GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD

Joseph was a man who knew both love and hatred. Envy kills. The brothers hated Joseph unto death: because his father loved him more, for his coat, for his words and for his dreams. Joseph was sent by the father to visit his brothers and to give them provisions. They decided to kill ‘the dreamer’. Later they saw ‘no profit’ in a dead man and chose to sell him. This is how Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. This betrayal happen at a place called Dothan (Gen 37:17). The name means ‘Two wells (of blessings)’ Later it became the city of Elisha (2Kg 6:13). It was here that Elisha told his fearful servant to look around and see the angels, the armies of the Lord. But on the day when Joseph was betrayed and sold, the angels kept quiet…

Joseph is a type of Christ. Both were betrayed and sold for money by their own people. Jesus proclaimed the truth that He is the Son of God. But truth was crucified on Golgotha Hill. Can truth live again? Can God’s dream be fulfilled? Can the prophecy of long ago ever come to pass? Indeed, all prophesy is fulfilled in Christ Jesus, our Lord!

“He shall see the travail of His soul and be satisfied…He shall see His descendants…I will give Him a portion among the great…” (Is 53:10, 11)

Joseph was loved by his father and hated by his brothers. He knew the sweet comfort of true love. He also discovered the painful reality of jealousy, hatred and evil. This was a life lived in the extremes. It was not Joseph’s fault that his father loved him more than the rest. Also, it was not his fault that God gave him wonderful dreams. The brothers hated him and were jealous on him. They made up their mind that they will never bow down to their younger brother. They decided that Joseph will never be their boss. That is they wanted him dead, so that his dreams will die with him.

Joseph was now a slave in Egypt. Without his coat, dressed in rags, he becomes a slave to men. In Potiphar’s house his other coat was stolen too. He went to prison dressed as a prisoner. Can his dreams ever be fulfilled?  Time will tell…

Evil had its way for a time. But ‘love never fails’ (1Cor 13: 8). At last, all things worked together for good for Joseph, for he was called by God and he loved God (Rom 8:28). He interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh and was promoted to the position of Prime Minister of Egypt.

Lessons: When Joseph told his brothers about his dreams they understood them right away. That is why they hated him. But Pharaoh needed an interpreter.

When God gives the unbelievers dreams, they need a believer to interpret them. But when God gives a believer dreams, these are very clear. They come with their interpretations. If you always look for someone to interpret your dreams, it may be that you are not born again! Selah!

Finally Joseph told his brothers that God was with him in his life’s journey! God changed the evil for good!

“You thought evil against me: but God turned it into good, that He might exalt me, as at present you see, and might save many people” (Gen 50:20; Douay-Rheims Bible)

The prayer meeting was good. We started well and ended even better. The ‘hot’ praise invited the presence of God. We worship the Living God, expecting miracles in our midst. It is so good to have faith in God alone. All problems seem small in the light of His presence. We stood on holy ground this evening. The very air ‘tasted’ holy. If the people came to visit me, they could have been disappointed. I did not have a new dress to impress them. I did not have money to give to them. All I had was Christ and Him crucified. This evening, the All-Sufficient God and His grace was more than enough for all of us. If you have never experienced the glory of God in a prayer meeting, then pray that you may! There is nothing like it! With hearts made tender by the Holy Spirit the message came:

“Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming! Come therefore let us now kill him…”

“Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth. Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, “Where do you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.” So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them” (Gen 37: 19; 42:6-9)

Jacob had a favorite son called Joseph. He was six years when they came back to the Promised Land. Eleven years have passed since then. Joseph was now a young man of seventeen. His father gave him a coat of many colors as a gift. This coat was not only beautiful. He who dressed with this ‘royal’ coat was not supposed to do menial work. He was the leader, the priest and king of the home.  In their tradition it was given to the heir, to the one who will inherit the family property and carry on the name. Naturally it could have been Ruben, for he was the first born son. But he committed adultery with the father’s concubine and so he became disqualified to represent the family. There were other sons older than Joseph. In fact, he was the one before last. But Jacob made a clear display of his choice; it was Joseph who will inherit the family name.

Lessons: God’s plans for you are good. God wants to promote you in life. As a child of God you are not supposed to work like a slave. God will give you wisdom above the unbelievers. It does not matter your education or social status. God’s favor upon a man is all that matters. .

THE COAT AND THE DREAMS ARE GIVEN AS GIFTS

The coat of many colors was given to Joseph by his earthly father. God, his heavenly Father gave Joseph two similar dreams. He did not invent them. The dreams were not the products of any hidden ambition for leadership or an unholy imagination. The reason why God gave him two dreams is to confirm that the matter has been established in heaven and no man or devil can stop the dreams from being fulfilled.

Lessons: No man promotes himself to be a priest or king. The call has to be from God with signs following. No one can destroy a man who God calls to Himself. The gifts and the callings of God are irrevocable (cannot be withdrawn) (Rom 11:29)

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God!

