Colossians 1:13-14 says “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.’
DAILY READING; 1 Peter 1; Jeremiah 31-32; Psalm 134
Samuel Ajayi Crowther was born during a dangerous time in history. This was during the breakup of the old Yoruba Empire of Oyo, and the period of Islamic jihads. At this time, warfare and raiding became rampant.
One day his village was attacked by jihadists and burned down and the teenage Ajayi was captured, along with his mother and siblings. Their captors placed ropes around their necks and marched them away to slave markets. Ajayi became separated from his family, when he was sold to a different slave owner. The young Ajayi became so heartbroken that he attempted to kill himself. His owner later resold him and he would change hands six times, before being finally sold to Portuguese slave traders on a ship in Lagos bound for the transatlantic slave market.
Ajayi’s fate to permanent slavery seemed sealed as the Portuguese ship sailed across the ocean. However, just when it seemed all hope was lost, a British Naval squadron, on the lookout for slave traffickers, intercepted the Portuguese ship and freed the slaves. The British Navy then transported Ajayi and the others to Freetown, Sierra Leone, which was a British colony established as home for liberated African slaves. There, under the supervision of the Anglican Church Missionary Society, Ajayi was baptized as a Christian and received formal education. He later received a doctoral degree from Oxford University and worked as a linguist on several projects, including the translation of the Yoruba version of the Bible.
From a slave boy, Samuel Ajayi through faith in Christ, would become one of the most widely known African Christian leaders of the nineteenth century. He became the first bishop of Niger and the first Black bishop in the Anglican Church. Later one of his sons, Dandeson Coates Crowther, became archdeacon of the Niger Delta, and his grandson, Herbert Macaulay, was one of Nigeria’s first nationalists who played an important role in ending British colonial rule in Nigeria.
Colossians 1:13-14 says “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.’
Through His Blood, Christ delivered us from eternal slavery and ordained for us a glorious new life! When Jesus died on the cross, He tore the veil in twain and provided us free access to the glorious things behind the veil.
Behind the Veil, in the Holy of Holies was the Ark of the Covenant, overlaid round about with gold, which had the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant. Inside here also was the symbol of the divine presence, the Shekinah-glory shining above the Mercy Seat, and between the figures of the cherubim.’
Through his Blood, Christ gave us access to this glorious and golden place behind the veil. By redemption, we were moved from slavery to glory.
Galatians 4:28 tells us that God has ordained for us to live enviable lives on earth after the order of isaac. It says ’Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise’
According to Genesis 26:12-14 Isaac sowed in the land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks, and possessions of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.
Isaac was the envy of his generation. Though he was a stranger in the land of the Philistines, yet he dominated and reigned in their midst. And just like Isaac, as children of the promise, we have been redeemed to rule and reign in the midst of our enemies and to do mighty works on earth.
Titus 2:14 says Christ, gave Himself for us, to purify for himself a people zealous for good works. We have been redeemed to do greater works, to do mighty signs and wonders. However, faith is what will enable us to access this glorious life.
Deuteronomy 28:13 says when we hearken diligently unto the commandments of the Lord, He will make us the head and not the tail; and we shall be above only, and not be beneath.
Faith in God’s Word will indeed take us to the topmost places in life. It will take us from trials to triumphs and from tests to testimonies. The more we hear the Word, the more faith arises in our hearts and the more we shall keep going from glory to greater levels of glory…
PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for delivering me from every form of mediocrity through the power that is in the Blood of Jesus Christ. By Your grace I shall ever be the head and not the tail, above only and never beneath in Jesus Name.
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Nothing liberates like truth, the truth you know and act upon will make you free. – WORDBITE 222.