“Resentment kills a fool and envy slays the simple” (Job 5:2)

This is an African story I heard some time ago. Once upon a time there was a vulture that always envied his neighbor, the great eagle. Daily he looked up on the sky and saw the eagle soar effortlessly, higher than any other bird. The vulture tried to catch the wind that lifted up the eagle. But the same current of air injured him and brought him down. Even their feathers were so different…The eagle looked like a king and he looked like a beggar, or so the vulture thought…

Unhappy, angry and jealous the vulture went to ‘a native doctor’ to make ‘a medicine’ to kill the eagle. The man said that it is possible but he needs some of the vulture’s own feathers to prepare the poison. The vulture agreed and with his own beak he plucked some of his feathers. The medicine did not work and the native doctor said he needed some more feathers to make a stronger one. This went on and on. The vulture agreed and each time he left the shrine he had fewer feathers on his body.

Little by little, he became ‘naked’ and powerless. He then lost his ability to fly. One day, the eagle spotted a bird on the ground that looked like a turkey ready to be roasted. He quickly went down and carried the poor vulture to eat it for dinner. This is the sad story of a vulture that was foolishly envious of the great eagle.

What are the lessons? We are all born sinners. Envy is just one of the works of the flesh. Envy is a wicked thing; it means to desire what is not your own; to covet what is forbidden; to hate the success and blessings of others. Envy is resident in our flesh from birth. Envy kills its owner, it is suicidal. The child of envy is ungratefulness. An envious man is wicked and foolish, not thankful for the portion and destiny God has given to him.

Sinner, give your life to Christ! Come to the Cross of Christ for deliverance! Sin killed Jesus!  Envy has to be acknowledged as sin, repented of and replaced with peace, contentment and thanks to God. If not, it will be slow bitter poison to you, destroying any chance you have to be happy and fulfilled.

Oh…that we may desire to be grateful to God who freely, generously and graciously has blessed us with so many blessings in Christ Jesus!

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God!

I am grateful for salvation, for every blessings and gifts given to me by God!

I do not compare myself with others!

I thank God for the blessings given to others!

God is my portion and inheritance in the land of the living!

I am satisfied!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”… And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man” (Judg 6:12-16)

The story of Gideon is a favorite with many people. It encourages the weak, the foolish the timid. It calls us to be servants of Christ. God can change and use any man who is willing to pay the price for ministry.

This is the background of the story: the people of God abandoned the worship of Jehovah and went after idols. God judges their sin and allows the wicked Midianites to oppress them.

These are the descendants of Midian, Abraham’s son with Keturah. Her name means ‘incense’. The Midianites were related to the Jews but remained enemies to them. The name Midian means ‘strife, trouble’. They allow the Jews to plant and raise cattle but they attack just before the harvest to take it.

They represent the unsaved but religious people in the church. They cause division and a lot of harm in the congregation. These spirits do not die. They are merciless. They attack to steal the harvest, they cause miscarriages; they destroy the hopes gathered and the resources saved over the years.

We need the anointing and strategy of Gideon to prevail against them.

Gideon is an ordinary man, a ‘nobody’ but, Gideon is God’s choice. His name means ‘to cut down the enemy’. He has the name of a warrior but in reality, Gideon was not a soldier or an ambitious man. He was weak and timid. At the beginning, he was not sure of God’s call. But he was willing to change to be a leader, a servant of God.  Under God’s mighty training, little by little the holy chemistry of faith and courage began to manifest.  God needs to prepare His servant until his destiny begins becomes reality and the Word of victory comes to pass.

What is the application of Gideon’s story to us? What do I need to be a servant of God?

*I NEED THE FIRE OF GOD

First of all, Gideon offers to the Angel a blood sacrifice as a burnt offering. The fire of God comes supernaturally and consumes the sacrifice. A servant of God needs this fire in his heart and tongue. This fire is the anointing to feel the passion of Christ, to preach the Gospel with power from above. Fire alone purifies the heart and the motives for going into ministry. Nothing can replace it!!!

‘Lord, I need a personal Pentecost, a fresh fire, please…’

*I NEED THE PEACE OF GOD

The Angel introduces Himself as Jehovah Shalom. This is one of God’s personal names. Shalom is a great word. It means God’s greeting to man, the best blessings available to God’s children, the fulfillment of your dreams and your heart’s desire. In particular, it means peace, prosperity, wealth, health, the friendship and favor of God.

‘Lord, I need the peace that passes all understanding, please…’

*I NEED THE HOLINESS OF GOD

Holiness is God’s attribute to be different, special and pure. Holiness is the opposite of sin. Gideon has to be holy as God is holy. He learns to hate evil and all idolatry. In obedience with God’s command he destroys his father’s idol.

‘Lord, I need to be holy as You are HOLY…’

*I NEED THE PURITY OF GOD

Gideon is still not sure on how to proceed. There are still fears and doubts in his heart about the great plan of God for his life. He applies ‘the fleece test’. He makes two requests to God who called him to ministry. The first one is that fleece should be wet with dew and the ground around dry. The second is the opposite; the fleece should be dry and the ground wet with morning dew. The fleece is a symbol of man’s heart and the ground represents the world.  A wet fleece represents a heart filled with the Holy Spirit that is free from the dryness of the environment. A dry fleece is a symbol of the cross; the flesh is dead to sin. The heart is totally separated from the attraction of the world. This proves that God changes a man’s heart deeply.  He uses only a man who is free from the love of the world, from the influence of the circumstances around him.

‘Lord, I need to be pure in my heart and free from the attraction of the world around me…’

In Christ I declare:

The Lord is with me!

I am a mighty man (woman) of valor!

No weapon fashioned against me shall prosper!

I am free from the oppression of sin!

Circumstances around me cannot change my decision to serve God and to give Him all the glory!

I look only unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith!

I have total victory!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high [and defend you]; send you help from the sanctuary and support, refresh, and strengthen you from Zion” (Ps 20:1; 2; AMP)

This is the promise of Jehovah, the Self-Existent One. He is the only Living God who needs nothing from outside His Person to exist eternally! This is His pledge:  to be with you when you are in in trouble; when you are under attack, alone and sick, abandoned or in pain….when lawyers abandon your case for ‘lack of evidence’… when doctors cannot find the source of your fever… when friends forsake you and the neighbors mock you… when you are ‘too old’ to marry and ‘too barren’ to have a child… when your need is greater than the supply… when hell has found your address and is ready to pay to kill… when prayer ‘does not work’ and the inspiration for singing has dried…

“Holy Spirit, please, come down!!!”

