HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

The Women’s Fellowship was very good. We praised God with singing and dancing. We prayed and prophesied. We shared testimonies about the goodness of God. There was an altar call for prayer for the married women who pray to have children. The God of Abraham and Sarah will give you the desire of your hearts! Then the word of God came: THE NEED TO BE PATIENT

Genesis 16 is a painful chapter to read. We see Abraham and Sarah making mistakes. We see the consequences of their mistakes. We see the suffering of the maid Hagar and we cannot but sympathize with her pains. This is the basic story: God promised Abraham that he will be the father of many descendants. Many years have passed since that promise was made and Sarah was still unable to conceive a baby. Tired of waiting on God, Sarai becomes impatient and tells Abraham ‘to sleep’ with her Egyptian maid Hagar. According to the tradition at that time, the slave’s child will be hers. Abraham did not argue with her proposal. He slept with Hagar and she became pregnant immediately. Once pregnant, Hagar ‘despised’ her mistress. Her proud attitude brought major crisis in the home.

Sarah ‘dealt harshly’ with Hagar who runs away thru the desert, towards Egypt, her home. She stops at a place called Shur, about 150 miles away from the home of Abraham. The Angel of the Lord (who many believe is the Lord Jesus Christ) encounters her by a well, comforts her; shows her grace and mercy. This story reminds us of another Gentile woman who met the Lord Jesus Christ by the well (John 4). Does Jesus care for the oppressed, the slaves and sinners? The answer is yes! He cares! Oh, the ways of the Lord are so different than our ways. The Angel tells her to go back home to her mistress Sarah. She obeys! Pregnant, she treks back another 150 miles. Selah! That must have been difficult. It was not easy to go back to her slavery and submit to Sarah. But this time she had hope from God. She eventually has a son called ‘Ishmael’, meaning ‘God who hears me’.

Abraham and Sarah’s manipulation of God’s plan for their lives displeased God. For the next 13 years, God keeps silent. Abraham is 99 years old when Jehovah El Shaddai speaks again. He calls Abraham to a life of holiness and total surrender (Genesis 17). Abram’s name is changed from Abram to Abraham. Sarai’s name is also changed. Sarai means ‘Princess’. But now, as Sarah, she becomes ‘a royal princess’, God’s Princess! This is true blessed promotion in life (Gen 17:15, 16)

What are some of the lessons for us? The most important lesson is that we need faith and patience to inherit the promises of God (Heb 6:12). Many believers pray for greater faith. Few pray to be more patient. Faith matures thru testing. One of the most difficult tests to pass is the test of time. We need to learn to endure joyfully the trials of faith. This endurance is called patience or perseverance. God is patient and faithful. He desires that we should be like Him. Patience builds character and hope. It is only the patient believer who is ready to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to experience the comforting Love of God. Patience eliminates every disappointment in life (Rom 5:1-5). An impatient man or woman conceives trouble, will experience much pain and shame. Insisting to receive a blessing before God’s time will surely bring sorrow. It is not easy to wait on God. But waiting for God’s time is the best protection against disappointment. The waiting time connects the promise to the performance. It is hard to be patient. But it is the best way! Never use worldly means to accomplish God’s work. Wait upon the Lord! Impatience is sin! Repent! Go to the Cross. You have hurt yourself and many people close to you. As you walk by faith, in case of delays, pray for wisdom to understand the mind of God. Even as you trust God for a better future, be grateful for what you have right now, at this present moment. Don’t worry about tomorrow! Before the breakthrough comes, do the little good work you can today. Learn to slow down. Enjoy a quieter life. Take time to smell the roses… Continue to pray. Do not give up on prayer. Often, delay is not denial. Serve God the best way you can. Worship God and give Him thanks no matter what! Sooner or later, the testimony shall come! Amen!

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

“Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked” (1Jn 2:6)
The Saturday night prayer meeting was very good. The Holy Spirit helped us to pray, praise and prophesy. We prayed for our bodies. We dedicated our bodies to God as members of righteousness. Our feet shall go ONLY where the Holy Spirit shall direct. We shall not go towards the darkness of the world. We shall walk like Jesus walked. Our hands shall not touch evil things, fornication, stealing or needless violence. Our hands shall be used to praise God. We shall lift holy hands unto the Lord. We shall clap in harmony with the Holy Spirit. God will bless the work of our hands! Our eyes shall see only what the Holy Spirit reveals. Our eyes shall be like X-ray to see in the Spirit realm. The darkness around us shall become light and we shall see King Jesus enthroned in every situation. Our eyes shall not be interested in lustful, dirty or covetous things. We shall be blind to the pictures of the devil. Our ears shall be circumcised by the Holy Spirit. Every unholy blockage is removed. We shall hear only the voice of the Holy Spirit guiding us in the path of life. We shall be deaf to the voice of the evil spirits even if they use a trumpet to talk to us. We prayed for our hearts, minds and mouths. We shall be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak only the Word of God.

