In (2 Corinthians 5:7) Apostle Paul encouraged the Corinthians that "We walk by FAITH, not by SIGHT.'' The desire and plan of God for each of us is "how to disciple us to learn how to live by faith, not by sight". God wants us to learn how to live in a loving relationship with Him, to recognize His voice and commune with Him, to discover His will for our lives, to make right decisions to follow His direction and to live out His perfect plan demonstrated to us in His only Son, Jesus Christ. Hence walking by faith is simply being where God is and doing what God is doing. It is necessary to learn how to walk by faith, not by sight, because, "whatever is not of faith is sin,'' (Rom. 14:23), and also because, ''without faith, it is impossible to please God,'' (Heb. 11:6).
The public may not understand fully what God is doing, especially in the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Lagos Nigeria. The carnal man is walking by sight alone, or the natural man is being controlled by sight, and not by faith. Even to receive from God through the Ministries of SCOAN, or from the Bishop of SCOAN, Prophet TB Joshua, individual needs to come and exercising faith in Jesus Christ and His Word. Therefore walking by faith, (and not by sight alone) with Jesus in this pilgrim way is a continuous process for every degree of Christians. Walking by sight means to depend on human sufficiency, human wisdom, human ingenuity, human calculation, and so on. Whereas walking by faith means depending on Christ's sufficiency, Christ's wisdom, His power, His direction, and His enablement. ''It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man'', (Psalms 118:8).
The people walking with God by faith are on the Lord's side. For example, in the wilderness the people of Israel departed God to worship a golden calf they fashioned for themselves whilst Moses was on the Mount. After reproving with that guilty nation, Moses called out, "Who is on the Lord's side?" When we walk away from God we become God's adversary and no longer on the Lord's side. In this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic SCOAN has been reaching out to every corner of the globe offering prayers and healing to people in their homes or kept in isolation centres. The same hand of fellowship is still being stretched out by SCOAN to every people in isolation centres including to Nigeria, Prophet TB Joshua's homeland. But it's only a few people walking in the spirit by faith that would see that the Right hand of God is Power and that it can save, it delivers and it can heal. It seems that Nigeria is not only infected by a multitude of religious sects it is also infected by divisions within sects, between sects, and with people walking only by sight. Many believe more on what they can see, touch, whatever they read, and many think of God as One to be on their side. Rather it is that the name of the Lord is a strong Protective Tower and the righteous runs there for salvation. Take the step now and run to God's side for protection, healing and deliverance.
Fortunately for Nigeria, and according to the official figures from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, Nigeria Covid-19 update as at 2 September 2020 indicates a total of 54439 confirmed infection cases, 42439 recovered cases and 1027 deaths. This gives a death rate of those with outcomes to be 2.4%, and net active cases 10973. From the position of science, this is an encouraging update with no major course for further alarm, the curve is turning. Hence the public will have the false impression not to be in a hurry calling out people in isolation centres, (almost empty centres), to any prayer line. But from the spirit, and even if there is no single active case in the land, Jesus is saying after our healing "to go and sin no more". He is also encouraging us that if COVID-19 hasn't condemned us to death Jesus hasn't either. It is not Jesus that condemns but our sins, our selfish desires, our weaknesses and our inability to walk by faith with God.
Prof. R. A. Ipinyomi, University of Ilorin, Nigeria
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