‘Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need’ (Eph. 4:28)

Once a thief tried to break into our house. He failed to enter but in the morning we saw the broken place in the roof where he attempted to come in. I remember thinking ‘what type of man is this thief trying and failing to steal? He must have been disappointed that his labor of breaking in failed to make a profit. Maybe God warned him to repent…’ This was in my mind that morning seeing the damage to the wall.

The Bible commands us not to steal! It is one of the Ten Commandments. A thief is somebody who takes something from another without permission and without desire to return back the stolen property. A thief steals money or material things. Jesus said that we should not gather wealth on earth because there will always be thieves to covet and steal. But we should store spiritual riches because these are under the protection of the Holy Spirit and thieves cannot steal them. Even then, thieves may damage your peace of mind, your joy of living or your testimony as a servant of God. The evil spirit of stealing does great damage in a family or congregation. This is because when property is missing and the thief is not found people become suspicious and afraid of one another. This destroys the unity of the Spirit.

God does not bless a thief. He will eventually lose the stolen property. Both the victim and the thief suffers. Stealing is the work of the devil. To be able to practice stealing you must be an apprentice to the devil. It is only in Christ that freedom from this demon may be found! The Holy Spirit alone is able to stop and reject the thief who comes to only ‘steal, kill and destroy’.

Of course, the worse form of stealing is to steal from God, by refusing to pay your tithes, to give offerings for the work of God, or by coming to church and refusing to serve God in any way at all! Religious stealing is very dangerous! Repent! Worship God!

The thief does not wish to work, but rather to live off of others who work. The thief looks upon the needy as the vulnerable, whose weaknesses he may very well use to his advantage, and thus to prey upon them. The Christian must put away laziness and go to work. The Christian views the needs of others as the opportunity to manifest the love and grace of God to men, and thus reaches out to help, giving of his own resources. Nothing more dramatically demonstrates the radical change which conversion, faith in Christ, produces in the life of a sinner than that change which should occur in the Christian who was formerly a thief.

Stealing takes from others with no thought of giving in return. Justice demands that when one takes he must give something equal in return. Christianity teaches us to give freely, with no expectation of getting something in return. Child of God, prove that you are converted by producing fruits of repentance, by becoming generous and kind to others! Pay your tithes! In Jesus name, amen!

‘Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good’ (1Pet 3:1-3)

My husband and I we are on a vacation with a group of brethren. Yesterday we discussed the matter of envy. This morning, I used the topic of envy as a Bible study for myself. I share some of my thoughts with you…

One of the troubles a successful person encounters in life is the envy of others. Envy is defined as an angry, bitter feeling rising against a successful person combined with a strong desire to have what that successful person has (money, social status, happy marriage). Spiritually speaking, envy is a work of the flesh produced under the influence of evil spirits. The Holy Spirit never produces envy!!! Envy is like a spiritual virus. We are commanded to kill it, to get rid of it, to uproot it. God will give you the power to do it but He will not do it it for you! You have to get rid of it by yourself! This is God’s command! If you allow envy to grow in your heart it will destroy every little joy and peace you ever had. Envy kills the spiritual appetite for the Word of God. Envy hinders spiritual growth. No matter how long you call yourself a Christian and you attend a church, envy will keep you in bondage and you cannot be spiritually fruitful. You must get rid of it!

This is my testimony: I am a very happy woman. With the help of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God I identified envy as my personal enemy. For a long time I did not know that envy exists in my heart. If you asked me: ‘are you envious of other people?’ – I will say: ‘of course not!’. Envy works thru deception. Envy is a liar! I decided to prayerfully study my heart. One day I discovered something strange: each time I hear that somebody gained something that I desired or prayed for, I will become angry in my heart with that person. I also will be angry with God for making the ‘mistake’, by giving another the answer to ‘my prayers’. This angry feeling of envy was very strong and spoiled my peace. I could not control it on my own. I was ashamed of it and tried to hide it. It was not easy but at least I identified it in my heart! That was a good thing and the beginning of my deliverance!

One day, tired to be tormented by this wicked demon of envy, I decided to obey God’s command. I prayed for the strength to confront and uproot envy from my heart. I prayed for the Holy Spirit to help me to be grateful for what God has given me while waiting and praying for more blessings, without being envious on others. Like a cat waiting for the rat hiding in that hole to come out, I waited for envy to manifest once more. It surely did. Immediately I sensed the envy ‘coming out and talking the old wicked talk’ I got it by its neck, drew it out from its hiding and threw it into the fire of the Holy Ghost. This is how I got rid of this my old fleshly enemy! I then asked the Holy Spirit to fill me in that particular space envy was formerly occupying. He graciously did. I became free and free indeed! I now continue to preserve my freedom thru a sanctified life empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Dear friend, I pray for you this morning. The truth is that my life is very good. I am happy with what God has done and is doing in my heart, in my marriage and in my family. My life should be an inspiration and a holy challenge to you, not a source of envying. You can be free from envying too! Pray for freedom and contentment. Have a grateful and wise heart! Give thanks to God for what you have today, waiting in faith for what He will do tomorrow. From my vacation in The U.S. I greet you all!