My husband and I have just arrived back to Nigeria after a very successful ministry trip. ‘Big people’ are welcomed back at the airport with flowers and greetings. But I prefer to be welcomed with fresh revelations and testimonies to the glory of God! This is one of them waiting for me. Read and be blessed. May your faith increase! In Jesus name!

“Dear Malia 
Greetings to you ma. Welcome back! I remember some years ago when you shared the testimony of my car, you referred to me as having 3 kids. When I came to see you in your office, while talking to me, you still mentioned my “3” kids. I drew your attention to this and reminded I have 2,not 3 kids. You did not take back your words, instead you said “maybe you’re meant to have 3″! I told you how my husband doesn’t want more than 2,and he’s very vehement about it. He wants to provide the best for our kids so 2 were just all he wanted, especially in this economy. You just smiled and told me” maybe the arrival of the 3rd will open more doors of blessings, because there must be a reason why I keep saying you have 3
kids”. When I got home, I repeated your words to my husband and he said “Malia does not speak empty words o! But I still think 2 are ok, so let’s be extra careful.”

“Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great… David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep… Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. So David inquired of the Lord, saying: “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all… So David recovered all…” (1 Sam 30:1-18)

This is one of the most interesting and practical passages in the Bible. David was at one of his lowest points in life. While David and his men were away, the Amalekites (who represent the demons) have captured their wives, children and all their property. The men wept for the loss until the tears failed to come. David’s friends were so grieved and angry that they wanted to stone their leader to death. In these terrible and tragic circumstances, we are told the ‘David encouraged himself in the Lord his God’. Once he received strength to stand, David asked for the lined ephod to be brought to him. This ephod is the most beautiful part of the dressing of the High Priest. By faith, David does the ministry of a priest. He boldly enters the presence of God and asks questions concerning the terrible situation. God gives him the strategy. He is to pursue the enemy, overcome it and he shall recover all that was lost. David obeys the Word of God and he recovers all.

What is the lesson? Child of God, when prayers fail, when tears are dry, when friends betray and money is gone, when you are all alone and completely misunderstood, then do what David did: ‘encourage yourself in the Lord your God!’ Be careful not to allow depression to set in. Depression is very addictive. Failure feelings become a nest of comfort zone. You feel like a loser and start hating the change for the better. Other believers, your pastors and friends are all good to help you when they can. But do not be over attached to human beings. No man is God! There shall be times when you are all alone and you need to learn the royal secret of self- encouragement in the Lord. You enter the presence of God with worship! You go to the Word of God, you remind yourself of His promises; you remember the testimonies of the past. Pray and stay focused. Strength and hope shall come! Jesus said: ‘You shall receive power once the Holy Ghost comes upon you!’ (Ac 1:8).

If you find yourself in an impossible situation then go to God and ask for wisdom. You are a priest and a king. Behave like one! Reject all inferiority complexes concerning your royal priesthood calling! A king is known by his heart and his mouth. Your father is the Lion of Judah! Roar like your Father! By the power of the Holy Spirit become bold and speak with authority. Pray to God! He hears you! Prophesy over your life and circumstances! In the name of Jesus, demons will run away. Why live with this sense of failure and loss when truly you can fight back and ‘recover all’? Things lost when you were young, opportunities missed in the past, mistakes and regrets of years gone by, these things can be changed; these can be reversed! At the name of Jesus every knee must bow! God can grant you total recovery! These are the secrets of encouraging yourself: Entering the presence of God, prayer, the promises of God, His provision and finally warfare praise. Be strong in the power of God’s might! Come back with a testimony! Let’s glorify God together! In Jesus name, amen!

