Author Archives: Silvia Leigh

IN DUE TIME STRENGTH CAME

by Silvia Leigh

 

(Fasting and prayer Day 9)
 
“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom 5:6)
This is one of the most beautiful and encouraging scriptures. In the Bible, a sinner is also called an unbeliever. Such a man is ‘without strength’. His mind is weak for he is not able to think or mediate about God. His emotions are weak because he cannot feel, love or worship God. His will is weak for even when he is under conviction, he cannot decide to surrender his life to God. His conscience is weak because even when he knows that his actions are evil, he cannot stop them. In Greek, the word ‘weak’ is ‘asthenia’. This is a medical condition. It describes someone who loses physical strength. Spiritually, it means to be powerless to save or to change yourself! Do you know how weak you are without God?
 
This is my testimony: I remember the time just before I got saved. It was a time of holy horror! Before then, I was a successful medical doctor, wife and mother. I made money and fame. I had many friends and hobbies. I did not believe in God. I lived like there is no tomorrow, heaven or hell. I was a proud unbeliever and a self-righteous person. I was sure that ‘I can make it on my own’ and I do not need God. But the time came when the Holy Spirit ‘got me’. He convicted me of my sins in a way that only God can do it. Ashamed, I painfully agreed that I am a sinner, an ungodly person. I finally surrendered my life to Christ. Humiliated, I prayed to Jesus, that He should have mercy and save me. Jesus came into my heart and filled it with His sweet and powerful Spirit. Before then, I wanted to repent and change, but I could not. I wanted to become a friend of God but I could not. I wanted to worship God, to pray to Him, but I could not. I could not sustain a prayer from the beginning to the end. In my powerless state, Jesus saved me. It was the right time, the ‘due time’. In God’s time all things become complete and beautiful! All glory to my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ!
 
In Christ I declare:
I am a born again child of God!
I am a sinner saved by grace!
Jesus Christ died for me that I may live!
I have eternal life!
I have received the power of resurrection!
Glory to God!
In Jesus name
Amen!

NO MORE OVER-SABI

by Silvia Leigh

 
(Fasting and prayer Day 8)

“Do not be excessively righteous, and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?” (Ecc 7:16)
A mature Christian is spiritually balanced, just like his Lord; Jesus Christ. This is a common mistake I have seen with many believers. When they repent, they try to move away as fast and as far as they can from an error or sin of the past. Of course, it is good to repent. But do not “over-repent”, for that is dangerous. In Nigerian slang this person is called an “over-sabi”. An evil spirit of religion can mislead you even in the good things you want to do. The farther you move in the opposite direction, like the pendulum, you may move towards an opposite error. Then you have to repent of your false repentance.

What is the correct thing to do? You go to the Cross of Jesus Christ and stop there!!! Spiritually speaking, you have to learn when to move and when to stop. You need to locate the Cross and stay there! That is the only place in the universe where the grace of God is released to you. Do not be too fast or too slow! Follow the lead of the Holy Spirit! Keep your eyes on Jesus! False repentance is deception and leads to ruin! True repentance is purely the work of the Holy Spirit and it ends in peace, joy, increased faith and glorious worship!

In Christ I declare:
I am a child of God!
I do not trust myself or in my own understanding!
I humble myself under the mighty hand of God!
I completely trust my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who first loved me and died for my sins that I may live forever!
I reject legalism and false religious spirits!
I reject the evil spirit of “over-sabi”!
I am free and free indeed!
Glory to God!
In Jesus name
Amen!

SHINE JESUS SHINE

by Silvia Leigh

 

 

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

“The Lord is righteous;

He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.

Let all those who hate Zion

Be put to shame and turned back” (Ps 129:4, 5)

 

The prayer meeting was wonderful. The ACs suddenly stopped working and the room was very hot. But it did not stop the brethren from praising God and from praying with all their hearts. Today, we’ve started a series on spiritual warfare. We want to lay a strong spiritual foundation for this year. We read some scriptures to remind ourselves of basic strategy in spiritual warfare. Many believers became weak and spiritually lazy.  They now ignore the devil. But we need to enroll in the army of Christ. The devil is the enemy of God, the enemy of the believer and the enemy of Zion (the church). The devil will try all he can to spoil your relationship with God. Resist him and he shall flee away from you!

 

The devil deceived Eve to doubt the character of Elohim- God (Genesis 3). Lesson: God loves you. He created you to be like Him. Do not be afraid to be like God, creative and inventive, doing something out of nothing! Reject all lies that you are nobody or a foolish man! Pray: God use me!

 

The Devil attacks King David, provoking him to number his soldiers. The army of Israel was a great army. Counting the soldiers will only produce pride. (1Chr 21:1). Lesson: when you get wealthier, the devil will tempt you to number your possessions.  Lesson: If you know exactly how much money you have in that drawer in the kitchen, or in that account in the bank, then you are becoming proud. Lesson: pray that you become free from the bondage of numbers. You may know generally how much money you have, but do not count every kobo (cent).

 

The devil attacks the high priest Joshua in the presence of God. The angel replies that Joshua is ‘a burning stick taken out of fire’ (Zechariah 3). Lesson: when the devil accuses you, bringing your past of sin to remembrance, answer that you are saved, not by your merit or by your works, but by the Blood of Jesus. The grace of God released at the Cross of Christ saved you from the fires of hell. The Blood of Jesus will speak on your behalf!

