The Refiner's Place Ministries

PASTOR’S CORNER

THE PRICE FOR THE PRIZE IN CHRIST:

NO PRICE IS TOO HIGH (B)

REFERENCES: PSALM 27:4-5, LUKE 18:28-30, MATTHEW 13:45-46, LUKE 18:18-23, JEREMIAH 2: 20-21, GENESIS 49: 19

We continue the series: no price is too high for the prize.

You have learnt that nothing you give can be compared to the prize in Christ, because He gave up His life for you and I, not minding the great cost of getting us back to the Father.

Ps 27: 4-5

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

What you are seeking for; the prize you seek after, is That.

In order to get That, however, there is a that you must let go of. That is expensive, and nothing must be difficult to give up for it, including that.

For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

Why do you pursue after That? You seek it for a reason; because in the time of trouble, That will be your salvation and promotion.

That will cost you something.

It is time for you to make the resolve, that you will go after That, no matter what it will cost you. Then, distractions on the way will not be of any consequence anymore, because you have determined to seek after, and get that one thing you desire of the LORD.

Lk 8:28-30

Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

There is nothing too great to let go of, for the sake of the Kingdom.

No man gives up all that for the sake of the Kingdom, and suffers loss. Instead, he gains a lot more in this life, and in the world to come.

These men gave up everything. They left all. Christ was aware of their sacrifice. They had left possessions, parents, family and friends, spouses, children; for the sake of God’s kingdom.

Must you also give up everything for His sake?

Brethren, consider the words of Christ. He did not pity their situation, because He knew that the things they gave up would have kept them from inheriting the Kingdom.

The man who will inherit manifold blessings from God must leave all that he has for His sake. This means that you must seek first God’s kingdom. Your focus and dedication must be to God; nothing and no one must be more important thanThat.

Whatever you place before the Kingdom will keep you from getting your divine desire.

Christ set the example. He loved us before we loved Him.

He left all to get us; now we must leave all to get Him.

Matt 13: 45-46

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

This business man went out looking for good pearls, and took enough money with him to acquire them.

However, when he discovered one pearl of great price, he went back home, sold all that he had, and bought that great one. He understood that everything he had could not compare in value to that pearl of great price.

Therefore, he was willing to leave that for That.

Do you know that you are the best? Do you know that there is nothing of more value than you in your world?

This was the judgement of Christ concerning you. You are a pearl of great price, for which He gave up everything….

What then is that thing that you have esteemed as too great to let go? What is too valuable in your eyes, that you cannot leave it, in order to get the manifold blessings of divine inheritance?

Many have prayed against powers, patterns, histories, and evil experiences in their households; yet, these things have not left them. This is because they have many things they have refused to let go of, and these things keep them connected to the evils they desire to be delivered from.

Lk 18:18-23

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said until him…Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

Something must be done to inherit eternal life. You have a responsibility to find out what it is.

Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, and follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

This rich ruler had paid some price, and gained some things; but he lacked one thing.

There is something that you and I are lacking.

Like the ruler, you have got many things, but there is something you still lack. This is why you are here today; to know how to get the one thing- the That- which you lack.

If you will get That, you must let go of all that…

The rich ruler judged his riches as more valuable than eternal life. He lacked something because there was that which he was not ready to leave.

Many Christians are like this rich ruler. They are willing to let go of certain things, but there is a certain thing they refuse to kick out of their lives.

If this is your story, understand this: holding on to that thing comes at a cost…that will not make you rich, great, fulfilled, or joyful. Instead, holding on to that will deny you your inheritance of divine treasure, on this earth, and in the world to come.

Leave that for the poor.

You cannot follow God with that in your life.

Set yourself free of that, so that you can be where God is.

But when the man heard this, he became sad because he was very rich (NLT)

Holding on to that will make you sorrowful.

The longer you hold on to that, the more damage it can do to you.

It becomes a source of sorrow in your life, because its operation negates the original plan; the true story of your life.

Do not allow it to take root in your life, and become a thorn in your flesh. Do not cleave to that any longer.

Jer 2: 20-21

Long ago I broke your yoke and tore away the chains of your slavery, but still you would not obey me. On every hill and under every green tree, you have prostituted yourselves by bowing down to idols.

The LORD has made you the best. There is nothing of more value than you in your world. In order to walk in the reality of your true identity, you must leave all these destroyers. They are termites, and their mission it to eat away at your true worth, until everything collapses around you.

“How could this happen? When I planted you, I chose a vine of the purest stock- the very best. How did you grow into this corrupt wild vine? (NLT)

You were made to be the best. Your marriage, business, career, ministry, were made to be the best. What has made them corrupt and rotten?

Whatever makes you a degenerate; a corrupted, spoilt and degraded version of the real you; is a termite.

Gen 49: 19

Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last

This is your day. At last, the day has come for you to overcome. No more shall you be overcome by the troop of wickedness; no more shall you be a victim of termites; no more shall you be overcome.

Today, you shall overcome sorrow.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• Power of God, to overcome; possess my life now.

• Anything in my life, bringing sorrow to me; I cast you out by fire.

• Every satanic termite, sent against my life and destiny; I destroy you by fire.

• Every satanic termite, eating away at my life and destiny; I destroy you by fire.

• Evil termite, assigned to bring sorrow to my life; I destroy you by fire.

• Wicked powers, assigned to overcome me; I overcome you by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

THE PRICE FOR THE PRIZE IN CHRIST:

NO PRICE IS TOO HIGH

REFERENCES: Matthew 16:24-25, Revelation 12:11, Numbers 14:1-9, Proverbs 16:7

Daniel 3:16-30

In the quest for the prize in Christ, you must understand that no price is too high for you to pay.

Christ gave Himself- His life- for us. Therefore, if He is asking for your life, that price is not too high.

Whatever He asks you to do cannot be too grievous or hard. He demands it of you because you have the capacity to do it.

No price is too high for the prize…

Matt 16:24-25

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

The man who will find his life indeed, must be ready to lose it for the sake of Christ. If you try to save your life, you will do so, only to discover that you have lost it.

This applies to every aspect of your life; whether it be your spouse, money, reputation or time. What you try to save will be lost, but what you give up for the sake of Christ will be found.

You will not be able to manage your life, business, marriage…successfully until you release them to Christ. As long as you think that you can handle them, you will experience loss and frustration. They will slip out of your hands, if you do not let them go.

Since He has given you the pattern to follow by giving all for you, nothing stops you from doing the same.

Rev 12:11

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

And they have defeated him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of their testimony. And they were not afraid to die. (NLT)

They overcame by the Blood, by the Word, and by their own lives.

Brethren, fear is your enemy. Whatever makes you afraid of losing what you have for the sake of Christ is a principal enemy of your life.

Men lie because of fear. They fail to give the tithe of their income to God, because they are afraid of not having enough.

Overcomers know better. They are not afraid, not even of death.

So, you pray. You might even boldly call yourself a prayer warrior, who has battled a problem in the place of prayer for a long time. The question though is: have you fought that battle to the point where you were ready, unafraid to die?

