The Fragrance Of Christ | Pastor Philip John | NLF Dubai

Summary

In this inspiring message, the speaker reflects on the power of faith and trust in God amidst life's challenges and blessings. Drawing from the Song of Solomon and personal experiences, the sermon emphasizes the importance of cultivating a heart that bears the fruit of the Holy Spirit, staying faithful through both adversity and prosperity. The speaker encourages believers to embrace both the north and south winds of life, trusting in God's purpose to shape them into the likeness of Christ for His glory.

Takeaways

• 🙏 The importance of prayer and seeking God's guidance in our lives, especially during challenging times.
• 🌸 The Song of Solomon 4:16 is used as a metaphor for the relationship between God and His people, with our hearts compared to a fruitful garden.
• 💰 God's ownership and investment in us, as He purchased the 'garden' at a high price, symbolized by the sacrifice of His Son.
• 🌺 The Holy Spirit's role in cultivating our spiritual garden, breaking up the hard ground of our hearts and planting the seed of His Word.
• 🍀 The fruits of the Spirit, as described in Galatians 5:22-23, which are signs of a healthy spiritual life.
• 🌪️ The metaphorical North Wind and South Wind representing seasons of adversity and blessing in our lives.
• 🛡️ The concept of God's hedge of protection surrounding us, showing His care and possession.
• 🌟 The assurance that God's thoughts towards us are precious and vast, as stated in Psalm 139:17.
• 💪 The call to remain faithful and to let our 'fragrance' spread, regardless of whether we face adversity or blessing.
• 🏆 The story of Joseph as an example of someone who maintained a fragrant character through both favorable and unfavorable winds.
• 🌈 The ultimate purpose of all things in our lives, according to Romans 8:28, is to make us more like Jesus Christ.

Q & A

What is the significance of the Song of Solomon 4:16 in the context of the sermon?

The Song of Solomon 4:16 is used as a metaphor for the relationship between God and His people, with the heart compared to a fruitful garden that the Lord owns and cares for, emphasizing His love and the desire for His people to bear spiritual fruit.

How does the sermon relate the concept of a garden to the believer's heart?

The sermon likens the believer's heart to a garden owned by the Lord, highlighting that God has purchased this garden at a high price and is invested in its growth and fruitfulness, just as a person would be with a costly property.

What does the sermon say about God's thoughts towards His people?

The sermon references Psalm 139:17 to convey that God's thoughts towards His people are precious and vast, indicating His deep care and knowledge of every aspect of their lives, including their joys, sorrows, and everything in between.

How does the Holy Spirit act in the believer's life according to the sermon?

The Holy Spirit is described as the seed of ownership in the believer's life, working to break up the hard ground of the heart, bringing conviction of sin, and producing spiritual fruit. The Holy Spirit also nourishes and prunes the believer to help them grow and bear more fruit.

What are the 'winds' in the sermon's metaphor and how do they represent life's experiences?

The 'winds' represent the various seasons and experiences of life. The South Wind symbolizes times of blessing, love, and prosperity, while the North Wind represents adversity, challenges, and difficult times. Both are necessary for growth and producing a fragrance of character.

How does the sermon use the story of Joseph to illustrate the concept of facing both favorable and unfavorable winds?

The sermon recounts Joseph's life, where he experienced both the South Wind of prosperity and the North Wind of adversity. Despite being sold into slavery (North Wind) and later rising to power in Egypt (South Wind), Joseph maintained his faith and character, demonstrating that one can remain faithful and pleasing to God through all circumstances.

What is the ultimate purpose of the 'winds' in a believer's life, as explained in the sermon?

The ultimate purpose of the 'winds' is to shape the believer into the likeness of Jesus Christ, producing a fragrance of character and faith that honors God. Both the North Wind and the South Wind are tools used by God to work for the good of those who love Him, according to His purpose.

What does the sermon suggest about the believer's response to adversity?

The sermon encourages believers to embrace adversity (the North Wind) as a means of spiritual growth and character development. It challenges believers to maintain their faith and integrity, even in difficult times, and to trust that God is working all things for their good.

How does the sermon address the concept of glorifying God in all circumstances?

