(FACING IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS)

“Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews” (Est 4:7)

This is the story of Hadassah Esther. When Vashti was in the palace, Esther was ‘a Nobody’. She was a simple Jewish girl, an orphan living in the house of her uncle Mordecai. She could not have imagined that in less than a year, Vashti will be on the streets and she will be crowned as the new queen of the Persian Empire. Her husband shall be King Xerxes, the richest and most powerful man in the world at that time.

But the honey moon was short.  Mordecai tells her that Haman, the king’s best friend has been promoted as the prime minister. Haman hates Mordecai for refusing to bow down to him. The king orders all people to bow down to Haman (Est 3:2). This is strange for in the Eastern cultures men easily bow to ‘big men’. It is a revelation for us to know that the people in general hated Haman and they only bowed down to him by force. This is the secret work of the Holy Spirit restraining evil in the world and preparing the minds of men for the mighty deliverance ahead.

Because of Mordecai, Haman decides to kill all the Jews. He deceives the king and offers him money to sign a law to kill all the Jews in Persia. He does not tell the king who these people are. He does not tell the King that Mordecai who is a faithful servant to the king and saved his life, is a Jew. He does not know that the Queen is also a Jew. The money offered is ‘ten thousand talents of silver’. I read that this amount is equal with 2,250,000,000 (Two Billion, Two Hundred Fifty Million) US Dollars!!! The devil is ready to pay billions to kill the children of God!!! Selah! The king is impressed. No man can reject such a gift. But the money offered was not an innocent gift. It was a bribe.

“Do not accept a bribe! For a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous!” (Ex 23:8)

The word ‘twist’ means to pervert, to turn the mind away from truth to error, to misdirect the mind from that which is good to that which is evil, to go astray towards evil.A bribe blinds the men in authority, twists the words of the righteous and is able to poison a whole nation. The bribe was intended to blind the king to the grace and beauty of Esther. It was also given to twist her words so that she will sound foolish and not be able to intercede for her people. That was the devil’s plan.

Mordecai and Esther do not have such money. What can they do? How do you fight an evil man who is so rich? What will you do in impossible situations?

The only answer is GOD! The GOD factor! Never forget the GOD factor!

God is on Esther’s side! She does not need billions! With only God on her side Esther will win the battle!

In Christ I declare:

Only God can change men’s hearts!

The effects of bribes and occult spells shall disappear under the anointing of the Holy Spirit!

I shall continue to pray until my last breath!

The victory is mine!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“He must not be a new Christian, or he might become arrogant like the devil and be condemned. People who are not Christians must speak well of him, or he might become the victim of disgraceful insults that the devil sets as traps for him” (1Tim 3:6, 7; GNB)

Apostle Paul describes the qualities of a godly leader. He can be the overseer of a church, a deacon, a husband or a father. There are some attributes which are vital in the character of the leader. The absence of these qualities disqualifies a man or woman to be in a place of spiritual leadership.

A Christian leader should not be a young man or a young convert. The danger is hidden pride. The devil will try his best to make to the leader fall. Never underestimate his perseverance. Pride is the first sin that was ever committed in this universe. It is difficult to detect and even more difficult to repent of. The devil was once a beautiful angel called Lucifer. He was in the garden of God as a cherub leader, probably in charge of the heavenly choir. He became proud on account of his beauty and he fell from that exalted position (Ez 28:11-20). He is now roaming the earth seeking whom he may destroy.

An immature leader is not settled spiritually and emotionally. He is still like a green wood. The flesh is still too active. He thinks that without him nothing works. He talks too much. He is impatient. Sexual lust is still an issue. He is financially unstable most of the time. But a mature leader has learned by experience to be calm, patient and caring. He is a good listener. He is a good communicator. He has seen God working in the life of his congregation so he knows that he is not alone. He has fewer needs so he can afford to be financially more stable. The world has lost its attraction for him. He is more interested in spiritual things.

A leader must have a good reputation among the unbelievers. This is a very hard test. The unbelievers have a tendency to mock the children of God. They assume that we are fakes or hypocrites. Other times they flatter or bribe a Christian to make him proud. Some try to tempt them sexually or to corrupt the honest people. The unbelievers are agents of the devil and they show no mercy at all. They are not afraid to lie or to slander. The fiery darts are real and very painful if they reach the mark. For any believer who can stand under all these attacks and not fall, that is great achievement indeed.

So ask yourself: what do the unbelievers around say about you? What is your boss saying in his annual review about you? It is not enough to ignore them. If they have to write a secret recommendation about you, what will they say? But if unbelievers confess that they tried their best to make you fall to sexual sin, to provoke you to be angry or bitter and yet they failed, that is the best recommendation for promotion you can receive. It has value on earth and also in heaven. God sometimes listens to the pagan’s report about you. That is something to think about…

In Christ I declare:

I humble myself under the mighty hand of God!

God’s perfect will shall be done in my life!

Miraculously, my enemies shall be at peace with me!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you are to offer a male without defect. You must present it at the entrance to the tent of meeting… You are to lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering and it will be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you. You are to slaughter the young bull…You are to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces….Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces…You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water, and the priest is to burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord” (Lev 1:3-9)

In the Old Testament we find the holy protocol and the priestly procedure of bringing an offering to God. There are many types of offerings but the most important of all is the burnt offering. It has to be voluntary, that is why the passage starts with the word ‘if’. God does not insist on it but ‘if’ you want to ‘impress’ Him then you shall offer it. A Jew is to bring an animal from his flock, slaughter it in the presence of God and place it on the altar to be burnt to ashes. The smell of it shall be pleasing to the Lord.

You may think that is easy….Is it not to burn all of it to ashes? But God insists that as ‘a praise team’, the worshipper and the priests should follow a strict procedure. If not, with all good intentions, God will not accept the offering. It will burn for nothing. It will be counted as a wasted opportunity.

In the New Testament we offer sacrifices of praise and spiritual service to God. We can learn many things from the above scriptures. Read again and mediate upon them. The worshipper has to bring the blameless animal, present it to the Lord, lay his hand on its head and slaughter it himself. This is done at a specific place: the entrance of the Tabernacle. This sacrifice will make atonement for the worshipper. He shall skin the animal and wash the organs inside with water. Then the priests take over. They arrange the pieces on the burning wood, in a particular order where they will burn to ashes. This offering is totally given to God. No man shall taste from it.