 

When attacked by the devil, Jesus answered with “It is written…” (Matthew 4).  Lesson: read, meditate and pray with the Word of God! The Bible is the best weapon to fight the devil. You shall experience a fresh hunger for the Word of God. The Bible shall be your best friend. The Son of God was manifested on earth to destroy the works of the devil (1Jn 3:8). Lesson: we shall pray and do warfare until the devil shall become bankrupt. We shall overcome the accuser of the brethren by the Blood of Jesus shed on the Cross and by the Word of our testimony (Revelation 12). Our testimony is that the Bible is the Living Word and it works in our lives. We declared that we are children of God, born of the Holy Spirit. We are the light of the world. We reject the devil’s lies and accusations about our identity. The enemies of Zion, the enemies of worshipping God in Spirit and in truth shall withdraw in shame. We shall see the defeat of them who persecute us for no good reason!  We declare that Jesus is beautiful! Therefore our lives shall be beautiful! We declare all these to the glory of God! Shine Jesus Shine!!!

TIME TO STIR UP LOVE

by Silvia Leigh

 
(Fasting and prayer day 7)

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:24, 25)

Today I want to consider you, my readers. I want to stir up your hearts to love God and His Word more than ever before. I want to challenge you to become serious committed mature Christians. I invite you to church! Once you become born again, it is your duty to pray, that the Holy Spirit will lead you to belong to a local assembly. Once there, pray that you may understand, submit and flow with the vision of the senior pastor. If you do not like it, then go away and find another church where you can freely submit to the leadership. But do not stay in a place you dislike and grumble at what you see or hear. This is rebellion and God shall judge that sin more than any other.

Many people are afraid to go closer to others, especially if they look different. From experience I know that many are afraid to go closer to pastors or their wives. This is because of un-healed hurts in the past. Gossip is a killer in all relationships. But you still need to attend a church. It is very dangerous to stay isolated and lonely. In the wild, you have seen that the lion attacks the young antelope that has left the safety of her flock. Even so, the devil will identify and attack the lonely, foolish and rebellious Christian. Attending a living church and being part of a local ministry is a blessing to all the children of God. It is also great spiritual safety. A living church is a spiritual covering. You will grow faster as a member of a Spirit filled assembly than if you stay at home each Sunday. TV Christian programs are good but cannot replace regular attendance to a church, except in special situations.

Attending a local church is not the same as going to a social club. The unique factor is that in the Church of the Living God, Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church. He speaks and He rules. The Holy Spirit is there also to oversee, reward and discipline. Some people fear discipline. Fear not! We all need it, to mature spiritually! Pray for supernatural love and wisdom so that you overcome the temptations in your relationship with the other believers. Remember that not all Christians have the same level of faith or spiritual maturity. The church is a ‘mixed multitude’. There are many religious people there who are not saved. There are many superficial things that differ between Christians: the color of their skin, different cultures; the styles of fashion or the mode of worshipping. These are minor things and you should ignore them. Don’t be distracted! Look unto Jesus!

I testify that I have found a true home in my local church. I am a pastor, a pastor’s wife, a mother in Christ and a friend to many. I literally live in the church, both physically and spiritually. It is my privilege to live in the church’s building. It will take an eternity to describe the blessings, the peace, the safety, the joy of living at the center of God’s will. Nothing else matter for me. I have found my place and purpose on this earth. I taste heaven daily. I do not fear challenges, for in Christ I can do all things! I have a great spiritual family, many children and true friends. Together, ‘we are for signs and wonders’ (Is 8:18). No one is ‘ordinary’. They are all beautiful like Jesus and strong in the Holy Ghost. They are faithful to God and to the ministry! All praise and glory to the Lamb upon the Throne!

In Christ I declare:
I am a child of God!
I am an active member of a living church!
I am servant of God!
To the glory of God!
In Jesus name,
Amen!

NO MORE DESPISING

by Silvia Leigh

(Fasting and prayer day 6)

“Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him” (Rom 14:1-3)

The following are some of the rules that we must apply in our relationship with other believers in the church. The rules can be extended to the relationship between husband and wife, especially if one is more spiritually mature than the other. If you are strong or weak spiritually, all believers must apply these rules to themselves!

This is God’s command: Stop despising other human beings! We should not despise or reject one another because of minor differences. To despise, it means to arrogantly ignore another, to think that others are not worthy of your notice or encouragement. To despise, it means that you see others as low class, weak, foolish, even as a liability to your progress in life. This is God’s command: Let the Eater does not despise the non-Eater. Let the non-Eater do not despise the Eater! Let the rich, gifted and beautiful do not despise the poor, ugly or simple man. And it is the other way round!!! The truth is that each man, whatever his lot in life, has peculiar temptations.

These are the two options:
The strong believer should not despise the weak one. Do not be like the Pharisees, the religious ones: “Some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others” (Lk 18:9)! The weak one also has his own peculiar temptations. He judges the strong believer. Often, the poor one is jealous on the rich. He hides this jealousy with words of contempt. A poor man judges his rich neighbor, saying that he is too worldly, that he spends too much money on the things of this world, that he ‘enjoys his life’ too much. For example, the disciples judged Mary of Bethany, saying that she is too wasteful with her wealth when she broke the alabaster box to anoint Jesus. Jesus rebuked them for that attitude! (Mt 26:6-13)

This is a great lesson! Stop despising others! In particular, wife, do not look down on your husband, because he is rich or poor! These things change! Husband; do not despise your wife because she is more or less gifted than you! The truth is that no one is perfect! There is sin remaining in our body. The process of sanctification still goes on! Pray and love one another! Celebrate your differences! Celebrate the unity of the Spirit! Encourage one another! Your lives, your marriages, you churches will so much better if you obey this simple advice! May God help us all! In Jesus name, amen!

