ARE YOU ON THE LORD'S SIDE?

As we grapple with the crisis that is facing the Foursquare Gospel Church the question that has been agitating my mind is "on whose side am I, man's side or The Lord's side?" Am I on the Lord's side? In times like these it is so easy for us to assume rightly or wrongly that we are fighting a good cause and therefore God is with us or that we are even doing it for God. Take the case of Joshua, the leader who took over from Moses for example. While he was preparing to attack Jericho, he took an evening walk one day possibly contemplating the strategy he would use to attack Jericho that was surrounded by a seemingly impregnable wall. As he looked towards Jericho, Joshua saw a Man possibly dressed in military gear. Joshua popped out the question that was bubbling in his heart. "Are you for us or for our adversaries" he asked the stranger. The stranger answered, NEITHER. He was neither for Joshua's group nor the Jericho group Instead he said he has come as the Commander of the Lord's Army. Joshua, was wise enough to understand and immediately surrendered to the commander asking "what do you want me to do?" He was promptly told to remove his sandals for he was standing on holy ground You will find the story in Joshua chapter 5 verses 13 -15. Joshua thought God was on the side of the Israelites. He forgot that God was and is always on the side of righteousness while the one who wants to be accepted by God must seek to be righteous. It was Joshua who needed to be on the Lord's side. The Commander promptly reminded Joshua that he and his people must be holy.And it is on that basis God will listen to them and lead them. What happened? Jericho fell without the Israelites fighting. The Lord did the fighting while the Israelites were praising God and marching round the City of Jericho in obedience to God's instruction.

Who is on the Lord's side?

In chapter 7, Joshua and his people assumed that God was still with them when they went to fight Ai , a not well fortified city and lost woefully. They had committed, through Achan, an unrighteous act that alienated them from God. Let us be careful then that we are truly on the Lord's side. The Lord is not impressed by our unrighteous acts. Sin is a stumbling block that makes our prayers not to reach God. Sin destroys our fellowship with God.

Who is on the Lord's side?

In Exodus Chapter 32 we witness another incidence. The Israelites soon forgot God because Moses had stayed on the mountain ostensibly for too long. So they abandoned the God who took them out of almost 400 years of bondage in Egypt for a golden calf. Moses wanted a clean break, as he stood at the entrance of the camp and said, "Whoever is on the Lord's side - come over to me!" And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. Exodus 32: 25 -29. Moses used these men to rid the camp of 3000 who desecrated the camp. God 's people must endeavor at all times to be on the Lord's side

Can we claim that we are on the Lord's side when are sinning against Him? Are we fighting for God when we are using ungodly means to achieve godly ends . Don't we know that God is as interested in the means as well as the end. For God, the means that is ungodly will not justify the end. So when a Christian is cheated or maltreated by another Christian, and the first Christian takes the case to law court in order to get justice, does he think God will be pleased? For our Lord the good end does not justify the wrong means.

Are you on the Lord's side.?

Saul of Tarsus was very zealous for God as a Pharisee. He was eager to be on the Lord's side against the fledging society of men and women who were broadcasting the Risen Lord. Saul went about hounding, arresting, maiming and imprisoning God's men and women thinking all the time " I am on the Lord's side" How wrong he was? It was only on the way to Damascus that he realized that in real terms he , Saul ,the zealous Pharisee was actually fighting the Lord See the story in Chapters 7 and 9 of Acts of the Apostles as well as chapter 26. Are you on the Lord's side? Uphold Righteousness Stand for holiness in the Church . Work with God to seek to live righteous on a daily basis in and out of the Church. Stand for truth no matter who is involved. To be a peacemaker for God walk with God and always endeavor to be on His side. Blessed are the peacemakers

Mike Itegboje