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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

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

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

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

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

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

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Recently, I had to counsel and pray with some young men who are taking marihuana. Their lives are scattered. Their minds are confused. They hear (religious) voices. The devil keeps them in bondage. The cage is very strong. Without help from God, they cannot recover. I write these lines with pain and anger in my heart. I hate the devil! I hate these drugs! I write these words as a doctor, pastor, mother and grandmother. It is not a subject I like to think about. But I cannot ignore it! I had to re-examine the terrible effects these illegal drugs have on the people, especially the youths. Many are true Christians and come to church. They love the Lord and want to serve Him. They want to have a good life, to go to school, marry and live well. But the addiction to this poison hinders them to live well and live long.

The most common and the cheapest addiction that the devil offers here in Nigeria is ‘marihuana’. The young men smoke it or drink the tea made from its dry leaves. Marijuana (Cannabis, Hemp, Hashish) is a plant used by many all over the world as an illegal pleasure drug. The word ‘marijuana’ is related with a Spanish word which is translated ‘prisoner’. (Attention: the devil wants to make you his prisoner thru this plant that God has created!!!). More and more young people try it and become addicted to it. It is a deception to think that marihuana is a harmless drug. It has great potential of destroying your health and your future. Marijuana, like other drugs of abuse, can result in addiction. During intoxication, marijuana can interfere with the cognitive function of the brain (ex. memory and perception of time) and the motor function (e.g., coordination). These effects can have detrimental consequences (ex. traffic accidents). The people who use marijuana have a higher risk of developing depression, anxiety and other more serious psychiatric sicknesses. Repeated marijuana use during adolescence may result in long-lasting changes in brain function that can jeopardize educational, professional, and social achievements. Most people who smoke marihuana drop out from school and get involved in other crimes.

Dear young man! Dear young woman! You who takes illegal drugs: If you read these words, it means that God is talking to you! God wants to help you, to deliver you from the demons associated with them. God loves you! Give your life to Christ! Start reading the Bible and pray. Go to a good church. Let your pastor pray for you. Deliver yourself! At the name of Jesus every knee will bow! One with God is majority! God is able and more than able to deliver you, to heal you and give you a good future.

This is God’s Promise to you:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity…” (Jer 29:11-14)

Let’s pray: “Dear Heavenly Father I come to You on behalf of Your people who desire deliverance from drug addiction, especially marihuana. Have mercy Oh, Lord. Nobody can help them except You. Do for them what money cannot buy and man cannot give. I take authority against the wicked demon of drug addiction, against fear, anxiety, depression, madness, restlessness, poverty, suicide, hopelessness, deception and confusion! I bind you! I silence you! Leave God’s people alone and go away! In the name of Jesus! I destroy every spell that the devil has placed on them! I destroy the spiritual cage of addiction! Holy Spirit please take control. Let the miracle of freedom happen! Let freedom be real! Revel to them the power and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ! Let their body reject the desire to go back to drugs! I plead the Blood of Jesus over you! I declare that their minds are sound, that their hearts are filled with peace and joy! Father God, it is all to Your Glory! In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!”

“Test all spirits for not are from God!” (1Jn 4:1)
Look well at this insect in the picture. It looks like a bee but it is not. It is called Volucella. This is an insect that has a strong resemblance to the humble bee. They are ‘co-workers’. They too eat the nectar of flowers. They are ‘friends’. But the Volucella deceive and exploit the bees. They abuse this resemblance to introduce themselves fraudulently into the bee nests, and they deposit their eggs there. The bees do not seem to identify this foreign insect. It looks like they trust them, for they meet on top of flowers, eating the same nectar and making friends there. When the Volucella’s eggs have hatched, their larvae, which have two strong mandibles, devour the larvae of their hosts, the bees. This wickedness is the ‘reward’ they give to the bees for the hospitality they have received!

“You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you…  I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is… it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you … In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.…” (Gal 5:7-10; 2 Thess 1:6; Rom 8:37)

Child of God, you are a champion because God has made you so! The Holy Spirit is your teacher, coach and encourager. He is training you daily. He expects you to run according to the rules of the game. Though you are a child of God, the Holy Spirit will not accept bribes or manipulations to bend the rules. He trains you to be a real champion in your mind, emotions, will, body and spirit! This marathon race is hard work. But you are looking for your reward in the future. The promise of reward helps you overcome the difficulties. The gold crown or the gold medal you shall receive is a gift you want to place at the feet of Jesus Christ, your Savior and Lord.

