THE DOCTRINE OF REVIVAL (3)/ THIS IS HOLY GROUND

Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled The Doctrine of Revival (3)/ This is Holy Ground (Ex 3:5). Her main text was taken from the Book of Psalms, Isaiah and Habakkuk. “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Ps 46:10). “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:11). “Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence—as fire burns brushwood, as fire causes water to boil— to make Your name known to Your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Your presence! When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down, the mountains shook at Your presence. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him” (Isaiah 64:1-4). “O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy” (Habakkuk 3:2).

REVIVAL DEFINED

Revival is a miracle; it is a phenomenon! Revival is a visitation of God’s Spirit to the Church. It affects even the unbelievers. Revival is defined as the unique, sovereign move of God, the Holy Spirit, coming down to earth in a dramatic way, changing people and nations. It manifests as a heartfelt return to God and His commandments. Only God can produce revival. The Holy Spirit does two types of works: the regular work (convicting people of sins, the process of sanctification, helping people to understand the Word of God…) and the extraordinary work, which is called ‘Revival’. From time to time, in the history of the Church, the Holy Spirit manifested His power among the believers in a most unusual way. The believers became filled with the Holy Spirit, signs and wonders multiplied among them. The overflow of this move of God affected all people. Many surrendered their lives to Christ and the Church became stronger. During revival the Holy Spirit recovers the basic doctrines of salvation, especially the justification by faith, by Grace, thru Christ alone.  Revival can happen to an individual believer, to a family, to a church, or to a geographical area. True revival changes the history of a city or a nation. Great social changes start to happen. Righteous laws are given and the nation changes for the better. God does more in one day of Revival than in hundred years or ‘regular’ church work! Selah! 

THE ATMOSPHERE OF REVIVAL

The greatest manifestation during revival is the Presence of God with the people. In Isaiah 64:4 it is a prayer for revival. The word ‘presence’ appears three times. In Hebrew, this word also means ‘the Face of God’. During Revival the presence of God seems like a holy blanket over the people. God’s Face comes so close to men. People not only believe that the spiritual realm is true, but they feel God’s presence in a clear way. The believers are aware especially of the Holiness, Majesty, and Glory of God. The Holy Fear of God is real. The religious unbelievers and the backsliders feel guilty of sin. This guilt makes them restless. They cannot find peace until they repent to God and to man. This atmosphere of revival is different than an evangelistic outreach when people work for God without feeling a sense of guilt for their sins. As they prepare the venue for the crusade, they pray and joke at the same time. During revival, the atmosphere is always sober and holy. In their spirit, men see Jesus on the Cross. Salvation becomes personal. They say: “Jesus died for ME, for ME!!!” During church services, the people enjoy the presence of God so much that they forget the passing of time. In the past, they may grumble saying: ‘The church service is too long’. Now, they feel different. They feel bad when the service ends. They want it to continue. They go home with the anointing received. They see the value of Church. They think about the Word of God they heard during the preaching. They make effort to apply it practically. The Holy Spirit enlightens the mind and the understanding. The believers love to hear the Word of God preached to them. They feel the power of God’s Word working in them. In other words, revival is like days of heaven on earth! It is said that the exclamation “Oh…” is a sound of revival (Is 64:1; Hab 3:2).

Simply said, revival means ‘to wake up from sleep and live’! That is why, the word revival applies to the believers who are backsliding. The overflow touches the unbelievers too, but primarily, revival is the touch of God to His children. To be revived is to be refilled with the power of the Holy Spirit, to allow Him to rekindle the slow-dying fire of passion for Jesus. Revival is returning to the purpose for which we were saved. It brings us into the center of the purpose of salvation found in Christ alone. Revival brings glory to God alone! During revival, men testify that “God is everywhere”. The presence of God was felt not only in the church, but on the streets, in the schools, in the hospitals. For example, the alcoholics will go to the bar, order a drink, suddenly they turn back and leave the drink untouched. Prostitutes would dress seductively to go to the streets. Suddenly, they feel cold, they run home, unable to continue with their sinful work. Armed robbers would suddenly change and stop doing crimes. Thieves will return stolen property. People reconcile with one another. The gambling casinos were shut down because none came there again. Revival changes people. The change is radical, genuine, and permanent. I read that during the Welsh revival, the political meetings were canceled or abandoned. They seemed completely out of question since no one was interested. Political leaders even from the parliament of London went to the revival meetings. It was all because of the personal transformation in people’s lives. Let the fire fall! When revival comes, the whole society feels the impact. You cannot have a touch from above and not touch those around you. People will notice you and me, that we have been with Jesus. They will be attracted to Christ in us. Remember that Christ is the most attractive and lovely Person in the universe. “He is altogether lovely” (SS 5:16).  Because Christ is seen and heard in us, people believe that He is alive! They will believe the true Gospel, Christ crucified and resurrected. Men see now that power does not belong to them, but to God! Men are not worshipped anymore. Jesus alone is worshipped for who He is! Glory!

Revival is the sovereign act of God, the outpouring of God’s Spirit upon a person, a church, or an area. Revival is a miracle. A miracle is defined as the direct, sovereign, immediate, supernatural action of God. There are three essential truths about a miracle: 1-It is of God and not of man! 2-It cannot be duplicated, controlled, or explained by man! 3- God always takes the glory for it! God is sovereign when and where He grants revival. He is also sovereign about the person He chooses as His vessel to ignite revival. Men can organize church programs. They can organize evangelistic crusades to preach the Word. All these are good! But no man can ‘organize’ a revival. ‘We cannot organize revival, but we can set our sails to catch the wind of heaven’ (G. Campbell Morgan). We study the past revivals to learn something from them. But there are no human methods to organize a revival. It has been observed that God uses humble people and grants revival to faithful genuinely needy people. Revival always humbles people! That is the general observation. Revival starts and ends as God pleases. Once revival ends, man cannot control it to prolong its work. But the good effects in society last longer. Just as on the Day of Pentecost, when revival happens, men ask: ‘What is this?’ Revival is hard to explain. It comes like a spiritual flood that changes all in its path. May revival come to Nigeria! “Even so, Come Lord Jesus!”      

THE CONGO REVIVAL (1953-1955)

This is the story of the revival that happened in the Belgian Congo, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  The revival began in the WEC mission station at Lubutu on Saturday night, February 7, 1953. WEC is a missionary organization Worldwide Evangelization for Christ that did ministry in Congo at that time. It was during a scheduled worker’s conference, with the national pastors, evangelists, and wives from the area present. Things were good with the ministry, but something was missing. The passion for Jesus was not there as in the past. The believers were more legalistic. They felt that they lost their first love. They were praying for revival. That evening the European missionaries were holding a prayer meeting in their home, while the African believers were having one of their own at the school. It was then that the missionaries heard the noise of wailing and crying coming from the school. They went to investigate, and they found many overcome and prostrate on the ground, shaking violently. Many were standing with their hands raised, worshiping, some confessing secret sins. After a while the missionaries attempted to close the meeting, but it continued for twenty-four hours. The conviction of sin was at times so intense that people would be in deep agony. Those who resisted confessing their sins were grievously tormented until they yielded. One woman went insane under conviction until she confessed her sin. An evangelist went into a coma for three days, and his healing came after he came to and confessed his sins. Following confession of sin, their hearts were filled with overwhelming joy. From the surface it appeared as though it was all chaos and confusion. “God, send us a season of glorious disorder!” (C H Spurgeon). But the fruits were clearly of the Holy Spirit!

From Lubutu, the Revival spread to other places. The Missionaries in Lubutu began writing letters to the other mission stations throughout the region, explaining what happened. Initially there was opposition and criticism, but that all soon gave way as the Holy Spirit began to fall on other mission stations as He did at Lubutu. Almost all the churches throughout the region were affected. It was like a Spiritual Tornado. The people were literally flung to the floor or over the benches, yet no one was hurt. News of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit quickly spread throughout the area, and people were walking upwards of 100 miles to come to witness and participate in the move of the Holy Spirit.