(I wait for you to share with me your encounter and deliverance with the demon of envy)

The handsome royal son of David called Absalom was a murderer. He killed his brother for raping their sister. He went into exile for three years. He manipulated his way back to his father’s heart. He was also an over ambitious young man. Back to Jerusalem, the city of peace, he positioned himself as a man who can provide justice to all who feel neglected and cheated. All who feel that they cannot find justice from God but they need a man to judge their case came to Abslaom. He promised them a great future but at last, it proved to be only false hopes. He was a prince – politician. He pretended to be humble. He spoke softly. He provided himself with chariots and men to follow him. His entourage looked impressive. This was designed so that men can easily imagine him to be the supreme ruler in Isreal. He told everybody: ‘Oh, if only I were appointed judge in the land!’. Little by little he ‘stole the hearts of the men of Israel’ (2 Sam 15:13). He also convinced David’s counsellor to betray his king and master and to come to his side. “Someone told David: “Ahithophel, your counsellor, is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!” (2Sam 15:31).

King David ran away from the palace, weeping and barefoot, ‘to give chance’ to his son to be king, if that was the will of God. But it was not! Absalom’s pride and inordinate ambition blinded him to danger. He became foolishly bold. He entered battles he should not have fought. He understimaed his ‘old’ father, who still had the heart of a lion. He lost the battle against the king and started running on a donkey to save his life. His beautiful hair that all men admired hooked him on the branches of a large old oak tree. The murderer of his brother, the thief of men’s hearts, the adulterer and the betrayer of King David, found his end hanging on a tree.

What a tragic end to a young man who had everything to give him a great future! Absalom of old is dead. But his spirit is still doing damage in the churches. If you have been influenced by this evil spirit you need to pray. You may need deliverance. Touch your chest and see if your heart is still there. For the spirit of Abslaom steals emotions. You may discover that even if you desire to love somebody you will not be able to do it. This is not normal! It is a spiritual ‘heart attack’. That is why many marriages are loveless and many relationships are spiritually dry. May his short and sad life be a warning to all who desire to manipulate God’s presence for their selfish ends!

Let’s pray: ‘Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that if in any way my spirit and my emotions have been damaged or polluted by the evil spirit of Absalom, You heal my heart and deliver my soul. I command the evil spirits of Absalom, of pride, foolishness, manipulation, religion, selfish ambition, stealing, anger, bitterness, political adultery and untimely death to leave me and go away in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth! Taking the sword of the Spirit I destroy every emotional or spiritual connection I have made in the past with this wicked demon! In the name of Jesus! Holy Spirit please fill me afresh I pray! Father God I bow before You! I worship You! In Jesus name I pray! Amen!

‘Then Jesus answered and said to her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire’. And her daughter was healed from that very hour’ (Mt 15:28)

This is Sunday morning. My husband and I, with some brethren, have traveled for a needed vacation. We are far from the place of ministry routine. But the Holy Spirit is here with us. This morning, during my quiet time, I received strength and encouragement thru the story of the Gentile woman who was in great need because her daughter was possessed by demons (Mt 15:21-28).

In this story we see the Lord in a very different light than the way we are used to see Him. Jesus is usually quick to help any needy person. He never sent away any one who was sick or rejected by men. He had compassion on needy people. Jesus did not break a bruised weak reed that cannot stand. He did not snuff out a smoldering dying wick in the oil lamp but He repaired it so that it can shine again. That is why all the nations put their hope in His name (Mt 12:20, 21). But here we see Jesus acting so strangely according to our understanding of Him. He seems cold towards the plight of a needy woman. It seems that He discriminates her based on her faith and nationality. Is this the Jesus that we know? Let’s be careful that we do not worship an imaginary ‘better than real’ Master! Let Jesus be Jesus! Do not worship ‘another Jesus’ that looks better than the real one! Let’s humble ourselves and accept Jesus as He is so that we will not be ‘offended’ by Him, by His words and deeds that we may find unacceptable to our religious fleshy ideas of Him (Mt 11:6)!

This is the background of the story. Jesus miraculously fed the multitudes and did not tell them to wash their hands before eating. The Pharisees were particular about the laws of ceremonial washing. In their minds, no man should receive a miracle except that miracle passes thru their religious approval. They criticized Jesus for breaking the religious rules to help the needy people. Jesus rebuked them sharply calling them ‘blind leaders of the blind’ (Mt 15:14). As a Man Jesus was thirsty and tired. It seems that He became tired by the wickedness and rejection of the religious leaders and took His disciples to a distant place where they can all rest. He left His public ministry in Israel and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon for a little ‘vacation’. This is another good lesson we must learn from our Lord. From time to time, we must leave the routine and the demands of people and just go away by ourselves. Worship is good with the congregation. We should not ‘forsake’ the assembly. But sometimes we need to be alone with Jesus! Another lesson is this: even Jesus has ‘needs’! The Holy Spirit has ‘needs’ that we know nothing about! Doctor Jesus needs to rest from the demands of His medical or religious ‘practice’. As a doctor myself, I understand that it is very hard for the patients to have compassion on a tired Doctor. But the doctor is a human being too and the patients need to learn to respect that. The patients should never control their doctor with their needs, they should never overcrowd their Helper with impatient demands! Men in need should pray and wait patiently until the King comes out of His resting holy separate chamber. Patience and faith is required of us all!

This woman heard of Jesus, that He can heal and deliver everyone who had faith in Him. She had a daughter who was demon possessed. She was seeking help that only Jesus could offer. Jesus was ‘hiding’ in a house in that area ‘yet He could not keep His presence secret’ (Mk 7:24). Lesson: the presence of God the Holy Spirit is everywhere, even in non religious ‘pagan’ places. If you have faith in God, you pray and He will answer you anywhere; in a ship floating on the ocean, in a plane flying in the air or even when crying underground in a forgotten coal mine. Faith in Jesus will ‘locate’ Him everywhere! That is faith!