One of the ways satan tempts the children of God is to bring one of his people by your side as you run the race of faith. The Accuser of the brethren sends an athlete alongside you. You have never seen this strange man training in any stadium around. You don’t know his coach. You do not know his past achievements. All you know is that he is huge, with big muscles and strong voice. He is confident and he is boasting of victory. He is placed to run next to you. Suddenly, he whispers words of mockery and discouragement to you, saying: ‘you call yourself a Christian, you are a fool… you can never finish this race… this race is too hard for you… I am the best athlete in the world… you are a ‘nobody’… there is no need to run… just go away and rest… leave the stadium and go home… nobody in your family is a champion… it is not in your DNA… just go away…if not, I will push you aside, and wound you, and kill you… the director of the stadium is my friend… nobody will help you… don’t you see how insignificant you are?’

For a time you listen to these wicked words. Fear of failure, of disgrace, of untimely death… is trying to enter your heart.  A strange weakness squeezes your soul. You breathe hard… You start to doubt your faith… You almost stumble and fall… Then you remember that the Holy Spirit is running by your side… ‘What a relief!’- you tell yourself… Then you whisper to the Holy Spirit… ‘Did you see this great champion running by my side? He says he will take my crown… What shall I do?’ Then the Holy Spirit speaks: ‘My child, fear not! Resist him and he will run away from you! He is a fake athlete. The enemy has sent him to tempt you, to give up your crown. He is already disqualified because he has tested positive for illegal drugs. He is a liar! Do not listen to him! Focus your gaze on Me, the Author and the Finisher of your faith! You are the true champion! I am always by your side! Let’s move on!”

Suddenly, my eyes got opened to see the King of glory seated on His throne! Truth sets me free! I now remember who I am in Christ! I am complete in Him! My Lord has never lost a battle! In Him I too can never lose! I am more than an overcomer thru Him who loved me and died for me! I am a champion! Nobody can take my crown! You devil, get out! Go away before I crush you underfoot! Nonsense liar! Defeated foe! Disgraced thief! Yeye athlete! Holy Spirit is my guide, even to the end! I receive power as the Holy Ghost comes upon me! Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace to men on whom His grace abides! Halleluiah!

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

“So he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” And it was told him, saying, “Surely he is in Dothan.” Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2Kg 6:13-17)

The Saturday evening prophetic prayer meeting was wonderful. We entered God’s courts with praises! There was an anointing of acceleration. Faith was revived! We quickly ran before the throne of grace. Drops of glory were falling on us. Our heads were anointed with the oil of joy. Our cup overflows… We took this to be an encouragement from above. In God’s presence there is fullness of joy. It is in God’s presence that we truly belong.

We have entered a season called Shalom. In Hebrew, it means peace, prosperity, health and wealth, favor and friends. By faith we claim them all! Prophetically, we identify with Joseph and with his journey.  He suffered great pain but God vindicated him at last! His reward was greater than his sorrow! He was betrayed by his brothers and sold as a slave at a place called Dothan (Gen 37:17). The word means ‘Two wells’ or ‘Double blessings’. Dothan, the place of tragedy and loss becomes a wonderful place of divine intervention and victory during the time of Elisha. Please read the story how Elisha uses his prophetic gift to defeat the Syrians to the glory of Jehovah (2Kg 6:8-23). In this story we identify with Elisha and his servant. Therefore, according to the Word of God, prophetically, in Christ, we declare:

*God is with us! Our victory is sure!

*The ‘heart of our enemies is greatly troubled’. In the camp of our enemies there is great confusion. They are suspicious of one another! They blame one another. They are very anxious! They are failing and they don’t know why! For God is with us!

*Like the king of Syria, who knowing that Elisha listens to his bedroom conversation, is foolish enough to send an army to arrest the man of God… so our enemies are becoming more and more foolish, doing things that they shall regret!

*Just few years previously, Elisha healed the great commander of the Syrian army called Naaman. He did not charge him money. The king of Syria is ungrateful for the good gift he has received from the prophet. He wants to fight the man of God. He can never win this battle! Our ungrateful enemies can never win the battle against us!

*Our enemy is totally defeated because he uses natural weapons (horses and chariots) to fight the spiritual weapons of the Holy Spirit (heavenly angels; fire horses and chariots)! Sickness, poverty, oppression has failed!

