HOW TO OVERCOME THE COLD STORMS OF EXILE (PART 1 OF 2)

18th MARCH 2022

“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: ‘Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans. For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God – Jeremiah 24:5-7

An exile symbolizes a place of darkness, frustration and disappointment. It is a place where ill-health is bound to play a dominant role in the life of the children of God. Any person who is not careful may fall into exile without notice! The church is also not exempted from falling into exile, mainly when the church turns deaf ears to the people’s cries. 

It also happens that the church is also not able to enforce discipline. In exile, prayers are not answered, except the prayers of confession and repentance. It is time to break out of the exile, back to the promised land flowing with milk and honey, where God’s promises are fulfilled in every believer’s life. 

The scriptures are much more hopeful this time than ever. Not only does the scripture give the prophecies of our deliverance and our return from exile onto God’s glory, but it also instructs us on how to deal with our stay in exile. Why does God use exile to punish us? First, because of our sin. Second, to separate us from Him due to our iniquities. Third, to spur us to repentance. Disobedience to God’s commandments was never tolerated since the beginning of time. ((Deuteronomy 28:59) In 2 Kings 17, when the people of God dared God in disobedience, God punished them severely. They were severely punished. Even though God had compassion for them and wanted to save them from this unfortunate incident, they were unwilling. God’s anger was so great that He didn’t even spare His temple or the things in the temple. Think about the above scenario.

 The same is happening to us today. Many believers are suffering from the impact of a spiritual exile, where it has become challenging for them to meet up with the basic things of life. The church has become a haven of unanswered prayers because even the church is not spared from this exile. What do we do to enable us to come out of exile? First, we have to confess our sins and repent of them. That is what God wants from us.

 God will do whatever it takes to get us on the same page with him, and if it means turning our lives upside down, turning us inside out, He’ll do it because He loves us. We’re still the apple of His eye, but He’s not like a modern liberal who won’t punish. He is a God who knows how to produce sons and daughters, and sometimes the worst punishments produce the best results. Today’s word is calling you out of exile. Are you ready to embrace God again and be restored to your glory?

PRAYER

Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I present my travails before you today, and I call forth your presence into my life. Therefore, I declare every mountain in my life is brought down NOW. Lord, I know I have sinned against you. I ask for your forgiveness and mercy. Father, restore me to my lost glory. AMEN

FURTHER READING: I Peter 2:4-5, 9-10