“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead… Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things.…” (Philip 3:13, 15)

I want to describe to you spiritual maturity. Apostle Paul says that there are two steps to it: forgetting the past and forwarding towards the future! It sounds simple but in practice it is hard. It takes many prayers, tears and pains along the way to achieve maturity, to become spiritually fruitful. But the earlier you do these, the easier your life will become.

To forget it means to be unable to think about something in my past. It means to fail to remember something that has hunted me. It means to stop caring about something or someone because God wants me to let go. It means to disappoint my (overloaded) memory. I need to learn to forgive myself. Then I need to let go of that pain. I should not be proud of my ‘great memory’! Only a proud or greedy person will refuse to forget something sinful from the past. Once I forget my mistakes, my mind becomes simpler. I enter the land of peace. I can now rest my soul.

The second step is to move forward.   The word means to remove the obstacles on my way and to make progress, to advance or to be promoted. Each time you are able to let go of something negative from your past, it is like a chain has been removed from your ankles and you receive the push to move on. These two things are connected. Spiritually mature people are quick in forgetting and quick in forwarding. That is why they run fast like a race car. This is the ideal Christianity. This is your destiny!

May you receive these words! May you obey these words! For the glory for God and for your good! In Jesus name, amen!

“My son (my daughters), listen to your father when he corrects you, and don’t ignore what your mother teaches you. What you learn from your parents will bring you honor and respect, like a crown or a gold medal” (PV 1: 8, 9)

My husband and I we have two daughters, Alina and Jemine. As a mother, I loved them very much when they were little. But looking back, I think that I was not the best mum to them because as a young wife and mother, I worried too much. I wanted to be ‘a perfect mother’ and of course, that was not possible. Thank God that after I gave my life to Christ, I changed for the better. I relaxed. I received peace with God and with myself. I no longer worry. I stop comparing myself with other successful women. I discovered who I am in Christ. I accepted myself as I am and in the same time praying to be like Jesus. I patiently waited for the spiritual fruit to grow in my heart. I now love and even like myself.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Heb 12:1-3)

After I broke my ankle, the advice of the doctors was that I should walk with crutches for some time and not step on my injured foot. My weight will be too much and the fracture will not heal. This type of walk is called ‘nonbearing weight ambulation’. I take the doctor’s advice seriously because I am also a doctor by profession. But I always pray for the Spirit’s revelation. This is what I have received:  The Christian race is compared with running to win a medal. Any medal is good but the gold one is the best. To win the gold medal we are here given some instructions from Coach Apostle Paul. Dear child of God, if you want to be a champion, better listen!

*In this race we are not alone. We are surrounded by other champions, who are alive on earth and also the ones alive in heaven. They know how hard it is to win the battle for they have done it too. They sympathize with your struggles. But they also know how much greater is the reward for running well! They encourage us to keep running well unto the end! Listen to the voice of your pastors, leaders and mentors; the voice of the ones who make Jesus happy! Humble yourself! Learn from them! Follow their examples of faith!

*This race is not a 100 meters dash. It is more like a marathon, a race that lasts for a life time. That is why, to finish well, your speed is not as important as your patience. Learn to be patient with yourself and others! Even if you go slowly but surely, that is good enough! Do not despise the little gains along the way! Just keep moving on!

*You should lay aside every weight. The word ‘weight’ means any heavy burden that oppresses you; any responsibility that causes you anxiety and depression. These are not open sins but little hindrances along the way. They slow you down. Jesus said that ‘the flesh is weak and it profits nothing’. It means that anything done in flesh, using your own strength, anything done without the power of the Holy Spirit, becomes a weight on your spirit and slows you down. These hindrances distract you from the purpose of the race which is wining your reward, your medal. These are some hindrances: Be careful with the books you read, the things you watch on the TV or the internet, with your eating and sleeping habits, with the type of friends you have, with your hobbies, and generally with anything that make you waste your precious time on earth. Anything that is ‘good’ but has no spiritual or eternal value is a weight that slows you down in this race. Identify it, repent and throw it away! Deliver yourself! Immediately you sense a new freedom and you make greater progress!

*Repent of sins that ensnare your feet. In Greek, the word ‘ensnare’ describes another competitor who is a false believer. He comes near to study you, so that he will trip you to fall. We do not compete against other believers. Each child of God has its own path to follow! We should encourage one another along the way! But there are many false Christians who enroll in the race just to cause harm to the true believers. You should never open your heart to a false believer. He cannot pray for you. He cannot help you. He will only hinder your walk with God. Stay clear!

