PASTOR’S CORNER

GIVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO THE WICKED IN CHRIST

ANTICIPATING THE ADVERSARY

REFERENCES: PSALM 105:37, DEUTERONOMY 25: 17-18, HEBREWS 12:2-3

Whether you are prepared or not, the adversary will come...

You must understand that, for the adversary to not overcome you, you must be prepared to overcome. That, however, is only possible when you anticipate the adversary’s move.

Anyone who will frustrate the agenda of the adversary over his life must be prepared. He must have anticipated the adversary and taken measures to floor him.

Jesus said, if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up (Matt 24:43). 

This was a good man- holy, anointed. However, his lack of anticipation made him a victim of the adversary’s attack.

Holiness does not exempt you from the adversary’s gaze. It rather makes you a target.

The Philistines rose against David when they heard that he had been anointed king. (II Sam 5:17).

Also consider Jesus. The devil that came against Him, while He was alone in the wilderness, did not leave forever; he left for a while.

That same devil came again, when He was with His disciples.

For many Christians, that devil assaulting their married lives is the same devil that came against them while they were unmarried. Alas, many fall victim to his devices because they do not anticipate him.

You have a responsibility to anticipate and prepare accordingly for the onslaught before it comes.

Ps 105:37

He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

Trust the testimony of God.

When He brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, no one was feeble among them.

In the kingdom of God, no one is poor. No born again Christian is poor.

If anyone is poor physically, it is because something transpired to keep them from their original testimony.

Such a Christian has a responsibility to learn what the original master plan for his life is, and work in into reality. (III John 2)

Deut 25: 17-18

Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

These people were on the way. Yet, an adversary came up against them.

How did the enemy meet you five years ago? How did he come against you while you were single?

If you know how he came against you then, you will know how to deal with him now.

The question is: how did the people become feeble? At what point in their journey did feebleness creep in?

The enemy did not come while they were all strong. He waited until he saw that there were feeble, weary ones amongst them. Those were his target.

Brethren, the enemy will reproach the name of God in the life of a feeble Christian.

The enemy will not seek out firebrand Christians; he will seek out murmuring, grumbling, complaining, discouraged Christians.

Moses, Joshua and Caleb were in this same assembly. They encountered the same challenges, were fed with the same food, yet the enemy could not get them.

Why then were the ones at the rear feeble?

Heb 12: 2-3

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Brethren, if you have been called like Jesus, to be a light in your household and generation, consider Jesus. If you will become mighty in the hand of God, consider Jesus.

Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. (AMP)

If you do not consider what Christ suffered, you will become weary.

This opposition came to stop Jesus from fulfilling His destiny.

Many are called to do special things, but they are faced with grievous opposition; the kind that refuses to let up and back down. Such opposition desires to make you lose your strength and displace you out of destiny.

Jesus overcame because he had anticipated the adversary. He was not caught unawares by the plotting and devising against Him. He had prepared for them; therefore He was unstoppable, in spite of the level of the opposition.

You are also unstoppable, in spite of the grievous opposition against you.

It is your responsibility to anticipate their coming against you, on the way. That way, you can confidently withstand them and overcome.

Do not allow the enemy to deceive you into thinking God does not love you.

Consider your example. Jesus was the only begotten of the Father, beloved of Him. Yet, He faced such opposition.

When the storms hit and it seems you cannot trace God, trust Him, like Christ did. Press on and you will become mighty in the hands of God, like Christ.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My life destiny, glory), you are still unstoppable. In spite of the grievous opposition against you; you are unstoppable. They tried it against Jesus and failed. Therefore, they must fail over my life.

• My life, receive the fire to be unstoppable.

• My destiny, you cannot turn back. Receive fire to press forward forever now!

• Any power waiting against me on the way; I shoot you down by fire.

• Any power working hard to deflate my spiritual capacity; I waste you by fire.

• My strength, rise up now!

• Any grievous opposition against my divine position, to force me out of destiny; you are a liar. I destroy you all by fire.

• Every power, ancestral flow, covenant, curse or judgement, opposing my progress; I waste you all by fire.