The sermon emphasizes that whether facing the South Wind of prosperity or the North Wind of adversity, believers should aim to glorify God in all circumstances. This includes being a blessing to others, especially in the house of God, and using one's success and trials to further the kingdom of God and the salvation of souls.

What is the message conveyed by the sermon regarding the believer's attitude towards life's challenges?

The sermon conveys that believers should adopt an attitude of faith and resilience, ready to face both favorable and unfavorable winds, trusting in God's sovereign control and His purpose for their lives. It encourages believers to let their character and faith shine through, regardless of the challenges they face.

How does the sermon apply Romans 8:28 to the concept of facing life's 'winds'?

The sermon applies Romans 8:28 by stating that God works all things, both good and bad, for the good of those who love Him. This means that every 'wind' that blows in a believer's life, whether it seems favorable or adverse, is ultimately part of God's plan to shape them into the image of Christ.

Outlines

00:00

🙏 Seeking Spiritual Encouragement and Blessing

The speaker begins by leading the congregation in prayer, asking for divine guidance and strength. They reference the Song of Solomon, specifically chapter 4 verse 16, to illustrate the desire for spiritual fragrance and the fruitfulness of the believer's heart. The speaker emphasizes the believer's relationship with God, likening the heart to a garden owned by the Lord. This garden, representing the believer's soul, was purchased at a high price, symbolized by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The speaker encourages the congregation to recognize their value in God's eyes, comparing it to a precious property that one cherishes and thinks about constantly.

05:00

🌿 God's Protective Hedge and Our Response

The speaker continues the theme of God's care by describing how God surrounds His people with a protective hedge, a metaphor for divine protection and ownership. The congregation is reminded that they are precious in God's sight and that He watches over them. The speaker then transitions to discuss the believer's responsibility towards their spiritual garden, urging them to cultivate it actively. The Holy Spirit is introduced as the seed of ownership, with the role of breaking hard ground and preparing the heart for spiritual growth. The Holy Spirit's work in the believer's life includes conviction of sin, repentance, and the planting of the Word, leading to the bearing of spiritual fruit.

10:02

🌪️ The Winds of Life: North and South

The speaker uses the metaphor of north and south winds to describe the seasons of life, both challenging and blessed. The south wind represents times of blessing, love, and prosperity, while the north wind symbolizes adversity and difficulty. The speaker emphasizes that a true Christian's 'normal' state should be characterized by the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Using the story of Joseph, the speaker illustrates how both favorable and unfavorable winds can shape one's character and faith. The message is that believers should maintain a fragrance of love and forgiveness, regardless of the winds they face, and that God's purpose in allowing these winds is to build character and bring about spiritual growth.

15:03

🌈 Responding to Life's Seasons with Faith

The speaker delves into how believers should react during life's different seasons, particularly in the face of adversity. Using the north wind as a symbol for difficult times, the speaker encourages the congregation to embrace these challenges as opportunities for God to demonstrate His love and discipline. The story of Joseph is recounted to show how even in the most trying circumstances, one can maintain integrity and faith, ultimately leading to promotion and blessing. The speaker stresses that God's intention behind both the north and south winds is to conform believers into the image of Jesus Christ and to use their experiences for the salvation of souls.

20:04

💰 Tithing and the Fruit of Prosperity

The speaker discusses the concept of tithing and the proper attitude towards prosperity. He emphasizes that all glory and success are gifts from God and should be acknowledged as such. The speaker challenges the congregation to use their prosperity to bless others, especially within the church community. The message is that when faced with adversity (north wind) and prosperity (south wind), believers should remain faithful, using their circumstances to build the kingdom of God and to be a blessing to those in need. The speaker calls for a commitment to give back to God and to use one's resources for the benefit of others.

25:04

🌟 Embracing God's Plan in All Circumstances

The speaker shares a personal testimony, reflecting on how both adversity and favor have shaped his life according to God's plan. Despite facing a new challenge in the form of a health issue (represented as a north wind), the speaker expresses unwavering faith and trust in God's goodness and purpose. He encourages the congregation to embrace whatever winds they face, trusting that God is working all things for their good. The speaker's message is one of hope and resilience, reminding the listeners that God's spirit empowers them with power, love, and a sound mind, enabling them to stand firm in any situation.

