The Refiner's Place Ministries

PASTOR’S CORNER

THE MYSTERIES OF THE HEALTHY TOTAL MAN IN CHRIST:

THE POWER OF SPIRITUAL EXERCISE

REFERENCES: PSALM 131:1-2, I TIMOTHY 4: 7-9, JEREMIAH 23: 28-29, PSALMS 10: 15

We have discussed the importance of changing our spiritual status upward, as well as the need to eat the right diet in order to make that happen.

As important as eating the right spiritual diet, it is just as important that you also engage in spiritual training.

Every sportsperson worth his salt understands the importance of exercise. For instance, George Weah of Liberia can look the way he does today, only because he is no longer a professional footballer.

Strong meat belongs to those who have exercised their senses (Heb 5:14). Therefore, if God would give you strong revelations, you have a duty. When you hear the Word, you should take it home and engage in some spiritual workout with the Word you have received. As you train your senses, you grow in the Spirit.

Ps 131:1-2

LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

This is the story of David.

Samuel anoints him king over all Israel; he goes back to the bush.

He is discovered in the bush for his music abilities, and connected to the palace to minister to the king; he decides that life is too posh and goes back to the bush.

His father sends him to get food to his brothers at the battle front. There, he is divinely set up to kill Goliath and ensure victory for Israel. He gives the head to king Saul, studies the sword of the dead giant; and again, for the third time, he heads for the bush.

Thankfully, Jonathan was on hand to quench his foolishness this time around. It was he who ensured he remained in the city. He relieved him of his sling and stones, giving him a sword and a soldier’s apparel instead.

This is the backstory of this Psalm. He is saying, ‘if I had my way, I would still be in the bush. I don’t care for great matters. I just want to lead sheep and goats, and kill lions and bears in the bush. City and palace matters are too high for me, and I do not care for them’.

However, God had other plans for him, and finally, he had to quiet down and yield to being weaned off the bush by God.  

Many Christians can relate to the life of David here.

You are content with the ‘bush’ level of spiritual and mental existence. What does it matter if you have been anointed king over our world, what does it matter that you were divinely connected to high places, or that God wrought a great victory by your hands? You just want to remain in your comfortable ‘bush’ place.

You want to remain behind the scenes, not willing to make waves. You do not want live beyond the status quo of your world- your family, environment, territory. You do not care to be a blessing to the whole world.

Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.

Yet, God has destined you for greatness, to exercise yourself in great matters; and He knows how to kick you; out of your ‘bush’ place, and into your palace.

Like a mother weaning a child, He knows that you will not receive the capacity you need for greatness while you remain at the same level.

The man who would become big in life cannot continue feeding on milk.

Therefore, He will wean you off your small-minded thinking, and push you to eat big, exercise accordingly, and think big. He will not be moved by your tears, tantrums or longing looks for the milk of your past.

Your level must change; and so must your diet. You can no longer eat to dwell in shallow places; rather, you must now eat for the stamina to do business in the deep.

I Tim 4: 7-9

But refuse and avoid irreverent legends (profane and impure and godless fictions, mere grandmothers’ tales) and silly myths, and express your disapproval of them. Train yourself toward godliness (piety), [keeping yourself spiritually fit] [AMP].

There are things you must refuse. Do not waste your time with wasteful activities. Rather, invest your time in spiritual exercise. In doing so, you bring out the power, fire, and divine capacity for greatness that has been lying low in you.

Sportsmen know to keep physically fit, because their vision does not allow for the unnecessary accumulation of fat.

For physical training is of some value (useful for a little), but godliness (spiritual training) is useful and of value in everything and in every way…[AMP]

Physical exercise has little profit; it’s use is limited to this world. However, spiritual exercise in godliness profitable in everything and everyway [AMP].

If you want to develop the muscles to fight and overcome in every aspect of life, train yourself in godliness.

…for it holds promise for the present life…[AMP]

Whatever dream, prophecy or vision you may be pursuing, understand that its fulfilment is determined by your level of exercise.

As you fast, study, meditate and pray concerning your vision, you are working out the fulfilment of the promise it holds.

…and also for the life which is to come. [AMP]

The profitability of spiritual exercise transcends this life. You cannot fast, study the Word, meditate and pray, and end up in hell. Your spiritual senses will be active and alert. You will not suffer the fate of those who are spiritually asleep.

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

This saying is reliable and worthy of complete acceptance by everybody. [AMP]

No one can despise this saying; no profession or situation is exempted from it. It is worthy of acceptance by everyone.

Jer 23: 28-29

The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? Saith the LORD.

The devil has worked hard to deceive the Church in this dispensation. It is a sad reality that many Christians seek after prophecy, rather than exercise themselves in the study of the Word.

Yet God has given us a clear picture: the man with the Word is the man with divine substance. Prophecies and dreams are like chaff- the husk that is done away with. You can also liken them to milk: there is a level at which they lack the ability sustain you any longer.  

The Word- divine principles- are higher than prophecies.

The question is: which would you rather have: the wheat or the chaff?

Is not my word like as a fire? Saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]? Says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks in pieces the rock [of most stubborn resistance]? [AMP]

The Word is the carrier of the power and fire of God.

If you are yet to see the fire in the Word, it is because you have not exercised your senses. When you give yourself to spiritual training, you develop your divine abilities.

With the Word, you become a crushing terror to every resistance. Any stubborn personality resisting your movement, your progress will suffer a shattering destruction.

Many suffer in the hands of the wicked because they lack divine hammer. They go through the battle of life without the right weapon.

However, to the one with the hammer of the Word, no opposition is of consequence. You shall be fit to conquer, to possess your territory because you have become unstoppable.

Ps 10: 15

Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

Break the arm of the wicked man; and as for the evil man, search out his wickedness until You find no more. [AMP]

Now that you have the hammer of the Word, you have a responsibility: break the power of the wicked over your life.

First, you must search out all his wickedness. This means that you must learn to navigate in the realm of the spirit; you locate them wherever they are. If you are ready to search them out, God is ready to reveal to you.

You search them out, to break them in pieces. Do not rest on your oars, until you have found, and destroyed them all. You do not stop until you cannot find any trace of his wickedness anymore.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• Fire of God, come alive in me.

• My life, I charge you; showcase the power of God in you.

• Every wicked hand, doing evil works over the works of my hands; I search you out, and I break you to pieces.

• Candidates of darkness flying against my life; I search you out, I cut you down by fire.

• My past, I cast you out of my life.

• Any stubborn power, in my way; I break you in pieces by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

THE MYSTERIES OF THE HEALTHY TOTAL MAN IN CHRIST:

CONTENT CONTROLS COMMUNICATION

REFERENCES: ACTS 2: 1-4, I KINGS 19: 19, II KINGS 2:3,5,6-9, II KINGS 13:14

Out of the abundance of the heart, a man speaketh. However, whatever is in the heart comes first from the brain. Therefore, as a man thinketh, so he is.

A man speaks according to how he thinks.

Evil communication corrupts good manners.

Mental transformation will affect communication.

As content determines communication, communication in turn determines manners. It is therefore important to refine the content of the brain in order to ensure that the product of the communication is good.

Acts 2: 1-4

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

What sits on you determines what you are filled with. What you are filled with determines what you say.

The Fire of God sat upon them; giving them divine content. Divine content gave them divine language.

When God sits upon you as a refiner, you will communicate Him.

I cannot speak what the world speaks because the system of the world is not sitting on me.

The fire of the Holy Ghost sat on them, to fill them. He must sit upon your head to fill your brains, hands, feet…

God wants you to see Him, before He sits upon you. That way, you will talk with the confidence of someone who knows Who is upon Him. There will be no confusion in your communication because you know the source of your content.

The apostles were said to speak in strange tongues. In truth, they simply spoke the language of the Man sitting on them. The content of the power sitting on their head affected their utterance.

You will speak well. You will speak success, progress, victory, wisdom, strength, power, fire; no matter what the situation in the world suggests, because of the divine Presence sitting on you.

I Kgs 19: 19

So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, nad he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

Who was Elijah to Elisha?

God told Elijah that Elisha would be a prophet in his room. This means that Elisha would be a son unto Elijah, operating in Elijah’s office.

When God brings you to your father, there is a mantle involved. When He brings you to your father, you must understand that when your father appears, you shall be like him. It will not matter what may have happened in your life; or what your current circumstances may appear to be. You will definitely be like your father.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but when He shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (I Jn 3:2)

I do not need an introduction when I see my father. Once I have seen me, I have seen Him. When I see Him, I will see myself again, in Him. I will know Him because I will see me in Him.

Elijah walked past Elisha, and cast his mantle upon him. The question is: did the young prophet see the mantle?

Remember that the apostles saw the Fire before He came upon them; and what they spoke was a product of what they saw.

And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee.

Elisha ran after the prophet, and asked for permission to go bid his parents farewell. Elijah’s response was a mystery…

And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

He followed Elijah, but did he see the mantle? Did he see Elijah?

II Kgs 2:3,5,6-14

And the sons of the prophet that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

Other versions write this as ‘away from you’, rather than ‘from your head’. Yet, that old English phrase is correct.

Elijah was sitting on Elisha’s head as a master. Until the master is taken away, Elisha could not see Elijah as father.

Now, when pastor is upon your head, you will see him only as pastor. Until that is taken away from your head, you will not see him as father. The old content must be taken away to give room for new content.

Elisha had asked for permission to go see his father and mother, while he was standing with his father! His request stirred up Elijah’s anger, because the old prophet understood that the Elisha did not see him as his father.

He walked with Elijah with a master mentality. How he saw affected what he said and how he communicated with Elijah. He was therefore in need of mental transformation.

…and Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.

And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.

When Elisha insisted on following Elijah, the prophet decided to show his protégé something different. Prior to this time, in the ten years he had served Elijah, Elisha had not performed any miracle.

Using the same mantle that he had cast on him, he performed a miracle.

And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

Elijah was saying, ‘I will be taken away from you today as a pastor, a master; but I will remain with you as a father.’

In response to Elisha’s request, Elijah declared that it was a hard thing. This was because his mental capacity saw Elijah as a master; and until that was taken away from his head, he could not receive the double portion of Elijah’s spirit.

And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

Elisha would only see Elijah as father when the mindset of a master is taken away from him.

This was in line with the prevailing old mindset of the sons of the prophets. Although they were called sons of prophets, they still saw themselves as servants to masters, rather than sons of fathers.

In the same way, many see pastor in the church. Although they call the man ‘our father in the Lord’, they see a pastor, making it impossible for them to see father. So, when master is taken away, you will see father.

