Do we want to emerge victorious in our spiritual combat? Good! [Reflection: the most valuable weapon to a soldier, in my opinion, is eyesight...the gun comes in second!] With the help of the eyes, a soldier is able to, first of all, see the enemy target before opening fire. Just as eyes are quite vital & indispensable to a soldier, so is the MIND to a believer of the Lord Jesus Christ! The moment we lose the battle of the mind, it follows that we then lose the battle of righteousness!
The devil keeps SHOOTING arrows of thoughts & imaginations into our minds. This is why there are so many things that we we find ourselves thinking about that we do NOT really like at all...but we are hardly condemned by God for those kind of thoughts since the Creator is well aware that our minds are naturally weak. However, we would protest if our thoughts were to be projected onto a screen, LOL! No one will ever blame us if a bird happens to fly over our heads...but if we allow the bird to perch on our heads, make a nest, lay eggs & even defecate on our heads, then we may require urgent psychiatric examination [just kidding, ha haa!]. If we accommodate the negative [wicked] thoughts, they will get a chance & begin to sink into the heart & we may find ourselves agreeing with them, and unconsciously commence working with the devil! Amos 3: 3 records: "Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?".
Interestingly, our thought patterns end-up shaping every aspect of our lives! Proverbs 23: 7 reads: "For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he". Hey, do NOT stop thinking about that special person in your life, LOL! The kind of thoughts we are referring to here are those that we have no control over & have the potential to lead us into a sinful lifestyle...and the Holy Spirit will always alert us...He is our anti-virus scan if we allow Him to work in our lives at all times. Some of these imaginations could be; suicidal thoughts, those of hatred, fornication, adultery, low self-esteem or any other thoughts we view as demonic [with the potential to lead us astray from the paths of righteousness]. Our minds can either be the battle-field of the Holy Spirit or of the devil...it is the main-gate into our hearts, souls & spirits!
Remedy
Thankfully, God has given us heavy artillery & weaponry to win the battle of the mind! In 2 Corinthians 10: 4-5, it is written: "For the WEAPONS of our warfare are NOT carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments & every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing down every THOUGHT into captivity into the obedience of Christ". May we be continually transformed by the RENEWAL of our minds so that we may prove what is that good & acceptable & perfect will of God. When our minds are aligned to God, it becomes a lot easier to listen to God's small & still voice in every situation of our lives...we become recipients of divine favor & direction. So help me God...so help us God!!!
Closing Scripture
Philippians 4: 8: "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, MEDITATE on these things".
Dear Lord, have Your way in us! Amen!!!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Provoking God!
Whenever a choir or dance troupe did a wonderful & rousing performance in the presence of one of our former presidents, he would NEVER resist the temptation to shake the head in rhythm to the tune, and would further be 'provoked' into rewarding such a group in a way that changed their economic lives for good! If a human being can be 'provoked' into dishing out goodies, how much MORE will our Father in Heaven do for us if we 'provoked' Him? It is possible to 'PROVOKE' God into blessing us, terminating diseases from our bodies, protecting us & doing anything for our sake! There are several instances in the Bible of people who 'provoked' God into doing things He had NOT really intended to do. There are so many ways in which God can be 'PROVOKED' into action. We shall only major on two for the sake of brevity.
RIGHTEOUS LIVING
Righteousness does NOT necessarily imply perfection, because none of us is perfect, but rather, it's having a genuine desire to PLEASE God at all times, by the grace of God. Let's look at how Noah 'provoked' God. During his time, there was so much wickedness, but he exceptionally stood out as a BLAMELESS man.
Genesis 6: 9b; "Noah was a righteous man, BLAMELESS among the people of his time, and he walked with God".
It was because of Noah's blameless & righteous life that 'provoked' God into EXEMPTING him [alongside his family & a few living creatures] from the deadly & destructive flood that God unleashed on the earth to wipe away ALL mankind & the living creatures of that time!
Genesis 7: 1; "The Lord then said to Noah, 'Go into the ark, you & your whole family, because I have found you RIGHTEOUS in this generation".
After forty days of non-stop flooding & one hundred and fifty days of volumes upon volumes of water on the earth, God always had in mind His righteous servant, and knew that he needed some fresh air. The living creatures must have messed up the place, ha haa!
Genesis 8: 1; "But God REMEMBERED Noah & all the wild animals & the livestock that were with him in the ark, and He sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded".
We can 'PROVOKE' God into being mindful of us during times of great trouble! If He doesn't provide an ark to shelter us, He will safely walk us through the floods, holding our hands.
SACRIFICIAL GIVING
Giving to God is NOT limited to money alone, but ranges from giving ourselves to God as a LIVING sacrifice, to our time! Money is often associated to giving in our modern world because it is one those things that we hold so dear to & are NEVER ready to release! True giving involves what we value MOST. This is why God put Abraham to a test by asking him to sacrifice his ONLY son, Isaac. According to Abraham [not to God], he felt that he was past the age of child-bearing, and so, obviously he had a great attachment to Isaac! Interestingly, he was still ready to sacrifice his only son by then, and that is how he seriously 'provoked' God into blessing him like no business! In the Forbes' Magazine of that time, he was the richest trillionaire to live! Why? Because he 'provoked' God through obedience! When we give OURSELVES wholly to God, we can no longer STRUGGLE in the area of giving to God because if we are His, then whatever we have is His as well!
