“I will be the same until your old age, and I will bear you up when you turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will bear and save you.” (Is 46:4)

This is a great testimony proving once more that God loves all people, especially the elderly. I am so happy for that! About a week ago I had a desire to buy some audio Bibles and give them as gifts to older people, most of them blind or too weak to go to church. (I have one in my kitchen and I listen to it when I cook. If you ask me…yes, the food is tastier when the anointing is greater).

There is this man called Papa S. Three of his sons are faithful members and workers in our church for many years. I never met him until recently. What I knew about him is that his wife became born again when he was not. She went to a village to do missionary work, came back and died a sudden death. She was only 52 years old. Her passing shocked him. He was left with ten children to take care of. Slowly, he started going to church. After six years of being a widower he married ‘a good woman’ from his church.

Thru his son, I sent him an audio Bible and invited him to come to Jesus Mega Party. This afternoon he came to our house, grateful for the unexpected gift. He thanked us for taking care of his sons. Then I asked him about his spiritual standing. He could not convince me that he is saved. He was just religious. He said that his primary desire is that his children to be successful in life and good Christians so that they can take care of him in his old age when he cannot work anymore. I said: “Papa S, this is a good thing you said. But I know of something better, the best of all”. He said he wants to know what is better than that. I told him that he should remove his trust from his children and place his life totally in the hands of Jesus. Let Jesus be his Savior, Lord, Lawyer, Doctor, Provider and Best Friend forever. I said that he should live his life like the birds…”of the air” (he concluded for me).

Gently, I lead him to Christ. He prayed from his heart. The Holy Spirit was there to witness, empower and seal ‘the sinner’s prayer’. Then I told him to use his remaining days on earth to preach the Gospel of Christ to all human beings he meets, young or old, religious or not. I told him that God pays His preachers. He was excited to hear that. He promised to do so. He also promised to come in the evening with his wife at Jesus Mega Party.

At last, he was ready to go home. Then he suddenly became shy, telling me that tomorrow, 1^st of January 2015 is his birthday. He will be 75 years old. I had no idea how old he is or when was his birthday. Suddenly he became emotional again realizing that God loves him, that He gave him the best birthday gift ever, salvation for his soul and the Word of God. I too was touched… O, sweet Holy Spirit… Because of the Blood of Jesus shed on the Cross, a simple man became a saint, just like that… After many trials and tears, Jacob was declared Israel, Prince with God! From now on, Papa S shall be called “Israel”…Like Job, his later years shall be better than his youth. To the glory of God!

This is my last entry for 2014. It has been a very fruitful year, more than I could have imagined. God bless you my children, readers and friends. I am already excited for 2015! Your future is better than your past! The sufferings you have experienced cannot compare with the glory that shall be revealed!  Happy New Year!

 
“The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps 27:1)

Yesterday we had a wonderful Holy Communion service. Pastor Leigh preached a wonderful prophetic sermon based on Psalm 27. The Word of God commands us to be strong and courageous! We ended the year with prayer, praise and prophetic utterances.

This morning, a sister who attends the church sent me a beautiful testimony of the power of the Word of God.

Dear Malia and Tali,

I’m grateful to God for His word that came through yesterday.. It was a reminder of His faithfulness and never ending love.

In 1997, as a student, I’d dedicated my life to Jesus the year before but very much a baby and ignorant concerning God’s word and the sweet guide of the Holy Spirit. Our hostels were poorly managed; light bulbs were hardly replaced so hallways were dark especially at night.

Somehow, I’d managed not using the bathrooms at night.. I was scared of the dark until this night that I was so pressed but the fear kept me in bed.. I kept praying for dawn or at least sound of someone else steps so I could tag along. My roommates were mostly in their finals, couldn’t wake any of them to go with me.

Then, in my heart, I heard psalms 27… I ignored the voice.. Still lying down very distressed Psalm 27 came again.. I brushed it off.. Then the voice completely filled my thoughts.. In frustration, I wondered what psalm 27 was all about and decided to look it up, maybe the thoughts would leave me… Brought out my bible which I hardly ever opened except during fellowship, once or twice a week.. Looked through the contents, got the page number and flipped to Psalm 27…I read…

“The LORD is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear

The LORD is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid…”

In shock, I read it again… Instantly, I was bold.. I walked out of my room majestically, no rush, no turning of head to see if anything was coming to get me. I felt like true princess… The hallway, bathrooms were dark but it didn’t matter anymore, The LORD is my light!!!

In fact, I had a challenging attitude to fear..” Come if u dare”

Continued my majestic walk back to my room, I prayed and thanked God.. I slept well.