• Every door shut against me; every book closed against me; I command you to open now.

• Any power dragging my position with me; I cast you down by fire.

 

These article is saved. 

PASTOR’S CORNER

GIVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO THE WICKED IN CHRIST

UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE OF MATURITY IN CHRIST (C)

REFERENCES: REVELATIONS 5: 9-10, ROMANS 9:33, I PETER 2:6-9

In the first two parts of this teaching, we have learnt that maturity is needed in order to resist the encroachment of the wicked into our lives. If you must put an end to the claim and hold of evil over your life, you need to eat well and grow from strength to strength.

Rev 5:9-10

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation...

Christ did not just die; He was killed. Remember this the next time anyone seeks to threaten you with visions of death. Christ died so that you may live to fulfil your days, and for so much more...

By His death, by His blood, He redeemed us; He bought us out of our households, tribes, and nations.

Let us consider the example of a pen again.

When a pen is bought, it is taken away from the midst of many. At the moment of purchase, that pen is no longer a part of the many other pens.

In the same vein, when Christ redeemed us, He bought us out of the multitude, freeing us from the limitations, patterns, evil experiences of:

Kindred: in Christ, you are no longer subject to the patterns of evil experiences of your household. Whatever spell, curse, judgement, evil pattern and satanic expectation others suffer is no longer permitted to define your life.

Tongue and people: you are no longer to be identified by the ways, nature, peculiarities and failings of your tribe and language. Statements such as ‘that is how people from his place behave’ should no longer define you.

Nation: who says you cannot go far because of the nation of your birth? In Christ, you are called to live according to an order that supersedes the order of your birth country. Therefore, no pattern of ‘local champion syndrome’ or ‘limitation by reason of location’ is permitted to hold you bound.

Brethren, it is time to walk in the reality of this Word.

Christ has bought you (remember that He bought ALL of you- your life, glory, marriage, children, finance, body, talents...) and has taken you out of the order of the powers of this world, and brought you into a new order.

You are no longer permitted to live according the order of your family, tribe, or country. It is time for you to insist on following after the order of Christ alone. No pattern, behaviour, limitation, no expectation of darkness is permitted to define you.

... And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth

A priest sends prayers up to God. He offers up the incense of prayers to the heavens, and calls down the power of God.

A king declares his authority. He does not seek to negotiate with the devil, but declares divine sentence against him.

This is the order to which you have been redeemed; into the place of divine kingship and priesthood.

Note that the Word says He has made us...it is not the exclusive to pastors. We all are priests and kings, called to reign.

Reign over what?

We are not called to reign over one another; pastors are not called to reign over their flock (you have been taught here that everyone has his portion of inheritance in Christ, and no one can take that which belongs to another). Rather, we are called to reign over the powers we were called out from.

Rom 9: 33

As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence...

In the Church of God, is laid a stone that will make men stumble. How is that a good thing?

When the prophet Simeon spoke about the baby Jesus, he revealed that, for some He will be a source of rising, while for others, He will be a source of falling...(Lk 2:35)

This means that Christ came as the stone. For all who believe in Him, He is a source of rising. However, for others, He is a source of destruction.

... and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” (NIV)

Now, when you are told you shall not be ashamed, there is a message there: shame is hanging around to be significant in your life.

Understand that, when you are in Christ, there are personalities and powers committed to disgrace you. And they have succeeded over many Christians; many lived in righteousness but were financially destitute. Others were assaulted with sickness all their days.

Therefore, prepare for the fight.

However, you have the key to frustrate their expectations...

The Word for you is: check the stone. There is another side to it; the side that causes every power seeking your disgrace to stumble and fall. (Ps 27:2)

The stone is the name of Jesus. That name will not cause His children to stumble; rather, in their lips, His name is a weapon of stumbling and offence, to overcome every power on assignment to disgrace them.

Observe the progress. He begins as a stone; as you mature in Him, His name becomes a rock...

I Pet 2: 6-9

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

When you hear Paul and Peter say the same thing, you will do well to pay attention.