RECEIVING ONE ANOTHER

by Silvia Leigh

 
(Fasting and prayer day 5)

“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore RECEIVE one another as Christ also RECEIVED you, to the glory of God” (Rom 15:5-7)

This is God’s command: We have to RECEIVE one another into our hearts. This ‘receiving’ must be done for the honor of the name of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit. No unbeliever can ‘receive’ you! This sacrificial loving receiving is the privilege of the children of God! Did you forget? The Lord received us as sinners and by His love, He changed us into saints. He was not deceived by our sin. But He knew what He can do with this ‘rough diamond’. In the same way my must receive one another in His name and for His glory!

To receive it means to allow another to enter into ‘your space’ until you are ‘disturbed’. It means to assimilate another’s ideas into your mind, pray for them, until you have ‘a headache’. It means to greet another from the heart. It is not flattery, for flattery is selfish and desires to gain something thru false ‘encouragement’. To receive it means to support the pressure, the weight, the doubts, the inferiority complexes or the suffering of another. The act of Christian ‘receiving’ is a holy sacrifice. It is not easy. There are dangers connected with it. Foolishly, you can ‘drown’ trying to love and encourage another. But this is the command of God. We must still obey the command to love and receive another, for God will enable you to be a holy receiver in His name! He will give you more patience, more endurance than you need! He will give you more love than you can imagine! Be an encourager! Endure to the end! Finish the project that you have started! Practice encouragement daily, on the good and on the bad! It does not matter if you are not appreciated by men. God will surely reward you! The grace of God, the favor of God will shine forth from your life! Let Jesus be Jesus to you and in you! Let the unity of the Spirit be established in your home, your marriage and in your church! Glorify God with one mind and with one voice! Let the testimony of this amazing grace of Jesus increase in your life! You have nothing to lose, for God is with you!

In Christ I declare:
I am a child of God!
I serve the God of endurance and encouragement! Therefore, I am an encourager!
For Christ’s sake, I am patient with my husband, with my children, with others and even with myself!
My husband and I we live in harmony with one another. The unity of the Spirit is established in our home!
I love God with all my heart!
I love my neighbor as I love myself!
I receive others in my heart, as Christ has received me, to save me!
I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me!
The glory of God shines in my life, in my home, in my church!
My testimony as a servant of God shall increase!
God will reward me!
To the glory of God!
In Jesus name,
Amen!

LOVE IS STRONGER THAN HATRED

by Silvia Leigh

 

(Fasting and prayer day 4)

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you… But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning” (Jn 15-27)

This world hates God the Father and God the Son. The world hates and persecutes the believers in Christ. The world hates us for no other reason than the fact that we care called out of this world to belong to Jesus. This is not my own idea. This what the Lord said. We, the servants of God, are like sheep sent to minister to other sheep that are captured by wolves. These lost sheep are waiting in line to be killed by the wolves. They do not know that their days are numbered. They do not know that will soon die. They cannot fight or defend themselves. They are hopeless and helpless. The lost sheep need a Savior! His name is Jesus!!!

We are also sheep, but ‘saved’ sheep. We are ‘missionary’ sheep sent into the bush to speak to the caged victims the message of hope found in Christ alone. Doing ministry in a hateful world is never easy. Each sermon is risky. Each counsel is dangerous. Each prayer of deliverance releases a backlash of insults and troubles. But we must go to where the Lord sends us to go! We must love the souls of men. We must learn to do warfare, not to protect ourselves only, but to liberate the bound. We need to lay down our lives of comfort to prove to others the power of love. This is what it means to be a true friend. Any man or woman, who does not minister Christ to others, cannot be called a friend. He who is the Friend of Jesus is the only true friend of men.

Dear Children of God, it is my privilege to come to you this morning, in the name of Jesus, to tell you that God loves you! To tell you that you should come out from the midst of them who love only your body but hate your soul! In the name of Jesus, I have broken the padlock of your cage. You are now free to walk away from your bondage of chronic sickness, loneliness, poverty, fear and failure. Come out of darkness! Come to the light! Come to meet the Shepherd of your soul! He is waiting for you… Be free! Taste freedom which is freedom indeed! And lastly, give all the glory to God who sent me to you! His name is Jesus Christ, the King of kings and the Lord of lords! Believe in Jesus! Surrender your life to Jesus! May the Holy Ghost take control! May the power of salvation, healing and deliverance be released unto you! In Jesus name, amen!

LIKE THE SPARROW AND THE SWALLOW

by Silvia Leigh

 
(Fasting and prayer, day 3)

“How lovely is Your tabernacle,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
They will still be praising You” (Ps 84:1-4)

What is a good, living church? A good church is a place where the Word of God is preached with the anointing and the power of the Holy Spirit. A good church is a place where the person of the Holy Spirit is welcomed and moves freely in the midst of the congregation. A good church is a place where the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is lifted high, in praises and prayers.

