JUICY JULY 2022| DAY 18
THEME: BUT FOR THE SHOWERS WE PLEAD
TOPIC: THE GLORIOUS VESSEL
TEXT: 2 TIMOTHY 2:20-21
BIBLE READING: 2 TIMOTHY 2 & ISAIAH 58
Hello sisters😊 welcome to the 18th day of Juicy July 2022.
I believe it has been awesome and refreshing and I trust God has been pouring Himself into us more and more.
Hallelujah!
So today we are looking at the topic- THE GLORIOUS VESSEL. I will love to urge us to open our hearts to God as He is about to do a new thing in our lives today again.
I beg you not to be tired and not to be too familiar with His Word as He’s set to open our eyes afresh today.
PRAISE GOD!
Right now, let’s go into our first song for today. Please prayerfully sing along. Be immersed in the message of this song!
LET ME WANT WHAT YOU WANT BY PAUL ENECHE
Stanza 1
Let me want what you want oh my dear lord
Let me love what you love oh dear lord
That is how you designed life to be looord
Help lord to live as I ought to live
{2x}
Chorus
Oh Lord take me to the place where I have no will that is separate from your will,
Oh Lord take me to the place where I have no choice that is separate from your choice,
To be lost in you, is my desire
To all for you is all I want
Stanza 2
Let my life bring you Joy and not pain lord
Let me live in your plan for my life
That is living life at its very best loooord
That is living to glorify your name.
{2x}
Oh Lord take me to the place where I have no will that is separate from your will,
Oh Lord take me to the place where I have no choice that is separate from your choice,
To be lost in you, is my desire
To all for you is all I want
Stanza 3
Set me free from myself oh my dear Lord
From the ways of the flesh set me free
So I can avoid all ways of regret
So my life can bring pleasure to you lord.
{2x}
I trust we were blessed by this song. I trust we are already boiling in prayers?
I trust our spirits are charged up to receive nothing short of God’s Will and glory today.
Halleluyah!
Let me quickly explain something about our topic to us.
THE GLORIOUS VESSEL!
We have been asking the Lord for showers, for rain, for great flows for the past 17days plus. But what kind of vessel are you?
What vessel is the showers falling on right now?
Is it an honorable vessel or a dirty one?
What vessel are you presenting to the Lord for the showers?
Is it a durable vessel that can be useful now and even after the Juicy July program?
Is it one that others can also drink from?
What kind of a vessel are you?
2 Timothy 2:20-21 says:
- Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable.
- Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
So, in every house, we have different kinds of bowls and cups and buckets and sinks and containers.
Some of them, we use every day in the kitchen;
Some we use in the toilet and they stay right there!
Some we use for important guests. Nothing must happen to the vessels. We take good care of them.
Some are potties. We only use them to collect the feces of Little children. They can’t be seen in public.
Different kinds of vessels for different uses!
What Type of Vessel are You?
Are you a vessel of wood, clay, gold, silver, brass, stone, iron, copper, ivory, marble, glory?
God’s earthly house (the church) has a variety of vessels.
There are some vessels or people who are like wood and clay; that is, they dishonor Jesus Christ.
They do nothing to please Him
They do not seek His Will
They only want to receive from Christ, not give to Him
They don’t care how they live
They do not seek the Lord’s glory
They bring shame to the Name of the Lord! Through them, people would say ‘I’d rather die an unbeliever than be like her!’
They do not live like Christ!
Nor do they desire to!
But they want a husband from Him!
And good children!
And good jobs!
And relocation!
They don’t even care if God wants them to do something or not. If it appeals to them, they go for it. Damn God’s will! They would still fast and pray, though.
Hmmmm!
All these above-listed vessels cannot receive glorious blessings from the Lord!
The Lord doesn’t fill dirty vessels with His rain!
They will mess it all up!
They will only selfishly get things and use them for themselves alone! God doesn’t want His children to be like the Dead Sea! Always receiving and receiving and not giving! Not being a blessing! Not spreading the good news to others!
If they receive anything, it would be to the damnation of their souls!
They’d make mistakes in choices.
And since they are not praying according to God’s Will, they will fall into terrible errors like Samson who despised his parents’ warnings and cried. ‘Get her for me or I die!’- Only seeking his will! We all know how he ended!
So, the church has a mixture of people:
- some are good and some are bad.
- some are true and some are false.
- some are genuine and some are counterfeit.
- some are clean and some are dirty.
- some are pure and some are tarnished.
- some are clear and some are stained.