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Is 53:3-5)

This is the description of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit revealed it to the Prophet Isaiah long before the first Christmas. Isaiah saw Him as a suffering servant set to do the will of God. He also saw Him in His glory that followed His sufferings. This is a word for all who are sick at heart, in their mind on in their body. ‘By His stripes we are healed!’ Please meditate upon these words! It is not saying that ‘we shall be healed’ in the future. We are healed now! If you believe that Jesus was punished and died on the Cross for your sins and that He carried away your sicknesses then you are healed NOW! The word ‘stripes’ means permanent marks on the body following severe beating with the whip or with the rod. It is a raised mark on the surface of the body produced by a grievous blow. The Lord acquired these stripes on the Cross. He took the punishment for our sins. In heaven He has a new body but the stripes are still there as a reminder. His hands are still punctured by the nails on earth. Oh, what a Savior…

This is my testimony: When I am sick, I pray and trust God for healing. I repeat these holy words with faith and courage: ‘By Your stripes I am healed!’ I repeat these words again and again; when I am in the kitchen and cooking; when I climb the stairs… I say these words when I take my shower… By the time my mouth is tired of saying them, the sickness is gone! The Word of God is a holy seed. Let it enter into your spirit! It will produce roots and fruits. One of the fruits is called faith! May your faith increase!  May your testimony be established! Glory to God!

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

The prayer meeting was very good. We chose to worship God, not because He answers our prayers, but just because of who He is. God is worthy of our highest praise. We brought down our crowns and placed them at the feet of Jesus. The Holy Spirit moved in our midst, reviving our hearts. The anointing brought a word: ‘Your labor was long and difficult… But this labor has a beginning and an end. It is not forever. It started with ‘why, God?’ and it will end with ‘Halleluiah’. This pain must become worship! God has given you a new beginning… Old things have passed away and everything becomes new…new…new’. People believed the word and confessed it to be true. We humbled ourselves under the mighty hand of God. We continued to worship God for who He is and not only for His miracles. Suddenly, God lifted us up, according to His promise. Our hearts were flooded with peace and joy. The truth is that if you are not born again, you will not understand these words. But if you are, the Holy Spirit will witness to your spirit that these words are true and powerful. Faith produces works of wonder.  The testimonies shall follow.

We have entered a season of peace (shalom). The word was taken from 2 Kings 5. It is the story of a rich and famous general called Naaman. His name means ‘pleasant’. People (his servants, soldiers and friends) like him. His wife loves him. But the same people cannot help him. His god and king cannot help him. He is a lonely sad man. Behind his army uniform, there is the stench of leprosy. The stinking general… In the midst of this tragedy, a Jewish servant girl brings a word of faith and hope: “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy” (2Kg 5:3). Listen to the sound of faith! May your faith increase and bless somebody in need!

A big man like Naaman can never listen to a slave girl. But leprosy does not discriminate: the rich and the pauper have it! The smell is the same… If Naaman was well, he will never listen to a slave girl. But this big man has no other hope and he has to cling to the only ray of sunshine available to him.  From the day the girl gives him hope, Naaman starts seeking Jehovah God, who alone can heal him. He carries silver, gold and ‘designer’ clothes to be given as a gift to whosoever will heal him. The total amount in today’s money is about $2, 6 million dollars. Why so much money? This is because the pagans believe that if you need something you must be able to buy it. But grace is not for sale, as Naaman will soon discover. Eventually, Naaman is healed. Not because he is a good man. Not because he merits to be healed. After all he is the general of the Syrian army who conquered the people of God. Then why is he healed? So that the world at that time knows that there is a true prophet in Israel. Syria could defeat Israel as a country but could not defeat the spirit of Prophet Elisha, whose allegiance is to God alone.

The command was a simple one. Even an ordinary soldier can understand. But the general has difficulties with this simple command. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be healed.” (2 Kg 5:10). That is all. No other explanation. No bill to be paid.  Naaman was furious. May anger and pride not make you lose your miracle! River Jordan was a dirty slow moving river. It stands for the Cross. Seven dips in the Jordan and he was healed! Oh, the simplicity of the Gospel. Obedience leads to healing, to the miracle you need. The grace of God is greater than any sin! May your faith increase! The reason you read the Bible is so that you apply the Word of God to yourself and believe! The same power that healed Naaman, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to you today! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! In Jesus’ name, amen!