30:05

🎶 Praise and Worship in the Midst of Trials

The speaker concludes the message by inviting the congregation to join in worship, acknowledging God's faithfulness and goodness throughout their lives. Through song and prayer, the speaker leads the congregation in expressing gratitude and praise to God, regardless of the trials they may be facing. The emphasis is on maintaining faith and trust in God's sovereignty, even when the winds of life are challenging. The speaker calls for a collective amen, reinforcing the communal aspect of faith and the shared belief in God's goodness and provision.

Keywords

💡Prayer

Prayer is a form of communication with God, seeking guidance, strength, and blessings. In the video, prayer is depicted as a means to connect with the divine, expressing needs and gratitude. It is exemplified by the opening lines where the speaker invites the congregation to look to the Lord in prayer, highlighting the importance of prayer in their spiritual journey and relationship with God.

💡Word of God

The 'Word of God' refers to the sacred scriptures, particularly the Bible, which contains divine teachings and guidance for believers. In the context of the video, the speaker emphasizes the significance of the Word of God in providing encouragement, strength, and blessings, and as a tool for spiritual growth and understanding.

💡Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is a person of the Holy Trinity in Christian theology, symbolizing the spirit of God that empowers and guides believers. In the video, the Holy Spirit is described as an enabler, helping individuals to grow spiritually and to live according to God's will. The Holy Spirit is also associated with the process of sanctification, transforming the believer's heart and life.

💡Song of Solomon

The Song of Solomon, also known as the Song of Songs, is a book in the Old Testament of the Bible that uses the metaphor of romantic love to describe the relationship between God and His people. In the video, the speaker references this book to illustrate the intimate connection between the believer and Christ, and to emphasize the beauty and depth of spiritual love.

💡Garden

In the video, the 'garden' is a metaphor for the believer's heart and spiritual life. It represents the fertile ground where the seeds of God's word are planted and nurtured, producing spiritual fruit. The speaker uses the imagery of a garden to convey the idea of personal growth and transformation through God's grace and the work of the Holy Spirit.

💡Fruit of the Spirit

The 'fruit of the Spirit' refers to the positive qualities and virtues that Christians are encouraged to cultivate in their lives, as listed in Galatians 5:22-23. These include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of bearing this spiritual fruit as evidence of a believer's relationship with Christ and the Holy Spirit's work within them.

💡North Wind and South Wind

The 'North Wind' and 'South Wind' in the video are metaphors for adversity and prosperity, respectively. The North Wind represents difficult times and challenges, while the South Wind symbolizes seasons of blessing and favor. The speaker uses these winds to illustrate the importance of faith and faithfulness in both good and bad times, and to encourage believers to maintain a positive and Christ-like character regardless of their circumstances.

💡Joseph

Joseph is a prominent figure in the Old Testament, known for his faith and ability to forgive. In the video, the speaker uses Joseph's story to illustrate how God can use even the most challenging circumstances for good, and to shape a person's character. Joseph's life demonstrates the importance of maintaining faith and integrity through both adversity and prosperity.

💡Faithfulness

Faithfulness is the quality of being loyal and constant in one's faith or allegiance, particularly to God. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of remaining faithful to God in all circumstances, whether facing adversity or experiencing blessings. It is about trusting in God's sovereignty and goodness, even when things are difficult or unclear.

💡Goodness of God

The 'Goodness of God' refers to the inherent, unchanging kindness and benevolence of God towards His creation. In the video, the speaker reflects on God's goodness as a constant presence throughout life's ups and downs. It is the belief that God is always working for the good of those who love Him, as stated in Romans 8:28, and that His goodness pursues His children, aiming for their spiritual growth and ultimate good.

Highlights

The importance of looking to the Lord in prayer and seeking His guidance and strength.

The Song of Solomon 4:16 as a metaphor for the relationship between God and His people, and the invitation for believers to experience His blessings.

The concept of the heart being compared to a fruitful garden, owned by the Lord, and the significance of this ownership.

God's thoughts towards His people are precious and vast, as expressed in Psalm 139:17.

The Holy Spirit's role in breaking up the hard ground of our hearts and preparing them for spiritual growth.

The Holy Spirit as the seed of ownership, sanctifying and guiding believers towards bearing spiritual fruit.

The importance of recognizing and embracing the Holy Spirit's work in our lives, leading to the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit.