- some reflect light and some reflect the darkness.
So, thank God, the church also has some vessels or people who are like gold and silver;- meaning they really honor Jesus Christ!
They live for His glory!
They pray for His glory!
They live in His Will!
They love to do His Will!
They love to present God well to guests and bring dignity to God’s Name!
Even when they pray, they are seeking God’s Will!
They desire blessings not just for themselves but for others!
They do not put themselves first in prayers. They put God first!
The main example of this kind of vessel is our Lord Jesus Christ!
He was in Gethsemane, praying so vigorously and sorrowfully, sweating profusely and thickly as he met face-to-face with death!
Yet, He prayed ‘Not my Will but Yours be done!’
That is a glorious vessel!
Such a kind of vessel that the Lord would love to pour His showers on!
He is our perfect example! And His Word says we should follow in His steps!
He put God first in prayers!
Then, put others next! Of course, He did! That was why He laid down His life for us!
He never even thought about Himself.
He only sought to be a vessel! A one that would glorify God!
Since our prayers started, has it been about you and yours?
Have you sought to know if it is God’s Will for you to receive that particular thing or is it about ‘Give it to me Lord, or I die’ ?
That one you are asking for, are you planning to use it just for yourself and your family? Or will it reach others?
Do you put God’s Will first?
Do you seek Him first?
Is that request just for your own glory?
Well, God wouldn’t love to pour out on a selfish vessel!
Our God is a giver Himself. He only blesses givers and people who seek to be givers themselves!
Do you know what happened to our perfect example of a glorious vessel?
Let me show you:
Philippians 2:3-11:
3. Do nothing (EVEN PRAYERS) from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others. (EVEN AS YOU PRAY!)
5. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, (FOLLOW HIS PRAYER PATTERN LIKE I EXPLAINED ABOVE. WE ARE TO FOLLOW HIS STEPS!)
6. who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7. but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Because of all these precious things He did, offering Himself up to be used by God, for God’s glory and people at large, see what God did to Him!
9. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10. so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11. and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Hallelujah!!!!
When a vessel gives itself up to be used by the Master, the Master would wash it, clean it, beautify it, set it aside and fill it with much glory!!!
The Master would exalt it above all other vessels!
Are you a glorious vessel? Or are you a cheap, easy-to-be-replaced paper plate?
Sisters, we are not of the world so we don’t do things like the people of the world, we don’t live our lives like the people of the world.
We are kingdom-minded people and so everything the Lord has and will be committing into our hands should be for the purpose of expanding His kingdom in any capacity He will have us do.
🎼 Not for ease or worldly pleasure,
Not for fame my prayer shall be;
Gladly will I toil and suffer,
Only let me walk with thee.
If you know the above song, sing it, pray it. Then, continue.
It’s a prayer of commitment- that God, all these I’m asking for, I will use for Your glory!
I will use them to bring more sons and daughters to You!
I will use them to bring Your kingdom here on earth.
Asides from being a dishonorable vessel, another things that can hinder our prayers is asking for the wrong purpose.
Some of us are asking for a lot of blessings without even knowing what we should use them for.
And you know, when the purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable!
And God is an intentional father that wouldn’t have us abuse any of His resources. So, when we pray for the wrong reason, He’d simply keep watching until we get the purpose right!
Some are asking for a husband so they can be called Mrs! Some because they are tired of bearing their fathers’ names😂
Some are trusting God for a better job so they can oppress their neighbor with new clothes and shoes.
Some want children so they can show others that they aren’t barren! And so all those who have insulted them in the past can be ridiculed!
WE ARE JOKING!!!!
God would just be looking at us hilariously😂😂
God wants to prepare us, He wants to furnish our lives with all we need for life and godliness so we can be fit for any assignment He gives.
FOR HIS OWN GLORY!
How can you become a glorious vessel?
Purging!
If a good vessel is dirty, we need to wash it well and it can be fit again!
We need to purge ourselves of:
- behavior that is dishonorable and unrighteous.
- words that are corruptible and dirty.
- talk that is unclean and contaminating.
- teaching that is false and cancerous.
2 Timothy 2:22 also says:
*Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.*
So, we need to flee youthful lusts!
WHAT ARE YOUTHFUL LUSTS?
The Greek word for “lusts” means passionate desires and cravings.
It can mean either good or bad desires, and its meaning is always to be determined by the context!
Here is my point: passionate desire and craving is normal and natural.
God made us to desire and crave. It is when we use our passions to hurt and damage that they become evil.