I am a king and a priest called by God to serve Him!

I am a faithful servant of God! Therefore I shall be promoted by God!

God’s favor is upon me! I fear no devil and no man! I only fear God!

My life brings glory to God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

 
“God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” (Nu 23:19)
The answer is clearly implied: God’s Word is always truth! God is always faithful to His promises! God speaks and He acts! There is power to perform deposited in His Word! God said: Let there be light! And there was light!
God will perform His Word to you who believe!
Faith 100%! Doubt 0%!
No shaking (as we say in Nigeria)!
In Jesus name
Amen!

 
“Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1Cor 4:12)

God is the Creator and the Owner of everything. We are only stewards, chosen by Him. We have to give an account for the way we use God’s resources, our time, our blessings. Marriage, children, ministry, jobs, money, things…all these are gifts from God. You have to give an account for the way you use them!

“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—

the great locust and the young locust,

the other locusts and the locust swarm—

my great army that I sent among you.

You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,

and you will praise the name of the Lord your God,

who has worked wonders for you;

never again will my people be shamed.

Then you will know that I am in Israel,

that I am the Lord your God,

and that there is no other;

never again will my people be shamed” (Joel 2:25-27)

We all have wasted times and opportunities. We all know the shame of loss and failure. We all made wrong choices and mistakes. We all felt like going back in time and repair those foolish decisions.  But no one can go back. Time only goes in one direction. Wasted years can be terrible bringing regrets and shame. But God has a word for His children who wasted years in the past.

God will not bring you back in time, to be young again. But God promises to give you a supernatural financial increase, an overflow of harvest that will more than compensate for the lost opportunities of wasted years. Only God can perform this miracle! It is not the result of hard work or human promotion. You need to trust God, His Word, His promises and His power to perform miracles. Nothing less than that will do!

Join me in trusting God to the end! All loans and mortgages shall be paid by the power of the Holy Spirit! We vow to give God all the glory!

In Jesus name

Amen!

To be quickly rich without any labor, this is the dream of all sinners. That is the foundation of gambling.

Gambling – definition: To play a game for money or property; to bet, to take a chance, to risk on an uncertain outcome; to expose yourself to danger and to proceed in the face of it.

The attraction of gambling is entertainment and the love of money. Both are very addictive strongholds of satan. The victims are people who are lazy, covetous, foolish and ambitious in the same time. That combination is deadly. Gambling is a scheme to escape labor, but in reality, gambling is an evil spirit that kills and destroys.

‘Dear Lord Jesus, I pray that you expose this wicked, seducing, evil spirit of gambling so that we can hate it enough to separate from it totally. We ask for forgiveness for any desire to be lazy, to cheat or to covet and desire wealth in the same time. Let Your light shine on our understanding!

In Jesus name we pray,

Amen!’

PRAYER ALERTS (for men who commented on my blog)

1. Dear Silvia, It is unfortunate that I am living this life. I just believed now that I am truly contaminated by the useless spirit of gambling. All the time, I will vow to forget going inside those shops but once I drive out, I feel some forces dragging me to go there. I am very honest in this narration. I will be weeping openly asking myself hundreds of questions why I am been dragged like this. It is a terrible situation. I have prayed and prayed and to no effect. I am really in trouble. How else can I be dragged out of this trouble? Any other help or advice? I know that the only person who can me help is Jesus, the Victor Himself. Please pray for me…

2. Dear Silvia, I am in the verge of taking my life because I do not understand how I became a gambler. I used to be a born again in Christ but since I came to Europe, life turned me upside-down. Living in UK it has been the greatest regrets in my life. The government is making people lose their lives because they made gambling easy to come to your doorsteps because it generates lots of taxes for them, I have tried to run away from gambling but they keep bringing the shops to my doorsteps. I have lost all I have and I’m never happy with my life. My wife took my children away because she doesn’t understand me anymore. The worst part is that none of my friends and family knows that I am gambling. I have successfully hid it from even to my closest friends for 5 years now. I have discovered that every gambler is a liar. God hates lies. I don’t understand how these forces push me around. I will pray and pray to avoid it yet, that week will be the worst in my finances and it will force me to think of way out. I lost my job as a hotel Manager because of lack of concentration and mistake I’ve made, so I got fired. The next day, I found myself stealing fish in the market and I was caught and handed over to the police. All these happened in a space of one day. I did not see the fish and I paid through my nose for it and now I have a police record. I don’t even remember how it all happened. I don’t believe I did it but they said I did it and shame and ignorance of what is happening to me, I was cold and shaking.