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Let me take your mind back to Acts. The apostles saw the fire before it sat upon their heads. Elisha also saw the fire- the chariot and horses of fire.

This fire separated Elijah the master from Elisha; Elisha saw this- the separation of the master from his head.

Then, he cried!

And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;

He cried because, now that the master had been taken away from him, he could see his father. The mentality of a father had now rested upon his head.

For the first time, Elisha saw Elijah as a father; and he looked like Elijah.

At this time, he tore off his own clothes- the old garment that did not allow him to see his father; and picked up the mantle of his father- the one that he had not seen in the beginning. Now, he performed miracles, like his father.

Sadly, he discovered his father late; and this affected him.

II Kgs 13: 14

Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

Elisha had a sickness in his body; yet in his spirit, he had the spirit of Elijah. God expected him to use the spirit of his father to destroy the spirit of infirmity that was in his body.

So, he did wonders by the spirit of Elijah, but sickness was doing wonders in his body.

As a witness to the fact that he did indeed have the spirit of Elijah, someone came over…

Notice the lamentation of Joash: O my father, my father.

This king wept over Elisha, because he saw his father being ravaged by infirmity, while his father- Elijah sat upon him.

Elisha died of the sickness because he did not discover his father on time. He did not get to inquire of his father, how to prophesy against the death seeking to kill him.

What he saw limited what he heard from Elijah. You have an advantage. See your father and walk in the spirit of your father.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• Fire of God, sit on my life; and refine my life.

• Any wicked spirit performing evil wonders over my life; hear the word of the Lord. I stop and destroy your power by fire now.i

• Any judgement of darkness tagged on me; I damage you by fire.

• Any old content in my head, fighting the new content; I cast you out by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

THE MYSTERIES OF THE HEALTHY TOTAL MAN IN CHRIST

KNOWING THE RECIPE FOR A SPIRITUAL HEALTHY FOOD (B)

REFERENCES: LUKE 4:17-21, ISAIAH 35: 3-9, PROVERBS 16: 17, JUDGES 5:6-7

In the first part of this teaching, you learnt that not every food from the altar is healthy for your soul. It is therefore important that you know the things that make up a healthy spiritual diet- those things that must be present in the food. That way, you are not swayed by charisma or by the display of the letter of the Word.

It is not the size of the container that matters; it is the content. Unfortunately, many containers have contaminated the content. Do not mistake the language or the skill of the preacher, or the way he navigates the scriptures, for a healthy meal. Once the tree- the man- is corrupt, the fruit- the content- cannot be good.

The devil understands the Scripture that says, make a tree corrupt, and its fruit will definitely be corrupt. Therefore, when he seeks to destroy someone, he connects that person to a corrupt tree.

Lk 4:17-21

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that at bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Brethren, it is time to open the Book.

The book of Isaiah that Jesus quoted is no longer a prophecy; it is now a reality.

As we go on to look into the book of Isaiah, understand that his words are no longer prophecies-promises, but reality in our days.

Today, a scripture will also be fulfilled in your life.

Isa 35: 3-9

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

Weak hands, minds, brains and feeble knees, hearts, lives; all these can be strengthened and made firm.

Do not go through life using any of these as your excuse for a mediocre existence. What you need is the man who will give you the food that will make you strong; that will strengthen your mind; that will make you think big and walk in the reality of your destiny.

Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

I say to you: be strong. Receive the capacity to do the extraordinary; to fly again in destiny.

Say the same to yourself, and speak it to the life of others. As you do so, you are strengthening weak hands and feeble knees.

Understand this: God has come, with vengeance. He has come and He has saved you. These words are no longer prophecies; they are already fulfilled.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped…

When I receive these words- that my God has come with vengeance, and that I have the mandate to destroy the works of the devil, wherever I see them- my once blind eyes are opened to my true destiny.

And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those; the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

…it shall be for the redeemed; the wayfaring men, yes, the simple one and fools, shall not err in it and lose their way. [AMP]

In the kingdom, there are two ways: the highway and the low way- the service lane.

A highway is out of bounds to idlers, peddlers, touts and loiterers. To dare to seek to stop a car cruising on the highway, is to sign your own death warrant.

A man that does not want to hindered or stopped does not drive on the service lane; he accelerates on the highway.

An heir is no different from a servant, while he is still a child. (Gal 4:1)

When you operate on the service lane, there will be no distinction between you and the unbelievers in your world. You will be stopped by the same things that stop them. However, on the highway, you become unstoppable.

Brethren, your destiny belongs on the highway. Go there.

No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there.

This is the path that no vulture’s eyes have seen; where no beast can trespass. (Job 28:7)

If ancestral powers, witchcraft powers and idols in your household are still dictating the course of your life, you are yet to move up to the high way.

Move to the highway now!

Pro 16: 17

The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

The upright belongs on the highway; and the secret to staying there is to depart from evil.

The man who would be unstoppable must depart from anything that will slow him down. Evil- your error- will slow you down.

Sin will take a man out of the highway.

If you continue in sin, do not expect to enjoy spiritual, mental, financial, career, marital, or ministerial acceleration.

Isa 33: 5-8

The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgement and righteousness. And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.

God has filled Zion-His church- with judgement and righteousness; and the wisdom and knowledge of judgement and righteousness are the stability of your times.

It is your responsibility to know how to apply divine judgement and righteousness. Without these, you will be moved by the enemy; with them, you become unmovable.

A wise Christian does not neglect judgement for righteousness, or vice-versa. He seeks after both, because each was poured upon the Church for a reason.

Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.

People are crying.

Why do valiant ones- mighty people- cry; and peacemakers weep bitterly?

The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.

The highways are deserted, no travellers are on the roads (NIV).

A man who is going far does not waste his time on the service lane.

A Christian who is going very far will not sit at the feet of a man taking him through the low way; he knows that such a man cannot take him very far, fast.

It is therefore a sad thing to see a highway lying waste! Where are the travellers that are called to be on the highway?

Brethren, get ready; get back on the highway! That is where the upright belongs; that is where you belong.

On the highway, you accelerate.

On the highway, you can cruise.

On the highway, no mad man dares to display his insanity.

On the highway, you are unstoppable.

On the highway, you cannot afford to fall asleep.

The enemy has broken the covenant, he has despised the cities and the witnesses, he regards no man (AMP)

There is an enemy that despises divine witnesses.

When you testify of God in your world, telling about the greatness of His power and might; and you are mocked, constantly reminded that you that you also suffer what those in your household suffer; it is a sign that you have been despised.

The enemy does this by following a simple strategy.

First, he identifies a Christian, who has been marked to be on the highway.

He investigates to know what qualifies that man for that way. When he identifies it to be the covenant, he works to make the Christian walk contrary to the spirit of the covenant.

Once he succeeds in making the saint break the covenant, he despises and disregards him; relegating him to the low way.

Thus, the man who was marked to be on the highway, suddenly finds himself slow-coaching on the low way.

So it is, that the mighty ones cry, and the ambassadors of peace weep bitterly.

Jdgs 5:6-7

In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

You have a choice. What do you want to be the testimony of your days? When do you want travellers to begin to move on the highways? Why not in your days?

If those before you did not see to this matter, why not take up the responsibility, that you might also say, ‘when I arose in my world, travellers returned to the highways of power, wealth, fruitfulness, academic achievement, longevity, great health, and all-round prosperity’?

This is why you need to eat the right food; to gain the stamina to arise and go up to the highway.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My soul, receive the fire to go up to the highway of God.

• My life, destiny, mind…receive the fire to function in the highway of God’s power.

• Every conspiracy of the wicked, to take me out of the highway, scatter by fire.

• My Father, take me to Your highway again.

PASTOR’S CORNER

THE MYSTERIES OF THE HEALTHY TOTAL MAN IN CHRIST

KNOWING YOUR SPIRITUAL STATUS (B)

REFERENCES: Mk 7: 24-25, Jn 7: 32-36; 44-45, Jn 3: 8

Your spiritual status refers to your level, or rank in the realm of the spirit. Studying the books of Peter and John, we learnt that you can be a babe, a child, a young man, or a father.

God will not give you responsibility that is above our status. He will not give you the blessing, power, that you cannot handle.

God is not prodigal with His gifts. Therefore, your status must change, upwards.

Mk 7: 24-25

And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet

…He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret (NIV)

Here, Christ did not want anyone to know that He was there, but His presence did not remain a secret for long.

It is impossible for Jesus to be in a place, and people will not know it.

The presence of Jesus will always draw people to where He is. They had sought Him out and followed Him to the desert, the wilderness; and even gone to the other side of a river to get to Him.

Yet, it is also possible for Him to be somewhere, and be inaccessible to certain persons or powers.

Jn 7: 32-36; 44-45

The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him. Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.

When you have a great assignment, you cannot afford to be a babe, child or even a young man spiritually.

When you rise in career, marriage, business; when you are full of knowledge, academic degrees; when you display a high mental capacity, but remain spiritually immature, you are treading a danger path; dangerous for your life and destiny. That state of being is very unhealthy.

By the help of the Holy Ghost, I want to teach you to be great, and great indeed.

If you can hide your blessings- spiritually, materially, financially, health wise, career and business wise- you are not great yet.

True greatness cannot be hidden. People will hear of it, of you and they will come to see you, and your blessings. However, when you get to that level, beware. There will be a warrant issued for your arrest. Someone- an evil judgment, a curse, spell- will be sent to arrest you.

They heard beautiful things about Jesus, just as they have heard good things about you- your job, properties, marriage, children, businesses, health…and have raised officers to arrest you.

Many people have been arrested, because, while they were great mentally, by the standard of man, they were spiritually babes. Their lives were not totally healthy.

The warrant of arrest against Jesus was not issued in public; it was done secretly. Yet, while Jesus spoke to the people in public, He answered those sent to arrest Him…

Ye shall seek me and ye shall not find me.

The Pharisees did not issue the warrant of arrest in the presence of Jesus. Yet, when Christ spoke, it was in response to their charge.

When He stood and made this declaration, one might have assumed that He was simply preaching. His words were however directed to those sent to arrest Him.

It is time to declare to every evil sent to arrest you, that, though they seek you, they will not find you.

Then said the Jews among themselves, whither will he go, that we shall not find him? Will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?

This was the same man whom they had sought after, and followed, even staying in the wilderness with Him for 3days. How then could He now say, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?

When He said ye shall seek me and ye shall not find me, the people wondered at His words. They knew He had spoken a mystery.

Brethren, say something. Speak a mystery to your adversaries, leaving them confounded by your words.