The experience never left me. I’m grateful for God’s love and His word that never fails…

Truly grateful,

Your daughter in Christ…

“I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brethren…”

“Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. This matter arose because some false brethren had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you” (2 Cor 11:26; Gal 2: 3-5)

In the Bible, we are warned about false believers or false brethren. Their numbers will increase in the last days. Apostle Paul was always watchful against them for they could do much damage to the Body of Christ or to his ministry. These false believers are men and women in the church who speak and behave like they are Christians but they are not. They are hypocrites, wolves in sheep clothing. These men did not truly repent of their sins and did not accept Christ as their Savior. They speak about Him but they do not really know Him. Repentance is not the work of man. You can’t repent any time you want. Repentance is not trying to obey some laws to please God. Repentance is the deep work of the Holy Spirit in the souls of men. It means to have a broken and a contrite heart, falling at the feet of Jesus and begging to be saved like a dying man. Then the Holy Spirit comes and grants peace.

These men come close to you using familiarity. It is very dangerous to say that just because this man is my husband, or this woman is my sister, therefore they are born again. Salvation is a miracle, the work of the Holy Spirit. Do not ‘dash’ the title of ‘born again’ to any person you may admire. That is foolishness. The false brethren are not truly born again. They lack the fruit of the Spirit in their character. They do not manifest love, peace, patience, joy, faithfulness, goodness, kindness, humility and self-control (Gal 5). They may use some religious ‘paint’ to cover up. But they are selfish, restless, unhappy, rude, jealous, unfaithful, harsh, greedy, proud and reckless. Pray and wait for God to reveal the truth about any man. Until proven saved, all men are sinners. That is holy and safe thinking.

The false brethren are spies and agents of the devil. They are sent especially to the churches where the true Gospel is preached, where souls become saved and free. It is your freedom that they are interested in. They look for ways to attack and destroy this freedom.  They are agents of the devil who has lost his slaves. He wants to know the way his former slaves became free and to stop others from becoming free in the future. To better understand them you need to know what freedom is, because that is what they their hate the most.

Freedom means the state of being free; to have the power to do things, free from the oppression of another; to be outspoken; to be bold in conception and execution of projects. To be free it means you are not a slave anymore; you enjoy the full rights of a citizen. You are independent from outside oppression. You are able to choose exactly what you want according to God’s will and your conscience; no man or demon can stop you fulfilling God’s will for your life. The opposite of freedom is slavery to sin and bondage to the devil.

False brethren preach legalism. They say that for salvation you need Christ and something else. This ‘something else’ they tell you is to keep some religious laws. But the truth is that salvation is trusting Christ alone to save your soul, because He died on the Cross to atone for your sins. Christ alone pleases the Father. No man is able to please God. Because of Christ, we are now accepted ‘in the Beloved’. The false brethren tell you that Christ and trust in His sacrifice is not enough for salvation; that you need to please religious men with your obedience to religious laws. The evil spirit of religion produces these unholy counterfeits. Be careful and study yourself! If you have any doubts about your spiritual standing, continue to pray until you receive the assurance of your salvation.

These men are very dangerous. Apostle Paul places them in the same category with bandits and armed robbers. You need to identify and expose them. It is your responsibility as a child of God!  ‘The false brethren’ are people who pretend to be your friends or associates, but in reality, they are your enemies. They are spiritual bastards. They may resemble you outwardly, they may be religious, but they have a different father and a different god. The devil is their father and their god. They ‘infiltrate’ the churches. In Greek, the word means to secretly enter by an illegal side door and not by the main front gate. This is a good lesson: Be careful with your friends. Watch their point of entrance into your heart. As for me, it is simple: anybody that does not love the Bible cannot be my friend! PV

The reason why these false brethren are so dangerous is because they are on the side of your enemy, of your oppressor. They pretend to be friends but they are spiritual spies and oppressors. They try to block the way for more souls to be saved and free. Their strategy is to discover your weakness and attack you there. These men are points of contact for the devil informing him about your plans for ministry. Their strength is rooted in your ignorance and deception. Once the light of God shines and you discover their true identity they run away.

In Christ I declare:

I am born again by the Spirit of God!

I am filled with the Holy Spirit!

I submit to God! Therefore, the devil and his agents will flee from me!

I separate myself from any false brethren, false apostles or false prophets!

I destroy any form of deception in my life!

I preach Christ Crucified and resurrected!

I love the true brethren of the Body of Christ!