Most men and women know what they want in a spouse. They make lists about the qualities of their future life-partners. But few believers know what they are looking for in a local church. Some are looking for a ‘nice’ building. Some like the music. Some like the preacher. What is the most important thing to look for as you pray for God’s direction in attending a local church? The most important ‘thing’ is the manifested presence of God the Holy Spirit. Once you sense that the Holy Spirit dwells there, He freely moves there, that is a living church to attend. Without God, that church is dead. It is more than useless; it is a dangerous place and a snare to your soul. Run away from it!

The sparrow and the swallow are little birds. But they have found a place to build their nests near the altar of God. We are like these insignificant birds. Without God, we are nothing. Without Jesus, we can do nothing. Humble yourself before God, come near the altar of God and you shall find rest for your soul. The Cross of Jesus is that altar. Jesus died to set you free from sin and hell. These little birds are lonely, restless and afraid. This is because they have many enemies. They cannot protect themselves. They need to settle under the protection of Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts! They need a secure place to hide and have their young.

This is a great lesson for us all. Your life, your love, needs the protection and the grace of the Cross. Your marriage, your family and your children need to settle in the presence of God. At the Cross, God will cover you. The leaders of your church will cover you spiritually with prayers and Biblical counsel. You need to serve God, to pay your tithes and offerings into a place where God sees and God accepts. So, be patient and continue to pray. God does not tempt His children. You shall find a place where God is and where you can find rest for your soul. Now you see why finding a good living church is vital for your peace, joy, security and fulfilment. It is dangerous to just ‘manage’ a church. It is better to stay at home and pray for leading than to attend a ‘church’ where your spirit is quenched.

May God bless the entrance of these words into your heart today! In Jesus name, amen!

I SEE JESUS NOW

by Silvia Leigh

 
(Fasting and prayer, day 2)

“Your eyes will see the King in His beauty;
They will see the land that is very far off” (Is 33:17)

Faith is trusting in the invisible things of the Kingdom of God. God rewards faith! But this is the revelation of the Bible: one day our faith will be unnecessary!!! Faith is the bridge to the heavenly sight! One day faith will give way to sight! Jesus healed the blind and he saw the Lord! This is the promise of God: “You shall see the King in His beauty!” The higher is your faith now, the clearer you shall see King Jesus in the future. Jesus said: “Blessed are they who are pure in heart. For they shall see God” (Mt 5:8). The word ‘pure’ means clean and clear.

The opposite is to be unclean and dirty. A dirty heart cannot see beautiful things, cannot see spiritual blessings and cannot see Jesus! An unredeemed sinful heart is a dirty heart that has never been washed in the Blood of Jesus! It conceives wicked and negative things. A dirty heart is possessed with lust and thinks only of fleshly passions. A dirty heart knows nothing about true love! A sinful heart is dull to spiritual things. Sinful lustful eyes are closed to spiritual things. They cannot see the beauty of Jesus. These blind eyes are sad eyes living in a sick body. A dirty heart fails its purpose with each beat in the chest. Failure to see it is failure to love. What a waste…

But you, child of God, you are the promised Royal Seed! In Christ, we are Sons and Daughters of the King of kings! You are Princes and Princesses! “Blessed are your eyes for they see” (Mt 13:16)! You shall see not only Jesus, but you shall see the city and the mansions He has prepared for you! Get excited! We shall have sweet fellowship over there. We shall worship King Jesus forever! We shall see the heavenly Zion. One day, expectation shall change into experience! A clean vision is blessed by God. Your eyes shall be blessed by what you shall see! All champions have clean eyes! All worshippers have clean hearts! A clean heart is protected by the fire of the Holy Spirit. With a clean heart, you shall not see wicked people anymore! God is our Judge, the Lawgiver and King. Jesus is the final authority! Jesus is the Gate! The sinners are not allowed to enter Zion! Holiness is the password to the Spirit realm, the royal seal of safety and the assurance of heaven! When the Spirit moves, there is freedom! Oh, that you may desire a clean heart…

“Change my heart Oh, Lord
Make it ever true
Change my heart Oh, Lord
May it be like You!”

In Christ I declare:
I am a child of God!
I am the promised royal seed!
I am washed in the Blood of the Lamb!
I am a sinner saved by the grace of God, thru faith in Jesus Christ, my Savior, Lord and King!
I believe in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit!
One day, my faith shall become sight!
My enemies are defeated! They have disappeared from my spiritual radar! They cannot chase me anymore!
I am safe in the arms of Jesus!
My eyes are blessed for they have been cleansed by the Blood of Jesus!
My heart is blessed for it has been purged by the Blood of Jesus!
I am fearfully and wonderfully made by God!
I am beautiful for Jesus is beautiful!
All glory to God!
In Jesus name,
Amen!

THE BLESSINGS OF ABRAHAM ARE MINE

by Silvia Leigh

 
(Fasting and prayer, day 1)

“Now the Lord had said to Abram:
“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you!
I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Gen 12:1-3)

In His sovereign will, God choses Abram (who shall later become Abraham) to be BLESSED and to be a BLESSING. His descendants shall be blessed, as individuals and as families. Spiritually speaking, as born again children of God, we are Abraham’s descendants. ‘Those who believe are children of Abraham’ (Gal 3:7). In particular, we are rooted in the blessed lineage of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the blessings of Abraham, are mine, are ours.