Throughout the Scripture, we see the testimonies of men and women, who risked their lives for the sake of their God. Every one of them that chose to die DID NOT die.

Now, let us consider this scenario:

There was a point in the journey of Jesus, where He did not want to die the death appointed for Him.

If He had refused that cup of judgement and not died then, He still would have died, eventually. However, His death would not have been for the purpose of saving us, and He would not have ‘found’ his life again.

Today, He is alive forevermore, and has a name that is above all other names, because He did not love His life unto the death. He made it because He conquered fear.

It is possible that you are at the level you are now, because you have refused to do what God has commanded you to do. Your fear of what you stand to lose has petrified and stopped you from moving up.

It is time for you to be like Esther. If I perish, I perish.

She paid the price and got the prize. She was ready to die; she did not die. Rather, she, and her people were delivered and promoted.

Num 14:1-9

And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, would God that we had died in the land of Egypt: or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

These men murmured against God because they wanted to save their lives, as well as the lives of their wives and children. Their fear prompted them to seek out a captain- a leader skilled in the art of leading people back to captivity.

Many have, in the same manner, been led (by evil captains) back to the poverty, powerless-ness, prayerless-ness, failure, that they had already conquered. They now spend their days talking about what they used to have

And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: and they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear not them.

If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. (NIV)

Do not rebel against the LORD, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have not protection, but the LORD is with us! Don’t be afraid of the them! (NLT)

Do not walk in rebellion against the LORD because of fear.

Do not be afraid. Do not love your life or your substance to the point of being afraid to lose them.

The land is yours for the taking. The LORD will give you your life, marriage, children, prosperity…if your life pleases Him; and that can only happen by faith, not by fear.

Pro 16:7

When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Do not be afraid of the people.

There are indeed enemies, strangers, in the land. However, when your focus is to please God, He will give you the land, and those enemies will have no choice but to make peace with you.

Dan 3:16-30

Shedrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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.

The image was set up for the men to bow to; and they had been warned: if they do not bow, they will not make it.

Many Christians have found themselves staring at the image, and some have bowed to it.

I have come to speak to you today.

When that senior colleague seduces you, promising to advance your career if you play along, boldly say ‘No’.

When your boss threatens to ruin your career if you do not join the club of corruption, say ‘No’.

When you are mocked for trusting in the integrity of the Word, and encouraged to seek help at ‘En-dor’, say ‘No’

Let it be known that your God is able to deliver you; and even if He doesn’t, you will not bow.

If you bow to them, you will lose what you seek to gain.

Do not fear for your job, your business, your reputation, your financial stability, your prosperity.

When you are ready to lose them for Christ, you will gain them, and more.

Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shedrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more that it was wont to be heated…

Bound with their garments, the 3 Hebrew men were thrown into the furnace because they refused to bow.

The urgency of the king’s command, and the extreme hotness of the furnace, caused those who threw them in to die. However, the men who loved not their lives unto death were not affected by the furnace.

These men lost their lives for the sake of Christ, and right there in the furnace, the Lord appeared in their midst.

The king himself testified that the bound men walked freely in the fire, and were not burnt; and that the Son of God walked with them!

When he called them forth, others saw too:

…and the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

They did not even smell of burning!

Today, you shall also come out of every pit of destruction, loss, failure, and frustration that you have been thrown into, in the name of Jesus!

Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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.

Therefore I make a decree, That every people, notion, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

Brethren, no evil word is significant against the man in whom the LORD delights; not even that of a king. For your sakes, the words of kings will be overturned and what was meant for your destruction shall turn around for your promotion.

Remember, even your enemies shall be at peace with you.

The prize is great; therefore, no price is too high for you to pay. There is nothing in this world that is worth saving at the expense of the prize in Christ.

Destroy the image; Silence and bury the false gods.

You have used the Blood.

You have spoken the Word.

It is time to lose your life for Christ’s sake.

Become an overcomer.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My Father, I yield my life to You; to serve only You.

• Power of God, appear in my life today.

• Agents of darkness, dragging my life backwards; hear the judgement of the LORD. Be wasted by fire.

• Any evil commander, commanding evil against my life; be wasted by fire.

• My life, my glory, I charge you; come out of captivity now.

• Every image of darkness, set against my life and destiny; I crush you by fire now.

PASTOR’S CORNER

EXPLORING THE WORD FOR YOUR WORLD:

EXPLORE TO DISQUALIFY YOUR DISQUALIFICATION (B)

REFERENCES: NUMBERS 4:17-20, I CHRONICLES 9:22,28-32, I CORINTHIANS 10: 17-18

Num 4:17-20

And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying, Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites: But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:

But the Kohathites must not go into look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die. (NIV)

These men were charged with carrying holy things; however, they were not permitted to see, to behold the contents therein. They were Levites- priests, appointed by God to work in the holy place. Yet, something in their foundation disqualified them from beholding the holy things, at the risk of death.

Like the men in this scripture, many Christians own big bibles, but are strangers to the revelation and power therein.

There are pastors who do not see mysteries in the Word. There are families who have been in church all their lives, but do not see the power, blessings, prosperity and abundance in the Word.

It is a sad thing to be in the place of power and see power therein; to work in the house of God, but not be able to see the God of the house.

The command concerning this family was not given by man; it came directly from God.

Has God spoken in anger against your family? Is there a spiritual restriction placed over your household that is limiting your access to seeing, understanding and receiving the fullness of all that Christ paid for?

Do not despair.

Rejoice.

Your disqualification has expired.

I Chr 9:22, 28-32

All these which were chosen to be porters in the gates were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office.

And certain of them had the charge of the ministering vessels, that they should bring them in and out by tale. Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels, and all the instruments of the sanctuary, and the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices. And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices. And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the set office over the things that were made in the pans. And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the shewbread, to prepare it every sabbath.

It gladdens my heart to see men who understand God as their Father, and understand their divine office.

David and Samuel ordained certain men to various offices. Of these men, some were Kohathites. They were actually given charge over the kitchen, including the making of the showbread-the sacred bread that was presented before God-every Sabbath.

In the days of Moses, the showbread was made by Aaron and his sons, and covered up before the Kohathites could carry it. Now, they were in charge of making the same bread they had been forbidden to see, at the risk of death!

How does a man whose household has been forbidden from seeing blessings, prosperity and power, become a maker of the same things? How does one experience such a magnificent turnaround in the story of one’s life?

These men were connected to David. They let him know that their fathers had worked at the altar but did not see the mystery of the altar; and expressed their desire to see what their fathers could not see and do what their fathers could not do.

Because they were connected to David, they had their disqualification overturned.

Their appointment was not arbitrary.

David was not one to appoint men he had not trained. So, before they were appointed, they were trained to do what their parents could not do.

If you also desire to see, to hear and to do, what your parents were forbidden from seeing, hearing and doing, you must be connected to the right man, and submit to relevant training.

