A New Wine For A New Bottle (4) by Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Author: Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Topic: A New Wine For A New Bottle (4)

Dear Reader,

Welcome to another week’s teaching on Family Forum. We have been examining the topic: New Wine For New Bottle. So far, we have discussed one of the things we must do to accommodate the new wine of God. Today, we shall conclude this teaching by examining another requirement for the New Wine which is:

Empty Yourself

The number two thing that you and I must do, to qualify for the new wine, is to empty ourselves. In Luke 5, the Bible tells us that no one having taken the old wine immediately desires the new ones, because he believes that the old is just good enough. He is satisfied: he has no push or zeal; he is just seated there complacently. He doesn’t even desire to move forward. He says, “Where we are now is just the best place to be and we are just okay here.”

If you want to be a partaker of the new wine of God, you must be ready to empty yourself every time you come into His presence. It may be in a gathering, in your home or wherever you go; don’t ever make the mistake of saying, “Oh! The old wine is enough. I am just satisfied and I am just okay.” Don’t come with a vessel that is already filled up. Any time you have the privilege of being in God’s presence, come with space in the vessel of your heart, so that God can fill it. If your own vessel is already filled, there would be no space for God to put anything in. Therefore, come every time into God’s presence, not as a religionist, but rather as one who wants to learn of Him.

The Bible says that if any man thinks that he knoweth anything, that man knoweth nothing. It is only those who are ready to learn that God teaches. Anyone who knows it all, God can’t reach such individual, and you know that God looks at the heart. You know, sometimes, it is even possible to come for service and still play religion. You are there and everybody counts you present, but the condition of your heart has no room or space for God. There is nowhere for God to drop anything in your heart. I think it is high time we believers began to open up to God, and give Him a chance to do a new thing in our lives, especially in this New Year.

The Bible tells us about Apostle Paul, a great man of God. The Scriptures say that he prayed a prayer: That I may know you and the power of your resurrection and the fellowship of your suffering (Philippians 3:10), and I began to wonder that this was a man after God’s own heart, no doubt.  This was a man that did great wonders in the church of Jesus Christ. This was a man whose life was a threat to the government of his days. This was a man the Bible tells us that they took apron from him to wrought miracles in the lives of people. This same man came and said, “That I may know God.”  What else does he want to know? The secret is, he said: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).

Let us, therefore, begin to pray the same prayer that Apostle Paul prayed in his days: “That I may know You, Lord,” every time we have the opportunity to come before the Him. Tell God and yourself: “I have come that I may know You. I have known a bit of You, but I haven’t known all of You yet. I open up to You, Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I surrender my will and intellect, and I am ready to obey whatever You tell me to do.”  I believe that if you will always come into God’s presence with this spirit and understanding, God will never pass you by. If you will always come with the right condition of the heart, God will always pour the new wine into the new bottle, because by this acts, God sees you as ready and prepared. He sees you as a vessel that is ready for the new wine, and He begins to pour it into your bottle, and you become a partaker of the new wine.  As it is written: New wine must be put into new bottles.

No one else can help you to become a new bottle; rather, you must make yourself become a new bottle.  No one can purge you to become a new bottle; you must be ready to make yourself a new bottle. When you make up your mind and come into God’s presence all the time, it becomes very easy for you to partake of His move for this end-time.

In conclusion, therefore, remember that God’s wine is ready for an outpouring. You have a duty to purge yourself and to make yourself a new bottle. How well are you prepared for the new wine of God, this New Year? The grace of God will be poured out on you exceedingly. Remember, the Bible says that many who were last, shall be first; therefore, let no man take your place. That means you are the determining factor, whether another man will take your place or not.

No matter what height you have attained, right now, in the things of God, always present yourself before Him with a readiness of heart to receive from Him. The Psalmist says: Just like a hart pants after the water the same way my heart pant after you, oh God!  (Psalm 42:1). The same way an animal that is thirsting looks for water everywhere, let your heart’s desire be drawn toward God all the days of your life. In your home, everyday businesses, as you go on trips or as you do dishes at home, let your heart’s desire be drawn towards God. Let God see the condition of your heart as one that is thirsty and hungry to receive the bread of life. When that becomes the constant condition of your heart, as the cloud of glory is moving, you will see it and move with it.

You can pray this prayer, if you want to be that new bottle: “Lord, if new wine must be put into new bottles, I make my life available as a new bottle, before You today. I open up my heart to You right now; touch me Lord Jesus. I have come with my vessel and I receive the grace from You to always present it in dignity and honour before You.”

In case you have never given your life to Jesus, you are not born again.  That means there is no way you can be a part of God’s new move for this end-time. If you are ready to be born again, please say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, pstfaithoyedepo@gmail.com; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).