3. I have lost my confidence in my abilities as a man. I lost my speech and can’t even speak proper English. I think like a 10 year old. I am afraid to walk out of my house because the next minute, I will sneak into gambling machines. There, young people are crying asking how they became gamblers. The addiction is much worse than drug addiction. I am now sick from diabetes because of nervousness. I shake a lot and fear will take all my motions and senses out of my life. I can’t sleep well. I am not eating well and I never have money in my account. My mortgage is under threat. My car is about to be taken because I had it on higher purchase. I don’t have good job anymore to meet up with my expenses. I don’t know how to rescue myself from this addiction. Pastors have prayed for me. Some exposed me when I made confession which I did not like. I am in real trouble and need any assistance from anywhere. I was just checking for the spirit of gambling and yours popped up so, I started reading it and it got me moved.

4. I decree that I am free from the spirit of gambling for the Word became flesh and dwelt among men to be their light which shines in darkness and the darkness comprehends it not. After reading this little but powerful blog, the word entered me like it entered Ezekiel when he began to prophesy. Silvia, I cannot thank you enough for this page for my life has taken a new path from now on. I was (am) a very good Christian until I came to Europe and the spirit of haste and gambling took over me, blown all my life savings from home and from work. An insatiable desire to make quick money suddenly possessed me.

I declare that I am an over comer and I can all things thru Christ who strengthen me. .

My desire today is that I will return to encourage as many who are fighting bad habits in their lives. May      God grant us speedy recovery from the days the canker worm has eaten away. Peace in Jesus name to your soul.

5. Dear Silvia, My name is D… I’m in the same situation; Gambling has destroyed me, my wife, my business, my family and children. Please pray for me so I could be delivered from the spirit of gambling.

Six months later…

PRAISE REPORT

Dear Silvia, Thanks for your prayer. Indeed the Lord is good. Not only I have stopped gambling, now I am attending a Christian gambling re- habilitation program in a church I started attending. I gave my life to Christ.  I love to serve Him. Praise God I am healed in Jesus Name. I also get encouragement from your posting and your program on you tube. Overflow. Sermon…..Amen

Let’s pray:

“Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you on behalf of Your children. I ask for mercy and forgiveness on their behalf. I ask that You come down and intervene in their lives. They need You! They need Your deliverance! They need a new beginning with You!

You devil, you worldly evil spirit of gambling, you spirit of fear, suicide and witchcraft… I come against you and command you to leave God’s children now! I destroy your spell upon their lives! I destroy any occult covenant made against their souls!

I plead the Blood of Jesus over their body, soul, spirit, marriage, family, business and ministry!

Holy Spirit please come!

We vow to give God alone all the glory for the miracles of deliverance!

I declare that the power of sin is broken! Let God’s name be glorified!

In Jesus name

Amen!”

DREAMS COME TRUE – BUT SOME DO NOT (3)

In the Bible there are good and bad examples of people who had dreams and who made vows.

WISE FAITHFUL DREAMERS

*God gave Jacob a dream. Jacob made a vow to pay his tithe. His dream came true and he kept his vow.

*Hannah desired children. She made a vow to the God who ‘shut her womb’ that if she has a son, he will be given to God for His service. God answered her prayer and Samuel was born. As soon as it was possible, she kept her vow and gave the little boy to the temple. In response to that, God blessed her with more children.

* Prophet Jonah vowed to give glory to God for his salvation

FOOLISH DREAMERS

*Jepthah was a man of war and a judge of Israel. He made a foolish vow to God, that if he wins the war, he shall offer the first ‘thing’ that will come out of the gate of his house (Jdg 11:30, 31). Possibly he thought it will be an animal. He won the victory. Coming home happily, he was met by his daughter, who was his only child. Wise beyond her years, the girl understood and cooperated with his vow. She never married and lived her life as a living sacrifice, a reminder that God takes vows seriously.

*Absalom wanted to be king. His father David was on the throne and if he was patient he could have been the next king. But he was rebellious and wanted to fulfill his own dream thru evil means. He sounded so religious…he told his father that he vowed to offer a sacrifice to God. He deceived his father and manipulated the people of Israel. He finally succeeded… Absalom is now the new king… But he sat on the throne just few days before he died a shameful death. God can never bless rebellious dreams!

WISDOM ABOUT VOWS

Think long and pray before making vows to God. Do not make vows that you know you cannot keep. Do not involve others in making vows (remember Jepthah!). As a pastor, father or husband, over-rule foolish vows made by your family or congregation (Nu 30). That is the duty and authority of spiritual covering. If you have any doubts, it is better not to make vows to God. The only exception will be the marriage vow.

The holy divine protocol for angels and men is to come to the presence of God with a heart of worship. Fear God who is in heaven for you are like dust on earth! Come to His presence with a desire to listen to the Word of God. Be careful with your words. Do not talk too much, especially when in church! Do not over commit yourself. “Be quick to hear and slow to speak… Serve God with trembling…Work out your salvation with fear and trembling…”

GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS VOWS

Be like God who is faithful to all His vows and promises!