May God who wrote your name in the Book of Life remember you, help you, support, refresh and strengthen you! May God disappoint your fears, melt your doubts, arrest your sickness, fight against your oppressors and overturn the tables! May the power of praise in worship in Zion locate you and ignite a fresh holy fire in you! May the hand of God lift you up, far above the reach of all your enemies! May the increase of God’s kingdom include your home! May you see your children’ children! May you rejoice always, for God is with you!

To the Glory of God who can never fail!

In Christ I declare:

I have seen the downfall of satan!

My trouble shall become my testimony!

I shall always praise and worship the God of my salvation, healing and deliverance!

God is my ever present Help in times of need!

Zion is my hometown forever!

Revival is my portion!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

“Elijah came near to all the people and said: ‘How long will you halt and limp between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him! But if Baal, then follow him!’ And the people did not answer him a word.

So they took the bull given them, dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, O Baal, hear and answer us! But there was no voice; no one answered. And they leaped upon or limped about the altar they had made…And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with knives and lances until the blood gushed out upon them…Midday passed, and they played the part of prophets until the time for offering the evening sacrifice, but there was no voice, no answer, no one who paid attention” (1Kg 18:21-29; AMP)

Let’s go on an imaginary trip to the top of Mount Carmel in Israel. This is the story of the mighty confrontation between the gods. Elijah was the only ambassador for Jehovah. On the other side were hundreds of false prophets representing Jezebel and the devil. Many people came ready for free entertainment. Then Elijah sounds the trumpet: No more doubting! No more ‘halting and limping between two opinions’! You make up your mind and chose who do you want to serve: Jehovah God or the idols! This battle is unto death! The winner takes it all! The loser shall die!

The word ‘doubt’ in this scripture it means to dance with a limp, insecure of your steps. Foolishly, the prophets of Baal picked up the challenge! The ‘burial ceremony’ of Jezebel has started! Her prophets started dancing ‘upon and around’ their altar calling for fire to come. Just imagine the scene! It was like an audition for cripples’ break dance in the woods. The music changed, the melody modulated, the drums changed the rhythm…and yet, nothing happen! When their dance did not gain any converts to the new ‘ballet school’ in town, they tried their final desperate ‘prayer’.

‘Blood must flow today…’ –they said to themselves.  So they cut themselves with knives until their blood stained all around. The spectators were speechless. The spectacle was much more they could have imagined. The ‘actors’ played the part of the prophets and sang and sweated and cursed and danced some more. This drama should have had ‘a happy end’, that was their prophecy…with all the effort and rehearsals for such a day like this…The reputation of Baal was at stake…The people of God, his slaves, may refuse to worship him in case of failure…All hell backed up the show that afternoon…demons were on high alert… emergency coven crew scratched their heads…but the curtain did not rise, the power generator refused to start, the lights blew off and the spectators killed themselves in a panic stampede…

There was no voice, not even an apology coming from the devil. His defeat was total….All people whispered:  ‘the idols are dead…our religion is a disappointment…’

Then evening came, time for the sacrifice at the temple.  The angels came around to see… Elijah prayed to God! It was a simple prayer to the God of the covenant. And the fire fell! Glory to God! El Anah Esh, the God who answers by fire has spoken! He is the only Living God! Jehovah is in charge! He calls the disappointed backsliders back to Himself again!

‘Come home son! Come home daughter!’

Dear friend, Come and pray and worship and sing and dance to the Lamb that was slain! None who trusts in the Lord shall be put to shame! There is no disappointment with Jesus! Praise His holy Name!

In Christ I declare:

The God of Elijah is my God!

Jesus is Lord!

The devil is defeated in my life, in my home!

Revival shall come to my city!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

“We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help…

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need”

(Heb 4:16; TM; NKJ)

We have arrived before the throne of grace. The Lord Jesus is the High Priest. The Lamb upon the throne is there to give grace and mercy for them who are truly in need. Until we understand the revelation of God’s mercy to sinners, we cannot proceed to the higher realms. This royal mercy is the anchor that connects us to the Lord, more clearly revealed when we stumble and fall.

Grace means unmerited favor from God. He sovereignly gives gifts and blesses His people in spite of their sins. Grace destroys all boasting of self and pride. Of necessity, the release of royal grace leads to worshipping the King.

Mercy is God’s sovereign kindness to a sinner who was His personal enemy. Mercy is God’s attitude of compassion to one who suffers the terrible consequences of his sin. In the absence of mercy, the sinner has to die a slow and terrible death, with no human cure available.

When in great trouble, look up and see the throne. Then you shall see His hand waving to you, calling you ‘Come higher…’ So ‘let us’ come boldly to the only place in the universe where we can find help, protection, provision and miracles.

Please observe…such royal blessings come only to them that are ‘in need’. The Lamb upon the Throne is not available to all in the same way. There are many people who suffer, are poor or sick. God has to qualify your status as a person ‘in need’. The word means to lack something vital, to be in want, poor and suffering unto death. Without the mercy of God, the need will kill you. Need is not a selfish desire or a superficial want. Often we confuse need and want, but God is never deceived.

For the release of mercy, we are invited to come ‘boldly’. This word is more connected with the speech. It means to pray with confidence and faith. It describes a free, open speech without any manipulation, religious hypocrisy or deception. For example, in the army, a solider has to ask permission from a senior colleague before he can speak openly. It is not enough to be in trouble. He has to ask for the favor of free speech. If permission is not granted, he cannot trespass his boundary and ‘speak up his mind’.

This type of desperate prayer of need is done when there is no human help available. Another example is this: in the Bible, all widows are not the same. They all suffer but not in the same way. Some have families who can help them. But some have no human help at all. They have been serving God for long time and now they are alone. These are called ‘widows in need’ and they alone have the right to come before the throne of grace to ask for help from God (1Tim 5). The promise is that mercy and grace shall be given in a supernatural way. This is how miracles happen.

“Father, I am sorry for the many years I have wasted deceiving myself that I can do it on my own. The truth is that I need You. I need Your mercy and grace. I need a fresh touch from You. I need Your power, Your resources and Your guidance. Without You I can do nothing. It has come to that…My need has brought me to You. Please receive me…I am Your child…broken and lonely, sick and wounded, O Lamb of God I come, I come…”

In Christ I declare:

“I need Thee, Lord, I need Thee, every hour I need Thee…Bless me now my Savior, I come to Thee…”

In Jesus name

Amen!