“We have longed, prayed, cried, agonized for revival, and when it came, it was beyond anything we had imagined. The conversions have been marvelous: the whole compound is a new place: from missionaries to workmen and their wives, to schoolteachers and their wives, to houseboys, schoolboys, and schoolgirls—even among those in kindergarten classes” (Missionary at the Ibambi station, Congo).

This is another testimony: the people were gathered in a prayer meeting. They were 95 Africans and 5 whites. Suddenly everyone heard the roar of what seemed to be a hurricane. The windows shutters throughout the hall were quickly closed to prevent the wind from damaging anything. But as they waited, the wind didn’t come, they only heard the sound. When they looked outside, they saw a clear sky, with no movement in the trees. Yet at the same time the lanterns throughout the hall were shaking wildly, and the building seemed to rock. It was like the account in Acts 2:2: “a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the house where they were sitting”.  The hall was filled with people lying flat on the ground, being hurled there by an unseen force. Nobody was conscious of anyone next to them. It was just the individual and God standing face-to-face. Many began crying out to God for mercy. Others were shaking violently. Some were on their feet with arms outstretched to heaven giving praise to God. Conviction of sin had fallen upon all present. People with tears streaming down their faces confessed to theft, jealousies, anger, coldness of heart, and having a religious spirit. After the confession it was as if there was a flood of joy that gushed in through the person who had confessed, and their weeping and groaning transformed into songs of praise to God. Glory!

There was an overwhelming conviction of sin accompanied with trembling, shaking, writhing, prostration, wailing, crying, groaning, and indescribable grief. There was a powerful awareness of the reality of heaven, as well of hell. This torment caused by conviction of sin was said to be “the whip of the Holy Spirit.” Confession of those sins was made. Forgiveness of sins was experienced. Indescribable joy and the infilling of the Holy Spirit was obvious. Restitution was made for things stolen and relationships were restored.

The preaching of the Word of God, which was carried out consistently before the Holy Spirit’s outpouring, now came forth with much greater power. The understanding of the sermons preached seemed as though it was the first time they were heard, as they were so fresh and life-giving. Conviction of sins was so powerful that people had to confess them before they could be free from the burden of their sin. Physical healings were common. Many were often so overcome by God’s presence that they were said to be “drunk with the Spirit” (Acts 2:13). There were those who attempted to resist the Holy Spirit’s power, but always failed. The torment from the shaking and trembling drove them to confess their sins, as that was the only way relief could be obtained. The gift of discernment was granted to enable the leaders to detect what was of God, what was of Satan, or what was just people pretending. Worship songs were written, some of them given directly by God. Ecstasy of joy was experienced following confession of sin and being filled with the Holy Spirit. This was often accompanied with laughter, dancing, praise, and thanksgiving. Satan did attempt to infiltrate and disrupt. This came in the form of some who tried to gain attention for themselves by going to extremes. Others gave false prophecies. But it was clear that the false believers failed to control the meetings.

RESULTS OF REVIVAL

People freely preached about and testified of Jesus’ love wherever they went. People were saved by the hundreds and thousands. The people were so caught up in the presence of God that they didn’t take time for meals, and they would often sleep only a few hours each night, yet they were not tired. Prayers were no longer mechanical, they were heartfelt, and there was an intense desire to intercede for the lost. The singing was filled with passion. Marriages were restored. Many young families (husband and wife) felt the call to attend the Bible School and prepare to be pastors of evangelists. People did not arrive late for the services like they did before–they ran to them. Newcomers were at almost every meeting. Believers were not ashamed to carry their Bibles in public, as they previously were. Numerous owners of wine palm trees cut down their orchards and were no longer producing alcoholic wine. Restitution of stolen items was made, and payment of debts was common. The Africans changed their pagan-associated names to New Testament names. The revival affected the children, the teens as much as the adults.

This revival ran across the Belgian Congo from 1953 to 1955.  During that time the churches doubled, and then tripled in their numbers. Twelve years later, when civil war tore the country apart, the revived Church had been prepared by God to withstand the onslaught of unbelievable horror and evil. Since then, the leaders of the churches were those African believers who were blessed by the revival. As it was with the Businessmen revival in New York (1857-1858), just before the American Civil war, we see a pattern here. God knows that there will be war ahead. He grants revival to prepare and strengthen the church before or after conflict. We are amazed at the grace and mercy of God concerning His people. Glory to God!   

THE BURNING BUSH – THIS IS HOLY GROUND

“Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So, he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed” (Ex 3:1,2).

This is the story of the amazing encounter between Jehovah God and Moses. God reveals Himself to Moses and declares His name: I AM THAT I AM. God calls Moses to work for Him. Father’s House Bible Church has been declared prophetically to be ‘a burning bush’ in this area. What is the meaning of that? We try to find out as we study this miraculous encounter. There are many lessons for us here, even as we pray for revival.

For forty years, Moses lives in the desert with the family of Jethro, a priest of Midian. He got married to one of his daughters. They have two sons together. He works for Jethro. He takes care of sheep that are not his. These forty years, his life was simple, and possibly boring. Every day is the same. There is the routine of simple life in the desert. Forty years ago, Moses was a Prince of Egypt. He was trained to be an Egyptian royalty. “Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and deeds” (Ac 7:22). He could speak well, and he could fight like a warrior. But now, what is the purpose of his life, living as a shepherd in the desert? Moses lost the Egyptian, worldly skills. God humbles him in preparation for a new work. God carries Moses in the desert to unlearn the Egyptian ways. Suddenly, God appears in a new way, in the burning bush that is not consumed. The bush was at ‘the back of the desert’.

What does the Burning Bush teach us? That God is eternal, Sovereign over all, self-sufficient and self-existent. Everything about God is eternal and indestructible. We also learn that God speaks to men and calls them to His work. We pray for revival. We need to know the God that saved us and calls us to work for Him! Please note, that the way you see God determines your Christian life. It determines what you do, say, pray, the decisions you make, your relationship with your family and others. As you pray for revival, remember who the God of Revival is!  

*God is self-existent! God is sovereign and independent! His name is Jehovah, I AM THAT I AM. This name appears 6519 times in the Bible, It is used more than any other name of God. This is God’s Covenant keeping name! What God says will come to pass! God is faithful to all His promises! God is to be trusted and obeyed!   God told Moses: “Tell them that I AM sent you!” I AM means I EXIST FOREVER! What does it mean to be ‘self-existent’? It means that God is independent from His creation. He is God all by Himself! God is the only self-existent Being in the universe. He created everything that exists, spiritual and physical. Nobody created God. The difference between God and His Creation is immense. It is like a drop of water from the ocean and the ocean itself.  God is different than all of us. God is the Creator, and we are His creation. God has no beginning and no end. God IS the Beginning, and He IS the end. We have a beginning and an end. We are created to worship God!

*God is self-sufficient! God has no needs! God ‘takes care’ of Himself. He does not need His creation to provide anything to Him. He is perfect. But we are wholly depended on God. If there is no Oxygen, we all die. We need food and water. But God needs nobody and nothing. We need God but God does not need us for anything. He appreciates our worship, but He does not need it. We cannot contribute anything to God, to make Him happier. He is happiness Himself. He is perfect by Himself. But in His eternal Wisdom, He had chosen us to become His children. That is why we should always be humble. That is why we should always trust and obey God! That is why we should live for His glory alone! God is not accountable to nobody! We are accountable to others and finally, to God. But God is free from accountability. To be accountable it means that you must take responsibility for your words and actions. You must answer the questions of others. God does not need to answer any question from nobody. Whatever He does is right. Just because God says a word, it is right! Sinful men tried to find fault with Jesus especially in the words He spoke. Eventually, they gave up. Jesus is God. He is not accountable to men for the words He speaks. “But after that they dared not question Him (Jesus) anymore” (Lk 20:40). “I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him” (Ecc 3:14). “Everything God does is right” (Ps 145:17, TM).

