This message was preached on the night of the 31st December 2024 at the KINGDOM OF LIGHT BAPTIST CHURCH. BENIN CITY – EDO STATE.
Compliment of the season to each and every faithful brethren in the Lord in the name of Jesus Christ. Blessed be God for ushering us into the new year of 2025 as we see the day of the Lord approaching. This is my prayer, that God will hold us by his right hand to walk us through this year and beyond it according to his will in the name of Jesus Christ.
We need a new touch of God in this season, just as Elijah, when weary, slept off under the juniper tree, was touched and wake up from his sleep by an angel of God, so we need the new quickening of the spirit to be strengthened with might by God’s spirit in the inner man because the journey is far and none of us know when the Son of man shall come or appear in his glory for the church.
Two blind men implored the Lord’s touch on their eyes, they were torched and had their sight restored according to their faith. Matthew 9:27-29.
The Lord had mercy on a widow who lost her only son by touching the coffin of the deceased to raise him back to life. Luke 7:14.
Lepers implored for the touch of Christ and were cleansed. Matthew 8:3.
In the scriptures, leprosy is the symbol of spiritual impurity and uncleanness, we should likewise implore the Lord for another touch for perfecting holiness and purity for greater service: (a) just as Prophet Isaiah, in the year King Uzziah died, saw the Lord, sees his unworthiness and uncleanness in the light of the glory and the holiness of God. He cried, having admit to his sinfulness and unworthiness, his lips was touched, purged and cleansed from his sin to serve God as a sanctified vessel - Then flew one of the seraphim’s unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. Isaiah 6:1-7: (b) who can understand his errors? Psalms 19:12. Satan stood at the right hand of Joshua the high priest to resist and accuse him before the Lord, but the Lord rebuked the accuser of the brethren, commanded - And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebukes thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebukes thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. Zachariah 3: 1-4.
Except we are touched by the Lord, we cannot positively touch to impact the life of other people in a godly way.
This is where genuine spiritual encounter is made manifested when the hand of God is seen upon us because we’ve been touched by him. Those who have been touched by the Lord can never truly remained the same, just as Jacob was touched by the angel of God in the hallow of his thigh on his way to Bethel and his name was changed from Jacob, a liar, a deceiver, and one who defraud another to Israel, a man in whom there should be no guile. Note: just as Jacob wrestled with God in prayer for a blessing before he had his hip dislocated for spiritual and moral transformation. This is spiritual brokenness. None of us can live to experience to live and walk in the holiness of God without which no man shall see him, except we seriously implore God to break, reshape and remold us to change and to grow into conformity to the death of Christ, that we might be partaker of his holiness, ready to submit to his chastening, that he might also lift us up in due season - Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit.
Except we received genuine divine touch, we can’t be led by his Spirit. We can’t be like the wind which blows, and we heard the sound thereof, though we don’t where it is going or where it is coming from. Note: those who have been touched by God shall hear his voice to join any chariot of their present assignment, and as soon as their mission is over, they shall be whisked off or away by the Spirit of God to their next place of assignment. Acts 8:38-40.
In this New Year, we must increase in our intimacy with God. We must find time for God, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. It is through intimacy we can receive hidden spiritual informations with power to demonstrate the power of God in us.
David was able to establish intimacy with God right from his childhood. This gave him power and knowledge of what God can do through him as he confronted Goliath of Gath and defeated him in battle. He received revelation, wisdom and understanding of God to earn himself the title of the sweet Psalmist of Israel. He was consistence in his devotion, both to pray and to study the word of God daily before the cock crow – I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word. Mine eyes prevent the night watches that I might meditate in thy word. Psalms 119:147-148. Note: none can continue to maintain the manifestation and demonstration of divine presence, power and glory, if they don’t keep the momentum of the first touch through increasing devotion and intimacy with God.
Apostle Paul personal intimacy with God after his conversion from the first touch was highly significant.
All the epistles written by him were as the result of the first touch of God he laboriously maintained to build on the momentum through constant fast, unceasing prayers and meditation on the word of God. Being taught by the revelation of the spirit of God, he wrote on his understanding of the mystery of the gospel for all to learn and know. Received from the Lord through increasing intimacy, he delivered revelatory instructions and epistles for all to obey -unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. Ephesians 3: 8-10.