Boldly declare that oppression, depression, calamities, setbacks, failures, death…shall seek you, but they shall not find you; they will never get to where you are.

God declares that no man shall be able to stand before you, all your days. Now, Jesus says that no evil sent to arrest you shall be able to find you. They will be angry, they will shoot at you, seeking to bring you down through evil judgment, spells and the likes, but they shall not get you.

This is why a low spiritual status is a very unhealthy, and dangerous condition. You must therefore work to grow, to change up your status.

When you grow into spiritual maturity, you become perfectly abnormal.

Mature people do not speak ordinary words. Their words are mysteries that confound their foes.

Saul sought for David to no avail.

It was Jonathan that had said to David, fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee (I Sam 23: 17). Yet, Jonathan himself always had access to David.

In the same way, you must get to the level where you declare that no evil sent to arrest you shall find you…

Great people do not speak ordinary words. They speak mysteries to their world. When great people speak, evil personalities are left confused as to the possible meaning of their words.

When we started, we saw it was not possible for Jesus to hide Himself. Yet, when men were sent to arrest Him, He declared that they would seek Him in vain; they would not find Him.

Some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one [ventured and] laid hands on Him. (AMP)

Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

The attendants replied, Never has a man talked as this Man talks! [No mere man has ever spoken as He speaks!] (AMP)

Some wanted to arrest Him, but it was in vain.

If they could not arrest your Master, woe betide the devil seeking to arrest you.

When they reported back at their headquarters, they confessed that they could not arrest Him because…never has a man talked like this Man…

Speak well, brethren. Speak mysteries to your world and cause commotion in the camp of the wicked. Let it be known that you are not ordinary. Become perfectly abnormal in your world.

How then is it that, the same Man that could not be hid from the people in the desert, the wilderness, or by the river, became unsearchable, unreachable and untouchable to His would-be captors?

Jn 3: 8

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. (NIV)

Where it listeth means where it pleases.

Are you pleased to prosper? Does it please you to achieve what no one else has achieved in your world? If your answer is 'yes' then a lukewarm approach to life is not healthy for you.

A great destiny cannot afford to move like the breeze. It is like the wind, and it is an unstoppable force. The speed, and force of that wind is like a hurricane; it is best not to stand in its way.

This is the destiny of anyone who is born of the Spirit; who is born again.

They must hear your sound. They must hear you- your blessings, marriage, career, ministry…

The breeze can be stopped. The wind however is a force to be reckoned with. When you are a wind in your household, your strength will be measured. When they see that they cannot stop you, they will get out of your way.

If this is your desire, you must not crawl or walk anymore. You must move with the force and speed of the wind.

You have to blow, announcing to everyone that you cannot be stopped by any pattern, judgment, or work of the wicked.

Let it be known: you are like the wind; blowing hard and loud; moving at incredible speeds; tearing up and flinging off everyone and everything that stands in your way.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• Higher power of God, to blow in destiny; possess my life.

• Any power sent to arrest me- financially, spiritually, mentally, health wise; I destroy you by fire.

• Whatever the devil has sent to arrest my life; I damage and destroy you by fire.

• Any spell, blocking my way; I blow you away and destroy you by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

WINNING BY YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST:

PERSONAL UNDERSTANDING OF TIMELY REVELATION (D)

REFERENCES: LUKE 10:19, GENESIS 3:15, DEUTERONOMY 33:25, PROVERBS 9: 7, EPHESIANS 6: 15, ROMANS 16: 20

We have been considering the need for personal understanding of timely revelation. Today, we are looking into the mystery of having the right shoes.

Lk 10:19

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

When the Christ talks about treading upon serpents and scorpions, He is referring to wicked powers and personalities.

Just as no one would comfortably stay in his home with venomous snakes and scorpions around, Christians are expected to rid their lives of these deadly powers.

As you waste these powers, you must be aware that they will seek to hurt you.

Now, no one steps on a venomous snake or scorpion barefooted; to do so is to invite a deadly bite…

This means that we are expected to have our feet properly shod for the task of trampling upon serpents and scorpions.

Therefore, when a man finds himself barefoot in the realm of the spirit, it is a sign that he has been disarmed by the enemy.

This battle against evil began in the Garden of Eden…

Gen 3:15

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Isaiah prophesied that a virgin shall conceive and bear a son. In Revelations, we learn that the dragon was angry against the woman because of her seed.

The seed of the woman is Jesus, and the enemy of her seed is the devil.

Christ has gone, but His enemy has now become the enemy of His children.

The picture God paints is this: the seed of the woman will bruise the head of the devil. Jesus did this by destroying the one that had power of death. Then He declared that he was cast down.

So, now Christ is the Head of the Church, and we are in Him. That puts the devil at our feet, but every Christian has to work this out.

This is because the devil will bruise your heel.

The heel refers to progress. Many Christians have had their advancement by the devil because of this mystery.

God did not take the enmity away. The fight continues until satan is put in bondage.

Yet, Christ says they shall not hurt you. How will that come to be?

Deut 33:25  

Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

There are three things to consider here.

Firstly, saying that your ‘shoes shall be iron and brass’ shows that you are not wearing them yet.

Christians suffer in the battle against deadly powers because their feet are not properly protected. Many are clad in leather or rubber shoes; and others in more flimsy footwear. Some are even barefoot.

When the enemy strikes at their heel, they are unable to dust off its attack because his bite and venom a way into their lives, thus stunting their growth.

Secondly, telling you that you need iron shoes is a way of letting you know that the journey you are about to embark on will be tough.

Pro 9: 7

He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.

He who rebukes a scorner heaps upon himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man gets for himself bruises (AMP)

Whenever you engage the enemy, you must also be prepared for retaliation, because he will certainly bite back. Therefore, if you will survive the tough terrain of spiritual warfare, get yourself iron shoes.

Thirdly, the iron shoes fortify you from any form of attack on your strength.

Because He desires that your strength and capacity for progress increase, God will fortify you with iron shoes so that, as you tread on serpents and scorpions, you will be unfazed and unstoppable by their attacks.

Thus, at the divinely appointed time, you go higher, and higher still as your day increases.

How then do you get this shoe?

Eph 6: 15

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stablility, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace. (AMP)

The iron shoe is prepared by the Word.

Whenever a man lacks the revelation of the Word for a particular situation, it is means that he is wearing the wrong shoe.

Brethren, get the Word.

The Word is waiting to make you a good shoe. Get your feet fitted with the right Word to take you to the next level. Until the Word makes you an iron shoe, you are not fit for the battle, and therefore cannot advance in life and destiny.

Remember the words of Jesus in Lk 10:19? Christ is saying, ‘make sure your feet are prepared before trampling on serpents and scorpions. If you are not prepared, you will be hurt.

Rom 16: 20

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

If you are in Christ, and the devil is already at His feet, is this scripture not a contradiction?

God is waiting for you to work it out. To do that, you need to have your feet prepared by the Word. If you claim superiority over the devil, without the right shoes, you will suffer bloody consequences.

Peace will come when this scripture is fulfilled.

Note that the writer said, ‘under your feet’, not ‘under my feet’. This is to show that the devil was already under his feet.

It is your turn to claim this testimony. Sit with the Word, be fully kitted with the whole armor of God, including the iron shoes and work out your progress and peace in Christ.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• I receive the mandate for progress.

• Power that cannot be hurt; possess me now.

• Evil powers, biting me spiritually; I crush you all by fire.

• Evil powers standing on my way and blocking my progress; I crush you by fire.

• Every satanic bite I suffered in the past, that is still manifesting in me; I cast you out by fire now.

PASTOR’S CORNER

WINNING BY YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST:

PERSONAL UNDERSTANDING OF TIMELY REVELATION (B)

REFERENCES: ACTS 19:11, II Samuel 23: 6-7, Matt 13:6-7

It is important to have a personal understanding of timely revelation. Sensitivity is necessary to access and run with timely revelation in order to win by your faith in Christ.

God is not prodigal with words; therefore, whatever He says to you is crucial to your journey of life. You must therefore work to fully understand the revelation as soon as it is given. This might mean asking for help about aspects you do not know or understand.

Acts 19: 11

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul

Special miracles can only be done by special hands. Men will see God in the works that are done by special hands, because they will manifest the special nature of God...

It had been in the heart of God to do special things, but He needed special hands to do them. Therefore, He waited for Paul. Through him, mysteries of the Kingdom were revealed to the Church.

Paul was special because he laboured more that everyone else.

The knowledge and power of God are not for lazy people. Whoever desires to be special in the hands of God must be ready to pay the price- labour more than everyone else. When a man is hungry for God, and does business in the deep; studying and praying, he will do the extraordinary for God in whatever he does.

Whoever will do special things will receive special knowledge, power and vision; and he must be ready to deal with special powers.

An encounter with Jesus was what revealed to Paul that we are the body of Christ. He understood this mystery when Jesus revealed Himself as the One he was persecuting by going after the Church.

He also had to fight special enemies because of his special assignment...

II Sam 23: 6-7

But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands: But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.

Speaking by the Spirit of God (v2), David, in his old age, gives us a crucial key to dealing with special powers.

There are sons of Belial in every household and territory; and they must be cast out by the man who will do special things.

However, many Christians have died in the process of casting out these thorn-like personalities because they were not well equipped for the assignment.

Wickedness is spiritual and can only be taken away by a higher spiritual weapon. Intellectuality cannot deal with spirituality. Academic achievements and other such accomplishments are the wrong tools for the job. The bible calls them hands, and taking on thorns with your hands is a foolish endeavour; a bloody endeavour...

Throwing out the paraphernalia of wickedness with your hands does not cast out the evil. Turning away from their practices and demands by contemporary knowledge does not equal victory over them. It takes divine knowledge to cast out these evil powers and their works.

Paul was not accepted by the apostles at the beginning of his Christian journey, but that did not deter him. He hid himself and sought divine knowledge for special things. Many Christians still struggle in their divine place because they are yet to separate themselves from the crowd and seek divine revelation about their households.

The man that will cast out wicked men must be fenced with iron- not with wood. A life that is not free from sin and its accompaniments is not hedged with iron. 

Secondly, he must hold the staff of a spear in his hand. He will not uproot thorns and pick up deadly serpents with mere hands. Thirdly, he must have the fire of God.

Matt 13: 6-7

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

The good Sower (Jesus) sowed good seeds. Every Christian is a good seed planted by Christ. Now, the Sower did not just sow in good soil. He also sowed in a thorny ground.

A child born into a Christian home- into a home where God, His Word and communion with Him through prayer are present- is a good seed that cast upon a good ground.