The analogy of the North Wind and South Wind representing seasons of adversity and prosperity, and the believer's response to both.

The story of Joseph as an example of God's sovereignty and purpose in both favorable and unfavorable circumstances.

The call to maintain a fragrant character that honors God, regardless of the winds of life that blow upon us.

The transformative power of God's grace in the life of Joseph, leading to forgiveness and love despite past wrongs.

The challenge to see God's hand in both good times and difficult times, and to trust in His goodness.

The assurance that God is with us in every situation, providing comfort and strength.

The transformative purpose of God's actions in our lives, aiming to make us more like Jesus Christ.

The testimony of the speaker's personal experience with a rare type of cancer, and the faith and trust in God's purpose.

The call to worship and praise God, regardless of the winds of life, and to stand in faith.

The song 'All My Life' as a declaration of God's goodness and faithfulness, and the impact of His love on the believer's life.

Transcripts

shall we look to the Lord in prayer

father even as we look into your

word we pray that you may give us the

word that would encourage us strengthen

us help us and bless us father holy

spirit of God enable me holy spirit of

God enable your people thank you oh

father in Jesus name we pray amen amen

amen turn with me to the Song of

Solomon

The Song of Solomon 4:1

16 anybody who was in this church before

2005 okay yeah about 5 6 6 7

8 yeah nine

Okay the reason why I asked

is in October 2005 I did preach from the

same verse but don't worry it won't be

the

same so Song of Solomon chapter 4 verse

16

awake North

Wind and come

south

wind blow on my

garden that its fragrance May spread

abroad let my lover come into his

garden and taste its Choice

fruits this is also called The Song of

Solomon is also called the most

excellent of songs

and it is difficult to find a song that

is equal to it on the topic of human

love for

Jewish interpreters and Jewish students

of the law it

was this these were this book was it

showed the love

relationship between God and

Israel for Christians an allegory

about Jesus Christ and the

church let my lover come into his garden

and taste its Choice fruit in this text

our hearts are compared to a fruitful

Garden let my lover come into his garden

which means this Garden which we're

talking about is he is the owner the

owner of the garden is the Lord himself

in other words we who are his garden we

belong to him he purchased this Garden

at a

price if you buy a property at a very

high

price some of you have homes back home

you bought it at a very high price you

furnished

it and you

still dream about going there and living

in that house my point is you often

thinking about that

property and it's Not So Different Here

the Lord is also thinking about you the

garden that he purchased at a very high

price he paid for you with his only one

and only son in Psalm 139 vers 17 it

says how precious to me are your

thoughts oh

God how vast is the sum of them can you

imagine it sometimes we just cannot

imagine it that God is thinking about

you if we some great man we if we say

you know that man he was he was

mentioning your

name some local politician MLA mentions

your name you will say oh oh I'm

important it says the god of the

universe maker of heaven and Earth

Eternal

God he

everything he think he is thinking about

you can you let it

sinking that the God is thinking about

you what is he thinking about

you

everything that which bothers you he

knows that which is heavy on your heart

he knows he knows your Joys he knows

your Sorrows he's thinking about

you what a what a

thought and these are not imaginations

it's the word of God

God God is possessive about his precious

Poss God is possessive about his

precious possession you and me what do

you do the first thing when you plant a

garden you put a hedge around it you say

to this world you show to the world this

is

mine you make sure nobody tramples upon

your plants you don't let the animals

come and go strain the Lord has put a

hedge around you whether you are aware

of it or not Lord the Lord God Almighty

has put a hedge around you we are his

garden yeah we are precious in His sight

and the Lord Almighty watches over us

and we need to believe it it says he who

dwells in the shelter of the most high

will rest in the shadow of the almighty

under his wings the Lord's protection

upon is upon the people he

purchased we need to be aware of this

his eyes are on you and on me now when

you when you buy a

garden what do you think you'll do you

you just going to leave it there no you

get to work on your

garden and if you think God is done with

putting a hedge around it no he's not

done yet he's not going to let this

Garden go waste so what does he do he

breaks the hard

ground he breaks the hard ground and he

makes it

ready when the Lord makes you his

own he gives you his holy

spirit when the Lord makes you his own

he gives you his holy spirit his holy

spirit is the seed of ownership upon

you God's holy spirit is a seal of

ownership upon you so what does the Holy

Spirit

do the Holy Spirit works on this