*God vowed to David that his son shall be King forever. The promise came thru in Christ, who is the Son of David!

*God vowed that every knee shall bow before Christ, the Son of the Living God:

“I have sworn by Myself;

The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness,

And shall not return,

That to Me every knee shall bow…” (Is 45:23)

In Christ I declare:

By God’s grace I shall be faithful to my marriage vows!

To the glory of God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

Most vows are made in times of trouble. Even then, be careful with making vows to God for he expects you to fulfill them! A vow is a solemn promise to do something for God. So a vow is a very serious thing for it is a binding thing on you. God will punish any man who takes His name in vain. He will expect the vows to be fulfilled. After a period of ‘grace’ if the vow is still ignored, the punishment shall come. We usually make pledges and vows to God when we are in trouble. For example we say: “God, if you help me get a job I will become an usher…” or “God, if you heal me, I will pay one million naira to the church…” Then God hears and answers you. Now you have your job and you are healthy. And the vow is long forgotten. You excuse yourself, saying that God understands your situation…That is a snare and God will punish the foolish man.

“It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows (counting the cost)” (PV 20:25)

STRANGE POVERTY

A broken vow is one of the main reasons for poverty among the believers. God says that if you ignore your vow, He will not bless the works of the hands. In a way, God will extract the penalty of broken vows and pledges done in His name. For example, you hastily and foolishly pledged to give one million naira to the church. Even if you ignore the vow you made, God will take that amount from your salary. For the next ten years you shall suffer lack. This is something to think about when you see men very active in church activities and still unbalanced financially. This judgment is a proof that God will punish any man who takes His name in vain (Ex 20:7). Be careful not to manipulate God when you are in trouble! For God can never lose!

THE FEAR OF GOD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM

What to do then? The first thing is to fear God! When coming to church talk less! If you are in any doubt, better do not make vows or pledges to God or to men!

This is what king David said;

“I will go into Your house with burnt offerings;

I will pay You my vows,

Which my lips have uttered

And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble” (Ps 66:13, 14)

MY TESTIMONY

In 1986 I became saved. The conviction of the Holy Spirit was so strong upon me that I thought I will die. For the first time in my life I saw myself as a sinner. I did not know God before then. But seeing no other way to survive God’s confrontation, I prayed for the first time in my life. I also made my first vow. I told God that if He comes down from heaven and saves my soul, that I will be His friend and servant all the days of my life! He did save my soul. My life was never the same again. By the grace of God I also kept my vow! I testify that God has blessed the work of my hands and the words of my mouth. The spirit of poverty does not have a foot hold in my life! Selah!

In Christ I declare:

I paid (and I’ll continue to pay) the vow which my mouth spoke when I was in trouble!

To God be all the glory!

In Jesus name

Amen!

The prayer meeting went well. My sermon was a difficult one. I felt like a doctor before doing surgery. The case was not easy and I did not know what to expect.  I needed the wisdom, strength, compassion, patience and love of   the Holy Spirit. The congregation was ‘flowing’ with the Spirit. There was a desire to worship God, a longing to thank Him for all things he has done for us. It is possible to pretend thanksgiving. But tonight it was real and deep. The hearts became tender in the hands of the Potter. Then the message followed…

“Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.

Do not be rash with your mouth,

And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.

For God is in heaven, and you on earth;

Therefore let your words be few.

For a dream comes through much activity,

And a fool’s voice is known by his many words” (Ecc 5:1-3)

This is a true saying: God gives visions and dreams to men on earth. All these shall come to pass. But a word of caution is needed here. The church attracts men who manufacture dreams for themselves expecting God to fulfill them. Their dreams seem good and they claim God is their source. But then something is wrong. After years of waiting for any manifestation, with many prayers and prophetic utterances following, their dreams become a barren land, just a pet fantasy. These dreamers love to make vows to God promising great things. Later they ignore all those great promises. These vows and the emptiness of their lives hunt them later. These men become disappointed, angry and bitter with God who refuses to be manipulated and fulfill their secret ambitions for fame and wealth, all wrapped in lofty man-made dreams. The church environment in particular attracts this type of religious spirits. That is why we need to be sure that the dreams planted in our hearts are truly of God!

We generally take it for granted that it is a good thing to invite men to church. We reason that if they hear the Word of God they shall change and become spiritual. Indeed, it is a good thing to invite men to the presence of God who alone can change hearts. But in the passage above we see that there is a warning in coming to God with a wrong attitude.  The danger is to practice a superficial religion, having no desire to repent of it, lacking the fear of God and still insisting to come into His presence. God knows the hearts of all men. Not all prayers are acceptable to Him. Not all worship is pleasing to Him.

What then are the signs of trouble, warning that God may be ‘angry’ with you in the church?