SUFFICIENT GRACE
“He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again”
(by Anne Flint 1866-1932)

“For a prayer life that grips the attention of the heavenly throne room is not built beneath calm, sunny skies but shaken during dark, sorrow filled nights. A serious prayer life is hammered out on the anvil of pain and anguish, desperation and despair, when hope hangs on a tattered thread and all human resources are gone. There and only there does the answer to the request come. Here is where the vital prayer life commences which gains the cupped ear of the Almighty as he leans over to listen more intently to the pathetic sobs and anguished heart cries which in desperation reach out for his robe of righteousness to grab hold of and not let go until the answer is attained. To become a person of prayer is to be a shrill, holy note which continually rings the ears of angels and rattles the gates of glory.
Listen, friends, a true prayer life is not borne out of comfort and prosperity, but through trials and adversities. In your leanness, you will learn to lean upon him. Through your rolling on stormy seas, you will learn how to effectively storm heavens portals for deliverance. When friends fail, disappoint and desert you, you will seek and find favor with your faithful friend Jesus. A desperate life of prayer shakes the gates of hell and influences our generation all for the glory of God. Do you believe that? I do. A strong prayer life will make you fear God and not man.
Oh friend, I beg you to fall to your knees and confess your lack of prayer to God. Be honest with him and ask him to help you redeem the time in your generation to show you the foolishness of your favorite pastimes and the wasted time consumed on them. It is time to put away our idols and lay hold of God for this lost and perishing generation of hell-bound sinners and hell-bound unconverted church members.
Dear brother pastor, if you want power with God and influence over man, go to your knees and stay there. Ask God to make your very bones afire for him to where you can ignite others with your holy life of prayer and powerful preaching. This is a call to the pulpits in our land to take back this land for God and for our children and our grandchildren. Go to your knees, church, fall on your face, beg God above heaven and earth on our behalf and pour water upon this dry, thirsty land of ours today.

Let us pray…
O Great God, you are the Ancient of Days. You are Holy and your are worthy to be praised. Give us the grace, O Lord, to seek thy face in desperate and prevailing prayer. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit to pray in the Spirit so that kingdoms will be shaken for thee. O Great God, forgive us for our selfish enterprises, our wasted time spent on useless things, things that don’t matter, things that you see as dust in light of eternity.
Help us, Lord Jesus, to be persons of prayer. Mighty persons of prayer that you empower to perform your purpose. Help us to shake the very gates of hell with such power that we push back the darkness in our communities and usher in your presence in a Holy Ghost revival that will grip this nation with the awful solemnity of your presence.
Come, O Lord, and take the field in a great revival of religion, I pray. Come pour your Spirit upon this dry and wasted land. Come save our children. Come save our grandchildren. Come, Lord Jesus, and once again permeate our sanctuaries with your presence and your preeminence. I pray in the strong name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen”
(from a sermon by E. A. Johnston)

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep” (Jn 10:11-13)

There are only two types of pastors and leaders in the church: the true and the fake. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd, who owns the flock. He died so that He can purchase the flock by His own Blood shed on the Cross. He loves them passionately and intimately. He knows and calls each sheep by name.  He guides them to good places of pasture. He feeds them. He protects them from all attacks from within and without. The Good Shepherd has scars on His Body to prove that He fought against the wolves that attacked the flock. He is the Eternal Overseer of our souls! Praise His Holy Name!

A hireling is a selfish pastor who works just for money. That is his main purpose for doing ministry. When the hireling is the pastor, the picture is tragic. The congregation is starved spiritually. The hireling does not care for the spiritual needs of his congregation. The sermons are watered down. He does not preach the true doctrines of the Bible. He does not rebuke sin. He talks stories and quotes mostly from other books. The sinners feel ‘at ease in Zion’; there is no fear of God, no desire to repent of sin. The hireling does not pay the price for the intimate communion with God, for holiness, for spiritual maturity and character. He does not invest time and energy in the ministry of prayer and the Word. He is interested more in the social status and the bank accounts of his congregation than in their souls. The evil agents of the devil come and go freely among the brethren. They attack the true believers with slander, hurt and scatter them. The hireling pastor just excuses these evil attacks and does not really stop them. The hireling manipulates the congregation emotionally to give more money. There is no unity of the Spirit between the pastor and the people. This invisible division hinders the move of the Holy Spirit and the manifestation of the supernatural. The miracles are absent. The worship team looks confused, lonely, unprotected and isolated spiritually. There is no clear vision of true worship. Nobody wants to join the choir for fear of exposure, mockery and unexpected loss. This is a sad but real picture.

I am so sorry if you attend such a church…

This is the wonderful picture of the ‘ideal’ church. All true pastors are ambassadors of the True Shepherd. They take care of the congregation in His name. They pay the price for godliness and spiritual maturity. They invest time and effort in the ministry of prayer and the Word. They feed the flock by preaching the correct doctrines of the Bible. They pray for their congregation. The people feel covered and safe under the true leader. The congregation grows in faith and in numbers; spiritually and materially. The Word preached from the pulpit comes with the power and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The worship team is committed and zealous to serve God. Many in the congregation desire to ‘join the choir’. People freely and cheerfully pay their tithes and the offering basket is always full. The evil religious people, the false brethren and the agents of the powers of darkness are always disappointed by their lack of success in such a church. They have just one option: to repent of evil or leave the church. The visitors are in awe at the peace, joy, order and freedom evident during the services. They also observe the unity of the Spirit between God, the pastor, the elders and the congregation.  The Holy Spirit moves unhindered and miracles happen often.

Blessed are you if you attend a church like this!

In Christ I declare:

The Lord Jesus is my Shepherd

I shall not want…

In Jesus name,

Amen!

“There is none who does good, no, not one.

Their throat is an open tomb;

With their tongues they have practiced deceit;

The poison of asps is under their lips…

Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness” (Rom 3:12-14)

Apostle Paul quotes these two Psalms (14 and 53) in the Book of Romans chapter three. Just in case the Jews or the religious people thought that they are better or wiser than the foolish pagans, here they are convicted by the same words. When it comes to sin, the religious Jews and the pagan Gentiles stand condemned shoulder to shoulder. They all need a Savior. They all need salvation which is found in Christ alone. Here in the Book of Romans the picture of the Biblical fool is even more tragic. The sin of foolishness has reached its climax.  All unbelievers are called ‘unprofitable, deceitful, full of bitterness, dangerous criminals, destructive and miserable…’ They are enemies of God, strangers to truth, to all goodness, mercy and peace. They totally lack the fear of God which is the seed, the beginning of wisdom. They are wicked, foolish and dangerous doubters.

Do not excuse foolishness! Fools are not ‘innocent and mild’ sinners. When the fool says in his heart that ‘there is no God’ he denies all things pertaining to God. The fool ignores and opposes the Word of God, the Kingdom of God, the servants of God, the Holy Spirit, even the very presence of God that gives him breath. The fool cares nothing about cursing, slander or mocking all God’s children. They cause much harm thru their selfish, deadly words. Their main weapon is their mouth; they hurt and try to destroy the faith of many with their bitter, poisonous words.

Have you ever experienced the provocation of a religious fool? You need to be filled with the Holy Spirit to escape unharmed. Their words are like fiery darts. You need to put on the whole armor of God, especially the shield of faith to quench such aggressive foolishness coming from ‘a believer’! Selah!

“Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but provocation by a fool is heavier than both’ (PV 27:3)

Do not underestimate a fool’s mouth…Do not think that a fool is funny…Fools deny God because they refuse to worship and to give Him the glory! May God have mercy on them and us all!

In Christ I declare:

I reject all foolish and empty arguments!

I put on the whole armor of God!

I am filled with the Holy Spirit!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Run away from infantile indulgence. Run after mature righteousness—faith, love, peace—joining those who are in honest and serious prayer before God. Refuse to get involved in inane discussions; they always end up in fights. God’s servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool, working firmly but patiently with those who refuse to obey. You never know how or when God might sober them up with a change of heart and a turning to the truth, enabling them to escape the Devil’s trap, where they are caught and held captive, forced to run his errands” (2Tim 2:22-26; TM)

This is a promise I claim when praying for a backslider. This is the truth: no man can repent in his own strength. Salvation is of God alone! There is no need to manipulate salvation or deliverance. It never works that way. It is not by might, not by power, not be shouting, not by quarrelling…but by the leading and the anointing of the Holy Spirit who alone convicts of sin thru genuine godly sorrow. It is easy to become frustrated and disappointed as an intercessor or a teacher. That leads to foolish dangerous impatience that destroys much good in the ministry of a mentor. Just make a vow before God that no matter the situation, in all circumstances, you shall never lose your temper and you shall never quarrel with your students or with your children. A servant of God never quarrels! That is a loser’s method! I promise: you will never regret this vow of power, love and self-control! In times of pressure, when evil people expect you to argue and shout, you shall remain cool and show self-retrain! These are the marks of a mature believer, totally submitted unto his God.

The unbeliever or the backslider may look free, but they are in fact kidnapped, trapped by the devil. They cannot say what they want to say. They cannot go where they want to go. It is not just that they are not willing, but for as long as they are trapped and deceived by the evil one, they are unable to be free. They are ensnared by sin and by the devil. They are ‘brainwashed’ to cooperate with their kidnapper and work for him. This is a real bondage that needs real deliverance, not just talk!

As an intercessor, pray that you may see the demon behind your people. Pray that you may know the difference between their voices and the voices of the interfering demons! For as long as they remain in bondage, they shall manifest ‘a split personality’ that can deceive many with opposing ideas coming from the same mouth.

You need to pray for the strength, patience and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to be faithful in prayer and in the ministry of a teacher of the Gospel… You cannot know how long this sacrificial ministry may last before there is a breakthrough!  Pray for your ‘student’ and continue to teach him, by words and actions! As a teacher, as a husband, as a wife, as a parent, never give up on your ‘students’! Even if they are the most stubborn, rude, proud and foolish people you know, continue to pray and teach them the truth! The Gospel of Christ Crucified…the power of the Blood…that is the truth! That is the power able to destroy all bondages! Learn to forgive when there is need for that but still move on with prayer and teaching! Is deliverance or healing still needed? Then have faith and press on…

Look ahead and see this vision: The devil loses more and more ‘errand’ boys and girls!!!

It does not matter how many times I failed or how many times I lost a good opportunity for ministry. At last, we made it! Against all odds, we made it! And the wonder is this: I made it not alone, but with my students and my colleagues, as a congregation, as a fellowship, as a church, as a Body… together forever! Only God can take the glory for such deliverance, for such a long awaited exodus! Now I am sure that revival will spread to the whole city! I believe!

I cannot describe the satisfaction, the joy of victory and success once God grants freedom all around…

It is not easy, but oh…it is all worth it!

In Christ I declare:

I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me!

I pray always!

I patiently teach the Word of God to all who have ears!

My whole family is saved and delivered!

None is left behind!

I believe!

To the glory of God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!

When the Lord restores his people,

let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad” (Ps 14:7)

King David wrote Psalm 14 as a young man. Much later he wrote Psalm 53. Both Psalms are almost the same, word for word. It means that over the years David confirmed his first assumption that fools may be religious but they do not really believe in God. A reprobate is a fool. Each word in the Bible is to be taken seriously, but when God repeats them twice, it is a warning to give great attention to the truth revealed there.

The fool is described as a dangerous man. His life is reckless and wasteful. There is a danger in becoming too friendly with a fool. The world is fascinated with foolishness. The sinner hates God so much that he is willing to become a fool.  This fashionable mysterious foolishness is connected with witchcraft.

But the end of both Psalms is filled with hope. In this world of sin, with so much pain and sorrow, we are called to rejoice when God comes down to free His people from the grip of the godless fool. This is a call to prayer, to repentance leading to salvation. Freedom and deliverance is the reward for them who pray for revival in the land. The release of the backsliders from the prison of doubt and foolishness is compared to an exodus from a deadly bondage. There is hope! We shall continue to pray and trust God!

In Christ I declare:

The unrepentant godless fool has failed!

I am saved!

I am delivered from the spell of foolishness!

Revival is here!

In Jesus name

Amen!

THE BIBLICAL FOOL (2)

“The fool has said in his heart,

“There is no God.”

They are corrupt,

They have done abominable works,

There is none who does good” (Ps 14:1)

The word ‘fool’ in Hebrew is ‘nabal’. It means someone who is stupid, disgraced, wicked and worthless, a loser, a failure, withered, wasted and coming to nothing.  A fool is a corrupt, wicked, evil and ‘filthy’ man. It means someone who made a mess out of his life, who is confused, aimless with no focus or vision for the future and who eventually destroys himself.  He claims to be wise but he understands nothing. He does not understand God, life in general or even himself. He is ignorant of the fact that there is a spiritual realm behind this visible world. He does believe that there is nothing good in the natural man; that man needs a personal Savior. He is ignorant that there is a heaven and a hell.

A fool is called an evildoer, a worker of iniquity; a man who has gone astray from the good path prescribed by God to all men, that they may be saved.

A fool is ‘a mad man’, dangerous to all but especially to the believers. His lack of vision, his spiritual blindness, combined with his recklessness makes him dangerous indeed. His hobby is to persecute the believers, to make them fall or backslide. Then he is happy and encouraged to continue in his foolish path of destruction. Like a hunter, he has perfected the skill of killing the faith of many. He frustrate the plans of the poor, he lacks mercy and goodness in his relationships with others. A fool is proud, un-teachable and unwilling to become humble.

A fool may be religious. He may go to church regularly, but in his heart, in his spirit he denies God. He may say it with his mouth that he believes in God, but there is no sign of fruitful faith manifesting in his life. He does not seek God. He does not study the Word of God. A fool does not pray and mocks all them that do. A fool is not interested in God’s opinion. He has his own ‘pet’ ideas and he is not willing to change. He does not read the Bible but gathers his information thru the media or thru gossip.