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1Thess 5:11)

There are too many men and women around who discourage the true believers. They find (little) fault with everything. They grumble about life but they do not want to die. If you become successful, they make you feel guilty. If you do the right thing, they make you feel ashamed. If you want to move on in life, they remind you of your past and tie a rope at your back. They spread spiritual poison everywhere they go. Their greetings are warnings in disguise. They puncture your joy and quench your zeal. They minimize your peace and maximize your anxieties. They say that marriage is good but it can end in divorce… They say that work is good but the payment is too small… They say that church is nice but the music is too loud… They say that the sun shines, but it is not bright enough… Dear friend, look around yourself and see, who are your ‘friends’? Do not sponsor discouragement! It grieves the Holy Spirit and makes people sad when God has not made them sad. Look unto Jesus this morning! Rejoice without regret! May your joy be full and never ending! Child of God, from your heart, please encourage others with the encouragement you have freely received! In Jesus’ name, amen!

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (Jam 4:7)

This is a command for the believers in Christ: you must be engaged in spiritual warfare. You cannot gain new territories (for Christ) and new blessings (for you) without warfare against the devil. Fear not! The devil is a spiritual (therefore invisible) person. He works thru the flesh. He deceives and tempts you. But in Christ, the victory is sure!

The works of the flesh as described in a new translation of the Bible called ‘The Message’ are as follows:

“It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on… (Gal 5:19-21; TM)

The Lord Jesus Christ said that ‘the flesh profits nothing’ (Jn 6:63). The flesh is that part of the human body that it is not under the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit. In Greek, the word ‘profit’ means something that is useful, helpful, gives you an advantage so that you prevail against your opponents. The spiritual ‘profit’ makes your life better. The flesh is the opposite of this. Therefore, a man who lives in the flesh is a failure and a tragedy.  The unbeliever or the fleshly backslider is a useless spouse or friend. He (she) cannot help you, cannot impact your life for better, cannot pray or counsel you. No matter his level of education or the wealth he has, a man who lives only to please his flesh is an enemy to God and a liability to any relationship. Avoid such a man!

Read the command again! Memorize it! Your spirit must digest it! You are commanded to resist the devil as a person. This is a personal battle, as ‘man to man’. You cannot hide among the other soldiers. You have to do it yourself! You cannot delegate it to another person. Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit you must prepare and fight the good fight of faith yourself! The word ‘resist’ is a positional command given to a soldier. Your Officer in charge (the Lord Jesus Christ) commands you to stand in a clear, fearless and open resistance against the devil. This is a standing and not a falling. Practically it means that you should expose and reject all lies and all deceptions that ‘come to you’. You cannot reject all lies that ‘fly’ over your head, but it is your duty to instantly ‘kill’ any lie that comes to you directly thru people, being them friends or enemies. You need to be alert and strong! God will help you!

For you to be able to resist the Devil who is the Liar, the Deceiver, the Slanderer or the False Prophet, you must be in the right position, spiritually speaking. You must be born again, Spirit filled and walking in the Spirit.  You must be totally submitted to God, to His Word and to His Spirit. The word ‘submit’ means that you abide, that you dwell un-interrupted in Christ alone. You habitually obey the Word of God. You have repented of all known sin and you are ready and willing to repent of any other sin as revealed by the Holy Spirit. It means that you have found your identity and purpose in Christ alone. God’s perfect will is manifesting in your life with fruit to prove your identity as a child of God. You are a strong Christian, established in the doctrines of the faith. You chose to submit to God and to all the authorities God has given you as spiritual covering, to which you chose to be accountable. It means that you reject all forms of empty religion, rebellion and selfishness.  From this established in the faith position, you now detect and instantly resist your enemy, the devil. This resisting is done thru the power of the Holy Spirit, thru the proclamation of the Word of God, thru prayer and pleading the Blood of Jesus over you.

How long will you resist? Until the promise of God manifests: until the same devil that attacked you flees from you. The word ‘flee’ means to vanish, to disappear or to melt away. This is very important: you do not stop resisting the deceiver until he completely disappears from your spiritual radar, until the lies have been totally silenced and affect you no more. The resisting may be long. But the fleeing comes in an instant. The victory is always very clear and very sweet to your spirit. It manifests as sudden destruction of old standing bondages, as healing of the body, peace and joy in your soul. The victory brings a higher level of spiritual authority and confidence in your ministry. The Holy Spirit will witness to that. You shall see it and others shall see it. This victory cannot be hidden! The vision shall surely speak at last! Glory to God!  Glory to God!! Glory to God!!!