After Noah, his family & the living creatures came out of the ark, he built an ALTAR & gave a SACRIFICIAL offering to God as a sign of worship.
Genesis 8: 20; "Then Noah built an altar to the Lord & taking some of all the clean animals & clean birds, he SACRIFICED burnt offerings on it. The Lord SMELLED the pleasing aroma & said in his heart: 'NEVER will I again curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And NEVER again will I destroy ALL living creatures, as I have done".
Noah 'PROVOKED God into entering into a COVENANT with him of never destroying ALL the living creatures & mankind again as He had done. This is why the entire earth has NEVER been wiped by God again, because of the sacrificial giving of one man! Every time God sees the RAINBOW, He remembers that covenant. At times the sacrifice of an individual can be a great blessing to an entire generation!
Well, let's consider a woman too. Gender equality, ha haa! There are so many women who have thoroughly 'provoked' God! But we shall look at Mary's case. This wonderful woman came with VERY costly oil of spikenard & poured it on the head of Jesus. Some guys saw that as a waste & pointed accusing fingers to this precious woman, claiming that she was WASTING the precious oil [MARK 14: 3-7]! But Mary was NOT stoppable, she wanted to 'PROVOKE' the Master, and knew that she was making a Kingdom investment! The devil will always raise people [some of them who are very close to us] to oppose our efforts to 'PROVOKE' God! The time came for Mary's 'provocation' to pay off.
"It was that Mary who ANOINTED the Lord with fragrant oil & wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother was sick".
Lazarus had stayed in the tomb for four days & was stinking. But because the sister to Lazarus had 'provoked' the Master in a great way, He had to return the favor hundred-fold by doimg what was perceived to be impossible: Jesus brought the stinking Lazarus back to life after four days in the tomb! When we have 'PROVOKED' God, it doesn't matter how DEAD our situations may appear, the Lion of Judah will ROAR & things have to change! Hey, it's a GREAT thing to "PROVOKE" God! Will you provoke Him? There are many more ways that God can be 'provoked', but we have to leave it here for today. Let's make a "funny" prayer & begin or continue with our 'provocations', remember, in quotes, ha haa!
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, we have examined instances in which You were "provoked" by those that loved You. We love You as well. Give us the special grace to "surprise" You by our "provocations" of faith. As we do that, remember us in times of GREAT trouble. Preserve us, bless us, favor us & honor us on EVERY side. We love You Master. Don't allow us to remain the same. We receive the grace to MARCH ahead in every aspect of our lives. Marriages & peace in homes is being restored, we are restored financially, diseases are expelled, our spiritual life is refreshed & all our enemies are scattered. Blessed is Your name, Oh Lord! Thank You! We pray all these in the beautiful name of Jesus Christ. Amen!!!
RIGHTEOUS LIVING
Righteousness does NOT necessarily imply perfection, because none of us is perfect, but rather, it's having a genuine desire to PLEASE God at all times, by the grace of God. Let's look at how Noah 'provoked' God. During his time, there was so much wickedness, but he exceptionally stood out as a BLAMELESS man.
Genesis 6: 9b; "Noah was a righteous man, BLAMELESS among the people of his time, and he walked with God".
It was because of Noah's blameless & righteous life that 'provoked' God into EXEMPTING him [alongside his family & a few living creatures] from the deadly & destructive flood that God unleashed on the earth to wipe away ALL mankind & the living creatures of that time!
Genesis 7: 1; "The Lord then said to Noah, 'Go into the ark, you & your whole family, because I have found you RIGHTEOUS in this generation".
After forty days of non-stop flooding & one hundred and fifty days of volumes upon volumes of water on the earth, God always had in mind His righteous servant, and knew that he needed some fresh air. The living creatures must have messed up the place, ha haa!
Genesis 8: 1; "But God REMEMBERED Noah & all the wild animals & the livestock that were with him in the ark, and He sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded".
We can 'PROVOKE' God into being mindful of us during times of great trouble! If He doesn't provide an ark to shelter us, He will safely walk us through the floods, holding our hands.
SACRIFICIAL GIVING
Giving to God is NOT limited to money alone, but ranges from giving ourselves to God as a LIVING sacrifice, to our time! Money is often associated to giving in our modern world because it is one those things that we hold so dear to & are NEVER ready to release! True giving involves what we value MOST. This is why God put Abraham to a test by asking him to sacrifice his ONLY son, Isaac. According to Abraham [not to God], he felt that he was past the age of child-bearing, and so, obviously he had a great attachment to Isaac! Interestingly, he was still ready to sacrifice his only son by then, and that is how he seriously 'provoked' God into blessing him like no business! In the Forbes' Magazine of that time, he was the richest trillionaire to live! Why? Because he 'provoked' God through obedience! When we give OURSELVES wholly to God, we can no longer STRUGGLE in the area of giving to God because if we are His, then whatever we have is His as well!
