“For the Lord your God is He who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory” (Deut 20:4)

The battle was fierce but the victory is mine. O…sweet peace…
If you are a born again believer, in whatever situation, you are always the winner. This is not my wish. It is God’s Word! Victory manifests in many ways, but all these ways have something in common. They spread the sweet powerful fragrance of Christ, the Eternal Victor. In times of trials the devil attacks with lies, mostly the idea that the battle will rage on forever and there shall be no clear winner. These are all lies. The weeping may endure for the night, but morning is faithful to displace the power of darkness, with the songs of joy leading the transition.
At the Cross, the devil rejoiced to see the Son of Man defeated and humiliated. What he did not know was that the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. Jesus died for our sins, that we may be forgiven, healed and changed, to become the sons of God. If the devil knew that the death of Christ will become the tree of life for many, he could not have killed the King of glory. But now it is too late, for the power of resurrection has destroyed even the memory of the power and shame of failure and death.

“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Lk 12:49)

When Jesus came into this world of sin, His express desire was to bring ‘fire on the earth’. John said that Jesus will baptize His own with the Holy Spirit and with fire. God is described as a consuming fire.

What is the source of this fire? That volcano is found on the Calvary hill, at the Cross of Christ. It was there, hanging on that tree, the Son of God became a curse for us. It was there, when Jesus died for our sins that the fire of God came from heaven and consumed all things. The history of humanity, nothing and nobody was ever the same, after the Cross. Old things passed away and everything became new.

Fire stands for judgment. We are afraid of fire, for we know that fire has no mercy. All things, all labor and ministry shall be tried with fire. We all have an encounter with the fire of God. There is no salvation, deliverance, promotion or blessings that come without the fire. It purges the hearts and kindles passion in pure vessels. Once you pass thru the fire, you are safe. For example, the patient who survived the sickness called Ebola, has nothing to fear anymore. The wicked virus has tried to kill him but failed. The immunity of the body has won. This survivor is the best candidate to go back to the Ebola infested villages and with bare hands help the others. That is a picture of a man who has passed thru fire and survived. There is no more fear; only power and only joy. That is a picture of a believer baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire. Nothing shall hurt him anymore. The devil has failed in his life.

I heard of a story. There was a man and his little son walking in a park in New York. Suddenly a fire started burning along the path. In few minutes they were trapped by the blaze. The father tried to use branches to quench the fire, but all in vain. The wind was driving the flames closer and closer to them. Then the father knew that the only way of escape is to pass thru the fire. He carried his son on his shoulders, comforted him that all is well, and jumped thru the fire to the other side. Behind the blaze all was calm. For all things were burnt off. The fire can never go back to a place that is burnt. That is the law of the fire, it never goes back to where it has damaged.

There is a spiritual lesson here. Whatever things you have suffered, if God was with you during that trial, you shall never go back to them again. The devil tried to kill you. And really, you should have died. That sickness should have sent you to the mortuary. That stress should have given you incurable depression. That loss should have made you homeless sleeping under the bridge…But, by the grace of God you survived…This is your testimony, that passing thru the fire, you did not end up a corpse. Even the things that got burnt, have a new meaning for you, for God promised to give you beauty for ashes, joy instead of weeping and a victory song nobody can quench. In the furnace of affliction, Shedrack, Meshach and Abednego met with the Forth Man, the Son of God who is the King of kings and also the King of fire.

This is my testimony: fire tried but failed to destroy me; its heat was not enough to disfigure my anointing; its flames could only purify my heart and my vision. I passed thru the fire of rejection, misunderstanding, sickness and slander. And I survived. Not only survived, but I am now qualified to encourage others coming behind.

So this is my word to you: Fear not! Like that father and son, let’s jump together to the safe place behind the fire…Follow me as I follow Christ…Let’s go to the Cross where Jesus died for our sins…Let’s go behind the Cross, where no sorrow, no pain, no rejection and no sickness can ever attack. Come on…that is the way…thru the fire, into the freedom of worship, the power of true anointing and the victory of the blessed!