*God spoke thru the burning bush. The bush was an ordinary bush that God chose to dwell in it at that time. It was in fire, but it was not consumed. The Burning Bush stands for the Eternal God dwelling among men. It is a symbol of The Lord Jesus Christ, of the Eternal Word of God, and of the Eternal Kingdom of God, including all God’s Children. The burning Bush is also a symbol of the Church of Christ in revival!  

God’s Son is like the burning Bush. He is our Lord Jesus Christ who died and rose again! Death could not hold Him. The fire is the hatred of the devil and the world. On that Cross, the fire of the wrath of God against sin ‘burned’ Him but did not destroy Him. It is not the fire that consumed the Lamb. It was the Lamb that consumed the Fire! Glory!

God’s Word is like the burning bush. Men tried to destroy it, but they failed. God still speaks thru the Bible. The Bible cannot be destroyed. It will always remain the number one ‘best-seller’ among all printed books in the world. Not only that the Word of God cannot be destroyed, but it will also be the Judge at the last day. Jesus said: “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (Jn 12:48).

God’s Kingdom is like the burning bush. It is eternal. Daniel saw the vision of a mighty statue representing the kingdoms of men. Then a stone not cut with human hands came and destroyed them all. The stone became a kingdom that can never be destroyed. “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Daniel 2:44).

God’s Church is like a burning bush. The gates of hell cannot prevail against the Living Church. It is a light in the darkness! “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Mt 5:14). As workers for God, we need to build with silver, gold, and precious stones. These are material that resist the fire of God. “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Cor 3:11-17)

God’s children are preserved when passing thru fire. “The LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day” (Deut 4:20). The three Hebrews young men did not die in the furnace fire. They became free, they got promoted in their offices and God was glorified (Daniel 3:24-30). This is God’s promise coming from the burning bush: “But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (Is 43:1-3).

You must listen to the voice of God that speaks from heaven, even thru the burning bush. When God speaks, men must listen and obey! When God speaks, people and things shake. During revival, God’s voice is heard like a trumpet. Men cannot hide from its blast. The fear of God comes upon men who hear God. The way God called Moses; men are called to work for God.  Religion is a joker when God speaks. “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb 12:25-29).

This is quote from the Book of Deuteronomy. It is a warning against idolatry, showing that God is a jealous God. “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deut 4:24). God’s fire shakes and destroys all idols and purifies, shines your faith the more!

THE EXCUSES OF MOSES

At the burning bush Moses Is called to ministry. Face to face with the eternal God, Moses brings excuses not to work for God. What are these?

1-Who am I? This is inferiority complex. Moses said: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain” (Ex 3:11, 12). When Moses was a ruler in Egypt, he had confidence to speak to Pharoah. But now, Moses thinks that he is a nobody. In the desert, he has lost his proud self-confidence. He did not know that it was God’s plan for him. God’s answer to inferiority complex is His presence with you. God’s presence is success guaranteed. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31). When you pray for revival, His Grace is your confidence of victory! “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor 12:9).

2-What shall I say? I cannot speak, pray, or preach! “Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you’ ” (Ex 3:13, 14). Moses used to talk fluently in the Egyptian Language. Now, after forty years of speaking the Midian language, he is not sure that he can communicate well. In the desert, the work of the shepherd is mostly silent. Moses has lost the confidence of speech. God’s answer is His name! The revelation of His personal name! God tells Moses to speak His name to all people. The name of Jesus is stronger than all. You use it when you pray, when you preach, and when you praise! Jesus is the Word of God! Preach the Word! Preach the Gospel, the power of God unto salvation! That should be your confidence!

3-What if nobody will believe me? “Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you’.  So, the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” (Ex 4:1, 2). Moses was afraid that men will not believe him. That includes His people, the Hebrews, and the Egyptians. God answers that signs and wonders will accompany the preaching of His Word.  The resurrected Christ told the believers: “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen” (Mk 16:17-20). The Word of God comes with power. In revival, signs and wonders are multiplied.

4-I am not eloquent in speaking! 10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say” (Ex 4:10-12). God rebuked Moses by reminding him that He made Moses’ mouth. Words will be supplied at the right time. The Lord Jesus Christ gave this promise to all believers: “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say“ (Lk 12:11, 12).

5-Send another man! This was Moses’ final objection. Moses said: “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” So, the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. 16 So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs” (Ex 4:13-17). God has been patient with Moses and his excuses. But now, for the first time, God gets angry. He did not disqualify Moses, but He was angry. This is a great lesson for us. If God calls you, just surrender to Him! He will use you in a great way! Glory!

The burning bush is the first place in the Bible where the only Living God choses to dwell. Other places are the Tabernacle in the wilderness, The Temple of Solomon, The Church, and the true Spirit filled believers. During revival, His glory in us is revealed more than other times. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are like the burning bush. Our testimony must be pure! We are to be on fire, not on and off, but all the time! If you throw water on the burning bush, it will not quench it. It will become vapor. If anybody says bad words to you, it will not affect you!

Forty years later, Moses remembers his encounter with God at the burning bush. He prophesies that Joseph will know the “favor (goodwill, acceptance) of Him who dwelt in the bush” (Deut 33:16). What is this favor? It is favor with the enemies. It is total victory and deliverance from the oppressors. It is the freedom we have in Christ! “And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So, you shall plunder the Egyptians” (Ex 3:21, 22).

To lead God’s people like Moses you must become like the burning bush. If you are on fire, no virus can live in your body. The demons run away from you. But the same fire, will not destroy you. Your personality is preserved. Your testimony will become brighter. This is the Baptism of Fire. As Moses stopped to see the sight, so people will come close to you, to listen to your words. Then they will hear the voice of Christ thru your words. This bush did not need fuel to burn. In the same way, you will not need human encouragement anymore. That is for baby Christians. The fire in your bones is your continuous encouragement. Men may criticize you, but they will never forget you. This is what we need too!  This is the road to revival, to the glory of God! Oh, Lord, may revival come to Nigeria! Worship the Lord!

“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the Hope of Glory” (Col 1:27)

I was very sick once and the doctor said to me: ‘Madam, please do not lose your hope’. I said: ‘Me? I cannot lose hope for Hope cannot lose me!’

For a child of God, hope is in their ‘system’. Hope is not a decoration, an attachment, or an achievement that can be lost or can fade away. Hope is a Living Person! Hope is Christ and Christ is in you. You cannot lose Christ; therefore, you cannot lose hope. This is a hope of Glory. The Glory describes God. In human words glory is the power and the beauty of God. As a true believer I know that my hope leads to Glory; my hope leads me to heaven. My hope shall bloom as glory; my hope shall mature as glory. Hallelujah!

That is why I declare that in Christ, my future is better than my past. By the grace of God, my hope will make me like Jesus, more powerful, more beautiful. I do not fear the passing of time. I am fruitful at my old age. Time is on my side. This morning I did my spiritual ‘pregnancy test’. It reads ‘positive’. I am pregnant with Hope! Out of my belly flow rivers of living water, to the thirsty needy souls. Glory! Therefore, I rejoice!

THE DOCTRINE OF REVIVAL (2)/ HAVE FAITH IN GOD!

Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled The Doctrine of Revival (2)/ Have faith in God! (Mk 11:22). Her main text was taken from the Book of Isaiah and Habakkuk. “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:11). “Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence—as fire burns brushwood, as fire causes water to boil— to make Your name known to Your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Your presence! When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down, the mountains shook at Your presence. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him” (Isaiah 64:1-4). “O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy” (Habakkuk 3:2).