Garden he breaks up the heart ground he

makes your heart soft he brings

conviction of sin and he brings

repentence in our

lives John 16:8 says when he comes he

will convict the word of the world of

guilt in regard to sin and righteousness

and

judgment all the time the holy spirit in

US is differentiating between the holy

and the Unholy because he is a Holy

Spirit the biggest thing about the Holy

Spirit is that he's

holy and he's always differentiating

that

then what does he do in this Garden he

plants the seed of the word in

us he that received the seed into the

good ground is he that hear the word

understandeth it and also bears fruit

bringing forth 100 60 or 30 times he is

the gardener he nourishes us he even

prunes us so that we bear more fruit let

my

lover it says in the Song of

Solomon let my lover come into his

garden and taste its Choice

fruit when God visits you and God comes

to examine the garden that he has

purchased what is he what fruit will God

find in you and in

me if there anything

that God is looking

for and I've been we were talking

recently with

somebody who is a normal

person who is a normal person

everybody's abnormal except me right who

is a normal person oh this one little

bit but could have been little more

everybody we find is not normal what is

a reference range in blood sugar I don't

know it says 80 how did they find it

they took the large population billions

and million they found that reasonably

healthy people they narrowed it narrowed

it narrowed it bought it to uh 80 12 or

whatever but some people have higher

normal ranges also it's possible that's

also normal for them but for a

Christian it is difficult to say who is

normal that's what my point is but for a

Christian you want to meet a normal

Christian he needs to have the fruit of

the holy spirit that is what is normal

for you and for me yeah so Galatians

5:22 23 says but the fruit of the spirit

is love all Sunday school teachers

please join me love we forget we may

tell the kids but after you ask them we

also get lost so the fruit of the spirit

is love joy peace patience

kindness mhm

good you are using various versions so

you can get away with it goodness

faithfulness gentleness self control

this can happen only if the holy spirit

is given rain over our hearts otherwise

when a lover of our hearts come he is

going to find quite unpleasant things so

let's go back to our scripture for this

day awake North Wind and come south wind

blow on my garden

wow come awake North Wind he's calling

come he's ready to take it

on he says awake North Wind come come

come

come come South Wind he

says blow on

me sometimes God's word is

scary

we are afraid of the devil right say

come and all Baba then he comes and we

have a problem but the writer is saying

awake awake he says North Wind come

South went he says and blow on me he's

confident about

something he's confident about something

no matter what blows on

me you're going to get a fragrance

from

me it

says the south wind is a normal thing

and a frequent thing in

Palestine they say if it is slightly

Southwest it'll bring rain but if it is

south or Southeast there is no rain etc

etc but it's a

warm wind bringing good weather it's a

favorable wind agreeable

wind on the other hand the north wind is

usually a strong continuous wind blowing

down from the Northern Hills while it is

cool and drives away

rain it seems to be a disagreeable wind

it's not so favored because it causes

headaches and fevers and

trouble so it is natural that Everyone

likes the agreeable South Wind

people are not too happy with the

difficult North

Wind in your life and my

life the south wind represents the

seasons of

blessing

Fellowship

love affection the good things of

life when the job is

good when the bonus is good

when the children are

playing when you are enjoying good

health when the food is good and you can

eat the food and you can digest the food

without having to go to the

doctor things are good South in the

south wind are blowing when friends

gather around

you sounds like the good times that our

good old

job talks about in his

book in The Book of Job he was

having the south wind was blowing on

job's

life when the desires of your heart are

fulfilled The North Wind on the other

hand is when you are

hit by bad

times times of difficulty

comes when your financial situation is

not what you want it to be

when challenges come up in your

marriage when children are rebellious oh

they don't listen to you

anymore and you

wonder when things will

improve when sickness puts you on a bed

of

suffering not pleasant right are you

going to say awake South Wind come blow

on me will you say that or come north

wind blow on me

it's a difficult thing it's a time of

suffering when there are

misunderstandings with friends when

there are misunderstandings with people

you

love it's a difficult

time in the Bible you find one

man who the favorable and the

unfavorable you'll see coming again and

again you know favorable unfavorable

favorable unfavorable

do you can you name some man Joseph okay

you will see it seems to be alternating

in his

life it is said

that adversity proves the man you have a

saying in