The child born into an idolatrous home is also a good seed. However, he was cast upon a thorny ground.

Now, understand that the seed were not dropped in the midst of thorns. The thorns were hidden in the ground. They only sprung up after the seed had been sown.

These thorns are foundational powers that spring up to choke a man out of his destiny.

Some thorns do not grow until the Christian attains a certain achievement. Some grow to choke a man out of his marriage, others out of his financial prosperity. Yet, others grow to choke a man out of his ministerial assignment...

These powers will frustrate his efforts, in order to discourage him from the Way and lead him to something else. Once he does that, he is choked out of destiny...

When Christ called you out of your household and put His seed in you, He knew about the powers in your foundation. That is why He sent you to a place where you will be fed and grow; to a place where you will be fortified with iron and equipped with the staff and fire you need to cast the thorns out.

The thorns grow to choke the seed because the seed did not grow to become a tree. You need to outgrow the devil, or he will choke you out.

A Christian called out the midst of thorns will do well to not compare himself with those called out of a good soil.

Wisdom dictates that you seek the tools you need to conquer your peculiar territory, because if you fail to deal with the thorns, the thorns will cast you out.

Invest the necessary time and resources to train for this assignment. Grow, be fortified, be equipped with the right weapon, receive the raw fire; then you can cast out the enemy.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• Holy Ghost, fortify me-spirit, soul and body- with Your raw fire.
• I receive special fire to do special things.
• My life, I charge you; receive special fire to do special things.
• I am a good seed. Every foundational, ancestral power springing up to choke me out of destiny; I curse you. Dry up by fire.
• Whatever is springing up from any anywhere, to choke me out of destiny; you are a liar. Dry by fire.
• Whatever is springing up in my household, at the edge of breakthrough, to choke me out of destiny; you are a liar. I destroy you by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

WINNING BY YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST

MOVING FROM FACT TO FAITH (C)

REFERENCES: ISAIAH 14: 12,16-17 , ISAIAH 32: 11-18

In moving from fact to faith, you must understand that there is a force that brings, to the souls of men:

• Weakness
• Fear
• Shaking
• Vulnerability to attack
• Destruction, and
• Perpetual bondage.

Isa 14:12, 16-17

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying...

Only a man who recognises the enemy can be aware of his devices, and frustrate his agenda.

Jesus recognised satan, even in Peter. He could see that the words that proceeded from Peter’s lips came from an unholy source, because they were against the things of God.

It is those who can see the devil that can recognise him- his work- in their affairs. When a man can see satan, he will know when the evil one is on a mission against his body, work, marriage...

The strategy of the enemy is simple.

Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms...

First, he weakens the soul of a man (v12). Then, he sends fear into his heart. The victim begins to obsess over death, loss, tragedy...

Once fear is in place, the man becomes shakeable. He loses his peace, and is easily terrified.

That made the world as a wilderness...

With fear and trembling established, the assurance of safety disappears. The man becomes vulnerable to all forms of attacks. Satanic visitations, animal attacks in dreams... He is constantly harassed by nightmares and other suggestions of evil.

His life, that was destined to be a fruitful land, becomes deserted and dry; an open playing ground for evil.

..and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

Next come destruction and perpetual captivity. The devil is not satisfied with stealing ones peace and making a fruitful life desolate; he desires to destroy, and wield complete control over the soul of man, forever.

The way to frustrate and overcome this satanic onslaught is to:

• Revere the Word of God
• Consider- look into- His Word
• Be sensitive to what God is saying to you through His Word, and
• Pray seriously against the enemy of your joy

Isa 32: 11-18

Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled [consider], ye careless ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.

This call is to everyone in the Church of Christ; those who believe that they are at ease and have therefore become careless.

‘Tremble, consider what you hear and fast’. These are the words of the prophet to these careless ones. Why?

They shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vines (NIV)

This is a warning that something is coming to fight the prosperity. Something is coming to bring sorrow to a joyful place; to bring lack to a place of abundance; to bring death to a place of life.

This is the reason for the charge.

Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city: Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;

Fact says ‘everything is okay at the moment’

Faith says, ‘there is an evil coming to spoil your joy. Therefore, you have to fight’

When a person fails to consider this truth; fails to see the devil ahead, he becomes a victim of the enemy’s attack and suffers loss. However, the man who walks by faith; who considers the enemy, while he is afar off, and prepares to resist him, will retain his joy.

Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.

A spirit made the land-the marriage, family, business, health, career, finance- a wilderness. If you will make the land fruitful again, you also need the Spirit from on high.

Brethren, dryness will continue until there is an outpouring of the Spirit upon the land. Once you get the Spirit from on high, barrenness and un-productivity cannot abide in your life.

Observe the progression. When the Spirit is poured, the man becomes a fruitful field, but he does not stop there. He grows and abounds to become a forest.

Then judgment [justice] shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.

The absence of justice makes a wilderness of an otherwise fruitful land. Whenever the devil is able to things upside down in a life, it is because divine judgement is not enforced in that life; since the Spirit has not be poured from on high.

When justice comes with the Spirit, fruitfulness is restored, and righteousness abides therein. That is a life where prosperity is not sought through manipulation, and righteousness is not equated with destitution. Righteousness and prosperity dwell together.

And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;

This is the mystery of abiding in guaranteed peace, safety and comfort all the days of your life.

John said Cain was from the wicked one (I Jn 3:2). Yet, his mother, Eve, declared at his birth, that she got him from God (Gen 4:1).

Many, like Cain, have been hijacked by the devil. Men, who were destined to serve God, are now serving the devil. They see nothing wrong in doing wrong, because the devil has taken control of their minds and made a wilderness of their fruitful lives.

This is why you must fight against any power seeking to hijack any area of your life, for its objective is to bring sorrow and desolation to your life.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My life, receive power to say ‘NO’ to every evil power, hired or volunteered, against my life
• Fire from on high, possess me.
• Any wicked power, hired or volunteered, to hijack my life and make it a wilderness; I slay you by fire.
• Any wicked power, hired or volunteered, to bring sorrow to my life; I slay you by fire.
• All that I have belongs to God. Therefore, any power, hired or volunteered, to hijack what the LORD has given to me; I destroy you by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

GIVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO THE WICKED IN CHRIST

UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE OF MATURITY IN CHRIST (B)

REFERENCES: I CORINTHIANS 7: 23, II TIMOTHY 3: 13-, LEVITICUS 25: 47-55

In the first part of this teaching, we learnt the importance of maturity in Christ.

Many promises are yet to become reality in the lives of many Christians because they are yet to grow into their inheritance.

Today, we will understand the necessity for maturity in achieving personal deliverance in Christ.

I Cor 7:23

Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

This revelation was given to Paul-a man notorious for his persecution of the Church. Yet, he saw mysteries in the Word that Peter did not. I pray that you will also do excellent things in Christ.

Let us consider the Scripture through this picture: when a person steals an item and resells it, the terms of the sale would have intimated the buyer about the shady nature of the business.

When the real owner appears to claim his property, the buyer may try to prove difficult, but he would know that he does not have a claim of ownership over the item. As a matter of fact, in the eyes of the law, both the thief and the buyer of the stolen goods are guilty of theft.

In the light of this analogy, we can better understand the verse.

God is saying, ‘I bought you- all that you are and all that you have- with a price; I bought you for My use alone. Make sure nobody else uses you’.

Firstly, God did not buy you to resell you; He bought you for His divine use. This is destiny.

Destiny is not an afterthought. It is God’s plan for your life, already determined before the foundation of the world.

Secondly, God did not buy some part of you; He bought ALL of you. Your health, wealth, strength, glory, longevity, prosperity, works, marriage, children, spirit, soul and body... He bought all of you, to keep all you, to use all of you.

You need to know this truth: the original Owner of your life is God, and He did not buy you to sell you again.

What then do you do when a power or personality claims ownership over your life, as a result of a rite of dedication, a sacrifice or idol worship that transpired in the course of your life?

How do you resolve the matter, when the enemy takes advantage of your ignorance and powerlessness to but you, and you are now caught between two masters: serving Christ in the day, but serving a devil at night?

Take note of the following:

• Any time a Christian goes weaker in the spirit, his adversary wax stronger in the spirit against him. When you struggle to pray, fast, study, give...it is a sign that your adversary is doing these things against you.
• The weakness of a Christian empowers the enemy to steal from him. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. He cannot kill until he has first stolen. Whatever moves you away from the presence of God is a conspiracy to steal from you, and is a sign of your spiritual weakness.
• Every child of God is given the right of redemption (deliverance).
• The price of deliverance is proportional to ones year of slavery. The number of years a Christian spent in the service of the enemy determines the price he must pay for his redemption.

Gal 4:1 tells us that an heir will remain under tutors while he is still a child; until he matures as appointed by the Father, he will not receive his inheritance.

The price a man who was dedicated to an idol will pay for his deliverance is different from the price required from a man who was dedicated to God.

It is therefore a sign of immaturity for a Christian to compare himself to another Christian.

Consider this: does a man being trained to break iron compare himself to a man training to cut ropes?

• No evil buyer or captor has the legal right to own a Christian forever, because God is his original Owner.

No one alive today is older than a thousand years old. The idolatry, sacrilege or bloodguilt that gave the enemy a claim to your household or your life is not as old as when God bought you.

The evil transaction came after the divine transaction.

II Tim 3:13-14

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

...while evil doers and impostors will go from bad to worse... (NIV)

The enemy continues to rage because he is obeying the principle of maturity. He is increasing in evil; from bad to worse. He matures in power, in mischief, in wickedness. He does all this at the expense of the Christian. Christians experience frustrations and stagnation, despite their best efforts because the enemy is maturing in his devices of evil.

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

If you must frustrate their devices, continue in what you have learnt. Do not put away your bible and study notes; when you get home, keep learning. Listen to the teachings over and over. Keep learning until the spirit of the Word enters into your spirit and transforms your life.

This is the key to maturity. Continue in the teachings you have received.

Lev 25:47-55

If a foreigner residing among you becomes rich and any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to the foreigner or to a member of the foreigner’s clan...(NIV)

There are instances where the poor members of a family contribute money to offer sacrifices to idols. They grow poorer while the enemy wax richer at their expense. These are evil foreigners brought into the family- demanding libations, offerings, trading with the lives and glories of the members.

When you encounter these evil personalities and fail to deal with them, they will begin to steal from you. When you do not mature in power and shut them down, the stranger will prosper at your expense.

You have a responsibility to throw flaming missiles at them; end their reign before they grow worse and wax richer at your expense.

