The Gilgal Experience - Part 3

Good day, friend. It feels good that we can meet again, even at your convenience, to examine the Scriptures.

So far so good, in our examination of the Gilgal Experience, we have gone through the Antecedents to the experience as well the Subsequent events that succeed the antecedents; even the lessons to be learned from both aspects have not been taken lightly. In today's newsletter, we find ourselves in the final third of the discussion. Read on.



Meet The Consequent
1.  Gilgal becomes a Place for Returning and Renewal  (Josh.10:15 & 43; 1.Sam.11:14-15)
     A shopkeeper takes stock of his master's goods at periodic intervals so that he would not only know what the business is worth, but also how the business is faring. As such, he is able to both conclude how much of the business goals are been fulfilled, and also give account of stewardship to the business owner.

In the conquest of Canaan, we see Joshua always returning from different directions to Gilgal, it being his first fortified camp. This is called the principle of returning. After every season of conquest Joshua returned to Gilgal, and every time he returned he took stock.

Let me inform you that if you don't implement this principle in your life, your experience of Gilgal shall not be complete. He who has had the Gilgal experience is expected by God to at intervals return to take stock. Gilgal is meant to be a guide-post in the believer's experience.

There are only two probabilities when we return to take stock: it is either we have maintained our stand, or we have gone backwards. If it is that you have maintained your stand, then Gilgal is the place to be launched to the next level.

It was at Gilgal that Samuel took the people to meet God in the bid of renewing the kingdom, and hence the nation moved from being under judges to being under kings. In 1.Sam.13:1-15, we see that it was at Gilgal that Israel rallied unto Saul to fight the Philistines.

It was at Gilgal that Elijah was sent on his way to be translated unto glory (2.Kgs.2:1). The story of David according to 2.Sam.19:15 & 40 informs us that at Gilgal, you can receive the unction to have even your enemies befriend you. Do you desire a renewal? Then visit Gilgal for that is where you shall obtain the key you need.


2.  Gilgal becomes a Place to inspire Revival or initiate Reckoning (Hos.9:15-17; Amo.4:4-12; 5:5)
     In settling in the Promised Land, we know Israel did not fully follow God's instructions as to their dealings with the fore-inhabitants of the land. An angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to preach a message of warning unto them.

Their negligence in returning to take stock resulted in the encapsulating of their past testimonies with false realities. Is it not why they could easily forget God in the midst of abundance, turning unto idols? Are you the type that the Lord puts on track by buffeting with difficulties because He knows if you have more than enough, you would forget Him?

After you have been baptized into the Gilgal experience, and you have seen and enjoyed breakthroughs; and if instead of maintaining your stand, you do fall out of grace by the way of incomplete obedience, there are just TWO options: be revived or be judged!

Judgement is a form of reckoning. Permit me to make it known to you that judgement is not the end for you if now, before it is too late, you realise that there exist breaks in your foundation and cracks in your walls. I can boldly tell you, There is hope! Gilgal is also a place for revival.




Lessons From The Consequent

The result of not returning to take stock of your salvation, your victories, etc. is what Israel did in the time of Ehud. They had broken the foundation of victory from the Almighty by permitting the building of stone idols around Gilgal. The act of taking stock is an act of accessing your spiritual progress to see how far you have fared.

     Judg.3:19 informs us that just before the time of Ehud becoming a Judge in Israel, there were stone gods near Gilgal. It is necessary to ask how this could have happened. Have you through ignorance allowed for stone gods (other pursuits, strange desires, carnal urges, etc.) to cloud your spiritual experience? Or have you allowed others as a result of your negligence, to raise up contrary ideals and patterns to derail you from the path of purpose? Learn to return to your Gilgal, it will help dismantle any cobwebs that may obscure you spiritual identity.

     The Books of Hosea and Amos tells that Gilgal became a place of idolatry and sin in the days of the kings. At last, both kingdoms went into exile and captivity because the Israelites refused to repent? If only they repented they would have been revived and restored by God. Even Saul underwent reckoning at Gilgal and was rejected at the same place where he was launched forth as king over God's people (see 1.Sam.15:21-31).

     Has God been trying to reach you? Has He been urging to surrender and you have been stalling? Has the Lord been hammering on a certain aspect of your life that you change? I know you speak in tongues and you may have eaten the food of angels and probably even at certain times before now, drank from Christ the spiritual Rock; but permit me to ask you the afore-mentioned questions.

     Permit me to ask you who have been troubling God for more of His blessings on your life what the condition of your heart is.  To be rejected or restored is a factor of the condition of your heart, and it is up to you.



In Conclusion...

Having gone through the six (6) principles and eight (8) lessons as underlined in all three parts of this series, I want to believe that God has caused this study on 'The Gilgal Experience' to bring you enlightenment. In all humility, I say that though I have tried to cover all the essentials, there is still much left unsaid.

Now, you can go on your knees before God to pray as concerning the prayer-points that you have noted or jotted down in the course of your reading; it is my utmost prayer that the blessed Holy Spirit shall guide you into more understanding and deeper revelation, and that the blessings of the Gilgal experience would continually remain with you in this Christian race we have been called unto by the Father, through Christ Jesus. AMEN.

Feel free to share this newsletter with your family, friends and loved ones. You can also drop your questions, comments, and suggestions. God bless you real good.

Shalom !!!