By Minister Onyeka Emmanuel

1 Corinthains 13:5 “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?- unless indeed you are disqualified.” 

Jesus is coming back soon, are you ready for His return? Are you truly part of God’s sheepfold? Assess yourself if you are really in the faith while you read this blog today. It is better that you hear the truth now than on that last day, when it’s too late.

Matthew 7:13-14 says “Come to God through the narrow gate, because the wide gate and broad path is the way that leads to destruction- nearly everyone chooses that crowded road! The narrow gate and the difficult way leads to eternal life- so few even find it! Then in verses 21-23 of the same chapter in Matthew it says, “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter into the realm of heaven’s kingdom. It is only those who persist in doing the will of my heavenly Father. On the day of judgment many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, don’t you remember us? Didn’t we cast out demons and do many miracles for the sake of your name? But I will have to say to them, ‘Go away from me, you lawless rebels! I’ve never been joined to you!’”

Many people will try to be followers of Jesus but will fail. They will do things for “God’s Kingdom” to enter that narrow gate, but that gate will be locked. Jesus is the gate, and only by entrusting the whole of your heart to Jesus’ lordship does he let us into his sheepfold and assume the position of Lord in our lives, supplying us with the grace to be His sheep. We don’t want to be part of those people that God tells “I don’t know you depart from me”, while we claim that we ate and drank with Him. We can sometimes be so convinced that we are walking with God but instead we are walking with someone else who isn’t Him. There are things and people out here that look like Jesus, but they aren’t. We must be sure we are dining with the TRUE God.

Since the only people who will enter the Kingdom of God are those who do God’s will, then what is God’s will? 1 Corinthians 15:27 tells us that “Then, when all things are under His authority, the Son will put Himself under God’s authority, so that God who gave His Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.” God’s endgame is to rule over everything, to sit on top and everyone be beneath Him. Romans 8:29 puts this into perspective, “For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son so that His Son would be the firstborn among brothers and sisters.” God established a family with us in which He is the head and Jesus is the firstborn child, and we are His brothers and sisters. The whole point of us being born again is for us to be a part of this new family.

God is after a relationship with us and loves us, but make no mistake, there is NO relationship we can have with God other than one where He rules OVER us! We cannot come to relate with a loving God and ignore that He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and the one who is destined to reign supreme over everything everywhere! This includes reigning over US! Even Jesus (who is God) had to submit under the authority of God, so why would we think we’re exempt? We were purchased to follow God’s plan. If we don’t follow that plan, then we are disqualifying ourselves from it. 

The Bible constantly tells us to check and make sure that we are still in the faith. We cannot assume, we MUST test ourselves. Luke 11:35 tells us “Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness” and 1 Corinthians 10:12 says, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” We go to the doctor for physicals and wellness checks, it is the same thing with God. He is telling us to take a physical, we need a checkup! The light we think we have, are we sure it’s truly light? We can be so convinced that we are following God that we don’t realize sometimes that He is NOT our Lord. We are placing things above Him. Anyone that doesn’t submit to the Lordship of Jesus isn’t part of God’s sheepfold. The sad truth is that some of us could be on our way to hell not heaven. Ask yourself today “am I on the narrow road of God or am I on the road that nearly everyone chooses?” If you are not on the narrow road, go before the Lord on your knees and ask Him to help you submit yourself to Him today!

Onyeka Emmanuel is a Minister at Rising Generation,  Fountain Of The Living Word Church, New Jersey.