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Dr Nick Ohizu

The Voice of God

As we continue with the series of the prodigal son, let us look at the purpose of the celebration that took place after his return. 

The celebration here indicates the choices of blessings God bestows on different categories of his children. Misunderstanding the purpose of these blessings have led to different kinds of acrimony that has besieged the church thereby giving rise to hatred, jealousy, wickedness and dichotomy of alarming proportions. 

This has given room to Satan to use in-house quarrels to destroy the church and cause the world to mock us because if we cannot stand each other’s blessings. So how then do we expect the world to believe our message.

When purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable. It is easy for people to miss out on the blessings of God because of lack of understanding.

As we look at the scripture text again, we will identify the purpose of the celebration. 

These reveal the dimensional circumstances that are of paramount importance to God.  When these circumstances arise, God is moved to bring out the best of his blessings for some of his children.

 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So, he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ But he was angry and would not go in.

“Therefore, his father came out and pleaded with him. So, he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 

“But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him. “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!” [Luke 15:25-32].

As we can see, the purpose of the celebration number one is that “your brother has come”. 

The big brother was so engrossed with jealousy that he forgot that the ultimate purpose of church, the gospel and the kingdom of God is the restoration of the heart of the fathers to sons and the heart of sons to fathers [Malachi 4:6].

 This kind of mindset and attitude is the end result of overemphasising prosperity above repentance and salvation. The church should never forget the purpose and the message of the cross. 

Jesus died to save sinners and “There is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and have not strayed away’! [Luke 15:7 NLT]. 

Owing to the above revelation. 

It is then satanic to have any king of jealousy, hatred or offence when we see that God has chosen to bless someone instead of us. 

We must rise above the tendency to put our welfare ahead of the salvation and restoration of prodigal children. The salvation of sinners is more important than the blessings that God has not given us yet. 

God choosing to bless someone ahead of me should never give rise to any kind of offence or hatred. God is still God and his sovereignty over the affairs of men authorises him to decide who to bless first. 

It is important that we recognise the hierarchy of God’s priorities. God will always do something to celebrate the restoration of a lost soul and sometimes it entails the release of unmerited blessings which is popularly known as the grace of God.

Therefore, the righteous in Christ should never be offended when this happens because time may change and men may differ but the standards of God remain the same. 

The consolation for the big brother is hidden in the statement that the father made. “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours”. This is the way God consoles and comforts people who believe that God has forgotten them. This is a consolation to every child of God who is in a valley of the forgotten mourning their loses or delays and wishing they were someone else. 

The consolation hidden is the abundance that God has. You need to rejoice in the fact that God can never run out of resources.

His blessings will never finish. Irrespective of what God has done for your siblings, class mates or church mates, please rest in the fact that God has not forgotten you. 

There is more where that came from. Do not let someone’s blessing put you under unnecessary pressure to believe that your time will never come. The voice of God is telling you today that your time has come. God has many more healing, jobs, prosperity, marriages, houses and whatsoever a fattened calf represents in your life. 

Therefore, next time satan tries to trick you into murmuring, complaining, ingratitude, jealousy and hatred, please remind him that All that God has is yours not his. 

Keep that in mind and you will surely get your blessings.

Dr Nick Ohizu is the Senior Pastor of the Empowerment Ministries and the president of the Empowerment School of Wealth both located in Graniteside Harare. He is a successful entrepreneur with vast experience in leadership, mentorship, business and marriage consultancy with a mandate from God to change lives and bless people. Feedback: 0772304917.