They retain the right of redemption after they have sold themselves...(NIV)

Paul was speaking to the Corinthians from experience. He determined never again to be subjected to the evil captor that moved him to kill Stephen.

He understood that he had walked under the power of the enemy in ignorance. Now that he was under the service of his true Owner and Master, the evil captor had to be done away with.

Like Paul, you may also have walked under an evil master, and now, in Christ, that power is laying a charge against you. You also have the right to deliver yourself from that power.

...one of his brethren may redeem him: Either his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him...

When a person is sold out to the enemy, only a person in Christ can redeem him. Anyone offering strange prophetic works can never deliver him. Whoever does not operate under the covenant of the Blood cannot deliver you from captivity.

...or if he has enough and is able, he may redeem himself (AMP)

When there is no one to deliver him- no pastor or brother in the Lord to redeem him- he must grow in the realm of the spirit and deliver himself.

Such a man is in need of sufficient power. Without this, he will languish in captivity and may die there. Yet, the right of redemption has been given to him.

They and their buyer are to count the time from the year they sold themselves up to the Year of Jubilee. The price for their release is to be based on the rate paid to a hired worker for that number of years. (NIV)

The man who will be redeemed must be able to pay the price for his deliverance; and this price is determined by the years of his service.

And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in the year of jubile, both he, and his children with him.

The year of jubilee has come. This is the year of Christ’s death and resurrection. However, that year becomes a reality in the life of a Christian, when he receives sufficient power. If your jubilee must come now, you must eat well and grow.

Now, when a man is captured by the devil, his children suffer as well. Therefore, his deliverance affects them as much as his captivity. When a man gets sufficient power, everyone goes out with him.

For unto me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

The legal basis for redemption is simply this: the man was always the servant of God. He or someone else may have illegally sold him to the devil; but he always belonged to God. Therefore, God has the original claim of ownership.

At the Passover, God bought all Israel for Himself. Therefore, any other form of servitude they might have entered into was not valid. How could anyone of them sell himself when he was no longer the owner of his life?

In the same way, God owns you- all of you. Therefore, whatever slavery you were sold into came after His purchase. You can therefore come out of that captivity if you will use these divine principles.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• Any evil foreigner in my household, working against my destiny; I slay you by fire.

• My life (destiny, glory, money, body, marriage, spouse, works), you belong to the LORD. Therefore, you cannot serve the devil. I charge you; receive sufficient power to come out of slavery now!

• Any power that has vowed not to let go my life; you are liar. Today, I crush you by fire.

• Any power, from anywhere, trading with my riches and glory against my destiny; you are a liar. I slay you by fire now.

• I take back all that is mine in Christ.

PASTOR’S CORNER

WINNING BY YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST

MOVING FROM FACT TO FAITH (B)

REFERENCES: ROMANS 2: 28-29, ESTHER 6:13-14, ISAIAH 45:23-24 

There is a fight before every Christian, and faith is the key to winning.

God has done all that He needs to do to give us victory in every area of life. He is waiting for us to explore the mysteries of His word, and apply them to our lives. 

Rom 2: 28-29

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. 

For he is not a [real] Jew who is only one outwardly and publicly, nor is [true] circumcision something external and physical. But he is a Jew, who is one inwardly, and [true] circumcision is of the heart, a spiritual and not a literal [matter]. (AMP) 

Who is a real Jew?

Being a true Jew is a spiritual matter. It is not determined by the place of one’s physical birth or by outward circumcision. Rather, a real Jew is anyone who is the seed of Abraham by faith.

A Christian is a spiritual Jew. No one can claim to have been born into Christianity physically, or to be a Christian because of his association to a church, or his attendance of one; it is a spiritual matter.

A true Christian is born again, and has the Holy Ghost in him. 

When Abraham walked with God, he did not live according to a book. He had a relationship with God that was based on communion and fellowship. He talked to God, walked with God, lived according to the Word He spoke to him. 

God has brought us back to the way He walked with Abraham.

He desires to have communion and fellowship based relationship with us, like he did with Abraham. 

Esth 6:13-14

And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him. 

Haman was troubled by his strife with Mordecai, and he laid bare his soul to his wife and friends. However, the news got to wise men. Now, these are not regular guys. They (the wise men) are spiritual men; the masters of dark arts, astrologers... 

Observe that Haman, the right hand man of the king, was consulting wise men because he had an issue with Mordecai, a gate man. 

Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him. 

Consider the words of these men. They said to Haman, ‘if that gate man, before whom you have begun to fall, is a real Jew, then you cannot prevail against him. Your fall is irreversible.’

And so it was that the right hand man to the king died, and the gate man took his place. 

This testimony is the divine right of those who are Christians indeed- real Jews. Therefore, anyone who lives a false Christian life is doing himself a great disservice. 

How does this work? Why would being a true Christian avail me such a great testimony? Why will my foes stumble and fall before me, never to rise again? 

Isa 45: 23-24

I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. 

Until God has spoken, there is nothing to confess by faith.

You have nothing to say until God has spoken. 

Fact: God has sworn by Himself.

Fact: He has sent His word; that every knee shall to Him. 

When a man has received the facts established in the Word, he moves and speaks in faith... 

Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength... 

Faith: Surely, a man will rise, and speak. 

John the Baptist was such a man.

Isaiah spoke of ‘the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness’ (Isa 40:3). When John came, he saw what was written, and declared, ‘I am the voice.’ 

God is looking for the man who will, by faith, declare Him as his source of righteousness and power.

Others can sleep, but surely, one will say...

Do you see yourself in this Word? Are you the one who will speak these words in faith? 

The power of God is sustained by righteousness; and the beauty of righteousness is the power of God. Therefore, only a true Christian can wield these words in faith. 

...even to him shall men come... 

Men shall come to this man: the one who has declared that he has righteousness and power in God. 

You complain about the lack of helpers; you lack a good thing- husband, business patronage, children, blessings- because you do not have righteousness and power. People manipulate, even in the house of God, because they lack righteousness and power. 

Neither distance nor remoteness is an obstacle to this blessing. John the Baptist was sought by all, in the wilderness! Even Christ came to him there. Why? because the man believed the Word and confessed it with his mouth.

When you declare that you have righteousness and power, people will come to you so that they can have a taste of what you carry... 

...and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

Righteousness and power attract. However, just as men seek to be joined to this Christian, there are also powers whose desire is to frustrate this testimony. 

These angry ones seek to stop all that is apportioned to a Christian from getting to him. However, divine provision is made even for them. Their portion is disgrace. 

David’s victory over Goliath was based on his understanding of this principle. He looked to see if his opponent was circumcised because he knew that the uncircumcised is not permitted to defeat the circumcised. Therefore, he stood as the man who ‘surely said...’ 

God has sworn by himself.

If you have an inner witness that you have the righteousness and power of God, why settle for less that your whole portion? 

Declare the testimony and sentence every angry voice to disgrace. 

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• Raw power of God, come upon me like a garment.
• I have the righteousness and power of God in me. Therefore, any power raging against my destiny; I slay you by fire.
• Any evil power, any evil wise man, rising and raging against what God has appointed for me; you are liars. I slay you all by fire.
• You wise men of darkness raging against my divine portion and position; I cut you all down by fire.
• Any power fighting against all that God has called to be part of me; I slay you by fire.
• All that God has apportioned to me; I call you to me now.

PASTOR’S CORNER

WINNING BY YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST

MOVING FROM FACT TO FAITH

REFERENCES: ZECHARIAH 11: 4-5, 12-13, ISAIAH 53: 3-5, PROVERBS 17:26 

Winning by your faith comes by fighting the good fight of faith. 

Zech 11:4-5, 12-13 

In order to fully understand this Scripture and its relevance to the Church today, let us note that there are 3 kinds of people in the world:

The natural man: those who are outside the Kingdom

The carnal man: these are immature Christians. They are in the Kingdom, but are babes.

The spiritual man: these are mature Christians. They have exercised their senses and judge all things... 

Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter; Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not. 

And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

God gave Zechariah a charge over His people: ‘feed these ones that have been marked for destruction, so that they can deliver themselves.’

When he had carried out the assignment, God sent him back, this time, to receive from the people what they judged to be worth of the work done in their lives. 

Well the people decided that 30 pieces of silver was the worth of the work.

When God saw this, He gave another charge to His prophet: ‘throw the money to the potter, for it is a munificently miserable sum at which I [and My shepherd] am priced by them! (AMP)

God is saying: how dare they pay such a ridiculous amount for all I have done to rescue those appointed to die?

It is sad that the church has failed to see this truth. This is a dispensation where people regard God and His servants as charity cases. This is a time where men and women expect to be held in high regard and rewarded with titles, positions, and godlike attention because they bring their tithes and offerings to the Church. Some even treat pastors as consultants on retainer, paying these servants of God to pray for them!

And I [Zechariah] took the thirty pieces of silver and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD. 

This scenario played out in the house of God...God was messed up by His own people! 

That which Zechariah conquered destroyed Judas. He accepted the 30 pieces of silver and betrayed Jesus. However, when he weighed it against the suffering and torment that Christ went through, he realised his folly: he saw that he had received far less than his Lord was worth and he cast the money to them in the house of God. The priests, knowing that it was blood money, bought a potter’s field with it.

So it was that, hundreds of years after the prophecy of Zechariah, they came to pass in the life of Judas. 

Judas sold Jesus for that sum, not because he did not see the mighty works that He did, but because that was his estimation of Christ. Sadly, many today walk the path of Judas, soliciting for money in the name of doing the Lord’s work. 

Isa 53: 3-5

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 

Note the types of men mentioned here:

Christ is despised by natural men because carnal men hide their faces from Him. 

Christ expects us to look unto Him (Heb 12:2). When Christians hide their faces from Him, from looking into and considering His Word, from looking into the price Christ paid for their sakes, natural men will despise His name in their lives. 

The man who hides his face from Christ cannot get anything from Him. Such a man loses the power, healing, blessings, divinity that is in Him...

...we esteemed him not.

As long as we fail to look into Christ-into His word- we cannot esteem Him well. Like Judas, many Christians fail to give a correct estimation of the power, fire, prosperity, life, glory because they have not looked into Him. 

The Church has hid her face from Christ and esteemed money above Him. Therefore, she cannot access the glorious power, fire and greatness that is in Him; and because of this, the world despises Christ. 

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement [for] our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Christ was wounded. That is a fact.

Christ was wounded for your transgressions. That is faith.

The movement from the fact to faith is the key to winning.

...the chastisement [for] our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 

Jesus was punished. That is fact.