The word ‘entrance’ in Hebrew means the place of a new beginning and freedom. The word ‘atonement’ means to cover something as with bitumen, to completely cancel the trouble of the past, to restore the friendship between God and man. It is a proof of forgiveness, mercy and peace. The word ‘arrange’ is a military term and it means to properly estimate the value of each piece and arrange them like soldiers in a battle. The verb ‘to skin’ means to invade the territory of the enemy and to plunder him, leaving him naked and disgraced.  The word ‘wash’ means to purify, to pour water like a river that becomes an overflow of cleansing.

How do we apply these revelations? Praising God is a privilege. It has to be personal, intimate and coming from a willing, grateful heart. You cannot pay another to praise your God. You have to pay the price yourself. By grace, the worship leader receives a holy boldness that inspires others. They who listen and flow with the anointing shall be set free from burdens and sins. Praise makes available among men the hope of glory, the reality of the passion of a deeper relationship with God. Praise is called ‘fearful’ (Ex 15:11) because it is one of the greatest weapons in spiritual warfare. Praising God is never entertainment. It totally defeats and destroys the opposition. When you praise God you are to expect a commotion, devils running away and people slain under the anointing. Worship must flow from inside out as an overflow of pure anointing that will cleanse, deliver and heal the people of God. Then God will receive the aroma of your worship, His heart shall rest and be at peace with you, He will be comforted and be delighted in you. All complains die in the fire. A believer should never complain. The burnt offering of total surrender and intimate worship is what God is looking for among men. Many sing well but very few worship well…

Are you among those who are willing to offer body, soul and spirit as a living sacrifice unto God? Do you want to be a vessel unto honor, for the pleasure of your Master? Do you want to be used by God as a servant and worshiper, for captives to be set free from the sound of praise on your lips? I hear you saying ‘yes’….This is good… But this anointing I am talking about it is more than a wish or a prayer. It is the reality of the Cross manifested on earth among men. It is the power of resurrection breaking the cage of self. It is the power to fulfill destiny, to please God Almighty, the testimony of a soul set free to love God forever.

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess His name” (Heb 13:15)

The altar is waiting…The fire is burning…Jesus Christ our High Priest stands by…The Holy Spirit is calling…Will you come…Come…

In Christ I declare:

Jesus Christ is my Savior and my Lord!

O Lamb of God I come…I come…

In Jesus name

Amen!

“But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness…I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people” (2Cor 12:9 AMP; LB)

Apostle Paul is one of the greatest men who ever lived on this planet. He received extraordinary revelations from The Lord Jesus Christ. He was even caught up to heaven and heard inexpressible things. But with all these spiritual treasures and uncountable blessings he had to endure ‘a thorn in his flesh, an agent of satan’. This was given to him by God so that he will not become proud and forsake the very grace that he coveted so much. This thorn was probably a chronic sickness that made him weak physically. A ‘chronic disease’ is an infirmity that is there for a very long time; it troubles and weakens the body constantly and there is no cure for it. Three times he asked God to remove this infirmity. For a man of God, a missionary who travels a lot, a pastor, this sickness was a pain and a shame. Each time he prayed God answers with the same words: “My grace is sufficient for you…”

He wanted healing but he was given grace.

He wanted physical strength but he was given grace.

He wanted a miracle but he was given grace.

Why grace? What is this grace?

The word ‘grace’ in Greek is ‘charis’. Grace is defined as an unmerited favor from God. It is a gift of God. It cannot be bought with money and it is not available on earth. It means God’s influence upon the heart, changing it into a holy vessel fit for the King. It is a generous joyful blessing from heaven. It is the seal of God’s approval and pleasure on His child. Grace changes a man from a sinner to a saint. Nothing else can perform this mysterious change.

Jesus Christ came to earth full of grace and truth. He is the eternal fountain of grace as it is described in the Bible. By His initial deposit of grace, God has to humble His child to receive more grace. The proud take for granted or forsake the grace that could have been theirs.

“And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn 1:16, 17)

Once God choses a man to pour His grace on him, that man is unbeatable. Even the devil cannot destroy such a man. He becomes a leader and an inspiration to many. The grace of God is greater and stronger than any sin or any weakness. It changes a lamb into a lion. This powerful testimony of a changed character and fulfilled destiny brings complete satisfaction to a child of God. In fact, it is the only thing on earth that truly satisfies. Health, wealth, social status, family and friends, nothing else compares with the satisfaction the grace of God brings in the heart of man. By refusing to answer the prayer of healing and choosing to give more grace instead, God overrules Paul and gives him the best. Removing the thorn meant healing. But that was an ‘ordinary’ healing. But the grace of God gives Paul another type of healing. The grace makes him whole. God reveals to Paul that the weakness in his body is not just an inconvenience. It has a purpose greater than removal. Its purpose is to become God’s ‘container’ to host the supernatural miraculous exquisite perfected strength of the Holy Spirit, which is called ‘anointing’. Grace then manifests as unexplainable strength to live a successful life as a child of God. Grace is more than healing. It is power to mature spiritually in all situations. Grace manifests as increase and fruitfulness in ministry.

Since I’ve seen what God did with Paul, I too pray the same prayer each time I am sick. Here malaria is a common affliction. Its main symptom is weakness of the body. Each time I have malaria, I pray not just that my weakness should go away and leave me ‘malaria-less’ but that the anointing of the Holy Spirit should so rest on me. I pray that my ability to minister the Word increases visibly. Yes, this is my testimony: God’s grace in me has become power. It is more than pleasant. Yes, I dare to pray for things unknown, for mystery revealed, for adventure in the heavenly realms. Yes, I have a passion for the Lord and His Word. I love my Lord who overruled my prayer for comfort and planted this mysterious thorn of grace in me. Yes, malaria or not, I am blessed indeed.

O, amazing grace…

In Christ I declare:

God’s grace is strength and healing to me!

God’s grace is what I need!

God’s grace is what I desire!

God’s grace is sufficient for me!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you” (Ex 34:10-12)

God makes a covenant with Moses and His people. Each party has a responsibility to be faithful to the covenant.