English but I say that's

true but to test a man

fully you to test his true character

test him also with

prosperity you want to fully test a man

test him also with Pro Prosperity make

him

Rich give him some

power then you will

see his or her true

self they will show the true

colors

earlier

they could not afford to be

bad but now you can

afford to be

bad sometimes Prosperity proves the man

when the

Pleasant South Wind of prosperity and

good times blow on your garden what kind

of fragrance will it take from your

heart after many ups and downs you find

in the end

Joseph gets into a prosperous time as

the prime minister of

Egypt he stood before Pharaoh things

changed the wind blew the south wind

blew on his life he stood before

pharaoh and then he had the

opportunity by the brothers who sold him

into

slavery they came begging for

food

wow Prosperity proves the man it

says what

happened as he saw his brothers he burst

into

tears he went he hid he cried and he

came

back why

because because of his love in his

heart he was their brother

Joseph you did it to harm me but God

intended it for

good so I forgive you I hold nothing

against you they could not believe it

how can it be how can a man do this oh

we were so

wicked they were ashamed of

themselves they were so wicked but there

was forgiveness there was love there was

no record of

wrongs

when the South Wind of prosperity lifts

you up to a

position will you have what Joseph had

in his

life love forgiveness no offense no

record of

wrongs or I will show him now I will

drive before him I will walk in front of

his house no I'll invite him so that he

will come and see I'll nicely invite so

that they can see and I will show how

God has blessed me

me no no

offense only love and sympathy for

them in all

circumstances in all circumstances a

wonderful fragrance that honors God and

gives glory to

him who gets the glory when the south

wind blows on your

life

who gets the glory in your heart and in

your

mouth do we give glory to God or we

remember to

tith when it comes to Glory you

understood what I

said 10% of Glory goes to God

tithing correct money I'll give Glory

also we give sometimes 10% to God Rest

we keep it for

ourselves after all we are smart we are

intelligent we are

beautiful we deserve all those

things the glory belongs to God and God

Alone does your success if God Has

Lifted you up in anything any area if

God has given you lifted you

up does your success contribute to the

building of the kingdom of

God do we become a blessing to

others especially in the house of God

brothers and sisters in the Lord do we

become a blessing to

them when the good Wind

Blows do we go and seek someone who is

in

difficulty bless them brother sister I

will stand with you I will stand with

you do we say that

someone is

dying there's a widow and a possible

Widow and a possible

orphan will you go to that man and

say don't

worry we are here we

undertake when you're prosperous and God

gives you the ability will you do that

what is it the

fragrance that you it'll the wind will

take to those around

you there's another wind that blows

which is the north wind the disagreeable

North Wind yes it is rightly said

adversity proves who we are when

everything is fine and the sun is

shining the grass is green and the sky

is

blue the birds sing and you can hear

it it's easy to

preach it is easy to

sing but that's not how when the North

Wind

Blows it is

difficult you know

what because God loves you and

me because God loves you and me he lets

the north wind blow on our

lives we may not be at the level of this

writer of this song Who Says come North

Wind come south wind blow and see what

you can take from

me but when God gives us difficult

times it is because he loves us that he

disciplines

us God does it so that he may build a

character

the Bible tells us God will not go and

discipline that which is not his because

you love he loves you you are

children he disciplines you you can say

an Hallelujah even louder than

that don't worry difficulty is not going

to come by lunchtime if you say

that you need to understand you need to

understand you want to be LIF lifted up

in life you should be ready to say come

north wind and come South Wind that's

how God promotes his

children that's God how God promotes his

children when The North Wind Blows and

it takes you as a slave to Egypt nothing

he had a colored coat he had a

multicolored coat that his father gave

him but they took him like this naked or

maybe nearly

naked

even then you

let the wind take the fragrance of your

character to those around you and when

that

happens oh this is not an ordinary man

there's something so different about him

so let me promote him he was made the

head of poyer's

household till the next wind blow and

for a time that favorable wind was

blowing on Joseph's life he was Master

over everything in that

house then the north wind started

blowing you know what if the north wind

hadn't blown after that he would

be XY

Z master of

xyz's household Millions like him but

because the Northwind again rose up and

blew on his life Temptations came pora's

wife's eyes fell on

him

she accused him of rape of attempted

