HONOUR – TAKE OFF THE LIMITS

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Text: Deut.20:1-4,Gen.49:22-26

22 “Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall. 23 The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him. 24 But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong.

By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel, 25 By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you. With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb. 26 The blessings of your father. Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.

Deut 20:1-4
“When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. 2 So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. 3 And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; 4 for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’
What are Limits?
The Oxford English Dic. Gives 5 definitions viz:
A point at which something Stop being possible or exist
Lu.1:7 – Zech / Elisabeth
Time and age has placed a limit on them for child bearing but
V6,8-9 – shows faithfulness and keeping at your God given vocation. Can provoke a release of God’s power to break limits in a person’s life.
The greatest or smallest amount of a thing that is allowed .i.e. limitation by size – Pocket, education, skill, money etc!
Lu.19:1-6 – Strong desire and willingness to go all the way will show you a way out of the confines or limits.
Your challenge or project may be bigger than you but not God. He is the way maker and He will create one where none existed.
Isa.43:16,19

16 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea. And a path through the mighty waters, 19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness. And rivers in the desert.
The Furtherest edge of an area or place
For Job God put a limit on the devil – Job 1:12; Job 2:6

There is a limit to every adversity remember -1Cor.10:13
1 Chr.4:9-10 –Limitation by human pronouncements and circumstance of birth. He cried to the Lord and God took off the limits.
Prevent something from increasing or expanding beyond a particular amount.
Exo.1 – The New pharaoh and the Jew

– Limits placed by Jealousy and envy
– Broken by prayers and invocation of the covenant.
To restrict use or reduce amount available.

IIKings 2:19-21 – Prophetic actions and faith in your man your man of God breaks limits.
SOURCES OF LIMITS
God – e.g on Cain for killing Abel – Gen.4
Limits taken off by prayers to God.
Man – Joshua over Jericho – Josh.6:26

26 Then Joshua charged them at that time, saying, “Cursed be the man before the Lord who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates.”
Broken – Ikings 16:34 – through. Knowledge and sacrifice i.e being willing to pay the price to work it.
34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, according to the word of the Lord, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun.
Circumstances – Judges 6 & 7 – Israel and the Midianites.
Broken when God picked a man.
You’ve been picked, Go in this you’re might
The Devil – Joshua the High priest – Zech. 3:1-6
Angelic assistance removed the legal grounds for the limits.
Self – Mannaseh – His errors and sins – IIChr.33:11-13

Dynamics of Limits
Internal (IL)
External (EL)

INTERNAL (IL)
What you see – 6 things

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Whatever and whenever you see remember- your God and your past testimonies
Comparison – Judges 11
Age David – ISam.17:33
Previous experience – 1Sam.17:34-37

EXTERNAL (EL)
Obstacles by hindrances of men and demons- Paul -1Cor.16:9; 1Thess.2:18
Association –king Asa – 2Chro.16:1-3,7
Circumstance of birth – 2Kings 2:14-21

Breaking the Limit
Receive the word of God from your priest – 1Thess.2:13

13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.
Moses /Reuben – Gen.49:3-4, Deut.33:6,8 20:1-4
Jesus/ Peter – Lu.22:31-32
Where is the prophet of God in your life? Hos.12:13; 2Chro.20:20

13 By a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was preserved.
2Chro.20:20
So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”
Expect Help from Above – Psm.121.
Start with what you have.-2kings 4:1-8;
Sit down and think -1Chro.11:4-6
Become skillful – 1Sam.16:18

Dr. Udoh
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