This is God’s promise to His people:

He will be with Israel and never betray His love for them. He shall perform miracles and wonders in their midst. Even if they pray, He shall not perform miracles among the neighboring nations. These miracles shall be a discrimination sign to the other nations, telling that that He is on the side of His people. These miracles of provision and protection shall bring joy to His people. The other nations will live an ordinary, hard and boring life; nothing supernatural about their existence. They have to labor hard for their daily bread. Their best ‘miracle’ is to have a job. But there shall be no promotion, no profit and no benefits. They have to fight their own battles to protect themselves. They shall become tired with the affairs of this life but God’s people shall have rest in the midst of their pleasant, easy and fruitful labor. These miracles among the believers shall be a terrible sign against the enemies of God. They shall become afraid, intimidated and confused by what they see. They shall be disturbed, distracted and tired mentally trying to understand why the miracles they see with the believers pass them by. They shall not be able to solve this puzzle. Their financial gurus shall not be able to replicate the miracles of provision they see in the camp of God’s people. They shall be angry but not be able to ‘steal’ God’s provision to His people or destroy their peace. They shall be jealous but forced to express admiration for what God does for His people.

This is the covenant responsibility of God’s people:

God expects obedience from His people. It is their responsibility to study the Bible and obey God’s Word to the best of their understanding. Ignorance and rebellion shall be punished accordingly even among God’s people. They have a responsibility to stay separate from the other nations. They shall not make friends with the unbelievers even if these are friendly neighboring nations. They shall not open their hearts to them, become intimate with them or marry them. There shall be no business partnership with unbelievers. For the miracles to continue in the camp of God’s people, this separation must be preserved. God shall deal differently with the unbelievers. He shall ‘drive them out before you’. The word means to trouble marriages and relationships until they end in divorce and they go away. Friendship with unbelievers shall only end in much sorrow and loss. No prayer will help.

No matter how beautiful Vashti is, no matter how long she has been on the throne, she will eventually go away and be replaced with Queen Hadassah Esther. No matter how wise and rich Haman is, in spite of his manipulation to become the prime minister of Persia, he and his sons shall die and will be replaced by Mordecai. Be careful dear Esther; do not make friends with Vashti and her friends! Be careful dear Mordecai; do not make friends with Haman and his family! This is God’s Covenant! Concerning God’s enemies: you cannot save them! Trying to help them you shall fall into a snare and you shall suffer because of it! By breaking the covenant you will grieve the Spirit of God who ‘works wonders’ for you! Thru rebellion you quench the Holy Spirit and the promised miracles shall fade away! Stay faithful and humble to the end!

God’s enemies shall fall for your sake! Did you know that? This is the God of the Bible! This is His warning against disobedience! This is His Word! According to the covenant, God’s blessing is on you, the faithful, humble and obedient child! Amen!

In Christ I declare:

I shall obey God all the days of my life!

I shall remain faithful and humble to the end!

I reject and divorce all evil spirits!

I destroy any false covenants I made with evil spirits and their human agents!

As for me and my household, we shall serve the Lord!

Miracles of provision and protection shall be our portion!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (Ex 33:14)

Moses leads the Children of God to the Promise Land. The journey is not easy mostly because the people prove to be so difficult. God calls them ‘stiff necked’. They are rude, rough, rebellious, proud, stubborn, ungrateful and impatient. Then God gives them ‘bad’ news. He will not go with them anymore but He will send an Angel to lead them. This is a great disappointment especially for Moses.

What do you do when nothing works the way you imagined it?

What do you do when all things crash down and dreams scatter at your feet?

What do you do when the children reject your ministry?

What did Moses do?

Moses asks to see God’s glory. He did not ask for provisions or for money. He did not ask for friends or medicine. He asked for that which no man can give and none can take away. That is when our gracious God promises Moses His Presence and His Rest.

Do you pray like Moses?

When God blesses you with His presence, are you completely satisfied, or do you wait for something more?

Is God’s rest better than a job promotion to you?

Are you grateful for His presence in your life?

God promises Moses that even in this sinful world, in the midst of evil people, backsliders and hypocrites, His presence will be constant. God will prove to be His faithful friend. If all men are liars, God will forever be true! His presence means His pleasure, His favor, His face, His purpose and His Will. These are sure signposts on the royal road leading to rest. God will grant His servant rest from toil, from too much work that weakens and dries the soul. This is the secret key to revival.

The manifested presence and fellowship of the Person of God the Holy Spirit that is all that you need. If you worship God and follow Him you shall be free from anxiety and unnecessary sorrow.

There are two types of rest. There is a rest coming at the end of the day, after many hours of work. That is the rest of the laborer and it is ‘sweet’ (Ecc 5:12). But there is another rest, the supernatural rest, which is constant during the day. The amount of labor does not affect this rest. It manifests as peace and joy in the midst of labor. This is the rest promised to Moses. This is the rest promised to the worshipper, to the servant and the friend of God.

If God has granted you this rest, your work, your ministry will never make you bored, tired or discouraged. You will be free from all anxieties connected with your labor on earth. You will never worry again if men shall promote or reward you. You will never fear joblessness, inflation, recession or poverty. Your boss will never be able to intimidate or manipulate you.  Did I say ‘never’? Yes! That is the power of God’s Presence and Promised Rest. This is His Word:

Jehovah loves you! He has decreed rest for you, settled your heart and sealed your destiny!

May your body soul and spirit answer ‘Amen!’

In Christ I declare:

God’s presence is with me and my family!

Jesus Christ has given me rest in the midst of all labor!

I am free from all fears!

I have peace in the midst of the storm!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

“Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea” (Ex 14:1, 2)

The children of God left Egypt in a hurry. After more than four hundred years of slavery they are now out of the land of bondage. Under the leadership of Moses, they are going towards the Promised Land. Long ago, God promised Abraham that he and his descendants shall possess the land of Canaan. The easiest and closest way from Egypt to Canaan is going North East, along the Mediterranean Sea. But God did not allow them to take that road. He knew that if they have to fight they will be quickly discouraged and return to Egypt. So he directed them to go south, in the opposite direction, towards the desert and the Red Sea.

God directs Moses to go to a particular place called Pi Hahiroth. The name of this place means ‘a mouth of water’. Next to it there is a hill called Migdol which means ‘A Watchtower’. It was a high place that the Egyptians used to monitor the children of God. Opposite there is a place called Baal Zephon. Its name means the ‘god of thunder and of stormy seas’. There was a pagan altar were sacrifices were offered for the protection of travelers especially the sea men. Today it is called Mount Tiran. It’s an island in the Red Sea in between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. God wanted His miracle to be displayed in front of the shrine of the pagan god of the seas, to disgrace him and his followers.