To the glory of God!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

“Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf” (1Cor 10:16, 17)

Today, being the last Sunday of the year, we had a glorious Holy Communion service. The Lord instituted it as a memorial to Him. The theologians call Water Baptism and the Holy Communion ‘sacraments’. The word sacrament in Latin means something holy, sacred. It is a thing of God. For example, eating bread and butter is a common thing. But the Holy Communion is a sacred thing. In the ancient Roman army, a sacrament was a military term. It refers to the oath of allegiance of the soldiers to their Commander. They promise to be loyal to their commander even unto death. Today, we re-surrendered our lives to Christ! We renewed our allegiance to the Lamb of God!

Today we remembered the Person of our Savior. We took the Holy Communion in the memory of Him. Wine is bitter and sweet. We remembered the bitter pain of the Cross when He died for our sins. We also tasted the sweetness of salvation, of freedom from sin.

The cup is called ‘a cup of thanksgiving’. We thanked God for His love, protection, guidance and grace this year; over us as a people and as a church. The Holy Communion is a fellowship, ‘a participation’ in the Blood of Christ. It does not need a human sermon. It speaks of itself. ‘Participation’ is a very strong word. It means that we share our lives together. “I am Yours Lord and You are mine…” We have fellowship with the Father and the Son (1Jn 1:3).

The Holy Communion ministers grace in a special way. It is true that grace comes thru the hearing of God’s Word and prayer. But the Holy Communion brings a special type of grace, unique in its manifestations. Today we are reminded that though we are many and we have different gifts, at the Lord’s Table we have fellowship with one another by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are also reminded of our responsibility to the Body of Christ. If I am strong, I minister strength to others. If I commit sin, then I pollute the Body, I weaken it. We prayed for the grace to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and to be a blessing to the brethren.

The choir led us in this wonderful “Hillsong”:

“Your grace abounds in deepest waters

Your sovereign hand

Will be my guide

Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me

You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior

Oh, Jesus, you’re my God!

I will call upon Your name

Keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest in Your embrace

I am Yours and You are mine”

We hearts full of thanksgiving today worshiped God. O, the privilege of worshiping the Living God…The presence of God was very powerful in our midst. The unique special exquisite grace reserved for the friends of Jesus, at His table, was our portion today. Our God will lead us safely into the New year! We shall serve Him forever! To God be all the glory!

Today we went to Abraka for picnic. Bro. V, wife and their four children came to kneel down as a family near Pastor and I. (This is a Nigerian custom of extreme honor). He was very emotional. He said that exactly a year ago at the picnic 2013, he was a new comer to our church. He said I told him that in one year he will have his own house. He said that he was surprised at my words but he believed.

At that time he was a jobless man, almost begging for food. He previously had a house but a pastor at his former church manipulated him and he gave him his house as a gift. Since then he and his family have lived as poor tenants. He became bitter against all pastors. Until a friend invited him to come to Father’s House. He started building another house but because of lack of money, he stopped at the ‘lintel’ .

ANNOUNCEMENT
The women fellowship in our church, we shall fast daily for the month of January. No solid food until 12, 3 or 6 pm (select one option). You can drink water or fluids. The theme is: “Stop tolerating Jezebel!”. We shall fast, pray and praise God. We shall break our fast at home.
Our prophetic theme as a church for 2015 is “Be strong and courageous!” (Josh 1:9). We shall be strong and courageous and do exploits!
This is warfare against the powers of darkness who try to destroy our lives, marriages, families, children, grandchildren, businesses and ministries. We expect great results. The sick shall be healed! The oppressed shall be delivered! The weak shall become strong! The poor shall become rich! The barren shall become fruitful! The baby Christians shall become spiritually mature! Revival shall come to us!
In Jesus name, Amen!

ATTENTION PLEASE!
We added a new prayer request concerning the prayer and fast in January 2015: anyone, man or woman, who has been abused as a boy or girl, while living in their parents home, sexually, mentally, spiritually or physically shall be healed and delivered from the effects of such sins and move forward in life. The evil spirit of Jezebel who stayed in such strongholds who has tormented many until they are now adults, with unclean thoughts, guilt, strange sicknesses and poverty shall be defeated, In Jesus name, Amen!. These men and women shall be free to marry, be happily married with children, prosper financially, serve God like never before and fulfill destiny! We expect great things in 2015! Let your faith increase! God is on our side! Be strong and courageous! The testimonies shall come! All glory to God! In Jesus name, Amen!

ALL ROADS HAVE BENDS

FEW ARE STRAIGHT UNTIL THE END

WHEN I REFLECT BACK IN TIME

KNOWING NOT HOW MY LIFE WOULD UNWIND

COULD I HAVE CHANGED MY DIRECTION?

SHOULD I YIELD AND BE LED?

WHY DID I KEEP QUIET AND LET THINGS BE UNSAID?

