything, every institution was affected. That episode came and left. More and more things are yet to come. But as we face the future, like I said last week, our concern should not be, "I hope it will be well with me in the future." That is not what should be our concern. Our concern should be, "I hope I am fearing God today." If I am fearing God today, I can be sure it will be well with me in the future. We don't know what next will come up. We don't even know in what dimension and magnitude they are going to come. But today we want to remind ourselves. We want to call our attention again to this truth that have eternal value. Our God is sovereign as believers, so we ought not to fear. What can man do unto us? And I would like to read that scripture as a starting point today before we go into Revelation. Hebrews 13:5-6. Let your conduct be without covetousness. Be content with such things as you have. For he himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." I want us to know, as we try to look at the sovereignty of God in Revelation, I just want to remind you, brothers and sisters, brethren. Let's be reminded again that God himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." God wasn't flattering us when he said this. This statement is not a motivational statement to make you feel good. No, it's the reality of who God is. God said, he himself said, "I will never leave you and I will never forsake you." I will never. I want you to take assurance in this. Sometimes when you look at how the economy is running and how things are going, when you look at the salary that you are earning and how much cash flow you have, your heart may start skipping. You may start entertaining some kinds of fear as to how will my future look like. But I bring to you today this word from the throne of grace. God wants me to remind you, brethren, "I myself have spoken. And what I said is that I will never leave you." God will never leave you. Take heart. Be strong. Don't fear what the nation fear. Don't fear what the unbelievers fear. Don't get shattered. Don't be overtaken by fear. Don't be overtaken by worry. Don't be alarmed. Don't let trepidation arise in your heart. Don't let fear arise in your heart. God himself said, "I will never leave you." I will never leave you and I will never forsake you. So as a result of that, verse six, we can boldly say, "The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?" The Lord, hallelujah, is my helper. I just felt I should bring it to you in the Amplified translation. That is what God is telling you now. Brother, that is what God is telling you. Sister, that is the first thing God is bringing to you this evening. Nations are in uproar. Nigeria economy, the prices of things, the rate at which prices are going up is alarming. Essential commodities, the price, cost of living is going beyond even what the middle class can now do, not to talk of the lower class. But I'm just bringing to you this word of the Lord. This word of the Lord I'm not bringing it for everybody. I'm bringing it for those who fear the Lord. Those who are children of God. Those category of people that have a walk with God. That young man out there who has a walk with God. That young woman out there who has a walk with God. That man out there, that Nigerian out there, that person out there who has a walk with God. The Lord said I should inform you, I should announce to you that he will not in any way fail you. He will not in any way leave you comfortless. He will not fail you. He will not forsake you. So you can boldly say, "The Lord is my helper." And I pray for you, I ask the Lord concerning you, you will experience the help of God in every situation in the name of Jesus Christ. But please, I want you to believe. Faith is your purchasing power when it comes to the spiritual realm. In the market of the reality of the things of God, faith is your purchasing power. You must believe God for what he has said because without it, it's impossible to please God. You must hold to God for what he has spoken, or else you will not be able to experience it. Thomas said, "Until I put my hand into his side and I put my hand into his hand, I will not believe." Of course, Jesus granted that request. But he said, "Thomas, you now believe. Blessed are those who did not see but believe." I am telling you there is a blessing in believing. Mary said, "Blessed be those people who believe, for there shall be a performance of that which is told them from the Lord." And I'm telling you that if you hold to this word, there shall be a performance. You will experience a performance. You will experience the support of God, the assistance of God, the help of God will come to you, no matter your circumstance. Don't allow your life to be overtaken by avarice. Don't allow it to be overtaken by the love for money. Don't go into greed and avarice. Don't go into sharp practices. Don't become dishonest. Stand in righteousness and I assure you that you will experience the help of God. You will experience the power of God, the grace of God, the lifting of God, the support of God will come to you and your family. I assure you, it is the word of the Lord. Don't allow your life to be overtaken by avarice. Don't allow it to be overtaken by greed, by sharp practices or dishonesty. Don't see that as a way forward. I am announcing to you it's a way downward. If you have a walk with God out there and you're holding to God, I'm telling you that the Lord said I should tell you that I will never relax my hold on you. I will never, I will never, never relax it. So be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. I felt I should first bring that message to us before I move on this evening into the matter that we are considering. And all of that is coming from the Father God is sovereign. God is sovereign. God is sovereign. You know what just came to my heart just now? It just like the flash of a light. It just dawned again upon my spirit that do you remember that our fathers in the wilderness, a population of close to over a million, if not more than a million. That population, the Bible says God fed them in the wilderness. There was no job. There was no industry. The economy situation of the desert, you know what it is. No water, no food. It is not even that the prices of things are high; there was nothing to buy. There was nothing to buy. It is not even that they are collecting a salary that could not take them home; there wasn't any salary to collect. It was a completely harsh economy. And for 40 years, God fed that population. The Bible say their cloth did not wax old. Hallelujah. God supported that population of people. They were not planting, they were not harvesting, and God supported that population for 40 years. And you are saying that that God cannot feed your family? How many are you? Jump out of unbelief, my brother. Jump out of faithlessness. Arise and shine for the light is come. Arise and shine. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Arise. Let your heart be strong. Don't let fear arise in your heart. Remember that your Father fed our fathers for 40 years in the wilderness when there was no economy, when there was nothing. No economy was even running. Our own economy is failing; their own, there was no economy. Please take heart. Praise the Lord. In looking at the sovereignty of God, our God is sovereign. He has said he will not leave us, he will not forsake us. He fed our fathers, he can feed us. Don't let us go into any type of sharp practices or do what is wrong. Don't let our life be full of craving for material things. Be satisfied, be content with what you have because God will support you. Live a godly life, live a life of someone who fears the Lord. Live in honesty and sincerity, for there will be no lack to those who fear the Lord. For our God is sovereign. As we look at all of that, let's turn our Bible also to Revelation, just to check something further as to look at the sovereignty of our Father. Our Father is sovereign. In chapter nine, Revelation 9:1. The fifth angel sounded and I saw like a star falling from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke, locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth or any green thing or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. In those days, men will seek death and will not find it. They will desire to die and death will flee from them. I just want you to look at something in that place. We are just trying to point to the sovereignty of God, how great, how powerful our God is, so that you understand why Jesus said, "Fear not little flock." There's no need to fear. And if you look at the reading here, you notice about three things in verse four, verse five, and six. The first one was that a particular judgment was to come down upon the earth. And you will find something similar here to what happened in Egypt in the days of the Israelites in Egypt, the Israelites, Moses and Pharaoh. This calamity that was to befall the earth was such that it is to come upon certain men, excluding certain men. But the difference this time is that when you talk about that of Egypt, it was such that there was a particular place that the Israelites were. In this case, these men were not in a particular place. They were sealed of God. Now when the calamity was to come down, the calamity has a way of entering into the midst of men and avoiding men that God has sealed. Am I to make you see the power of God, the sovereignty of God? What God can do to keep his own. That a calamity was coming, evil was coming, but you notice that the evil was given instruction, "As you are going at evil, know where you are going. Once you see a man that has been sealed, avoid that man. The one that has not been sealed, then you can strike." You see, when these things are happening for those who are on earth, it would just be happening to people. It'll look as if what is happening will be by chance. That is how it'll look like. But in the real sense of it, is that how it is? No. No. In the real sense of it, the way it is from what we are reading here is that God had given what? A command. That "You calamity, as often as you meet with a man that has been sealed, pass over him." Calamity has eyes. They can see. What is important is whether God is securing you or not securing you. It is not for you to fear the calamity. What is important is what has Baba said about you? If you have been sealed, the calamity will be coming, "Oh, sorry sir," and then it will pass over him. And then if you look a little closely, you know what also amazing what also called our attention again. It said they were given authority, they were given power to harm people, to torment them. But they were not given authority to kill them. Do you understand what I'm trying to make you see? But to torment them for five months. They were not given authority to kill them, which means ordinarily they can kill them. But the extent to which they can exercise their power was also determined. Not to kill, but to torment. Now because they were to torment ordinarily, the Bible says death, death did what? Fled from them. Why? Because it was not their time to die. What God wanted is torment, not death. And so death set itself aside. I move on. Verse 13. Then the sixth angel sounded and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar, which is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." So the four angels who had been prepared for the hour and the day and the month and the year were released to kill a third of mankind. Do you know what I want you to see there? Certain angels were prepared for a particular time, and until that time comes, they cannot work. And when that time comes, nothing can delay it. The only thing keeping them was, the word of God said they were kept for that hour, for that time, for that year, for that month. That is why for instance, you will say COVID-19 did not come in 2018, did not come in 2017. It came when? In 2020. I'm talking about what I want you to see is the matter of for the day, for the hour, for the month, and for the year. And when that time comes, nothing could keep the angel from coming forth. And nothing make them to come before that time. I'm trying to make you see in terms of how God has programmed the things that are to come. When these things when they will be coming forth, they'll be looking like they were happening. They were just event of the year, event of the day, event of the month. Is that not? But from our understanding, it was a