After Noah, his family & the living creatures came out of the ark, he built an ALTAR & gave a SACRIFICIAL offering to God as a sign of worship.
Genesis 8: 20; "Then Noah built an altar to the Lord & taking some of all the clean animals & clean birds, he SACRIFICED burnt offerings on it. The Lord SMELLED the pleasing aroma & said in his heart: 'NEVER will I again curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And NEVER again will I destroy ALL living creatures, as I have done".
Noah 'PROVOKED God into entering into a COVENANT with him of never destroying ALL the living creatures & mankind again as He had done. This is why the entire earth has NEVER been wiped by God again, because of the sacrificial giving of one man! Every time God sees the RAINBOW, He remembers that covenant. At times the sacrifice of an individual can be a great blessing to an entire generation!
Well, let's consider a woman too. Gender equality, ha haa! There are so many women who have thoroughly 'provoked' God! But we shall look at Mary's case. This wonderful woman came with VERY costly oil of spikenard & poured it on the head of Jesus. Some guys saw that as a waste & pointed accusing fingers to this precious woman, claiming that she was WASTING the precious oil [MARK 14: 3-7]! But Mary was NOT stoppable, she wanted to 'PROVOKE' the Master, and knew that she was making a Kingdom investment! The devil will always raise people [some of them who are very close to us] to oppose our efforts to 'PROVOKE' God! The time came for Mary's 'provocation' to pay off.
"It was that Mary who ANOINTED the Lord with fragrant oil & wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother was sick".
Lazarus had stayed in the tomb for four days & was stinking. But because the sister to Lazarus had 'provoked' the Master in a great way, He had to return the favor hundred-fold by doimg what was perceived to be impossible: Jesus brought the stinking Lazarus back to life after four days in the tomb! When we have 'PROVOKED' God, it doesn't matter how DEAD our situations may appear, the Lion of Judah will ROAR & things have to change! Hey, it's a GREAT thing to "PROVOKE" God! Will you provoke Him? There are many more ways that God can be 'provoked', but we have to leave it here for today. Let's make a "funny" prayer & begin or continue with our 'provocations', remember, in quotes, ha haa!
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, we have examined instances in which You were "provoked" by those that loved You. We love You as well. Give us the special grace to "surprise" You by our "provocations" of faith. As we do that, remember us in times of GREAT trouble. Preserve us, bless us, favor us & honor us on EVERY side. We love You Master. Don't allow us to remain the same. We receive the grace to MARCH ahead in every aspect of our lives. Marriages & peace in homes is being restored, we are restored financially, diseases are expelled, our spiritual life is refreshed & all our enemies are scattered. Blessed is Your name, Oh Lord! Thank You! We pray all these in the beautiful name of Jesus Christ. Amen!!!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Passcode!
A person may be a duly registered client of a mobile company's network. But to be able to access the communication services offered, he/she must be in the service provider's network COVERAGE zone! The moment we confessed Jesus Christ as the Lord & Savior of our lives, our names were then written in the Book of Life. However, for us to access God's power, we MUST be blameless & acceptable in His sight! Righteousness is one of the two foundation stones of God's throne. Psalm 89: 14 records;
"RIGHTEOUSNESS & justice are the FOUNDATION of Your throne; mercy & truth go before Your face".
When we accepted the Lord into our hearts, we instantly received activation settings for holiness! The seed of righteousness was deposited in us. 1 John 3: 9 says;
"Whoever has been born of God does NOT sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God".
We therefore seized to sin KNOWINGLY because our conscience was renewed & made alive. We serve a holy God, who in turn, expects us to be holy! 1 Peter 1: 15 reads;
"But as He who called you is HOLY, you also be holy in ALL your conduct".
Besides, righteousness endears us to God! Proverbs 21: 3 records;
"To do RIGHTEOUSNESS & justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice".
God desires that our thoughts, speech & actions reflect holiness. By asking us to walk in His ways, He means well & is not after frustrating us! After all, whatever God expects from us, He injects it into us. 1 John 5: 3b reads;
"And His commandments are NOT burdensome".
God's commandments & expectations are for our own sake! John 14: 21 records;
"He who has My commandments & KEEPS them, it is he who LOVES Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him & MANIFEST Myself to him".
BUT WHY RIGHTEOUSNESS?
1.God's Favor, Honor & Protection
God KNOWS how to favor & honor the righteous. Favor & honor are a direct result of OBEDIENCE to God's word. Proverbs 21: 21 says:
"He who follows RIGHTEOUSNESS & mercy finds life, righteousness & HONOR".
In Psalm 5: 12, the Bible records;
"For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with FAVOR You will surround him as with a shield".
2. God's Divine Direction
When our thoughts, speeches & conduct PLEASE God, He is happy with us & directs us in all things! We get into God's network zone! So, He leads us away from the devil's snares or traps. Psalm 37: 31 says;
"The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide".