*God shall use this crisis to open our eyes. Our vision of God shall be purified. We shall be delivered from all fears! We shall see in the Spirit’ realm and move led by the Holy Spirit! No army can defeat us! No weapon formed against us shall prosper! Every tongue that rises against us shall be condemned!  This is our heritage as servants of God!  Religion, rejection, mockery has failed!

*There is a reversal of blessings! Our eyes become open; in the same time, our enemies shall become spiritually blind. This strange blindness will have effect upon their lives from now on: They shall easily stumble and fall; they shall make mistakes; they shall become sluggish as they try to make progress; they shall become overly anxious; they shall (over) depend on men to move. These ‘helpers’ will take advantage of them. They are men who will lead them into trouble. When a blind man leads a blind man, both shall fall into the ditch. The ditches will be crowded with foolish proud stubborn blind men! Their only hope is to repent and give their lives to Christ!

*We declare that the ones with us a more than the ones with them. The angels surround us because we fear God!

*Our Dothan of pain has become our Dothan of praise!  We shall celebrate our victory with a great feast of the Holy Ghost singing and dancing! Many shall hear the rejoicing in the camp of the righteous and shall give their lives to Christ! Our God is omnipotent! He reigns forever! Power belongs to God! He is over-generous with His blessings. The heavens are opened over us. We have no other option than to shout unto the Lord with a shout of triumph! To God be all the glory! In Jesus name we pray, amen! Halleluiah!

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

“And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called… So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you whole.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road” (Mk 10:46-52)

The Women’s Fellowship was very good. We praised God with singing and dancing. Then it was time for testimonies! These are some of them: Sister A said that she and her husband came back from a trip in Greece, following in the footsteps of Apostle Paul. She now appreciates how committed the Apostle was to preach the Gospel. It was not easy to go from city to city. Sister R said that her son was always over active. That was the reason why he did not do well in school. She prayed and cried to God for a miracle. This year, to everybody’s surprise, he did so well, that he took a most desired reward. Sister D is a teacher. She teaches the students in primary one (first grade). One day, she received a call from a teacher who works in the same school. This teacher forgot her phone in the class. The Holy Spirit was prompting her to go and look for her phone. The only two people who have the key to the school were Sister D and the security man. This teacher got the key and entered the class looking for her phone. This was in the evening. To her surprise, she found a child sleeping there in the darkness. He has been there since the class closed at about 1pm. Sister D was grateful that the Holy Spirit led her colleague to go back and look for her phone and so, find this ‘lost’ child. Sister B is 43. She is pregnant with her first child. Her husband has epilepsy for more than twenty years. They both prayed and asked God for a miracle of healing. The last time he had an attack was June 2017. After that she got pregnant. The baby will be coming any time from now. We all gave thanks to God for His grace, mercy and goodness to us!

Then the Word of God came. This is the story of Bartimaeus, a blind man healed by Jesus! He was a beggar. He was in great need. He knew that no man can help him. The people around were more than useless. They had no faith in prayer or in the God that answers prayers. Job calls them ‘miserable comforters’ (Job 16:2). They not only refuse to help, but they hinder help. They ‘warned him to be quiet’. They discouraged him to pray or trust God for a miracle. They have sight and they tell a blind man to remain blind. This was their attitude: ‘Man, rest in peace! Accept your cross! Stay blind! Beg for food! This is your life! God has forgotten you!’ Recognize the voice of doubt and failure. Bartimaeus lived in bondage to this familiar lying spirit for many years. But that day, as he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was ‘passing by’ him, something happened in his spirit. For the first time in his life he decided to pray for a miracle, for something new, for something better. He dared to believe in a new life! He made the decision to resist and reject the wicked counsel of fear, doubt and defeat. He chose to trust God with all his heart! He decided to pray aloud and to ‘cry out all the more’. He chose to believe that his cry will be heard by Jesus who alone can heal him. As faith rose up in his spirit, so his strength and courage to shout unto God increased! Thru faith he touched the Throne of mercy and grace and ‘found grace in his time of need’ (Heb 4:16). Hallelujah!