Jesus was punished for my peace; so that I will no longer go through punishment. That is faith. 

However, we can only access the power in these beautiful revelations when we look into His word. Sadly, many are chasing after money with the vigour with which they should be chasing after God.

Since what is esteemed among men is abomination before God, they lose the money and more... 

Many die before their time because, like Judas, they have evaluated Christ lightly, reducing His sufferings and death to a paltry sum of money, in the guise of prophetic and deliverance works. 

Yet, chasing after God brings in great wealth, and much more. 

When a man looks unto Christ, he knows to silence every threat of punishment, torment, oppression, poverty...because he understands that Christ was tormented, died and resurrected for him. 

This is why the devil fights to keep Christians from looking into the Word. The Word has become lightly esteemed in the Church, taking a back seat to man generated principles. 

Like the carnal men in the days of Zechariah, Christ is being sold out today by carnal brethren.

Like Judas, many carnal pastors have sold out the power and fire of God today for money.

They get the money and lose the power.

They get the money and lose the fire.

They get the money and lose the strength.

They get the money and lose the glory. 

Their evaluation was wrong.

Their poor estimation of Christ has made them sell outs of the Church. 

He died. He resurrected. That is fact.

He died so that you can fulfil the number of your days. That is faith. Are you getting the picture? Look up to Him and receive all that He paid for by faith. 

When you walk by this estimation, you will not tolerate any attack on your peace. Your background, your history...these will not matter. You understand that they do not have the capacity to lay any punishment on you, because Christ already took the punishment upon Himself! 

Therefore, in spite of all that you see, you have the peace of God.

Do not hide your face from Him.

The more you come to Christ, the more you look up to Him, the more of His power, fire and glory enters into your life.

As you receive more of Him, the enemy will no longer be able to despise His name in your life.

The powers that once oppressed you with impunity will no longer mock the name of your God... 

Pro 17:26

Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity. 

Brethren, understand that punishment, oppression, sickness, pain, loss; these are not for the just. It is wrong for anyone to punish the just. Why? Because their Justifier has already been punished. Therefore, any power punishing your body, business, career, or marriage, is in violation of divine law. 

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My life, the time has come for you to win on every side. Therefore, I charge you; receive sufficient fire to win.
• My soul, body...receive sufficient fire to do what God has called you to do.
• Unbeatable power of God, possess me like a garment.
• It is an abomination to punish me. Therefore any power that punishes my body with sickness; I slay you all by fire.
• Any power that punishes me with my soul with oppression; I slay you all by fire.
• Any curse, spell, foundational error rising to punish me; I waste you all by fire.
• Any sickness springing up in my body to punish me; hear the judgement of the LORD. Dry up and die by fire now.

23RD OCTOBER, 2016

PASTOR’S CORNER

SAVED TO BE SAFE IN CHRIST:

FORTIFYING YOUR LIFE IN CHRIST

REFERENCES: ISAIAH 52: 1, ACTS 5:12-14, JEREMIAH 49: 31

We have learnt that there can be no safety in Christ without the power of God. A beautiful edifice, void of God’s power, is an ugly monstrosity in the realm of the spirit, but a tent, filled with His power is a beautiful and pleasant sight. This means that believing and going through the motions of appearing to be a Christian do not guarantee your safety. The power of God is the key to ensuring that your safety in Christ is a sure deal.

Isa 52: 1

Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

Brethren, it is time to put on your strength. Not the pastor’s, not your spouse’s, but your own strength. Put on your fire; it is your covenant right, and no one but you can take yours. When you put on your strength, you make it impossible for the enemy to walk all over you and yours.

However, you cannot access the fire without holiness. The beautiful garments of God’s fire and power can only be adorned by a holy church. You should not expect the power of God to clothe you while you live in sin, or live a lukewarm Christian life. His power is for those who have given all of their lives to Him.

The latter part of this scripture will become your testimony when you have applied the principles of living in holiness and putting on your fire. Then, the evil that once invaded and tormented your life will suddenly find it impenetrable.

Acts 5:12-14

And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

There are two groups of people described here: the believers and the rest. Those that are called believers did not come as such; rather they were sinners who got saved and were added to God’s church. The rest however referred to those who had no intention to be saved, and would have been thorns in the flesh of Christ’s church if they had joined it.

Brethren, a man who walks in the consciousness of his destiny and the magnitude of his assignment will be choosy about those he walks with and those he invites into his life. However, a man who is carefree will fall victim of wrong companionship.

When you have put on your fire, you will enjoy what the apostles enjoyed. Men from the rest will find your life too hot. They will magnify God in you, but will not entertain the idea of joining themselves to you. That way, only those who have been destined to be impacted by your life will be added to you.

Jer 49: 31 [AMP]

Arise [Nebuchadrezzar], get up into a nation which is at ease, which dwells without care, says the Lord, [a nation] which has neither gates nor bars, which dwells apart and alone.

Brethren, I cannot stress enough how crucial it is to have the power of God. Even when you do not have money, or the things that make for a comfortable life, do not compromise about the power and fire of God. This is because a powerless life is a reproach unto God. a powerless Christian makes himself an easy prey to devils that he should have vanquished. Moreover, God will stir up the enemy against him, so as to shake him out of his lukewarm state.

Israel had become too comfortable to abide in the place of power, so much so that God says of them, they have become like a house without gates or bars. Therefore, He raised Nebuchadnezzar against them.

The gates are the angels assigned to keep guard over you, and the bars refer to the power of God. Unfortunately, many have lost their gates and bars to sin, disobedience and lukewarm-ness. Therefore, they have lost gifts, virtues and the grace they were blessed with by God.

When the devil comes to your soul and takes something away, it is a cause to ponder: where were my gates and bars?

If you must deter the uncircumcised and the unclean from your life, family, business, destiny...you must put on your fire and keep the gates and bars of your life up. There is no half way. You are either hot or not. Any other way is self delusion.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My Father, fortify my life

• Impenetrable fire of God, possess me mightily.

• Unbeatable fire of God, possess my life.

• You candidate of the devil, sent or volunteered to penetrate my life to take what belongs to me; I bring you down by fire.

• I conquer, by fire, any power coming to penetrate my life.

• I take back everything that was collected from me.

• Obituary, you are not my portion. I send you back to the sender.

16TH OCTOBER, 2016

PASTOR’S CORNER

SAVED TO BE SAFE IN CHRIST:

PRESENTATION ACTIVATES PRESERVATION IN CHRIST

REFERENCES: JOB 42: 7, DANIEL 3: 16-28, ACTS 23:10-13

Your divine preservation is a function of your presentation of God, and your presentation is a function of your revelation. Until God reveals Himself to you, you cannot present Him well.

It is important to understand that your character, disposition, attitude and confessions are a reflection of how you see your Saviour. This means that you present Christ daily by the things you say and do, and how you say and do them. The question then arises: how do you see, and present Christ?

Job 42: 7

And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

Eliphaz was a man of God and friend of Job. He and the others had come to keep him company in his time of sorrow, and they did say good things about God. Yet, He says they did not present Him as well as Job.

This raises another question: how well do you present Him? In your life, is He seen only as a daytime Saviour? A Saviour who saves from sin, but not from poverty, sickness or your old nature?

When a Christian manipulates and acts fraudulently, participates in idol worship, lives an immoral life, he is presenting Christ wrongly. When a preacher presents God wrongly, he sets up his congregation for disappointment, disgrace and wretchedness.

Presenting God poorly is doubly dangerous; not only do such people sabotage their access to divine preservation, they also risk divine wrath!

Dan 3: 16-28

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

These young men were neither stumped by the gravity of the situation they were in, nor short of words. They did not need to think about how best to handle the tense and delicate moment. As an outflow of their nature, they gave the answer that reflected their presentation of God. It did not even matter that were standing before, and speaking to the king!  

They were thrown into the furnace. The men who threw them in died; the cords that bound them melted off. They were not burnt.

Strangely, when they noticed they were unhurt, they did not walk out; rather they walked inside the fire. One would have thought that, having discovered that they were immune to the burning power or the fire, they would hasten to get out of it. Instead, they walked in it, showing superiority. They walked in the fire, led by Christ- the fourth man. He led them on a parade in the furnace, presenting them well before the king.

And so it was, that the king blessed the God of the 3 Hebrew men. Brethren, this is a great testimony -that men bless the God you serve, but that will only happen when you present Him well.

Vs 28

Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

God changed the king’s word by changing the body of the men. There, their bodies became impervious to the fire.

When your body, business and marriage are immune to the destructive powers of evil attacks, even becoming stronger because of it, you become a mystery to your enemies and the heathen.

Acts 23:10-13

And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.  And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.  And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.

Paul, had gone on to Jerusalem against Christ’s warning and was subsequently mobbed and arrested. Yet, even in captivity, he presented Christ well, so much so that He appeared to Paul at night and declared that he was to present Him well in Rome, just as he had in Jerusalem.

His presentation preserved his life and gave him Christ’s guarantee of preservation all the way to Rome. That promise would make futile, the decision, made by more these 40 men in the morning, who placed themselves under a curse until they had killed the man who life was safeguarded by Christ.

Brethren, when you have presented Christ well, you ensure the preservation of your life from the threatenings, plotting and agitation of your enemies. You can confidently declare them to be liars, because you know that your life is safe under the Saviour’s watch.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My soul, receive raw fire of god now.

• Higher power of God, possess my soul.

• Any power that has taken an oath to conquer me; you are a liar. I slay you by fire.

9TH OCTBER, 2016

PASTOR’S CORNER

SAVED TO BE SAFE IN CHRIST:

UNDERSTANDING THE SAFETY IN THE SAVIOUR (B)

REFERENCES: Numbers 11: 13- 15, Ezekiel 33: 23- 26, Ezekiel 38: 14- 19

Everyone who claims to be a seed of Abraham will do well to study his life and learn the secret of his testimony. Abraham, our father and example was a warrior. So great was his prowess that he defeated the world power of his time. Whoever claims to be a seed of Abraham, but finds it hard to war through prayer, is still joking.

Num 11: 13- 15

Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

Moses was raised with a silver spoon. As a royal seed, he was trained in the best schools, by the best minds. Yet, when he presumed to fulfil his destiny by his knowledge and abilities, he was sorely disappointed. He discovered the wretchedness of trusting in the arm of flesh, and it took 40 years before he was restored again to his destiny.

Moses learnt what every man must understand- that no one can bear the responsibility of his household, congregation, territory, of his destiny without divine support. To do so is to incur wretchedness.

Moses implored God to kill him because he knew what it felt like to see one’s wretchedness. When his power failed him in Egypt, he lost confidence in his destiny, and 40 years of his life!