There are arguments, where was the exact place that the Red Sea was divided. It is not very clear where all these places with strange names are. But the most plausible place is on the right extension of the Red Sea, called the Gulf of Aqaba. There is a particular place that has a big beach. That is the only place where two million people could have camped. The distance between that beach and the opposite side is only 19 Km and the water is 200 meters deep. Studies show that all other places are much deeper than that. It took a whole night for two million people to cross over to freedom. That is a mighty miracle in itself…

What are the lessons for us?

The first lesson is that God is in charge of our salvation, deliverance and breakthrough. The easiest way, the common sense way may not be the best for us. “An inheritance claimed too soon will not be blessed at the end” (PV 20:21). We cannot afford to be impatient in life, marriage or ministry He may direct us in the opposite direction that makes no sense at all. We have to learn to trust God and His ways even in darkness. God is more interested in the journey and in the fellowship we develop along the way than just in the destination. It is easy for God to give you a miracle, but He wants you to be His friend long before your ‘dream’ comes true.

God has a particular place for His deliverance. It may be far from your plans but it is a sure place. It may be a strange place that you have never heard of, but it is a sure place. The enemy may send spies and false brethren to monitor your movements. Sometimes you may look confused, like going zigzag. But God is in control! This is a snare for your enemies. He knows the place, he knows the hour. His ways are mysterious but the victory is sure!

The road may be long and hard. It takes many prayers and much weeping. But when the trumpet sounds, the miracle takes place immediately. All your tears shall be wiped away in just one night. The Angel of the Lord will help you and your family, both young and old to cross over to the place of destiny and peace. Nobody can stop it. The enemy shall try to steal your miracle and to attack you. But this time, your miracle is not ‘for sale’. You are no longer his slave. He shall fall for your sake! He shall perish in the midst of your grateful praises! For God has done it!

In Christ I declare:

God is on my side!

My miracle is sure!

My victory is sure!

My enemy has disappeared from the face of the earth!

All the glory to God!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

“You shall not follow a crowd to do evil…” (Ex 23:2, AMP)

A crowd can be evil Stay away from them! This is God’s command! The word ‘follow’ in Hebrew also means to be committed, to entrust your will to others, to expect fulfillment from serving another. The word evil means to hurt, to trouble or to be wicked. Crowds can do good things or they can do evil. This is the question: Why do people follow crowds? Why do they choose to be members of internet groups, clubs or organizations? Why do they open their hearts to strange men?  Why are they attracted by secret societies? Why do men join cults?

One simple reason is loneliness. People feel lonely at home but do not have the courage to make personal friends. So they join a group with similar values. But they soon discover that now they have many ‘friends’ but no one to truly trust. Another reason why men join a club is because it provides security in case of danger. Men follow crowds because they are cowards; they are afraid to stand up for themselves. Some groups are considered ‘elite’ so joining them provide a greater social status. Lastly, they join clubs because most men doubt themselves. A man who has an inferiority complex but still wants to achieve something in life will join a club of friends. He is not sure that he can achieve his dreams alone. He feels the need of a support, of a group; to be accountable and to depend on others who have a similar purpose.

Once you join a crowd, you lose your will to it. You don’t have to decide everything; you can rely on the crowd to make choices and act. You just follow. Hidden in the crowd, like Adam behind the trees, you can avoid being seen and charged as an individual (Gen 3:8). Crowds can be a powerful force of destruction like fighting on the streets, doing damage or even kill. But going home you feel less guilty than if you did the crime alone. Another reason may be pride. Alone at home you feel so small.  But once you are in a crowd, you feel powerful. It is easier to fight for your rights as a group. If the crowd wins, you share in the benefits without fighting directly or personally. You can cheat the crowd and still win the crown.

But there are also disadvantages of being a man of the crowd. The major one is that you learn the skill to deceive yourself and others. In the middle of that crowd you are not yourself!  You act differently; you are more aggressive, more reckless than your normal way of life. Pushed by an invisible power that carries all along, you make mistakes that you shall regret. You become confused about the action and the direction of the crowd and you cannot stop it once you are in.

Crowds are strongholds of gossip, slander and violence. Even so, it is no easy to come out from a group that you belonged to, where you shared your dreams with others. You fear that if you leave, you shall miss the action and the friends. Sometimes you feel bad about the time you wasted when you could have followed your own path in life. You regret missed opportunities, giving up the control of your life to others.

What is God’s will in regard to all this?

Crowds followed Jesus just to receive superficial things, earthly blessings. They wanted food, healing of sicknesses and entertainment. But Jesus ‘dismissed the crowds’ to go away so that He can be alone with His disciples, to teach them the secrets of the Kingdom of God. (Mt 14:22). The word ‘dismiss’ means to divorce, to loose, to send away. You will not like to be in a group that Jesus will divorce. Whatever advantages you may find there, without Jesus all your dreams will fade away. As a member of the crowd, you may receive bread to eat but you will become spiritually passive. Faith cannot grow in such a heart.

God wants you to leave that crowd! He wants you to be separated unto Him, to know and to serve Him! God has a wonderful plan for you alone. Following that crowd will only bring sorrow! God wants that you should fulfill your destiny! God desires that you learn to be alone with Him. Most crowds are noisy and worldly. They are the opposite of what is called ‘the secret place of the Most High God’. Crowds may look impressive but most of the time they move and act by the leading of evil spirits. As part of a crowd, you share in the sins of others. That will bring unnecessary guilt to your soul. Learn to stand alone. If God gives you friends, blessed be His name. But if not, accept loneliness as your portion for this season of your life. When lonely, read the Bible and pray. And find a good living church. Join the Body of Christ. Not a crowd but the Living Body of Christ. Do not surrender your will to the crowd. Do not become a slave to men! Give your will to God! Do not trust the crowd to fulfill your dreams, to fight for your rights or to satisfy your needs. Trust God who created you to do all these things, and so much more.

Lastly, this is God’s word to you:

“Come out from them and be separate -says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing and I will receive you” (2Cor 6:17)

In Christ I declare:

One with God is majority!