A fool is a proud man; he thinks that he can be good without God. He thinks that if there is any heaven anywhere, he can arrive there by his own goodness and self-righteousness. A fool thinks that he can save himself from any danger, trouble or hell.  

A fool is a ‘disappointment’ to God and men. God is looking down to see if He can be gracious to any on earth, but all He sees are proud, rebellious wicked fools. Like Noah’s dove, grace finds no place where to land her feet and rest. All God sees on earth are reckless fools who ignore and fight Him. Therefore, God has no other option but to judge their sin. Suddenly, fools start to tremble. The same fool that ‘says in his heart that there is no God’ is the same who is now filled with fear and confusion. He is disappointed in the fake protection of his own unbelief but too stubborn to let go of it. He is jealous on the godly man and covets his peace. But he is unwilling to humble himself and cry to God in repentance. And so, he still remains a fool…

This is a simple question: are you a fool?

The lesson is to pray for wisdom and discernment, to detect and to avoid a fool. Imitating a fool, that is a dangerous path, for you become a fool yourself (PV 26:4). Religion does not help a fool become wise. The only hope for a change is found at the Cross of Christ.

I was a fool for many years. I could not have believed the truth if it was not for the conviction of the Holy Spirit. My unbelief in God made me a fool. My education could not change the truth that I was a fool. I tried to defend my position claiming ignorance about the Spirit realm, but all my excuses proved to be useless. God judged me based on the amount of light that came on my way. The stars in the sky blinked their testimony, that there is a God who made them all. I had no other option left than to join them in declaring that God exists! From everlasting to everlasting, God is God! Independent from people’s opinions, separated from their sin and foolish talk, the Holy Living Creator of the heavens and the earth is God! Jesus is Lord! May my soul desire the dwelling of God and the fullness of His Spirit!

In Christ I declare:

I reject foolishness and evil!

I have the mind of Christ!

Christ is my wisdom and my righteousness!

I daily grow in favor and in wisdom with God and men!

Eternal joy is my inheritance!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

“Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,

As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,

So our eyes look to the Lord our God,

Until He has mercy on us” (Ps 123:2)

As we climb higher on the slopes of Holiness Mountain, we are reminded that we are servants of God. The word really means a bond slave, the property of the master. A slave has no rights at all, no money, no inheritance, no identity and no purpose apart of his master. The master went to the slave market and bought the slave he wanted with his own money. From the moment of the transaction, the slave belongs to the master. He has the right to kill him or to adopt him as his son. The slave depends on his master for everything, including life itself.

The household slaves were trained more rigorously than the rest to please their master. They had to learn the sign language of the master, like they are deaf and dumb. The master used his hand to talk to them. He does not have to shout and tell them what to do. His hand ‘speaks’…“Come, go, wait, bring water…” all these are the signals of the hand. A slave is to understand his master’s desire thru the movement of his hand. Like the conductor of the orchestra, all eyes are on his hand that holds the baton. Any misunderstanding of the signal and there is rebuke and punishment. But together, under the hand of the King, the throne room is orderly, quiet and perfect. The visitors wonder and stand in awe saying: ‘Your Majesty, your slaves are greater than our kings on earth…’

The attitude of a slave is that of patiently waiting and watching. His attention is directed only to a particular ‘object’: the hand of his (her) master. This is a spiritual posture, a skill that comes with time, with experience, to them that pay the price for it. There is need for spiritual exercise, diligent study of the Word of God, meditation and prayer. Like good sweet wine, it takes a long time before you are able to stand on the slopes, dead to any danger to yourself and fully focused on the hand of your Master. This is a picture of deep communion between the soul of the believer and His Lord, Jesus Christ.

The word ‘hand’ in Hebrew basically means an overflow of power, resources and sense of direction. In particular it means the ability to pay off any debt. Other meanings are spiritual connection, fellowship and ordination for ministry.

Spiritually speaking, I am a bond slave of Jesus Christ, the Lord. He is my God. My duty and privilege is to look unto Him alone for everything: for my wealth, health, prosperity, promotion, power, identity, sense of direction, fellowship and anointing for ministry. I have to learn to respect, trust and understand His hand, the the leading of His Holy Spirit. Even in the absence of a particular Word from His lips, I am supposed to know what to do for Him. In my fellowship with my Lord, I will be quick to understand His heart and move at His bid. ‘Baby’ Christians need loud commands and even whipping on their backs before they obey their Master. This is the necessary training to serve the One who is Holy. But I rejoice in this wonderful training of a household slave. I rather be a slave to Jesus than a prince in the harem of the devil. After many mistakes, overcoming impatience and much distraction, I now learn to focus on the Hand of my God. My only business is to wait for Him. When ‘on duty’ in the throne room, I am not concerned with the status or needs of angels or men. My destiny is to serve Jesus Christ. I pray daily that I may willingly and gratefully receive this blessed portion for my life, to be His slave.

“Without Me you can do nothing…” I can nothing on my own. That is why I look at His hand that can do all things. His hand is powerful because he is God. His hand is rough because He came as a servant to earth. His hand is scarred because He died for me. For saving my soul, I have no words to express my gratitude, than to be His bond slave forever!

His royal hand is filled with compassion and healing and blessings. In the throne room people come and people go. There are greetings, choirs and dancers, recitals and poems…noises and thundering…But my eyes are steady on the face of my master, on His hand of mercy… I do not care about Queen Sheba’s gown…I do not observe the jewels of King Herod’s crown…I ignore Naaman’s gifts and garments…I close my eyes to Ahab’s entourage…I do not blink sighting Goliath…kings and kingdoms shall pass away…even the cherubs, they look like plaster on the wall to me…for I have eyes only for my Beloved Master, King of kings and Lord of lords, the Lamb upon the Throne, waiting for His hand of mercy to move upon us…

’Here I am O Lord, send me…’

In Christ I declare:

I am a bond servant of my Lord Jesus Christ!

I am satisfied!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“The fool has said in his heart,

‘There is no God’…

They have all turned aside,

They have together become corrupt;

There is none who does good…

No, not one!”  (Ps 14 and 53)

DEFINITION

The world defines a fool as someone who is not intelligent, who cannot think fast, lacks wisdom , common sense or a good memory; one who is a failure, makes a lot of mistakes, unprofitable, still poor even after much work, failing all his exams, proud ‘for nothing’, rude and lazy. In the natural, foolishness is something associated more with the intellect than with the state of the spirit. Men believe that good education and hard work can eliminate foolishness from the mind of a child. But in the Bible, the definition is different. Foolishness is a spiritual sin. An unbeliever is called a fool. Any man who denies the existence of God, who is not born again, who resists the Holy Spirit, who rejects Christ as his only Savior, that man is a ‘Biblical’ fool. Any man, no matter how educated, no matter how wealthy, but ends up in hell, he is a fool. He may be very intelligent, have a doctorate degree, be successful in business and famous in the world, but if his soul is not saved thru Christ, then he is a fool. Selah!

