CHOSEN: A Peculiar People

SCRIPTURE

 But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out! Act 16:37 BSB

Value comes with prestige, and privileges with honor. If you have once been  accorded one, you will know how it feel. Living school at the Summer of 2017, I had the privilege to work with one of the District Chief Executives in my country, Ghana. Serving as his Personal Assistant (PA) came with a lot of prestiges. It gives me the honor of walking in the company of people who are in the helm of affairs in the country and as young as I was, being in their company and giving advice to this high profile personalities add value to me. But how did all began? What is the starting point? The answer is in one word " YOU HAVE TO BE CHOSEN" 

It was 5 in the morning and my phone rang the alarm. The label on the clock was " arise and get set". I just moved into the community last night through the desert Ho-Jasikan road. It was a long night and a rough journey as well. Arriving very late in the night, my hosts served me with supper which after I took went straight to bed, bidding them good night after pleasantries. So I was not expecting my phone to woke me up that early. I got up from bed and as my custom is reached out for my Bible and fed on the Word of God. Putting other necessities in place, I rush to the District Assembly premises to report myself as the new National Service Personnel. Sitting at the reception of the HR for a while, she walked in, looked at my face and asked, I guess you are the one I'm expecting, of which I gladly respond positively. She quickly assigned me to my department not knowing the fate that awaits me. On ,that particular day, there was going to be a general meeting which all the workers will deliberate on issues regarding employee satisfaction. All National Service Personnel are supposed to be present so I was there also. In the course of the discourse, there a challenge of which they needed answers to but no one seemed to have answers to the situation. The place was totally silent as the  DCE urged for people to air their views but to no avail. As a fresher, my duty was just to sit down and observe things but at this point something click inside of me and I lifted up my hand to give my precious pearls of wisdom. After the meeting , I was in the office when my new boss came and informed me that the DCE is looking for me. I was troubled at first wondering if I had said something wrong but my boss was just smiling at me.  Going to see him in the office was a revelation, I'm just about to hear that I'm His New PA.

There was a meeting on going in the office when I arrived, the DCE asked the Secretary to sent me into the meeting. Entering the office and seeing the high profile personalities in the meeting baffled me a little bit as the DCE asked me to sit down and be part of the meeting. It was after that meeting when he broke the news to me that he had appointed me as his new PA. It was a moment of BEEN CHOSEN. I remember how I use to dine together with them on round tables and many many more honorary memories to cherished for a while, but importantly, how I'm more an advisor to this high profile personalities. I sat in big cars, driven by a driver, reason with them and was their advisor. To be chosen comes with great privileges, prestige and honor and believers among the nations are a chosen people of God and peculiar in the sight of the Lord with special privileges, honor and grace.

 In His book, first Peter, chapter 2 verse 9, Peter enlighten the church on the fact that we are a chosen and a peculiar people of God. " But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" 

So, No1, we are a chosen generation; No2, we are a Royal priesthood; No3, we are a holy nation; No4, we are a peculiar people; and the reason is that we are to show the praise of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. God has called us out of the world for the purpose of showing the praise of God among the nations. It not really about us, it is about the purposes and the eternal plan of God which He constituted at the foundation of the world. See, your coming to earth is woven into creation and the things God has constituted at the foundation of the world is unchangeable and if it is the plan of God that you will live up to eighty years,  no demon have the prerogative to withstand it because God has predetermined it before the foundation of the world for you to live up to eight. What you need to do is to be aware of the plans and the purposes of God concerning you and appropriate it. This happens by you knowing your privileges, prestige, and honor in the Lord, and standing on your right in God to deploy the service of the divine in order to see manifestation of of the will of God in your life. Knowing your true identity in the Lord equips you to prevail  your in combat in life and against evil forces.

The Romans citizens in the days of Paul have special privileges unlike the other people who are not roman citizens. If you are not a Roman citizen, you can mistreated and molested any how. In our scripture test, Paul said they were whipped publicly without a trial, threw into prison even though they were Roman citizens, (Act 16:37). If you are a Roman citizen,  you cannot be whipped publicly talk less of it been done without a trial, nor you been thrown into prison for no just cause. 

What was happening here was that even though Paul was a Roman citizen, he kept quiet on his privileges as a Roman Citizen and never voice them out. What it means is that, if you have privileges and you never appropriate them, you will be found wanting.

 The same incident happened again in Acts chapter 22 from verse 24 but this time Paul appropriate his privileges and the reaction of the people was totally different. Let's read it; " 24 the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him. 25 But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?” 26 On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commander. “What are you going to do?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.” 27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered. 28 “I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. 29 Then those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains." 

If you read the last verse carefully, it reads that those who were to interrogate Paul stepped back and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains. See, when the Bible said no weapon fashioned against you shall prosper, it is a provision in the Constitution of the Kingdom and until you appropriate it, you will never see it manifestation. Meaning, you can be saved and still be broke, you can be redeemed and still be diseased, and be a failure in life. You have to appropriate the provision in the Constitution of the Kingdom which are the privileges made available for you to see the manifestation of your deliverance in the Lord. How? 1. By knowing your rights and privileges; and 2. By acting upon them. For example, when you understand that it is the will of Lord for you to prosper and be in good health even as your soul prospered, then it is time to act upon that by declaring it in prayer and in tithing and giving arms and supporting the work of God. Prayer alone does not bring financial freedom you must sow seeds in order to harvest. 

You are a blessing to your generation, I see you rising a general, a man and woman of honor. Your generations shall call you blessed in the name of Jesus. Arise and posses your possessions in Jesus name. Amen.

Oh Lord, you accorded to me great privileges, prestige and honor; as I spent time in your Word Lord, reveal to me these privileges and enlighten me on them, to be positioned for attainment. On the name of Jesus. Amen