Like Paul, Peter is giving a charge: fight to frustrate every agenda of confusion and shame.

Unto you therefore which believe he is precious...

Your weapon of offence is the name of Jesus. Now, to those of us who believe in Him, He is precious. The question then is:

Are you in Christ? Is He precious to you? You must get to point where He is everything to you- your hope, future, brother, parents, possessor of your life, owner of your destiny, lover of your soul...

Is His name a stone in you, or a rock?

...but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

However, to those who disobey, He is dangerous.

For everyone who is redeemed-bought and called out- by Christ, there are powers fighting to keep him back.

These powers are the disobedient ones. They seek to disobey the counsel of God for your life.

Anyone who has been in Christ for some years has received messages from Him.

So many Christians have seen visions of beautiful things from God; yet, they have not become a reality. Many have even become weary of such beautiful messages.

They do not understand that there are powers fighting to disobey these messages.

These are the powers that disobeyed God in heaven, and were brought down; have you not considered that they will also seek to disobey Christ in you? This is the fight.

“A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message- which also is what they were destined for. (NIV)

God already made provision for this enemy of His children. Whoever disobeys His message is destined for destruction. They must fall and be crushed by the rock-that is their destiny.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

The fight is between you and the darkness He has called you out of. God is giving you a divine charge: show to that darkness that the power that redeemed you is greater than all that had held you bound. In doing so, you display the praises of Christ; He who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Brethren, the raging of the enemy is no cause for alarm; be excited because there is a good fight before you.

Wield the rock of offence.

Fight; establish the Lordship of Christ- your true owner- over your life.

Execute judgment over the thieves involved in the evil transactions over your life.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My soul, I charge you; receive the authority to appear, speak, progress, prosper, and advance as a king.

• My life, you are king. Therefore, receive the sufficient authority to reign over principalities and powers as a king.

• Sufficient power to make the divine message for my life a reality; possess my life.

• My life, you are called out of darkness. Therefore, receive sufficient power to crush every evil, ancestral thing.

• Forces of darkness, rising to disobey the counsel of God for my life; you are destined for destruction. Therefore, I crush you by fire.

• Any wicked power from anywhere not to allow the message of God to happen in my life, you are destined for destruction. Therefore, by the power of the Rock of Ages, I crush you by fire.

 

PASTOR’S CORNER

GIVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO THE WICKED IN CHRIST

UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE OF MATURITY IN CHRIST

REFERENCES: TITUS 3:7-8, HEBREWS 6: 16-18, MATTHEW 13:38- 41

As a Christian, you must be aware that your adversary, the devil, is an opportunist. He is always looking for an open door into any life. It is therefore your responsibility to ensure that he finds none against you in Christ.

Many Christians are angry with God. They wonder why certain trials and temptations continue to harass and frustrate them, especially since they were told, by evangelists and pastors, that salvation was a ticket to a trouble-free life.

What was not preached is this: it is not enough to be in the Lord; you must grow into maturity in Him. Some things will not happen in the kingdom until you mature.

Tit 3: 7-8

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Becoming an heir- an inheritor- of God is a process; it is not automatic.

Every divine heir is made. The disappointment many Christians suffer is because this truth was not preached to them: that the power, fire, blessings... that are in God can only be fully accessed by those who are mature in Christ.

Eternal life- Christ in you- stands as a personality, and expresses a hope: ‘Now that you have received me, you need to grow, in God’s fire, wisdom, knowledge, power...you need to mature’

Paul wondered at the depth of the unsearchable riches and wisdom of God. Well, they are accessible to those who are mature in Christ.

This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Maturity is very important; important enough to be constantly affirmed for the benefit of those who are in Christ. Why? Because it is the key to living a profitable life in Christ!

The hard truth is this: Christianity is not profitable to babes. Dryness- unprofitability- in Christ is a sign of immaturity in Him.

No wonder we are enjoined to say this constantly: every Christian must grow so that he can inherit all that is in God.

An immature Christian, who depends on the wisdom, power and capacity of this world, will suffer much loss in the hands of the wicked.