EDUCATED FOOL

In his heart the fool says ‘there is no God’. Here, the word ‘God’ in Hebrew is the word ‘Elohim’ which is one of God’s names. The Bible does not defend the existence of God. It takes it for granted that the reader is a believer. God introduces Himself in the Bible as Elohim. ‘In the beginning, God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth…’ (Gen 1:1) Elohim is a more general name of God, presenting Him as the Creator and the Sustainer of the Universe. A fool does not believe that the Person of God, Elohim, created the universe just by the Word of His mouth. A fool lacks the true saving faith, the belief the God created all things out of nothing. He has a sick imagination thinking that the universe was made by itself.

The scientists say that the observable universe is about 46 billion light years in radius and it is expanding continuously. It is made of all the objects in the ‘sky’ and the space in between. Most of the scientists in the world today have approved the idea that the universe was made by itself, thru a cosmic explosion long ago. They call it the ‘Big Bang’ theory. They say that about 13 billion years ago, the universe was in an extremely hot and dense state and began expanding rapidly. Later it broke into pieces that began to cool off. This they say is the origin of all the planets, stars and galaxies. They do not believe in the existence of a Person called God who planed and created all things, by His power, will and word. This is the truth: all men who believe in the ‘Big Bang’ theory, these are ‘educated’ fools.

The same scientists believe that man is a ‘cosmic mistake’, coming out thru evolution from molecules. They say that we evolved out of some monkeys. Therefore, any man who believes and teaches the Darwin’s ‘evolution theory’, the same is a fool.

WISE BELIEVER

But this is the eternal Word of God by which we are saved:

“By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Heb 11:3)

A true believer’s faith is an ‘understanding’ faith. Saving faith drives away the foolishness of the world and makes us spiritually intelligent and wise. By the power of the Holy Spirit we believe that the universe is the creation, the hand work of God. A Christian has no doubt that God, Elohim, made the heavens and the earth; that there is nothing in this universe, visible or invisible that came out on its own by accident. God is Spirit and He created all things. God spoke the universe into existence. This belief is called saving faith or godly wisdom. The fool denies God the creator and therefore he refuses to worship Him. A fool thinks that he does not need God; that he is able to be ‘a god’ to himself. But this foolishness is sin; it has no excuse, for the Creation is made in such a way that all things point to God and demand to give Him the all the glory (Rom 1:20)

LASTLY

Maybe you ask, dear reader, how is it that I know so much about foolishness? This is because once upon a time I was the greatest fool myself. I was an atheist until I became 32 years old. I believed in the Big Bang and Darwin’s theory. I too said in my heart and even with my lips: ‘there is no God’…I said that heaven and hell are the imaginations of men…I said that prayer is a waste of time…I said that faith is the deception of the illiterates and ‘religion, the opium of the masses’…I mocked at the faith of the Christians and ignored their efforts’ to save’ me…I was a confirmed communist, as many of my people in Romania, where I was born…These lies were injected into my mind since I was a child…Unbelief was my religion and doubt my philosophy…until the day…that holy day (I can’t think of it and not weep…)… when the grace of God was manifested to my wretched soul…I gave my life to Jesus Christ…O, blessed salvation human words cannot describe…’Amazing Grace, how sweet thy sound, that saved a wretch like me…I once was lost, but now I am found, was blind, but now I see…’

In Christ I declare:

I am saved forever!

My foolishness is removed; faith came in, peace and joy followed!

I shall be forever grateful!

To God be all the glory!

In Jesus name

Amen!

BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED

“And don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there” (1Cor 7:17, TM)

There are times when I wished I was somebody else, more beautiful, taller, fairer…

There are other times when I wished I lived in a beautiful country with green parks and flowers…

There are times when I wished I had the gift to sing or dance or talk like an angel…

Sometimes work is just a headache and the office colleagues all the wrong people…

There are times when married, I wish to be single and free…

There are other times when single, I wish to be married, at any cost, a dream wedding to a stranger…

Often I wish I have more money, more friends, more opportunities to travel, get lost, in the world…

Sometimes I wish to be young again, no wrinkles, no diabetes, no need for hearing aid…

What do I do with this basket full of impossible dreams and fading wishes?

All I have is a long boring today that nobody wants, even if for free…

New questions come to the surface…

Even if nothing changes…Can I find favor with God right here, right now?

Is it really true that going away to a fantasy land will make me the happiest in the world?

The Wonderful Counselor whispers a strange, but fresh word to me:

Stop looking around…look up and see Him who holds your breath…you are not too far, you are not too deep…you may be living in the desert, in between two rocks, in places nobody wants to visit, places absent from a decent map…but still… this is God’s earth, and you are here right now, for such a time as this…

If you are a wind, then blow…

If you are a rainbow, then shine…

If you are cricket, then jump…

If you are a flower, then bloom…now…in this very spot…do not wait for another day…do not wait for the rain…do not wait for men to find you…bloom where your roots have found favor with the ground…for the pleasure of the Holy Gardner alone…for He alone is worthy of all praise, beauty and lonely labor of love…

“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses” (1Tim 5:17-19)

The elders in the church who feed the flock are ‘worthy of double honor’. The Lord Jesus Christ gave gifts to His Body: apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors and evangelists (Eph 4). It is not easy to be in full time ministry. It is not easy to pay the price for the anointing. There are many churches that do not have a resident pastor and they advertise for that position. They have only guest preachers, but none stands there in the middle of the flock day and night. If you have a resident pastor with the mind of Christ, blessed are you and your church!

The true leaders in the church are servants of the Word. They pay the price to study the Bible diligently and prepare sermons filled with the Holy Spirit. They pray and fast. They intercede for the members of their churches. They weep with the sorrowful and rejoice with them who are happy. It is a great and difficult emotional draining work. It means to be a doctor, a teacher, a lawyer, a mother and a father in the same time. They live by faith. They expect fruit that abides. They are responsible to God for the dishing out of spiritual food to the flock of Christ. The visitors are directed to the Cross for salvation. They also have the duty to oversee the souls of men, to pray for them, to counsel them and to teach them to worship God.

The word ‘honor’ in Greek means to pay a price (even in money) to show appreciation to something or someone you consider precious and profitable. It also means to be punished, to pay a fine (even with money) for refusing to honor the one you know is worthy of honor. The word honor here also means to show respect by submitting to his teaching with fruits following. The negative way to describe honor is not to slander or accuse your leader, never to gossip your pastor, even in your secret heart. If you cannot freely submit to his teaching, it is better to go away, before the wrath of God manifests on you.