I Cor 10:17-18

For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

David disqualified the disqualification. However, he did not merely say it. He said it with the mind of God.

He understood a divine principle.

We are all partakers of one bread. Race, tribe or language is inconsequential in Christ. As many as we are, in Him, we are called to partake of one bread. Wherever you go, your knowledge of the Word will make you known.

Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

Having established that we are all called to eat one bread, we are given a reference.

In Israel, those who eat of the sacrifice must partake of the altar.

The portion-the payment- of the Levites came from the altar. Yet, they were forbidden from seeing holy things of the same altar.

Consider this: why should you eat the Word of God from the altar, and not partake of the mysteries of the altar?

It is not enough to eat from the altar; you must also partake of the covenant and power that produces the Word on the altar.

David disqualified the disqualification of the Kohathites because he understood one thing; if God had appointed them to eat of the altar, then, their days of disqualification have expired.

God has brought you into this ministry so that you can enjoy your rest.

Therefore, if there is any judgement of disqualification still keeping you from partaking of the power that produces the Word at the altar, it is time to destroy its power and works; because your disqualification has been disqualified.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My time has finally come to reverse ancestral judgement, and change the ancestral order.

• My life, receive sufficient power to damage and destroy every ancestral judgement that has been limiting my life.

• My life, receive fire, to receive all that God has apportioned me in The Refiner’s Place Ministries.

• I receive the divine ordination to do what my parents could not do; to go what they could not go; to say what they could not say; to prepare what they could not see.

• My life; you have been ordained today, to do what my parents could not do; to go what they could not go; to say what they could not say; to attain the heights my parents could not attain; to prepare what they could not see.

• Any ancestral judgement, over my household, that has placed a limit over my life and assignment; I destroy you by fire.

• Any judgement from any kingdom, over my household, that has placed a limit over my life and assignment; I destroy you by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

EXPLORING THE WORD FOR YOUR WORLD:

BEHOLDING THE EXPIRATION OF EVERY CURSE AND SPELL (B)

REFERENCES: ISAIAH 1:16-19, ISAIAH 41: 17-24

In the first part of this teaching, we learnt that every curse and spell has an expiration date, just as it has a manufacturing (commencement) date. We also learnt the importance of being connected to a faithful man of God in enforcing the expiration.

Isa 1: 16- 19

Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

Here is a call to salvation and conversion: wash and cleanse yourself of sin; put away evil deeds, and cease to do them anymore.

Learn to do well

This is God’s desire for you; that you do well. However, it will not happen automatically; you need to be instructed. Therefore, when you come to Christ, you must be ready to learn. Being a Christian is more than just going to church and observing activities. You come to the House of God to learn to do well: to succeed, prosper, excel, to advance in every area of your life.

...seek judgment

So, as a Christian, you have learnt to do well. While you excel, the enemy may rise at any time to challenge your success and bring his own evil judgement against you. You therefore need judgement to defend and sustain whatever you have begun to do well. So, seek judgement.

...relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

The sum of the gospel has been preached. Be saved. Mature in the faith: learn to do well and seek judgement. Also show mercy and defend the cause of the less privileged.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD

This call is to the man who has been saved, taught to do well and to execute judgement. This is the man God can reason with.

A man who does not live according to the whole gospel will find that, when God speaks, His words are above his (the man’s) level of understanding. He will not understand what He is saying.

...though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

When you get to the place where you can reason with God, He will bring you to His level. There, whatever your past may have looked like, He will transform you so much, that it will be impossible for anyone to believe that you ever went through such an experience.

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

God is saying, ‘if you are willing to be instructed, to seek judgement, and obey all that you are taught; if you are willing to reason with Me and obey; then you will eat the good of the land.’

Brethren, there is good in the land you are in; there is good inside of you. If you are willing and obedient, nothing can stop you from enjoying the rich goodness that God has blessed your land with.

Remember, your sins, your past, your background may have been as bloody and stained as they come; they become irrelevant, when you are willing and obedient to reason with Him.

Do not reason with your past; do not reason with evil words or works. Reason with God.

Isa 41: 17-24

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

Many Christians come to God desiring just enough water to drink. Yet, our super abundant God is saying, ‘I desire to give you rivers.’

However, He can only hear, and give rivers to, those who talk to Him.

Many are too busy talking to man about their situations that they fail to seek God. When a Christian makes man his god, he can only get water; he will never get rivers...

God can only hear you when you talk to Him.

I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys

God will open rivers in you. This means that there are already rivers in you- rivers of power, fire, greatness, abundance- in you. When you come and reason with Him, He will activate in you, the original vision behind your creation. In doing so, the latent rivers He put in you will flow.

...I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

You are thirsty and in dire need of water. You seek man for help, but you are disappointed. This is a divine setup.

God has rivers in mind for you. Therefore, He stops men from helping you because they can only give you water.

If they help you, you will go on with that, thinking you have made it, when in truth, your original destiny is much, much more greater than what you have been given.

Why not talk to God instead, that He may open up the rivers of ideas, wisdom, boldness, initiative and power in you?

When you talk to Him, your life, which had been called a desert- useless, unprofitable, foolish, unfruitful- will become a pool of waters.

I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together

There is a divine purpose for the waters. God wants to plant.

Many have vision and ideas but lack the water to sustain and grow them.

Consider God’s wisdom: first, He opens the rivers; then He plants. This is so that the seeds will not die.

If you find that you come from a background that is teeming with evil oppositions, you are like a person farming in the northern part of this country. While his counterparts in the south can plant and go to sleep, he needs to provide irrigation for his crops.

In the same way, your tough background demands that you work harder, fight harder, dig deeper, in order to get your vision, ideas, talents, abilities to grow. You will do well to not compare yourself with others, but to get to work.

God will not plant visions of your great destiny in you, until He sees the rivers. However, when the rivers of mysteries and revelations are opened in you, He will give you ideas. These, sustained by the rivers, will never die. You can never go down in life.

A lukewarm Christian does himself a great disservice because he will suffer the frustration of seeing his ideas die in his hands.

However, the man in whom the rivers flow will find that the smallest idea will flourish in his hands.

That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

Until members of your household can see your life producing results- testimonies and experiences- that are uncommon to that family, you are yet to manifest as a Christian...you must become a mystery before their eyes.

This is why you must be willing and obedient, to be instructed in doing well and to know judgement. This is why you must come and reason with Him, so that He will transform your life.

When you come to Him, you will eat the good of the land because He will open up rivers in you, and plant seeds of greatness in you. Your once desolate life will become a land of fatness and trans-generational blessings.

When He does these in you, get ready, because ‘they’- the evil personalities in your household- will see it.

They will see the transformation, and they will know that it is uncommon.

They will also consider: they will look into their mirrors to enquire about the source of these uncommon blessings in your life.

Their investigations will lead them to understand, together, that all you have been blessed with came by the hand of the LORD.

This is my prayer for you: men will consider your life and understand that your blessings and testimonies are a product of the hand of God.

Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together. Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.

[You idols made by men’s hands, prove your divinity!] Produce your cause [set forth your case], says the Lord. Bring forth your strong proofs, says the King of Jacob. (AMP)

Whenever God begins to do something new in your household, beware. Idols, ancestral powers and personalities will not just fold their arms; they will speak!

God is revealing to you that they will produce reasons against you; strong reasons why you are not permitted to rise and why you deserve to die.

It is your responsibility to tell them that their reasons against your greatness are not reasonable enough to stop you, because they have expired.

Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen

These personalities will go into your past and seek to prove to you that; by virtue of what transpired then, you are not permitted to rise, at the threat of death.

Be ready to refuse their offer of failure, falling and death; because their reasons have expired.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• Holy Ghost, open Your rivers in me!

• You hands of the wicked over my life; your time has expired. Break and scatter now.

• You ancestral hands over the works of my hands; your time has expired. Break and scatter now.

• You ancestral powers that have vowed to do something against my life; you are a liar. Your time has expired. I bury you by fire.

• Whatever the wicked has declared against my life, waiting for an appointed time; I destroy you by fire.

• Any power bringing evil accusations against my life; I damage you by fire.

• Evil accusation brought forth against my life; I damage and destroy you by fire.

• Any power working tirelessly to renew or extend what has expired in my life; I destroy you by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

EXPLORING THE WORD FOR YOUR WORLD

UNDERSTANDING THE MYSTERY OF SPIRITUAL BACKUP IN DESTINY

REFERENCES: EZEKIEL 30: 6, JUDGES 4: 1-24, JUDGES 15:24- 31

We look into something in order to get better things from it; better things to work with; better things that enhance one’s life.

Therefore, we explore the Word- we look into it- to get deeper and better things: revelation, wisdom, strength, glory…in order to stand out in life.

The bible calls the Kingdom a treasure. Just as treasures are not found on the surface, the great substance of the Word is only available to the man who is willing to go beyond opening the Book. There are so many things buried in the Word.

The man who desires to change his world; to transform his environment, must be ready to look into the Word and dig out the deep mysteries from its belly.

A backup is an extra support. Everyone in the kingdom of Christ needs the extra strength and power that a divine backup provides.

Eze 30: 6

Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD.

God is revealing that the enemy of His people had a spiritual support system.

You must understand that any evil altar roaring against you has personalities supporting it. They are the powers that invoke the altar against you.

God is saying ‘I will deal with the backup and the altar will fall’. This is because the power on the altar will continue as long as the backup remains. However, once the backup is brought down, the altar will come down too.

As we proceed, note the following:

• Every spiritual engagement demands a spiritual backup.

• Understand your backup as your eye.

• Your backup is extra force that determines your speed in the battle of life.

• Your backup deserves your best.

Judg 4: 1-24

And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead. And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

The genesis of this story was that God sold Israel into the hands of the enemy because of their sins. This means that they were delivered into the enemy’s hands.

Now, this enemy oppressed them mightily for 20 years. Armed with chariots of iron, Sisera, the captain of the Canaanite army made their lives hell. Afterall, they had been sold out to him.

And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

Like Deborah, this is my time...and like Israel, you have also come for the judgement of God.

And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

Deborah sent for Barak and charged him to go into battle, declaring God’s words, that ‘I will deliver the captain of Jabin’s army and his multitude into your hands’.

And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

Barak understood that this was more than a battle between two captains. He could see that Sisera had a spiritual backup, and to confront him without a backup of his own was to court certain defeat.

Barak understood that he needed extra force. Therefore, he wisely insisted that Deborah go with him into battle.

Brethren, any battle without spiritual backup will cause a man to back down from the battle, and back out of destiny.

And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Oppression came upon Israel because God had sold them to their oppressor. When the time came for the oppression to end, God flipped the script, and sold the seller back to the buyer.

Beloved, for how many years has the devil been oppressing your household? As you explore the Word, understand that that happened because you were all sold out. Now, for the evil to end, the power to which you were sold out must now be sold out to you...

And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet. But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.

God will not do anything until there is a man or woman that is ready to fight. The Word says that God has sold the enemy and oppressor of your life into your hands, but you have got to rise and fight.

Whatever fight is before you, you will do wisely to follow Barak’s example. Understand that your intellectual ability and business acumen will not do. You must have spiritual backup.

Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle. And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

This woman saw the captain of an army that was on the run, and boldly invited her into her home. She quenched his thirst with milk, and gained his trust. He even set her as watch guard over her own home!

Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.

Who put the nail and the hammer there?

This woman did not know Sisera was coming her way, so she had not prepared any instrument of death. Yet, by divine arrangement, there was in her tent, within her reach, the nail and the hammer...

Remember that God had already sold Sisera out to a woman. Although, her name was not given, although she was not aware of the prophecy, something came on her and directed her to the instruments of death.

Ordinarily, no woman could have done this, but because the Word had gone forth, she was led to do the extraordinary.

Other women may sleep; others may keep waiting for their husbands to do the work; but woman that is Jael will reach for the nail and hammer, and do the needful.

Softly, she walked up to a man who was an experienced warrior- a captain of a great army for at least 20 years- and hit the nail into his  temples until it passed through his head and hit the ground.

So, he died.

So, shall your enemies die.

And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples. So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

Judg 15:24- 31

Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish. She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

When you kill the enemy that the LORD has delivered into the hands of your household, you shall be called blessed. Those who see that woman will see God’s blessings upon her, because she did what others could not do.

She took up the nail and the workmen’s hammer. She took up a task that should have been done by a man, and she did it well.

At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

Here, we are given the true picture of Sisera’s sleep. It was a divine set up against his life. He did not sleep; he bowed and fell at her feet. There, where he fell, he died.

The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots? Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,

As Deborah was to Barak, so was Sisera’s mother to her son- his spiritual backup.

This woman looked through a window- her diabolic looking glass-and consulted to know why there was a delay. She could sense in the realm of the spirit that things had not gone according to her expectations. In 20 years, things had gone according to her plan. However, she knew that something was different this time.

Are they not finding and dividing the spoils: a girl or two for each man, colourful garments as plunder for Sisera, colourful garments embroidered, highly embroidered garments for my neck- all this as plunder?(NIV)

Sisera’s mother, right in her home, had determined how the spoils of war would be divided. ‘What is taking him so long to destroy and plunder the land of Israel?’ she inquired. ‘Have they not found and begun to divide the spoils as I determined that they be shared- two girls for a man, beautiful wears for her son, and beautiful and embroidered wears, the best of all, for me?’

As the backup, as the spiritual force behind the outcome of the battle, it was understood that she deserved the best.

So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

No one can confront the sun when it is at its brightest.

For 20 years, this woman was the support of Sisera. However, Deborah, looked into the strength of Sisera and discovered it was his mother.

Therefore, by the power of God, the mother and her wise ladies fell. And because they had fallen, Sisera also bowed, fell and died.

So shall every backup of evil against you meet their end.