rape but in the most difficult situation

he said I will not do that which is

wicked I will not sin against God awake

North Wind oh difficult wind blow on my

garden that its fragrance May spread

around

so what happens he goes to

jail but the fragrance never

stops even in jail the fragrance

blows ah the Jailer looks at him and

says this is not an ordinary man look at

him and they knew after seeing him for a

few days they knew he is not the kind of

guy who will do this he's exceptional

man the promote him to make him the lead

the head of the jail everything in the

jail was under

Joseph then the Butler and the baker

came he thought good friends they might

speak of me to the Pharaoh they

forgot God had his

timing in the book of

Acts in the confines of a

dungeon they said put the chains on them

and they put their feet in stalks Paul

and

Silas very easy to

preach they were beaten black and

blue you read in the book of Acts they

were beaten severely and they were put

in their jail but you know what even the

fiercest of that

storm they started to sing and praise

God yeah that's the fragrance that

should Blow from your life and my life

oh my my boss my my my leader my pastor

my this my that my everybody oh oh

yeah they they sang in the middle of the

night no clapping because it's like this

it's like this but they sang and what

happened the chains came

free and freedom came to them you want

freedom you want God to set you free you

need to have a different attitude you're

looking for promotion in your life you

need to have a different attitude come

on I will take on I'll take on any wind

whatever wind blows my fragrance spreads

even

more even

more just as trees need

the Winter Winds and the Hot Summer

Winds to develop and bear fruit we too

need the north wind and the south wind

in our lives and we need to honor and

glorify

God in all

circumstances you know what you think

the great thing about that was Joseph

becoming prime

minister no that's what most most people

think prime minister big thing no you

know what they said what did Joseph's

own words

say God brought it about for something

you know what was something

was Amen to that God brought all these

things and brought me to this position

for a reason that reason is the

Salvation of

souls if we as Christians sitting here

if the prosperity that God brings into

your life life the pain that God brings

into your life it should result in the

salvation of

souls very often our words are so

pitiable our words are so pitiable our

testimony is so pitiable how will people

ask you even to

pray you

yourself need pity you yourself need

sympathy how can I ask ask you to pray

you yourself you're dead how can you

speak life in my

life there is a reason why God does

this all these

things should give glory to

God I tell you what it's very difficult

even for me to say come north

wind

sometimes I know I I remember having

stood here and said Bring it

on I remember okay and at such times the

devil will tell you oh you want to bring

it

on huh you want me to bring it

on Bring It

On awake North Wind and come south wind

and blow on me and see what

happens yeah don't be afraid

because you know

what God is with

you you forget

that no matter how great that storm was

the disciples were there and Jesus was

sleeping oh Master you don't know we are

going to

perish how oh ye of little faith can't

you even know that I am in the boat how

can the boat sink when I am there how

can you sing when God is with you if God

is in you in the Old Testament they had

to say God is with me now it is God is

in you

man that's the

difference that is the difference

yeah God Is With

Us Paul says in the book of

Corinthians very often suffering comes

to

us because when we have suffered

you will be able to go and comfort

somebody else who is also

suffering you become the bomb of Gilead

to

others you take Jesus to

others in in Good

Times you will see the hand of

God in Good Times you will see the hand

of

God in difficult times you will see the

face of

God that's the

difference that's why job said my ears

had heard about you but now my eyes have

seen

you God wants to help us and bless

us I have had

the most of my life I had the

winds

both of adversity and also the Winds of

favor that blew on my life but you know

what when I look

back I don't see any Winds of

adversity I remember all the good things

that God has

done yesterday I was reflecting on this

I was trying to I have to preach so let

me see what are the adversity things

that came in my

life at that time was

adversity today it is not adversity for

me that also turned out to be the Winds

of God's favor on my

life why because in Romans 8 verse 28 he

says Paul says in all

things good bad North Wind South Wind

You Bring It On in all things God works

for the

good of those who love

him those who are called according to

his

purpose you know what the purpose

is the purpose is to make You and Me

Like Jesus

Christ that is the purpose we we don't

understand that verse so well we read

half the first God is good God does

everything for good and forget it some

people are even better they say God uh

he works for the good of those who love

him they go step further but there are

