Message: Who will roll away the stone for us?

PRINCESSES OF THE KING 2014 NATIONAL CONFERENCE

THEME: WHO WILL ROLL AWAY THE STONE FOR US?

[SCRIPTURE – MARK 16: 1 – 7, LUKE 25: 5, LUKE7: 11 -15, 1ST SAMUEL 1: 5, JOHN 11: 39]

Pastor Esther Aghahon

INTRODUCTION

In man’s path of happiness there lies a huge rock, which completely blocks up the road. Who among men can remove the barrier?

Man has been asking the same question for millennial, who will roll away the stone for us? Who will break down the barrier between God and man? This was the same question of the women who had followed Jesus.

Once upon a time, three women were bereaved and decided to visit the tomb of their master to put flowers, incense etc in remembrance of their departed loved one but there was a hindrance as they remembered the big stone at the mouth of the grave. It was the practice of the Jewish people to seal the mouth of the tomb with a big stone. Remember in John 11:39, before Jesus brought Lazarus back to life, he ordered them to take away the stone which will be a hindrance to his (Lazarus) coming back to life.

As the three women remembered this hindrance they began to reason among themselves, asking “who will roll away the stone from the entrance to the tomb” (Mark 16:3) because before they can gain access to anoint the body, that huge stone must be rolled away.

Daughters of the Most High, God has a plan. He speaks and plans fall in place. God speaks and systems are automatically created to serve His will. God had a plan all along for mankind, to remove the barrier, to remove the wall, the stone and the bars.

Women generally are saddled with so many responsibilities. This is why we always go from one place to the other in search for solutions to our numerous challenges.

WHAT IS A STONE?

A stone is a hard piece of rock. Symbolically, a stone represents difficulty. It stands for hindrance and denotes hardship.

POSSIBLE SOURCES OF STONE (CHALLENGE)

  • Hardship or difficulty comes from our enemies who want to delay or do not even want us to redeem our dreams. Remember that satan will always use men to bring about hindrance to others.
  • It may also come as a test of true loyalty of our faith in Christ Jesus.

WHY THE STONE MUST BE ROLLED AWAY

For Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome, Mark 16:1 says they had bought sweet spices to anoint the body of Jesus but the stone must be rolled away to gain access to the body for anointing (a rudimentary form of embalment).

Nobody can gain entrance to a house if the door is sealed. Stone is a hindrance which can stop one from fulfilment in life. If it is not identified or reason within yourself and ask who will roll away the stone for you, you may never get to your destiny fulfillment.

I pray today that somebody in this meeting will find solution to a pressing challenging problem in Jesus name.

TYPES OF STONE

Challenges come in different forms.

  • Ignorance or lack of knowledge of the word of God
  • Barrenness of any form
  • Joblessness
  • Poverty
  • Marriage failure or singlehood, etc

The above mentioned situations and many others may lead to frustrations by indulging in smoking, drug addiction, drunkenness, prostitution and its associated consequences like STD and HIV AIDS etc.

The bible in 1st Samuel 1:5, records that Hannah was faced with the issue of barrenness and every year she goes to Shiloh without positive result. Those years she will grieve, wondering who will take away the difficult situation from her but she soon realized this particular year that there is a wonder working God, the God of her fathers and she turned to Him. The result of her encounter with God was Samuel the great priest and thereafter other children came out of her, thus the stigma of barrenness was rolled away from the mouth of her womb.

Are you facing a difficult situation (stone) hindering your progress or is there a stone that need to be rolled away from the door of your success or at the verge of your testimony?

Is there a situation that will not allow you occupy your God’s given glorious position and you do not know what to do? Remember God is still in the business of rolling away stones from entrances of destinies.Take a step of faith towards that challenge today.

In the book of Luke 7: 11 – 15, there was a widow in the village of Nain faced with the frustration of emptiness. Her only son in life died and was going to be buried, the bible recorded that the woman was weeping and the people going with her consoling her. Then Jesus showed up and had compassion on her, He said to her “woman, weep not” and He brought the child back to life. For her, the stone of emptiness was rolled away from her life.

