Final Change of Status

Thursday 3 December
READ: Lk. 16: 19 – 31
MORE LESSON: Jn 5: 24

In the reading of today, there are two men: the rich man and Lazarus. Each of them had a distinct status; the rich man was living sumptuously while Lazarus lived in poverty. But then both of them had a change of status in a matter of minutes. I have noticed that a change of status can happen within a few minutes. Joseph in the Bible was translated from prisoner to prime minister in minutes. Two people are unmarried and in minutes a declaration is made and they become married. A change of status takes just minutes.

So also is the change of status from this life to the hereafter. There is only one step between life and death; it only takes the heart to stop beating and it's over. No one prays for death but it surely comes as long as the Lord tarries. Even if you have faith enough to resurrect yourself back to life, you will still die again; those who were resurrected in Bible days all died again. The Bible says that the last enemy to be overcome is death (1 Cor. 15: 26). One of the mysteries of death that I have seen is that when a righteous man is sick, even if it remains one hour to die, he gets well and becomes lively before he dies. I have seen this happen many times. So death is not a fearful thing for a child of God. Everyone will eventually die; it is what happens to your soul after you are gone that is the issue.

Lazarus died and went to Paradise to enjoy in Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and found himself in hell – the place of torment. The rich man experienced a change of status several times on his way to becoming rich on earth but he didn't prepare for the final change of status, which is the most important. Death is the final change of status on earth. When a man is told that he will die one day, it is not to frighten him; it is a statement of reality. Every man should remember there is an imminent change of status that he cannot avoid: the change from this life to eternity. The decision you make now is the only thing that can determine your fate when this change occurs.

However, if a man accepts Jesus, his change is not from life to death, his own status changes from death to life (John 5: 26). When a believer dies physically, he is alive eternally because his status has changed from death to life and so death cannot hold him. Today is the day to change your status from death to life through Christ so that you will not experience the change from life to eternal death, And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire: Rev. 20:14-15.

Prayer/Action
*Ask God to x-ray your life and reveal your eternal status to you today.
*Ask God for a cleansing by the blood of Jesus from anything that could erase your name from the book of life.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
This new month, any power holding my keys to elevation and testimony, by the blood of Jesus, I command you to release them, in the name of Jesus.