REVIVAL DEFINED

Only God can produce revival. Revival is a miracle; it is a phenomenon! Revival is a visitation of God’s Spirit to the Church. It affects even the unbelievers. Revival is defined as the unique, sovereign move of God, the Holy Spirit, coming down to earth in a dramatic way, changing people and nations. It manifests as a heartfelt return to God and His commandments.  The Holy Spirit does two types of works: the regular work (convicting people of sins, the process of sanctification, helping people to understand the Word of God…) and the extraordinary work, which is called ‘Revival’. From time to time, in the history of the Church, the Holy Spirit manifested His power among the believers in a most unusual way. The believers became filled with the Holy Spirit, sings and wonders multiplied among them. The overflow of this move of God affected all people. Many surrendered their lives to Christ and the Church became stronger. During revival the Holy Spirit recovers the basic doctrines of salvation, especially the justification by faith, by Grace, thru Christ alone.  Revival can happen to an individual believer, to a family, to a church, or to a geographical area. True revival changes the history of a city or a nation. Great social changes start to happen. Righteous laws are given and the nation changes for the better. God does more in one day of Revival than in hundred years or ‘regular’ church work! Selah!  Oh, how much we need revival in Nigeria!   

WHY DO WE NEED REVIVAL?

Spiritual revival is needed when we want to know God deeper in our spirit. Right now, there is no major revival on record in the world. We need revival because Satan is out to steal, kill and destroy. The devil wants to keep us from being on fire for God. Satan will stop at nothing to keep us from sharing that passion with others. Satan doesn’t want us doing anything, that will lift the name of Jesus Christ! He hates that we desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Examine your heart! Do you fervently pray that God will give you opportunities to speak the gospel message to those around you! We need revival when we backslide! We need revival when we chose to watch the TV news than to read the Bible. We chose to gossip than to pray! We watch unholy movies on the TV and we do not feel guilty about it. Our marriages have lost the romantic passion of Christ. Their love wine is ‘finished’ (John 2:3). The couples are co-existing rather than experiencing the fullness of the love of Christ. We are more concerned about our children’s education than about the condition of their souls. Sin in the church is ignored and not punished. We criticize the pastors rather than to pray for them. Our prayers are empty religious words designed to impress others. We have ceased to mourn and grieve over our own sin and the sin of others. We need to entertain people so that they come to church (the clowns have replaced the preachers of the Word). In the Lewis Revival, many of the conversions happen after the church service closed. They went to the homes of those who were converted and there, they repented, struggled in prayer, and became saved. Never despise the informal home fellowships! God bless all the lighthouses of Father’s House Bible Church! 

MANIFESTATIONS OF REVIVAL

Some say that revival can be ‘messy’. This is because many people repent and weep openly. There are also demonic manifestations as the anointing increases. People get delivered in the name of Jesus! Each revival has its own fragrance.  But there are some things that are common to all: the believers fall in love with Jesus again. They love the Word of God and desire to apply it. They bring their unsaved friends to the church. The conversions increase dramatically. The sales of the Bibles increase. People love coming to church. People pray more. They join the evangelistic ministry in great numbers. People travel from far distances to attend services in the churches experiencing revival. All who come get filled with the Holy Spirit and the passion for Jesus! They go back to their cities and like fire, revival spreads. Religious people become truly saved. The unbelievers cannot pretend anymore. In the churches, the praise and worship get better! The night-clubs, the places where they sell drugs and alcohol, they all shut down. The number of crimes decreased dramatically. The number of abortions decrease. The policemen, the court judges, and the lawyers become idle for there is no work for them. The signs, wonders, and miracles are multiplied! Praise the Lord!

WHO OPPOSES REVIVAL?

The evil spirit of religion is the greatest enemy to revival. Religious pride is the greatest hindrance. The devil does not mind if sinners go to church. But he hates it when they encounter the Only Living God. The truth is that revival can be ‘messy’. Because the Spirit of God works in our midst, there are visible manifestations. The devil produces counterfeit manifestations as well. Many pastors cannot discern the difference. That is why, they tend to reject all fruit, good or bad. By doing that they quench the Holy Spirit, and the revival stops. In the History of the Church, the people who most oppose revival are the older ‘Christians’ who have high positions in the churches. These people are religious but not saved. They are also the ones whom God has used in the past revivals but now they are backsliding (The retreating wave of the sea, blocks the coming one). The more legalistic they are, the more they oppose revival. They hate to see this new activity, this zealous passion for Jesus and for souls. They feel uncomfortable when they cannot control the congregation. They fear changes. They feel threatened. They ‘resist the Spirit of God’ like the Pharisees who stoned Stephen to death. Revival shakes the false believers. “The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” (Is 33:14). Many of the Christians who opposed revival were members of the great denominations. They loved their positions in the denomination more than they love God. Others who opposed revival loved miracles of healing more than the glory of God and the conversion of souls. It is good to be reminded that in the history of the Church, no revival started thru the organized official channels of the Church. All revivals started small. God used one or few people to feel the burden for revival and to pray for it. Remember this: God is never afraid to start small, like a mustard seed of passion which becomes a tree of revival! Glory!     

QUOTES ABOUT REVIVAL

“The Christian Church would have been dead and finished centuries ago and many times over if not for revivals. In one sense, the whole story of the Church can be described as a series of Pentecosts – I mean by that, a series of revivals” (Martyn Lloyd Jones)

PRAYER OF FAITH MOVES MOUNTAINS

“Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” So, Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:20-26)

Faith in God is basic to the Christian. That is why he is called ‘a believer’. It is the duty of the child of God to defeat the evil spirit of doubt and to grow in faith. In this story, we see a glimpse of what happened during the last days of Jesus on earth. The subject is prayer. You may wonder, who does Jesus teach His disciples about prayer on His way to the Cross? Following Jesus, the disciples did not pray much. For the past three years, the disciples had all their needs met just by talking to their Master. Now, He is telling them that He will die and go to heaven. Therefore, they need to learn how to pray! This is a radical spiritual shift! They did not like that. Jesus is telling them that if they pray, all heaven’s resources are at their disposal. When Jesus cursed the fig tree that is a parable of judgment upon the temple and the nation of Israel. The prophesy came to pass. The Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD. Here we see that Jesus has the power that with a word He can curse and dry a fig tree, roots, and all. This is a negative miracle that displays the power of God! Such power, be it negative or positive, is from God alone! “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!” (Rev 19:1). Jesus said: “Have faith in God!” In other words: Have faith that God is Your Father in heaven, that He is all powerful, and that He wants to help you!

How do you pray for revival, for miracles? Examine your memory, heart, tongue, spirit, arms, and conscience! The answer to your prayer depends on these!  

*Your memory! Remember what God has done in the past! ‘Peter remembered…’ You cannot trust God now if you have not experienced a miracle in the past! The fig tree withered immediately as Jesus cursed it. Peter remembered the words of Jesus… The more you remember the past miracles the greater faith you have. The old Christians have an advantage here because they remember many miracles. Remember God!!!

*Your heart! Trust God! ‘Have faith in God’ and do not doubt the character of God! Study God’s Word. Attend your church regularly. Listen to your pastor preach. Faith in God is ‘injected’ thru your ears. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17). Faith needs to be built! You must trust His promises, purpose, power, and plans! When you pray, ask for things that give glory to God and advance His Kingdom! Do not ask for selfish things. Do not pray amiss (Jam 4:3). “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Mt 7:7). Pray over your prayer requests!

*Your tongue! ‘Whoever says…’ You must believe that because God created you in His image and likeness, your words have power! When you pray, your words will perform the action! Do not doubt your prayers! Your words should be like the words of God! Idle words, even in prayer, are judged by God. “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Mt 12:36). The word ‘idle’ means unprofitable, injurious, useless, and thoughtless. Praying in flesh is rebuked by God! Praying in the Spirit is answered by God! Pray with faith and without doubt! Both tongue and heart must be united! That is the ideal prayer! To move mountains is about serious issues. When you pray, there should be no doubt in your heart that God is able to do all things. You need faith in the power and the wisdom of God! Little faith in the Big God is enough! “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (PV 18:21). As you can see, the tongue has power to build or to destroy, others and you. If you do not believe this scripture, you shall carelessly use negative words of destruction. For example, if you jokingly say “I am dying-oh…”. Because you did not die after saying such a word, you start to doubt the power in your tongue. Later, when you desire to pray for healing for example, you cannot believe that your words are powerful enough, for God to answer them. Negative, careless, gossiping, slandering, unholy joking words, are a great hindrance to prayer for revival and miracles!