MY PAST DOES NOT REVEAL MY END

IT ONLY TELLS OTHERS WHERE I HAVE BEEN

SO I THANK GOD FOR BLESSINGS SENT

AND I NO LONGER LOOK AT HOW MY ROAD WAS BENT

I DIDN’T CHO0SE WHERE MY FEET WOULD TROD

I PUT MY TRUST IN GOD

ALL I KNOW IS THAT BEFORE I COULD HAVE MY SAY

ALWAYS, A SMALL VOICE WOULD SAY “WALK THIS WAY”

Veronica

“And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your Word; for my eyes have seen Your Salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a Light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and the Glory of Your people Israel

And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be Revealed.” (Lk 2:25-35)

There is this old man called Simeon. He waited all his life for just a moment of glory. Then he was satisfied. He was a man filled and led by the Holy Spirit. That is why he was at the right place at the right time. It was the Holy Spirit that revealed Christ to him. It was not his idea or the opinions of the religious elite. Having an encounter with Jesus is all that any man needs. Once saved, he is ready to go to heaven. Life’s climax is to know Jesus as your Savior and Lord.

In this passage above Simeon introduces us to the wonderful Son of God. Jesus Christ is described as:

*The Consolation of Israel (Consolation means to alleviate pain, grief, trouble; to give new strength, hope, comfort, peace and reassurance of a better future)

*The Lord’s Christ (there are many so called ‘Messiahs’. But Jesus Christ is the only true one)

*The child Jesus (born in the manger by a virgin according to the prophecy)

*Your (God’s) Salvation (We are eternally saved by grace thru faith in the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross)

*The Light to the Gentiles (like me and you)

*The Glory of Israel

*This Child destined (not an ordinary child but the Word made flesh, the King of kings and the Lord of lords)

*The Revealer of thoughts (Only Jesus knows the thoughts of men. Nothing can be hidden from Him. He is the Judge of all men. He knows who has received Him and who did not. He will reward all men according to what they have done. Jesus knows what you are thinking right now…)

Dear Reader, This is the Christmas season. There is no better time to think about your life, you soul, your destiny. Are you really born again? No man can take you to heaven. No amount of money can buy your salvation. Peace and joy are not for sale. Jesus Christ was born, lived as a man and died on the Cross to pay the penalty for your sins. This is the Gospel we preach. This is the Gospel we live.

May your ears be open to listen to the sound of truth!

May your eyes be open to see the King in His beauty!

May your heart be open to feel the touch of His hands!

Fall on your knees and hear the angels voices, The Savior of the world is born!

Jesus is Lord!

Merry Christmas to you!

“Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words” (PV 2:16)

It was not Joseph’s choice to be in the place of temptation. He is not like the foolish youth who ‘lacks judgment’, who in the evening goes down the street, towards the place where prostitutes sell their bodies. That street goes downwards to hell. Many mighty men have perished in its spirals of sin (PV 7). As for Joseph, it was not his choice to live in Egypt, in the house of the powerful Potiphar with his seducing wife. He did not go there by his own free will. He was betrayed and sold as a slave by his own brothers. Potiphar liked him and bought him with money. Joseph could have been like any slave, no freedom, no future and no joy. But in the house of his master he proved to be a unique man of character, faithful, humble and wise. He had success in all things. Potiphar gave him total responsibility over the entire household.

Joseph was not yet a free man when he was promoted to the highest position any slave could have. After many lonely nights of silent tears, he finally came to a place of relative comfort and peace. This can be a very dangerous time if you ignore the command to always watch and pray. Immediately after the promotion, Jezebel attacks! Apparently Joseph was prepared for it. When the wayward woman came to seduce him, he was ready to withstand the temptation. His faith in God gave him wisdom much above his years. The wisdom of the world is not a match for the wisdom that comes from above. It is wisdom that saves you from sexual sin. You do not need to protect your genitals. You need to protect your mind with the peace of Jesus that passes all human understanding.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you…And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Is 26:3; Phil 4:7)

Joseph surely had ‘a steadfast guarded mind’ which is able to trust God in all things. In Hebrew the word ‘steadfast’ means to lean upon another of greater strength, to bear up under trials, to rest when need be, to stand fast against attacks, to be established in the grace of God and to be able to encourage others by its choices and actions. How do you know an overcomer? One sure way is that person is a truly generous encourager to others who need help.

