Mgbeke Sunday Sermon
January 29, 2023
Don’t “Inherit” Enemies That Could Have Saved Your Lineage – Remember Jonathan?
My beautiful people, how’re you doing today? Do you, by any chance, realize that the enemies you make in life are equally as crucial to your destiny as the friends you choose to make and keep?
Yes, it absolutely is, and I want to explain this to you briefly as it was laid upon my spirit today. See, there are many people worldwide who are presently enemies with the person that has been destined to preserve both them and even their generations unborn.
What makes this even worse and terribly sadder is that this enmity was even a result of a direct conflict with the object of their hostility – it’s an enemy they inherited to their utmost detriment and destruction.
Believe it or not, what you can do and know in life does not matter as much as who you know. Many times, your gifts will remain fallow and yield no fruits until someone inspired and ordained by the Creator comes to pave the way for you.
This is why no man is an island, as we all need each other to flourish and survive here on earth. So, what now becomes of a person who has ignorantly chosen to be enemies with someone else based on another person’s ill reports, malicious slander, and evil gossip?
Such a person is grossly unwise, and they are done for, sadly. And, if there is no other great example to see and learn from, I firmly believe that the story of the young David and King Saul’s heir, Jonathan, should be more than enough for anyone to glean great wisdom.
By all intents and purposes, Jonathan should have had zero reasons to ever smile at David, talk more, be best, and covenant friends with him. I mean, how are you the supposed heir-apparent to your father’s throne, but then choose to align and covenant with a much younger man who the whole nation knew had been anointed by God to replace your father?
Many in this generation would have joined Saul’s conspiracy against David if they were in Jonathan’s shoes and inherited the enmity between the two kings. However, the story of one of the most incredible friendships in the history of humanity, as documented from the book of 1 Samuel Chapter 18, reveals some fascinating and vital lessons for us all today.
“And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.
But Jonathan Saul’s son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:” – 1 Samuel 19:1-2.
Jonathan wisely refused to inherit his father’s enmity for David but instead made a covenant of eternal friendship and love with him. Some years later, after the entire lineage of Saul had almost been wiped off the surface of the earth, David never forgot his covenant with his late friend, and he acted true to it.
How? Move forward to 2 Samuel Chapter 9, and you will see the wisdom in being like Jonathan here. The scriptures say: “Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence.
And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.
And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?” – 2 Samuel 9:6-8.
The greatest lesson in this story is simple: Never inherit and become enemies with people that could have saved and preserved your lineage. Be like Jonathan! Don’t ever start hating someone because you heard terrible reports and malicious gossip about them.
Instead, be wise enough to carefully do your investigations about that person and wisely prove what the truth is about them. Then you can make your decisions.
Do you remember what the great Apostle Paul said? “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:21.
I believe that I have said more than enough on this matter already. May God help and grant you wisdom.
Ana eji uche eme ihe!
Remain richly blessed always.
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