“For life is more than food and the body more than clothing” (Lk 12:23)

We are spending some time in Houston, Tx, visiting the children and the grandchildren. Some few days I was really sick, with a mysterious cold that ‘missed road’ as we say in Nigeria. Here fashion is king. All the malls have a lot of stuff, dresses, shoes…in the past I used to get excited, seeing all that display…it is natural, you may say… But this time, it was different…Feverish, as I walked between the rows of stuff, all my mind was to go home and rest…I saw beautiful hats with ribbons, but I had a headache…I saw shining shoes, exactly my size, but my feet hurt…I saw leather bags of all shapes and styles, but my left shoulder was paining me… I saw some belts with studs but my waist was too stiff to try them on… I tried to smell some expensive perfume but I had a dry cough that refused to let me enjoy it… we went to some fine restaurants but I had no appetite for any food…

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1Tim 6:10)

These are ‘the last days’. The spiritual darkness will increase and men will become worse. But the light of God shines in the midst of darkness, unafraid and unquenchable. The people of God shall become stronger, more faithful and do exploits in the name of the Lord. Light is not intimidated by darkness for it is the winner.

One of the terrible manifestations of spiritual darkness is the replacement of the holy love of God with the love of money. There are many pastors who survive just by preaching and encouraging the love of money. There are many congregations who are lead astray from the truth of the Gospel. These end up as bitter roots, trouble makers, practicing ‘all kinds of evil’ that will bring much sorrow and disappointment at last. The love of money competes directly with the worship of God. It is an enemy to the knowledge of God. You cannot serve bot God and mammon. You have to choose one and reject the other.

This is a true story. Many years ago I visited a church here in Nigeria. During the sermon God gave me a word for the church. At the end of the service I asked one of the ushers about the protocol in that particular church. I said I wanted to talk to the pastor who just preached the message or to his wife. I was directed to his wife. I introduced myself and I told her that I feel in my spirit that they are going towards danger; that they are deviating from the safe path of godliness with contentment, that they encourage lusting after material things and greed as a life style. I told her to pray about it and discuss it with her husband. I told her that I personally have no gain in bringing this word; that I came as a messenger of God. She looked at me with a strange look and said: “Dr. Mrs. Leigh, I know you… Next time please do not bother coming with any word. We know the Bible more than you. What we need is money. You are a successful doctor and not a pastor. Tell your husband to bring money to church…we need money…” I was shocked. I could not comment. I greeted her and left. I never went back to that church. But the Word of God is true. This couple has suffered untold sorrows, much more than the problems ‘common to men’.

Greed is a terrible and shameful thing. Please be honest…These are good questions: Do you love money? Do you direct your life based on the profit you make? Is your job or your boss your god? Are you ready to take any risk and be transferred to the ends of the earth just for a better job? Is the choice of a spouse based on your financial calculations? Is the choice of your local church based on greed? Are you sadder when you lose money than when you lose a friend? Are you more worried by your lack of promotion in your office than by the grieving of the Holy Spirit? Is the choice of a Bank more important to you than the choice of a local church where you can serve God and fellowship with godly men? Does your Bank manager have more influence in your life than your pastor? Do you go to church to hear about finances all the time or you really want to know God?

The answers are sign posts on your path. You either go to heaven or to hell. There is no middle ground.

What is the solution? Jesus said that you should seek FIRST the kingdom of God and its righteousness and then, all other things, including money, promotions and other material things shall follow you. This is the Word of God. No man or devil can change it! May mercy and wisdom from above be your portion today! In Jesus name, Amen!

“And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left” (Is 30:21)

The flesh is restless. We get easily bored on walking the straight and narrow path. Things attract us to deviate, just for the fun of it. On the right, there is the pull of secular entertainment, the music of second hand cymbals and plastic trumpets. On the left is the attraction of legalistic religion…just tell me what to do and I will be happy…the choir sings and the congregation applauds…going home un-changed, that is what I want…

“Out of His fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given” (Jn 1:16)

Grace is defined as the unmerited favor of God. The only source of grace in the whole universe is God. Jesus came to earth ‘full of truth and grace’. Truth without grace is fearful to sinful men. But grace makes it easy to digest, so that truth changes us to be free and strong. When the grace of God abides on a man, things just ‘happen’ with ease and joy. Other men labour and struggle, but the man who has the favor of God moves on, thru all things unhindered. If you see a man who is successful without much labor, the only explanation is that the grace of God is on Him.