Families are important to God. That is why it is very important to be sure of God’s will in the matter of marriage, relationships or adoption. It is also important to be led by the Holy Spirit when buying land to build a house to settle there. As we can see in this passage, there are blessed people and there are cursed people. Also, there are blessed families and there are cursed families. There are blessed choices and cursed choices.

In Hebrew, the word ‘blessed’ is ‘barak’. It means to be happy, prosperous and promoted until others congratulate you, kneeling down before you. God alone blesses a person, or a family, until others have no other option than to praise that one. That is why you do not bless yourself. God does the blessing. You do not manipulate your promotion. God will promote you. That is why you do not praise yourself but allow God to move others to do that, as a sign that He has blessed you indeed. “Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips” (PV 27:2). This is my testimony: the Lord “has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed” (Lk 1:48)

In Christ I declare:
Abraham’s blessings are mine!
I’m blessed in the city and I’m blessed in the field!
I’m blessed going in and I’m blessed going out!
I’m the head and not the tail, I’m above and not beneath!
I’m blessed in the basket and I’m blessed in the trough!
I’m blessed in the land that the Lord has given me!
Even to my old age I am fruitful!
I am blessed by God!
I am happy, prosperous and promoted by God!
God has blessed my name and my reputation!
My name is great because of God!
From now on, all people shall call me ‘blessed and highly favored’!
I am a holy distributor and a source of blessings to many others!
My friends are blessed!
My enemies are not blessed! They have no peace. They are not happy. They are angry and disappointed. My enemies have gathered against me, but they have all failed!
My family (natural and spiritual) is blessed!
All glory to God!
In Jesus name
Amen!

THANKS-GIVING

by Silvia Leigh

Today is the last day of a wonderful year. Since morning I have experienced fullness of peace and joy, the guiding hand of the Lord covering me… A strange burden of doubt that I have been carrying for some time is suddenly gone… I feel lighter in my spirit… I have no fears and no regrets moving on… It is well with my soul… I am now ready to cross over into the new year…with a heart filled of thanksgiving, hungering for God’s presence like never before… The holy adventure of seeking God is revived in my heart… This I can say: it is only God who is worthy to take all the glory for the abundance of the blessings and the overflow of anointing paving my way… My cup runneth over…”Jesus, You are beautiful! Jesus, You are Lord!”
My verse for today: Psalm 65:11

Psalm 2

REMEMBER THE BLOOD

by Silvia Leigh

 
“And they overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their testimony…” (Rev 12:11)

The devil is called by many names. One of them is the ‘Accuser of the brethren’. One of his works is to slander or to mock the Christians. This is one of his most common strategies: he reminds the believers of their past of sin. He charges them with faults, true or imaginary, trying to weaken their faith. The devil is very skillful at that! He uses his human agents or he speaks directly to your mind. As a believer in Christ, you cannot fight him with your personal strength. He is stronger and more experienced than you. Your only defense is to plead the Blood of Jesus shed for you on the Cross of Calvary. Simply said: under attack, remember the Blood!!! The second weapon is the confidence that the Word of God works in your life. If the Bible is just ‘a book’ to you, you will fall under the attack of the devil. You need to have a personal testimony of sanctification to use it as a weapon against the accusing tongue of the enemy. The deeper the level of sanctification, the more you have the strength to achieve victory against any form of evil attack, coming as doubt, intimidation, foolish pride or mockery. Sanctification, practical godliness, destroys all inferiority complexes. You need to be confident of the grace and love of God in your life! The argument of the devil is that no one has the right to go to heaven. He is right- if it is not for the grace of God!

If attacked by the accuser of the brethren, what is the solution?
The solution is not to deny the past of sins! You can never have peace like that!
The solution is not in arguing that we are not as bad a sinner as the devil says!
The solution is not in punishing yourself for past sins!
The only solution to stop the accusation of the devil is this “Holy formula”: the Blood of Jesus shed on the Cross and your testimony that the Word of God works in your life! The Blood of Jesus must be powerful, for it defeats satan! Christ died for you! The Lord receives no accusation against the believer in Jesus Christ! This is the eternal Word of God! Read it again and again until you believe it!

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Rom 5:6-9)

In other words this is the solution: bring the accusation of the devil to the Cross! Preach the Cross to yourself! Bring to the Cross every deed, every thought, everything! Even if I repent, I mourn, my cry cannot stop the devil! It is the Blood of Jesus that stops it! Plead the Blood in your praying! Ask the Lord to give you the victory! The crazy noise of accusation must stop! Peace must prevail! You can see that there is no mention of an army or swords!!! The Blood of Jesus is the only sure weapon to destroy all lies against you!

In Christ I declare:
I bear testimony that the Word of God is true and works for me! I believe the Word! The Word becomes part of my very soul! I am one with Christ! The Blood shed on the Cross releases the free abundant grace to make me free!
I am an overcomer!
All slanders, mockery and lies are destroyed by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of my testimony!
I am free! I am happy! I fulfill destiny!
I am who God says I am!
To the glory of God!
In Jesus name, amen!

Glory to the Lamb who seats on the Throne forever! May your faith increase! Jesus is Lord!