*A rash mouth

This is a religious man who talks too much. He does not worship God while he is praying or making requests from Him. This man does not think before he talks, prophesies or makes vows to God. His mouth leads his body. He is loud, proud and foolish. He wants others to hear his prayers and vows, to gain their admiration. He has no interest in fulfilling his vows for he does not fear God. He will be greatly surprised that God expects that vows done in His name should be paid without delay.

*A hasty heart

This man is too impatient and easily moved. The ‘anointing’ in a service will make him say things that he will regret later. He is not prepared to meet with God. He is too emotional and his flesh rules his decisions. He makes vows and later regrets them. He does not fear God.

*Foolishness

It is a strange sight to see a religious fool. The presence of God should make men wiser and better. But some never change. Their worship and ministry is called ‘the sacrifice of fools’. God does not accept their labor and prayers. They come to church for many years but still, they do not even know that they do ‘evil’. Their ignorance of God is a shame and a rebuke!

I Christ I declare:

I am a child of God!

I repent for talking too much, when addressing God or men!

I repent of impatience and foolishness!

I separate from the evil spirit of religion!

I give all the glory to God!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

 
The wife of a man of God asked me for prayer. They are family friends from the US. They were missionaries in Nigeria. Now they have a ministry in Mexico. The pastor has kidney stones and is in serious pain right now. They trust God for a healing miracle and they do not want surgery. Please pray for them! Thank you for your prayers! God bless you all!
“Many followed Him (Jesus), and He healed them all” (Mt 12:15)

“But I have this against you: that you tolerate that woman Jezebel…” (Rev 2:20)

Our women’s fellowship this evening was very good but not the way I planned it to be. I prepared my message and was very excited to share with them. Five sisters shared their testimonies. Two of them recently had been delivered from spiritual attacks cause by the evil spirit of Jezebel. By the mouth of two witnesses, every truth is established. I knew that I have to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. I decided ‘on the spot’ to expose the religious spirit of Jezebel and that we should do warfare against it. This was ‘an old’ topic we have studied long ago. But the Holy Spirit made it to sound new and gave me the utterance to preach God’s Word. We combined prayer with praise, worship with intercession. We made prophetic declarations: “I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord!”  The Holy Spirit was totally in charge and the service was flowing ‘like the oil’. I am so blessed even as I write this letter to you all! May you feel and tap from the ‘hot anointing’ released this evening in Father’s House!

Below are some points from the (unprepared) exhortation:

*Stop tolerating Jezebel! To tolerate it means to stay passive, to permit misbehavior without confrontation. Do not allow your children to misbehave! Pray for wisdom, love, patience and strength to be a godly mother to them!

*Submit to God and resist the devil! We did both!

*The effects of Jezebel are seen in the attack on Elijah (1Kg 19). This man of God was bold yesterday and had a great victory. He killed 850 false prophets. Now a woman (Jezebel) threatens him with death and he runs away from his place of ministry. These are some of the effects: Fear, intimidation, loneliness, tiredness, confusion, lack of sleep, depression, suicide thoughts, a desire to resign from his office (job, ministry) and self-pity.

*Other effects of Jezebel spirit are sexual immorality, homosexuality and lust

*Chronic sicknesses that defy ‘regular’ prayers or medical treatment, bareness,

*Imbalanced marriages (one partner is too strong and the other too weak), divorce,

*Financial Imbalance: For example, you want to buy a car. It costs 200, 000 naira. You easily gather 180,000 but the last 20,000 will be impossible for you ‘to rise’. The money will be stuck at that level and you shall not be able to buy the car. After that, you start losing even the money you have gathered. With all your efforts and prayers, you are not able to finish family projects. It makes you feel like a failure, tired, frustrated and angry.

We then prayed as a congregation. We also prayed two by two. We proclaimed the power of the name of Jesus! We proclaimed the power of the Blood of Jesus! We praised God until He ‘came down’. We invited the Presence of the Person of God the Holy Spirit! Some of the women manifested the spirit. Some got delivered. Some got healed. All were blessed. We ended with a call to be filled with the Holy Spirit and with thanksgiving to God.

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God!

I am a woman of God!

I refuse to tolerate the evil spirit of Jezebel! She is a liar and I refuse to listen to lies!

I love the truth that sets me free!

I resist the Jezebel spirit and it must flee from me!

I destroy every spell of Jezebel over my body, soul, spirit, marriage, family, ministry and all that belongs to me!

I destroy every evil covenant done against my life and destiny!

I declare that I am healed, delivered and free!

Jesus my Lord has opened a door of peace, joy, prosperity, happy marriage, fruitfulness and ministry! No man or demon can shut it!

Jesus is Lord!