Brethren, anyone who attempts to go it alone, spiritually, financially, health-wise, without the backing of the Holy Ghost, will definitely see his wretchedness. If you must be saved from it, then you must seek the safety in the Saviour.

Exe 33: 23- 26

Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance. Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land? Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess the land?

Brethren, it is possible to be in your inheritance and still suffer. This will happen when a Christian fails to investigate the divine purpose for his divine placement. For instance, when a man marries according to the will of God, but fails to seek out God’s divine plan for the marriage and how to work it out, he will find his inheritance becoming a waste land.

These men were in the land of their inheritance, yet the enemy came in and wasted it. They did not understand that, having something is not the same as possessing it. So, they wondered, ‘ How did Abraham-one man- keep all that land, while we, in all our strength and numbers, struggle to keep what has been given to us as an inheritance?’

Let us also consider it: how did Abraham keep his wife, his land and his prosperity, while you struggle to keep your spouse, business, health and prosperity? Why has the enemy taken over your inheritance and laid it to waste?

Today, we hear of jealous husbands and wives, monitoring their spouses and making trouble at the slightest hint of infidelity. Yet, when at different times, both Pharaoh and King Abimelech of Gerar took Abram’s wife, a divine visitation of plagues (Gen 12: 15-20), and the threat of death respectively (Gen 20: 2-7), was all it took to scare them straight.

Men fail to possess their inheritance because:

• They violate the principles of God

• They esteem other things above God

• Their trust is in their abilities

• They live immoral lives.

Abram possessed his inheritance because he trusted in the Saviour and did not violate His principles. The enemy came against him, but he had God’s defence on his side.

Exe 38: 14- 19

Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord God; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?  And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.

When a bullet- proof car is built, it must be tested. In the same vein, when God gives you His power and fire, He will allow the devil to attack you. This is to prove to the enemy that you are indeed safe.

Hear, God boasts of His people, and taunts the enemy. God is saying to your enemies, ‘You shall come against My people, but it shall be so that I may be glorified by your destruction’. He is also giving you notice, ‘the enemy will rise against you. Get ready’.

It is therefore your responsibility to frustrate their attempt to cover your land- your life, marriage, business, health, career, children. It is not time to cry and bemoan your fate. Rather, it is God’s time to prove to the heathen around you that you are too protected to be defeated.

Vs 17- 19

Thus saith the Lord God; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?  And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel

God did not say this because He is amnesiac. No, it is written so that you can learn to behave like Him. Before the enemy rises against your inheritance, God would have spoken about him. It might have been revealed to you in a dream, or a vision.

Therefore, when that devil appears, simply say to him, ‘are you the devil that is next in line to feel the full extent of God’s fury? Are you the next candidate for divine elimination?’

Brethren, WORK ON YOURSELF. I cannot emphasise this enough. The enemies are coming to invade your land, and you will do well to be fully prepared and ready to deter and destroy them. Let your life be living proof that you are a carrier of the unstoppable power of God.

Your strength- knowledge, wealth, network, devices and gadgets- cannot stop the power seeking to cover your land. Your only source of safety, your confidence and defence, is in the Saviour.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• Fire of God, possess me.

• My soul, receive the raw fire of God to face and eliminate devils.

• Any power coming to the land of my life, to waste it; I destroy you by fire.

• Any power on assignment to waste what the Lord has given to you; you are a liar. I bury you by fire.

• Any power rising to cover my life, marriage, children, works, health; you are a liar. I bury you by fire.

2ND OCTOBER, 2016

PASTOR’S CORNER

SAVED TO BE SAFE IN CHRIST:

UNDERSTANDING THE SAFETY IN THE SAVIOUR (A)

REFERENCES: LAMENTATIONS 3: 24- 25, HEBREWS 5: 7, ACTS 2: 23-25

Every Christian is saved to live a safe, protected life. God brought Israel out of Egypt to preserve them. Sadly however, it is possible to be saved but not safe. This means that when a Christian fails to claim his covenant right to safety, the enemy can still carry out successful attacks against him.

Lam 3: 24- 25

The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

The soul that desires safety in Christ must firstly be saved. Thereafter, he must wait for, and seek Christ. Seeking the Pastor is not the same as seeking God. If you desire to see the Shekinah glory of God, to be filled with His preserving fire, you must wait for, and seek the Saviour until you find Him.

When you live in this understanding, the name of the Lord will be hot on your lips in the day of trouble.

The wise will therefore fast, wait and seek the Lord so that you may enjoy His goodness.

Heb 5: 7

Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplication with strong crying and tears unto Him that is able to save Him from death and was heard in that He feared.

Anyone called and chosen by God to fulfil a special destiny is a saviour. Now, understand this: every saviour on earth needs a Saviour in heaven.

While Christ, our example, lived on earth as a Saviour, He offered up prayers to the Saviour in heaven, with strong crying and tears. This is the pattern every saviour must follow. The saviour who trivialises the need for deep, groaning, heartfelt prayer and relies on his abilities, money or network will fail miserably in his assignment.

...unto Him that is able to save Him from death and was heard in that He feared.

The death of Christ was part of God’s plan. Therefore, Christ knew that He was going to die. Why then did Jesus pray so?

Brethren, you will do well to not be deceived by teachings of error.

It is not enough to receive the word of God by faith. No matter what God has revealed to you, it is in your utmost best interest to wait on God, seek Him and pray with groaning and tears until all He has revealed is fulfilled.

Like Christ, no Christian goes through trials without prior warning from God. Sadly, few are observant enough to discern the revelation.

Those going through their time of trial need to understand that the dark days have an expiration date. However, a Christian who fails to pray will suffer for longer and may even have his destiny altered.

Christ knew that He was going to die. Yet He prayed, hard.

Christ prayed hard, yet He died. Does that mean God did not hear Him?

If God heard Him, then how did He save Him?

Acts 2: 23-25

Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

A saviour does not live by his present circumstances; rather, he lives by what God has said concerning him.

Christ knew He was going to die, but saw beyond His death; He was not praying against death, but to ensure that the Word of God concerning His rising was fulfilled.

Your dark days are not forever. This is why you must know what God has spoken about your future, and pray until you stand again, and remain standing.

The devil is keen on making every Christian a past flame. He desires to make you irrelevant, a has-been. Such a person only has stories of how rich, how prayerful, how dedicated he once was. He can no longer testify boldly of his salvation, because he is no longer there.

Christ’s prayer was to secure that He continue to stand, and He based His prayer on God’s Word: For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved...

You must also pray with the urgency, deep longing, and understanding of a saviour. This takes us back to Lamentations. You must seek God to discover what He has said concerning you. Then you can wield His word in prayer to ensure that all that is yours stand always in prosperity, power, victory, abundance...

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My life, receive the power to stand always.

• Every attack of the wicked to take me out of the way, I bury you by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE IN CHRIST:

DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE DEMANDS THE SUPERNATURAL HAND

REFERENCES: LUKE 10: 5-6, NUMBER 27:18- 20, DEUTERONOMY 34: 9, II TIMOTHY 1: 6

In order to achieve the impossible, you need the laying on of supernatural hands.

Therefore, this morning, God has called me to lay hands on sons and daughters. However, anyone whose heart and life is contrary to the nature of God can not be a partaker.

Lk 10: 5-6

And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be unto this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall return to you again.

The peace, power, strength, favour, wisdom ...of God are spirits, and they can only dwell and remain in a life where God already dwells.

So, if every good thing in me must be transferred to your life, your heart must be right with God, or the virtue will return to me.

Num 27:18- 20

And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

Joshua already had the spirit of God; however, he needed the supernatural hand of Moses. This means that, a son of God, spirit filled and tongue speaking still needs the laying on of hands by a servant of God. Why?

By laying his hands on him, Moses was to bring a divine charge and the honour of God upon Joshua. This would cause the people to obey Joshua.

Deut 34: 9

And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.

According to the word of God, Joshua became ‘full of the spirit of wisdom ‘because ‘Moses had laid his hands upon him’ and the people obeyed him.

Just as a supernatural hand is needed to command obedience, frustration in spite of one’s best effort can also be traced to the operation of a evil hand; one laid upon a life, work, marriage or destiny  in order to command failure, discouragement, limitation and frustration.

If you therefore desire the charge and honour of God, as well as His wisdom, that will cause principalities and powers to obey you, and destroy the power and work of evil hands, you need the laying on of a divine hand.

II Tim 1: 6

Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

You can only put someone in remembrance of what he already knows, right? This means that Paul was reminding Timothy of the virtue that was deposited in him (Timothy) on the day he (Paul) laid hands on him.

The message here is that the divine charge and virtues of God that come upon you at the laying on of hands can be stirred up. It is up to you to continually revive it in order to get the best out of it. And, when the gift is stirred, it has the potential to do the unexpected.

If you desire to be outstanding, to do the impossible, to be a mystery to those around you, to achieve what no one else has, you need a supernatural hand...

But remember that sin and rebellion to God will hinder the Spirit of God from abiding in you. It is therefore of utmost importance that you get rid of every nature that is contrary to that of God, by the Blood of Jesus.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My Father, everything in me that is contrary to Your Spirit; I wash them off by the Blood of Jesus.

• Anything in my life and nature that is keeping me from receiving the best of God; I destroy you by the Blood of Jesus.

• My soul, receive the fire that cannot be dishonoured again.

• Fire, wisdom, power, grace, strength, dominion of God, spring up and manifest in my life now.

• Every wicked hand over my life, hear the judgement of the Lord; I destroy you by fire now.

PASTOR’S CORNER

DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE IN CHRIST:

DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE IN CHRIST DEMANDS SERIOUS PRAYERS

REFERENCES: JOEL 2: 11, ISAIAH 41: 25

It is important to know that every Christian is called to call. However, whoever is going to call must be ready to do the work. It is not enough to be a Christian and see visions of greatness; you must be willing to do the work to stand out as a Christian indeed.

No one is called to simply claim the name ‘Christian’. In whatever capacity you are called, it is to fulfil a particular purpose and reinstate the name of Jesus in your territory.

Joel 2: 11

And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

The Lord has a great army, filled with so many Christians. However, of these many, there is one that is called ‘strong’. This is the one who executes the Word of the Lord.

A Christian in the army of the Lord must be ready to enforce His Word. He must be ready take the Word of God and make it work upon his life, body, marriage, career, business and his home. The enforcer of His Word is strong.

However, the word of the Lord can only be executed by the Christian who knows and understands the Word.