They shall bow, fall and die.

If you desire to win in life- to succeed without manipulation- at a speed that is beyond human comprehension, you need to acknowledge, submit to, and honour your divine backup with the best.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• Father, in whatever way I have violated this principle, have mercy on me. Help me to the right thing.

• Father, today, I receive the power to give the best to my divine backup.

• Raw fire of God, possess me this morning.

• Any agent of darkness standing as a backup to the wicked against my assignment; your end has come. I command you to bow, fall and die by fire.

• You candidate of the devil, that has been a backup of the wicked against my life; I bring you down. I slay you by fire.

• Any wicked personality sustaining an attack against my life and destiny; I slay you by fire.

• You evil thing, that has been ruling and oppressing in my household; I slay you by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

EXPLORING THE MYSTERY OF FASTING IN CHRIST:

FAST TO ACT

REFERENCES: ISAIAH 64: 4, MICAH 5: 7, ACTS 16:18-19

The bible records the Acts of the Apostles. You must also have your acts- the Acts of (put your name here)- in your household. Your family and the unbelieving around you must see and testify of your acts to the glory of God.

Isa 64: 4 (NJKV)

For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any god beside you who acts for the one who wait for Him

You have a responsibility to make every idol worshipper in your household or environment bow and acknowledge this truth: that there is no god like your God.

God has prepared the best for you. He also desires to act on your behalf and silence every god that has held sway in your household for so long. However, you must wait for Him to get all of it. Anyone who desires that God acts for him must be ready to fast.

Mic 5: 7

And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.

This promise is not for everyone. It is for the remnant- the few who understand the power of their God to save to the uttermost and trust completely in Him. It is for those who wait for no man to be blessed. They know that others must work extra hard to catch up with them because they are moving at the speed of the divine.

These ones are compared to the dew and showers of rain on the grass that do not wait for anyone’s permission.

Now consider: when dew falls or it rains, no one can deny it because its impact is present for all to see. This means that as a remnant, men will see the display of your glory and be confounded. They will wonder why it is that you prosper when they have not permitted you to do so, and they will see that your glory is like dew from the Lord; you do not need their permission to prosper.

In the midst of many people, you stand out- you prosper without begging any man. More than the dew, you can be like the rain and the wind, unstoppable in prosperity and glory.

When men rise and threaten to stop you, this is the judgment you wield against them- you have waited for God, therefore, like the rain, you do not to appease them to prosper.

Act 16: 18-19

And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone…

Brethren, it is time for you to be greatly annoyed at the harassment of the devil. It is time to kick the devil out of your life. So, wait on God, and then speak to the spirit. Do not speak to man about God until you have talked to God about the man.

But beware: workers of wickedness have a hope of profit in you, in your family, in your household ...that evil spirit that consoles them and assures them that you are still within their grasp.

Now, if the spirit is the hope of their gain, it means it is the hope of your loss. You will therefore do very well to kick out every hope of the enemy’s profit against your life. Cast out fear, anger, laziness, prayerlessness, indiscipline, immaturity… and call the Holy Ghost-the hope of your gain- into your life.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My soul, receive the raw fire of God.

• Fire of God, act for me.

• Fire of God, appear in my home.

• My life, receive power to prosper without permission from any devil.

• You hope of the wicked journeying with me; I cast you out of my life.

• Hope of the wicked in my soul, house, work; against my destiny, I cast you out and terminate your power by fire.

• Any altar working against my life; fire of God, scatter and waste them.

• Every evil counsel to waste my life; I command you to backfire.

• Powers that come at night to oppress me; I bind you and terminate your power.

PASTOR’S CORNER

EXPLORING THE MYSTERY OF FASTING IN CHRIST:

FAST TO ACTIVATE YOUR RIGHT IN CHRIST (B)

REFERENCES: PSALM 104: 24- 28, ACTS 10: 30- 34

Whatever you desire, whatever you are looking for is already in you. When you fast, you are simply working to bring out all that God has already predestined and deposited in you.

In the first part of this teaching, we learnt 5 main points about fasting:

• It brightens and broadens your vision. It makes your vision brighter and faster, making it easy for you to see more clearly and run much faster.

• It gives access to divine directives and directions. Therefore, you cannot be confused.

• It makes you a territorial commander. Whatever you say stands.

• It makes you a custodian of hidden divine knowledge and wisdom.

• It brings an end to every unlawful law.

Ps 104: 24- 28

O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.

Fasting is a responsibility every Christian must embrace with all joy. This is especially so, at a time of national financial challenges, because it is a time God desires to bless His people. Abraham and Isaac prospered in a time of famine because they waited on God and He taught them how to be great.

God wants to bless you at this time to show men that He is the true Source of riches, but you need to do the work.

If animals can wait on God to get their portion from Him in due season, then man is inexcusable.

Like the animals, you fast in order to bring forth your portion in due season.

Brethren, whatever God has not given to you will ultimately fall off. Whatever you chase after is not yours. When you wait on God, He will give you your portion in due season and that which He gives you is what you will gather. In business or ministry, those who come to you will be those that you have gathered in His presence.

If you desire outstanding wisdom, power, prosperity; wait with joy. Fast and study; then, you will see beyond the surface, accessing deep mysteries in His Word.

Acts 10: 30- 34

And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

Cornelius was the first Gentile to receive the Holy Ghost. He brought an end to the law that made it unlawful for Jews to relate with Gentiles. He also caused an apostle of God to fasted and

May you know how to fast and pray. This man fasted and prayed. He did not wait for his wife or anyone else in his household; he alone prayed. Yet, his labour bore fruit in the lives of everyone in his household!

Stop waiting for others to take up the mantle. Go home, fast and pray; take hold of God until all that He has prepared for you, even those held down by unlawful laws, are released unto you and your family.

How wonderful it is that God knows your name! How wonderful it is to know that He answers prayers.

After his fast, prayers and sacrifice, an angel appeared and gave Cornelius the go-ahead to send for Peter. He did not send to man until he had settled with God.

Brethren, do not send to man when you have not sent to God; to do so is to show that your trust is in finite man. However, when you have sent to God, you can then send to any man. It will not matter who he is, or what pedigree he claims; if God says ‘send to him’, he will surely come to you.

Cornelius did not just send for Peter; he summoned him to his house. A Gentile commanded a Jew and an apostle, and his command was obeyed. The angel said ‘when he comes’, meaning it was compulsory for Peter to heed the summons. And it was so. He protested the vision he saw, thrice, but he had no choice but to heed the call and go to a Gentile’s house. Can you imagine a Gentile telling a Jew and an apostle that ‘you did well to come’?!

Your helpers must come, and they will come to speak, to perform the divine assignment for which God has prepared them. Your job is to obey God’s charge and send for them immediately.

Peter could not deny the truth before him. He had to confess that God was indeed not a respecter of persons. He observed that what was happening was a divine arrangement, and he changed his judgement about the Gentiles. Cornelius proved that he was uncommon; he broke the unlawful law and activated his divine right to salvation.