I am on God’s side!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“I will give you back what you lost

in the years when swarms of locusts ate your crops.

It was I who sent this army against you.

Now you will have plenty to eat, and be satisfied.

You will praise the Lord your God,

who has done wonderful things for you.

My people will never be despised again” (Joel 25, 26; Good News Bible)

One of the easiest ways to grieve the Holy Spirit is to take God’s promises for granted. God is not a man. God is not my ‘neighbor’. Even in His wonderful humility as the Son of Man, Jesus is God in heaven. I should never forget that! All His promises are ‘yes and amen’! I TRUST THE WORD OF GOD!

God is the only One who can satisfy my soul after losing so many opportunities in the past. The truth is that I cannot blame God for my present situation. The ‘sin factor’ is the hidden source of all deception and pride. If I obeyed God all the time all these years, today I could have been much better. Who knows, I could have been a graduate; I could have had my own house; I could have been married with children; I could have been in fulltime ministry…the list of possible ‘if’ is endless… But the truth is that I wasted much time, resources and opportunities where God could have blessed me more than I can imagine. Thinking of it, I feel ashamed… and sad…

So what do I do now?

I still have to come back to the God I disappointed thru my past rebellion. For there is no other being who can restore what I have lost all these years. If I refuse to come back to God I will be a life time slave to bitterness and regret. Old age shall be a terror and a painful reminder of the sins of my youth. I know many people like that…

So I come back to the God who promised restoration after total loss and failure. The word ‘restore’ in Hebrew is similar with ‘Shalom’. It is one of the greatest words in the Bible. It is also one of the names of God. It means the best God has for you; the fulfillment of your greatest desires and dreams, the answer to your best prayers. Specifically it means blessings, prosperity, health, friends, peace, joy and favor. God promises to give you His Shalom to replace your sorrow, mistakes and failures. God allowed pain to come to you, to humble you. This promised restoration comes after many ‘years’ (plural) of shameful losses and painful disappointments in life. This restoration is always miraculous. No man can take the glory for your sudden prosperity. God alone does ‘wonderful things’. The shame of the past will be totally removed and replaced with sincere praises to God, who alone is worthy to receive all the glory! I believe!

Today chose who you want to serve: the idol of self or Jehovah Shalom?

In Christ I declare:

‘As for me and my household, we shall serve the Lord!’

Jehovah Shalom shall restore all my losses!

For His glory!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“He who loves money shall never have enough. The foolishness of thinking that wealth brings happiness! The more you have, the more you spend, right up to the limits of your income. So what is the advantage of wealth—except perhaps to watch it as it runs through your fingers … And, of course, it is very good if a man has received wealth from the Lord and the good health to enjoy it…To enjoy your work and to accept your lot in life—that is indeed a gift from God” (Ecc 5:10-20; LB)

Money is a great subject, for both believers and the unbelievers. Reading the scripture above we draw some life enriching wisdom. First of all: The love of money is sin and foolishness; it is a snare and a torment. On its own, wealth does do not have the power to bring joy to your soul. It does not matter the amount. By itself, money was not designed to bring fulfillment of destiny, joy or contentment to any man. Wealth does not satisfy.

This is the definition of the word ‘satisfaction’: The fulfillment of a desire and the pleasure derived from such gratification; compensation for an injury or the payment of a debt. In other words, all the gold in the world is not able to fulfill your deepest desires as a human being, cannot heal your broken heart and cannot save your soul.

What then can money do? Money can buy things that perish. Property bought with money feeds your eyes. You see your houses, cars and clothes and you can touch them. That’s all!  Are you ready to work two jobs only to see the things you bought with your money?  For that is the only ‘advantage’ of wealth. This is God’s decree. It is not in the power of man to enjoy money. Sooner or later, money will prove to be a disappointment. It will deceive you to build your life on great dreams and hopes. But wealth alone will fail to satisfy your deepest desires. A greedy man is not able to enjoy the little he has today, for he is always distracted and disturbed by the seducing vision of more money in the future.

What is the solution then? The only way to be satisfied with wealth is to recognize it as a gift from God. It is not a reward for hard work. It is not the result of a wonder financial strategy. It is a manifestation of the grace of God! Please remember this: Health and wealth are gifts from God! In Christ, God blesses you with spiritual benefits. He saves your soul and gives you eternal life. These are eternal blessings no money can buy. But the same God, by His grace, generously provides you with health, wealth, marriage, children and other good things. These things do not come randomly. They come from God!

So, give thanks to God! If you have a job, thank God for it! If food is on your table and clothes cover your body, thank God for them! If you are not homeless, thank God for the house! If you are married (even if your spouse is not ‘perfect’) thank God! If you have even one friend, thank God for sending him!

Lastly, if you are a child of God, even if you lack all these good things, still thank God for eternal life!

In all things give thanks for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus!

In Christ I declare:

I love God!

I do not love money!

I hate greed!

My happiness depends on God and not on my bank account!

My wealth and my health are gifts from God!

My marriage, children and grandchildren are all gifts from God!

The gifts of God come without sorrow!

I enjoy my work and my ministry as gifts from God!

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want!

I am satisfied with my portion from God!

Father, from the bottom of my heart I thank You!

In Jesus name

Amen!

 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you….”

“At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord…” (Ex 16:4-7)

For more than four hundred years the children of God lived in Egypt; first as free men, then later as slaves. They groaned under the oppression of their Egyptian masters. Then God sends Moses to confront Pharaoh. Thru great acts of judgments upon the Egyptian gods Jehovah proves that He is the only Living God. Lastly, God commands that each family should kill a blameless lamb and smear their doors with its blood. That act of faith shall be their salvation. Any house without the blood shall be thrown into mourning. The first born of each family shall die that night. In the morning the door of freedom was open. The Book of Exodus tells the story…

A wise man said once: ‘It took only a day for God to bring out His children from Egypt. But it took God forty years to bring Egypt out of them’.  Why was it so hard for the people of God to move on? Why is it so hard for us to trust God for the breakthrough? To change in the image of God’s Son? These are questions we must meditate upon…

In the desert God provided a special food called ‘Manna’. The meaning of the word is a question? “What is this?” The answer is still a mystery. This is what we know about manna: it was God’s idea and provision for His children’s food. But God’s people never really liked it. They continued to grumble against it. It was called ‘the food of angels’. It was a wonderful food found on the tables of heaven. It appeared each morning with the dew. It was like white flakes on the ground. They could grind it, make flour and bake bread with it. It tasted like wavers with honey. It had nutritional and medicinal value. They eat it for forty years and none got sick. Can you imagine such a food?