All glory to God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

 
A man of God, a friend of the family, asked me to pray for him. He has been sick for about two years. Because of the pains, he has difficulty doing his ministry. The doctors say that he has stomach ulcer. He took all the prescribed medication but there is no much improvement. He is born again, Spirit filled and he believes in miracles. Thank you faithful humble powerful intercessors for all your labor of love! God bless you all!
“Many followed Him (Jesus), and He healed them all” (Mt 12:15)

“May you see your children’s children!” (Ps 128:6)

This is a very personal testimony. I could not have shared it with you, but it gives glory to God and that is all that matters. When our youngest daughter Jemine was born, we were in the middle of a terrible crisis. We moved from Benin to Warri and started a private hospital in partnership with a much older colleague. That business collapsed and we lost all our money. When she was born we could not afford to buy fancy baby things; only the basic stuff (survival kit). I remembered that I wept looking at our beautiful baby wrapped in old bed sheets. I was not born again, so I could not really pray…but I made a silent wish in my heart… that the story of this baby girl I hold in my arms shall be different than mine…that when she will be a mother, she will have all she needs for her baby…

More than thirty years have passed since then. By the grace of God her father and I we became saved. We started praying for our family. O, how things have changed… Jemine is now happily married to Matthew. They are expecting their first baby. Jemine told me that her friends and colleagues in the office have organized two ‘baby showers’. The gifts received are more than enough to take care of the baby. There was an overflow of love and generosity that only God could have ‘organized’.

This evening I remembered my tears as a young mother and the wish made to ‘a star’…God over-ruled the star…My God is Jehovah Jireh. He is the One who supplied all that is needed, and so much more…

Baby Oakes, you are blessed!

To God be all the glory!

“So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron…

But Joshua and Caleb said: “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.” (Nu 14)

This is the story of the people of God. Ten out of twelve spies gave a negative report about the Promised Land. Only Joshua and Caleb tried to encourage them. The congregation over-reacted emotionally and rejected the promises of God. God was angry and punished them to stay in the desert for forty years until all the adults died there. From the old generation, only Joshua and Caleb entered the Promised Land.

As a child of God you need wisdom when trials of life come your way. You need wisdom on what to do and what not to do. The following are principles of restrain and self-control in difficult times:

*Do not despair!

When the people of God heard about the giants, ‘they cried the whole night’. Their disappointment with the news that they have to fight some giants became discouragement and eventually depression. It is ok to be disappointed. That is a temporary feeling. But it is not ok to allow the disappointment to go further. Discouragement and depression in a child of God are sins and the foundation of bitterness and rebellion. Reject depression!

*Do not complain!

Complaining against the circumstances is a sign of rebellion against the Almighty God. In all things- give thanks!

*Do not blame your leaders!

When you blame men for your difficulties, you are an agent of the devil who thought Adam to blame Eve and even God for his disobedience. Blaming men or even the devil is negative and unproductive. It does not change the circumstances. Instead of blaming your leaders, pray for them!

*Do not look for an easy way out!

The people of God wanted to enter the Promised Land without any effort, opposition or sacrifice. That is not possible. To be able to possess a good thing you must pay a price. The Cross is the price. The higher is the dream, the higher the sacrifice. Even to enter the promised and the blessings of God, you must pay a price!

*Fear not!

God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power love and sound mind! Reject the demon of fear! God is with you! That is the secret source of true success!

Joshua and Caleb represent the lonely voice of faith. The crowd chose the easy fake song of doubt. Who wins at last: the mass choir or the soloist? God is not interested in numbers. He knows the heart of each man! The worst sin is doubt and unbelief! To believe a lie when you know the truth, that is unbelief! God punishes sin and rewards faith! Selah!

Pray about yourself! There is destiny moment hidden in a life crisis! The decision you make in a difficult moment shall determine your future! May you never regret your choices! May you have peace in all you do! In Jesus name amen!

HOME AT LAST

“So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there God appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother” (Gen 35:6, 7)

After passing thru this valley of the shadow of death, Jacob finally arrives at Bethel. He raises an altar there and pours a drink offering and oil. This is again a signal that he has never forgotten Bethel.

As Jacob moves towards Bethel, the terror of Jehovah falls on the Canaanites and all the other pagan nations trying to pursue the children of God. This is another great lesson: Obedience means power!

God changed his name from Jacob to Israel. Jacob too does the same. He calls the place El Bethel. It means the God of the House of God. For almost thirty years his ambition was just to go home, to the House of his God. But now, thru it all, He has learned to trust and love the God of the house, the Person of God the Holy Spirit, His Comforter and Friend! This is a great testimony! Jacob now trusts the God of the House of God! Then God welcomes him and blesses him ‘again’, the second time at that very spot (Gen 35:9).

What a story! God’s dream got fulfilled at last!

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life” (PV 13:12)

The tree of life appears only three times in the Bible: In Genesis, in Revelation and the Book of Proverbs. In Hebrew, the word ‘dream’ means a longing, a wish or a desire that brings satisfaction and fulfilment. Back to Bethel we become fruitful people so that others may draw life from us. True ministry is only possible at Bethel.