Jesus is having compassion on somebody now, be opened to Him as you hear this message. I pray that as you are being informed, you will be transformed.

Naaman, an army general in 1st Kings 5: 1 – 14 despite his military achievements, a huge stone was staring at him right at the door of his celebration. Leprosy will not allow this great man connect in public as a celebrity. However, he had this big stone rolled away by the power of the God of Israel, upon introduction by the maid attending to his wife.

I pray you will be introduced to the right source of mercy and grace after this conference in the name of Jesus Christ.

As you move on after this conference, blessed opportunities will be opened before you in Jesus name.

Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome desired to demonstrate their love and faith in Jesus even at death but they had a big question “who will roll away the stone for us”. Without an answer, they went ahead but to their greatest surprise when they got there, the tomb was wide opened but empty. There stood an angel who asked them the question “why seek ye the living among the dead” He is not there, He is risen (Luke24:5).

I pray that God will send angels to answer for you in whatever difficult situation you may be. In barrenness of any kind you will not be found there, in poverty you will not be found there.

Whosoeverwill be looking for you in the midst of shame, the angel will ask them “why are you looking for the honoured among the dishonoured, she is not there, she is redeemed in the name of Jesus Christ.

Sisters, the stone was not rolled away from the tomb so Jesus could escape. It was rolled away for the fact that it could not stand in His way. The one who purchased ultimate freedom for man could not be locked up any longer by a stone sealed with wax to a cold dark grave.

Jesus does not just roll away the reproach of sins in our lives, he also breaks down the gates, the barriers in our lives that keep us away from Him. He does all the work. He made the sacrifice so we do not have to. He died so that we could live, He rose from the dead overcoming death, hell and the grave so we could also overcome death, hell and the grave. JESUS is our way of escape. Jesus has called us out of darkness. What is this darkness He has called us out of? It is the grave (death), ignorance, lack of knowledge of the word of God, barrenness in different forms.

Today, Jesus is calling us to Himself as the light of the world. In John 8:12, Jesus tells His disciples “I am the light of the world, whosoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life”.

Princesses of the King, we must not see any problem/challenge as too difficult because where ever the presence of God is problems bow and stones are rolled away. God works with time and number, He sets a limit to the extent to which we are tried and tested (1st Corinthians 10:13).

WHAT TO DO

  • Enter into a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ if you have not, think and act like the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years in the book of Luke 8:43. This woman heard about Jesus (barrier breaker), came in, pressed behind and touched the helm of His garment and was made whole. She heard, she was determined and she acted. The three women were focussed and were not bothered about people’s opinion. God will do anything to show His unfailing promises to anyone who will humbly come to Him.
  • Serve God faithfully and with all sincerity (John 14:13 – 14)
  • Do not be afraid of what friends or people around you may say. The three women in our discussion today were bold enough to go to the tomb of Jesus Christ, they were not scared that those who killed their Master might harm them.
  • Have unshakeable faith in God. The woman with the issue of blood had faith strong enough to move virtue from Jesus Christ (Luke 8:46).
  • Expect a miracle when you pray, do not imagine how the stone will be rolled away. Leave it to God.

I pray that as you hold firmly to Jesus Christ, that stone will away in the name of Jesus. Go forward, do not be discouraged move on. There is power inside of you as you are determined to tune to your maker.

The women in our text today did not sit at home murmuring and weeping but instead they moved out. If they were sorrowing at home they would not have known that the much dreaded stone has been rolled away. They were the first to see Jesus at resurrection, what a great opportunity.

As you make up your mind to accept Jesus Christ into your life and obey his commandments, God will show up for you against any prevailing circumstances in Jesus name.

In conclusion, always desire to do the work of God. Be involved in the work of salvation any time, any day and you will not know how that stone will be rolled away.

Above all, pray without ceasing and do not lose hope on your vision (1st Thess. 5:17, Luke 18:1).

THANKS, GOD BLESS YOU

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