Manna looked the same but its taste changed during the day. In the morning, after eating it, they saw the glory of God. Worship was dished out for breakfast. In the evening, at dinner time, they experienced the joy of deliverance. It is implied that at noon, they had the feeling of being attacked and persecuted. So they had to learn to trust God and pray. God intervened and gave them freedom. So at dinner they rejoiced in God’s mighty escape. This spiritual ‘drama’ was played daily for forty years. That was God’s menu: Worship- Prayer- Deliverance! This was to increase their faith in God. All this was to be found thru consuming the daily manna, the Word of God.

Jesus is the Word of God. Even today the believers still grumble when they read God’s Word. The Cross is still too bitter, the worship is still unappetizing, the prayer is still tasteless and deliverance is still too hard to chew…But for them who have trained themselves to live by the Word of God and prayer, their spiritual senses have been developed and their appreciation for the Lord grows daily. This is the truth: It takes a long time to come to the place of truly loving and longing for the Word of God. The grace is there, supplied daily. The rain of bread still comes from heaven to water the dry hearts. But you have to wake up in the morning, bend your back and gather it. That is the hard part. But as you open your heart to receive the Word of God, slowly, but surely, the taste of Egyptian leeks shall fade away, the memory of demonic cucumbers shall go… and your tongue touches a new sweetness, the honey of heaven for the bees on earth…and you shall sing new song….

Finally, the angels in heaven and I invite you to God’s table in the wilderness. Whatever it costs you, pay the price and come. I assure you: you shall be healed, delivered and satisfied! If not, send me your receipt! I shall pay your bill!

In Christ I declare:

I worship, pray and study the Word of God daily!

I am healed, delivered and satisfied with God’s Word!

Jesus Christ is enough for me!

In Jesus name

Amen!

 
“As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to” (1Tim 5:11-13)

The words ‘talking nonsense’ in the scripture above mean the following:
To Bubble (like a foam on the sea, superficial, foolish talk); to be a Tattler (an informer against others to gain financial reward), To Prater (long and idle talk); to be a Garrulous person (pointlessly and annoying talkative), Idle (vain, unemployed, lazy) and vain (useless, unsuccessful, over proud in his appearance, foolish, silly)
To be Idle it means to be unemployed or careless, to lack evident means of support, hating work and good holy activity.
A busybody is someone who is more interested in the affairs of others than of his own. He volunteers to help when help is not needed. He meddles and trespasses in the lives of others, giving advice without restrain or good taste. This person is usually curious about others and indulges in gossip. He may be nice and generous but he is rude and annoying when provoked.
These are evil spirits who desire to destroy the anointing, the unity and the peace of the Spirit in the church. Watch them who only talk ‘in flesh’! Avoid them or rebuke them, as the Spirit leads. Do not help them financially, so that you do not share in their sins. Do not be led by appearances when making money donations. Many have ignorantly sponsored the agents of the devil. Go closer only to people who are truly born again and Spirit filled! Be wise!
And lastly, build up this holy habit to always give God all the glory!

In Christ I declare:
I hate to be idle
I hate to be a busybody!!
If I am jobless, I shall go to the house of God and find something to do there!
God will reward me for my labor!
I open my mouth to speak only words filed with wisdom and grace!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man…” (Gen 39:2)

These are strange words… God is mysterious in His dealing with us.

What is the secret of Joseph? He was a successful man, both spiritually and materially. In the Book of Genesis 39 the sentence ‘The Lord was with Joseph’ appears four times. That was his secret. The manifested presence of God affected his life and circumstances in three major ways:

*PROSPERITY

If God is with you as He was with Joseph, then He will bless all the works of your hands. You shall not lose money. You shall make profit. Your boss and business partners shall be blessed because of you. And they shall know it. For as long as you fear poverty, God is not with you as He was with Joseph.

*PROTECTION

Potiphar’s wife tempted him ‘day by day’.. He was a young man in a strange country. Because God is with him, Joseph adapts fast to his new environment. But he does not backslide there. The temptation to sin sexually was not easy to refuse. She is forward, rude and merciless. She has only two words: “Lie with me”. He responds with many passionate words of wisdom, remembering the God of his fathers. He calls adultery “a wicked thing against God”. See how Joseph feels responsible to host and protect the anointing over his life. He is ready to die than to grieve the Holy Spirit. His heart is protected by the presence and peace of God. For as long as you fear backsliding or untimely death, God is not with you as He was with Joseph.

*PROMOTION

Joseph could have been killed by angry Potiphar. But God was with him, so he was sent to prison. This was a special high class type of prison where ‘the king’s prisoners’ were kept. It seems that the same Potiphar was the overseer. The officer in charge saw the same thing Potiphar saw: the visible presence of God on Joseph. He did the same thing and promoted him to be in charge of all the prisoners. Eventually, at 30, he is freed and becomes the Prime Minister of Egypt. None could stop the promotion. For as long as you fear failure God is not with you as he was with Joseph.

God and Joseph had a covenant relationship. Each desired to be faithful to one another. Joseph felt responsible to protect the anointing. There is no other explanation for this type of extraordinary success except the presence of God. It is true that Joseph was hard working, faithful and a good man…but none explain this supernatural success except that ‘the Lord was with Joseph’. That is why all things worked together for good for him. A wise man said once:  “Our disappointments are God’s appointments”. This is true if God is with you.

Lastly, God’s presence was constant but that did not remove the pain of betrayal. God did it to prepare His servant to use him later as His ambassador on earth. God was maturing the character of Joseph!!!! For what Joseph discovered is that God’s heart is never against us even when His hand is against us. Another wise man said: “Joseph was sold so that he may not be honored and he was honored because he was sold”

Emmanuel is the secret of a successful life! This may sound so simple, but this is the truth!

May you covet God’s presence, above all things, above all else…

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God!

God is with me!

God shall prosper, protect and promote me!

Nothing can stop it!