What are the lusts of youth?
⇒ The desires of the eye: Desire to have and possess. To have and possess are normal desires, but the normal desire can lead to the lust for possessions and people.
⇒ The desires of the flesh: Desire the companionship of the opposite sex. Attraction is normal and leads to marriage and the carrying on of the human race. However, normal desire can lead to illicit sex and immorality.
⇒ The desire for acceptance: Wanting to fit in with your peers. Wanting approval, and wanting to be recognized.
This is normal, but it can lead to compromise— the compromise of one’s values and morality and of the truth. It can also lead to rebellion against authority.
⇒ The desire to achieve: Desire to be successful, to find your place in the world. However, this can lead to seeking authority and power over people and to the manipulation and use of people for one’s own ends.
⇒ The desire for recognition: Desire to be the top gun, the star, the best looking, the smartest, the most popular.
Being the one most recognized, and a host of other daydreams. This can lead to either pride and arrogance or to a sense of inferiority and low self-image.
It can lead either to the hurting of the less gifted or to putting down yourself.
⇒ The desire to get it NOW!: Wanting everything now or to see things done now. This can lead to impatience and to the mistreatment of people: bypassing and disregarding the peace and security of other people.
Can you see all these desires?
Have you noticed any of them driving your prayer before and during this Juicy July?
They need to be washed away, so you can start afresh.
A person who purges himself from these and more will become a vessel unto honor.
She will be:
-sanctified and set apart to Jesus Christ and His service.
-fit for the Master’s use; that is, Christ will be able to use her!
-prepared to every good work; that is, Christ will be able to bless her and use her for any work.
ISAIAH 49 : 2 also says: He made me His straight arrow and hid me in his quiver. He said to me, “You’re my dear servant, Israel, through whom I’ll shine.
God wants to shine through us.
He wants to display His glory through us.
He’s preparing us as an arrow in His quiver so He can throw us anywhere He dims fit.
He is giving you wealth and influence so He can throw you into the economic sector of the nation where you will make changes with your hands unsoiled because the money there is nothing to what He has already given you.
God is giving you a home so you can be a role model that will rebuild broken homes, and will raise up the foundations of many generations.
Hallelujah 🙌
You’re more than you’re imagining now.
You have more to do than the peripheral you’re thinking.
God is committing so much into your hands to impact the world and even generations yet unborn.
An honorable vessel lasts long because it’s jealously guarded. The blessings of God in your life will last longer and will be preserved when it brings glory to God.
So, you must understand that:
You are made with a purpose. You are made to serve God by serving people. You don’t exist for yourself. The Bible says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
Just like a potter makes a clay pot to hold water, just like a wood crafter works wood and nails into a chair for sitting, we are God’s workmanship made for the purpose of serving Him.
We are not simply made to sit in the stands and watch the game of life pass by, we are made to get in the game and make a contribution to God’s work.
If we are made to do good works, it means we are made to be a blessing to others. This, the Bible says, is what “God prepared in advance for us to do.” This is His plan for us, every one of us and not just some.
Our highest aim should be to bring glory to God (1 Corinthians 10:31), and this includes praying according to His will.
God will be willing to give more when He sees that you are ready not to hold back from Him.
May God help us to be fit for His use in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Let’s take our second song before we go into prayers.
I SURRENDER BY HILLSONG WORSHIP
Here I am
Down on my knees again
Surrendering all
Surrendering all
And find me here
Lord as You draw me near
Desperate for You
Desperate for You
I surrender
Drench my soul
As mercy and grace unfold
I hunger and thirst
I hunger and thirst
With arms stretched wide
I know You hear my cry
Speak to me now
Speak to me now
I surrender
I surrender
I wanna know You more
I wanna know You more
I surrender
I surrender
I wanna know You more
I wanna know You more
Like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me
Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me
Like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me
Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me
Like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me
Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me
I surrender
I surrender
I wanna know You more
I wanna know You more
I surrender
I surrender
I wanna know You more
I wanna know You more
Amen!!!!
LET’S PRAY, SISTERS
Let’s thank God for yet another wonderful day to call upon Him. Thank Him for the blessings He’s been raining on you from day 1 of this program
Come to His throne of mercy and ask for forgiveness of sins. Tell Him to forgive you of all the times you have been seeking your own interest and not His own.
Welcome the presence of God, and tell the Holy Spirit to take over your heart and your environment. Come against all forms of distractions within and without.
Open to Jeremiah 29 v 11 and then, 2 Tim 1 : 9. Read it aloud and appreciate God for those huge promises.