The most important lesson is this: it is very possible to overcome sexual sins!!! This is the truth! Do not believe the lie that it is natural to fornicate. The unbelievers accept defeat even before the attack. They do not believe that God has provided a way of escape for them in the mist of trials. In the wild, most animals do not fight back when the lion attacks them. His size and roar paralyzes them and they faint with fear. That is how unbelievers behave. But Joseph was not intimidated or manipulated by Jezebel. His spirit, mind and body were at peace with God and with himself. Wisdom will save you from adultery. Fools end up in the bed of the stranger, paying the price for sex with their health and honor. God forbid! Peace and wisdom are twins. Covet both. Pay the price for both. Study the Word of God and pray always! Desire victory for the sake of Christ and He will grant it to you!

My testimony: Just like you all, I am a sinner saved by grace. I am a human being like you. By the grace of God I was able to kill sexual lust in my flesh. The devil has no place in me. I am filled with the Holy Spirit which kills in me any desire to sin. The same Spirit makes me to love Jesus and to desire to be like Him. When attacked by Jezebel, I am able to remain calm and strong against her wicked offers. That is the power of the Cross of Christ actively working in me. The Cross is not just a doctrine but an experience of life, a spiritual victory and testimony to share with other. Because she knows that I reject her sexual offers, Jezebel attacks me with sickness or trouble. I prefer that! At least the war is in the open, not under the shadows of seduction and deception. My marriage is under the Blood of Christ and on the Rock of Christ. My husband and I do not lust after one another. Lust is our enemy, not a friend. We truly love each other with the overflow of the love of God. Peace and joy surround our marriage. That is why we are so strong and happy. This is the holy secret of our successful marriage. To God be all the glory!

The women fellowship in our church, we shall fast daily for the month of January. No solid food until 12, 3 or 6 pm (select one option). You can drink water or fluids. The theme is: “Stop tolerating Jezebel!”. We shall fast, pray and praise God. We shall break our fast at home.
Our prophetic theme for 2015 is “Be strong and courageous!” (Josh 1:9). We shall be strong and courageous and do exploits!
This is warfare against the powers of darkness who try to destroy our lives, marriages, families, children, grandchildren, businesses and ministries. We expect great results. The sick shall be healed! The oppressed shall be delivered! The weak shall become strong! The poor shall become rich! The barren shall become fruitful! The baby Christians shall become spiritually mature! Revival shall come to us!
In Jesus name, Amen!

“As it is written: “For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter:

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” (Romans 8:36, 37)

There is a danger when you read the Word of God out of context. You need the leading and the illumination of the Holy Spirit to understand and benefit from the scriptures. The following example is one of the most common mistakes the believers make. They only read verse 36 and stop there. They are not able to find strength in the Word.

This is a basic truth: Christians must learn to fight their own battles. Most Christians, today, are like sheep. They refuse to fight. They become easily discouraged. Spiritual warfare is a strange exercise to them. They desire an easy way out of troubles. They do not pray to God for supernatural strength. When the battle rages, they easily get discouraged and become defeated. Many backslide. This is where many of God’s people dwell. Many believers read only verse 36. Thy have overlooked Paul’s next words:

Paul’s first words were ” NAY “! This means we are not to be ‘accounted as sheep for the slaughter’. We should not be foolish, weak or easily discouraged! We should be strong and courageous! We should encourage one another!

In Christ, we are not just conquerors! We are ‘more than conquerors’. We are overcomers in God’s battles. Jesus is not only our Shepherd, but the Captain of our Salvation! We are not only sheep, but soldiers!

God is rising up an overcoming army who has learned to fight. Those who have not learned to fight will be overcome and will fall by the wayside. Be a soldier for Christ! Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! In Jesus name, Amen!

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. “Do not be amazed that I (Jesus Christ) said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (Jn 3:6-8)

MY TESTIMONY
Do you remember the very first time you prayed to God? I do! I remember the very day and the words I said; I remember the state of my heart. It was 14th of March 1986. I was in my thirties, happily married, mother of three children, successful as a medical doctor. I had all I wanted in the natural. I did not believe in God and I said it openly to all who care to listen. I looked confident in my unbelief. But there was this secret pain and hidden fear that God sees me and I may have to meet Him one day to give an account for my words and actions. The best I could do was to ignore my quiet but constant guilt.

I was brought up in communist Romania and I did not know of any who ‘believed in God’. We were told by teachers in school that faith is just an imagination and that God is not real. We were told that there are no spirits, only the natural life, what you see and touch. It is true that sometimes I found myself asking for an explanation for the source of my love I had for my husband or children. That love could not be touched or seen but it was real to me. I also loved literature which is spiritual in content, beautiful words touched my heart. I sensed that there is more to life than the natural, but I already believed the lie that God does not exist. Unbelief became a stronghold, it defined my personality.

