Beauty For Ashes (An Answer To Hopelessness And Despair) by Apostle Joshua Selman
Lift up your hands to heaven and bless God. Bless Him for His wisdom and ask for a visitation.
Pray: Father, send Your Word for my lifting, salvation, deliverance, and transformation. Send a word of hope for me tonight, in Jesus name!
Tonight’s message is for those who are in hopelessness and despair, and are asking “God, where are you?”.
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”
Isaiah 61:1-3 (KJV)
The Bible assures us that victory is the Believer’s heritage in Christ Jesus and it must be our expectation at all times, irrespective of life’s challenges.
Many people have not been mentored to understand the spiritual significance of their circumstances, especially in unfavorable situations.
The advantage of training is that it gives you the opportunity of having victory with minimal error.
Crying and weeping over painful and unfavorable situations is not a sign of unbelief. The Bible permits saints to express their humanity decently. Even Jesus wept!
No one, no matter how spiritual, prosperous, or educated, is immune to unfavorable situations and tragedies.
God does not teach believers to pretend. Sometimes, we are too hard and harsh on people when they express their humanity. It shouldn’t be so.
Tragedies and unpleasant situations are real; sustaining an understanding of this would help you navigate turbulent times, as a Believer.
“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”
2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (KJV)
When you see people crying and in pain, don’t be quick to make them feel foolish. If you have nothing to say, let your communication be comforting.
As a Believer in Christ, it is pertinent to note that God is able to make all things work together for your good. Romans 8:28 (KJV)
Evil does not come from God. Do not let your pain produce wrong convictions. Not all events come from God but He makes all things work together for our good.
“Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.”
James 1:2-4 (AMP)
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” 2 Corinthians 4:17 (KJV)
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
James 1:2-4 (KJV)
There is nothing called hopelessness for a Believer because God sustains the ability to turn every hopeless situation to beauty and joy.
Tonight, God is saying that even at the point of ashes (unfavorable situations), He can still do something about the situation.
Scripture says that when God comes, He looks for ashes so that He can bring beauty out of them. (Isaiah 61:3)
Believers must learn to engage the mystery that transforms or converts ashes into beauty.
KINGDOM KEYS TO RECEIVING BEAUTY FOR ASHES:
1. Remain conscious of the love of God towards you.
No matter what happens in your life and no matter what you lose, never lose the consciousness of the love of God towards you. (Jeremiah 31:3, Romans 8:32, 2 Corinthians 13:14)
If you lose consciousness of God’s love for you, you will fall prey to the explanations satan offers.
You may not understand or make sense of what you’re going through, but never believe that God hates you.
When you lose the consciousness of the love of God, you will live a life of compromise.
Refuse to be offended with God. (Matthew 11:1-6)
And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”
Matthew 11:1-6 (KJV)
2. Always hope for and expect God’s best in everything. (Psalm 42:5, Romans 5:5)
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5 (KJV)
Three Levels Of Hope:
1. Hope in the midst of current condition. (trusting God for changes in turbulent situations)
2. Hope inspite of, or against all hope. (regardless of the situation, you can still hope in God)
3. Eternal hope. (when all fails, you have an assurance that you’re in Christ)
Without these levels of hope, you cannot experience the testimony of beauty for ashes.
Hope shouldn’t always be tied to the arrival of a thing, but the arrival of God in that situation.
Your hope should be solely in God.
Always hope for and expect God’s best in every situation. Endeavour to believe that God only has the best for your life.
3. Never lose your joy!
(Habakkuk 3:17-19, Nehemiah 8:10)
Joy is a shield against offense. When you have joy, it will be impossible to be offended.
Losing your joy would result to losing many other things.
“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, Neither shall fruit be in the vines; The labour of the olive shall fail, And the fields shall yield no meat; The flock shall be cut off from the fold, And there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, And he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, And he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.” Habakkuk 3:17-19 (KJV)
Joy is not the same as happiness. You do not have to laugh to be joyful, but joy brings laughter.
Joy is a shield against offense; when you lose your joy, you lose many other things. The absence of joy can tell on your physical health.
Joy is a spiritual atmosphere that allows for harvest. If you’re not in joy, the possibility for harvest is lost.
Declare: I Rejoice!
Joy is a mysterious spiritual force, it is an atmosphere that allows for harvest.
Joy is beyond a feeling! Never lose your joy!
Joy is the atmosphere that encourages harvest. When joy is absent, the possibilities for harvest is absent. Joy is not a feeling.