preparation for that particular year. And until that year, they cannot come forth. And when it was that year, they were released for that year. I move on. Revelation 10:5. The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to the heaven to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, the sea and the things that are in it, that there should no longer be delay. But in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he's about to sound, the mystery of God will be finished as he had declared to his servants the prophets. What is that telling us? That everything that will be coming up, they were things that God has what? Have told his servants. They are not things confusing. They are mysteries of God that if you have a walk with God, if you have a place with God, those things they will not be something confusing. He said these things, they were actually declared to his servants. All of these things that God is trying to, that God will be bringing to pass, they were things that have been declared to his servants the prophets. Now when he said that, do you know what immediately came to my mind when he said his servants the prophets? He said that there will be no more delay, that everything God wants to do will be coming to an end. Now please, look at Daniel, that popular story of the golden image that was revealed to Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2:24. Therefore, Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him, "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon. Take me before the king and I will tell the king the interpretation." Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and said thus to him, "I have found a man of the captives of Judah who will make known to the king the interpretation." The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?" Daniel answered in the presence of the king and said, "The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers and the magicians and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known, he has made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. He has made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days." Now please follow this thing. He made known to the king what will be. It'll look like God was foretelling the future. But I want to tell you that that is not what God was doing. That was not what God was doing. Look at the interpretation. "Your dream and the vision of your head upon your bed were these. As for you, oh king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed about what will come to pass after this. And he who reveals secret has made known to you what will be. But as for me, this secret was not revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sake who make known the interpretation to the king and that you may know the thoughts of your heart. You, oh king, was watching and behold a great image. This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you and its form was awesome. This the image head was of fine gold, its chest and its arm of silver, its belly and its thigh of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly clay. You watched while a stone cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay and broke them into pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed together and became like a chaff before the summer threshing floor, and the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation before the king. You, oh king, are a king of kings; for the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength and glory. And wherever the children of men dwell or the beast of the field and the birds of heaven, he had given them into your hand and has made you ruler over them. You are this head of gold." So is God showing him what will be, or God was showing him what he has established? God don't talk about the future because he knows the future. No, God talks about the future because he has determined the future. It's not about just foretelling. It's about determining. He said that God, God gave you. God gave you. You see, I'm saying this thing so that when you look at the future to come, you should understand that everything that John was being shown when he said that God will be fulfilling what he told the prophet, there was nothing John was shown that have not been told the prophets. What God was showing John was what God had determined. It was what God had concluded. It was something that was emanating from God so that you don't think that there is a future that will just emanate anyhow. There is no future that's going to emanate anyhow. That future that is going to emanate in 20 years, in 30 years, in 100 years, in 200 years to come has been told the prophet. There is no coincidence that is in one future. Romans 13:1-2. Let every soul be subject to governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God. And the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Verse two. Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God. And those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. Please, what is it talking about here literally when he says governing authorities? Political leaders, all forms of leaders. Is that not? Now listen, political leadership in Nigeria. If you resist the politician who seems to have come by some dubious means, and God says that anybody who resists those governing authority, they resist the ordinance of God. If they have come there and it's the person, just leave it, I allowed it to be. What do you then think will happen if somebody is now resisting a life that was raised by God himself? What do you think will happen if somebody is now resisting a project and God commanded him to do that project? You are now resisting the project. What do you think will happen to the person who is opposing a vision that God gave to a brother or sister to run, somebody is now opposing that thing? The one that came by something you think that God says if you resist, I will judge you. How much more that thing that has special privilege of God, that God is the one that is raising? God is the one doing it. God is behind the vision. God is behind the project. God is behind the life. God is behind the family. God is behind the boy. God is behind the girl. God is behind the believer. Once