In this story Jesus seems to reject this woman’s request for help. There are three things that Jesus does here that we find hard to believe. The first is that Jesus ‘does not answer her a word’. The Word did not give out a word! Jesus kept silent only when He was on trial before Herod. But He was never silent before a needy person. But here, Jesus gives this woman a cold silence ‘answer’ to her prayers. Question: can you accept this cold silence from God and still have faith in Him? Will you continue to pray without grumbling that God is ignoring you? Then you are making progress on the path of an expected miracle!

The second thing Jesus does is to ‘discriminate’ this woman. The disciples were probably told by Jesus to let Him rest a bit, to protect His privacy. But this woman comes and cries aloud disturbing the peace. They tried to send her away but she refuses to go. Against their wishes, they now have to ‘disturb’ Jesus too by joining in her requests. They advise Jesus to grant her desires so that they can all rest. But Jesus refuses to be manipulated by all men, even by His disciples. He still keeps on the path He decided to walk on. He continues to delay the answer. Lesson: are you able like Jesus to keep calm under the provocation of demands from men? Or do you answer men just so that they can leave you and your Jesus alone? Do you compromise your conscience fir the sake of peace? Men should never control your emotions or your account with their needs. Do everything lead by the Holy Spirit, even when the Holy Spirit says ‘ignore them for now’! Do not be impatient even when helping men! Learn from Jesus how to behave in the presence of stressful demands from men!

To the credit of this woman she does not take offense with any of the ‘negative’ strategies of the Master. She calls Jesus ‘Lord’ each time she addresses Him. She does not lower her respect for Him. Her worship during difficult times continues uninterrupted. This is called ‘great faith’ and it is commended by Jesus! Lesson: are you able to continue honoring Jesus thru worshiping Him in Spirit and in truth, no matter your ‘urgent needs’? Then you are walking on the Royal holy way of the Cross! Your prayers shall be answered, sooner or later!

Then Jesus calls this woman ‘a dog’. But she does not flinch. She does not draw back from that position of humble faith! In fact she accepts the word of rebuke as a blessing. She said ‘yes Lord, I am a dog. You created dogs too. I am a hungry dog under the table of Your children. I am waiting for some crumbs of mercy falling from their mouth. That is good for me. If I am healed as a dog or as a human, it does not matter. But let Your mercy reach me too’. Lesson: be careful that your opinion about Jesus is not influenced by people’s doubt. Go back to the Word of God and study it! Your life, your thoughts, your emotions and your choices must be ruled by the Word of God! Walking by faith will lead you on paths away from your family and friends’ opinions! Lesson: follow the Holy Spirit and you will arrive at your miracle! If Jesus ‘insults’ you receive that word as the ‘appetizer’ to your miracle! Delay is not denial!

Finally, Jesus removes His mask of coldness, for it was indeed a mask. Behind the Lord’s ‘rejection and disrespect’ His heart of compassion was exposed once again. After the storm of cold words and cold shoulder approach, the rainbow of compassion was displayed on the worshippers’ tears wet face! The daughter was healed and the woman was commended by the Lord. ‘Woman, great is your faith!’ May these words fall on your ears too! May God answer you for His glory and for your good! Happy Sunday to you all! God bless you!

‘Deep calls unto deep
In the roar of Your waterfalls
All Your waves and breakers
Have swept over me.
By day, the Lord directs His love
At night, His song is with me;
A prayer to the God of my life’
(Ps 42:7,8)

Since I became a Christian and I read these words in the Bible: ‘Deep calls into deep…’ I always imagine the great Niagara Falls. Yesterday my husband and I had the privilege to see this mighty waterfall with our eyes. The sound of the waterfall covers all other little voices. Just to see and hear this beautiful fall I am reminded that God is indeed great!

This is some info I gathered about it. Six million of cubic feet of water fall over the edge every minute. You hear the sound from far away. Millions of people travel long distances just to watch this natural wonder. This land belonged to the Native Indians. The word ‘Niagara’ in their language means ‘the neck’. The way they saw it is that this waterfall is the narrow but vital connection between this Body of land and God, who is the Head above all. It is easy to see why they connected this waterfall with God who created it. It is indeed mighty and beautiful. Some time ago men decided to harness its power by building an electrical dam up the river. Because of that the flow of the waterfall reduced to a trickle. But men who love God and nature fought against it and after a long battle they won. The dams where minimized so that Niagara Falls will display once more its might and beauty in all of its fullness. It is illegal to jump over Niagara Gall. Some reckless men called ‘daredevils’, from time to time, run over the obstacles and jump over the water fall. Very few survive. Many die trying to prove they are bold. But the truth is that only a fool will try to tame this force of nature.

To me, this is a great spiritual lesson. Men should never ‘use’ the free anointing of the Holy Spirit for their own benefit. The Holy Spirit should move freely and should manifest His power in His church. It is a pity that many congregations have ‘drained’ the flow of the anointing by ‘over using it’ for men’s benefit. To satisfy men’s fleshly needs, they grieved the Holy Spirit. That is why the ministry of praise and worship in many Churches is now just a trickle. It is dangerous to oppose the anointing of the Holy Spirit! Fear God!