Looking back I see that the evil spirit of unbelief gave me lying words for its own protection. They were mechanical and cold words; they were not really mine. I wonder now at my foolishness, the bondage of talking nonsense with such confidence: “I don’t believe that God exists”. Some people agreed with me, many rejected what I said. Few had the courage to love me enough to pray that I may see the light in Christ. On that day I prayed at last and God came down and His Spirit filled me. What a day! What a moment! I knew in an instant that I will never be the same again! All the lies of unbelief died in a moment of truth!

After I became saved, I had to fight unbelief’s brother called doubt. The devil knew that I will never believe the atheistic lie. But he brought a new strategy so that I will doubt the promises of God. Doubt tried hard to enter in the space where unbelief once dwelled. I observed that doubt looked much more acceptable, even fashionable. It was then that I made my own decision: ‘I will trust God for miracles, for the supernatural, with all my heart!’ Because of this faith, I became lonely, like a crazy person.

Loving passion and true faith always look wild to the doubters. The spirit of religion is the foundation of doubt; it accommodates it and even encourage is it. To a religious man doubt is a form of freedom, to believe or not to believe. The true faith is too ‘narrow’ and it looks like bondage from afar. This is the effect of deception of sin, deep seated in the heart of the unsaved.

You need to consider this revelation and confront any stronghold of doubt in your heart. This matter is too serious to be joked about or to be ignored. Grateful are they that press on to be ‘free indeed’. Words cannot describe the joy of total deliverance from the deception of religious doubt. I challenge you to try it, dear reader! All glory goes to God for His unspeakable gift!

In Christ I declare:
I am a born again child of God!
I am baptized and filled with the Spirit of the Living God!
All the glory goes to God for my miraculous salvation!
In Jesus name
Amen!

Yesterday, we have finished our evangelistic program at the Olu’s Palace grounds. It was successful beyond words. There was no rain, no wind, no violence, no trouble and no accidents. Everybody did their best to honor the Lord. We praised and worshiped God. The Word of God was preached and many souls came into the Kingdom. We give all the glory to God, our Father in Heaven!

(In the picture, a glimpse from the Nativity drama. The angels came to announce that Jesus was born. All people, even the market women bow down in adoration)
“And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (Lk 2:13, 14)

“He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you” (Lk 10:18, 19)

Recently, a young sister came to see me. In the natural, she has everything to be happy. She is a beautiful woman. She is married to a handsome man, a believer. They have a beautiful baby. They both have good jobs. So what is the problem? She said that for the past two months she has been depressed, for no good reason. She feels that she has not ‘achieved’ anything in her life. She feels ‘useless’ and ‘anxious’. Immediately I saw the shadow of Jezebel at her back. I spoke courage and faith into her. Spiritually, she was too passive. She needs to ‘wake up’ to her duty as a woman of God, wife and mother to fight back the enemy. I then prayed for her. I told her that she should not even come to see me if she does not have a testimony of victory and deliverance. She told me that just this few minutes of fellowship has strengthened her.

Please remember this: spiritual warfare is not easy. You need to prepare for it.  Jezebel is not a coward. She is not afraid to fight. The so called ‘queen of heaven’ appears as a beautiful goddess dressed for war. There is no one who can win the battle against her except the one who is born again and Spirit filled! Selah!

She has her own peculiar strategy. Her primary strength is the power of witchcraft and pride. She manipulates and deceives; she speaks with confidence and lies without blinking an eye. This queen speaks confidently of her beauty, accomplishments and wealth. That boasting is intentional, designed to oppress and discourage others around.  Her spirit produces anxiety and confusion; peace and joy are lost. Like a fly caught in the spider’s web, her victims feel hopeless to fight back and cannot retrieve their peace and joy. They remain passive and weak spiritually, waiting for death to come. This weakness is covered up with much activity on the outside. She introduced the worship of many gods alongside the worship of Jehovah producing doubt. Lastly she sends arrows of discouragement intended to weaken the servants of God. The great prophet Elijah runs away from his responsibility when she threatens him with untimely death.

This is a personal testimony: I remember once a woman in the church, she passed me by.  She greeted me and moved on. She was not rude or loud. But I suddenly felt oppressed and intimidated. A wave of unexplained fear enveloped me. I felt like a man driving an old ‘Beetle’ car passed by an extra-long trailer at high speed. My body trembled at the passing wave of evil spirits. I could not have known her spirit except by this ‘close encounter’. These things are real; these are not just my imagination.