“May my prayer be set before You like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice” (Ps 141:2)

Aaron was to come every morning and evening in the holy place. He was to add incense on the coals of the altar of incense. Then the fragrant smoke will rise to God. Without fire, incense has no smell and no power to rise. The fire that destroys other things is necessary to change the incense into an acceptable gift to God.
Incense is the symbol or prayer and worship. Most prayers are too ‘cold’ to touch the heart of God. The believer needs the fire of the Holy Spirit burning within for his prayers to be acceptable to God.

“Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on The Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires” (Rom 13: 13, 14)

As believers, we are associated with Christ in two basic ways. He is the Savior and Lord, dwelling internally: ‘Christ IN YOU the hope of glory’. The Holy Spirit witnesses in your human spirit that you are saved. Then Christ can also be ‘put on’ outwardly, as a garment or an armor of light. Just the way we dress in the morning to go out for the business of the day, we take the garment of righteousness given by Christ Himself. All sinners are naked spiritually, easily predictable. But as a believer, as you put on Christ, people see that we are not naked, foolish and exposed. Our choices and actions are witnessed by others and they remind them of Jesus.

“There was no room for them in the inn” (Lk 2:7)
We arrived in Houston at about 6pm. After waiting on line at the immigration, hiring a car, following the GPS instructions in the city traffic, we finally arrived at our hotel. Jemine booked this hotel for us thru Expedia. What we wanted was an in-expensive room, close to her home, with full kitchen in case we want to cook Nigerian food later. Jemine has found this hotel that met all our requirements. Tired after the long flight, we came into the hotel’s lobby at about 9pm. A young man at the reception informed us that our room has been given to another person. He also said that they are fully booked, that they have informed Expedia about this situation. He said that their policy is that if the client does not come before 6pm, they will give the room to another. He said this without any smile or apologies. We tried to argue saying that our daughter has already paid for and the document says that we covered in case of late arrival. The young man did not care at all about our pleas. We then called Jemine. She said that Expedia was on the phone with her apologizing, blaming the hotel for a breach of contract. Soon Matthew and Jemine came to meet us there. Jemine was very upset with Expedia; ‘super-disappointed’ I heard her say to them. I found myself thinking…is this why some hotels are called cheap? Even here man can let down another…

Long story short, Expedia tried to repair the damage and offered us another hotel to stay. We drove there wondering if the new one is worst than the first…no need to worry, God has gone before us…we were directed to a wonderful hotel, given a suite there. The price of this one is 3 times the amount paid for the first. But Expedia said they will not charge Jemine more money. In other words we got a duplex for the price of a ‘boys-quarters’… Only God can do things like these…
We arrived tired at about 10pm at the reception of the new hotel. The whole atmosphere was different. The lady at the reception was nice, smiling. There were flowers everywhere (the other hotel had no flower at all). There was a beautiful hand made sign saying ‘Welcome Friends- this is an oasis of rest and laughter”. They gave us ‘a royal suite’. It was big and very clean…much more than we expected. So in one night, from tired disappointment to joyful peaceful rest, Jesus lead us thru, again…from ‘no star hotel’ to ‘many stars hotel’, just like that, we were not too tired to thank God for over-ruling our human choices.
The Star of Bethlehem is not just history. It lead us to a palace for the price of ‘a cut and nail’ (you know what I mean…). The story is not finished…Expedia also gave Jemine $ bonus, to cover up for the disappointment. The truth is that I saw this hotel when we were looking where to book, but it was too expensive for us. Apparently, Our Father in Heaven paid the bill. It was not too expensive for God.

Just in case you laugh at our faith, that is ok…I did the same for many years. There was a time when I trusted only in myself, my wisdom and my strength. I did not allow any room for changes of plans, for I never trusted God who could do that anytime, without apologies…
But it is so different now. Thank God I am not my own god anymore.

If you believe in God, then trust Him with all your heart, for everything that concerns you and your family. Trust God for your health, length of life, choice of a life partner, choice of children, finances, choice of work and even for times of refreshing and rest. Trust God not only for the big things, but also for the little things, the in between things, the secret things, the details…
God over-rules my choices and it is my privilege to acknowledge that!!!

Like Joseph and Mary, when there is no room at the inn, God’s plan still goes on…the King of kings was born. Life eternal became the River of life in the desert of this world. God is the same…God never changes…our disappointments give God room to create a new thing, much better than anything our mind can imagine…Trust the Living God of miracles and wonder, the Wonderful Counsellor, the Prince of peace and the Mighty limitless God!