In ancient times an animal was used to spin a wheel or walk a threshing floor to separate the wheat from the stalk/chaff.  That was very hard work, going in circles from morning to evening. But the men quickly discovered that their “power source” was eating the grain they were harvesting.  Animal owners began to muzzle the ox/donkey to keep it from eating the grain.  They placed a wire cage around the mouth of the animals so that they cannot eat the harvest. In the Old Testament Law God commanded Israel to permit the animal doing the labor to share in the benefits of his hard work (Deut 25:4)

The lesson here is that if you hire someone to work hard for you, that servant must enjoy the fruit of his labor. In particular, we are to respect, honor, encourage and support our spiritual leaders in the best way we can. Pray for them daily. They are your parents in Christ. If not, God may ask you to pay ‘a fine’ for carelessness, ignorance, rudeness, laziness, pride, rebellion as we make the pastor’s work harder than it should be.

I am a pastor. I do not ask for honor. I am responsible to God for the sermons I prepare, for the counsel and prayers for the church. To honor your leader is not my request, it is God’s command. This is my counsel, especially to the young people: honor the men and women who labor hard in God’s vineyard. If you value your soul and the souls of our children, if you value your destiny, then honor your pastors and leaders in the Body of Christ. Ponder about these words…pray about this matter…Let God speak to you!

May God give you the grace to live a life worthy of His calling!

In Christ I declare:

I honor my spiritual leaders!

I pray for my pastors!

I will never gossip, exploit, mock or dishonor my pastors!

I will help and encourage my elders in the church in the best way I can!

So help me God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong; when he is cheerful, everything seems right!

All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances]” (PV 15:15; LB, AMP)

Once you are born again and Spirit filled, you do not depend on the circumstances; your happiness depends on God alone. Because God is eternal, your joy is eternal. A man with a glad heart does not look at the menu. Whatever is offered on the table shall taste good, for the heart is good. It is not the tongue or the chef that dictates the level of joy. It is the heart that which feeds on the secret table of the Lord that has ‘a continual feast’. The goodness of God makes you happy. And because that goodness never ends, so your joy will never end. A glad heart is a generous and friendly heart. It is not your food that attracts people to you. It is your heart and your words. It is not the kitchen that leads the family but the Holy of holies.  Many come close and ministry results out of Spirit overflow. People run away from the bitter and the proud but a man full of joy is never lonely. Even if the meal is simple, something like ‘akara’ (Nigerian beans cakes) or ‘bole’ (baked plantains), it tastes sweet when there is peace and joy in the home or such a good fellowship with friends.

The question is this: is your joy seasonal or continual? Do people who have a genuine need come close or avoid you? Is your liver ‘smiling’? Are you able to be grateful in all circumstances? Do you ‘dish out’ the Bread of life to others on a regular basis? Do you have a full store of ancient wine that gladdens the soul? Are you generous with your wisdom? Is there overflow from your spirit? Do people taste Christ in your words and go home revived?

Then well done, good and faithful servant! Enter the never ending joy of your Lord! The Lord has prepared a table for you in the midst of your enemies! For His glory alone! Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! Rejoice always! And I say again, REJOICE!

In Christ I declare:

I am born again!

I am Spirit filled!

I have the heart and mind of Christ!

I rejoice always!

To the glory of God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“But this is a people robbed and plundered;

All of them are snared in holes,

And they are hidden in prison houses;

They are for prey, and no one delivers;

For plunder, and no one says, “Restore”

Who gave Jacob for plunder and Israel to the robbers?

Was it not the Lord, He against whom we have sinned?

For they would not walk in His ways,

Nor were they obedient to His law”

The Lord says to you…

“Do not remember the former things,

Nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing,

Now it shall spring forth;

Shall you not know it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert…”

(Is 42:22-24; 43:18, 19)

This is a sad picture. This is the result of sin. For a moment of satisfaction, Esau paid with an eternity of regret. Sin promises much pleasure but the end is sickness, sorrow, despair and death. Sinners who used to be fashionable and happy are now ‘robbed, plundered and snared in holes and prison houses’. The word ‘hole’ describes the habitation of a snake. He hides there for fear that he will be killed. It is an underground, dark, lonely and restricted space. The backslider has the devil for a landlord and companion.  A sinner lives on just survival mood. No more romance, no more dreams, no more hope for the future. His only plan for life is this: ‘let none find me…’ God said that ‘it is not good for man to be alone’… but now, God allowed him to live that which is not good, a lonely isolated and barren life…no peace, no fruits, no  more marriage ‘bliss’, no more joy…The failure of man to be happy in this life comes from sin. Look around and see… hospitals full of sick men, young and old…crime…poverty…sadness…

The word sin means ‘missing the mark’. It does not matter how close you were to the mark, you missed it…Sin means transgression, rebellion against God’s law…Sin means trespassing, going too far without God…Sin means perversion and deception, betrayal of all that is good, the rejection of God…

Who can help a sinner? Who can locate the hole of the sinner? Who is willing to pay the price for the redemption of the souls of the enemies of God? In this whole universe, is there such a Savior?

The answer is a wonderful and unexpected and surprising ‘YES!!!’

Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, the Son of the only Living God, His is the Savior of men!

From the eternal bowels of God’s compassion, the mercy of God is revealed, the grace of the same God, Jehovah…it is called revival…it comes as ‘a new thing’, a refreshing prayed for but still surprising in its force of blessings, in its power of life out of death…tables overturned…changes decreed…rivers in the desert…a blooming wilderness…a lifting from the holes of despair… a breaking of the prison’s gates…

In Christ I declare:

Revival is your portion… God’s grace and mercy your inheritance, the victory of God your latest boast…you shall know this salvation, this deliverance…you shall hear the voice of hope singing the ‘coming out’ song to you…you shall once more feel hungry for righteousness…the passion for Christ rekindled… you shall be filled with His Spirit…you shall be married and fruitful…the barren shall sing for joy at the embrace of miracle children…you shall see the King in His beauty…you shall fell His touch, His grip and His lifting…the hole shall be emptied of its contents, for Jehovah has come to redeem His people and claim back His own! Let the praise start! For the glory of God alone!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

“Rejoice in the Lord always…The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philip 4:4-7)

Anxiety is a vague, undefined type of fear. It is a painful silent expectation of danger combined with doubt; I fear that I do not have the resources to cope with the trouble ahead. Most people are not aware of anxiety. It manifests as weakness, depression or even as a chronic sickness. The natural man is filled with it. He has no power to stop worrying about his life and his future.

But here I want to point to a different type of anxiety. It comes to the believer in Christ. After you become saved a whole new world opens to you. It is called the Kingdom of God. In it there are laws and promises, hopes and dreams you never thought about. As an unbeliever, you did not worry about the colors of the rainbow in heaven. But now, just reading about the glorious eternal riches found in Christ, a new anxiety starts to grip your soul.

