Youths told to let God change their destiny

WHEN you have an encounter with God, he will change the course of your destiny, a youth leader says.
Gerehu Anglican youth mentor Nielphonse Woworu shared this message with a group of young people during a fellowship in Port Moresby on Sunday.
Hi sharing was based on scriptures found in Matthew 2:1-12, about the three wise men who came from the East bearing gifts to visit the baby Jesus at his birthplace in Bethlehem.
The three wise men said that they had seen a star which signified the birth of a new king and they had come to worship him.
“King Herod was upset when he heard about this,” Woworu said.
“He called together the chief priests and teachers of the law and asked them if what the wise men said was true.
“The chief priests confirmed that it was true, according to scriptures.
“King Herod called the wise men to a secret meeting and told them to make a careful search for the child, then let him know so he too can worship the new king.”
Woworu said that king Herod spiritually represents the old nature of man: Greed, pride, jealousy and ego.
“When the wise men visited Jesus, they brought out their gifts of gold, frankincense, myrrh and presented them to Jesus,” he said.
“These gifts were from within them.
“Gold signifies what we value in our lives, frankincense signifies a priestly role.
“When we pray, our prayer goes up to heaven like a sweet-smelling offering.
“The myrrh signifies the anointing oil that rejuvenates the spirit, sanctifies, empowers, sets one apart ready to carry out the mission of God.
“After presenting their gifts to Jesus, an angel of the Lord came to them in a dream and warned them not to return to Egypt.”
Woworu said this was how God changed the course of one’s destiny when they had an encounter with Jesus.
“This is when you enter into a place of blessing,” he said.
“Blessing is when you begin to nurture love, joy, peace in your hearts.
“When situations arise, you are able to overcome them with the love, joy and peace that is within you.
“When you have these spiritual blessings, the material or the physical blessings are more likely to be added unto you.”