As God created the mighty Niagara Falls, so He desires to receive all of our love from our hearts, in a worship that is full and free. God The Father seeks worshippers who should worship Him in Spirit and in truth. God’s best stirs our best. His deep desires ignites the deepest longing in us. Let us leave the superficial shores of mediocrity, of church entertainment and superficial manipulated religion displayed for the greedy fame of men. Let us dig deep into the mystery of the Cross, to see our Savior hanging there, between heaven and earth, where His heart was broken for the sins of men, when His Blood poured out to forgive, to cleanse and to renew lives.

Like Niagara Falls, the Cross is ‘the neck’ connecting heaven and earth. Like Niagara Falls, the grace of God flows freely and is never failing. In the night, God directs His love towards His children. God’s song is with me. Like the steam rising and surrounding the Niagara Falls my prayers shall go up to God. His answers will come down in a awesome overflow! Like Niagara Falls, the Holy Spirit released at Pentecost has flooded the earth and our hearts forever. May our worship go deeper and higher like never before!

As for me, I bow this evening before God once more. My deep calls unto His deep… ‘May we never lose our wonder’… My heart can never be idle… I can never be tired to worship my God… the worship must continue! In Jesus’ name!

“By faith Abraham OBEYED when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going…By faith Sarah herself also RECEIVED STRENGTH TO CONCEIVE SEED and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised… By faith Abraham, when he was tested, OFFERED UP ISAAC, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son… concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead” (Heb 11:8, 11, 17, 19)

Faith is a great subject. It should interest all believers, young or old. Many people have needs. Many pray for miracles. Not many boast of a good testimony. Faith is the key the opens the door of miracles and the cup that holds the God’s grace. Child of God, God does not need your money, but He surely expects that you exercise faith in Him, as God. He will reward you if you believe! What does faith look like?
*Faith obediently follows the call of God no matter where He leads…
*Faith expects and receives strength for a miracle, even in the face of the greatest obstacles
*Faith is willing to give back to God that which is the dearest; expecting that God will reward the sacrifice of faith

The story of Abraham, the man of faith is always an inspiration. Abraham and Sarah’s testimony is wonderful. How can we describe faith? ‘Abraham obeyed God’. This means that he left his family and friends following God. He traveled many miles and settled in the Promise Land. When did his faith start? With the first step! He traveled on foot or on camels. He had no map or GPS. He lived as a temporary citizen and not as a permanent citizen. Faith is obedient following! For Abraham faith means tents and not big buildings. His eyes were on the eternal and not on the temporary. May you answer the call of God and follow wherever He leads you! In Jesus’ name!

Faith is consistent in expecting a miracle. Faith believes that the promised things in the future are real in the present. Abraham and Sarah trusted God in their hearts for the miracle child. But there are dangers to faith: fear, doubt and impatience (these produced Ishmael). You need to fight to protect your faith. Be jealous for the faith blooming in the desert of your soul. It is worth more than silver of gold! Sarah received strength to receive seed. This is how Isaac, their promised son, was conceived and born. Faith is a family thing. May it be so in your family, in Jesus’ name!

Finally, God tries Abraham’s faith. By faith he offers Isaac of the altar. God gave him Isaac. Now God demands Isaac. God demands back the answer to the promise. This time, without any grumbling, doubt or fear, Abraham obeyed God. He places Isaac on the altar. He raises the knife… But God intervenes and provides the replacement. Abraham believed in the resurrection. This is faith! He has never seen a resurrection before. But faith believes in God even when it does not see or cannot imagine the solution to the problem. When he was waiting for Isaac to be conceived, Abraham was afraid and impatient. But now, as an old man, in giving, there is no fear! Only faith! You give God the best you have, and God will give you the best He has! This is faith! This is worship! May you give God your heart, and He will give you more than you can imagine! In Jesus name, amen!

This is a good story that describes faith. A Christian man was lost in the desert. He was dying of thirst. He prayed and the Holy Spirit directed him to an old house. In front of that house, there was a rusty water pump. He tried to pump it but no water came. He went inside the house and he saw a jug filled with water. He was happy and quickly, he wanted to drink it. Then he saw that on the jug, there was a note, saying: ‘Don’t drink it! Use this water to prime the pump. Water shall come thru the pump. Then fill the jug again before you leave for the benefit of the next traveler’. He was tempted to drink the water in the jug. But he resisted the natural urge. He obeyed the instructions. He poured the water in the pump, to prime it. Then he pumped again and again but nothing happened. The devil tempted him saying: ‘you could have drunk the water in the jug. You have wasted it. You will now die of thirst…’ He rejected the evil voice and continued pumping…Suddenly, fresh, clean water gushed in the desert!!!! This was the water of life that saved him. At last, leaving the old house, he obeyed the instructions and filled the old jug for the benefit of the next traveler. That traveler may be you or me… This is what faith looks like… This is the story of faith!

BEHOLD, OLD THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY!

“So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom 6:11)
A dear sister in Christ who attends our church got saved on the 16th of July, 2018. She was attending the Roman Catholic Church. After she got married, she and her husband started attending our church (Father’s House Bible Church). This was about 6-7 years ago. She is a humble and very well behaved woman. She is a good mother to their child. She is a successful business woman. She is very faithful to all the church activities. But she had a serious problem: her marriage was very unhappy. She tried to be the best wife she can be. But her husband is a difficult man and no matter what she did, he found fault with her. She came to me office many times in tears. I prayed with her. I counseled her with the Word of God. But the pain was there always. I could see it on her face. At a time, she was very sick. God healed her body but the torment in her marriage did not go away.

