NOT BY SWORD......

I remember Jesus rebuking one of his followers who cut the ear of a member of the team that came to arrest Jesus. His victory was not by sword, but by God. Are things moving slow in your life and now you want to use the sword to fast track such? Are you being cheated or jilted by someone and you now think of a sword to get the victory? Your self directed actions could be your own sword. When you are not waiting on God and you are using your own available means of solution, you are using a sword. Your forcing things to happen for you could be a sword. "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force". We have undoubtedly displaced the very context of this scripture when we begin to take it to issues that borders on earthly things and this shapes our relations with people. It makes us believe we have to be violent to get things done, particularly to be successful in the age of economic downtime of the country. It's so easy to see 'Christians' who lie, steal, or cheat just to get wealth. Sisters who can't wait on God and jump at rich men for marriage, so as to fast track things. People who run after man or connections to be blessed. Traits of violence have pervaded almost everything because we just believe we have to put force before we can get what we want, and we even quote the scripture above to justify our actions, and after our hands have gotten these things, we go to the church and share the testimony with the belief that they were God's blessings. I tell you, there are so many things God did not give to us which we share testimonies for. It is on the day of judgement that you will be surprised that he did not give you that particular thing you are enjoying now. From the days of John the Baptist there were too few righteous people who could enter into the kingdom of heaven. Sin was so much in land. John was there preaching to them to repent and be baptized, and that is why Jesus said only the violent take the kingdom of heaven by force. The violent means those who work hard to do away with sin, those who always pray and watch to live a holy life and make heaven.
God's blessings are not attached to violence, force, but divine program and your corporation by seeking his will in everything and waiting on him. The SWORD is only required for the salvation of your soul. In other words, you only have to be violent and forceful in finding your way into the kingdom of heaven, because one single stain can disqualify you.
Your victory is not by sword, but by God: Psalms 44:3: "For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them"