Read Psalm 37: 23 below which is my favorite & I love basing my prayers on this verse;
"The STEPS of a good man are ORDERED by the Lord, and He delights in his way".
3. God's Attention & Concern
Any time our ways are PLEASING in the sight of God, He hears our cry & prayer for help. But sin HIDES the face of God from us! Psalm 66: 18 below says;
"If I regard INIQUITY in my heart, the Lord will NOT hear".
But whenever we are righteous, God pays quick attention to our cry & prayer. 1 Peter 3: 12 reads;
"For the EYES of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are OPEN to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil".
Righteousness makes our prayers effective & influential in God's presence! James 5: 16b records;
"The EFFECTIVE, fervent prayer of a righteous man AVAILS much".
4. Temples of the Holy Ghost
Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and so, sin makes our hearts non-conducive for the Holy Spirit. He gets grieved when we sin & leaves us to struggle on our own. 1 Corinthians 3: 17 reads;
"If anyone DEFILES the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are".
5. God's Power & Presence
For God to deposit His anointing & power into our lives, we MUST have observed purity of heart. Every believer direly needs this power so as to lead a victorious life. Philippians 3: 9-10 reads;
"And be found in Him, NOT having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is from God by faith; that I may KNOW Him & the POWER of His resurrection...".
The starting point is having a GENUINE desire to PLEASE God & seek His righteousness, not necessarily being perfect, but a DEEP passion to obey the Lord. Purity of heart calls for SACRIFICE! 1 Corinthians records;
"All things are LAWFUL for me, but NOT all things are HELPFUL; all things are lawful for me, but NOT all things edify".
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus, deposit in us a BURNING desire to please You in our thoughts, speeches & conduct. Help us to identify the things that are NOT necessarily evil, but that cause Your power, presence & glory to DEPART from our lives. Let the carnality in us die so that we can be sensitive to holiness. Keep our conscience alive & help us to be CONSISTENT in our blameless walk with You. We receive special grace to walk in Your ways. Holy Spirit of God, take charge of our lives. We pray this, in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen!!!
"RIGHTEOUSNESS & justice are the FOUNDATION of Your throne; mercy & truth go before Your face".
When we accepted the Lord into our hearts, we instantly received activation settings for holiness! The seed of righteousness was deposited in us. 1 John 3: 9 says;
"Whoever has been born of God does NOT sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God".
We therefore seized to sin KNOWINGLY because our conscience was renewed & made alive. We serve a holy God, who in turn, expects us to be holy! 1 Peter 1: 15 reads;
"But as He who called you is HOLY, you also be holy in ALL your conduct".
Besides, righteousness endears us to God! Proverbs 21: 3 records;
"To do RIGHTEOUSNESS & justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice".
God desires that our thoughts, speech & actions reflect holiness. By asking us to walk in His ways, He means well & is not after frustrating us! After all, whatever God expects from us, He injects it into us. 1 John 5: 3b reads;
"And His commandments are NOT burdensome".
God's commandments & expectations are for our own sake! John 14: 21 records;
"He who has My commandments & KEEPS them, it is he who LOVES Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him & MANIFEST Myself to him".
BUT WHY RIGHTEOUSNESS?
1.God's Favor, Honor & Protection
God KNOWS how to favor & honor the righteous. Favor & honor are a direct result of OBEDIENCE to God's word. Proverbs 21: 21 says:
"He who follows RIGHTEOUSNESS & mercy finds life, righteousness & HONOR".
In Psalm 5: 12, the Bible records;
"For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with FAVOR You will surround him as with a shield".
2. God's Divine Direction
When our thoughts, speeches & conduct PLEASE God, He is happy with us & directs us in all things! We get into God's network zone! So, He leads us away from the devil's snares or traps. Psalm 37: 31 says;
"The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide".
Read Psalm 37: 23 below which is my favorite & I love basing my prayers on this verse;
"The STEPS of a good man are ORDERED by the Lord, and He delights in his way".
3. God's Attention & Concern
Any time our ways are PLEASING in the sight of God, He hears our cry & prayer for help. But sin HIDES the face of God from us! Psalm 66: 18 below says;
"If I regard INIQUITY in my heart, the Lord will NOT hear".
But whenever we are righteous, God pays quick attention to our cry & prayer. 1 Peter 3: 12 reads;
"For the EYES of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are OPEN to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil".
Righteousness makes our prayers effective & influential in God's presence! James 5: 16b records;
"The EFFECTIVE, fervent prayer of a righteous man AVAILS much".
4. Temples of the Holy Ghost
Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and so, sin makes our hearts non-conducive for the Holy Spirit. He gets grieved when we sin & leaves us to struggle on our own. 1 Corinthians 3: 17 reads;
"If anyone DEFILES the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are".
5. God's Power & Presence
For God to deposit His anointing & power into our lives, we MUST have observed purity of heart. Every believer direly needs this power so as to lead a victorious life. Philippians 3: 9-10 reads;
"And be found in Him, NOT having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is from God by faith; that I may KNOW Him & the POWER of His resurrection...".