Appreciate God for His plans for your life.
Thank Him because He’s thinking of you.
Thank Him because He has a good plan for you even before you were conceived in your mother’s womb.
Thank Him because He has saved and called you with a holy calling, not according to your work but according to His own purpose and grace.
Thank Him so more as you are led to. Then, move forward.
LET’S GO DEEPER:
Like a mighty wind, Spirit of God breathe within my soul now! Breathe within my soul now! (Raise your arms up and keep repeating, your eyes shut)
Lord, I surrender! I surrender! (Keep repeating, your eyes shut firmly, giving it all to the Lord. Be intentional about this prayer)
Lord, I lay myself down at the foot of Your Cross, have Your way in me Now! (7x)
Tell God to take control of your appetite and desire, that what He wants for you is what you will desire.
Burn through me, Lord! Burn off my selfish desires! Burn off my worldly desires! Burn off my sinful desires, Lord!
Tell God to perfect your sight and enlarge your heart so you can rightly perceive what the true burden of the Lord is for your life.
Ask God to enlarge your capacity so you will always have enough room to contain His blessings
Confess your readiness and willingness to do every good work the Lord will have you do as He pours Himself on you. Tell Him how ready you are to do His will at all cost.
Tell God to do all He dims necessary in your life in order to make you fit for that which He’s preparing you for.
Tell Him to bypass your emotions and desires, and do what is best for you.
Ask for grace to sit in your place of making and pruning so you can be fit for His honourable purposes.
Tell Him to get rid of the restlessness and complacency you experience in the place of fellowship with Him.
Tell Him that as He throws you out as an arrow, you will hit His target and you will bring back rewards, fruits unto His kingdom.
Tell God to give you understanding of all His sayings.
Tell Him that as He’s pouring so much in you, you will not fail him, you will not disappoint Him.
Tell Him to shine through you at every season of your life. That anything He gives you, any position He puts you will be for the display of His glory.
Henceforth oh Lord, help me to reflect your glory in the Mighty Name of Jesus!
Purge me oh Lord and make me a useful, glorious vessel!
Everything in my vessel bringing shame and disgrace to Your Name and Person, oh Lord, purge me of all of them in the Mighty Name of Jesus.
I present my marital life to you, Lord. Use it for your glory! Give me a man, Lord with whom we will proclaim Your majesty and goodness! Give me a marriage that will glorify you oh Lord! (Do this for all your requests)
Every selfish reason for which I have been praying, contrary to Your Will, whether I know them or not, purify me of all of them, Lord. I surrender those reasons to you now. Help my will to align with yours, Lord!
Lord, I surrender my …………to you!
Lord, let Your Will be done in my…………….
Oh Lord, please take me to the place where I have no will that is separate from Your will in the Mighty Name of Jesus!
Oh Lord take me to the place where I have no choice that is separate from Your choice oh Lord, my God and my Redeemer in the Mighty Name of Jesus!
To be lost in you, is my desire! (7x)
Read Psalm 62 : 10 and pray with it.
Tell God that when your riches increase, you will not set your heart upon them. That in all, God will be your ultimate pursuit.
Tell Him to help you not to love the gifts more than the giver.
Set me free from myself, oh Lord
Set me free from the ways of the flesh, oh my God!
It is only in You I can find peace and blessings that come with no sorrow. Help me Lord to hide myself in You and walk in Your ways so I can avoid all ways of regret all the ways of my life in the Mighty Name of Jesus.
Lord, I want my life to bring pleasure to You!
Lord, I want my marriage to bring pleasure to You!
Lord, I want my ways to bring pleasure to You!
Lord, I want my speech to bring pleasure to You!
Lord, I want my actions to bring pleasure to You!
Lord, I want my talents to bring pleasure to You!
Lord, I want my social media activities to bring pleasure to You!
Tell God that as you have decided to be available for His honorable purposes;
- Your seeds shall be mighty upon the earth
- Your generation shall be blessed.
- Wealth and riches shall be in your house.
- Sound health shall be your reward.
- He shall guide you continually
- He will cause your light to break forth as the morning and your health shall spring forth speedily.
- He will make you like a well-watered garden.
All according to His Holy Word!
Tell God that as a BABES of Unique Dynamite you are, you will be unique everywhere you find yourself. That your life will attract favor in a unique manner, that your life will attract blessing in an exceptional way.
Thank God for answered prayers.
Ephesians 3 v 20 says; Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.
Continue to pray as the spirit leads.