As for us, we enjoy our royal suite of many stars, courtesy of our Lord and Provider, Jehovah Jireh! Greetings to you all…may your faith increase…
Little is much when God is inside! Selah!!!

“Praise The Lord!
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.
Remember me, Lord, when You show favor to Your people, come to my aid when You save them…
that I may enjoy the prosperity of Your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of Your nation and join Your inheritance in giving praise” (Ps 106:1-5)

My husband and I were ready to come to visit the children and their families in Houston, Tx. We bought our (non refundable) tickets and prepared for a wonderful trip. We were to leave on Monday morning. All was planned and prayed for. Then the devil stroke a fiery arrow…
As we’re closing the service last Sunday, suddenly I felt a very sharp pain on my left shoulder. Then it spread to the whole chest. I could only pray in my spirit. I had a planned meeting with some brethren at the end of the service. I could not tell them how sick I was, but prayed for them for the days ahead. Earlier in the service, I shared with the congregation a word of encouragement, saying this:
if evil thoughts come to your mind, like birds flying over your head, you can’t stop them all, for many birds fly everywhere. But if one particular evil bird comes and lands on your head, do not be afraid, do not draw back with the bird sitting there…just be bold! Catch it and bring it to judgment facing Christ and His Word. Every word, every idea that is not of God must bow to Christ (2 Cor 10:5). I also told the brethren that they should not fear during these days of wars, rumors of wars and plagues. That they should stay focused, not looking around at the circumstances, but up and see Jesus, the King. For then, their victory is sure.

I did not know that in less than 2 hours the devil will attack me to swallow my words. The pain was terrible. I could not breathe well, I could not stand, I could not even lie down. As a doctor, this could have been ‘a heart attack’ or a sudden viral infection. These a very serious things…. With Ebola stories this was a terrible news…To travel abroad tomorrow seem impossible. Flashes of staying in quarantines, with mean nurses monitoring my dying days were coming like a flood to my mind. Why now? Why so painful, so sudden? This could not be ‘an ordinary sickness’…but how can I explain this to the health teams in the airports?

These worries were like the evil birds flying over my head…But in my spirit I knew it was an arrow, a spiritual poison. Thank God for a godly Holy Spirit filled husband. He became very angry at the devil. He commanded it to leave me and go away, in the name of Jesus! He then confidently prophesied that we shall travel tomorrow and enjoy this long awaited vacation. Another evil bird tried to land on my ears saying, that my husband is joking.
I remembered the words I shared with the brethren that morning. I took courage from the very words that came from my own mouth. The devil was mocking even my ministry…Do I believe what I am preaching, or not? Do I expect people to believe my own preaching, when in times of trouble I doubt it myself?
In the midst of that attack I chose to believe God’s Word! It is not my word, but God’s! I arrested all the evil ‘birds’ of fear of Ebola, heart attack or untimely death; of doubt, unbelief, witchcraft or spiritual poison. I brought these before the Word of God that says: ‘With long life will I satisfy you and show you My salvation…I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord’

The arrested birds died before the Cross. Not one survived. God answered my husband’ s prayer and honored his prophecy. Miraculously, even with the tormenting pain in my chest, I felt asleep for few minutes. I woke up and half of the pain was gone. O…the sweet relief…Before 12 midnight I was my usual self. I could pack my suitcase and we travelled like children who escaped the fowler’s snare.
Yes, I will enjoy my Holliday…
I will try to keep in touch with you all…

What is the lesson? The Word of God is supreme! No other idea should parasite your mind! Arrest all evil wild thoughts and bring them to the Cross! That is their burial ground! Try it and see for God is not a respecter of persons…also, remember the sermons you listen to in the church. These are prophetic helps in time of need.

Let’s pray: I come against any arrow of poison that is attacking you with sickness, weakness or intimidation! I declare that you devil are a liar! That your wicked words are all lies and we reject them totally! The Word of God is Truth! Holy Spirit come and take control! Change this impossible situation into a testimony that will add to Your praise! In Jesus name I pray, amen!