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

The women’ Fellowship was very good. In other words it was ‘spiritually sweet’. The sisters were attentive, cooperating with the leading of the Holy Spirit. We praised God with songs and dancing. There was an overflow of testimonies, the greatest we had since we started the church. Praise the Lord! Then the Word came! According to the last chapter of the Song of Songs the following are the main ingredients that make a marriage happy and successful: Trust, love, spirituality, working together for the common good, having godly friends and stirring each other to greater heights, to become like Jesus!

*TRUST

“Who is she coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? (SS 8:5)

Trust to a relationship is like oxygen to the body. Without trust the relationship will suffocate and die. Here we see this couple coming out from the wilderness. The wilderness is a place of death. There is no water, no flowers and no colors. It stands for the world which is full of trials and temptations. This couple has endured many things in the desert. But they stayed together and they are coming out of it together. The Bride is ‘leaning’ upon her Beloved! This is a position of trust. The Lover is stronger than her. She needs his help. She trusts him to help her. They walk together, trusting each other. The wilderness experience was difficult and painful but it failed to separate the two of them. Divorce died in the heat of the desert of life. They are still together carrying a testimony of loving trust and resurrection power. Trust is a fighter and a survivor! Trust in God and in one another is not easy to achieve. But it is vital for the success of any relationship. Trust is defined as the unquestioning reliance on the character and strength of another. It is the confident expectation of hope; the assurance that the future of the relationship will be better than the present. Trust gives a feeling of security. Trust is built having faith in the Word of God and from past experiences you had together. When you trust your husband you believe that he will be sexually faithful in the marriage, understand your deepest needs and help you fulfil them. That is why mature trust is always connected with deep understanding and with total satisfaction at all levels, spiritual and physical. Trust is a royal crown to a successful marriage.

Once trust is broken, it is very hard, but not impossible, to regain. Trust must be earned. It takes hard work and patience to re-build trust. The first reason for broken trust is money. You both need to build trust in the way you handle finances. If you cannot trust your spouse with your money, you will not be able to trust him (or her) with other things. The second reason is adultery. The opposite of trust is anxiety and doubt. These feelings appear when you think that your spouse exploits you and does not have your best interests at heart.  How do you build trust? By first of all putting all your trust in God and His Word! Out of that faith you can invest your trust in one another. To build trust you need good communication and understanding. Learn how to say ‘yes’ and how to say ‘no’. Do not always say ‘yes’ just to avoid arguments. Be true to your conscience, your feelings and desires. Share your vision for life with your husband. Do not sacrifice your dreams for the sake of ‘peace’. You need to listen to the other’s perspective. Put yourself in ‘his shoes’. Try to understand his fears and pains. Help the other in his weaknesses. The desire to help will build trust. Pray that your marriage will grow, spiritually and emotionally. A stagnant relationship becomes a place where the weeds of doubt will grow. Building your marriage together creates excitement and trust. Try to do something new together, travel together; serve God together! Make new memories together. Have new things to talk about. Don’t overstretch the relationship. Do not provoke one another to jealousy. Don’t keep secrets. Be open and vulnerable with each other. Keeping secrets takes a lot of energy and destroys trust. If you are secretive you will become tired and sad. Be gentle and wise with each other. Each one has a different level of maturity. There are seasons in each relationship. Keep your eyes on Jesus as you grow together! Finally, remember that these are just guidelines. Building loving trust takes a life time.  Trust is risky but very rewarding! May God help you to build a happy home! In Jesus’ name, amen!

“This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you” (2Kg 20:5)

Have faith, not in yourself, but in God! Trust the Word of God! This sickness is not here to stay. It must go away! I join my faith with yours to pray for you today! Our eyes are on the Lord Jesus, waiting for the healing to come. We have no other God and no other hope than the Lord Jesus Christ. It does not matter how big your sickness is. It does not matter what the doctors say (I am a doctor and I remember how many times, God disappointed me in the past, by healing my dying patients…)

“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil… And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph 4:26, 27, 30)

Anger is a strong uncomfortable and hostile emotional response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat. Anger impacts the body: increases the heart rate, the blood pressure, gives headaches, ulcer or depression. Anger desires to destroy something to be satisfied. Many people with unresolved anger die untimely death. Anger destroys relationships and is a major cause for divorce. There is a righteous anger and there is a sinful anger. Please note that there is a godly Christian anger that is not sinful! Few believers have learned the skill to use it successfully! To do spiritual warfare and successful deliverance on others you need to be angry! We are commanded to be angry the way God is angry! But we should be aware that there is a great danger for anger to become sinful. Any anger that is out of control, is not governed by the Word of God, is too extreme or too long in time will grieve the Holy Spirit. That anger is sinful. It must be repented of! The first crime, when Cain killed Abel, it was because of anger. The devil is the author of all sins, but two in particular: lying and anger are directly connected to him.