CALLED TO MOUNT ZION

by Silvia Leigh

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Pastor Leigh preached from the Book of Hebrews, chapter 12 and verses 18 to 24. He said that most commentators believe that the Book of Hebrews was written by the Apostle Paul. No one else had the height of understanding of the doctrines of the faith as he. Pastor Leigh reminded us that the general theme of the Book of Hebrews is the supremacy of Christ as a priest, prophet and sacrifice. The Jews who became born again were confused and could not distinguish between the Jewish form of worship and the spiritual one introduced by Christ.  The New Covenant replaced the Old one. The priests of the order of Aaron died and could not continue to serve God. But Jesus came as an eternal High Priest of the order of Melchizedek, the priest and king who lives forever. In the Old Testament animals were sacrificed to atone for sins. The sacrifice was superficial and could not cleanse the conscience of the worshippers. They could not atone for the sins of the spirit. But now, Jesus died and His Blood is able to wash away all sins. Jesus is our sinless, holy and eternal High Priest. We need no other. Christ is enough for us! He is the Son of Man and the Son of God. That is why, as children of God, there is no need for us to panic. No weapon fashioned against us can ever prosper because Jesus makes intercession forever! At the name of Jesus every knee must and will bow! Jesus Christ is the Man amongst men! This is the supremacy of spiritual warfare and worship in Zion.

 

In the past, the people of God gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai. Moses told them to prepare to meet God. They thought that will appear as ‘an old man’. To their surprise, the mountain started shaking; fire and smoke were seen on top of the mountain, with thundering and lightening. The trumpet was blowing louder and louder. Then God spoke. The people of God ran away and told Moses that they cannot endure to hear such a fearful voice. Let Moses speak and not God. But we are not called to that mountain of fire and fear. When God wants to speak to you, He will call you out of the world, into the desert. That is Mount Zion.  The difference between Mount Sinai and Mount Zion is the difference between law and grace. I cannot obey all the commandments. But on Mount Zion, I can believe in Jesus. My faith in Jesus is the same as obeying the law. That is one reason why Zion is superior to Sinai.

 

There are two places called Zion: the first one is the city of Jerusalem. The second is the spiritual place of worship, according to the Davidic Covenant which is based on grace (Ps 9:11; Ps 76:2).   Symbolically, Zion stands for the place where God dwells; it is the seat of God’s Throne; it is the spiritual birth place of all the children of God; it is the object of all divine promises; it is the place where you will hear the call of God to ministry; It is the place where the Blood of Jesus speaks mercy, forgiveness and freedom for you. Finally, it is the place where you kneel down and you simply worship the Lover of your soul!

TRIBUTE TO FATHER’S HOUSE

by Silvia Leigh

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This is a wonderful letter from Eng. Chris Ekpekurede, a long time friend of the ministry. He is a civil engineer by profession and an author of many books on building churches.

On Saturday the 19th of December, 2015, I was in a glorious service to dedicate Warri’s newest and definitely the most modern auditorium built by the Father’s House Bible Church pastored by Pastor Dr. Richmond Leigh. Now, by the way, Pastor Leigh did not purchase his doctoral title like many title-hungry Nigerian pastors. His is a genuine doctoral acqusition with performance and laudable landmarks to prove it.The burgeoning Lily Clinic in Warri bears testimony to that.

And the fact that the man and his amiable and motherly wife are genuinely learned shows in the delivery of this auditorium masterpiece.

Instructively, as qualified as this man and his wife are to bandy around their doctorate titles, they have cast all that aside and chosen to be simply called Tali and MaLia, respectively. I have always insisted that when an educated person and an illitrate or half-baked person do the same thing there is a yawning gap in their performance.

The new Father’s House auditorium is one of its kind in Nigeria. Consider these facts:

1. Internally, the centrally cooled hall with its mesmerising lighting simply creates an ambience for the Holy Spirit’s presence once the worship gong is sounded from the profusely lit altar by the worship team that sings like they were not made in Nigeria. I sang and worshipped until tears began to flow freely from my two eyes!
2. The acoustic engineering is simply unNigerian. You encounter the sound from within only when you open the door and enter the auditorium…and what rich sound greets you! The only place I ever experienced that was somewhere in London many years ago. Neighbours do not have to complain about church noise pollution as we do in the neighbourhood where I live. There are no crude and obnoxious Aba-made loud speakers hung outside the building to harass and disfigure the environment.
3. The biggest testimony of the Father’s House Church auditorium is that it was built by ordinary Nigerians–indeed, bloody Waferians! Father’s House is another proof that Nigeria CAN DO IT. So let’s all get cracking on the Nigerian project.

One more thing I treasure about that Saturday’s outing is the wisdom of inviting many local pastors to the event. I hope they learnt a thing or two about church buildings. They are not all about brick and mortar and wood and lousy acoustics that stream destructive noise to perplexed neighbourhoods. They are about expressing the serenity of God’s Holy Spirit.

I doff my engineering and christian hats for Tali and the wonderful people at Father’s House Bible Church for not just showing the way but doing so very expressively. Congratulations!

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A HOUSE OF WORSHIP, MISSIONS AND GLORY

by Silvia Leigh

 
This was the message preached by the guest preacher, Pastor Greg Atiyota, on the day of the dedication of our new auditorium. He had a prophetic word from the Lord: “Father’s House Bible Church Warri, Nigeria is a House of Worship, a House of God’s glory and a Mission House!”