‘Will I finish the race…Will I be faithful to the end…Will I ever be filled with the Holy Spirit…Will I ever speak in tongues… Will I marry God’s choice for me…Will my children be saved…Will I fulfill my destiny on earth…Will I be accepted to enter heaven…Will my ministry be successful…’

This is ‘a Christian’ anxiety, for lack of better words. In the scripture above we are commanded to confront this newly developing fear and to deal with it in a spiritual way. The first thing to do is to learn to rejoice always. It means to praise God in the midst of all circumstances. It is a vow, a decision you have to make in the presence of God. The things around you should not dictate your moods. Even if it sounds foolish, do praise God always! Remember who God is in general and who He is to you! If you are saved, that blessing alone should give enough desire to praise God day and night. Also, you are to pray always! Pray not only for major decisions in life, but about all things…

’Lord, I forgot how many eggs I need to make vanilla cake…Lord, do You like this outfit…Lord, I need a friend to visit me…Lord, I want to write a song…Lord, my electric bill is unpaid…’

As you praise and pray, then the peace of Christ will come on you as a blanket on a shivering child. The Father will come and carry you to bed and tuck you in, as the stars blink a song composed for you alone…The peace will cover your mind and protect your emotions. No more wild crazy fearful thoughts! No more fear of the dark! No more hellish dreams…

I press on for the gift of the assurance of salvation…the doctrines use ‘to float’ in the air around me, but now I know the One whom I have believed! I can feel His special love for me alone! I can hear my name called by the King! Then the miracle I read about but never truly experienced is here…Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost…The little foxes of anxiety have lost the battle and finally they are gone…really gone!!!

After many tears and sleepless nights…the Lord is near…the Prince is here… His crown of glory, His diadem of Peace is finally mine…Hallelujah!

In Christ I declare:

I shall be anxious for nothing!

I shall praise God always!

I shall pray always!

I have peace in my soul!

I am eternally saved!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us” (Ps 123:2)

Psalm 123 is the fourth Song of Ascents. We are a group of pilgrim going higher on the mountain of God. The journey is slow and difficult. But the good news is that we are truly making progress. I can see it on their faces, in their eyes, brighter with hope. I can hear it in their voices; hope has its own sound, strings and trumpet mixed together. The noise of the world, coming from the valley below is slowly fading away. After a period of rest in the house of God, we are now ready to move on. We have planted our feet on the Rock that says: God is good! All the time! Fully confident of God’s presence, we are ready! So…let’s go!

Psalm 123 is one of the shortest in the Bible. It means that we shall travel lighter than in the past. There shall be no unnecessary load of ‘little’ sins. The Bible and a bottle of water in the backpack shall be enough. We trust that the rest shall be provided by the Lord of the mountain. As we go higher, we shall practice the skill to listen more attentively and to talk less. The Spirit can use any sound to speak mysteries to us… even the blowing of the wind…

We shall learn to receive encouragement without words. We shall use our ‘shorter’ breath only to worship and pray, in human language or in the Spirit. The people in the valley can afford to waste a lot of words; they are busy with fancy religion. But up on the mountain things change. Jesus said that long repetitive prayers are a sign of unbelief. We are confident that The Father knows what we need even before we pray. The understanding of God’s purpose found thru the study of His Word, will simplify our lives. There shall be more worship and fewer requests. Prayer becomes shorter because our faith is higher. Thank God!

This Mountain-top Psalm is ‘lighter’ than the rest. Let’s see what is ‘missing’ from this Prayer Psalm. Remember this is a man who wants to go higher. He is surrounded by proud, wicked people who mock, persecute and ‘block’ his way. Their intent is to discourage the progress and to convince him to back-slide. In similar situations, the psalmist could have been angry asking for the death of his enemies. But here, high on the mountain, we do not see any hint of impatient anger, anxiety or frustration. Focusing on God’s throne, the only plea is for mercy; not for his enemies, but for himself. Immediately we see that this is not the ordinary attitude of a believer. This prayer comes from the heart of a mature servant of God. Flesh is subdued and the Spirit rules. Above the attacks of mockery and discouragement, the soul is fully confident that God is in charge. The heathen may rage but God is on the throne! When all is said and done, it is God’s opinion that matters anyway!

Why mercy? What is its value? We need a fresh and greater revelation of the need for God’s mercy!

Mercy is defined as kindness towards an enemy, especially when he is in your power. God is a God of mercy. His Gospel is filled with mercy. A sinner needs mercy. God’s answer to sin is mercy. Sin causes untold suffering, sickness and death. God hates sin. That is why mercy is a miracle!  Mercy is God’s general attitude, His inclination and compassionate desire to come down to the aid of a victim, to relieve the suffering and pain caused by sin. God’s mercy is always connected with His grace. It is not our pain that moves God to act, for He knows all things. He intervenes and helps men only according to His infinite grace found in Christ alone. Mercy is the withdrawal of punishment from a sinner. We offend God and He has the right to punish.  Mercy then comes and says ‘No!’ It is like a criminal waiting on the death row in prison. He is now sick with an incurable disease. In the midst of an ocean of despair, with waves of sorrow upon sorrow, against all odds, the sinner comes to God and asks for forgiveness. The power of mercy is released from the throne of God on behalf of the Cross of Christ. The mercy of God means life. Suddenly the God of peace comes to that cold cell. The hated and forsaken prisoner is healed in the body and his soul is set free. This is an unmerited pardon and an undeserved healing. This is the power of grace released by the prayer of a broken heart…

“Lord, please have mercy on me…”

A great lesson for us going higher is to have to right focus. The decision must be made that the eyes will remain lifted towards God enthroned in heaven. The word ‘eyes’ appears four times in just two verses. The temptation is to look down, at my past sins, or look around, at my circumstances. Both these are wrong and will make me spiritually ‘dizzy’, unable to rise higher in faith. I have to learn to steady my gaze, long and fixed on the throne of God in heaven. The more I practice this skill of beholding God in his glory, the more I gain strength and faith. My problems may shake me, but heaven is forever stable. As I see God, undisturbed by my problems, my fears melt away and peace replaces them. My destiny is connected with heaven and not with the earth. Down below I am just a pilgrim, passing by thru this world that rejected my King. The clearer I see Jesus in heaven, the easier it is to go higher, closer to my Beloved…

“May my gaze be stable and pure!

Lamb of God, here I come, I come…”

In Christ I declare:

I have found mercy and grace in time of need, at the throne of God in heaven! (Heb 4:14-16)

I am a merciful believer!

When people offend me, by God’s grace, I shall represent a merciful Father to this sinful world!

In Jesus name

Amen!