The starting point is having a GENUINE desire to PLEASE God & seek His righteousness, not necessarily being perfect, but a DEEP passion to obey the Lord. Purity of heart calls for SACRIFICE! 1 Corinthians records;
"All things are LAWFUL for me, but NOT all things are HELPFUL; all things are lawful for me, but NOT all things edify".
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus, deposit in us a BURNING desire to please You in our thoughts, speeches & conduct. Help us to identify the things that are NOT necessarily evil, but that cause Your power, presence & glory to DEPART from our lives. Let the carnality in us die so that we can be sensitive to holiness. Keep our conscience alive & help us to be CONSISTENT in our blameless walk with You. We receive special grace to walk in Your ways. Holy Spirit of God, take charge of our lives. We pray this, in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen!!!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Battery Low?
The Church of Christ has so many PRAYING Christians, but very few FASTING ones! To the devil, praying alone has the power comparable to that of a grenade, but prayer coupled with fasting has the power likened to a nuclear bomb in the devil's camp! Do you want to be a REAL threat to the devil? Alright, then get out of the COMFORT zone, pray & fast! Personally, foregoing a meal or two has never been my joy because I love food so much! But if prayer & fasting will equip me with heavy spiritual artillery to wage triumphant combat, then the sacrifice is worth it? Prayer in itself is necessary, but NOT sufficient to guarantee a believer a consistent victorious life.
WHY PRAY AND FAST?
The Flesh
Whenever we pray & fast, we silence the demands, passions & desires of the flesh. The carnal mind is suppressed while the spirit man is strengthened. A believer who prays & fasts regularly OVERCOMES sin & temptations with the greatest ease. But the one who is sluggish in prayer coupled with fasting is ALWAYS vulnerable to sin & temptations. In 1 Corinthians 9: 27, the Apostle Paul says:
"But I DISCIPLINE my body & bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified".
Fasting is the best way to discipline & tame our bodies alongside the carnal mind, which is not subject to the things of God.
God's Power & Glory
Prayer & fasting is synonymous with CHARGING a dying battery: it brings with it POWER! One of the major reasons as to why the devil is frustrating us is because we haven't cultivated the culture or lifestyle of prayer accompanied with fasting on a regular basis! The same way a phone's battery needs to be charged regularly is the same way a believer needs to CHARGE his/her spiritual battery consistently. Some of the obstacles, demonic oppression, generational curses, miracle delays, or health problems we face require greater power that God can ONLY release upon our lives when we pray & fast. When the disciples of Jesus were UNABLE to cast a demon out of a child, He gave them the divine secret in Matthew 17: 21:
"However, this kind does NOT go out EXCEPT by prayer & fasting".
Whenever we fast, we are simply engaging a higher & more powerful gear. The devil HATES it when we fast! He can NEVER withstand the power that comes with it, so he makes sure we remain in our comfort zones & fore-go fasting, and even if we fast, he ensures we lack consistency.
God's Voice
Fasting boosts our HEARING ability of God's voice & direction in a matter. When a radio's antennae is weak, the transmission of radio waves is adversely affected, and so, the radio produces unpleasant noise & more than one radio station can be heard at one go. But when the ANTENNAE is powerful, the transmission of radio waves is perfect, and so, only one station can be heard at a time & is quite clear! This is true with fasting: it enables us to be perfectly in tune & in step with the Holy Spirit & hear His voice with clarity, and eliminates our own voice & that of the devil. A believer who fasts consistently has an easy time capturing God's voice & leading. Acts 13: 2:
"While they were worshiping the Lord & FASTING, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas & Saul for the work to which I have called them".
Therefore, prayer & fasting makes us SENSITIVE to the voice of the Holy Spirit who indwells us.
During Jesus' Ministry on earth, He always valued the lifestyle of prayer & fasting. In fact, He began His mission on earth by prayer & fasting. Luke 4: 2b
"...And in those days [forty] He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry".
If you find yourself praying over an issue for too long without any improvement, change your strategies! May be the key to your miracle lies in fasting, giving, intercession or even a good worship of God!
Our Lord Jesus Christ wanted us to be upholding the culture of prayer & fasting, and that's why He showed us by example. I am calling it a LIFESTYLE because prayer & fasting should reach a point where it's part & parcel of our lives. This is just a summary, but there are many more important reasons as to why we should pray & fast on a regular basis. For further reference, read Nehemiah 1, Esther 4 & Daniel 9. Spiritual battery low? Connect it to POWER from on high.
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, we pray that You grant us the grace & ability to pray & fast. We are tired of living a powerless & mediocre Christian life. We refuse to give the devil such pleasure! Deposit in us a BURNING desire to pray & fast. And as we do so, MANIFEST Your power in us. Let the investments of the devil in our lives be razed down by Your consuming fire. We give You all the praise, glory & honor. We pray in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen!!!
WHY PRAY AND FAST?