“Because he loves Me –says the Lord- I will rescue him! I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name! He will call upon Me and I will answer him! I will be with him in trouble! I will deliver him and honor him! With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation!” (Ps 91:14-16)

Our church had a week of fasting and prayer. We were seeking God’s face in regard to the present and the future. We prayed for the strength, for the resources to finish the new sanctuary and to move in there. We observed that recently the attacks against our marriages have increased. We prayed for wisdom, love and the unity of the Spirit in our marriages. The demons of hell are coming against our country in the form of Muslim terrorists called Boko Haram and as a strange deadly sickness called ‘ebola’. We prayed for an increased faith to trust God in times like these. As a body, we lifted our voices to God in desperate prayers that He should come down to give us the victory. We gave God thanks for the many miracles witnessed already and for the many to come. We vowed to give God all the glory for the testimonies of His grace, Power and Goodness. We declared that Jesus is alive and that Jesus is Lord!
Pastor Leigh and the other pastors appointed to preach during the week quoted different scriptures: Psalm 91; Joshua 7 and 8; Psalm 25:14; Psalm 125:1; Proverbs 3:5, 6; 2Timothy 3:1-5; Ex 14:14 and John 16:1-4. Like a string holding the beads, the Holy Spirit connected all these scriptures. These are the main prophetic lessons:
*God is in control of the earth He has created. Nothing happens without God knowing it. There is no need to fear what others fear. There is no need to panic, for our Lord is above all principalities and power. The name of Jesus is stronger than all other names, including Boko Haram, ebola and all others deadly plagues. The bondage of the fear of death has been destroyed! We are free indeed!
*God shall overturn the tables. The strong and proud shall become weak and foolish. The humble and faithful shall become the true leaders. God will reveal new strategies for victory and breakthrough so that the enemies will be confused and defeated totally. Everybody shall know that our God is God Almighty!
*These are the end times. Our Lord has warned us of great trials in this world. There shall be ‘perilous times’ when evil, wickedness, darkness, empty religion and sin will increase. Nations will fight against nations. There shall be rumors of war and other terrible things happening. But we are to be careful and no respond like the world does. We should not panic, fear or faint in our hearts. We are to fear God who will reveal ‘His covenant secrets’ of protection and grace to His children.
*The work of God shall go on. In spite of all these arracks and provocations, the house of God shall be finished in time and we shall cross over to the new building. Herod killed all the children in Jerusalem. That was a national tragedy. It could have been ‘breaking news’ on CNN. But with all his soldiers, power and money, Herod could not kill Baby Jesus. The plan of God can never be thwarted by demons of their human agents. Whatever God has started in your life, God will finish it to His glory! If God has given you a glimpse of your future then the present must be in God’s hands. For example, if God has given you the assurance that you shall see your children’s children, then no sickness from the pit of hell can kill you now. God is not the author of confusion or fear. God is the God of peace and final authority in this universe. God has not abandoned His responsibilities as a Creator of the earth to the devil. God is not passive and He is not sleeping. God is an active ‘hands on’ Father to His children. He trains us. He chastises us. But we shall never be abandoned to the devil and his agents on earth. God’s mercies are new every morning and His children will partake from them. This is our testimony!
*We should trust God with all our hearts. We should not trust men, money, demonic powers or even our own limited understanding. These are all idols and they shall fail. We shall trust only God for protection, finances, healing, victory and success. God shall make our paths straight and simplify our lives. Our trust in God eliminates shame and disappointment. In Christ, we shall overcome the world! Our light will shine and the nations shall see that Jesus is Lord!
*God is with us in trouble! God shall fight for us! We can never lose! The victory is sure!
*With long life God shall satisfy us and show to us His salvation! In spite of it all, Jesus shall be revealed to many in this land. Muslims and pagans shall become born again! They will drop their guns and their shrine idols and take the Bible and preach the Word of God! A man of God said once: “The Galilean has done it again!” Yes, Lord!
*Lastly, we shall praise God all the days of our lives! For He alone is worthy! Jesus is Lord! Praise and worship is our eternal business, now and forever! Come and join the army that knows no defeat! Come and drink from the water of life freely given by Christ, who died that we may live for Him! God bless Father’s House Bible Church Warri Nigeria! Halleluiah to the Lamb of God!

“When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence (they were humiliated and became very discouraged) because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God” (Hen 6:16)

Since we started to build the house of God we experienced similar attacks just like we see in the Book of Nehemiah. These are the common patterns the devil uses to attack God’s servants, especially as they build the house of God. What is the devil’s strategy? What are his agents trying to do?