What is the solution? You need to be saved, born again by the Holy Spirit. It is not enough to just be religious or go to church. You are to be filled with the Word of God! Study your Bible. More than any other method, the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to minister to you. One of His works is to convince you that the condemnation of satan and ‘the great prostitute’ is sure (Jn 16:8-11; Rev 17:1). Dwell in the presence of God! You will see the fall of satan as clear as Jesus saw it (Lk 10:18). Also, in particular, you need to trust God for her sure downfall! Jezebel’s death in disgrace was prophesied. The dogs eat her body and though she was a queen, she could not be given a royal burial. Put on your whole armor of God and do spiritual warfare until the darkness gives way to light and your victory is manifested. Fight to finish in the name of Him who declared on the Cross: “It is finished!” (Jn 19:30)

In Christ I declare:

I have overcome Jezebel spirit by the Blood of the Lamb and by my testimony!

I exercise my authority to trample and overcome all the evil spirits that attack me!

Nothing at all shall harm me! This is the promise of my Lord!

I plead the Blood of Jesus over my life and my family!

My victory is in the name of Jesus who declared that it is finished!

To the glory of the Lamb!

In Jesus name

Amen!

 
“Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead” (2Sam 23:9, 10)

David was known as the greatest king of Israel. He was a worshipper, a warrior and a godly leader. He trained a group of men who become ‘The men of Valor’. Generally, men are attracted by fame and wealth. They are ready to worship and follow successful leaders. But these men joined David when he was at his lowest. They came to him in the desert when he was a fugitive. By the grace of God David became their mentor and leader. It is to his credit that he could change ‘ordinary’ men into true champions who by their exploits, they still inspire millions today. This is a picture of the grace of God who alone changes sinners into saints!

Eleazar was one of them. He led the Israelite army against the Philistines. His name means “God is my Helper”.
Initially the people of God ‘taunted’ the enemy. This was the reverse of the battle when Golaith was the leader. This was a war of words, a pre- battle game. Suddenly, the Philistines attacked them. They panicked and all of them ran away. They liked the entertainment of battle, but not the battle itself.
Eleazer was left alone in a barley field (1Chr 11:12). He decided to stand alone and fight to finish. He held his sword until his hand became tired, but still he did not stop fighting. His hand ‘froze’ on the sword. The word means to cleave, to join in marriage. ‘What God joined together, let no man put asunder’. Eleazer kill them all. God won a great victory that day. Later, the Israelites came back to rejoice at the deliverance and to partake in the spoil. Oh, men never change…

Lessons: A true man (woman) of God will be ‘strong and courageous’ even when all human helpers run away. He will trust God alone. He will protect the space and ministry that has God entrusted to him, even if it is a humble ‘barely field’.
Do not follow the cowards! Do not follow the crowd, for most of the time they are wrong! Stand your ground and fight as a champion. “One with God is majority” said Mary Slessor, a missionary sister to Calabar, Nigeria.

In these last days, many church leaders have betrayed their calling. They preach another Jesus and another Gospel. For them, entertainment is more interesting that evangelism; humor is more attractive than the honor of God.
The sword represents the Word of God preached in the power of the Holy Spirit. Like Eleazer held his sword to the end, you be faithful and preach the true Gospel of Christ Crucified and Resurrected! Do not be afraid! Do not be discouraged! The Lord shall be with you wherever you go!! Be strong and courageous! God shall help you! God shall reward you

In Christ I declare:
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps 73:26)
In Jesus name
Amen!

“Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen…

Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful…”

(2Tim 2:14, 23, 24)

This is a strong warning to all believers and especially to the ministers of the Gospel. We are commanded not to quarrel. This command is to be applied in our private lives and during ministry. A servant of God should not quarrel. Period!

A quarrel is a verbal conflict between two antagonists. Words become weapons of hatred, anger and bitterness.  Each party insists on his own opinion. Quarrels poison and damage relationships. Most of the time the quarrels are stupid and foolish, for the arguments are about petty things. A quarrel will make you deviate from the truth into the trap of slander, gossip and godless chatter.

When the quarrel is about doctrines, revelations and religious interpretations is ‘of no value’, no profit at all. You cannot argue about the Bible and force men to believe the truth. That is the work of the Spirit of God. Quarreling about the Bible is a proof that the Holy Spirit has been grieved. The correct way to minister is to be filled with the Word and to be led by the Spirit. Be kind to your ignorant ‘enemies’. Teach them patiently. Pray that God may use you. It is a privilege to preach and teach God’s Word. In all things give glory to God!

In Christ I declare:

I forbid quarrels!

By the grace of God I shall be wise, patient, kind and loving!

I shall teach God’s Word in the power of the Holy Spirit!

To the glory of God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

This is a faithful saying:

For if we died with Him,

We shall also live with Him.