Anger manifests in two ways: aggressive (loud) anger and passive (silent) anger. The aggressive anger is easier to identify. It manifests as shouting, quarreling, bullying, oppressing people, hurting them and ignoring their feelings. These angry people always blame others. Their words are harsh causing much pain. They have a tendency to speak fast, drive fast and often seem impatient. They are reckless in spending money. The passive anger is quieter but it is as deadly as the one above. These people are emotionally cold. They display ‘I don’t care’ attitude. They oversleep, over-eat or over-diet. They refuse to help others who are in need. They ignore other people’s feelings. They talk to people like they are objects and not human beings. They avoid quarrels. They love to manipulate the aggressive anger people. They provoke them and when they get angry, they preach to them. The passive angry people are proud and more religious, thinking that they are better at controlling their anger. They have small vision for life. They make friends with other angry losers. They are secretive and gossip others. The silent anger is like a poison that kills the joy of all around them.

We are commanded to be angry like God is angry. God’s anger is always just. It a sign of His love because God hates sin! God’s anger is displayed and it was satisfied at the Cross! Because Jesus became sin for us, God’s anger ‘killed’ Him! We should fear God’s anger!

Study the way Jesus manifested His anger! Under great provocation He never sinned. His anger was always under control. He was angry with the religious leaders who were doing business in the house of God. He drove them away and overturned the tables. But He did not kill the doves these men were selling. In anger He rebuked the Pharisees saying that God’s house is ‘a house of prayer for all nations’ (Mk 11:17). Here we see that godly anger is necessary to do deliverance and spiritual warfare. A godly anger will result in an improved prayer life that will affect the nations. This is not a selfish small vision type of prayer. This is a free, generous intercession, revival producing prayer that God is delighted to answer. In another instance Jesus heals a man with a withered hand (Mk 3:1-5). The religious leaders were manifesting silent anger planning to kill Jesus. He too was angry with them because of their hardened stubborn hearts. God’s anger defeats human anger! The anger of Jesus manifested in healing the sick.

May we learn from the Lord to be angry and sin not! May we use our godly anger to attack the devil’s stronghold and to set the captives free!

I am angry with the devil! Therefore I say: Be healed! Be delivered! Be made whole! Be free! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! In Jesus’ name, amen! To the glory of God!

This is a word of encouragement for the believer who is at the threshold of deliverance. You have prayed and trusted God. You are now waiting for your healing, your breakthrough or your deliverance. But suddenly things got worse. Please read Exodus 5. Prophetically this is a drama and you are an actor there. Choose your ‘role’! Pharaoh stands for the devil. Moses and Aaron stand for mature servants of God, leaders, pastors. The people of God represent the believers in Christ. The Egyptians are your unbelieving friends and relatives. They do not understand your desire to be free. If they do not get converted to Jehovah they will be left behind once the door of freedom is opened for you.

This is the background story: The people of Israel have been in Egypt for more than 400 years. Initially things were good for them but later, they became slaves to the Egyptians and suffered greatly. God sees their pain and sends Moses in His name to be their savior. Moses confronts Pharaoh, the king of Egypt with the words: “Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness!” (Ex 5:1).  Pharaoh rejects Jehovah’s word. He attacks God’s people. He increases the burden upon the slaves. From now on they have to work double for the same ‘salary’. The leaders of God’s people are under great pressure to perform the impossible. To please Pharaoh they oppress their own people. But they failed to perform. They are beaten and abused by the Egyptians task masters. Lesson: persecution coming from your friends and enemies shall increase just before your healing, your deliverance. Behind them is the devil who is trying to stop your progress!

