“A RULE FOR BECOMING GREAT IN HIM”

Luke 1:13-15 NKJV
[13] But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

[14] And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
[15] For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

An Angel messenger of the Lord had come to Zacharias with the answer to their long term prayers. God was about to give them a Son which will bring them Joy and gladness and many would rejoice at his birth. Then God said the “Child would be Great in the sight of the Lord”

that means he would be a Great Child, and he would influence the life of many. The Child would come to the world for the destinies of multitudes of his generation. Most importantly, he would be the FORERUNNER of the Savior of the whole World.

WHAT A GREAT CHILD THAT WOULD BE!
A FORE-RUNNER OF THE CREATOR OF THE WHOLE WORLD!
HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED JOHN!
But the most touching aspect of the Messenger’s Message was the Conditions set at the Way of Greatness: The Lord God had PURPOSED that the Child would be a Great Child,…

BUT HE MUST FULFILL CERTAIN CONDITIONS ALL HIS LIFE, TO MAKE HIM REMAIN WHAT THE LORD HAD PURPOSED HIM TO BE.
…”(HE) Shall drink neither wine nor strong drink….”
Do you say this is normal?

Yes, “STRONG DRINK” IS NOT GOOD FOR A SERVANT OF GOD. IT IS NOT GOOD EVEN FOR A CHILD OF GOD…So, the Condition is normal for Becoming Great as set for the Child.
BUT….BUT….
HE SHALL ALSO NOT DRINK “WINE”?
HE HAD BEEN FORBIDDEN FROM TAKING STRONG WINE, WHICH IS SO NORMAL……BUT ALSO FORBIDDEN FROM TAKING AN
ORDINARY WINE ? ….FRUIT WINE? VINE WINE?

What is bad about a child of God taking AN ORDINARY FRUIT WINE…a Non-Alcoholic Fruit Wine?
Nothing!….Absolutely Nothing!
People drank Fruit Wine in many places of the Bible. And Jesus turned Water to Wine in Cana of Galilee.
Look at this one also:

Judges 13:3-5 NKJV
[3] And the Angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son.
[4] Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean.
[5] For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”

This was about the conception of Samson. the same instruction was given to the Mother. She was instructed not to even drink Wine or similar drink, so that the child that would come unto her womb would have no touch of Wine, because the child would not taste Wine or strong drink all his life as a Nazarite.

For God to give that instruction to His sons and Children, not to drink A Strong Drink and any Alcoholic Drink or Fermented Wine, was quite Understandable….but to give an Instruction not to drink Non-Alcoholic and unfermented Fruit Wine? May not be understandable or comprehensible with human’s wisdom.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO US ALL?
If you want to become Great in the Lord, pay attention to some specific Instructions on your path of Greatness. There are some things the Lord would not allow you to do, which others may be doing.

There are some pattern of life, the Lord would confine you to live which others may not be restricted to live. If you want to become GREAT IN THE LORD AND IN HIS SERVICE,
There may be some clothes, fashions and materials you must not wear based on your Consecration and pattern of Calling and Ministry, which others may be wearing freely.

You may have to deny yourself of some Comforts and Luxuries in order for you to walk on the path of Greatness in the Lord, while your friends in Christ may be living freely in their comfort zones.

There is nothing wrong in drinking Non-Alcoholic fruit wine, BUT….Based on your Calling, consecration, Ministry or Divine Assignment and spiritual Duties or for whatever Reasons the Lord may give…
THE LORD COULD INSTRUCT YOU SPECIFICALLY TO ABSTAIN FROM SOME THINGS WHICH ARE NOT ACTUALLY SINFUL AND WHICH OTHERS IN THE LORD ARE EVEN DOING, or EATING OR DRINKING FREELY.

You may not be allowed to Travel out of the Country, while others are traveling out to OTHER nations of the World.
IF YOU WANT TO BE GREAT AND FULFILL GREAT PURPOSE FOR GOD IN YOUR GENERATION, LISTEN TO SOME SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO YOU BY GOD, AND BE READY TO STAND BY IT.

May I receive Strength and Power to obey your Instructions for my life and Ministry.
May I be empowered to stand for for You, Lord, when many are walking in the opposite directions.

May I be enabled to walk in your way, leading, Instructions and path of Greatness to be able to fulfill your purpose in my generation.

Source: Evang. Mike Bamiloye