Father’s House is a House of God’s glory. Here in Father’s House, the worship in heaven shall be reflected on earth. God is looking for men, women and children who will understand, flow and join in the worship in Heaven. God is searching for worshippers who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth. God does not look for wealthy men, because all silver and all gold are His. God is looking for humble, holy, faithful and dedicated men. Most people come to church seeking for miracles, for wealth. But God is seeking to bless men with His presence. God is seeking for true worshippers, true lovers. They give God all the glory! This is their anthem:
“You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” (Rev 4:11)

The world was created by God to give glory to God. But the world became rebellious against God. The devil is the prince of this world. The whole world lies in his power. The devil is the author of confusion. He deceives men to worship him. Men worship other men or their money. Money is good. It took a lot of money to build this church. But you should never worship money. You can use money to buy a house but money cannot buy a home. Money can buy a bed but cannot buy sleep. Money can buy a woman but cannot buy a wife. There is much idolatry going on in many churches. They worship mammon thru empty religion. But there is a remnant that will worship God faithfully, in Spirit and in Truth. These are the true children of God. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, came to seek and save that which was lost. Jesus came to call sinners to repentance and to reconcile men back to their Creator. That is why we worship Jesus!

Father’s House is a Mission House. Men will come here to receive a greater vision. From here they shall go forth carrying the anointing to all the nations to give glory to God. The impact of Father’s House will be felt in many nations!

It is of utmost importance that men dedicate their gifts back to God. If not, the same blessings can kill. Once you dedicate your gift back to God, you are safe. Then He gives more grace. I hear God saying: ‘I want to bless you with the blessing that shall be dedicated to Me!’ It is not just the building that shall be dedicated. It is the builders and the ministers that need to be dedicated to God. When men humble themselves God’s grace come on them and blessings follow. When there is a casting down there shall be a lifting up.

This is a House of worship. God seeks for worshippers. When we praise God, we honor God. A humble heart and a right willing spirit will receive God’s revelation of the Savior Jesus Christ. “Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.” (Ps 50:23). When it comes to His glory, God is very militant. Jesus is the King of glory mighty in battle. God does not share His glory with anyone. The easiest way for any man to look for ‘God’s trouble’ is to touch His glory. If you see any proud man who is also a worshiper, that one is a son of Lucifer.

It is a dangerous thing to be proud in the presence of God. It is a terrible thing to use the things dedicated to God for unholy purposes. The Babylonian King, Belshazzar, used the holy vessels taken from the Temple in Jerusalem for drinking wine in a dinner party with his wives and concubines. The hand of God wrote judgment on the wall saying that his kingdom has ended. Daniel rebuked the king saying that he refused to humble himself before the Lord of Heaven who holds his breath in His hands. The wicked king mocked Jehovah God by using His dedicated vessels for unholy purposes. Belshazzar praised the gods of silver and gold and refused to give glory to God Almighty. His doom was sealed. The king died that night and his kingdom was divided (Daniel 5)

In the Book of Acts Chapter 5, there is another example of God’s judgment on those who refuse to honor Him. There is this couple, Ananias and Saphira. They lied to the Holy Spirit and they fell down dead. This is a danger that shall be manifested in these last days. For many, to be born again is just a spiritual fashion. In the world, you find fiction. But in the Holy Spirit you find truth. We are the sons of light! God has called us to praise and worship Him. It is a duty and a privilege! “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1Pet 2:9). Let’s praise the Lord!

Finally, this is the time to humble ourselves, to come back to God. Without the Cross there is no resurrection. Without the Cross there are no miracles! A great man of God, Jim Elliot, said long ago: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose”. Today, we are gathered to dedicate this beautiful House of God to God. But this is also the best time to humble ourselves. This is the best time to re-dedicate ourselves to God! May God have His way! Glory to God!

THE DEDICATION OF FATHER’S HOUSE BIBLE CHURCH

by Silvia Leigh

 

ON THE 19TH DECEOMBER 2015

Today, we are gathered together in the sight of God to dedicate this building to God Almighty. The scripture says that when the Temple was built, in the days of Ezra, “the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of captivity, kept the dedication of this House of God with joy” (Ezra 6:16)

We are grateful for the opportunity which God has given to us to build, for our own generation and for the generations yet to come, a House, which is the House of God. We rejoice that the work of building has being carried to its completion, and that this House is now ready for worship and for the ministries to which it shall be dedicated. Therefore it is with great joy that:

*We dedicate to Thee, O Lord, this House of God! To the glory of the Father who has called us by His grace; to the honor of Jesus Christ, His Son, who loved us and gave Himself for us; to the praise of the Holy Spirit who is our Comforter and Guide!

*We dedicate this House for the worship of God, in praise and in prayer; for the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; for the observance of the Holy ordinances commanded by Him and for the ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit!

*We dedicate this House of God for the comfort of those who are in sorrow; for the strengthening of those who are weak; for the encouragement of those who are facing trials and temptations!

*We dedicate this House of God for the blessings of God upon marriages which shall be consummated amongst us; for the sanctification and the protection of the family; for guidance in establishing of Christian homes!

*We dedicate this House for the teaching of the eternal truths of God’s Word; for the shaping of life to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ; for the directing of Christian action to every day fulfilment of God’s purpose in man.