If we endure,

We shall also reign with Him”

(2Tim 2:10-12)

Apostle Paul is teaching Timothy, his son in Christ, how to be a good Christian and minister of the Gospel. These spiritual lessons are eternal and for our benefit too. We are reminded that godly men shall suffer persecution. The world hated our Lord. Therefore, we cannot expect a different treatment. All believers testify to this: the moment you become born again, the people around you change their attitude to you. Friends and relatives who loved you, suddenly become enemies for no good reason. If you claim to be saved and you have not experienced this strange hatred, it may be that you are just religious. For devil does not attack you, except he sees you leaving his prison of darkness for the freedom of the wonderful light of Christ. This persecution is not an easy thing. But there specific are ways the Lord encourages us and even reward us for partaking in it.

First of all we are encouraged to look at the Lord who suffered so much in the midst of sinners. The Lord is our primary example in sufferings. He is the author and finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and has now sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:2) The incarnation and resurrection of Jesus Christ, strongly believed will support a Christian under all sufferings in the present life.

Secondly, the sufferings of Apostle Paul are a great encouragement to all believers.

Thirdly, our sufferings as believers will encourage all who know us.

As believers, be prepared! It is my desire to encourage you in the royal way of the Cross, the only true way to enjoy Christianity. We endure much persecution for the sake of our Lord. Some see us and wonder. Others join the enemy and mock us. Later they may repent. Few come to our side. Little by little we learn to stand firm for the sake of Christ. We see the glory ahead and we learn to endure joyfully. This peculiar pain draws us nearer to the Lord and we are rewarded with His sweet presence.

This is my testimony: I still remember how surprised I was reading the Lord’s command to die to self, to lose my life for His sake, that I may find it. I thought that my death will be in the future, when I am ninety or so…I did not know that in Christ I have to die NOW. In the Spirit realm death produces life. So I learned to die to self and to the world. I learned to live in Him. The power of resurrection started to manifest in me. I became spiritually fruitful. This is the mark of a mature Christian that he can endure all things without complaining, that he can rejoice in all things. As you take you cross and follow Jesus, He rewards you with an increased authority to be practiced in His name. Your ministry shall influence nations. In all things Christ is glorified and that is all that matters.

In Christ I declare:

I died (in the past) to self and to the world!

I no longer live, but Christ lives in me!

I endure persecution for His sake!

I reign with Him!

I am spiritually fruitful!

To the glory of God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained” (2Tim 2:8, 9)

Apostle Paul was imprisoned for preaching the Gospel of Christ. There is a strange hatred in men’s hearts against the Word of God. Except they become saved and then things change. Paul was called an evil doer. But he was a happy man, for the Gospel he preached before and even during his incarceration will continue to have its way. The servant of God was in chains, but the Word of God cannot be chained, for it is alive forever.

What does it mean that the Word of God is ‘not chained’? In Hebrew the word ‘chained’ means to be bound, to be knit together or to be tied down. The Word of God cannot be restrained by any human law or authority; its free movement to the hearts of men cannot be hindered by anybody; it cannot be controlled by any force, natural of spiritual; no man or demon can block its influence. The Word of God is supreme. No judge or government can stop the work of the Word of God in the souls of men.

Over the years, men have tried to destroy the Bible. But they have all failed. For almost 2000 years the unbelievers have attacked the Bible. They burnt it; they forbade it; they mocked it; they insulted it. I know for I was born in a Communist country. I did not see a Bible before coming to Nigeria in 1980. But no matter what evil men did, the Bible is still the number one best seller in the world. Emperors and popes, kings and priests, princes and rulers have all tried their hand at outlawing and destroying the Bible; they all died and the Book lives on! Millions of copies are published and sold annually. For example, I read that in the 20th Century the Bible outsold it’s nearest competitor by 1 billion, 200 million books! Incredible, no other book was even close. At least part of the Bible has been translated into over 2197 of the 2796 languages of the world. How do you explain that?

Thank God for the Bible! If you are a Believer, the greatest treasure you possess in your house is your Bible. Do you know that? More than furniture, cars, degrees, deeds of lands and houses, the Bible is your best property, your greatest insurance and wonderful Friend. Let’s thank God today for giving us the Word of God. We may be sick, but the Word is never sick. We may be tired, but the Word is never tired. We may be ‘broke’, but the Word of God is power, joy, peace, health, prosperity and eternal life! The promises of God are yes and amen! No man or devil can stop them! Faith 100%! Doubt 0%! To God be all the glory!

In Christ I declare:

The Bible cannot be destroyed!

I love the Bible!

I trust and obey the Word of God!

To the glory of God!

In Jesus name, Amen!