4. Never stop believing and engaging the Word of God. (2 Peter 3:9, Hebrews 6:13-16)
How to Engage the Word of God Profitability:
1. Study The Word (to show yourself approved).
2. Listen to the Word of God (Faith cometh by hearing the Word of God).
3. Declare and confess the Word of God (to create realities and possibilities in your life).
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)
Believers must understand that the confession of faith is not gibberish.
The journey of confession of faith, first starts with conviction. Confessions of faith must first be deposited in your heart as a revelation.
Faith is a product of God’s Word. Ignoring the Word of God is ignoring the possibility and potential for change in your life. (John 1:1-3)
5. Pray without ceasing (Philippians 1:19, Psalm 18:6)
Your darkest moment should be your most prayerful moment.
“For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,” Philippians 1:19 (KJV)
“In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried unto my God: He heard my voice out of his temple, And my cry came before him, even into his ears.” Psalm 18:6 (KJV)
Your darkest moment should be your most prayerful moment.
Obtain grace to pray when you’re in your darkest hour.
At times when you can’t make sense of what’s happening in your life, engage praying in The Spirit for intense warfare.
As a Believer, until you have prayed, don’t trust what you hear.
Prayer distills and purifies. Pray without ceasing!
6. Stay connected to the larger family of Believers. (Acts 4:22-24, Hebrews 10:25)
Every time tragedy strikes, that is a wrong time to isolate yourself from the larger body of Christ.
Spiritual families are very important, it is a risk to be alone. You get strength, support, and comfort from a larger body of believers.
Kingdom community is the key to sustaining kingdom values.
“For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed. And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.” Acts 4:22-23 (KJV)
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25 (KJV)
What You Get from a Family or Community of Believers:
1. Strength
2. Support
3. Comfort
Kingdom community is the key to sustaining kingdom values.
Whatever makes you to attack the body of Believers is from the devil.
Believers were not designed to survive alone, we were designed to survive within a Spiritual community.
Kingdom community living is the key to sustaining Kingdom values.
You enjoy the blessings of intercession and spiritual covering when you belong to a Spiritual family.
Even when you lose your physical family, ensure you retain your Spiritual family. You enjoy intercession, covering, and so much more when you belong to a Spiritual family.
Attending church is not the same as being truly connected. Genuine connection comes through covenant and by understanding.
The devil attacks many Believers because he finds them defenseless and isolated.
The law of receiving beauty for ashes is that you must trust God for the grace to forget the ashes.
God’s something else will always be better than what you had before.
This means that God always has something better in store than what you had before.
Lift up your voice and begin to pray in The Holy Ghost.
God has the power to make all things; tragic and painful situation to work together to the good of them that love The Lord.
Pray: Lord, I choose to trust You! I declare that all my losses will end up in praise.
Pray for Nigeria, that God will raise help for the nation!
Pray that as a nation, we will enjoy the mercy of God. That judgement will come upon anyone that does not mean well for the nation.
Pray for wisdom and power to be given to anyone who means well for the nation.
Pray for leaders of the nation at all levels.
Father, every situation that can change, by the power that raised Christ from the dead, we enforce change now, in the name of Jesus Christ. Let there be change in your career situation, marriage situation, family situation! I declare, let there be a solution now! Let water be turned into wine, in the name of Jesus Christ!
The grace to be free from the grip of yesterday, receive it now! I decree and declare, receive beauty for ashes now. It may not be as you expected, but may it come in another form that still glorifies God in the name of Jesus Christ.
Over your marriage, finances, spiritual life, and over the testimony of your life, I decree, beauty for ashes, in the name of Jesus Christ!
Receive the garment of praise, in Jesus Christ name! Everything that represents shame and hopelessness or heaviness, let the balm in Gilead bring you healing. Receive healing over pain and loses, in the name of Jesus Christ!
I decree, remember ye not the former things. God is doing new things, in the name of Jesus Christ!
Father, I decree and declare, the grace that follows this teaching, let it be deposited among your people, and let everyone who listens to this message be blessed because their ears have heard it, in Jesus name!
I release the grace to walk in keeping to all the keys to receiving beauty for ashes that has been shared in this message, in the name of Jesus Christ!
Let the hearers of this message testify that they gave up their ashes and they received beauty in return, in the name of Jesus Christ!
I declare, may your hands lay hold of good things! May your ears hear good news! As you travel, I declare safety for you, in the name of Jesus Christ!