Lastly, indeed, God’s dreams come true. Never forget that! If God has spoken a word to you, if He gave you a dream or a vision, it shall come to pass. It does not matter how long it takes…it does not matter the mistakes you make along the way… God is in control and He shall fulfill your dream!

This is God’s Word! How many times it has brought me comfort and hope!

“This vision (or dream) is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed” (Hab 2:3)

I can only add:

In Jesus name

Amen!

THE LONG WAY BACK HOME

“Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.” (Gen 35:1)

God commands Jacob to go back to Bethel and to build an altar there. Altar speaks of sacrifice, of death. It is at Bethel that your body shall become a living sacrifice acceptable to God in worship (Rom 12:1, 2). Finally, Jacob understands God’s purpose for him. He is now ready to obey totally. He asks his people to bring all the hidden idols they have carried from Haran and from Shechem. That is when Rachel probably brings the households idols she stole from her father Laban. The word describing them is connected with Rapha. These were idols Laban used for healing diseases. This idol must die now. They shall trust Jehovah Rapha for their healing from now on.

Jacob buries all idols under a tree. Then they change their clothes. Not all clothes are good for the believers. The world has influenced the church giving the believers a false standard based on lust, covetousness and pride. Spiritually speaking these new garments symbolize to put on Christ and His robe of righteousness. It is not enough to be a Christian ‘in my heart’. You need to show the world that you have changed, that you have left its lust and corruption behind. You need wisdom!  Pray that God will reveal to you the new style of dressing, as a priest and king unto Him.

Then God appeared and blessed Jacob AGAIN! (Gen 35:9). Repentance opens the door for fresh encounters with the Living God!

“Dear Holy Spirit we ask for forgiveness and mercy if we have grieved You!”

The women brought their jewelry too. These are not just some fancy ear rings as we see them today in the shops. These were not used for beauty. This jewelry was demonized.  They are called talismans or amulets. These are a point of contact for demons, having supernatural power to heal, prevent sickness or danger. Even today in some churches, some priests use a particular cross during sessions of deliverance. Some used ‘holy water’ ‘handkerchiefs soaked in the sweat of the priest’ or other visible means to heal or deliver. These are all idols! The only accepted method for us as children of God is prayer in the name of Jesus and fasting. Occasionally and only led by the Holy Spirit, the laying of hands and anointing with oil can be applied. Nothing more than that should be use by the believers in Christ!

This is another great lesson: We need to repent from any form of idolatry. Anything that comes in between you are God, visible or invisible, must be repented of, confessed as sin and destroyed. This is not an easy process. God wants to prove to Jacob that idolatry kills. The same chapter describes four deaths. Each is a dear family member of Jacob. Sin kills! Idolatry kills! Repent and come back to Bethel, to the Cross of Christ!

In Christ I declare:

I shall dwell in the center of God’s perfect will!

I repent and reject any idol, visible or invisible!

I hate idolatry!

I preach Christ Crucified!

My body is a living sacrifice on God’s altar!

I worship God in Spirit and in Truth!

My family and I, we shall fulfill our destiny!

Holy Spirit come and fill us AGAIN!

In Jesus name

Amen!

 
THE LONG WAY BACK HOME
Jacob is now ready to move towards Bethel. Unfortunately he stops short of God’s purpose for him. He settles at Shechem, a pagan city of the Canaanites, about 15 miles from Bethel (Gen 34). It seems that he stayed there a long time for he buys land from Hamor, the pagan king to settle in Shechem. Jacob digs his own well there.
(Many years later, Jesus has a wonderful conversation with the Samaritan woman at that well (Jn 4).)
This proves that Jacob stayed there at least ten years. Then trouble comes. Dinah, his only daughter becomes a teenager and makes friends with the pagan girls. She is raped by the prince of the land. They marry but the marriage does not last. Angry for revenge, Hamor his son and many of their people are killed by Jacob’s sons. Jacob has to leave the land in a hurry to finally go to Bethel.
This story reveals how easy it is to disobey God and settle in the world. Sin is defined as an action that falls short of God’s glory, plan and purpose. Shecehm stands for sin. But God forces them to move ahead. Finally they move on towards Bethel.

THE LONG WAY BACK HOME
“Then Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” And he said, “These are to find favor in the sight of my lord.” But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” And Jacob said, “No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” So he urged him, and he took it” (Gen 33:8-11)

THE LONG WAY BACK HOME

The prayer meeting started softly, quietly. Sometimes the anointing sounds like a trumpet. Tonight it was strings. The gentle breeze of the Holy Spirit was blowing over us…cleansing…bringing hope…faith rising…the unity of the Spirit made it so easy…no need to hide, no need to pretend, no need to feel shy…The Father came to embrace His children and none could stop Him…who dares anyway? All things are possible for the Father is here…It feels so good to be a child of God! That was how I felt…

Then the message came:

“I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’” (Gen 31:13)

God calls Jacob from the land of Haran. He said that He saw the injustice Laban has done to him!