 *Your spirit! You must “pray always” (1 Thess 5:17).  The more you pray, the better you understand the God who answers prayers! Prayer and faith grow together! “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them”. Jesus says ask for all things! But not for selfish desires. It must be according to God’s will. Ask and wait! “You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (Jam 4:2, 3). Jesus was telling them that they must pray. Before now, they have not prayed. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (Jn 15:7, 8). A good prayer answered by the Father proves much spiritual fruit and gives glory to God!

*Your arms! Learn to receive God’s love thru His Word like a baby. A baby at the mother’s breast does not ask: ‘Shall I receive this food?’ He just opens his mouth and sucks the milk! Faith comes with receiving God’s Word! Doubt comes thru rejection of God’s Word!

*Your conscience! ‘And whenever you stand praying… forgive him’ An attitude of forgiveness is necessary for an answered prayer. Choose between your grudge and your miracle!

What are the lessons for us? What is the pattern of a good prayer for miracles or for revival? Jesus says that prayer must be in faith and power! These are the simple steps to follow:

1-Remember God’s Word!

2-Believe God’s Word!

3-Speak God’s Word!

4-Pray (ask) God’s Word!

5-Forgive yourself and others!

6-Receive your miracle!

From looking at these steps of faith, we deduct that the hindrances to prayer, the very mountains we need to remove are these: Forgetting and Doubting God’s Word, Keeping silent when you should speak and pray, and Unforgiveness. In this case, you cannot receive what you desire!  

The disciples quickly learned the act of prayer. Immediately Jesus went to heaven, they started praying. Then the Holy Spirit came down at Pentecost (Ac 1:14, 2:1-4). Good memory, clean conscience, faith, prayer, and power are always connected! Worship the Lord!

REVIVAL IS LIKE ISAAC WHO DUG AGAIN THE WELLS OF WATER OF HIS FATHER ABRAHAM!

“And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them” (Gen 26:18)

THE BUSINESSMEN REVIVAL IN NEW YORK (1857-1858)

This was a great revival. It is the last revival in U. S. This is significant! This is the story: For one year (1857-1858), God used a simple unknown man called Jeremiah Lanphier to ignite the great revival in New York. Jeremiah’s parents came to America from Holland. He was a tailor. He produced readymade clothes. He got converted during Charles Finney’s revival. Here you see how the revival’ seed spreads. Because of the economic downturn, many people stopped going to church. He made good money, but he sold his business to work for God. For a salary of 1000$ per annum, his church, the 88 years Old Dutch North Church at Fulton street, hired him to go from house to house and tell people to come to church. That is how at 49, Jeremiah became a missionary evangelist. He told everyone he met to give their lives to Jesus and start coming to church. One day, God gave him ‘an idea’ to start a weekly prayer meeting for businessmen and workers, during their one-hour lunch break. He obeyed God. He used his money to print 20,000 handbills and distributed them in the city. He was not a preacher. He wrote a simple note in front of his church inviting people to pray. The note read this: “Prayer Meeting from 12 to 1 o’clock—Stop 5, 10, or 20 minutes, or the whole hour, as your time admits.” The first prayer meeting was exactly at 12 noon on a Wednesday, September 23, 1857. He alone climbed the creaking wooden stairs and went to a room at the third floor of his church.  He entered that empty dusty room, pulled out his pocket watch and sat down to wait. It looked like no one had the time. As the minutes ticked by, the solitary waiter wondered if it were all a mistake. Then he started praying alone, for God to have mercy on all, to bring revival. Thirty minutes later, a man came. Before the hour was up, four men came to join him. The first prayer meeting was help with six men who did not know each other. The following week twenty men came, and the next week forty men turned out! Their prayers were earnest, but as yet, unremarkable. Undaunted, Jeremiah took a step of faith and decided the men should meet daily.  October 14—the twenty-first day after the first meeting—the stock market crashed. All the banks closed, and the whole country descended into the worst financial crisis it had ever seen. Many committed suicides. Upended New Yorkers flocked to the meetings for prayer. Within six months, 10,000 businessmen (out of a population of 800,000 in New York) were bringing their petitions to God, meeting in churches and public buildings throughout New York City. This is how revival started. Soon, people started coming in great numbers. There were many unemployed in New York. There was economic recession. Businesses closed down. People remembered God and came to pray. In January 1858 there were at least twenty other prayer meetings going full tilt in the city. There were rules for the prayer meetings. This revival was much more structured than other revivals. This was the pattern: They start singing a hymn. Then there is a reading from the Bible. Then they start praying for themselves, for mercy, for revival. No man could pray aloud for more than five minutes. The women were allowed to come but not to pray aloud. Soon, people hired a big theater hall, and all people could come and pray aloud, men and women, black, white and Asians. The prayer meetings started 12 noon exactly and ended 1 pm on the dot. No politics or social topics were allowed to be discussed. They made room for the Holy Spirit. Different men led the prayer meeting. At 12:55 they sang another hymn and prayed a prayer of blessing. They close at 1 pm exactly. From here, many men went back to work. They used their lunch break for prayer. Within a year it is estimated that over 1 million people got saved!!!

What are the lessons? Humility, Faith, and Obedience to God are basic in ministry. God can use anybody! God likes to use foolish things to confound the wise! God told Jeremiah that revival will come thru a prayer meeting. He obeyed! Nobody came to pray with him in the first thirty minutes. Then one man came. Many people are too impatient. Wait on God! God uses anyone who humbles himself, who desires to bring glory to God and to save souls. This revival was made from laymen. There were no church leaders. It was not denominational. Most of the people were businessmen. It spread to other cities in the US. It was a revival of prayer. Never since that time have Americans come so united in prayer. “Do not despise the day of small beginnings” (Zechariah 4:10). Men took the anointing to Chicago, Philadelphia, and other cities.  Out of this prayer meeting came the ministries of Dwight Moody and Ira Sankey as well as movements to end slavery and bring justice to the oppressed. Though it did not prevent the Civil war (1865-1861) many believe that the revivals during the civil war were inspired by it. This revival changed America. God moved in amid tragedy and saved many souls! To God be all the glory!

In Christ I declare:

WE HAVE ENTERED THE REALM OF ANSWERED PRAYERS!

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

In Jesus’ name, Amen!  Worship the Lord!

These are some pictures from the last Sunday service in our church. We pray for revival! We declared that by faith, we have entered the realm of answered prayers! Halleluiah! To God be all the glory!

God bless all the children in Nigeria!

“For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the LORD, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11; AMP)

Child of God, you need to pray and meditate upon each word. You need to learn how to encourage yourself by God’s Word. Don’t wait for anybody to encourage you. Men may disappoint you. They too have needs. Learn to strengthen yourself by the power of the Holy Spirit!

This is a fact: God alone knows your future. He not only knows it, but He has prepared it for you in advance. You are the owner of a prepared hope! That is why, no matter the present trials of life, your God given future is sure because the faithful God has ‘planned it’. This ‘expected end’ means eternal life and assurance of going to heaven. It also includes a life of ‘Shalom’ -peace to the last breath on earth, and walking in divine health and favor with God and man.

God also promised that ‘your God given strength shall equal your days’ (Deut 33:25). If you trust in God alone, you will never be disappointed. You will never regret knowing and serving the Lord Jesus Christ. His plans for you are the best ‘insurance policy’ ever! Faith in God is a powerful chemistry. You should build your faith. It is a most wonderful work you can do on earth. It has extraordinary benefits! So, be thankful for your past, grateful for your present moment, and start praising God in advance for the prepared joyful hope! His Word never fails! Halleluiah!

