Somebody Must Sacrifice – A Call to Pay the Price for Change
Unpacking a sermon titled “Sacrifice,” the man of God delivered a powerful message that cut straight to the heart: nothing meaningful in life or in the spirit comes without a cost. If we are to experience real transformation, be it in our families, marriages, ministries, or businesses, then someone must be willing to lay something down.
He opened with this profound truth: somebody must sacrifice for somebody else to gain. From the very foundation of our Christian faith, we see this principle in action. Jesus Christ gave His life so that we might live. That’s not just theology; it’s the divine pattern. The more God’s light shines in our lives, the more intense the opposition from darkness becomes, requiring someone to stand in the gap, even if it costs everything.
The man of God reminded us that behind every visible success story lies someone’s hidden sacrifice. What we celebrate today, whether blessings, open doors, family stability, all did not happen by chance. Someone fasted, wept, gave, obeyed and prayed till their last sweat dropped. Real change does not happen until someone takes responsibility and pays the price.
And it’s not always glamorous. Sometimes, it is a wife praying in silence while her husband battles spiritual storms. Other times, it is a pastor giving up personal comfort so that the church can grow. In many families, it takes just one person – just one – to decide, “This cycle ends with me.”
That person becomes the seed of change. They sacrifice sleep, money, relationships, and even dreams to turn the tide for generations to come. As the preacher put it. God doesn’t use visitors to a family. He uses those who belong, those who bleed for it.
What we see today, what we admire in the lives of others is the result of somebody’s sacrifice. That person had to deny themselves a lot of things. They gave up comfort, time, pleasure, and convenience. And hear this truth: God can never use anybody who is a visitor to your family. A visitor has no authority to change anything. Profit is not gained through a special visitor, but through the quality of one’s own product – through your sacrifice, your obedience and your efforts.
Your history can only be changed when you take a stance and offer a sacrifice for the change that is needed. Until someone in your bloodline says, “This stops with me,” nothing changes. Your breakthrough is waiting on your sacrifice.
Anything gained cheaply gets lost easily. What you get without sacrifice does not last. A true sacrifice is not just something you love, it is something you give out with pain. It is not something you give because you feel like it, but something you give because it is commanded. A real sacrifice costs you, It stretches you and breaks you. If you are not willing to sacrifice, forget about seeing any real change.
Quoting Luke 6:38, the man of God reminded us of this spiritual law: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over…” In other words, the measure you give is the measure you shall receive.
Do you want help in your time of need? Then be the kind of person who helps others. Do you want peace in your home? Then be a peacemaker. Do you want breakthrough in your business? Then be generous with your time, your tithes, and your talents. These are all forms of sacrifice, and heaven never ignores a genuine sacrifice.
The key takeaway?
Be more focused on giving than receiving if you truly want your story, and that of your family to change.
The sermon also brought us to the book of Mark, where Jesus says, “With God, all things are possible.” But faith alone is not the full picture. Faith must be followed by sacrifice. Believing that your life can change is the first step. But are you willing to be the sacrifice for that change to happen?
Sometimes that means waking up early to pray. Sometimes it means going without so someone else can have. Sometimes it means being misunderstood, ridiculed, or rejected. But as the man of God said: suffer it now and enjoy it later.
And be careful how you pray. The preacher warned that many believers pray repeatedly, but with doubt in their hearts. That kind of prayer has no power. But when you repeat your prayer in faith, God seals it with His “Yes and Amen.”
Finally, the message took us to Exodus 25:1-2, where God tells Moses to receive offerings only from those who give willingly and from the heart. This is not about forced religion, but about alignment. True sacrifice happens when your heart, your will, and your actions align with God’s purpose.
And in closing, the man of God made it clear: sacrifice is not just a principle, it is a command. If you obey that command, your life will never be the same again.