Last month she came to my office weeping, telling me that the husband was again abusive to her. She said: ‘Malia, why is God not answering my prayer? What can I do that I have not done?’ This time, I was silent… I could find no words of encouragement like in the past. I prayed a quick prayer for help in my heart. Then I told her: ‘The only thing you have not done is to die! You are too alive! You have to die to self, to sin, to the world and to the devil!’ She stopped crying. She was ready. Holy Ghost ready! She said: ‘Malia, just tell me how to do it…’ I said: ‘if you are dead, lying in a coffin, will it pain you if your husband insults you?’ She said: ‘No, ma…’ I said: ‘that is the key! Don’t you see it? Go to the Cross! See how Jesus won the battle! Just pray and tell God that you are ready to experience the Cross of Christ; that you are ready to let go of everything in this world and keep only Christ. God will do the holy chemistry…you have between now and 12 midnight. If tomorrow I hear that you have died in sleep, thank God. We will do a good burial for you. But if you survive 12 midnight, then you are free! You will live on earth but as a new woman and the devil can never find your heart! You will weep no more! You will be a woman of God!’ She said: ‘ok’. She prayed and went home.

I did not hear from her again. Then I saw her last Saturday during the prayer meeting. She was on the floor praying in tongues totally under the power of the Holy Spirit. Today she came to see me. As she entered my office I could see that she was not the same woman that I knew for all these years. She was so happy! Even her eyes were smiling. She shared with me her testimony, to the glory of God and to the shame of the devil. She said that she went home that day. The husband was still moody. She went to lie down on her bed, and trusting God that death will come. Immediately 12 mid night came, a great peace that passes all understanding came over her. She slept like a baby. She woke up happy like never before. Since that time until today, the husband has never said any negative word to her again. He is now trying hard to be friendly and good. Last Saturday she said that she was filled with the Holy Spirit. Last Sunday, during worship, she had a vision and she saw herself bathed in oil, inside and out.

She told me today: ‘Malia, for all these years I thought that I am saved. Now, I know, beyond any shadow of doubt that I am a born again child of God. I am a woman of God! I died to the past. I am alive by the power of resurrection. This experience of salvation is real. In the past, when I heard other people talk about it, I thought that I too have it. But I was deceiving myself. Now I know that I am saved. I fear nobody, only God. My greatest surprise is how God changed my husband. Since that day at 12 mid night, the Holy Spirit has changed the heart and mouth of my husband. I am just getting used to this happiness. I also discovered a new desire to share to others the joy of my salvation. I witness to all the customers that come to my shop. Life is so good! To God alone be all the glory!’

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (1Cor 5:17)

“A wide door for effective ministry has opened for me, yet many oppose me” (1Cor 16:9)

Before I got saved, I was a very shy person. In school, when we were organizing theater productions, I could never be an actor. I was always working as ‘the producer’ behind the scenes. I was easily intimidated by people or circumstances. I was intelligent and hard working. For me, to pass an exam, I had to over- prepare to answer the questions. I will read much more than it is necessary so that I can build confidence indirectly. I will do very well in a written exam, and not so well when face to face with the teacher. I chose to read medicine so that I can be in the place of power, to beat this crippling timidity. One of the qualities that attracted me to my husband was the fact that he was bold and so confident in the midst of people. To me, that was a great, even supernatural achievement. Thank God that our children resemble their father and that they are strong confident people.

The stronghold of fear was destroyed after I became born again. I recognized fear for what it truly is: an evil spirit. 2 Timothy 1:7 became my daily bread. Because of my past weakness, I repeat this scripture to myself more than others. The Word of God helped me. The Holy Spirit filled me to overflow and drove all fears away. The only fear able to survive in my heart is the fear of God. This is my necessary oxygen to breathe. When the Lord sent us from the US to Nigeria to start Father’s House Bible Church, I almost backslid in regard to my fears. I told my husband that I can work ‘behind the scenes’. That is I can pray by myself, intercede for the whole of Nigeria. But let me not stand before people and talk. But he refused my arguments. he said that God told us to start the church and both of us must do everything necessary to proclaim the Gospel. he encouraged me that the Holy Spirit will help us both. When God and husband ‘gang’ together to encourage me to be a pastor, how can I resist? This is how I became what, by the grace of God, I am now: a woman of God! To God alone be all the glory!

Fear is a terrible thing. The only fear acceptable to a believer is the reverential fear of God. Any other fear is a spiritual attack, arrows coming directly from the devil, to plant poisonous seeds in your mind. Fear is described as a painful emotion based on perceived danger. This danger may be real or imaginary. The attack of fear is intended to divide the mind and to produce doubt in the believer. Fear is the enemy of faith. Once you permit fear to infiltrate your spirit, it will become very hard for you to trust God, especially for miracles and breakthroughs. Once there is fear inside, you have this feeling that other people or spirits are in charge of your mind, that you cannot control your thoughts.

Fear is driven away by faith in Jesus Christ, just the way you deliver yourself from any evil spirit. The evil spirit of fear has to bow at the name of Jesus! Do not beg fear! Do not tolerate fear! Command it to go away from you! Once it leaves, you shall suddenly feel good, at peace with God and yourself, calm and strong spiritually. Your faith will increase immediately! The Spirit of God shall fill your heart. You shall pray and God will answer you!