Isa 41: 25

I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name:

Whoever is raised by God must recognise that He is a jealous God. The Christian raised by God must put his trust in the God that raised him.  

Not only must he trust in the One who called Him, he must also call upon His name. This means that he is called by God to call upon the name of the Lord. The question to ask is: why?

...and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay.

No Christian can rule until he has conquered the rulers of darkness in his household. He must conquer the old champion in order to become the new champion.

The man who is called by God will call on the name of the Lord so that he can face and conquer rulers of darkness in his household, falling on them like morter and crushing them like clay.

If you must make a mark in life as a man raised by God, be ready to call Him and receive the power to enforce His Word over rulers of darkness.

Calling on God means that you position yourself to receive the revelation, fire and power that you need to carry out the divine assignment to which He called you. You will not fight blindly; instead you will have the backing of your heavenly Father in defeating the enemy.

Peradventure you have been calling but it seems He is not responding; do not give up. Do not be discouraged. Keep calling, for in due time, He will speak and endow you with the fire, power to conquer and rule.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My soul, receive the fire of God to call back.

• My Father, I call for more of Your fire to reign.

• I enforce the fire of God over my life.

• You rulers of darkness attacking my assignment; I come against you and slay you by fire.

• Every ruler of darkness that has ruling over my life and destiny; I crush you by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE IN CHRIST:

CONQUER YOURSELF TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE IN CHRIST

REFERENCES: I CORINTHIANS 13: 11, I CORINTHIANS 14:20, I CORINTHIANS 16:13, JUDGES 8: 18- 23

Doing the impossible in Christ demands that you conquer yourself. This means conquering your past, your weaknesses and every pattern that has conquered those before or around you.

I Cor 13: 11

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I though as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

I Cor 14:20

Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

It is your responsibility to conquer yourself, and that demands getting rid of every childish attitude that has defined you: anger, fear, un-forgiveness, malice keeping, nonchalant attitude, engaging in time wasting activities (TV, games, gossip, etc).

Brethren, even if you have 50 more years to live, the time is still too short for you to fulfil and maximise destiny potential. It is therefore a matter of urgency that you conquer every attitude, mindset, behaviour and nature that wastes your time and frustrate your destiny. Doing the impossible in Christ demands that you, without sentiment and urgently, cut off every time (and destiny) wasting nature or habit.

Children are quick to forgive and forget wrongs. They do not dwell on hurt. In the same manner, the only time you are allowed to be childlike is in your attitude towards malice. In understanding however, you must be a man.

A man understands that issues that waste your time should not be dwelt on. He knows that such issues cloud your vision and lead to errors in judgement.

I Cor 16:13

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong...

Paul was an apostle unlike any other. He had an understanding that was beyond his peers and achieved what Peter had been unable to. What made this man special and put in a class of his own? How is it that he was able to do, achieve and prosper where others failed? How was he able to handle and transcend tradition, religion, national pride, and the other strongholds that held his predecessor back?

The answer is in his words. He learnt and applied the law of QUIT YOU.

You cannot be a man until you quit ‘you’. It takes maturity to be willing and ready to quit every indulgence that has defined you, contrary to the will of God.

The long hours spent in front of the TV, the appetite for pornographic material, the enjoyment of gossip and backbiting, the unwillingness to sacrifice a meal for God, the blinding anger that takes over you, the gripping fear that makes a liar of you, the self righteousness that makes a hypocrite out of you... God says you must quit all these; quit ‘you’ and become a man indeed.

Judge yourself. A child always seeks to have his way. The idea of discipline and delayed gratification are foreign and unacceptable to the immature. So, whenever God makes a demand of you- of your time, your meal, your substance, of your nature- and you find it difficult to comply, it is proof of that you are still a babe.

Your age, or years in Christ are not the determiners of your maturity in Christ. Rather, it is your willingness and work towards quitting ‘you’ that make you a man in Christ.

Judgs 8: 18- 23

In leading Gideon’s army to battle, God put them through a series of screenings. First, the fearful were asked to voluntarily withdraw. Then came the water test: all who lapped water from the stream like dogs were also disqualified. At the end, only 300 men, were left. God declared that He would deliver the enemy with these men. Now, whoever God calls a man is indeed a man, right?

Then said he to Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king. And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you. And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up , and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels; necks.

Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.

Brethren, the goal of today’s teaching is to prepare you to destroy every power, pattern, judgment, or personality that has destroyed the lives, marriages, finances, and destinies of your siblings.

Gideon and his men did succeed in their mission. The principal tormentors of their nation were captured. On enquiry, Gideon discovers that they had killed the sons of his mother. Until then, he had no idea how they died.

Many Christians also have siblings and other family members whose homes, careers, finances and health have been ‘killed’ by the enemy. And, like Gideon, they are ignorant of the source.  

Well these enemies of the ‘sons of your mother’ are also your enemies. And, in as much as they did not spare your siblings, they will not spare you. It is therefore your responsibility to destroy them.

As the salt of the earth, it is your destiny to make the impossible possible. This means rising above the sad reality of your siblings; the reality of marital violence, financial loss, a life of compromise.

However, you can only do this when you have conquered the powers that conquered others. But first, you must conquer yourself.

Jether could not execute judgment on the murderers of his uncle, because he had not conquered fear. Although God called him a man, his failure to overcome fear made him a youth. Even the men about to die recognised that only a man could rise and kill the powers that had killed his siblings.

After executing judgment on the enemies of his siblings, Gideon was urged by his people to become their ruler. But, as far as he was concerned, he was not after the glory or a position. He had simply taken up his responsibility as a man.

Anyone who will conquer what ‘killed’ others must investigate the root of their spiritual, marital, financial demise and kill the powers responsible, because the fact that these powers did not spare the homes, finances and health of your siblings is evidence enough that they will not spare you.

However, the battle must first be fought and conquered within. Doing the impossible cannot become a reality until you quit ‘you.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• I receive the grace to conquer my weaknesses.

• Everything in my life, fighting against my destiny; I conquer you by fire.

• Any wicked power that conquered the children of my mother and father, and is rising against my life; I destroy you by fire.

• Wicked powers that have vowed not to spare the children of my mother and father, seeking my life also to destroy; I locate and destroy you by fire.

• Powers afflicting the sons of my father and mother, raging and boasting against our lives and destinies; I locate and destroy you by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE IN CHRIST:

THE RIGHT WEAPONS TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE IN CHRIST

REFERENCES: ACTS 1: 16- 26, PSALMS 69: 25, II CORINTHIANS 10: 4- 5

Doing the impossible demands having the right weapons...

If you have been called to change the pattern your parents set in their lifetime; if you are in a position of the first born, a pioneer- the first to do something in your household, the first wife, or the child of the second wife in your household, then this message applies to you.

When you find yourself in a position where doing the impossible is of great necessity in fulfilling your destiny, especially in the face of ancient opposition, you need the right weapons. It is not enough to have weapons; they must be right ones for doing the impossible.

Acts 1: 16- 26

Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry... For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us...must one be obtained to be a witness with us of His resurrection. And they appointed two, Jospeh called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two Thou hast chosen, that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.  And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Mattias was called to take the place of Judas. In the same manner, there are many who have been called to take the place of someone else; they have been called to do what their predecessor was unable to achieve in their time.

For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

However, the person coming in to take the place of another must be aware that there are things- a word, judgment, or controversy- fighting hard to come to pass in his life by all means, in order to make his story a failure like the predecessor.

When Peter began to speak, he referred to one scripture. As he continued however, he added another. But, he failed to declare that both scriptures come to pass in Matthias’ life. Whether he was aware or not, by that act of omission, he activated a word that would render the ministry of Matthias ineffective and desolate.

Ps 69: 25

Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.

This is the original scripture. Notice that there is nothing added. This means that, going by it alone, anyone who took the place of Judas, was condemned to a life of desolation and frustration. Sadly, it was this scripture, and not another, that Peter invoked.

The name ‘Matthias’ was never again heard of in the bible. Historically, the manner of his life or death cannot be traced. Although his assignment was according to a scripture, he was frustrated because Peter unwittingly declared that only the above must come to pass in his life.

It is therefore of great importance that you be sensitive to the words spoken over your life and assignment, even by your spiritual father.

The devil, being the legally minded fellow that he is, only needs one loophole to latch on to in his war against your assignment. Thankfully, for every problem, there is a solution.

So, if you find yourself in such predicament, what can you do?

II Cor 10: 4- 5

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ

The foundation of every home is always rough and unattractive. Yet it determines the height, weight and enduring nature of the house that is built on it. Foundational difference is the reason why an Isreali or American Christian prays for 20minutes and declares that faith is all you need to receive answers to prayers. An investigation into his genealogy will reveal that his father spent his days on his knees. A Nigerian Christian would however need to begin the drudgery of building a foundation first.

When you are called to take a place, it is because those before you have failed therein. If you must succeed where they failed, you must be ready to dig and toil and sweat as you build the new foundation. Following the status quo without thorough investigation or wise judgment will make you another statistical failure.

Paul, the apostle speaking in the above scripture, was called to take a place originally given to Peter. He realised that he needed the mighty power of God to fulfil his assignment. He had observed that the Gentiles to whom he had been called had been carried to idols, and the only way to bring them out of that captivity was through the mighty weapons of God.

casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ

The imaginations referred to are arguments going on against your divine position. The reason why you observe strange dreams and signs whenever you aim to move forward or higher in your assignment is because there is an argument going on to counter and frustrate your destiny.

Now, whoever wins the argument takes the day. If you must therefore be relevant in your position and excel therein, you must be ready and able to cast down the argument. Whoever fails to silence the argument against his office will lose his place, and another will be raised to do flourish where he failed.

These are no ordinary arguments. Indeed they have exalted themselves against the knowledge of God. This means that, it is possible to know and preach the word of God, and still be challenged and hindered by these arguments in your assignment. Your role as the salt and light of the world will be frustrated by these controversies.

But, thank God, there is a solution. The only way to cast them down and overcome them is by accessing the mighty weapons of God. And these weapons are: holiness, love, willingness to fast, keeping vigil in prayer and the study the Word of God, diligence- real hard work, and a fighting spirit. You must also know the God of the Church and humbly serve Him well.

It is time to stand up to be counted as relevant; a true ambassador of God in the office He has called you to. Take up the mighty weapons of God and cast down every opposing argument against your place and assignment.

PRAYER POINT

In the name of Jesus,

• My life, receive the fire to silence every argument against my destiny and divine office.

• My mighty fire of God, possess my soul.

• Every argument against my assignment; I silence you by fire.

• Every power arguing against my divine destiny and position; I silence and destroy you by fire.