Under pressure to work in such a negative environment of hopeless frustration and deep depression, the people of God make two mistakes. The first one is this: they go and cry to Pharaoh to make their labor lighter. Pharaoh refuses to listen to their pleas and even insults them saying that they are ‘idle and lazy’. Pharaoh calls their desire to worship Jehovah as ‘lies and vain words’. Lesson: the devil has no mercy. Never expect any good thing from the devil. He will try to kill you with work so that you forget to worship your God. You should cry to God and not to the devil. This is the second mistake: Rejected by Pharaoh, the people of God insulted Moses and Aaron. They blamed their leaders for their troubles. Lesson: if you are blind to God’s plan to heal you, to deliver you, to bless you, when trouble comes you will attack the man of God who brought you the good news of salvation and hope. Never insult your pastors! Bless and pray for them!

Moses stands as a true man of God. In the past, when his people rejected him as their leader, Moses ran away from ministry. But this time he stands trusting God. He does the right thing: “Moses returned to the Lord” (Ex 5:22). Moses prays to God who answers with an immediate action. This is not a time for only words! God promises to  punish Egypt and they will know that He is God! “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord” (Ex 6:1, 2)

Child of God, these are some lessons for this season: God calls you to serve Him but your obedience must be tasted. You have to stand faithful even when you are lonely and rejected like Moses!  Trust God who called you. Do not trust in man! Never complain! Do not slander your pastors!  Pray for wisdom, for understanding of God’s plan in your life! God sees the end from the beginning. Pray that you see the end of the trial too! The joy you see at the end will empower you to endure! The devil hates God’s worship and God’s work. You must pay the price to be a worshipper or a worker for God!  Trust God for the breakthrough! For miracles! For vengeance! You should know that before the day breaks the night is the darkest. Be encouraged! Forget the past! The devil is a liar and a loser! God has the last say! Press on into the light! Exercise your faith! Hold on to your hope!  God is working something on your behalf! God is not a man that He should lie! This trial will not kill you! You shall come out of this fire stronger than ever! Your testimony has been approved by God! Both friends and enemies will see it! None can stop it! Let the weak say: I am strong! Let the sick say: I am healed! Let the poor say: I am rich! Let the oppressed say: I am free! Free to worship God! To the glory of God! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! In Jesus’ name, amen!

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal 6:9)

“Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel:

“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.

Oh, that you had heeded My commandments!

Then your peace would have been like a river,

And your righteousness like the waves of the sea…

Go forth from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With a voice of singing …

And they did not thirst when He led them through the deserts;

He caused the waters to flow from the rock for them;

He also split the rock, and the waters gushed out.

“There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.” (Is 48:17-22)

God promises that He will take care of His children. He will redeem them. The word ‘redeem’ means to buy back that which was stolen by the enemy. Jehovah God, the covenant keeping God, knows how to ‘go to the market and buy all what He wants’. God created you and when you sinned, He sent His Son to die for you. By virtue of creation and redemption, God has the right to call you His own. ‘God teaches you to profit’. In Hebrew, the word ‘profit’ means to rise in value, to be good and useful. See God as your Heavenly Royal Father who teaches you, His son or His daughter, to work in His Kingdom. He teaches you how to make a good investment, how to succeed and what is best for you.

This promise applies to your way of life in general, ministry and business.  “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1Tim 6:6) Becoming like Jesus is always profitable, in this life and in the life to come.  Obedience to the commandments of God brings blessings upon your life, your children and the work of your hands. Godly success approved by God comes with peace and joy and without sorrow. Even in the midst of ‘business wolves’, the flock of Christ has peace and prosperity. We are commanded to flee from Babylon, the system of becoming successful by destroying others. There is no peace for the wicked. Do not make peace with the evil people. Do not make them your friends of business partners! Their troubles will overflow to you. Trust God for blessings, for miracles! He promised to supply water in the desert. Trust God for that! It is not only by having a capital that you can start a business. More than anything you need faith in the living God! Do not be afraid to start small! “Do not despise small beginnings” (Zech 4:10).  Have faith that God will bless the work of your hands! “And though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great” (Job 8:7). Lastly, faithfully pay your ‘full’ tithe from all your increase! God has promised to bless you above all what you think or imagine! (Mal 3:10).

These are some Biblical principles of true prosperity:

*PERSEVERE UNTIL THERE IS PROFIT

*BE CONFIDENT OF THE QUALITY OF YOUR MERCHANDISE

*PRAY, PLAN AND PREPARE

*WATCH, PRAY AND WORK

*SEPARATE FROM EVIL PEOPLE

*PRAISE GOD WITH SINGING

*WORK FOR THE GLORY OF GOD AND FOR YOUR GOOD

*TRUST GOD AND NOT MAN

*PAY YOUR FULL TITHE

*ALWAYS GIVE GOD ALL THE GLORY

May God bless you and the work of your hands! May your business be profitable! May your life be a blessing to many! In Jesus name, amen!