The Flesh
Whenever we pray & fast, we silence the demands, passions & desires of the flesh. The carnal mind is suppressed while the spirit man is strengthened. A believer who prays & fasts regularly OVERCOMES sin & temptations with the greatest ease. But the one who is sluggish in prayer coupled with fasting is ALWAYS vulnerable to sin & temptations. In 1 Corinthians 9: 27, the Apostle Paul says:
"But I DISCIPLINE my body & bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified".
Fasting is the best way to discipline & tame our bodies alongside the carnal mind, which is not subject to the things of God.
God's Power & Glory
Prayer & fasting is synonymous with CHARGING a dying battery: it brings with it POWER! One of the major reasons as to why the devil is frustrating us is because we haven't cultivated the culture or lifestyle of prayer accompanied with fasting on a regular basis! The same way a phone's battery needs to be charged regularly is the same way a believer needs to CHARGE his/her spiritual battery consistently. Some of the obstacles, demonic oppression, generational curses, miracle delays, or health problems we face require greater power that God can ONLY release upon our lives when we pray & fast. When the disciples of Jesus were UNABLE to cast a demon out of a child, He gave them the divine secret in Matthew 17: 21:
"However, this kind does NOT go out EXCEPT by prayer & fasting".
Whenever we fast, we are simply engaging a higher & more powerful gear. The devil HATES it when we fast! He can NEVER withstand the power that comes with it, so he makes sure we remain in our comfort zones & fore-go fasting, and even if we fast, he ensures we lack consistency.
God's Voice
Fasting boosts our HEARING ability of God's voice & direction in a matter. When a radio's antennae is weak, the transmission of radio waves is adversely affected, and so, the radio produces unpleasant noise & more than one radio station can be heard at one go. But when the ANTENNAE is powerful, the transmission of radio waves is perfect, and so, only one station can be heard at a time & is quite clear! This is true with fasting: it enables us to be perfectly in tune & in step with the Holy Spirit & hear His voice with clarity, and eliminates our own voice & that of the devil. A believer who fasts consistently has an easy time capturing God's voice & leading. Acts 13: 2:
"While they were worshiping the Lord & FASTING, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas & Saul for the work to which I have called them".
Therefore, prayer & fasting makes us SENSITIVE to the voice of the Holy Spirit who indwells us.
During Jesus' Ministry on earth, He always valued the lifestyle of prayer & fasting. In fact, He began His mission on earth by prayer & fasting. Luke 4: 2b
"...And in those days [forty] He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry".
If you find yourself praying over an issue for too long without any improvement, change your strategies! May be the key to your miracle lies in fasting, giving, intercession or even a good worship of God!
Our Lord Jesus Christ wanted us to be upholding the culture of prayer & fasting, and that's why He showed us by example. I am calling it a LIFESTYLE because prayer & fasting should reach a point where it's part & parcel of our lives. This is just a summary, but there are many more important reasons as to why we should pray & fast on a regular basis. For further reference, read Nehemiah 1, Esther 4 & Daniel 9. Spiritual battery low? Connect it to POWER from on high.
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, we pray that You grant us the grace & ability to pray & fast. We are tired of living a powerless & mediocre Christian life. We refuse to give the devil such pleasure! Deposit in us a BURNING desire to pray & fast. And as we do so, MANIFEST Your power in us. Let the investments of the devil in our lives be razed down by Your consuming fire. We give You all the praise, glory & honor. We pray in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen!!!
Monday, August 30, 2010
The Lord of Mercy
The ministry of Jesus on earth had one central & recurrent theme: COMPASSION. It was entirely a people-centered ministry, propelled by God's unconditional love. Wherever Jesus went, He did GOOD! He knew the secret of Touching Heaven & Changing Earth. I love the quote below:
"A gospel that does NOT deal with the issues of the day is NOT a gospel at all". [Rick Warren]
It is high time that the Church of Christ doubled up its role in the provision of more SOLUTIONS to the problems bedeviling the modern day society. The Lord Jesus was NOT only interested in teaching multitudes the word of God, but more so, He was interested in practicing what He taught by literally addressing the challenges people faced. Why? Because He was full of compassion! Luke 9:12 records:
"When the day began to wear away, the twelve came & said to Him, 'Send the multitude AWAY that they may go into the surrounding towns & country, and lodge & get provisions; for we are in deserted place here".
However, the Lord of Mercy was NOT ready to listen to the lame excuses His lieutenants were giving for not showing compassion to the multitudes. The devil, in most cases, will give us the "DON'T CARE" attitude towards those that we need to show mercy towards. Matthew 15: 32 illustrates the compassionate nature of Jesus Christ, the great Lord of Mercy:
"Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself & said, 'I have COMPASSION on the multitude, because they have continued with Me three days & have nothing to eat. And I do NOT want to send them away hungry, lest they FAINT on the way".
The devil is well aware that we really want to be like Jesus [merciful], and so, he will always make us find sufficient EXCUSES as to why we CANNOT show mercy to those that deserve, and MISS out on the accompanying blessings [Psalm 41: 1-2]. At times we will find ourselves in the company of people that may discourage us from showing compassion to others. A Christian devoid of compassion is a great oxymoron! This is because we are PRODUCTS of mercy & daily recipients of God's tender mercies. The disciples of Jesus never got tired of shielding The Lord of Mercy from showing compassion to the needy. Matthew 15: 23 is a good example of this:
"But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came & urged Him, saying, 'Send them AWAY, for she cries out after us'.
