DON’T DESTROY YOURSELF

The destruction of covenant people of God is mainly self-caused.

O Israel thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.
Hosea 13:9

A story was told of a Preacher who went up a Mountain to pray and fast for three days.
When he had finished praying, there was a harmless discussion on whether a Christian can be sick or not; He had always been adamant on issues of such holding strong to his faith. But lots of pressures were mounted on him and his response was thus;

“Well, a Christian may be sick, but a Christian ought not to be sick.”
Unfortunately, a strange and un-diagnosable sickness came upon him, and he felt a cold sensation in his mouth. Meanwhile, every other parts of his body were hot!!!
All were self-caused. This shows the power of the tongue.
Life and death are in the power of the tongue.

SOME SELF-DESTRUCTIVE TRAPS

Even though covenant longevity and successes are God’s will for his children, there are certain self-destructive traps that can make it unattainable.

1. PRIDE:

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18
Pride was Pharoah’s undoing. God sent a word to him through Moses, that he should let the people go, that they may hold a feast unto him in the wilderness. But Pharaoh said:

…Who is the lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will let go.
Exodus 5:2

What happened to him eventually? He was swept away in the Red Sea!
Pride killed Pharaoh
Pride is one of the strings of death. When pride steps in, long life comes under attack.

2. ANGER

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Ecclesiastes 7:9
Anger is a killer! It is giving a clearer expression to hatred by over-reacting to the errors of others or perhaps concentrating on their faults.
Moses was described by God as the meekest man in all the Earth. He was to lead the children of Israel into the promise land, but anger stopped him.

3. HATRED

Hatred is a poison of the soul. It can swallow up vitality inside a man. It also drains eternal life out of a man.
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many defiled.
Hebrews 12:15

Hatred is one of the sharp-pointed arrows of death. Many have been cut down by the dagger of hatred.
When someone lives in hatred and bitterness, he/she drains life out.
Hatred is deadly! Keep away from it.

SOLUTION TO HATRED

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
1 John 4:16

Let your love be of the heart; that way, you prolong your days on earth.

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYBODY, MAY GOD BLESS US ALL THIS WEEK ABUNDANTLY. AMEN!!!