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

“Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live;

And I will make an everlasting covenant with you— the sure mercies of David” (Is 55:3)

The prayer meeting was very good. The prayers were full with faith. The praises were strong going upwards without hindrance. I always appreciate when the worship leader prepares the way for me to preach the Word. There was a clear expectation in the hall; that something good is going to happen. Faith must be exercised to be enjoyed. Then the word came: THE SURE MERCIES OF DAVID! God is an inviting God. He says: Come! He is the host of the eternal celebrations in heaven. At God’s table the hungry, the thirsty, the poor, the sick, the sad and the disappointed ones were given water, milk and wine. We ate to our satisfaction. We were healed and delivered. Then we heard a voice. It was the King of kings’ voice. He said that we came in as needy guests but now we shall become the Royal Bride. Jesus says: “I love you! I died for you! I am yours and you are Mine! Just receive My Word” This love was more intoxicating than the wine we just drank. The anointing of the Holy Spirit was breaking all yokes. The breaking was almost audible. The prisoners were freed. The devil panicked. He was looking for the chains to bind us again but he could not find them. We rejoiced at his loss and at our freedom. Prayer was very sweet tonight, flowing like milk and honey!

The eternal covenant of the sure mercies of King David is ours! This is an unconditional covenant made between God and David. God promises David and Israel that the Messiah (Jesus Christ) would come from the lineage of David and from the tribe of Judah.  He will establish a kingdom that will endure forever. The Davidic Covenant is unconditional because God does not place any conditions of obedience upon its fulfillment. The surety of the promises made rests solely on God’s faithfulness and does not depend at all on David or Israel’s obedience. The key words are these: LAND- HOUSE- DESCENDANTS- THRONE- ESTABLISH- PEACE –VICTORY- REST- FOREVER

Therefore, according to 2 Samuel 7 and partaking by faith in the sure mercies of David, in Christ I declare:

*I have entered in a season of Shalom (peace, health, wealth, favor and friendliness)! I will rejoice in my God!

*I am born again! My husband (wife) is born again! Our children are born again!

*We shall have a good name, a good testimony of favor and fame to the glory of God! We are witnesses for Christ!

*We shall have our own land and build our own house! We shall not die as tenants! Our house will be a place of blessings, worship, peace and rest!

*God has defeated all our enemies!

*We shall not die untimely death! We shall fulfill our days and finish God’s assignment on earth!

*We shall be worshippers on earth and in heaven!

*The singles shall marry! The married shall be happy and have children (boys and girls/ natural and spiritual)

*Our children are children of covenant! They are not ordinary children. They are kings and priests! They will worship God more than the parents! If they go astray, God will use other people to chastise them. But God will never take away His love and mercy from them! They are blessed! God has provided all they need! We shall not worry anymore! The blessings upon me and my family are forever! Nobody can change that! To the glory of God!

“Do not overwork to be rich… Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven” (PV 23:4, 5)

Many religious people quote this verse to excuse their laziness. They say that there is no need to work because wealth can disappoint. The Bible says that God is the owner of all things. God has made all things for Himself! We have no ownership rights, only responsibilities. This scripture does not say that work is bad. God created man to work. Even before the fall God told man to work in the Garden. The text does not say that it is wrong to work for money. God says that we should be stewards over the things (gifts) He gave to us. The text does not say that it is wrong to be rich. We should not feel guilty when we enjoy the good things in this world. What is wrong is to work only to become rich!!! It is wrong to work only for the increase and pleasure provided by material things. Materialism means to work hard only for the things of this world. Materialistic people are not lazy! They also work very hard. But their heart is not right with God.

What then is the purpose of work? We work for the glory of God and for our good. We work because God works. “Jesus answered them, “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working.” Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him” (Jn 5:17, 18). The devil hates and persecutes you when you work for the glory of God. Laziness is not a virtue. We work to have resources to contribute to the increase of the Kingdom of God. We work so that we do not have to steal to survive and bring shame upon the name of our God. We work so that we can be generous to others who need our help. If your heart is right with God, then He will bless your hands!