DON’T BE ASHAMED OF YOUR FAITH
By Bishop Mike Okonkwo
Monday 9th December 2024
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16 (KJV)
The gospel tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith, not by your efforts. It is God’s own operation. The gospel is what defines a person. Until you receive the impact of the gospel, you are not defined, and your destiny is not definite. Until you understand your identity in Christ, the price that has been paid on your behalf and what God has purposed for you through His death, burial and resurrection, you are going nowhere.
Today, we live in a world where Christianity is under attack. Christianity is being bastardised, abused and misused, not just by unbelievers but by supposedly religious people. Evil and wickedness are on the increase. Even the very saints are questioning their faith. Many are asking where God is and if service to God is real. Who gave birth to God? What we used to believe is now being questioned.
However, despite it all, Jesus’s statement is still very powerful and clear today. God will build His church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The church belongs to Jesus Christ. He paid the supreme price for the church. And because He gave His life for the church, the body of Christ cannot be destroyed, no matter the attack that the enemy is bringing against the church.
Unashamed means not ashamed; being without fear, guilt or doubt. It means being unapologetic for what you believe. There is a generation that must arise in the midst of darkness, who are unashamed to stand for what they believe because they know what God has done in their personal lives. Such people know that they stand right with God, the Creator at every moment in time. They are not embarrassed about their faith. They are not sin-conscious! They are righteousness-conscious! They know that they derive their power and strength from what they believe.
Further Reading: Romans 1:8-17
Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Daniel 11-12; Evening- Jude