Great lesson here: This should be a great encouragement to all who suffer oppression at their working place! God knows and God sees! Miraculous deliverance is at hand!

God commands Jacob to go back to Bethel were He revealed Himself to him at the beginning of his journey, where the dream started. The command is clear: arise- get out and return! The place is also clear: the land of your family, of your brethren, of your kindred, your native land. Spiritually speaking it means go back to the place where you became born again, where your first love was revealed in the purity of that vision!

Jacob obeys God and starts moving towards home. But the way is long and full of dangers. He has to meet with Esau, the twin brother who he cheated in the past. He is afraid of that encounter. This time he does the right thing. In the midst of his fears he prays to God! The spiritual fruit is already showing as he goes back home!

“Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’” (Gen 32: 9-12)

God had promised Jacob that if he goes back to Bethel He will be with him, proper him and make him exceedingly fruitful. The word ‘prosper’ appears two times. In Hebrew it means to be happy and successful, to be accepted by others in the land, to have favor with men and to be used by God. This is a wonderful promise that will manifest only if Jacob obeys and goes to Bethel.

This is a great lesson: if you faithfully obey God’s commands, if you keep your vision pure, looking only unto Jesus, then prosperity shall be your portion. It is so easy to compromise, to deviate from the straight and narrow road. But it is possible to walk before the Lord and be perfect! You do not have to backslide! The Holy Spirit is your Helper and Encourager! You can do it! Let’s run the race! No looking back! No wasting time! The God of Bethel is calling, is calling! The oil poured on that stone cannot be washed by rain and cannot be melted by the heat! The God who saved your soul, your first love, The Lord Jesus Christ is waiting to embrace you child of God!

“Amazing grace how sweet your sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now I’m found, was blind but now I see!”

In Christ I declare:

God shall vindicate me at my place of work!

I separate myself from any backsliding spirit!

I come to Father’s House, to Bethel! Here I shall dwell eternally! Here I found rest! Here I belong!

Because my eyes are on Jesus and my feet walk the way of the Cross, God shall prosper me!

I shall be happy and successful! I shall be accepted by the people of this land! I shall have favor with God and men!

I re-surrender my life to Jesus Christ, the Savior of my soul and my first love forever!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:  looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Heb 12:14, 15)

Bitterness starts as a personal sin but its spreads very fast. Your heart is God’s garden. He plants holy seeds.  “If the root is holy, so are the branches”. God has to right to visit anytime and expects delight in what He finds there. Look carefully, inspect and be jealous over your heart, for out of it overflows the Word of life. The Holy Spirit plants seeds of love, joy, peace, patience and kindness that will become sweet fruits and abundant harvest.

The devil plants weeds to spoil the beauty and the value of the garden. These strange plants cause trouble everywhere. Weeds are very difficult the remove. One of it is called ‘the root of bitterness’. It grows very deep. It spreads very fast. ‘Bitterness’ comes from the word ‘to bite’. Bitterness is like a poisonous snake in the garden. When it is little, it looks nice and innocent. It adds ‘color’ to the garden…or so we think…But one day it will manifest and will try to bite the gardener. It causes trouble to the other good plants. It oppresses, harasses and annoys them. It pollutes them so that they become weak and sad. Spiritual weakness and depression may be a sign that a spell of bitterness is over you. Pray and find its source. Separate it quickly before more damage is done! Remove the ‘snake’ from your garden! Every plant the Father has not planted shall be uprooted at last!

A bitter man takes the grace of God for granted; he wastes all its loving warnings and rebukes. He is an enemy of the Cross. The word ‘fall short’ means to be inferior, to be deficient or to miss its blessings. It is like man going to the airport to board the only plane that goes to heaven. Somebody paid for his ticket. But he comes too late. He missed it!  Esau cried at the “Airport of Life” but his tears could not manufacture another plane. This is so sad…

Pray that God reveals if there is any root of bitterness in your heart. Try to remember the most painful event in your life, the greatest disappointment. How did you survive that pain? The only solution for anger is found at the Cross of Christ. Any other location will recycle your pain into false hope and deep bitterness. Any other ‘god’ will plant a snake in the garden of your heart.

Lastly…This is a good time to appreciate the grace of God over your life. Worship God who sent His Only Begotten Son to die for you! There is no better Word I have for you than this…

In Christ I declare:

I repent of every connection or sympathy I had with bitter people who are angry with God!

I repent for indulging in doubt!

I repent from the sin of un-forgiveness!

I uproot and reject every root of bitterness!

I kill the biting snake of rebellion deposited in my heart!

Let every drop of bitterness be changed into Holy Spirit’ sweetness in my heart!

Holy Spirit please come and fill me!

In Jesus name

Amen!