Until You Rebel…: God Sponsored Rebellion Releasing Rejoicing Rebellion Release Rise to Rule and Reign in Life God Recommended Rewarding Rebellion

By Emmanuel Oghenebrorhie

Rebellion is abhorred by rulers and Christians and perhaps, everyone, despite the fact that they are all engaged in it, under different guises. Rebellion is an inevitable route God meant for man to arrive the palace of relevance, recognition and respect. Individual mannerisms might differ but all recognized and relevant individuals who have ever lived are rebels or are engaged in rebellion in one form or the other at different times of their lives. Perhaps, no rebellion, no relevance as rebellion has resounding reward. Joseph became relevant because he did not follow in the traditional heritage of shepherd that the Hebrews were famous for in his generation. Jesus became relevant because He made a marked departure from the traditional Jewish religion as it was known at the time. Find out how you can benefit from God-authored and sponsored rebellion to become and remain relevant in your lifetime. There is something seemingly rebellious God planned that you should do to become relevant inevitably in this life and in the life to come.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Jul 25, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477147665

Emmanuel Oghenebrorhie

Rev Emmanuel Oghenebrorhie can be described as a Paper-pulpit Pastor and Bible Preacher by publication. He is divinely ordained to teach, preach and publish the Gospel of Christ Jesus and has been teaching and preaching since 1994. He began to publish in 2004 and presides over Emmanuel Oghenebrorhie Ministries, that encompasses several arms. He operates Christ Redemption Publications, based in Ibadan, Nigeria. He has been published by other publishers overseas. He makes the working word of God relevant to daily living, to prepare the saints for heaven. He hosts a monthly Bible Seminar every second Sunday at his Nigerian base, Ibadan. His audiences often comment that he gives a realistic interpretation to the word of God in a way they never heard or read previously and that he directs the word of God to where it matters in a man’s life when it matters most. He can be reached on [e-mail] or [e-mail] or 234-7037825522 or 234-8182022262 or 07055989850

Book preview

Until You Rebel…

God Sponsored Rebellion Releasing Rejoicing Rebellion release rise to rule and reign in life God recommended rewarding rebellion

Emmanuel Oghenebrorhie

Copyright © 2012 by Emmanuel Oghenebrorhie.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Unless otherwise indicated, scriptures are taken from Today’s English Version (TEV), New King James Version (NKJV), Amplified Bible, New Century Version (NCV), Contemporary English Version (CEV), The Living Bible (TLB), Easy-to-Read-Version and New International Version (NIV).

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Contents

Dedication

1.   Appreciation

2.   Introduction

3.   Rewarding reasoning and resolution

4.   Rebellion Roots

5.   Rebellion Notables

6.   Repercussion-free Rebellion

7.   Rebellion Rewards

8.   Shun or Sack Sentiments to reap reward

9.   Needful Knowledge

Author’s Other Published Titles

Dedication

Comrade Adams Oshiomole, Governor of Edo State, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Governor of Ondo State, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Mr Rotimi Amaechi, Governor of River State, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Appreciation

All glory to God that this is available for others to read. Lord, a thousand tongues are not enough for me to express my gratitude for this unique opportunity to be a blessing to my generation and future generations. Surely, everything in this call and commission is your doing and it is marvellous in my eyes.

God bless Rev (Dr) Sam Oladipo King and his family for his consistent encouragement. It is highly appreciated. May God swell your heavenly account richly, in Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Introduction

A Christian sister told of how she rebelled against the living arrangement in the family of her husband. She joined her husband in the same house his parents and siblings lived. Naturally, there were complications. The sisters started telling her things like the fan in your bedroom belonged to aunty this and aunty that. Meanwhile, she had resolved in her heart to quit the setting, with the man who brought her there. She resented everything from day one and was determined to leave them behind. Surely he married her but he must leave them behind so she could be happy with her life as his wife. So when they began to say those things to let her realise that they were the ones supporting him to make her comfortable, she would let out in those insults to him once in a while. First time they were discussing and she mentioned that ‘I learnt that your elder sister owned the table fan in our bedroom’. He was very angry and demanded how she knew that information. She apologized and said so and so told her. He went and made trouble with them for insulting him before his wife. Another time she released information they had given her and he got angry. Then, he insisted on knowing everything they had ever told her. She told him a few and they were enough for him to conclude it was high time they left the family house. He did all the troubles to get another house because if she did, it would have been taken to mean she wanted them to quit the family house. She knew where she was going with them but was very subtle and sure about her result. Long after they left, the mother-in-law came to visit and commented that she came to cause disunity amongst her children. She said it was her son’s decisions that they left their family house and as an obedient wife, she could not disobey him because he brought her into the family in the first place.