A peculiar type of fear manifests when you have to stand in the presence of God and before a congregation and to preach the Gospel of Christ Crucified. The devil attacks all faithful servants of the Lord. His intent is to make them cowards, too weak to proclaim the truth. The preaching of the Gospel with anointing and power is always done in the face of much spiritual opposition. The Word of God is eternal and all powerful. But you have to learn to speak it with your mouth for others to hear it. Fear will make you too timid to do ministry in such a way that souls are saved. The Word of God in your heart must come with fire and passion. It will then become a hammer that breaks the rocks of opposition and stubbornness in your hearers. The Word of God in your mouth becomes fire and the people will be wood.

My advice is to confront your fears immediately and to drive them away! Do not waste time! It can become a stronghold that is much more difficult to destroy! Be a servant of God, a preacher of His Gospel! Preach to one or to many! Keep the Cross before you and see the price Jesus paid to save your soul! He died that you may live for Him! He died that you may work for Him! That revelation is the Mighty Rock of spiritual stability and your eternal source of power, love and of a grateful heart! Be free!

In Christ I declare:
I am free from all fears!
I only fear God!
I am a servant of God!
I preach Christ Crucified!
To the glory of God!
In Jesus name
Amen!

(7th of August 2012)
This picture is taken this day in 2012. We were building our church. Even the children volunteer to pour the cement. There was supernatural strength supplied. I truly believed that there were angels all around. The joy of the Lord was our strength! To God be all the glory!

“The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart” (Ps 51:17)

This is my story: before I became saved I hated to break anything of value. I felt guilty and angry when a flower vase broke or a tea cup got chipped. I always felt a sense of irreparably loss. But after Jesus came into my heart, I saw beauty and gain into the things I previously despised. As praise is a sacrifice, so a broken heart is a sacrifice. It is only a broken heart that can truly worship God! It is only a broken heart that has ‘space’ to accommodate others in love!

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever” (Is 40:8)
I am hungry for the Bread of heaven! I am thirsty for the water of life! Therefore, I lay my Bible upon my head, that by faith, prophetically, symbolically, the Word of God will enter into my spirit, revive me, encourage me and change me from within! In Jesus’ name, amen!

Singing: 
“Holy words of our faith
Handed down to this age
Came to us through sacrifice
Oh, heed the faithful words of Christ!

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price” (Is 55:1)

The Saturday evening prayer meeting was wonderful. The people gathered quietly to offer the sacrifice of praise. They were quiet outwardly but I could hear the internal boiling of expectations. We prayed telling God that we are waiting for Him to come and bless us with His Person. We worshipped with songs. We sang: ‘we do not want to lose our wonder… the wonder to be like a child’… the freshness of our first love… the newness of life… that crispy grace… Mercy was dished out. Mercy is eternal but not old; it is new every morning… We want to regain the wonder of innocence… to open our eyes, mystified… To see the King in His beauty…to bow and not be worried about the dirty floor…to be like a child, amazed, with mouth open, forgetting to close it, to look respectable, to please the big people… tonight we lost our reputations but we gain confidence that God has heard our prayers… Godliness is gain… Wonderful Jesus! This wonder of holiness scares some, divides others… But we love it! We want more is it…

Anyway, we are too thirsty to care about what the serious people say; their dry-cleaned clothes are too starched and their knees too stiff to allow them to bow… But we take advantage of the move of the Spirit and we follow the lead… Become a child again! We sensed the excitement of the Holy Spirit surrounding us with a song…If God sings you cannot sleep; you must dance… we danced and danced… jumped and jumped… we feel the scent of living water… there is a water-fall of grace close by… I am hearing it! Grace is noisy and heavy…Praise is fearful! The enemies are scared… This overflow of blessings cannot be stopped… but the flesh must die, the spirit must rise…Suddenly, we feel light…there is no more fear, no more shame… we dance for Jesus… we dance with Jesus… with eyes closed we see… We are sweating in the room because of the broken AC… But who cares? We feel refreshed by the breeze of heaven… Jesus you are Yeshua… we sing… and we believe… To God be the glory, to God be the glory, for the things He has done… King Jesus is here, right now, you don’t need to fear, you don’t need to hide, For He is passing out gifts, for all who believe, He is here right now, to meet every need… And I will praise, praise, praise… And I will praise Your name…

We experienced open heavens over us… Free to worship… God has received our prayers… the petitions were sealed be angels and ready for the coming answers… We saw the future… it is so good… by faith, we wrote invitations to all around, that they should come and celebrate what God has done… many invitations for thanksgiving feasts have been sent … this city will shake with the excitement of miracles… nothing is impossible for our God… JESUSSSSS… sickness is gone! Depression is gone! The disgrace has been disgraced! The devil had big plans to scatter our prayer meeting tonight, but he failed… See how bad he failed… Don’t be sorry for the devil! He is a liar and a loser! The devil has no friend and no intercessor! We laughed and rejoiced at the victory granted from above! The children of God in Warri- Effurun are jealous for God’s testimony! Victory! Blessings! Answered prayers! We laugh: Hahaha… The unity of the Spirit in our midst was established and the oil of joy was pouring down, soaking us with joyful faith… in the past, the devil succeeded to intimidate us but this evening he failed and ran away… Halleluiah! I invite you to see what the Lord has done! He has destroyed the works of satan! He has given us the victory! That is why we sing! Receive your Invitation! Come and eat and drink! Come and buy beauty without money… faith works… the devil missed it this time! You should never attack a child of God! Heaven forbids it! Jesus loves the little children! ‘Let the children come to Me’- says the Lord… We came and we touched His hands… He is real and He is good… Jesus You love me too much-ooo… Download Holy… I have to stop now for my English is too poor to tell it all… Be filled with the Holy Spirit! Glory!