To the glory of God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the Word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop… who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest” (Lk 8:15; NIV; TM)

The Parable of the Sower is basic to understand our salvation and our work for the Lord. There are four types of human beings in this world who call themselves’ believers’. The first three groups hear the Word of God but do not fulfill their destinies. Their hearts are too worldly, too stubborn or too complicated to allow the Word to multiply. They betray God’s purpose for their lives. They go to church, they hear sermons, they like their Bibles, but… the seed of life does not live…their heart refuse to host the power of eternal salvation.

This Parable may sound simple but behind the words of Jesus, there is sadness, too deep for words. I can feel it…But then…when sorrow wants to grip my soul, I am encouraged to read that some people who are true believers. I discover this mystery: Not all men disappoint themselves. Not all men betray God’s plan for them. What a relief…

Long ago I made up my mind that, no matter what, I will belong to this group of gloriously saved souls!!!  I decided that, no matter what, I will never disappoint Jesus and His grace, grieve the Holy Spirit or betray my destiny! Please help me, God!

So this is my testimony…I belong to them who chose to have a good and noble heart; the mind of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. I chose to spend time in God’s presence, to study his Word and pray. This is my choice! I pay the price for my choice! Nobody is forcing me! I am not doing it for money or fame! I am doing it for the joy and pure love of my Lord! I love Jesus too much to remain idle in mind or hard in my heart. I sit at the feet of Jesus hours on end. Like Mary of Bethany, I offer Him the precious gift of my time on earth. I learned to sacrifice any other desire on the altar of this godly heart. I had to perfect and minimize the rest activities… no mistakes in the kitchen… no waste of time when cleaning the house…Thank God for the washing machine, vacuum cleaner, microwave and ‘Indomie’ noodles. I smile as I write this…All is well…

The hardest of all virtues to master is to quietly persevere in spite of body tiredness, sickness, old age, distractions, setbacks, stress or misunderstanding from friends and family. This perseverance also called ‘longsuffering’, to continue to trust God and His Word is the key to fruitfulness in ministry. I love the Word of God. There are days when I am excited with new revelations…The Greek and the Hebrews translations, the commentaries and the dictionaries…these all work together for my good, helping me rejoice in finding light in the darkness and joy in the desert. These are good times…But there are also seasons when all books seem closed, when the Word of God is ‘locked’ from above, when Jesus is too busy with others to remember me… or this is how I feel…During these times of spiritual dryness… of hard to describe loneliness… of asking myself if I did not miss it…of fears… of doubts… I have learned by experience to remain faithful to my choice of long ago…to still continue to read my Bible and pray… to still have hope… to still believe in God…I remind myself of the truth: Jesus Christ is Lord…my Lord… He knows all pains…my tears are not forsaken on the ground but are all gathered in His bottle…my labor of love shall be rewarded and, not too long from now…my harvest shall be revealed and the crown of life securely pinned on my head…

Oh, dear Hope… you have become my twin sister…I agree with you: we shall stick together unto the end…

No matter what!!!

In Christ I declare:

I shall study the Word of God and pray always!

I shall persevere until the end!

No matter what!

The harvest, the crown, the reward and the Joy of my Lord is sure!

In Jesus name

Amen

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“God also says:
“When the time’s ripe, I answer you.
When victory’s due, I help you.
I form you and use you
to reconnect the people with Me,
To put the land in order,
to resettle families on the ruined properties…”
(Is 49:8; TM)

The child of God…

“his path (is) blazed by God, he’s happy.

If he stumbles, he’s not down for long; (for) God has a grip on his hand” (Ps 37:23, 24; TM)

We are building our new sanctuary. Most of the work is done with the willing volunteers from the church. They are lovingly called ‘the men of valor’. The women in the church have decided to cook daily for the workers. This holy project is on for about two years. Every day one of the women cooks for about 50 men. This is not a small job…The men like ‘heavy’ food. Here it is called ‘eba ’and it is made from cassava flour mixed with hot water. It becomes strong like a ball. It is eaten with different soups.

Sister Ufuoma was the one to cook yesterday. Her name in the native language means ‘Peace’. She is a godly wife, a wonderful mother of two and heavily pregnant. She also goes to school intending to be a teacher. This is her testimony: Yesterday, at lunch time, she came with the food to the site. She stopped the car close to the building. She went behind, opened the boot (trunk) of the car and brought down the heavy coolers with the hot food. Then she went back to the wheel and…by mistake…she reversed the car…the tires crushed the coolers and all the food was wasted on the ground… The workers shouted to stop but, somehow, she did not hear…When she saw what happened, she cried…of course… then she did what a woman of God should do…tears on her face, she entered the car and drove back to the market, bought the meat and the stuff…went home and cooked again… before the brethren closed for the day, at about 6 pm, to the shouts of ‘Praise the Lord!’… Ufuoma was back with new coolers and hot food and all…

This is not easy… She had every reason to just cry, then go home and sleep. But she could not declare defeat. God gave her the grace and the strength to redeem the time and make the best out of a hopeless situation. She obeyed the command to conquer evil with good.

Maybe by now you realize that I am very proud of my spiritual daughters here.

To God be all the glory!

In Christ I declare:

If I stumble, I do not fall, for God grips me!

I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me!

Praise the Lord!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor…if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother… And those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you…” (Ex 20:16; Deut 19:18-20)

God hates evil. God hates the sin of lying, of giving a false testimony against another. God is the God of Justice.

Perjury is the willful, deliberate act of giving false, misleading, or incomplete testimony under oath in the court. It is the attempt to deceive, misuse or manipulate the judge to do harm against another person. The punishment on the perjurer is determined by the perjurer himself. The harm he planned to do against another shall return back to him.

In The Old Testament, one witness was not enough to convict someone of a crime. At least two people were needed to testify against a suspect. But if any man bore false witness against another, that is considered evil. The liar shall receive the exact punishment he intended for the innocent victim. This reversal of punishment was God’s way to bring the fear of God in the land, to bring to and end the flood of sin and wickedness. There shall be no mercy with any slanderer (Deut 19:15-21).