Remember the 5 points we learnt about fasting?

• Well, Cornelius saw that there was someone in Joppa who he needed to send for.

• He also received divine direction about Peter’s location.

• As a territorial commander, he called Peter, a Jew, into his house, thus shattering the law of the land.

• Peter admitted that Cornelius has access to hidden mysteries. That is why he changed his perception and confessed that God is no respecter of persons.

• Lastly, he ended the law that made it unlawful for Jews to enter into the house of a Gentile.

It is time for you to stir up your soul. Who has called you common? What law is keeping away your divine rights from you? Be the man who fasts, studies and prays until laws are broken and perceptions are shattered in your territory, for your sake.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My soul, I charge you. Receive the fire to terminate every unlawful law attacking your greatness.

• Every unlawful law keeping my right (blessings, helpers, greatness) away from me; I damage your power and terminate you by fire now.

• Every unlawful law fighting to make my life common; I terminate you by fire.

• I send to all my helpers and portion. Come to me now!

PASTOR’S CORNER

EXPLORING THE MYSTERY OF FASTING IN CHRIST:

BUILDING YOUR LIFE IN CHRIST

REFERENCES: DEUTERONOMY 8:3, JOB 23:1-12, PSALM 37:28-33

Fasting is much more than the exercise of abstaining from food. It is a spiritual exercise that involves taking away the worldly in order to focus on the godly. While fasting, you take your eyes off the pleasurable things of this world and focus on the things of God.

Deut 8: 3

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

There seems to be a contradiction of sorts in this passage. Is it possible to suffer hunger and yet be fed? Can you be hungry and yet be eating? God caused them to go hungry, so that He could feed them with heavenly food. In the same regard, fasting is abstaining from physical food so that you can eat and be filled with spiritual food.

Unfortunately, the people did not know what they were eating, and their ignorance cost them their lives. The same can be said of many Christians today; they fast and study the Word, but do so in ignorance. They do not fully understand the great importance of the spiritual bread they are feeding on. This means that understanding is an important factor in the journey of fasting.

The Israelites were fed with heavenly bread, but did not understand the mystery behind it. They could not see that it was the source of their sustenance and therefore they despised it.

While fasting, you are waiting to receive from the mouth of God. What you receive from Him is what will sustain your life. Receiving this sustenance requires that you let go of every distraction- food, TV, social media. It requires that you invest your time in God- in eating His word and meditating on it until every virtue that is in it for you is thoroughly digested by your spirit, soul and body.

This truth is especially important for those who are in the wilderness of life. What you need to effect change in the wilderness of your life is the Bread.

Job 23:11-12

My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

Job called physical food necessary, but he acknowledged that there was something more necessary- something that deserves higher regard than the necessary things of this world. He gave higher esteem to the Word because that is the source of his strength, ability, defence, confidence, prosperity, life.

Job also said that he did not go back from God. This means there were things that wanted to draw him away from God, but he refused to let them.

Brethren, you must also fight to remain connected to God at all cost. You must fight the distractions of this world and refuse to be drawn away from your Source of Life.

Ps 37: 28-33

For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

Job remained steadfast in God because he had stored His law in his heart. If you must conquer the enemies that are fighting to make you slip and fall away, you must eat the Word and store God’s law in your heart. That is the anchor that will keep you connected to God, rooted in Him.

You must understand that the wicked are watching your steps. They watch- the way you live, pray, study the Word. They are watching, waiting to see your feet slip, for you to fall into error, so that they can slay you. I pray that you shall not be slain.

Brethren, the enemy is watching. He can watch for years, waiting for an opportunity to bring you down. It is your responsibility to eat well. Feed well in His word and receive the strength and stamina to fight and keep your place in God till the very end.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My Father, clothe me with Your fire.

• Higher power of God, cover me like a garment.

• Any evil hand drawing me away from the presence of God, I destroy you by fire now!

• Wicked powers working very hard to bring me down, you are liars. I slay you by fire now!

• Wicked authority waiting for me to fall, you are a liar. Be wasted by fire!

PASTOR’S CORNER

CREATING A NEW WORLD IN CHRIST:

CREATING A NEW WORLD IN CHRIST DEMANDS STRONG DETERMINATION

REFERENCES: ECCLESIASTES 2:3, ACTS 26: 9- 11, PSALM 101: 8

So, you have been exposed to the divine and you strongly desire to create a new world in Christ. You are also personally convinced that this new world in Christ is better than your old world. Good for you. However, creating a new world in Christ will only become a reality when you have the strong determination for it.

Nothing worthwhile comes easy. You must therefore back up your desire for, and conviction of a new world, with a strong determination to create it.  Your strong determination is what will keep you focused on your mission until it becomes your reality.

In order to fully understand the impact of strong determination, we are going to be looking at the negative desires of two men, and how their strong determination made these desires their reality.

Eccl 2:3

I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life

King Solomon was the wisest man and one of the richest kings. Yet, in spite of all his wisdom, he fell into error, and missed it. In order to answer the question, ‘why’, you must study the beginning of his life.

King Solomon, the wisest man, fell because he had determined in his heart to give himself ‘unto wine’, and lay hold on folly, and yet seek the wisdom of God. His heart desire in the early days of his life, backed up by his strong determination, became his reality, and his undoing.

Like Solomon, it is possible for a Christian to determine in his heart that a little alcohol consumption is not a bad thing, and once it is settled in the heart, he will do accordingly, eventually.

This means that once a thing is settled in the heart of a man, his mouth will speak it, and his hands will surely do it, eventually.

Acts 26: 9- 11

I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them I persecute them even unto strange cities.

The desire and zeal of Saul to fight the Church sprang up from his heart. Once he was strongly determined, he worked it out. He was so determined that he even refused to yield to the pricks in his conscience.

Note that once he was determined, he received the power to carry out his strong desire. This means that power will always be available to execute your strong desire, once you are determined to achieve it. His determination grew so strongly, that he became ‘exceedingly mad’ against the people of God.

Whenever you face serious attacks, it is because there is a power that is exceedingly mad against you.

You must also understand that you need such strong determination if you must do great exploits in Christ. Your resoluteness will make an unstoppable force in the realm of spirit. You will become immune to distractions and on your way to a life of distinction.  

SIMPLE  ARITHMETIC ...

    Desire   + Determination  –  Distraction =  Distinction

Ps 101:8

I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.

The summary of all we have learnt is: creating a new world- a new body, marriage, and financial situation- demands personal responsibility.

The devil is everywhere because he goes to and fro. How then does one create a new world, with the devil striving to be present in every area of one’s life?

The answer is simple: you must not permit anything that is contrary to the divine agenda of God to remain in your life, whether it be anger, wrath, immorality, sickness, poverty, affliction or torment.

God owns your body, your marriage...yet the devil strives to be relevant there. It is up to you to rise early and destroy all the works, hand, power and presence of the wicked there. The key is to be strongly determined, determined that only the will of God will be allowed in your land.