Observe what happens next! His cry for mercy made Jesus to ‘stand still’. In Greek, these words also mean to stand up, to stand by, to abide, to bring (a gift), to continue in that position without interruptions or to establish the covenant. Jesus stopped for Bartimaeus, waiting calmly for him to come closer. Immediately, Bartimaeus ‘got the message’. This was his moment. It is called ‘destiny changing moment’. It is an open door in the Spirit. You use it or you lose it. He was blind but he was not a fool. Now observe the changing of the tune at the background. The same men that told him to stop seeking for a miracle, they now encourage him to go to Jesus! As you pray to be more sensitive with the leading of the Holy Spirit, this is a great lesson: Once you sense that ‘the men’s choir’ change their song, from the minor key of doubting to one of encouragement, then you should act by faith and run to Jesus! Bartimaeus was the Lord’s sheep. He did not see the road ahead but he heard the voice of his shepherd. That was all he needed to move on. Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (Jn 10:27). He ‘threw aside his garment’. This old dirty garment tagged him as a useless man, a blind beggar. The garment was designed for him as a symbol of rejection, failure and loss. But things change… In the presence of God, the garment was heaviness is needed no more. By faith, he put on the new garment of praise given to those who believe in God. As ‘busy’ as Jesus was, He stopped His work to attend to one simple man. Jesus waited. Bartimaues ran to Jesus! A discussion started. Jesus was not in a hurry to move on. The Lord gave him His full attention. The blessings released at the Cross benefited this needy man. The Blood of Jesus spoke on his behalf. Jesus gave him eyes to see! This is how the miracle happened. Glory!

By faith, Bartimaeus received not only his sight, but he received life! Eternal life! He received the miracle of a new beginning, a glorious testimony that the only living God has made him whole. This man’s cry touched the heart of God! He prayed in such a way that Jesus was ‘moved’. When His friend Lazarus died we are told that “Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb” (Jn 11:38). When Jesus saw the people, confused and lonely, He was moved in His heart. “When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt 9:36).
It is very important that we should know the truth about the Person of Jesus Christ. Child of God, Jesus loves you. Your pain ‘moves’ the Lord! He sees your tears! He wants to help you. Jesus is now in heaven. He is our High Priest. He listens to our prayers and to our praises. He is moved by them. That is why we have confidence in prayer and during worship (Heb 4:14, 15). May the faith of Bartimaeus challenge and inspire you today! May we do the same! When in need, run to Jesus! Run to the mercy seat! Nothing is impossible for God! May God grant you a new beginning! Be healed! Be delivered! Praise God forever!

In Christ I declare:
I am a child of God!
I throw aside my garment of sin, shame, doubt, guilt, poverty, heaviness, fear, failure and loss!
I put on the righteousness of Christ, His garment of light, love and hope of glory!
My miracle has come! I move on! My life will never be the same again! I am healed! I am made whole!
To the glory of God! In Jesus’ name! Amen!

“To everything there is a season; a time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecc 3:1)

God is eternal. He created time for us who live on earth. God’s time is always different than ours. When trials come, He seems too fast. When we need help, He seems too slow. Therefore, God’s time is mysterious. None can totally explain it. But God’s time is perfect. Looking back, you see the fruit of God’s timing in blessing us! You agree that ‘all things work together for our good’ in God’s time.

In His Word, God gives us wonderful promises. But He does not tell us when they shall be fulfilled. He wants us to trust Him for the fulfillment of these promises. He wants us to leave in His hands the timing of the visible manifestation of that invisible faith.

After the Lord Jesus died and resurrected, the disciples asked Him some questions about the future. They knew the promises of Jesus but they also wanted to know the time of their fulfillment. But Jesus did not tell them when the promises shall manifest. He said that timing is under the authority of God the Father. “Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Ac 1:6-8)

Most of us are behaving the same.  We want to know ‘when’ we shall experience that healing, that breakthrough we have been praying for. We complain: ‘God, when?’ But God does not tell us ‘when’. Then we get discouraged… The devil will torment us with lies: ‘God has forgotten about you…God is too busy to attend to your case…’ We must reject these lies and trust God!

We need to walk by faith. We need to exercise patience to see the promises fulfilled. Practice faith and patience in little things. Then it is easier to practice it in bigger things. In my experience, faith is easier to achieve than patience, but we need both.  Pride and rebellion will push you to insist knowing the timing of future events. Therefore, pray for the grace of waiting quietly! Pray that God will increase your strength to endure from the moment the promise is given until the visible manifestation comes. In the meantime pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Then ‘power will come upon you’! Continue to witness to others about Jesus. This is the best way to use your time until the miracle comes. For in God’s time it will surely come! I promise you!