No one sends a 10-year old to do the job of a grown man. He will falter under the weight of threats, bullies and distractions. That is the story of an immature Christian.

However when he inherits God’s fire, power, tenacity...he becomes unstoppable. He is a force to be reckoned with.

A mature Christian is quick to respond to the things of the spirit because of his level of maturity. He does not need to be cajoled behave well because he has outgrown childish ways.

Many Christians are still babes because of the company the y keep. A man who sits in the midst of gossips and idle talkers has no sense of destiny. Like Jesus, there are certain people in the kingdom that you need to rebuke because their words do not have the capacity to help you on your way to possessing your inheritance.

The church is not a social gathering; we do not dress up to play church. It is a place of transformation; where you are equipped to get more of your divine inheritance.

Heb 6: 16-18

For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

When a man swears an oath, it is to prove to the other party that he is sincere. Now, men swear by a greater being. However, when God decided to emphasise the extent of His commitment to His promise, there was no one greater for Him to swear by; so He swore by Himself.

The bible says He desired more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel.

Observe the following:

He desired to show, not tell.

Secondly, His desire was not to everyone in the kingdom, but to those who have matured to inherit the promise.

When you consider certain promises in the Word, and wonder why they are not fulfilled in your life, God is telling you that they do not belong to everyone: they are not for liars, gossips, vain talkers, lukewarm Christians, immoral Christians. Whoever desires the manifestation of those promises must grow.

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie...

Here, He uses an oath to confirm the unchangeable nature of His promise. So, by the promise and an oath, God commits Himself to His Word.

Whenever God swears by Himself in the Word, it becomes a thorn in the devil’s side.

However, the Word will only work for the heirs of the promise.

... we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

This is the picture of every serious Christian. Like the writer of this verse, I fled from my household, and came to Christ for refuge. Now, if you have been to a refugee camp, you know that it serves two purposes: shelter and protection.

A Christian who walks in this understanding will not play around with his Christian journey. He will not waste time with idlers.

You run into Christ to discover your place and be protected.

Until you discover your place, safety is not guaranteed.

Now, this is my strong consolation; I cannot run to Christ and still suffer what I suffered outside the camp.

However, you must not be ignorant of the devices of the enemy.

When you flee to Christ for refuge, the enemy adopts another strategy; he brings the battle to the camp.

How? He seeks to connect you with un-serious people in the Kingdom. When a person is not ready to grow, do yourself a favour and excuse yourself from such a person.

Matt 13:38- 41

The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

This is Christ explaining the parable of the wheat and the tares...

The soil is the kingdom

The good seed are the children of the kingdom

The tares are the children of the devil.

Christ planted the children of the Kingdom. These are the ones who charge you to be committed to your destiny in Christ.

Then there are the children of the devil. These are the ones who waste your time and lure you into a lifestyle that is contrary to God’s word.

Brethren, beware: the devil has sown his people into the kingdom of God. There are men and women planted by the devil in the Kingdom.

Why?

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity

They are planted by the devil to cause offence in the Kingdom. He plants them to turn men away from God’s presence. Many people have blacklisted the House of God because of these seeds of darkness.

He plants them to bring down the fire of God, and cause harm and destruction in a place of refuge. He brought this into the House of God to bring frustration into the hearts of God’s children.

Christ’s expectation is that His children will grow, mature and inherit the promise. When they do so, the wicked ones become irrelevant.

Sadly, while the bad seed is focused in his evil assignment against the good seed, the good seed has been distracted from the divine charge to grow and mature.

The children of God have become distracted by the pursuit of money and other temporal achievements. They fail to grow and mature into their divine inheritance of the promise.

Brethren, rise up from the place of frustration that the enemy has put you. Shake off the things that offend. Grow, mature; receive the fire, power, wisdom...that God has apportioned you in Christ.

Do not give place to the wicked anymore in Christ.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My life, I charge you; receive the fire the Almighty God has apportioned you.

• Every package of the wicked against my life; I scatter and destroy you by fire.