Our hands becomes God’s hands to touch others with visible and positive results, not like the seven sons of Sceva, who took it upon them to invoke the name of Jesus preached by Paul, who has been touched and touching others with positive effects, but were disgraced and beaten by a demonic possessed man, because they have never for once touched by God.
Are we ready, not to be ignoring the touch of God, but to respond because he want to touch us daily, that we might be quickened and strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man, to give us seasonal word and revelatory knowledge etc, but we can only be transformed from glory unto glory as long as we’ve chosen and willing to stay in his presence? The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakens morning by morning, he wakens mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. Isaiah 50:4-5.
The hand or touch of God is powerful. It is also his power on the recipients, whosoever is touched by God have his power transmitted to him. We also can carry the power, presence and glory of God around us wherever we are, if we are indeed been touched and changed by him for others to see that we have been with the Lord, touched and changed by him - that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1; 1-3.
In other words, the torch of God can be felt in our circumstance when hatred and strife suddenly ceased from the enemies camp, and we experience a favorable change as we continue to walk worthy of God unto all pleasing who is able to touch and change the hearts of our enemies to be at peace with us. Proverbs 16:7: (b) we can likewise felt his touch when we keep walking in the way of humility, that he might lift us up in due time, because he behold him that is proud, to bring him down, and to lift up the humble man.
We are not to engage in any kind of strife with anyone whatsoever for whatever reason, but to be gentle and patience, while looking up to God to intervene in any of the humiliation situation and treatments we have been subjected unto.
Was God not touched and moved on behalf of Leah when he saw how she was hated by Jacob in favor of Rachael? He defended Leah, giving her children, but shut the womb of Rachael, for he was touched for the mistreatments she received from Rachael and Jacob. Note: those who are touched by God will remained broken, gentle and calm for God to fight, speak and defend them – my defense is of God, which saved the upright in heart. Psalms 7:10.
Those who will not yield to the touch and call of God to do his bidding, shall be touched by the rod of his displeasure, even as Jonah experienced the horror of divine displeasure, swallowed up by a whale for three days and nights, when he flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa, instead of Nineveh; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
Apostle Paul yielded himself to the touch of God, ever since then, he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. Acts 26:19.
God helped him, even when all men forsook him, the Lord stood by him, so that by him, the preaching might be fully preached: at my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 2 Timothy 4:16-17. Note: those whose been touched by God and stay humble under his mighty hand, shall become unstoppable, undefeatable and indestructible by the enemy, just as the Philistines were unable to stop Isaac greatness, success and progress after the death of his father Abraham, but were forced to make compromises with him.
Prophet Isaiah declares how God touched to wake him morning by morning, and he was not rebellion. For this, he says, he will not be ashamed, because the Lord will help him, therefore has he set his face like a flint. Isaiah 50:7.
When we are touched by God and follow him obediently to do his will, he will also touch others as destiny helpers to help and supports us fulfilling his objectives in our lives (a) And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched. 1 Samuel 10:26: (b) For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God. 1 Chronicles 12:22.
Those who are touched by God to follow him wherever he lead them have his hand and mark upon them for protection, who then can touch his anointed to hurt them, and will not see divine hand against them? Psalms 105:13-15.
Except you break the edge, the wicked one cannot touch you: we know that whosoever is born of God sins not; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not. 1 John 5:18.
David prayed and desired for fresh oil upon his head. Psalms 92:10.
Let us pray and earnestly ask for a new touch of God to revive us again in the new year - wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Psalms 85:6.
I will end this message with humble submission and reassurance tonight, that the new touch of God on us this year (a) is going to restore any dead hope, dreams and aspirations, to bring them alive, and cause us to possess and accomplish them like the valley of dead bones coming alive, when the hand of God was upon Ezekiel and saw the vision. Ezekiel 37:1-14: (b) it will cause divine speed of great spiritual acceleration in our favor to outrun our competitors and pursuers, even as the hand of God was upon Elijah to outrun King Ahab who was riding on his horse, while he ran on his feet a -head of the King to the entrance of Jezreel. 1 Kings 18:46.