“For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom 14:17)

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

Our Women’s Fellowship was very good. We praised God with singing, clapping hands and dancing. The sisters shared testimonies to the glory to God, to the shame of the devil and for the encouragement of the brethren. Sister G said that her husband was coming back from Abuja and had a terrible car accident. He was seated in front with the driver. The car is beyond repairs. But ‘he came out without a scratch and did not even have to take Panadol for body pains’. Sister Y said that her teenage daughter is always in terrible pains during a monthly circle. She cannot go to school or even stand up for two days each month. She prayed and God healed her. No more pains! Sister E said that her daughter is doing very well in school. She had been on the honor’s list since the beginning. She said that because she is a very busy mum, only God can take the credit for this excellent academic performance. Sister B said that last month she was ‘broke’ and had no food to eat; not even garri or rice in the house. Then somebody bought food stuffs at her door. They all gave glory to God for His protection and provision.

Then the Word came. The sermon was titled Life from a barren womb. This is the story of a great woman of God called Hannah. In Hebrew, her name means favor, grace, mercy or prayer. She is a blessed woman, beloved wife and mother. There is a lot we can learn from her. She was in great need. She wanted a child, a son. Her mate provoked her daily. When living under terrible provocation, what do you do? The only way of escape is to run to God and pour your soul’s pain before Him. This is exactly what Hannah did. She used her pain to go to God. Her heart was ‘grieved’ (1Sam 1:8). The word ‘grieved’ means angry, broken to pieces and exhausted. Her situation was painful for two main reasons: ‘God shut her womb’ and Peninnah persecuted her because of her barrenness. It seems that both God and the devil attacked her. The word ‘womb’ here does not describe only the female organ that carries the pregnancy but also the heart, the center of emotions or the source of compassion. God shut down her heart, her love. In the midst of her problems, Hannah discovered that her passion to worship God is quenching, the love for her husband is falling; her faith is getting weaker and that the store of compassion is almost empty. Hannah is drifting towards the danger zone of backsliding. Chronic sorrow poisons the spirit. We should not grieve like the unbelievers who have no hope that God is able to change the circumstances (1 Thess 4:13). We feel pain when attacked, insulted and provoked for no good reason or persecuted for our faith. But this pain should never overpower our faith in God. The devil’s plan is to destroy your faith and to make you backslide. But remember that the Lord Jesus Christ, our High Priest, promised this: Child of God, “I have prayed for you … that your faith may not fail” (Lk 22:32). Hannah runs to Jesus, the High Priest who prays for her! That is what we should do!

“So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the Lord. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish” (1 Sam 1:9, 10) This is the turning point in the story. Hannah arose! She leaves husband, friends and enemies behind and alone, she goes into the Temple to meet with God. She ‘arose’ from that place of pain and failure and by faith, she goes to meet with God. The word ‘arose’ describes spiritual warfare. It means divine strength to rise against your enemies like God’s standard high against the flood of evil. It is not a pretty female word. It describes a soldier for Christ standing against the enemy and ready to take the crown of victory. Hannah arose and prayed! This is a powerful combination. Many pray in the horizontal state of defeat. God does not answer. If there is breath in you, by the power of the Holy Spirit, woman of God, arise, shine and pray! Your light has come! Your testimony is here!

The word ‘ask’ appears 7 times in this chapter. Number seven is the number of perfection. It is also translated as prayer or a desire to obtain something. Hannah said that Samuel is what she has asked of God. Hannah prayed to God a particular form of prayer. She ‘continued praying before the Lord’ (1Sam 1:12). The word ‘continued’ here means increase, abundance, to enlarge, to excel, to multiply and to fill the store. This ‘continuing in prayer’ is praying with the strength of the Holy Ghost. You start praying in English, waiting for the Holy Ghost to take over your heart and mouth. It is like an eagle flapping the wings to reach a current of air. From that point on, the current carries the eagle. He soars by the power of the wind. He does not get tired. In the same way, you need to have faith that the wind of the Holy Spirit will suddenly take over your spirit, heart and mouth. You pray on and on without getting tired. This sign of God of ‘continuing in prayer’ is the preview of the miracle.

Hannah says that she is a woman of sorrowful spirit and that she poured her soul before the Lord. The word ‘sorrowful spirit’ means a terrible spiritual pain, a soul that is in labor and wants to deliver life. The word ‘pour out’ here means to spill forth (liquid or blood). It is like her soul is bleeding in prayer. It also means to spend money, life or soul in prayer. In other words, for prayer to be answered by God, you must pray not from your mouth, but from your heart. You must pray to God until, like Jesus said, ‘power leaves you’ and you become empty. “Jesus said: “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from Me.” (Lk 8:46). You pray in the Holy Ghost and you connect with the Lord. Healing power, miraculous power will come down from heaven into you. At the end of that prayer you know that you have given God your best. Your whole heart is on the altar. This is a ‘labor prayer’ that never fails to deliver. Most of the Christians are too lazy to ‘pray through’ like this. They pray a little and they get tired or discouraged. But they still wish to receive a big miracle. As you can see, Hannah has much to teach us about prayer that ‘moves’ God.

