By Caleb Iboroma
(Sunday 19th, July 2009)
[For a printable version click here.]
QUOTABLE QUOTES
Isa 62: Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. {Hephzibah: that is, My delight is in her} {Beulah: that is, Married}.
May be in times past you may have felt forsaken due to certain circumstances or experiences in your life, but the word of the Lord comes to you today ; you shall no longer be termed forsaken
Let us take this word, God has sent us today very seriously. Believe the word and thou and thy house shall be saved. The word of the Lord has gone out from the mouth of His servant, to create a new thing in our lives and the Lord shall accomplish His will in us. Brethren rejoice, you are now blessed, you are no more forsaken. Let the billows soar high, even if the waves rage, we can not sink because the prophetic word has gone forth: we are no longer termed forsaken. The Lord is the lifter up of our head. PRAISE GOD.
…Bro Urais
WHAT DOES THE WORD “DELIGHT” MEAN?
Delight means greatly pleased, with great pleasure, highly pleasing, thrilling. When one is delighted in something it means you are thrilled about that thing, and it gives you joy. The tendency is that because that person has pleased you, you will wish the person well. Brethren rejoice, you are God’s delight and whom the Lord delights in, He blesses. Joshua and Caleb were men of courage who knew their God. They knew that if the Lord delighted in them, they would have victory. This was their confidence. Nu 14:8 “If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey”.
Brethren if the Lord delights in us, He will do for us what He has promised. Remember the admonition we received the other week: do not frustrate the grace of God. When you have the word of the Lord on a matter, believe God and walk accordingly, don’t be discouraged because of the passage of time. The Lord will do what He has to do. Do you know why? He whom the Lord delights in He blesses.
I totally agree with Bro. Jennings who says, “delight is the secret of all blessings from God”. Surely you as an individual finds it difficult to bless someone whom you are sad and unhappy with. You need grace to bless some one who is hurting you. Let us be mindful to abide in a place where the blessings of God will reach us.
Our God is a God who blesses. Before we proceed let us understand what the word blessing means. I would define blessing as “a prophetic utterance; which when spoken goes into the spirit world and begins to work , and then manifests in the physical.. We may also describe blessing as a wish for someone to have happiness, joy, success, break through in all of their endeavours”. Some times the manifestation may be immediate or it may take a process of time. As individuals we can also bless God. Blessing God comes from a heart that is pleased with God. May be a thought comes to your mind about what God has done for you and you begin to express or declare praise, adoration or thanksgiving to God. Blessing can only proceed from a heart that is delighted in God. It is my wish that after this message we will be delighted in God and the things of God, because that is the purpose and the will of God concerning your creation. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for thou has created all things and for thy pleasure (delight) they are and were created”. (Rev 4:11)
MEN WHOM GOD DELIGHTED IN
As we study the character of these men, we will understand better the character traits we can posses that will cause God to delight in us. May we align ourselves to walk in their steps?
ENOCH
Enoch delighted in God, Enoch walked in a generation that did not know God, yet he made up his mind to please, satisfy and obey God, doing His will, in spite of the fact that others around him were doing the opposite. He pleased God so much so that the Lord decided that the snares of death, the fears of death, and the pangs of death, Enoch will not experience; so the Lord took (translated) him.
Heb 11:5 “by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God”.
Ge 5:21 “and Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah”
v22 “And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:”
v23 “And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years”:
v24 “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him”.
NOAH
Ge 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
v6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
v7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
v 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Noah was born in a worse dispensation than Enoch. Wickedness was more rife in his days. But Noah was able to find pleasure in God’s sight, obeying God’s instructions for many years. He was the only man that pleased God, and because of him his entire house hold was saved. Noah indeed was a just man and perfect in is generations, and Noah walked with God.
Gen7:1 And the Lord said unto Noah, come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
Let us be mindful of this fact, it may be that because of us our entire house hold can be saved. May God delight in us to such an extent that through us many more may be saved.
ISRAEL
Israelwas a wondering nation and they did a lot of murmuring and complaining but God in His faithfulness as a covenant keeping God, kept His promise to their fore fathers and His covenant blessings continued to flow. Brethren be encouraged to continue in every good walk in the house of God for it will not go unrewarded, our God keeps covenant.
a) Deut 10:15 Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.
b) Deut 4: 37 – 38 and because He loved thy fathers, therefore He chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in His sight with His sight with his mighty power out of Egypt.
V38 To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is this day.
DAVID
David was a man after God’s heart. He had such a bond with God that we have a lot to learn from Him. He was a shepherd boy, but God saw in him the qualities that would make him king, overIsrael. So when Saul in his foolishness disobeyed God, David was anointed king inspite of his youthfulness, for God does not look at the outward appearance but weighs the heart of men.
1Sa 16:1 “And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons”.
1Sa 16:12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
God delighted in David so he blessed him with kingship. And David confessed as it is recorded in the bible.
v2Sa 22:20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
v21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
v22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
v23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.
v24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity
v25 Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.
SOLOMON
One would assume that because of the circumstances of his birth, he would not qualify as a man God would delight in, but God gives spiritual judgment. God looked at his heart and described him as a man of rest (peace)
1Ch 22:7 And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:
v 8 But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.
v9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.
The queen of Sheba when she came to visit Solomon said this of him : 1Ki 10:9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ, the chosen one was a delight to God and in him God was well pleased.
