Not Breaking Ranks

OPENING PRAYER: Father, please help me never to step out of Your purpose and calling for my life

MEMORY VERSE: They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: – Joel 2:7 (KJV)

BIBLE TEXT: Joel 2:7-8 (KJV)

7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:

8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.

LESSON INTRODUCTION: Looking at Joel 2:7-8, A disciple of Christ must be disciplined, spiritually united, aligned and be obedient, staying in his or her God-given assigned position; an army of Christ is always in the right place; no weapon can stop them. God’s army is always charged and ready to enforce divine order.

LESSON AIM: To help members know reasons for following divine order and avoid self-government.

TEACHING OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, members should be able to:

1. Know what it takes to follow divine order.
2. Know the dangers of following self-government.

TEXT REVIEW: JOEL 2:7-8

a. God’s army is always charged and ready to enforce divine order.
b. They scale the walls like picked and trained commandos.
c. They never break ranks or crowd each other.
d. Each is right in place, no weapon can stop them.

LESSON OUTLINE ONE: DIVINE ORDER

The word divine order means;

1. God’s perfect, established arrangement. Corinthians 14:40
2. Following God obediently in your steps, decisions and relationship, not human impulses.
3. No confusion. 1 Samuel 16: Samuel followed God’s order in making the choice of king for the Israelites.
4. Elimination of disorder, unnecessary struggles. 1 Corinthians 14:33

SIGNS OF OPERATING IN DIVINE ORDER

1. Experiencing inner peace in decisions and operations. David rejected Saul’s garment in fighting Goliath.
2. Everything will fall into place without force or human’s inputs. 2 Chronicles 20:1-20.
3. Divine direction step-by-step.
4. Relationships aligning with destiny. Esther followed Mordecai’s instructions; she later got divine alignment.

LESSON OUTLINE TWO: AVOID SELF-GOVERNMENT

1. Ruling your own life by your wisdom, desires and opinions instead of submitting to God’s authority, God’s Word and the Holy Spirit is dangerous.
2. Doing what is right in your own eyes. Judges 21:25, can bring disconnection from God’s guidance; Proverbs 14:12, loss of divine protection, opening the door to temptation e.g Samson.
3. Self-government can also lead to poor decision-making and regret and easy target to the enemy, therefore desist from it and be in God’s favourite agenda.

SUMMARY: Self-government for a believer means running your life without God, God’s army moves in discipline, unity and divine order.

CONCLUSION: Following divine order brings peace, not anxiety, direction not confusion, progress not stagnation. It helps to avoid mistakes and wasted seasons and positions one for God’s blessings and favour.

PRAYER POINTS:

1. Father, remove every spirit of pride and rebellion from my heart, and give me a submissive spirit.
2. Lord, help Daddy & Mummy GO to remain in their assigned position.
3. Father, keep me away from distractions that can cause me to break ranks.
4. Lord, give me grace to honour and submit to godly authority without murmuring.
5. Father, align my steps, my decisions, and my actions with Your divine arrangement.

Thank You Jesus:

Salvation Prayer:

If you don’t Know Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour and would like to accept him into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, Please say this prayer:

Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from You. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward You. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that Your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send Your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your Will for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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By Chukwuemeka Obiorah Ogwo.