Love in Christ alone,

Malia!

Long ago, I discovered that I was an eagle. But I was afraid of the heights. I knew that God was calling me to go and meet with Him, nest with Him on the mountains of grace and glory. But I played safe. I decided to only admire His beauty from afar. I read books of ‘how to fly for dummies’. I imagined the best but I held tight to what was available to me in my little world. I convinced myself that refusing to fly is called ‘humility’. I was waiting for God to reward me for this. Until one day… my heart became too small for the cage I put myself in. The tightness over my chest suffocated me. I tried to still be ‘humble’ but I could not. I was limiting God and myself. The moment came when I knew that I have to make a choice: Break my heart of break my cage. I chose to break the cage. My lungs needed to breath the air above. My ears needed to tune in the silence of the blue sky. My eyes blinked with wonder. I saw my dream come true. The angels were rehearsing and editing the song I composed on earth, while breaking the cage. I was free! I knew that I was free! Glory to the One who has no equal! Glory to my Savior, Jesus Christ! My people, rejoice with me! And I say again, rejoice!

“But others mocking said: “They are filled with new wine.” (Ac 2:13)

This is the definition of mocking:

*To treat others with ridicule, contempt; malicious belittling;

*To imitate, to mimic as to resemble a clown, just for fun

*To frustrate another’s hopes or efforts; to cause another to appear irrelevant, ineffectual, or impossible

This is my testimony: As an unbeliever I ignorantly practiced wickedness. I somehow learned the terrible skill of mocking others. I praised myself to be a good actress. I will imitate their voice, their accent and their style of walking. My friends and I will laugh and laugh… I did not see this activity as sinful. By ridiculing them I will try to present myself as better than them. This was a game of pride. In particular, I use to mimic the religious people, the born again Spirit filled Christians. To me, they look crazy, weird, clownish, stupid and confused. They were an easy prey. They could not defend themselves well. When I ask them why do they pray so loud, why do they weep, why do they sing off key like the drunkards? They will say that it is because the Holy Spirit ‘pushes’ them to do so. That was very funny to me and the mocking continued…

This was my life until I became saved. I repented of my sins. I came to the Cross and I gave my life to Christ. Then the Holy Spirit filled me. From that moment on, I became ‘worst’ than the people I use to mock in the past. Right now I am technically drunk in the Holy Ghost. You may mock my religion, my accent, my fashion style, my body or my singing. I understand… I do not judge you… But try to look beyond my ‘foolishness’ and see the reality of my Savior who indeed has changed my life. Since Christ has come into my heart and filled me with His Spirit I lost all my fears, all my inferiority complexes, all my doubts and all my wicked ‘social skills’. I am now at peace with God, with myself and with others. The wine of the Holy Spirit is sweet to my soul. I forgot the taste of bitter poisonous pride and struggle for fame. I know for sure that I have eternal life. The mockery of others does not disturb me. It cannot frustrate my hope for the future, for it is rooted in eternal glory. It cannot hinder my efforts to worship, to minister to the Lord or to preach to sinners. Mocking me shall fail for I cannot be discouraged by men or devils anymore. This is my secret power. I am filled with the Holy Ghost! Today, I share my secret with you not to mock me, but to join me in this holy adventure. For the pleasures of God are real, pure, sweet and strong! They are more precious than this whole world! Come to Jesus! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! Jesus is Lord!

Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled ‘The Doctrine of the Blessed Holy Trinity’. Her main text was taken from the Book of Matthew 3:13-17 and 28:16-20.

INTRODUCTION

In his third expedition, in 1498, Christopher Columbus saw three islands. Coming closer, he saw that the three islands are united into one body. He named the Land ‘Trinidad’ which in Spanish, is Trinity. This is just a parable of the doctrine of the Trinity. From distance, it looks like there are three ‘Gods’. But as we study it closer, we discover that there is only One God, in Three Persons. The word ‘Trinity’ means 3 in 1.

The Doctrine of the Blessed Holy Trinity is the most important doctrines of the Christian faith. There is no higher doctrine than this. The reason is because it is the doctrine about God. This is also one of the most mysterious doctrines, extremely difficult to preach or understand. We preach it and believe in it because we see this revelation in the Bible. As a preacher and congregation, we need to remain humble and trust the Holy Spirit alone for the revelation. The word ‘Trinity’ does not appear in the Bible. The teaching that God is a Triune Being is found in many places, both in the Old and the New Testament. The doctrine of Trinity cannot be explained by man and cannot be understood by human wisdom. This doctrine must be received by faith, as a revelation of the Holy Spirit. Studying the Trinity will surely humble us. It will challenge and increase our faith in God. “Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man, and then I will show you a man that can comprehend the Triune God”. We are reminded that God’s mind is so much greater than our mind. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Is 55:8, 9). Amen, Lord! This doctrine is unique to Christianity. It separates Christianity from all other religions.

DEFINITION

The Bible says that there is only one God. He is the only God that exists. He is the Creator and sustainer of the universe. We should never forget that! “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” (Deut 6:4). “For us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live” (1 Cor 8:6). Within the nature of this one God, there are three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three Persons are co-equal, co-eternal, distinct from one another, yet always acting in unity, equal in glory, and each One worthy of the same Praise, Worship, confidence, and obedience. These three distinct Persons are the One God! They are not three gods. Everything that is true about God is true about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches that The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. It is wrong to say that God is the Father, of that God is the Son, or that God is the Spirit. It is wrong to limit God to only one of the three Persons of the Trinity.

“The Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost uncreate. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal” (The Athanasian Creed, 6^th century). (The word ‘incomprehensible’ means not able to be understood).

The Theologians use the word ‘Godhead’ sometimes when they want to refer to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit as three divine Persons in one God. They are not Three Gods but one! We also say that The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, the Spirit is not the Father, but each is God individually and yet they are together the One True God of the Bible. The truth of the Trinity must be decided solely on what the Bible has to say about the subject. The doctrine of the Trinity can only be known by divine revelation; human reason cannot discover anything about the personal nature of God. There is no real analogy to the Trinity to which humans can compare the Trinity.  When we look at what the Scripture has to say we discover that one God exists in three Persons – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is found by noting the following points: only one God exists; there are three distinct Persons in the New Testament – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; each of these three distinct Persons is called God. Therefore, the three distinct Persons must be the one God. The members of the Trinity have different roles though they are equal in character. Although Christians tend to emphasize Christ, each Person of the Trinity is equal. God always was and always will be three Persons. There was never a time when one of the Persons of the Godhead did not exist. They are all eternal.

EACH PERSON IN THE TRINITY IS GOD

The Bible calls God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit! Each Person of the Trinity is separate in function but one in essence!

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:2). We are “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). “But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God” (Acts 5:3,4). Each of the Three Persons of the Trinity is Omnipresent, Omniscient, and Omnipotent.Praise the Lord!

THE THREE PERSONS IN THE TRINTY ARE DIFFERENT IN FUNCTIONS BUT ONE IN ESSENCE

Since God the Father sent the Son into the world, He cannot be the same person as the Son. Likewise, after the Son returned to the Father, the Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit into the world. Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be distinct from the Father and the Son. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). Jesus said: “I go to My Father and you see Me no more” (Jn 16:10). “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (Jn 14:26). “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear” (Acts 2:32, 33).

In the Bible we see that Jesus is God and, at the same time, that he was “with God,” thereby indicating that Jesus is a distinct Person from God the Father. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God… No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (Jn 1:1, 2, 18)

We also see that although there is a close unity between the three Persons, the Holy Spirit is distinct from the Father and the Son. “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore, I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you” (Jn 16:13-15)

While the three members of the Trinity are distinct, this does not mean that any is inferior to the other. Instead, they are all identical in attributes. They are equal in power, love, mercy, justice, holiness, knowledge, and all other qualities. The doctrine of the Trinity does not divide God into three parts. The three Persons are each one-hundred-percent God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each fully God. For example, this is said of Christ: “For in Him (in Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col 2:9). Thus, the Son is not one-third of the being of God; He is all of the being of God. The Father is not one-third of the being of God; he is all of the being of God. And likewise with the Holy Spirit.

