El-ezer - Day 9 by Apostle Joshua Selman: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

Your confidence and exploits in this kingdom are connected to your knowledge of God. Daniel 11:32 says, "The people that do know their God shall be strong and they shall do exploits."

Four Channels to Know God

1. Through Scripture - Psalm 103 contains the richest compendium of God's character in all of scripture
2. By Studying His Names - His possibilities and various dimensions are revealed in his names (Jehovah-Jireh, Jehovah-Rapha, etc.). Exodus 6:3 - "I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name Yahweh I was not known to them."
3. By Studying Jesus - Jesus is the express image of the invisible God, the verification system for all knowledge about God. John 17:3 - "This is life eternal: that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus whom thou hast sent."
4. Through Experience - The weakest but still valid way. Job 42:5 - "I have heard of thee with the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes seeth thee."

The meaning of "El-ezer"

The Hebrew word "El-ezer" means "God my helper" or "God who has helped me." The word "help" in Hebrew carries three distinct dimensions:

1. Support and Assistance
2. Strength and Empowerment - The enabling grace that empowers men to do
3. Rescue and Deliverance

Help has two major assignments: to make things possible and to make things easy.

KEY SCRIPTURES ON GOD'S HELP:

Isaiah 41:10-14 - "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand... For I, the Lord your God will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'"

2 Chronicles 26:5,15 - "He sought God... and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper... So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong."

Acts 26:22 - "Having obtained help from God to this day, I stand."

WHY WE NEED HELP

1. All Men, Even at Their Best, Are Limited

Psalm 103:14-16 - "For he knoweth our frame. He remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass, as the flower of the field, so he flourisheth."

Jeremiah 10:23 - "O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps."

2. Human Factors Can Alter Our Results

Injustice, greed, selfishness, tribal sentiments, and biases can veto your obedience to principles and still punish you even when you get things right. You can be diligent, wake up early, sleep late, yet still eat the bread of sorrow because of human wickedness.

3. The Reality of Satan and Demonic Forces

Satan and demons are visionary with a project to thwart everything about your destiny. When God reveals your destiny, Satan also hears the conversation and waits to fight it.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD'S HELP

1. God's Help is Always Timely

Hebrews 4:16 - "Let us therefore come boldly before the throne of grace, that we might obtain mercy and find help in time of need."

Important note: Help can come too late (like when medical help arrives after death), or help can come at an insignificant level (like receiving ₦1,000 when you need ₦5 million for rent).

God's help comes:

• On time
• At a level significant enough to provide impact

FIVE WAYS GOD HELPS MEN

1. Supernatural Intervention

Daniel 3:24-28 - The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. God himself appeared as the fourth man in the fire to deliver them.

2. Through the Ministry of Angels

Hebrews 1:14 - "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be the heirs of salvation?"

Examples:

• Angels rescued Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19)
• Angels delivered Peter from prison (Acts 12:1-11) - "The Lord had sent his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people"
• Angels ministered to Jesus after his temptation (Matthew 4)

3. Through the Ministry of Men

Psalm 115:16 - "The heaven of heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth hath he given to the children of men."

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Various categories of men God uses:

• Bezalel and Oholiab - creativity and skill
• Jethro - wise counsel to Moses
• The wine presser - who remembered Joseph to Pharaoh
• The slave girl - who directed Naaman to healing
• Aaron and Hur - who held up Moses's hands in battle
• Jonathan - loyal friendship and support
• Rahab - who hid the spies
• Naomi - who counseled Ruth
• Boaz - a good man and redeemer
• Cyrus and Pharaoh - endorsers and gatekeepers
• Even Judas - adversaries that initiate glory

Men minister at three levels:

1. Men above you - Coaches, mentors, endorsers
2. Men at your level - Allies, friends, encouragers, contemporaries
3. Men below you - Aids, assistants, ordinary men, even critics

Important truth: All things work together for good. Sometimes God allows people who don't like you to be in your life because they keep you praying and in check.

4. Through the Prophetic

Hosea 12:13 - "And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was established."

5. Through the Ministry of the Holy Spirit

Psalm 18:29 - "For by you I can run through a troop, and by my God I have leaped over a wall."

The Holy Spirit is the Helper himself, enabling supernatural possibilities.

PROFOUND TRUTHS ABOUT GOD'S HELP

• Every man succeeds in life and destiny to the degree to which they find help
• God desires and is willing to help men (Psalm 121:1-2 - "I will lift up my eyes unto the hills. From whence cometh my help? My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth")
• Nothing in the life of a believer is a waste - God can use even your pain and scars
• One of the ways God favors you is to let you have a scar only you will have, because that scar becomes the reason why people will listen to only you
• Your access to certain platforms will not be your brain; it will be your pain
• Learn from both crowns (success) and scars (suffering) of great people
• Many things you are ashamed of today will be the reason why men will respect you tomorrow

PRAYER DECLARATION

Father, by your mercy, send me help speedily. Let help come as:

• Divine assistance
• Strengthening in my inner man
• Staying power and stamina to remain till I finish
• Timely rescue and deliverance from calamities and expectations