In the Book of Esther there is classical story on how the God of justice reversed the human manipulations and gave the guilty man the punishment he intended against the innocent. Haman ‘the enemy of the Jews’ was the prime minister in Persia. He convinced King Xerxes to kill all the Jews in the land by saying that they are a very rebellious and evil people. The King was deceived by this false testimony. He agreed to the crime, not knowing that his wife, Queen Ester is a Jew. Also, Mordecai, one of his most faithful servants, one who saved his life in the past, is also a Jew. But the Sovereign God intervenes and over-rules the plans of the wicked. When the king discovers Haman’s evil plan he reversed it. The reward Haman planned for himself was given to Mordecai. Also, the exact punishment he planned for Mordecai was given to him. This is how Haman died and Mordecai took his place. The Jews rejoiced all over the land for God changed their sorrow into joy and brought life out of death!

This is the Gospel of Christ! Jesus died on the Cross to save His people! Anyone who rejects the Gospel is condemned already!

We pray for revival in this land. Revival comes when men shall fear God, when they take His Word seriously. The Holy Spirit convicts all men of the Judgment of God. Jesus shall come again. He shall judge all sinners! There is mercy only for them who belong to Him. The rest shall perish. Sinner, give your life to Christ! Repent of every wicked thought or careless word you spoke against another! You do not have to bring down a man to take his position. Genuine promotion comes only from God! This is not my opinion. This is the truth. Repent and be saved! Come to the Cross! Let the Blood of Jesus speak on behalf of your soul! Jesus is the only way to escape the wrath of God! May God touch your heart today! This is my prayer for you…

In Christ I declare:

I make a covenant with God today: FROM TODAY, I SHALL NEVER LIE AGAIN!

No matter what, I shall always speak the truth in love!

Holy Spirit, help me!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“So I (Jesus) tell you to stop worrying…”

“The Lord is near. Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks” (Mt 6:25; Philip 4:5, 6)

Worry is defined as an aggressive mental attack of anxiety.  Worry is totally useless and even dangerous.

Spiritually, worry is an attack coming from evil spirits. It is a continuous harassment; disturbance, nagging or torment intended to shake your position of peace. Like wild dogs, the evil spirits attack the neck, the most vulnerable part of the body. The purpose is to choke you to death, like with a rope around the neck. The effect of this slow strangulation is that you cannot breathe or swallow well. Spiritually speaking, the breath represents the Holy Spirit. Swallowing food, the bread of live and drinking the living water represent the daily intake of the Word of God. Therefore, worry is the major hindrance against being filled with the Holy Spirit and of the understanding of God’s Word.

The effect of worry is seen upon God’s Word deposited in the heart. It chokes it! It strangulates it from within! The Word cannot grow and multiply. The anxious heart becomes dry and barren (Mk 4:7). It is like a pregnancy that fails to develop! In other words, constant worry is able to hinder the spiritual growth of a believer. You have to identify it and completely reject it!

What is the solution?

It is prayer!

We are commanded by the Lord not to be anxious! This is not just a suggestion. It is His command and we either obey it or not. Dear believer, to continue to worry about your life, brings you close to the cursed and dangerous land of rebellion, which is connected and strengthened by witchcraft (1Sam 15:23). This is a most serious charge! This is the Truth!

Anxiety is a spiritual toxic waste. It spreads like poison, like spiritual pollution, everywhere. One anxious person does a lot of harm to his family and community. As a child of God, my ministry should be ‘a recycling godly factory’ that overcomes evil with good. I diligently replace anxiety with prayer, worship and thanksgiving! Therefore, in obedience with God’s Word, I should stop worrying! Now! I should reject all evil spirits of mental harassment! I should not just quietly tolerate them. I should actively reject them thru spiritual warfare. Instead of worrying, I should change all my anxieties into prayer, worship and thanksgiving to God! From today, this is exactly what I shall do! This is my promise to God!

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God!

I resist and reject all forms of worry!

I pray always!

I give thanks to God!

I am delivered from worry!

Peace is my portion!

I am a blessing to my family and my community!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

 
“I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus” (Rev 19:10)

Are you calling my name?
Do you want me to listen to your testimony…I would love that…but I need to hear your heart first, then your words…is your cross like my cross…tell me how your world came to an end… show me the spot where, without any rehearsal, spontaneously, your spirit’s overflow voiced the eternal ‘It is finished!’…let me hear your silence…when words fail… the hammer’s sound is the only living song…the Cross denies entrance to hope…when the head bows in surrender and the devils rejoice for such an easy victory…
Tell me also how you woke up like from the dead…tell me about the day when your tears dried and all fears died…how you discovered that Christ died in your place…when your cage was broken and you came out with wings of rainbows and stars in your hands… Let me hear the breeze of the resurrection power destroying all opposition… describe to me the terror of the terror of darkness… the fleeing and the falling of wicked opposition…the sudden turning of tables… the new beginning of an untamed hope…the shower and the inspiration of true worship… the impartation of heaven and the gift from the Most High…tell me about Jesus and how He has changed your heart…how His prayer became yours, His song yours and His testimony of death and life yours…All stories make me tired, even before they end…. But the testimony of Jesus makes me happy and strong…I never get tired of the story of Jesus…so here I am, my friend, tell me about my Lord…I promise to always listen… .

In Christ I declare:
I testify about Jesus my Lord!
I am saved by grace!
The Holy Spirit of prophecy is upon me!
I worship God alone!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that…Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev 19:10)

True testimony is always prophetic. Prophesy means ‘to speak for God’, to tell others God’s opinion about a situation. God’s opinion is truth. Truth sets free. Jesus testifies about the Father. The Holy Spirit testifies about Jesus. These THREE are ONE!

We too must be sensitive and maintain the unity of the Spirit when speaking, preaching, prophesying, counseling, testifying or teaching. Any other type of speech that masquerades itself as ‘a testimony’ is a proud utterance of idolatry and false prophecy. It should be completely rejected!

A true prophetic utterance must follow the testimony pattern of the life and death of the Lord Jesus Christ. The testifier should prove to us how the Lord Jesus changed his life. He should be able to guide us on the same path of humiliation and rejection to the place of suffering, forgiveness and death. The flesh can never take a stroll on Calvary Hill. The flesh can only boast of self and gossip. Only the spirit can truly minister life thru personal experience and godly testimony. The flesh will soon be tired and fall…but the Spirit leads the way and empowers the willing pilgrim…

In Christ I declare:

This is my testimony: I deny myself, I carry my cross daily and I follow Jesus!

This is my story; this is my song; praising my Savior, all the day long!

In Jesus name

Amen!