*We dedicate this  House of God, in loving memory of all who, with heart and hand, have served this church; with deep gratitude to these whose gifts and ministries have made this present construction possible; with prayer in faith for those who shall worship and minister in this place in days and years to come!

*We dedicate this House of God, as members of this household of God, in unity of Spirit, in the love of Christ and in gratitude for this House to be an habitation of God through the Spirit!

*We now dedicate ourselves to Christ, to the worship of God, to the work to which He has appointed us, now and forever!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we now dedicate this House to be set apart forever from profane and common uses; and that it shall be set apart for worship and service of Almighty, to whom belong “power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory and blessings”

 

And the people said: “AMEN!”

VICTORY IN JESUS

by Silvia Leigh

 

 

“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord” (PV 21:31)

 

Today is the first day of ceremonies for the dedication of our new sanctuary. Everything was done in the presence of the Lord and for His glory!  Jesus, You are beautiful! There is victory in Jesus! The background of life is active spiritual warfare. If you believe in warfare or not, if you believe in the existence of the devil or not, this is the truth: there is war in the heavenly realms. The horses represent the power of men aided by the devils. They stand for the most sophisticated technology and strategy of the wisest men on earth. But all the horses in the world cannot defeat the smallest child of God whose faith is rooted in Jehovah. God is not intimidated by galaxies of demonic horses, by powerful bombs or by the latest deadly weapons invented by men. Salvation, freedom and victory are gifts of grace, coming from the Lord! Even for the youngest believer in Christ, the victory is sure, deliverance is established and freedom is confirmed.

 

Examine yourself: You are either on the side of the devil and his horses or on the side of Jehovah! You are either on the side of human strength or on the side of Christ Crucified! In Christ you can never lose! Today, I have seen tired, confused and disappointed horses, fainting because of thirst, in the middle of the battle. There was no river around and no rain forecasted for them. I have also seen today the banner of Jehovah lifted high above His children. God poured strength into the weak, healing unto the sick and joy to the broken hearted. I have seen all these wonderful things today. His banner over us is LOVE! He who is with God is in majority! What a wonderful day to be alive and to worship God! Jesus is Lord!

TALKING TO JESUS

by Silvia Leigh

 

 

“While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him” (Luke 24:15, 16)

The disciples were walking on the road to Emmaus. They were depressed. Four days ago, Jesus, their Master, was crucified. Their hopes were crushed. Then suddenly a stranger came from the side of the road and drew near them. He started walking with them. They told him about the pain of losing their best friend. They did not know that the ‘stranger’ was in fact Jesus.  They did not call on Jesus, thinking He is dead. Nevertheless, He came close to them… This is what Jesus does… He comes close to the hurting souls…

This is a great lesson: Jesus is able to come close to you any time He likes. Even when you do not pray, He still comes close to you. He will encourage you to talk about your pain, giving you answers to impossible questions. Jesus gives hope to the hopeless; joy to the depressed; strength to the weak.  Jesus heals the sick and delivers the oppressed. At last, when the miracle has happened and the problem solved, you shall look back and see that it was Jesus! The same yesterday, today and forever! O, How I love Jesus, for He first loved me!

GRATEFUL FOR MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS

by Silvia Leigh

 

 

“Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer…” (Ac 3:1)

 

In the past, Peter and John worked together as fishermen. Jesus called both of them to salvation and ministry. We see them here going together to ‘the prayer meeting of the church’. They were instruments in the hands of the resurrected Christ to miraculously heal a man who was born lame. In the natural, they had very different temperaments. Peter was hot tempered and talked a lot. John was gentler and quieter. But in Christ, they were brothers, friends, co laborers united in purpose and zeal.

 

This is a question: who are your friends? ‘There is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother’ (PV 18:24). His name is Jesus! His family in heaven and on earth is very big! Jesus has many brethren that may come your way.  Blessed are you if the love of God comes to you thru people! Blessed are you if your friends invite you to church! Blessed are you if your friends pray for you, encouraging you to read your Bible or to think about Jesus! Blessed are you if your spouse is spiritually mature and is a true worshipper with a servant’s heart! Today, when you pray, please thank God for your family and friends in Christ! They are the brethren of Jesus, ‘the angels’ that God uses to bless you! Even if you have no money, you are blessed and rich beyond words! To God be the glory!

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

by Silvia Leigh

 

This was the last prayer meeting called “Saturday Class” for this year. We started strong and we finished even stronger.  This evening we prayed for a sister from our church that lost her husband. Her in-laws want her to worship the river goddess, to appease it so that she and her daughter will not die. But this is a lie! We know that she is a child of God. We prayed for strength to stand for Jesus, for wisdom to speak or to keep silent and also for peace. Secondly, we also prayed for all the activities in our church this month: The dedication of the new sanctuary, the Christmas programs and the end of the year Jesus Mega Party. We prayed that all our guests will travel safely. There shall be no trouble, loss, lack, quarrels, anxiety or confusion. Everything we shall say and do will give glory to God!  We invited the Holy Spirit in our midst.  He came ‘as usual’ in His own ‘special way’. We rejected the evil spirit of religion, the fake ‘holy spirit’. We rejected the fear of sickness, the fear of bad news, untimely death, poverty, pride and ‘bad luck’. The Holy Spirit brought joy to us as we yielded to Him. We then praised God for His goodness and faithfulness towards us. To God be all the glory!