Click here to download the outline 👉 MARCH 2024 FFFP – DAYS 2
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Theme: THE LIVING WORD WORKS WONDERS
Texts: Deut.8:1-3; Matt.4:1-4; Mk.4:36-39; Heb.4:12
Welcome to another day of revelation. We have earlier stated that the perilousness of the present day demands in-depth knowledge and application of God’s word.
We showed that the totality of God’s word revealed to man through the harmonious writings of about 40 inspired authors in a span of over 1500 years, is the spiritual resource kept for man to make a fruitful and fulfilled life on the terrestrial plane.
It was stated that there was a divine inspiration or infusion on prepared vessels that birthed their word and works, which must be seen as the word of God to humanity, even though the message may reflect the writer’s personality, literary style, etc. (Lk.4:4; 1:1-4; 1Cor.7:12,25).
Today, we shall be exploring the
Incubation of the Word.
Topic: THE INCUBATION OF THE WORD
Subtexts: Deut.4:1,4-6,40; Jos.1:8; 2Tim.4:13
Incubation is a process of keeping eggs or embryos warm or in favourable conditions for the perfection of their metamorphosis (hatching or developing) as demonstrated by birds brooding over their eggs, and medical personnel keeping premature neonates in incubators.
So incubation is a preparatory process for the emergence of a matured creature. It is employed by God in certain occasions. The Spirit of God brooded over the chaotic watery world until the divine word came (Gen.1:1-3). After the anointing of
David, he was not immediately crowned but was rather processed until matured enough to sit on the throne judging the 12 tribes of Israel (1Sam.16:10-13, 18-23; 2Sam.3:1; 5:1-12). When
Prophet Elijah appeared to have expired, it took a divine incubation to restore and return him to a glorious 3
rd phase of ministry (cons. 1kgs.19:1-18). The
Lord Jesus was driven into a 40 days incubation before He emerged to take the world (Mk.1:10-13; Lk.4:14) and during His brief earthly ministry, He had some short incubation moments to get direction (Lk.6:12). The
apostles went into some upper room-incubation before the dunamis for discipleship was delivered (Lk.24:49; Acts 1:3-4; 2:1-3).
Apostle Paul considered his restrictions as times of incubation and so maximally utilized them (hence 2Tim.4:13; Phil.4:11,12).
Emperor Domitian’s exile of
Apostle John to Patmos served as an incubation that birthed the Book of Revelation (Rev.1:9-10).
So there can be deliberate personal incubation (Lk.6:12; Isa.40:31) or divinely designed incubation where one doesn’t have an option than to be restricted (2Tim.4:13; Mk.1:10-13). What is most important is one’s ability to incubate with the WORD of God.
Spending time with the word of God is same as spending time with God. There is a place for bible reading, praying in scriptures and also for meditation. The word of God contains particles’ of the Spirit of God (Jn. 6:63)
The word ‘
meditate’ in Jos.1:8; Ps.1:2 came from the Hebrew word
Hâgâh (pronounced
haw-gaw’) which means to murmur, ponder. It seems to be an onomatopoetic term, reflecting the sighings and low sounds one may make while musing, at least as the ancients practiced it.
It has to do with contemplation, thinking deeply, focusing one’s thought on what God has said and preparing the heart for prayers (Ps.119:147-148). This deep thinking on the word is akin to incubating the word; and when the WORD is incubated, it yields benefits. (Lk. 4:4)
The benefits of meditation include:
- Increased love for God and hence obedience to His will (cp. Ps.68:11)
- Renewal of mind: strength and assurance (Rom.12:1-2)
- Estrangement to sin (Ps.119:11,163)
- Peace that follows awareness of the promises (Ps.119:165)
- Empowering prayer and stability of faith (Rom.10:17)
- New insight and spiritual understanding (Ps.77:4-12)
- Prosperity in all applicable areas (Jos.1:8; Ps.1:1-2)
Meditation is a powerful catalyst for spiritual growth.
At this divinely predicted perilous times, the elect of God must gravitate to the consciousness of divine providence and regular incubation (Isa.46:9,10; 44:24,26,28, 45:21).
The child of God must set the machinery of meditation in motion to tackle all challenges of life (Ps.1:2-3)