*Friendship

“Come, let us meet together in one of the villages…But they were scheming to harm me” (Neh 6:2)

They come like friends. Behind the smiles, greetings, flatter and gifts, they want to win your confidence; they want to come closer to you. That friendly position shall be used later as a platform for betrayal. Four times they tried this strategy but God helped Nehemiah see their intent and each time he refused their invitation.

*Slander, lies and blackmailing

“According to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.” (Neh 6, 7)

The enemies accused Nehemiah of rebellion and encouraging false prophecies. These were fabricated imaginary lies. Again, Nehemiah saw the truth and rejected their lies.

*Intimidation

“Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.” (Neh 6:10)

The enemies of God wanted Nehemiah to abandon God’s work, run and hide in the temple, to protect his life. Nehemiah discerned that all these were lies and that ‘God did not send him’. Again he rejected them. He also prayed that his hands remain strong so that the work of God will go on. To the glory of God, in spite of all this opposition, the building of the wall around Jerusalem was completed in just 52 days (Neh 6:15)

Nehemiah’s prayer is a good one for all of us who do ministry:

“Now Lord, strengthen my hands” (Neh 6:9)

In Hebrew the word strengthen means to have courage, to help the weak, to repair the damage, to bind and to conquer the enemy. It means to become an established man of God. The word ‘hand’ is a symbol of power, resources and sense of direction. It also means to have a fellowship, to do ministry and to serve God.

Let’s pray: “Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for Your presence in my life, my home and my church. I thank You for the privilege of serving You, for the gift to be called to do ministry. I thank You for your protection over me as I am Your servant. I thank You for discouraging and confusing my enemies so that they go away. Please Lord, strengthen my hands! Gove the courage to be a soldier for You! Use my hands to touch others in Your name, so that healings and deliverance will manifest. Thank You for keeping me focused and humble, strong and zealous for Your name. Thank You for blessing the work of my hands! Thank You for sending Your angels to help and protect me! I know that I am not alone! I know that this mighty success is the proof of Your favor and help. To You alone be all the glory! In Jesus name I pray, Amen!”

In Christ I declare:

God is with me!

God has blessed the work of my hands!

God has blessed my ministry!

God has blessed my church and my pastors!

Our enemies are discouraged, afraid and humiliated! They shall have no peace until they repent of their evil!

No doubt at all: We shall complete God’s House and enter in! For this is the will of God!

To the glory of the Lamb who seats on the Throne!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“There are three things that are too amazing for me,

four that I do not understand:

the way of an eagle in the sky,

the way of a snake on a rock,

the way of a ship on the high seas,

and the way of a man with a young woman.

“This is the way of an adulterous woman:

She eats and wipes her mouth

and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong’ (PV 30:18-20)

The words above are the sayings of Agur son of Jakeh. To him, sin looks amazing in its power to destroy.  These are things too amazing to understand. In Hebrew the word means too high, too great or too difficult for the natural mind to understand. Without the discernment or the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, these things shall deceive anyone.

Sin is amazing in its power to spread its evil poison and to influence a multitude. You only need a little leaven to change the whole dough. . Sin begets sin; it has a tendency to multiply. Agur says that starting from three they soon became four confusing things. Little by little they increase to five mysterious sins. It is only the Cross of Christ, the lifted standard of the Spirit that can stop this flood of evil, this downhill fall of sorrow and woe.

Like a good teacher, Brother Agur directs our attention to five things commonly seen around us: the eagle, the snake, the ship on the sea, the man in love with a woman and the adulteress. What connects all these different things? What is so amazing and beyond understanding in these five examples? What can we learn from them all?

This is the answer: The common lesson is that these things hide their existence, they cover up their path. You may never know their origin or their destination or purpose. They remain mysterious and dangerous in their secrets. . That is why they are called ‘amazing’. Selah!

*The eagle flies in the sky but leaves no trail behind. Before and after the eagle, the sky remains blue and the clouds white.

*The snake moves upon the rock and hides under it without a trace. If the snake was running on the sand, men could have known its direction, pursue it and kill it. But on a rock, no trace is left behind.

*The mighty ship moves on the ocean. Its body divides the water. The angry waves foam around it. But few seconds later, there is no sign left behind and the blue sea is quiet like nothing has happened.