those who says for a purpose God is

doing this so even when the wind blows

there is a purpose and that purpose is

to make You and Me Like Jesus Christ you

want to be like I don't know who you

want to be if you can be like Jesus

Christ there is no greater thing there

is no greater

thing I would like to update you on a on

a wind that is blowing in my life right

now it looks like The North Wind

feels like the

Northwind I had a lump on the side of my

neck it was

hard and uh we noticed it few months

back and

then we did initial needle thing and

removed it and all but uh it was normal

but it didn't go after treatment so they

surgically removed it and sent it for

testing we send it

for uh

biopsy and the reports came and and uh

it said that you have lymphoma okay a

rare type of

cancer now that sounds like a north

wind it is the north wind it's a new

wind blowing a wind that I have not

experienced

before I've gone through difficulty but

I haven't gone through physical

difficulty

but God will turn it

around God will turn it

around for my good and His

glory yeah I appreciate your prayers for

me I know a few people and many people

that I've spoken to some have committed

to pray I'll pray for you every day some

have committed to fast and

pray but I thank and praise God for what

he does in our

lives when unfavorable things happen in

your

life you will

say why me

Lord oh they say that my kind of thing

is one in 200 one it comes only one in

200 very rare so I can say I'm say why

me Lord of all those people you found

me but you know what for 61

years he was there with me he did all

the good things for me I have a family I

have wonderful children I have wonderful

grandchildren

and God is blessing them do I say why me

I don't say that do I oh those are

things that we

expect but we need to learn and when

good things come we also need to say why

me so there is a reason for this why me

God has a

purpose and he will fulfill that purpose

I know God will turn this around for

good I thank and I praise God

for he has not given me a spirit of

fear he has given me a spirit of

power love and a sound mind not just me

to you God has given each of you each of

you he has given a

spirit God's spirit is a spirit of power

think of it it's a spirit of of love and

it's a spirit of a sound mind no matter

what happens we don't lose our

head yeah that's who our God is such a

wonderful

God I don't know what V is blowing in

your life but I want to tell you today

don't worry don't worry God brings these

winds for a

purpose and when the wind blows stand up

and say God let the fragrance go out to

the

world Can You Stand Up In God's Presence

can I request brother Aldren to come and

join us and lead us in a

song at the end of all

this at the end of all this after all

the winds have blow

alone if you can stand

faithful if you can stand in faith very

often it is not wrong it is not wrong to

pray for healing it's not pray uh wrong

to pray that the situation may change

it's right absolutely right but even

before we pray for that there is

something that we need to ask God for

God keep me

faithful God let my faith remain strong

that's what we need to pray

yeah come let's let's worship

God I love you

Lord oh your mercy never fails

me all my

days I've been held in your

hands from the moment that I wake

up until I lay my

head I will

sing of the goodness of God

[Music]

hallelujah and all my life you have been

faithful and all my life you have been

so so

good every breath that I am

a I will

sing of the goodness of

God I love your

voice you have led me to the

fire in the darkness

night you are closed like no other

I've known you as a

father I've known you as a

friend and I have

Liv in the goodness of God thank you

Lord in all my life you have been

fa and all my life you have been so

so

good with every breath that I am

a

Hallelujah of the goodness of God you

are good you are good you are

good your goodness is running after it's

running after

me your goodness is running after is

running after me with my life laid down

and I'm surrendered now I give you

everything your goodness is running

after it's running after me good father

your goodness is running after it's

running out to

me your goodness is running out

what it

Hallelujah down

surrender I give you

everything your goodness is running out

is running after

me Hallelujah father with all my life

you have been

faithful with all my life you have been

so so

good with every breath that I

been oh I will

sing of the

goodness yes

Lord father we confess today Lord you

are good you are good you are good Lord

God today I pray for your people

Lord I pray for this church oh

Lord God there are many who are going

through difficult

times father there are many on whom the

adverse wind is blowing

father I pray God that you would give

Faith to them

Lord that Faith may rise up

father that they would be bold for you

Lord and they would be able to stand up

and say that my God is good my God is

good my God is

good strengthen their hearts father I

pray all glory be to you

father we bless you this morning and we

thank you for

everything and for all things we thank

you and all God's people said amen amen

amen God bless you