Her approach is what I call the remote rebellion approach or option or remote rebellion route. The lady in the story above never rose up to confront her in-laws directly but used one of them in whom she had vested interest to counter and defeat them. That sounds like what I know to be non-confrontational and non-controversial conquest or Conquest barring controversy. It is like when II Samuel 3:26-27, 19:12-13 and 20:1-10 and I Kings 2:5-6 say David endured Joab until he was about to die and he told his son and successor, Solomon to be wise enough to kill Joab as his (David’s) final punishment for killing Abner and Amasa against his (David’s) wish. II Samuel 3:28-29 confirms that David had cursed Joab and his descendants for the killing of Abner on the day Abner was buried. And 33 years later, he was still talking of more punishment for Joab.

As for the possible reason a man after God’s heart would suspend an offender’s punishment, David avoided the embarrassment of anyone asking him to give reasons for failure to forgive the same Joab who could be said to have spent all his adult life to serve him diligently to a large extent. He decided to maximize Joab’s warrior skills before discarding him. He denied their family the opportunity to call him to a meeting to explain why he would punish a family member fatally because he killed a non-family member, Abner of the tribe of Benjamin who installed Ishbosheth king of Israel to prevent David from controlling those tribes of Israel except the kingdom made up of their tribe of Judah. With endurance, you can rebel against what you abhor without confrontation and attendant controversy.

One of the objectives of this discourse is to emphasize the fact that there is a measure of rebellion required to realize the plan and purpose of God for our lives. If there is a word like ‘docileness’, it is important to note that it does not help all the time, if ever it does. It can be derogatorily referred to as the debacle that is docileness or the debility that is docileness. It has more disadvantages than advantages. What some brand as quietness does not quicken and contribute to the actualization of God’s plan and purpose all the time—whether it does as much as aggressiveness is very much doubtful. Acts 1:6-9 and 13:1-12 and Romans 1:1-3 and 12:17-19 say:

⁶ Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? ⁷ And He said to them, It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." ⁹ Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

¹ Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ² As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. ³ Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. ⁴ So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵ And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant. ⁶ Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, ⁷ who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. ⁹ Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him ¹⁰ and said, "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? ¹¹ And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time." And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

¹ Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God ² which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, ³ concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, ⁴ and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. ⁵ Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name.

¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. (NKJV)

If you ask me, I would say Paul meant that the admonition to live in peace with all men does not mean you open your eyes and watch someone demolish your divine mandate. He knew that God expected him to deal decisively with Elymas rather than wait for God to send an angel to deal with this man who was out to discredit him before one of those God sent him to preach to in his lifetime. If Paul was wrong, God would not have released His power to punish Elymas in accordance to the word of Paul. Jesus did not ask the disciples to get power from heaven and still watch evil go on around them without using the power to do something rewarding about it like Paul did. Paul had just been commissioned and used the power of God that accompanied such commissioning to prove that God was with them. His action subjected the magician instantly. Jesus knew that without the display of God’s power to remove ungodliness, no one would take the disciples seriously. The same Apostle Paul who God’s Spirit used to write that as much as possible, we should live in peace with all men was one of the most confrontational personalities who ever lived as well as preached the Gospel of God to mankind centred on Jesus of Nazareth. Interestingly, he was one of the foremost apostles just as he could be said to have achieved more than any other apostles, including those who had personal interaction with Jesus in His most celebrated final three and half years. And it would be difficult to prove that his militant approach did not contribute in some measure to Paul’s exploits and achievements. In fact, II Timothy 4:6-8 says:

⁶ For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (NKJV)

This means that Paul’s confrontational approach to the work of ministry and dealings with everyone did not rob him of heaven. There is nothing like the quieter the holier in the dictionary of God. David’s excess bloodshed might have denied him the benefit of claiming credit for the building of the Temple but it never affected his robust relationship with God. The Lord knew that He sent David to live as a warrior, and shedding blood was inevitable for him. God is very much aware that the way the world remains today, it is too crooked for anyone to survive without engaging in considerable rebelliousness. Knowing what to handle with the presence of God in our lives and what to leave for God