Isa 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. Mt 12:18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. Mt 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
V17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
ATTRIBUTES THAT GOD DELIGHTS IN
1. JUST WEIGHT
There is more to the matter of unjust weight than unequal measurements which men devise to cheat others. Unjust weight also extends to the matter of telling lies just to get gain. We must realize that it is God that gives us power to make wealth; He is interested in all we do, even our business dealings. And if you would have God delight in you then you must desist from such, things that will be regarded as unjust practices.
Pr 11:1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.
Pr 16:11 A just weight and balance are the LORD’S: all the weights of the bag are his work.
2. UPRIGHTNESS
God is interested when we walk uprightly. When you are not a tale bearer, when you do right, God is pleased. Pr 11:20 they that are of a forward (perverse) heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
3. DEALING HONESTLY OR TRUTHFULLY
Brethren, our “yeah” must be “yeah” and our “nay” must “nay”. We must be a truthful people. Telling the truth will cause God to delight in us and will attract His blessings. Pr. 12:22 lying lids are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.
4. PRAYERS OF THE UPRIGHT
The prayer of the upright will be heard. One thing you should know is that not all prayers are acceptable before God. There are some prayers that will not even reach the lintel of the house, how much more go through the roof of the house. This is because we need to walk right for our prayers not to be hindered. The prayers of the upright will be received and answered according.
Pr. 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: bur the prayer of the upright is his delight.
5. A HOLY AND AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT
Daniel had an excellent spirit and God honoured him. When men ganged up against him, God delivered him. He remained unshakable. God will always honour those with an excellent spirit for with such He delights
Ps 16:3 “But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight”..
6. GOODNESS
Ps 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
v24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
There are men that are good (righteous) in their ways and God is always delighted in them. Because you are a good man every step you take will be ordered by the Lord. This calls for being circumspect and diligent in making decisions, to ensure that they bring blessings to those around us. When we take such steps even in the face of the enemies buffetings, the Lord will come to our rescue. If we fall, we will not be utterly cast down. Our steps will be ordered by the Lord; and even our enemies will be at peace with you.
Pr 16:7 “When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him”.
7. LOVING KINDNESS, JUDGMENT AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
The Lord loves loving-kindness, righteousness and judgment
Jer 9:23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
v 24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
The blessings the Lord bestows upon us are not to puff us up. It is the Lord that gives us power to make wealth. There is nothing we have that we have not received from the Lord? Therefore we have no reason to place ourselves highly. God blesses us for various reasons and it could be that He does this so we do not put our hands to iniquity. God will always bless his people but we should know that a man’s life does not consist of the abundance of the things he has.
8. MERCY
Mercy is an act of forgiveness. You can not ask for mercy (pardon) unless an offence or sin is committed. It is God’s nature to forgive. We should be careful to cultivate this attitude of showing mercy and desist from the unprofitable exercise of bearing grudge. Remember the word of the Lord: forgive your brother seventy times seven. In Mt.18 the parable of the unforgiving servant, drives this matter of forgiveness home to us. Forgive and you shall be forgiven, this is the import of this story. It is a fearful thing to harbour unforgiveness. Unforgiveness hinders prayer.
Mt 18:32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
v33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?
v34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
v35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Mic 7:18 “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy”.
9. PRAISE
One thing that truly delights God is the praises of His saints. Let us be a people that freely bring praise. We ought not to be cajoled to praise God. The Lord inhabits the praises of His people. Our enemies can not stand before us in the face of our praise. Remember the story of Paul and Silas. The Lord will beautify us with salvation when we are a meek people who adorn their God with praises.
Ps 22:3 “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel.”.
Ps 147:1 Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
Ps 149:1 Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
v2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
v3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.}
v4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
v5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
DELIGHT THY SELF IN THE LORD
Ps 37:4 “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart”.
This is a command. The word also infers that there may be several other things we may do but the Lord is saying we should in addition delight ourselves in Him.
For that secret desire of business success, for that child, for that would be suitor, for that contract to come through, delight yourself in the Lord. And remember delay of blessings is not equivalent to denial. The blessings will come at the appropriate time; when it is more likely to be of much more use to you and the body of Christ.
BENEFITS THAT ACCRUE TO US WHEN GOD DELIGHTS IN US
There are many benefits we get when we are the objects of God’ delight. Some of these benefits are:
Your inward man will be renewed:
Paul was a man who delighted in the law of the Lord after the inward man. Ro 7:22 “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man”. When you do this your inward man is renewed. We are told not only that the law of God should not depart from our mouth, but we should meditate upon it day and night, and as we do this, invariably we make our way prosperous and we have not only success but good success and we shall be like the tree planted by the Rivers of living waters.
Ps 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
v 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. v4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 2Co 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
1Pe 3:3 Who’s adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel. But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
v23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; v24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. The man with the renewed mind is a delight to GOD.
You will get deliverance and spiritual victories:
When we delight in the Lord we will be able to ride upon our high places and the gates of hell will not prevail against us. This is why we should not waste our time murmuring and complaining. What we should concern ourselves with is; how to delight in our God and the deliverances will follow automatically.
Isa 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Note
A word about Jacob. God blessed Jacob because he delighted in him. De 32:13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; v14 Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.
Ge 27:28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:
v 29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.
CONCLUSION: NOW SHALL WE BE CALLED BY A NEW NAME: DELIGHT
Be encouraged brethren. Our break through will surely come as we align ourselves with this word of the Lord. The desires of your heart will be met. Blessings will automatically flow to us, as we continue to delight in the Lord and the things of GOD.
Isa 62:1 For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.
v2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.
v3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.
v4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah,(in whom is my delight) and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. AMEN.