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| 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐝𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐦𝐢 𝐎𝐛𝐚 |
Topic: Divine Preservation
Text: Exodus 16:19–20, 24
Preacher: Pastor Adeyemi Oba
Beloved, our God is not just a God of beginnings; He is a God of preservation and restoration. The story of the Israelites in the wilderness is a mirror for us today. When they cried out for food, God answered by giving manna from heaven. But He gave them an instruction: “Do not keep any of it until morning.” Some disobeyed, and by the next day, the manna had rotted with worms. However, when God commanded them to keep manna for the Sabbath, it remained fresh for 48 hours.
What does this teach us? The same manna that decayed through disobedience was preserved through obedience. Restoration and preservation are not about the object itself, but about the God who sustains it. This is a lesson for our generation. One thing is to be blessed, another thing is to enjoy that blessing in peace. Many have wealth but no health; many have fame but no joy; some build but cannot inhabit; some plant but cannot eat (Haggai 1:6). This is why divine preservation is essential.
Since the fall of man, perfection became imperfection; beauty became corruption; blessings became battles. Psalm 11:3 asks: “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” The very sun meant to give light now scorches, waters meant to refresh now poison, and food meant to nourish now carries diseases. But God is still the Restorer of foundations (Isaiah 58:12).
What is Preservation?
Preservation, in simple terms, is the act of keeping something safe, intact, and unspoiled. It is the divine ability of God to protect, sustain, and uphold what He has blessed us with. To preserve means to shield from corruption, decay, and destruction. Spiritually, it is God’s intervention to ensure that what He has given us does not fade away, and that His blessings endure across time, generations, and circumstances.
Preservation is not dependent on human strength or wisdom; it is the outworking of God’s eternal Word. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). James 1:17 reminds us that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever (Isaiah 40:8). Therefore, true preservation is not in storage, insurance, or human protection, but in abiding by the unfailing Word of God
Why Preservation is Necessary
Preservation is necessary because life itself is fragile and constantly under attack. Everything in this world has an expiry date, and without divine preservation, blessings can quickly turn into burdens. Many have received miracles only to lose them; many have started well but did not finish strong because what they had was not preserved. Only God has the power to sustain health, wealth, opportunities, and destinies against the forces of decay.
Beyond human limitations, the world is corrupted by sin, pollution, and spiritual decay. The devil is determined to destroy what God has given, but preservation makes the difference. That is why Psalm 16:11 says: “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Without divine preservation, life becomes a cycle of rise and fall. But with God’s hand, your joy, progress, and testimony will remain intact.
Areas the Word of God Can Preserve
1. Your Health:God’s Word has the power to preserve health beyond the limits of human medicine. Moses, at 120 years, still had clear eyesight and vigor (Deut. 34:7). Isaiah 40:31 assures us that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. Divine preservation ensures that your body does not break down before its time and that your days are not cut short by affliction.
However, health preservation is tied to obedience. Deuteronomy 28 outlines blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Many sicknesses are not just biological but spiritual consequences of disobedience. When you live by God’s Word, He becomes your healer, sustainer, and shield against hidden afflictions.
2. Your Strength: Physical and spiritual strength can fade with age, but God preserves strength for those who trust Him. Caleb declared at 85 years that he was as strong as when he was 40 (Joshua 14:11). Divine preservation keeps you strong for exploits and enables you to finish your journey with vitality and courage.
Strength is not only physical but also emotional and spiritual. Many are alive but weary; their bodies move but their spirits are broken. God’s Word preserves inner strength, giving courage in trials and renewal in weakness. It keeps you unbroken when life tries to crush you.
3. Your Heritage: God preserves heritage so that blessings are not lost after one generation. He told David: “Thy throne shall be established forever” (2 Sam. 7:16). This means God can preserve family legacies, promises, and spiritual inheritances when men walk with Him faithfully.
Earthly inheritances often fade, get squandered, or lost to disputes, but divine heritage is eternal. God’s Word ensures that what He has blessed you with will extend to your children and children’s children. It is not only about wealth but about faith, righteousness, and the covenant of God’s favor across generations.
4. Your Life and Destiny: God’s preservation ensures you fulfill your destiny before death. Simeon was told he would not die until he saw Christ (Luke 2:26), and Hannah the prophetess lived to witness Jesus (Luke 2:36–38). When your destiny is preserved, no sickness, accident, or enemy plan can terminate your life prematurely.
Preservation of destiny means you will not die before your assignment is completed. It means God holds your times and seasons in His hand (Psalm 31:15). The enemy may plan destruction, but God’s Word preserves you until His purpose is fulfilled.
5. Your Business and Work: God preserves businesses and careers for those who fear Him. In Exodus 1:21, because the midwives feared God, He built them houses—preserving their families and legacies. God can preserve the work of your hands so that it grows, prospers, and stands the test of time.
Joseph is another example. His obedience preserved not only his destiny but the economy of Egypt (Genesis 41). God can make your work immune to failure, even in famine or recession. Preservation means your labor will not be in vain.
6. Your Good Deeds: Good deeds done in obedience to God are never forgotten. Abraham’s act of obedience still speaks generations after him (Genesis 22:16–18). God preserves acts of faith, mercy, and obedience as eternal testimonies. Preservation ensures your good works continue to bear fruit even after you are gone.
7. Your Children and Family: God’s Word is a shield over families. Psalm 128:3 declares that children will be like olive plants around the table. Preservation ensures that your children are not swallowed by the corruption of the world but grow in grace, wisdom, and favor.
8. Your Marriage and Promises: Divine preservation is needed for marriages and promises to endure. Saul lost his throne because of disobedience (1 Sam. 15:23). Samson lost his strength through compromise (Judges 16:20). Uzziah lost his glory because of pride (2 Chron. 26:16). These examples show that what God gives can be lost without preservation.
But marriages and promises rooted in obedience remain strong. When God preserves a covenant, it cannot be broken by storms. Preservation sustains love, unity, and purpose, making marriages testimonies of God’s faithfulness across seasons.
Preservation is accessed first through obedience. The same manna that spoiled in disobedience was preserved through obedience. When you align your life with God’s commands, His hand sustains what He has blessed you with. Obedience is the preservative of destiny. Preservation is accessed through dependence on God’s Word. You cannot keep yourself, but God can keep you. When you love, study, meditate, and practice the Word (Joshua 1:8), you invite divine covering. In Christ, who is the Living Word (John 1:14), your life is preserved from corruption.
The manna teaches us that obedience brings freshness while disobedience breeds decay. The same manna that decayed yesterday was the same manna preserved when God commanded it. This shows that what matters is not the gift itself but submission to the Giver.
It also teaches that God alone is the Preserver. Human effort cannot guarantee preservation. The Israelites could not stop manna from spoiling, but God’s Word stopped decay. In the same way, your business, marriage, or destiny is not safe because of your strategies but because of divine preservation.
Divine preservation and restoration are only possible through the Word of God. Blessings without preservation become burdens. Wealth without health is vanity. Marriage without God collapses. Business without divine covering perishes.
But when you are rooted in God’s Word, your health, strength, heritage, family, business, and destiny will be preserved. The manna that rotted in disobedience was the same manna preserved in obedience. Today, make a choice: To live by the Word. To obey the Word. To be preserved by the Word.
Obedience is the preservative of destiny. Disobedience corrupts, but obedience restores.
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