GOSPEL CORNER : WHEN THE FLOOD CAME, EVERYONE OUTSIDE THE ARK DIED, BUT NOAH AND HIS FAMILY WERE PROTECTED AND SAVED. WHY? BECAUSE THEY WERE IN THE ARK, WHICH IS A TYPE OF CHRIST, WHO IS OUR SALVATION (Acts 4:12).

16/12/23

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
He then said, “God’s word: Dig ditches all over this valley. Here’s what will happen— you won’t hear the wind, you won’t see the rain, but this valley is going to fill up with water and your army and your animals will drink their fill.”
2 Kings 3:16–17, MSG

WATER WITHOUT RAIN
After traveling through the desert for seven days, the armies of Judah and Israel were completely out of water and desperate. Even though it never rained here, the prophet Elisha told them to dig ditches and God would supernaturally bring them water. In spite of thoughts telling them it was a waste of time, they started digging, and the next morning water flowed into the valley and filled their ditches.

Sometimes God will ask you to do things you don’t understand, something out of the ordinary. Don’t talk yourself out of it. Dare to trust Him and do what He asks. You have to stir up your faith. Don’t dig just one little ditch. Get a bulldozer and dig some big ditches. If you do what He’s asking, you’ll see water without rain—increase and abundance like you’ve never seen. One touch of God’s favor, and soon your ditches will be filled. God has new lands for you to conquer, new friendships, new levels of influence and favor. Be confident that He always performs His greatest victories in your future.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
“Father, thank You that it is an easy thing for You to fill the dry valleys of my life with water. Thank You for simply asking me to trust You and to obey what You are saying. I declare that I am trusting You to send the water and make happen what I could never make happen. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

Remember how Noah was safe in the ark when the floodwaters came? While Noah was not perfect, God saw him as righteous because of his faith in God (Heb. 11:7).

When the flood came, everyone outside the ark died, but Noah and his family were protected and saved. Why? Because they were in the ark, which is a type of Christ, who is our salvation (Acts 4:12).

The ark didn’t have windows along its sides, only near the roof. The truth here is that God does not want you to focus on all the darkness, terror, and evil that are around you and in the world. He wants you to look up and know that His Son is coming back for you.

I want you to see something else: I believe there were times when Noah might have lost his balance and fallen as the storm waters crashed against the ark. But Noah fell in the ark; he never fell out of the ark.

Similarly, for the believer today, when the devil tempts you and you fall, you don’t fall out of your position in Christ; you are still in Christ. In the book of Proverbs, it says, “For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again” (Prov. 24:16).

You see, a believer doesn’t fall in and out of righteousness. Our righteousness today is a gift from our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:17). This means that even though we may fail from time to time because we are imperfect human beings, we are still in Christ our ark and do not forfeit His blessings of protection.

Now, in case you are wondering, does this make someone want to live recklessly? Certainly not! I believe that knowing you are righteous in Christ makes you live responsibly and in honor to the Lord (Rom. 6:10–14). The revelation of our righteousness in Christ produces righteous living (Titus 2:11–12).