The Lord of lords was ever tolerant with His self-centered right-hand men, and ignored them by showing mercy to the woman of Canaan all the same, whose daughter was demon-possessed. In most cases, Jesus NEVER waited for the people to beg for His mercy. Luke 7: 13 records:
"When the Lord SAW her, He had compassion on her & said to her, 'Do not weep'. Then He came & touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, 'Young man, I say to you, arise'.
The fact that Jesus wept when He heard about the death of Lazarus is a clear confirmation of how compassionate He was. The Son of God crying? What a merciful Savior we have! John 11: 33 recounts this:
"Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He GROANED in the spirit & was troubled". Verse 35-36 records:
"Jesus WEPT. Then the Jews said, 'See how He LOVED him!'.
Love & compassion go hand-in-hand. It takes the sincere love of God so as to show others compassion. We can NEVER be merciful to the people we don't truly love! God is full of mercy, and so, may God help you & I to grow & increase in mercy, the same way we grow in faith. This is a very important ATTRIBUTE of God that we can' afford to lack. It is the TRUE religion: of love. Ever wondered why some of the CELEBRITIES we may want to classify as the most wicked are living LONG & getting wealthier? The wonderful Madonna, Paul Hewson...just to name a few? They are full of charitable deeds towards the needy! It could be the only reason God is protecting them, as we concentrate on pointing accusing fingers! They seem to understand some portions of the scripture better than you & I do, though they are non-believers. We don't have to be wealthy so as to show mercy, even the POOREST man on earth is EXPECTED to be merciful! Matthew 5: 7 records:
"Blessed are the MERCIFUL, for they shall OBTAIN mercy".
I will close by quoting one of the greatest men in the history of America & the whole world.
"How FAR you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, COMPASSIONATE withe aged, SYMPATHETIC with the striving & tolerant of the weak & strong. Because some day in your life you will have been all these". [George Washington]
May the Lord of Mercy BLESS you in every way as you grow & increase in mercy. Amen!!!
"A gospel that does NOT deal with the issues of the day is NOT a gospel at all". [Rick Warren]
It is high time that the Church of Christ doubled up its role in the provision of more SOLUTIONS to the problems bedeviling the modern day society. The Lord Jesus was NOT only interested in teaching multitudes the word of God, but more so, He was interested in practicing what He taught by literally addressing the challenges people faced. Why? Because He was full of compassion! Luke 9:12 records:
"When the day began to wear away, the twelve came & said to Him, 'Send the multitude AWAY that they may go into the surrounding towns & country, and lodge & get provisions; for we are in deserted place here".
However, the Lord of Mercy was NOT ready to listen to the lame excuses His lieutenants were giving for not showing compassion to the multitudes. The devil, in most cases, will give us the "DON'T CARE" attitude towards those that we need to show mercy towards. Matthew 15: 32 illustrates the compassionate nature of Jesus Christ, the great Lord of Mercy:
"Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself & said, 'I have COMPASSION on the multitude, because they have continued with Me three days & have nothing to eat. And I do NOT want to send them away hungry, lest they FAINT on the way".
The devil is well aware that we really want to be like Jesus [merciful], and so, he will always make us find sufficient EXCUSES as to why we CANNOT show mercy to those that deserve, and MISS out on the accompanying blessings [Psalm 41: 1-2]. At times we will find ourselves in the company of people that may discourage us from showing compassion to others. A Christian devoid of compassion is a great oxymoron! This is because we are PRODUCTS of mercy & daily recipients of God's tender mercies. The disciples of Jesus never got tired of shielding The Lord of Mercy from showing compassion to the needy. Matthew 15: 23 is a good example of this:
"But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came & urged Him, saying, 'Send them AWAY, for she cries out after us'.
The Lord of lords was ever tolerant with His self-centered right-hand men, and ignored them by showing mercy to the woman of Canaan all the same, whose daughter was demon-possessed. In most cases, Jesus NEVER waited for the people to beg for His mercy. Luke 7: 13 records:
"When the Lord SAW her, He had compassion on her & said to her, 'Do not weep'. Then He came & touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, 'Young man, I say to you, arise'.
The fact that Jesus wept when He heard about the death of Lazarus is a clear confirmation of how compassionate He was. The Son of God crying? What a merciful Savior we have! John 11: 33 recounts this:
"Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He GROANED in the spirit & was troubled". Verse 35-36 records:
"Jesus WEPT. Then the Jews said, 'See how He LOVED him!'.