It is important that you start the work- of destroying the wicked- early. Failure to do so will leave you with regrets in your old age.

Now, where the wicked are, wicked deeds are inevitable, because wickedness proceeds from the wicked.

If you must therefore cut off wicked doers from the city of the Lord, you must firstly destroy the wicked. Once you understand that you are the city of the Lord (Matt 5: 14), you must make up your mind to have only the best of God, and be ready to eliminate all the wicked in your life.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My Father, I hand over my life to You.

• I receive the fire to create a new world in Christ.

• I receive the fire to fight and win the battle of distraction.

• Any stranger living with me to mess up my life- body, marriage, business, and destiny; I cut you off by fire.

• Any ancestral power working hard to influence my destiny; I destroy you by fire.

• Any power from anywhere, mad against my life and destiny; hear the judgement of the Lord. I destroy you by fire.

• You wicked powers, seeking my life by all means; I waste you by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

CREATING A NEW WORLD IN CHRIST:

CREATING A NEW WORLD IN CHRIST DEMANDS PERSONAL CONVICTION

REFERENCES: HEBREW 11: 13- 15, ACTS 17: 6-7, ISAIAH 38: 9-10

Creating a new world in Christ demands that you be exposed to the divine, and that your desire for a new world be enlarged. It also demands personal conviction because it is possible to be exposed to the divine but not be convinced or persuaded that it is real, and that it can give you the desired result.

Heb 11: 13- 15

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country...

These progenitors of the faith were persuaded that there was a better place to be, a better testimony to be had, and this conviction affected their confessions.

Jacob was persuaded that the Promised Land was better than Egypt, even though the latter was more prosperous at that time. So great was his conviction that he demanded to be buried in Canaan.

Joseph also walked in that conviction, and when Israel moved out of Egypt, his bones were carried out too, in accordance with his instructions.

Brethren, your confessions are a product of your convictions, because what you confess is an outflow of what you believe.

As long as you see your present life of error as good enough, you will not see the need for the best of God. However, when your convictions change, your confessions will change as well. Then it will not matter how much you prosper in error- spiritually, financially, in marriage- you will confess like the progenitors that there is a better country.

In order to create a new world in Christ, you must have the personal conviction that it is possible to walk in holiness and still be wealthy; you must be persuaded that the best is found only in Christ, and that it is yet to come. Then your confessions will reflect your convictions.

And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

Whenever you consider and judge your past as better that the promise that awaits you, you will find yourself going back, but those who are convinced otherwise will push on no matter what they face.

Abraham was called out of a prosperous land to inhabit a strange one, where he owned nothing. Yet he moved there, believing that it was indeed the Promised Land, as declared by God. However he had to pay for land he dwelt in, even though God had promised him the whole land. Still, he did not waver in his convictions.

Brethren, if you must create a new world in Christ, your mind and your language must change. In spite of every adversity, discouragement or obstacle on your way, you must be able to encourage yourself in the Lord and declare that God’s promise is the best. The past must no longer be a matter of consideration to you.

Acts 17: 6-7

And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

I pray that this also be your testimony...

Many Christians are unaware that the reason they are under a barrage of satanic assault is because of this testimony: they are renowned for being the man who turns the world upside down for Jesus.

The people sought to arrest the apostles because they turned the world upside down. When they were not found, they arrested Jason instead because he had received them into his home.

Now, these men could turn the world upside down and create a new world, only after they had done ‘contrary to the decrees of’ the old world.

Brethren, it is impossible to create a new world if you still live by the rules of the old world. That is why the Bible charges us not to love the world, because to do so is to be an enemy of God and His new world.

Those who say ‘no’ to the old world turn their backs to the ways, traditions and life choices of the old world because they desire the new world.

Both worlds have kings. If you must therefore create a new world, you must have the conviction that there is another King- Jesus Christ. Only then can you walk under the kingship of Christ and walk contrary to the work, power and judgement of the old king- the judgement of poverty, sickness, failure, loss, death...

King Hezekiah was a king who feared God and pleased Him in all his ways. He was the king who destroyed the brazen image, which had become a snare to the people of Israel...

When Isaiah, a major prophet, came to tell that he would ‘die, and not live’, he did something strange: he turned to the wall and prayed to God; and his prayers were heard! On that day, he changed the words of a major prophet and created a new world!

Now, Isaiah was no mere prophet. He was a prophet of reckon, who gave a clear picture of the suffering and death of Christ, as well as the captivity of Israel.

So, what gave Hezekiah the bold confidence that his prayers would reverse the prophetic declaration of such a man? What was it that made him continue in prayer until heaven spoke and Isaiah had to come back to reverse his ‘Thus saith the LORD...’?

Isa 38: 9-10

The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness: I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years.

It is impossible to testify of the power of God when you have not overcome certain experiences. Hezekiah could write about his deliverance from death because of what he went through.

Now, when the prophet came to him with the prophecy of death, Hezekiah did not accept it as the will of God. Rather, he saw that it was the conspiracy of darkness to cut off his days and deprive him of the residue of his years.

Whenever you discover that you strive and expect a full harvest of your efforts but only experience half, it is because the enemy is cutting off your expectations and denying you the remainder of your portion.

Although Hezekiah was not a prophet, he refused to accept that the enemy was going to deny him the remainder of his years on earth.

Like the woman with the issue of blood, who was persuaded before she touched the hem of Christ’s garment, Hezekiah also spoke with conviction. He could not accept untimely death as his destiny and so, he turned to God in prayer.

Hezekiah prayed because he had the conviction that it was his covenant right to live to a full old age. If you must speak as he did, you must also be convinced that 50% is not good enough for you. You must be ready to create a new world, where you receive ALL that is yours in Christ, no matter how had the enemy strives to deprive you of them.

If the words of a prophet in the calibre of Isaiah could not stop Hezekiah, It is time for you to turn to the wall and silence every power and personality fighting to deny you the residue of your blessing.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus;

• Fire of God, to reject nonsense; take over my life.

• Every wicked power denying me the residue of my blessings and my years; I scatter and destroy you by fire.

• Every judgement of evil that has been denying me the residue of my blessings; I destroy you by fire.

• Every judgement of the old king over my life; today, I destroy you by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

CREATING A NEW WORLD IN CHRIST:

WAITING FOR THE DIVINE FORCE

REFERENCES: JOHN 3: 8; ISAIAH 28: 16-20

We have learnt that the first steps towards creating a new world are to become a new man through exposure, and to enlarge ones desire to create a new world in Christ. Once these are in place, it is important to wait for the divine force.

The divine force is the force of God, as against the force of darkness that is responsible for the creation of evil- sorrow, disasters, loss, waste, afflictions, death... If anyone must therefore create a new world- of power, fire, perfect health, prosperity and victory- he needs to wait for the force of God.

In the beginning, God waited for the Spirit of God to move before creating anything. Therefore, if you speak when the Spirit of God has not moved, you will create nothing. You need the ‘tsunami’ of the Holy Ghost to make things happen in your life.