*A man is in love with a woman. They soon get married and have children. For a long time, no one knows the beginning of that relationship. Only God knows if the foundation of that marriage is faulty or not. No man knows if their marriage started thru lust, deception, manipulation or greed. That was in the past and things seem normal now. But the storms of life come and soon, the love story crashes in the middle of much weeping. Nobody knows why their love failed and became bitter.

*The adulteress has a secret affair but the husband has no idea. She wipes away all traces left behind. Her sin is totally hidden from the eyes of men. She takes pleasure in her sin and also in her deception. She dresses up nicely and goes to church. No one knows, except God, and God does not tell anyone until it pleases Him. It is indeed a mystery why some people look good, behave well, pray, go to church, give offerings yet, they do not prosper.

“He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (PV 28:13)

In Hebrew the word ‘prospers’ means to experience breakthrough, to move on to success or to make profit.

This is a simple question: Why suffer in silence? Why practice hypocrisy? A man may deceive many but nobody can deceive God? Why all the lies? Why the double life?

There is only one solution to sin…Come to the Cross…Come and see Christ Crucified! Humble yourself!  Confess your sins to God and to one another! The Blood of Jesus is able to wash you whiter than snow! There is forgiveness available in Christ!  The power of a genuine new beginning is found only at the Cross! “Come and taste that the Lord is good!” Join the train of joyful worshipers! Receive your testimony NOW!  In Jesus name, Amen

Jesus says:

“All those the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never drive away” (Jn 6:37)

Recently, a desperate broken, hopeless and defeated man came to my office. I love it when they are at the ‘end of the rope’. For that ‘old rope’ may connect with heaven. He has been struggling with a very difficult marriage. Divorce seems to be the only solution. He came for prayer and counselling. He was tired and angry. We are fasting as a church. He said that he does not want to waste this opportunity of fasting and prayer. His wife is a wayward wasteful foolish woman. The children are suffering. The 14 years old daughter ran away from home and they found her alone in an uncompleted building. The wife does not take care of her home but she likes to come to church activities. The husband drinks alcohol ‘to forget his sorrow’. Sad story…

I told him that nobody can change their hearts and marriage except God. I told him that going to church or religion is not good enough. I told him to trust God for a miracle. I told him to surrender his life unconditionally to Jesus Christ. I did not want to waste such a holy opportunity by talking about his habit of drinking alcohol or even how to repair his marriage. He needed much more than that…he needed life, radical surgery, ‘heart transplant’, a new spirit…. Thank God that the anointing was strong enough for the man to see the truth, to see his need for salvation…I love it when I do not need to talk much, for the Spirit does to talking…

Suddenly, without any fuss, he simply knelt down and prayed. (This is a miracle for in Nigeria men do not kneel down before a woman…I thank God for a true anxious soul who was able to forget his earthly culture seeking the one above…). As a desperate drowning man, he came to the Cross. He invited Jesus Christ into his heart. He pleaded for mercy… I could feel the breeze of heaven blowing in my office…No need for manipulation when the real power of resurrection is here…

‘Lord, O, for the grace to know You more’…

The Blood of Jesus spoke on his behalf. The Holy Spirit filled his soul. I am a witness… A holy transaction was done. The devil has lost another slave. Heaven has welcomed another soul. I worship You Wonderful Counsellor!

“Dear Father in Heaven, I am so grateful for a glimpse of Your glory revealed here in Warri, Nigeria…Thank You Lord, for You are not a respecter of persons…Thank You Lord! To You alone be all the glory! In Jesus name Amen!”

If you are reading this letter and you are in the midst of trouble, if your life is hard and there is no hope anywhere, please stop! Do not try to solve all these problems by your power. Come to Jesus Christ! Give your life to Jesus! Take His yoke upon you and you’ll never be the same again. I promise you that the peace of God will flood your soul! Money cannot buy it! Come! Come! Come!