The next thing we are told that happened after this poured-out-soul-breakthrough prayer is that Hannah’s face has changed. Suddenly, her face changes from sadness and anxiety to one of peace and joy. This change of face reflects the change of heart. This is the Holy Ghost signal that God has changed the circumstances. Hannah now goes to eat and drink at the ‘table prepared for her in the presence of her enemies… But now, her head is oiled with joy and her cup overflows…’ (Ps 23:5) She now worships the Lord. We are told that God remembered Hannah and gave her a son. She names the boy Samuel, meaning ‘God has heard me’. Hannah prayed for two things: for God to remember her and to give her a son. Both requests were answered. Later, she brings little Samuel and gives him to God according to her vow. “Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.” So they worshiped the Lord there” (1Sam 1:28)

What are the lessons? God listens to the prayer of His people. God is a good God. He cares for you. This is His Word: “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1Pet 5:7). But remember, God has the authority to give or to withhold blessings (God is able to shut the womb and to open the same womb). When God remembers you, that remembrance guarantees He’s blessing you. God answers our prayers in His own time. Nothing is impossible for God! Like the dead dry bones rise again when the Holy Wind blows on them, so also life can spring up from the barren womb! Trust God for your miracle! Until then, the worship must continue…

‘Open heavens… Open heavens… Baba Jesus, open the heavens over me…’

I am not worried about tomorrow. It is to far for me. My Lord Jesus Christ is here with me right now, in this present moment! His presence is enough for me. I live moment by moment. By His grace! Thank You Lord Jesus!

“Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Mt 6:34)

“Holy darkness, blessed night,
heaven’s answer hidden from our sight.
As we await You, O God of silence,
we embrace Your holy night.

“Do not neglect the gift that is in you…” (1Tim 4:14)

Each born again child of God has a deposit of the Holy Spirit in his heart. This is a basic doctrine. He also has at least one spiritual gift so he can serve his Lord. This gift is given by the Holy Spirit for the glory of God and for the benefit of the brethren. If you are a child of God, you shall give an account to God for the gift He has given to you. It is your duty to stir the gift in you, to use it, to manifest it and not to neglect it.

We are commanded not to neglect the gift deposited in us. God’s command is to be obeyed. To neglect a gift it means to be careless with it, to disrespect it, to fail to use it or to appreciate it. It also means to be bored or un-excited about it; to refuse to acknowledge it or to praise God for it. A neglected gift remains dormant like a seed ‘planted’ on the hard pavement. It has no roots and to fruits. There is great potential in the gift but it remains barren. if you neglect your gift you give the impression that God has not blessed you with anything special. You look like a prince that has no food to eat. People know that you are a christian but that there is ‘something wrong’ with you.

What is the effect of neglecting your spiritual gift? Because the gift is like a tool to work or weapon to fight with, a neglected gift makes you poor and afraid. You observe that, with all your hard labor, you are still poor. This poverty is mysterious. You do not experience supernatural ‘open doors’. There is no breakthrough in your life. “A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men” (PV 18:16). You shall be surrounded by ordinary men, poor men who are not able to help you. A strange anxiety follows you like a shadow. When you pray, God will not answer. God will direct your attention to your neglect of His investment in you. Repent and pray to be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit! Then go and use your gift! Immediately your life will change to better and testimonies shall follow! In Jesus’ name, amen!

What is the solution? The opposite of neglect it means to lovingly care for the gift, to patiently invest in others until you see fruits, until you see it multiplication of testimonies. Please remember that the gifts of God are not for personal fame or wealth. They are tools for service. Pride is another hindrance in using your gifts. Humble yourself! Do not compare your gift with others. Use what God has given to you and see the results!

If you use it, God receives the glory for your gift. The Body of Christ shall benefit from your gift. This is the sure way of holy success. God shall reward you for your faithfulness. Great men shall help you. Prosperity shall follow you.Truth is simple but truth is also deep. May truth be merciful to you and set you free!

Let’s pray: Dear heavenly Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus, Your Son and my Lord. I ask for forgiveness for the sin of neglecting the wonderful gift you have invested in me. Have mercy on me, Father. I repent of my sin. I turn away from my sin. I come to You. Fill me Holy Spirit. Help me to stand in Your name and manifest the gift You have given me. I dedicated all the success of ministry to You, Father God. All glory goes to You! In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!

(In the picture you see a neglected dog who was adopted by a family and cared for him and loved him back to life. This is a picture of a neglected gift that can be stirred back to life. Do you see the difference?)

The Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed/suspension bridge in New York City and is one of the oldest roadway bridges in the United States. Started in 1869 and completed fourteen years later in 1883, it connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, spanning the East River. It has a main span of 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m) and was the first steel-wire suspension bridge constructed.

“The story is told of the engineer who designed the Brooklyn Bridge. During its building he was injured. For many long months he was shut up in his room. His gifted wife shared his toils, and carried his plans to the workmen. At last the great bridge was completed. Then the invalid architect asked to see it. They put him upon a cot, and carried him to the bridge. They placed him where he could see the magnificent structure in all its beauty. There he lay, in his helplessness, intently scanning the work of his genius. He marked the great cables, the massive piers, the mighty anchorages which fettered it to the earth. His critical eye ran over every beam, every girder, every chord, every rod. He noted every detail carried out precisely as he had dreamed it in his dreams, and wrought it out in his plans and specifications. And then as the joy of the achievement filled his soul, as he saw and realized that it was finished exactly as he had designed it, in an ecstasy of delight he cried out; ‘It’s just like the plan, it’s just like the plan.’