somebody is now rising somewhere to resist that person, to oppose that person, and you say God will not resist the person? That was what occurred to me. If God says please submit to authorities because every power is by me, if you resist them, you're resisting me, then much more the more I can confidently say, anyone that who rises against my life. You can now understand why God told Abraham, "I will curse them that curse you. I will bless them that bless you. I will be an enemy to your enemy and adversary to your adversary." Brother, God is an enemy to your enemy and an adversary to your adversary because anybody who rises against that which God ordained. There's no uncertainty future for those who know the Lord. "Omo baba lemi nse nipa igbagbo ninu Jesu. Sebi baba mi lo nile o, un o ma rin, un o ma yo falala." Your future is not uncertain. I'm not living in uncertainty. I'm not living in fear of an uncertain future. The future is secured because he lives, I can face tomorrow. Because he lives, all fear is gone because I know, do you know, do you know, he holds my future and life is worth a living just because he lives. Your future is not uncertain. Because he lives, I can face tomorrow. Oh, because he lives, all fear is gone. Because I know he holds my future and life is worth a living just because he lives. Your future is not uncertain. Your tomorrow is not a coincidence. Your tomorrow is not a coincidence. No, he holds your future. He holds your future. He holds your future. He holds your future. When he told Abraham that know for certain that your children will be in captivity with one country for so number of years, after that they will come out to get inheritance. Did it happen as God has pronounced it? No future to the Israelite; it was coming like a coincidence. But to Abraham, was it a coincidence? Was it something that was just happening? No. Pharaoh thought it was because he was powerful. No. It was because God ordained. Because God said because I will call my son out of Egypt, Jesus was to go to Egypt and he will be called out of Egypt. That is why Israel must go to Egypt and must be there, then God will now call out his son from there. That was why that Pharaoh was allowed to do what he did and he thought it was about him. It was not about Pharaoh; it was about God. It was about God. There is no uncertain future anywhere. We are looking at that Daniel before that matter just came up in my heart and I quickly went there to check it. And the interpretation of that dream, that was where I was. And then he said you are the head of gold. When he was speaking to Nebuchadnezzar, but I want to go beyond there a little before we close today because I want to tell you what I really want to announce to you today brethren is what I'm telling you now. There is no future that is by coincidence. God doesn't just foretell, telling, he's God knows the future because he determines them. When he told Abraham that know for certain that your children will be in captivity with one country for so number of years, after that they will come out to get inheritance. It happened as God had pronounced it. There's nothing no future to the Israelites. It was coming like a coincidence. But to Abraham, was it a coincidence? Was it something that was just happening? No. God had determined to do. God is not just a foreteller, just telling. No, he's God knows the future because he determines them. Thank you, Father. Oh, blessed be your holy name, our God. Thank you, eternal God, immortal rock of ages, we bless you. Blessed be your name. Our Father, thank you. What a time of refreshing in your presence. Thank you for your word again. Thank you for assurance you have given unto us that you will not by any means fail us. You will not by any means leave us without support. You said you will not. You will not. You will not by any degree leave us helpless. You said you will not. Lord, thank you because you're our helper. We will not be afraid. We will not be afraid. We will not be seized by any alarm. We will not be seized by anything going on around us because we have this assurance that you're our helper in the name of Jesus Christ. Father, we have come to see you're our helper to every one of us that have listened to your word. You will be our helper indeed in the name of Jesus Christ. And we receive grace. Grace to stand for you. Grace to stand for you. Grace never to be carried away. Grace never to fail in the face of temptation in our offices, in the face of temptation in anywhere we can be found, in anywhere we may find ourselves. Lord, we pray for grace to stand for you. Grace never to fail you. Grace never to falter but grace to love you, to walk in righteousness because your word said you know those that are yours and those that are yours should depart from iniquity. Lord, we receive grace to depart from iniquity. We receive grace to love you more, to walk in righteousness in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you, precious Daddy. Lord, we pray for every one of us that when the trumpet sounds we will not be missed out. You will help us to be raptureable in the name of Jesus Christ. Lord, we pray for your servant. He has watered us. Lord, water him the more. Keep him in your love. Bless him the more. Cause his anointing to be overflowing in the name of Jesus Christ. We pray for this Family Tent Ministry. Lord, you will cause the path of the ministry to drop fatness in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you, precious Daddy. As we go, we go in your name. And we return next week with testimony. Thank you, precious Daddy. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forevermore in Jesus' mighty name we pray. 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 aid. Our regular activities are the discipleship class, every Monday 5:00 p.m., adolescent and singles club, every first Saturday of every month at 10:00 a.m., marriage forum, second Saturday of every month at 10:00 a.m., family life seminars, regular school outreaches and everyday counseling. For further counseling, you can reach us at our location, Life Camp by the first bridge, Ile-Ife community opposite very Joy filling station along Idjare 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. [music playing]