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 every one that is born of the Spirit.

If you desire an atmosphere of fire, peace, love, sound health, then wait for the wind of God. When you have this wind, you will experience whatever you desire. But that is not all; you will also become a mystery in every area of life. Your prosperity, success and dominion will amaze people around you.

If this is the case, why then do many Christians find it hard to get what they desire?

Isa 28: 16- 20

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste...

The reason Christians desire the best of God but do not experience it is because they are yet to understand this principle: salvation is simply the foundation. Just as no one can live in a foundation, no Christian can experience the power of God until he has been built up properly by the divine force. After salvation, it is important for a Christian to wait until he has built his life. Now, just as building a house requires patience, anyone who makes haste to build his life will be sorely disappointed.

Building your life as a Christian must also be according to divine principles.

Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet...

This building must be built with specific materials: the blocks of judgement and righteousness. This means that whatever blocks of judgement you lay must be in alignment with the foundation.

Just as a plummet is used to level the block and ensure it sits well, righteousness is the plummet God uses to determine if your judgement sits well. Until your judgement is levelled by righteousness, it cannot silence the wicked.

...and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

The refuge of lies refers to the hiding places of the wicked. This is where they hide in cover from the judgement you execute against them. However, God is asking you to wait for His force to build you in judgement and righteousness; when you do, He will send His hail to destroy their hiding places. Then, the power of the Holy Ghost shall overflow against them.

And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

This portion of the scripture refers to the wicked. One thing the enemy fights hard to stop in a Christian’s life is the power of God. This is because he knows that once you acquire the power of God, you not only get whatever you desire, you will also become a terror/threat.  At that moment, even the mere threat of attack from you becomes a source of fear to them. Therefore, he fights to stop you from getting the divine force.

Once the divine force comes upon you, the enemy’s confidence will be destroyed and he will be trodden down.

From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.

However, for this to be your testimony, the power of God must pass through your life daily- morning by morning, day and night. Then, the report of it will reach the wicked and cause them to be vexed and utterly terrified.

For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it

Now, consider this. Whenever you see caskets in your dream, it is a sign that you need the divine force. Here, the bed refers to a small casket used by the wicked to cage the lives of men.

They also have a covering, with which they cover and shield themselves from divine judgement. But God has declared that their sources of confidence will fail them.

It is now up to you to wait for the divine force of God. Once you have received salvation, you must wait until the fire of God is added to your salvation. Then, you can declare that the power of the wicked is too small to be effective against you.

PRAYER POINT

In the name of Jesus,

• Holy Ghost, add Your raw fire to my life.

• Every ancestral covenant with the devil hiding in any area of my life; fire of God, sweep them away now.

• Every evil covenant established against my life, fighting the manifestation of my glory; wherever you are, I sweep you away by fire.

• Every agent of darkness creating evil against me; hear the judgment of the Lord. I create destruction against you.

• Every evil created against me and transferred to my life; I command you to return to the sender.

• I shake off every demonic attachment to my life.

• Every evil stranger in my life; hear the judgment of the Lord. Go now!

PASTOR’S CORNER

CREATING A NEW WORLD IN CHRIST:

BECOMING A NEW MAN THROUGH DIVINE EXPOSURE

REFERENCES: EXODUS 3: 2- 5, EXODUS 20: 18- 20, ACTS 26: 13-19

Creating a new world requires that you first become a new man, and becoming a new man requires that you are exposed to God.

Whatever a man becomes in life is a function of what he is exposed to. No man is addicted to what he has not been exposed to. Drug addicts, smokers, TV and game addicts all have this in common: they are products of their exposure.

In the same vein, a new man is a product of divine exposure. The newness comes because he has been exposed to something new. Every Christian was a sinner until the truth was revealed to him. Then the heart believed and the mouth confessed to salvation.

Ex 3: 2- 5

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And He said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

When Moses said ‘I will now turn aside’, he really meant ‘I will walk towards this fire.’ That is why God instructed him not to move closer any more.

Many Christians today steer clear of God’s fire because they are fearful of what it will expose them to. However, those who truly love God will seek to draw closer to His fire in order to be exposed, refined and changed by it.

Ex 20: 18

And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

Moses’ journey began the day he drew near to the fire. He went on to lead God’s people out of Egypt and through the wilderness. However, God desired to do more than just display fire to the people. He desired that the people also experience what Moses experienced on the mountain.

Sadly, when the people beheld the wonder, their response was different from that of Moses; rather than move towards the fire, they moved away from it. In their conversation with Moses, they made it clear that they would rather not commune directly with God. Yet, Moses revealed to them the purpose of the exposure; God appeared in the fire to expose Himself to them so that His picture would keep them from sin.

It is inevitable that temptations to sin will come, but the secret to overcoming is to be exposed to God. The reality is that only a new man can create a new world. Anyone who still lives by the old life- of anger, violence, or immorality - is still addicted to the things he was once exposed to and has not yet been exposed to the fire of God. The bible says that we all walked in image of the first man, but now we walk in the image of the second (new) Man. We were exposed to the image of the first man in our parents and we walked accordingly. But now that we have been exposed to the second Man, we must walk differently.

Remember the divine principle: make a tree good and its fruits will be good. A new man will therefore translate to a new marriage, a new business, a new home, a new experience, new relationships, a new world...

Acts 26: 13-19

At midday O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto you for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee...

Brethren, only a man exposed to God can be His minister because no one can give what he has not been exposed to.  Paul could not but carry out the divine assignment he was given by God, because he knew the purpose for which Christ appeared to him: to make a minister and witness of him.

Now, divine exposure should not be a one-time only experience. Christ appearance to Paul was going to be an ongoing event. You must also desire to be exposed to the fire of God continually; as the bible says, as we behold Him, we are moved from glory to glory. The more exposure you experience, the more you change to be like Christ.

Whereupon King Agrippa I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision...

What Paul was exposed to affected his life such that not even the tribulations of life and the threats of death could shake his conviction. His boldness before the king was a product of his exposure. He heard the words of the heavenly vision and it was not possible for him to speak contrary.

When you are exposed to a new life, you will create a new world. The superior world you are exposed to will affect your marriage, career and business; the fire you see will make you bold and dangerous to the kingdom of darkness.

In the same vein, satanic exposure is the harbinger of a destructive life. Adam and Eve fell in the Garden because they were exposed to the forbidden tree. They saw it in a different light and concluded that its fruit was good and to be desired. That exposure cast them out of the Garden.

Men are addicted to destructive habits and evil powers because they were exposed to them and have concluded that they are good. The only way to deliver such is by exposing them to another world.

PRAYER POINTS

• My Father, I surrender my life to you. Please expose me to Your world.

• Holy Ghost, expose me to Your fire.

• Any negative power, nature and habit my life was exposed to; I destroy you by fire.

• Any demonic power my name was exposed to; I destroy your power over my name and life.

• My life, I separate from the power of my father’s house.