ROYAL FEED BACK
“The Queen of Sheba shall rise against this nation in the judgment and condemn it; for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and now one greater than Solomon is here—and you refuse to believe him” (Mt 12:42)

Sometimes ago a sister in Christ traveled from Lagos to Warri just to attend our church. Compared with Lagos, Warri is a village. This was not a personal visit. It was not a business trip. She came with public transport accompanied by another sister. They attended our Saturday Class prayer meeting and the Sunday service. They went back on Monday morning.
This lady is beautiful and educated. She attends a big church in Lagos. She has a good job. By any standard she is a successful woman. I know her for about 5 years. We communicate and pray thru fb. When she told me that she is coming to Warri I was a little surprised. This is because it is a sacrifice and these days few people are willing to pay the price searching for spiritual blessings. But she came. She was tired after the long journey but soon she jumped in the river of anointing. For the first time in her life she got baptized by the Holy Spirit and she prayed in tongues. That alone was a miracle for she said that she tried many times to do it but ‘it just did not happen’. The Holy Spirit filled her with power, faith, peace, joy and with a fresh desire to serve God like never before. Her faith was so high when she left Warri that I knew in my spirit that God will perfect what He has started. God will fulfill her heart’s desires. She will come back with great testimonies. The seeds planted here shall produce a great harvest, wherever she goes. I told her she looks like the Queen of Sheba …She answered ‘Amen!’

I just received ‘a royal mail from Sheba’. The sister sent me this letter:
“Dear Malia,
I feel so different writing you now… I am smiling as I’m writing… It is a much better feeling…
I have struggled so much in the past to hide my real self so that nobody will really see my ‘dirty’ sides. But now I feel brand new. No fear or guilt. How can I thank God who has revealed Himself to me? I promise to love God; I shall continue to give Him glory for as long as I live. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

I had another major encounter with the Holy Spirit on the night I came back from Warri. I slept about 10pm and I was very tired. At about 2am something almost pushed me off my bed (I’m sure it is the Holy Spirit). A voice inside me said “begin to call back all the years that you have lost”. I had to go on my knees and pray and read from the book of Joel. I knew it was the Holy Spirit because I prayed with so much excitement.
Indeed the Holy Spirit is real. He is no more a fairy tale to me. Can you imagine? I’m enjoying myself now.
Thank you, Malia for leading me to God!
I’m not afraid of you anymore. I feel at home and at peace. God bless you. My regards to Taleigh!”

My answer to her:
“Dear…
Please give all the glory to God! For He alone is worthy of all your praise! Keep in touch!
I expect more wonderful testimonies from you!
Love in Christ alone,
Malia”

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler[a]
And from the perilous pestilence…

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation” (Psalm 91)

This week our church we are fasting as a body. Lead by the Holy Spirit Pastor Leigh preached from Psalm 91. He laid the foundation for this year prayer and fasting season. If you want to join us, that is good. May the anointing flowing in Father’s House reach your place too….The following are some prayer points:
*God is our sanity, peace and joy in a crazy world. We shall not stop seeking God until we shall find Him.
*The same God who saves my soul eternally (I dwell in God’s secret place…) is the same God who protects me from attacks in this temporary world (as I abide under the shadow of the Almighty…). May my faith increase to secure the assurance of salvation and to be aware of God’s surrounding presence right now!
*God loves me! God grants me deliverance from fear, sickness and evil attacks! I do not live by sight, but by faith! I do not live my life lead by CNN or the newspaper. I trust God’s promises. His Word, His Truth is my shield that no enemy can penetrate! I put on the whole armor of salvation and I declare war against the demons of fear, confusion, ebola virus and witchcraft! These want to weaken my faith and destroy my peace and my joy! But the victory is mine!
*God is never passive! God is actively involved in the lives of His children! I shall trust God daily! I shall abide in His Word daily! I draw closer to my Father in Heaven! I have nothing to lose! These trials shall make me stronger spiritually!
*Why is God so powerful? Because he is God! I worship You Father! I pray that You show Yourself strong on my behalf!
*Why God does save and protect me? Because I am His child, servant and worshipper! (Because he loves Me…)
*God’s promise: long and satisfying life of worshipping God! God shall honor me because I trust in Him. I shall not be disappointed as I trust God! I decree that in Father’s House there shall be no case of untimely death coming from Ebola or any other unwelcomed virus! Right now I am making plans on how I shall spend my annual leave when I am 90 years old! A cruise to Hawaii is a good option…I am not joking!
It is well with my body, soul and spirit! It is well with my family, marriage, children, grandchildren and their families! It is well with our Church! We plead the Blood of Jesus upon Warri, Nigeria and Africa! We decree the end of this sickness Ebola! We raise the standard of the Holy Spirit against Boko Haram and other demoniacs! No man can be established thru wickedness! These evil men shall either repent of die!
We declare the Prince of Peace of God reigns over us! Jesus is Lord! To God be all the glory!
In Jesus name,
Amen!