WHO BELIEVES IN THE TRINITY?

All true Christians believe in the Trinity. If you are sure that you do not believe in the Trinity, you are not saved! It is only the children of God that believe this doctrine. Anyone who says that he is a Christian but rejects this doctrine, is not born-again! Selah!  

WHAT AND WHY DO WE BELIEVE?

We believe that the one God eternally exists in three Persons: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit; and that these three are one God, co-equal and co-eternal, having precisely the same nature and attributes, and worthy of precisely the same worship, confidence, and obedience.

Why do we believe this doctrine? The most important reason is because the Bible teaches about the Trinity. The second reason is because all true Christians all over the world, since the Church started, have believed in it. Lastly, we believe in the Trinity because no other explanation makes sense of the God of the Bible.

ARGUMENTS AND ERRORS AGAINST THIS DOCTRINE

Two major Faith groups reject the doctrine of the Trinity: the Mormons (The Latter days saints) and the Jehovah Witnesses’, who do not believe that the Jesus Christ is God. The Muslims and the Jews deny the Trinity. They argue saying that how can 1+1+1=1? They forget that this formula can be changed to read like this: 1x1x1=1!

WHAT THIS DOCTRINE IS NOT

Christians do not believe in three Gods. Christians do not believe that God has three different forms: like water, vapor, and ice. Christians do not believe that the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are parts of the whole. For example, we do not believe that God the Father is 1/3^rd of God, the Son is 1/3^rd of God and the Holy Spirit is 1/3^rd of God. These are all false doctrines.  God is not One Person who took three consecutive roles. That is the heresy of modalism (They say that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are divine, but they are not distinct Persons). The truth is that Father did not become the Son and then the Holy Spirit. Instead, there have always been and always will be three distinct Persons in the Godhead.

SYMBOLS OF THE TRINTY

The Christians over the centuries have tried to simplify this doctrine by using symbols. For example, they say that God is like an egg, made from three parts: the shell, the white and the yoke. These parts are different, yet they make one complete egg. Others say that a man can be a father, a son, and a brother, at the same time. Other people say that this unity and diversity is seen in the marriage. The husband and the wife are different people, yet they become one in marriage. Then they have a baby. They are three in one. One of the most interesting illustrations is by the American scientist Dr. Henry M. Morris (1918-2006), and engineer who became saved. He was the President of the Institute for Creation Research. He says that the entire universe is Trinitarian by design. The universe consists of three things: matter, space, and time. Take away any one of those three and the universe would cease to exist. But each one of those is itself a trinity. 1. Matter = mass + energy + motion; 2. Space = length + height + breadth; 3. Time = past + present + future. It’s important to remember that all illustrations fail eventually. They don’t “prove” the Trinity, they simply help us to understand the concept.

THERE IS A “DIVISION OF LABOR” IN THE TRINTY

God the Father is the Creator of all things. He is also the Planner of salvation. He is in charge of election. God the Son is the Redeemer. He died for sinners that they may live. The Holy Spirit is in charge of the sanctification. These are the general roles as seen in the Bible.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD, NOT A POWER OR AN INFLUENCE

Most Christians have no problem in appreciating God the Father and God the Son as Divine Persons, worthy to be worshipped. But they misunderstand the Person of God the Holy Spirit. They think of Him as a ‘force’, like the power of God and not as a Person. This is a mistake to be corrected. The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force like gravity for example. The Holy Spirit is an ‘He’ and not an ‘it’ (John 14:26; 16:7-15; Acts 8:16). The Holy Spirit is a Person because He speaks (Heb 3:7), He reasons (Acts 15:28), He thinks and understands (1 Cor 2:10, 11), He wills (1 Cor 12:11), He feels (Eph 4:30), and has personal fellowship with the believers (2 Cor 13:14). These are all qualities of a Living Person.  

WHERE IN THE BIBLE DO YOU FIND THIS DOCTRINE?

THE OLD TESTAMENT

In the Old Testament you find the Trinity indirectly and in the New Testament you find the direct revelation of it. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). In the first verse of the Bible the word translated God is Elohim. In Hebrew is a plural form of the word ‘El’. In other passages it is translated ‘gods’ referring to the pagan deities. “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So, God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:26, 27). Please observe the plural and the singular referring the God. This is diversity in unity. God (plural) is One!

“Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord God and His Spirit have sent Me.” (Is 48:16). In this scripture you hear the Son speaking about His work as the Redeemer. He confirms that The Lord God (which is the Father) and His Spirit have sent Him. 

THE NEW TESTAMENT

In the New Testament we see all the Three Persons associated together on an equal basis in numerous passages:

*When Jesus God baptized by John in the River Jordan, the Father spoke, and the Holy Spirit became visible descending like a Dove on the Son)

“When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:16, 17)

John’s Baptism was a symbol of repentance, cleansing and preparation to meet God. Our Lord was baptized by John so that He can identify with the sins of men. This was in preparation for Him becoming their Substitute. John protests when Jesus came to him for water baptism. The reason was because he is a lesser person than Jesus, and his baptism is a lesser one that the Baptism of fire Jesus has come to perform. John offered a baptism of repentance, but Jesus does not need to repent. Jesus offers forgiveness but He Jesus does not need it. “But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him” (Mt 3:15). The reason why Jesu said ‘permit it to be so now’ it is because His ministry has not started yet. John said that Jesus will baptize with fire. But as He came out form the water, the Holy Spirit came as a Dove on Him. Jesus purifies us with Fire but He does it gently, like a Dove. Thru this Baptism, Jesus was empowered to do ministry. The Holy Spirit was active throughout the life of Jesus on earth. The Holy Spirit led Him from place to place and gave Him the power to do miracles. It is the same Holy Spirit that helped Jesus to go to the Cross, as a Sacrifice. This is how He cleanses our conscience with fire from religious works that lead to death. “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:13, 14). The Holy Spirit that descended on Jesus anointed Him for ministry. In this scripture you see the Trinity again: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Ac 10:38).

*Apostle Peter defines salvation as the work of the Trinity: The elect are chosen by God the Father, Faith in the Son and sanctified by the Spirit!  

Greetings to the “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied” (1 Peter 1:2).

*Salvation is by the Love of God, by the Grace of the Son, and by the communion or fellowship of the Holy Spirit!

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen” (2 Cor 13:14)

*Paul thanks The Father for the brethren who pay the price for spiritual maturity. They are beloved of Jesus and sanctified by the Holy Spirit!

“But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth” (2 Thess 2:13)

*This is the Great commission given by the Resurrected Christ. The Christian Baptism in water is in the name of the Trinity!

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen” (Matt 28:18-20). First, notice that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are described as three distinct Persons. Second, notice that each Person must be deity because they are all placed on the same level. Jesus would not have us baptize in the name of a mere creature! Therefore, each of the Persons into whose name we are to be baptized must be deity. Third, notice that although the three divine Persons are distinct, we are baptized into their name (singular), not names (plural). The three Persons are distinct, yet they constitute only one name. It means that they share one essence, one being.

The Great Commission is ‘to make disciples’. It means to teach the baby Christians the Word of God until they become mature believers, able to obey God’s commands. The Water Baptism is a public proclamation that you now belong to the Lord Jesus. You died in Him and you rose in Him. The water Baptism does not save your soul. It is a command of the Resurrected Christ. It is not an ordinary ceremony. It adds Grace and confidence to the believer. The Baptism is done ‘in’ the name of the Trinity. The word ‘in’ in Greek is ‘eis’. It is also translated as ‘into’ some place, time, or purpose. The same word applies as baptism ‘into Moses’. “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Cor 10:1, 2). What does it mean ‘to be baptized into Moses?’ It means to become like Moses who left Egypt to become a leader of God’s people. It also means that passing thru the water of the Red Sea, they were changed, from slaves to free men.