Love & compassion go hand-in-hand. It takes the sincere love of God so as to show others compassion. We can NEVER be merciful to the people we don't truly love! God is full of mercy, and so, may God help you & I to grow & increase in mercy, the same way we grow in faith. This is a very important ATTRIBUTE of God that we can' afford to lack. It is the TRUE religion: of love. Ever wondered why some of the CELEBRITIES we may want to classify as the most wicked are living LONG & getting wealthier? The wonderful Madonna, Paul Hewson...just to name a few? They are full of charitable deeds towards the needy! It could be the only reason God is protecting them, as we concentrate on pointing accusing fingers! They seem to understand some portions of the scripture better than you & I do, though they are non-believers. We don't have to be wealthy so as to show mercy, even the POOREST man on earth is EXPECTED to be merciful! Matthew 5: 7 records:
"Blessed are the MERCIFUL, for they shall OBTAIN mercy".
I will close by quoting one of the greatest men in the history of America & the whole world.
"How FAR you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, COMPASSIONATE withe aged, SYMPATHETIC with the striving & tolerant of the weak & strong. Because some day in your life you will have been all these". [George Washington]
May the Lord of Mercy BLESS you in every way as you grow & increase in mercy. Amen!!!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Kingdom Investment
Manufacturers produce goods so as they serve specific purposes. Any time a manufactured product fails to accomplish the intended goal, this frustrates the manufacturer! Similarly, God created each one of us so as we fulfill a particular MISSION in life. Life should be more than simply growing up, getting a good education, securing a nice job, accumulating some wealth, getting married, raising children & grand-children, retiring and dying comfortably, LOL!
In the book of Genesis 5: 1-20, we are given a genealogy from Adam to Noah. Interestingly, there is nothing MEMORABLE about all the people mentioned, except the outstanding case of Noah in verse 21! Genesis 5: 12-14 records:
"When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalel. And after he became the father of Mahalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons & daughters. Altogether, Kenan lived 910 years, and the he died ".
Nothing significant can be remembered of Kenan! What will you be remembered for?
Dorcas (Tabitha) left an INDELIBLE mark in people's lives. She was full of good works and charitable deeds (Acts 9: 36). When she died, everyone was overcome by great grief! Acts 9:39 recounts this.
"Then Peter arose & went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics & garments which Dorcas had MADE while she was with them".
Because Dorcas was in the Heavenly records of GOOD WORKS, God could NOT allow her to die! He had to use Apostle Peter to bring her back to life! Your good works will always present themselves before God any time you're in danger or whatever form of distress & PLEAD for your safety, and God will always come to your rescue (Revelation 14: 13 & Psalm 41: 1-2). Let's examine the account of Cornelius in Acts 10: 1-2.
"There was a certain man in Caesaria called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man & one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always".
Due to the kind of man Cornelius was, God was always PROVOKED to bless him! Acts 10:4b recounts this so well. And an angel said to Cornelius,
"...your prayers & your alms have come up for a MEMORIAL before God".
What will we be remembered for? Do we have any good works that will follow us?
PRAYER:
"Dear Lord Jesus Christ, we not only want you to do something for us, but we want to do something for You. As children of DESTINY, we ask you to help us to leave a positive impact in peoples lives, to do something you will always remember us for. We declare that our destinies are SECURE, they will not be terminated prematurely in the name of Jesus! Give us the grace to TOUCH HEAVEN & CHANGE EARTH, our small "earth" which is the HEARTS of people. Our Kingdom investment shall NEVER be in vain. Amen!!!
In the book of Genesis 5: 1-20, we are given a genealogy from Adam to Noah. Interestingly, there is nothing MEMORABLE about all the people mentioned, except the outstanding case of Noah in verse 21! Genesis 5: 12-14 records:
"When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalel. And after he became the father of Mahalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons & daughters. Altogether, Kenan lived 910 years, and the he died ".
Nothing significant can be remembered of Kenan! What will you be remembered for?
Dorcas (Tabitha) left an INDELIBLE mark in people's lives. She was full of good works and charitable deeds (Acts 9: 36). When she died, everyone was overcome by great grief! Acts 9:39 recounts this.
"Then Peter arose & went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics & garments which Dorcas had MADE while she was with them".
Because Dorcas was in the Heavenly records of GOOD WORKS, God could NOT allow her to die! He had to use Apostle Peter to bring her back to life! Your good works will always present themselves before God any time you're in danger or whatever form of distress & PLEAD for your safety, and God will always come to your rescue (Revelation 14: 13 & Psalm 41: 1-2). Let's examine the account of Cornelius in Acts 10: 1-2.
"There was a certain man in Caesaria called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man & one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always".
Due to the kind of man Cornelius was, God was always PROVOKED to bless him! Acts 10:4b recounts this so well. And an angel said to Cornelius,
"...your prayers & your alms have come up for a MEMORIAL before God".
What will we be remembered for? Do we have any good works that will follow us?
PRAYER:
"Dear Lord Jesus Christ, we not only want you to do something for us, but we want to do something for You. As children of DESTINY, we ask you to help us to leave a positive impact in peoples lives, to do something you will always remember us for. We declare that our destinies are SECURE, they will not be terminated prematurely in the name of Jesus! Give us the grace to TOUCH HEAVEN & CHANGE EARTH, our small "earth" which is the HEARTS of people. Our Kingdom investment shall NEVER be in vain. Amen!!!
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