DESTROY THE POWER OF OBSCURITY

JOHN 8:12

INTRODUCTION

Obscurity is a terrible thing in life. Everyone wants to be noticed and recognized. However, most people don’t seem to be noticed and recognized even in their own families. This is  a prayer sermon. May the Lord stir up your heart, since God wants each one of us to shine like a star in the heavenlies (Daniel 12:3)

Let us learn:-

I.  WHAT IS OBSCURITY

• It is the state of being unknown, inconspicuous and unimportant.
• It is the deficiency or absence of light, darkness
• It is an instance of being imperfectly known or difficult to understand
• It is a power that puts otherwise great people in total obscurity.
• An obscure person, business or ministry has very little chance of moving very far.
• It is totally impossible for anyone to see far or walk very far in total darkness .
• Darkness makes us move without direction and so end up in wrong places.
• Obscurity can make most beautiful diamonds stay stuck in the bowels of the earth for millions of years undiscovered.
• Obscurity can make the greatest ideas lay unused for thousands of years.
• Obscurity is the cause why the IPhone as we know it was discovered only 30 years ago.
• Now the IPhone is your phone, TV, calculator, organizer, conference office, weather keeper, bank, credit card etc.
• Obscurity anointing can make the greatest movie star remain undiscovered in his village for years.
• Obscurity can make a ministry or calling of God remain unnoticed and keep it in the neighborhood for a life time.

II.  THE EXAMPLE OF ELIJAH AND ELISHA (I Kings 19:19-21)

• Obscurity anointing was removed from Elisha when Elijah came and threw his mantle on him.
• The mantle was the official garment of a prophet.
• There were about three types of mantles worn in Biblical time. This is the “Adderet”, a cloak that could be made of animal hair and was a garment of distinction worn by Kings and especially by prophets (I Kings 19:13,19, 2Kings 2:8, 13-14, Zech.13:4)
• The mantle automatically marked a man as a prophet, a spokesman for God.
• It was a sign and symbol of sacrifice and commitment.
• The mantle represented a man’s gift, the call of God and the purpose for which God had called him.
• Throwing it over the shoulders of Elisha was a symbolic act denoting his summons to the office of a prophet.
• This act by Elijah was a prophetic announcement that the gift of prophesy had been given or transferred to Elisha.

III. THE POWER THAT DESTROYS                    OBSCURITY.

1. The divine light of God that caused the prophetic drama that removed Queen Vashti and put Esther in her place (Esther 1)
2. The divine power of God that turned Rahab from useless prostitute to a woman of virtue, who later become part of the lineage of Jesus. (Joshua 2)
3. The power that cured the leprosy of Naaman (2Kings 5)
4. Jabez prayed to the God of Israel to be delivered from the anointing of obscurity. He prayed “Oh God bless me indeed, Enlarge my border, let your hand be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that I might not bring me pain” and God answered him (I Chronicles 4:10)
5. Josiah, one of the greatest kings to ever rule Israel, he was only 8 years old (2Kings 22:2) “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord”.
6. The thief on the cross. He was a criminal, crucified next to Jesus Christ. Brought into paradise at his death (Luke 23:32-43). He prayed “Lord remember me”

IV. LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE (Mathew 5:14)

1. Walk the path of righteousness (Prov.4:18)
2. Walk with Jesus (John 8:12)
3. Jesus is the light of the world (John 9:5)
4. Put your trust in the Light (John 12:36)
5. Shine like starts in the universe (Phil.2:15)

If sin has pushed you into obscurity-Repent (Rev.2:5)

CONCLUSION

PRAY AGAINST OBSCURITY

1. Every strongman of obscurity in my life, die in the Name of Jesus Christ.
2. Every tree of obscurity planted against my life, be uprooted by fire, In Jesus Name.
3. Every ancestral root of obscurity in my family line, let it be uprooted by fire In Jesus Name.
4. I reject every root of bad luck and failure in my life causing obscurity, In Jesus Name.
5. Every power blocking my opportunity, scatter in the Name of Jesus.
6. Every power keeping me away from my divine helpers, die in Jesus Name.
7. Every power assigned to be delaying my divine time, opportunities and appointments, die in Jesus Name.