To understand this change that happens during the Baptism, is like using cucumbers to make pickles. The cucumber is dipped ‘into’ boiling water. After that it is dipped ‘into’ vinegar and salt solution. It changes the cucumber permanently. It stops the corruption of the cucumber. It is now preserved. The pickle can never become a fresh cucumber again. Similar with the process of making pickles, the believer is dipped into the hot water of death and the vinegar salty water of life. To be Baptized into Moses, the Law Giver, is to become one with the Law of God. To be baptized into the Holy Spirit it means to become one with God the Father and God the Son. This is the mystical union of the believe with Christ. The change is permanent.  After Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, the Holy Spirit was delivered and just like living water, believers were “immersed” in the Holy Spirit and it’s brought about the necessary transformation at a more permanent level.

*Prayer is done as filled with the fullness of God, knowing the Love of Christ and strengthen by the Holy Spirit!

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Eph 3:14-21).

THE DOCTRINE APPLIED

Many Christians think that even if they believe it, this doctrine is not useful to them. That is a mistake. Any revelation in the Bible that helps us to know God better, it is most useful. To worship God, you must know God. Eternal life is knowing God. “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3).

What does this doctrine teach us?

*First, it leads us to salvation. Each of the Three Persons in the Trinity has a function in the plan of Salvation. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” (Eph 1:3, 4). Someone said: “The Father is the Love of Salvation; The Son is the Lord of Salvation; and the Holy Spirit is the Light of Salvation. It teaches us that God has fellowship within Himself. The Trinity had a holy counsel before the foundation of the world and decided how to save sinful man. The plan of salvation was designed by God the Father. God the Son volunteered to become a Man, go to the earth, reveal the Father to men, and die as their substitute. God the Holy Spirit agreed to go to the earth, after the death and the resurrection of Christ, and start the Church, the Body of Christ. It is the Holy Spirit alone who leads into all truth, and who applies the doctrine of salvation to men. The Holy Spirit came to glorify God the Son. Each Person of the Trinity had a function to play in the plan of salvation. The Persons of the Holy Trinity act in total unity, harmony, and perfect love.  The doctrine of the Trinity helps us to understand the Cross. With the sins of the world upon Jesus, He cried “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Sin caused a temporary split in the Trinity. The Son could not call Him ‘Father’ as in the past. Here we see that God speaks to God. At last, the relationship between Father and Son is restored. “And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last” (Luke 23:46). This is the weakness and the power of the Cross.

On the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem there is a writing in Arabic saying: “Allah has no son”. This is what the Muslims believe. I don’t know if they are happy with this word. But as for me, it is wonderful to believe in the Trinity. God the Father has God the Son, who is the first born among many brethren. I feel good knowing this. It is good for me to know that the God of the Bible is a Trinity. My election and salvation were planned by the Trinity. God the Father talked to God the Son and to God the Holy Spirit when they called my name. I feel that I am adopted into ‘A Family’ God. I belong to the household of God, to God’s family! I feel encouraged and happy. This is my personal testimony concerning the application of the doctrine of the Trinity.  

*Secondly, it helps us to worship God deeper. The more we know God, the deeper our worship will be. To pay the price to know God, it means you honor God! Worship proceeds from a heart that knows the God of the Bible. The doctrine of the Trinity reminds us how great God is. We cannot understand God completely with our finite minds. The only response to these mysteries is to bow and worship. The seraphim around the throne cry Holy! Holy! Holy! They address one God! 3 And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” (Is 6:3).

*Thirdly, it helps us to pray better. The most common way of prayer is to pray to God the Father, thru the name of Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit. “For through Him (Jesus Christ) we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Eph 2:18). But because the Three Persons of the Trinity are co-eternal and co-equal, we can pray and worship any one of the three.  There is never any jealousy among the members of the Trinity.  

*Finally, it helps us to love others. This fellowship between the three Persons of the Trinity is hard for us to understand. We must accept it by faith. This revelation shows us the root of social behavior, and intimacy in marriage. God made man to be like Himself, to speak, love and fellowship with one another. From here we see that God is never lonely. We too should never feel lonely.

FINALLY…

The Trinity is a doctrine that all Christians believe but no one really understands. Someone said that if you try to explain the Trinity, you will lose your mind. But if you deny it, you will lose your soul. Daniel Webster (1782-1852) was an American Lawyer and a stateman. He was a committed Christian. Someone asked him: “How can a man of your intellect believe in the Trinity?” He replied: “I do not pretend fully to understand the arithmetic of heaven now”. That’s a good phrase—the arithmetic of heaven. The Trinity should cause us to bow in humble adoration before a God who is greater than our minds could ever comprehend. Though we can understand some facts about the relationship of the different Persons of the Trinity to one another, ultimately, it is incomprehensible to the human mind. However, this does not mean the Trinity is not true or that it is not based on the teachings of the Bible. “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” (Romans 11:33-34). At the end of every church service, we all recite ‘The Grace’. It is a reminder of the doctrine of the Trinity! “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Cor 13:14; NIV). Worship the Lord!

“Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice” (PV 23:25)

Recently, I was thinking about the past and all… I thank God for the journey of my life. It is very different than the way I planned it. But I know that God knows the best! As a little girl I had many dreams, read books and prepared myself mentally to be ‘a princess bride’. I so much wanted to get married to a Prince. I finally did it (my husband and I are married for 47 years). But I prepared less for my work as a mother. I made many mistakes. For many years, I was overanxious to be ‘a perfect mother’ to our three children. I was too worried for them, for their future. I was always upset when people criticize them. I could not relax and enjoy the journey of life, God’s gift to me to be a mother.

After our children grew up and left the house, I had to deal with many painful memories and inferiority complexes about my achievements as a mother. I wished I could have done it better…I wished I prayed for them more, thought them the Word of God better, take them to church…They were grown up when I became saved… I had a slow start as a spiritual mother…But late is better than not at all…

Thank God that our children are all doing well. They are married now and they too are parents. Can you imagine that I am a grand mother? Thank God! I enjoy this season so much more. There is nothing to prove to anybody. Just enjoy life and thank God for it!

I want to say thank You to God Almighty for washing the dust on the frame of my memories, for extending grace to me when I fell short of God’s glory as a mother. When you are young, you do not appreciate God’s grace enough. Now that I am older, I remember how God saved, healed, delivered, protected, guided and comforted our children so many times. I now appreciate God’s grace so much more…

This evening, I declare that God is soo good to me! Thank You Father God! To You alone be all the glory for every drop of success found in me and my family! From the top of the roof I declare that You are good Lord Jesus! All the time! Now and forever! Hallelujah!

(In the picture, my husband (Richmond Sisan Leigh), I and our children, John, Alina and Jemine, in Warri Nigeria, about 1985)

TALIA RENEE OAKES

Our sweet youngest granddaughter (11 months)

This visit is her first time in Nigeria! She even has Nigerian Passport! Warri no de carry last! Praise the Lord!

Our youngest daughter, Jemine Leigh Oakes, her youngest daughter (My granddaughter) Talia Renee Oakes, and I at our church in Warri, Nigeria! To God be all the glory!

‘Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much’ (Jam 5:14-16)

Let’s pray: ‘Dear Heavenly Father, we come to You in the name of Jesus! Have mercy and heal us! We plead the Blood of Jesus over our bodies and souls! We command every sickness to disappear right now in the name of Jesus! We destroy every evil covenant or spell done against us! We command every microbe, virus or parasite attacking our bodies to die in the name of Jesus! Holy Spirit please take control! We vow to give You alone all the glory for the testimony of supernatural healing! Dear Father God, we vow to use our new strength and joy to serve You better! In Jesus’ name we pray! Amen!’