*You need to be patient so that you finish the race. The word patient means to have hope and joy as you move on, as you wait for God to answer your prayers. Patience means endurance to the end!

*Look up and see Jesus! He gave you faith to become saved. He will give you faith to persevere to the end. Your Lord is the greatest Champion in the universe! You are the child of that Champion! Be like your elder brother!  When there are trials of faith, consider Jesus, how he suffered on earth among the sinners who hated Him. But He still finished the race to the glory and delight of the Father who sent Him. There are wicked people in the world who hate the idea that you are a champion. Most of these people are religious hypocrites. They are jealous on you. They will be happy if you fall or are disqualified. But I tell you: if the devil likes it or not, you should run the race and win that shining medal of light! To the glory of God!

*Do not be weary or discouraged! Do not depend on your flesh for it is easily tired, fainting, frustrated, bitter and angry. Do not lose your courage and confidence! You started in the Spirit; you should end in the Spirit! You are a child of God! That alone should encourage you! You can do it!

Dear children, let’s run…and run…and run… to the end! Glory to God!

According to the Word of God (Ps 20:1-5)
In Christ I declare:
In the day of trouble the Lord was with me!
The God for Jacob kept me safe from all harm!
Jehovah God sent me help from the sanctuary in Zion!
The Lord God remembered with pleasure my sacrifices and my offerings, my prayers and my praise!
The Almighty God has granted me my heart’s desires!
My God has fulfilled all my plans!
There shall be shouts of joy in the congregation when they shall hear the news of my victory!
The flags of victory shall fly high on the day of my thanksgiving!
God has done mightily on my behalf!
The Lord has answered all my prayers!
I am blessed!
My family is blessed!
My husband is blessed!
Our children (natural and spiritual) are blessed!
Our ministry is blessed!
Glory to God in the highest!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”  And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Lk 24:25-27)

This is a story that happened immediately after the resurrection of Christ. Two of the disciples were walking on the road towards a village called Emmaus. (My husband and I we walked on that road in Israel). The two men were sad because their hopes died when Jesus died. They knew that Jesus said that He will rise on the third day. But that seem an impossible promise. The women surprised the disciples early in the morning telling everybody that the body of Christ was missing from the grave. They said that they saw the grave stone rolled away and angels staying there. All this information coming in just one day…Think of it…It was too much…who can believe such stories? So they walked along confused and depressed. Then the resurrected Christ comes alongside them and walkes with them. He was looking like an ordinary man. They did not recognize Him. When they complained about all that has happened He rebuked them, calling them ‘foolish and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken’. This is a great lesson for all of us…

The word ‘foolish’ means to be unintelligent, to lack spiritual understanding or to think in the flesh. The mind is lazy because of lack of spiritual exercise. The fleshly mind is slow, not ready or willing to move forward, to make progress. It is dull, not sharp in perception or imagination. The heart, which is the center of feelings and thoughts, also becomes slow, sluggish in action, lacking power to absorb new ideas and impressions. This dullness of mind and heart may be the result of disease, depression of shock. But whatever the cause, the faith is wounded and suffers and needs help from above.

When the mind is foolish and the heart is sluggish, this affects the faith of the believer. It becomes very hard to believe in the Word of God, in particular in the prophetic promises of the Bible. Like a wick covered with smoke, the flame starts to flicker and slowly quench. In the flesh, it is just impossible to believe that the sufferings of Christ will end in His glory, that the Cross will lead the way to the eternal Crown. The flesh is not designed to believe in miracles. The flesh is happy and has some hope, but only when you don’t suffer. When the sufferings come, the hope of the flesh cannot survive. This results in spiritual depression. But the fire of sufferings kills only the false hope, the false confidence and its comfort. The fleshly worship dies at the foot of the Cross. It cannot see the glory ahead.

Now you see why the Cross has to work on your flesh. Anything that is of flesh must die. Then the spirit in you shall rise and see Jesus, not hanging on the Cross, not buried in the ground, but high and lifted up, the Lord of glory exalted forever. Your eyes shall be open to see the King in His beauty. What you see is what you shall become. Let’s encourage one another to move on along the difficult but glorious royal way of the Cross. Let’s repent of all forms of foolishness and slowness of heart to believe in the Word of God. The fleshly thinking must die. But that is not the end of your story. The mind of Christ will take over. That is God’s plan and purpose for you. Humble, loving, faithful and strong, you shall now think like a king. That is your destiny!

Child of God, move on… pray and trust God to give you the best…. Do not settle for what the flesh can offer you… Desire to meet with Jesus… Soon, Jesus will come near you, walking with you, explaining to you all these difficult things about Himself. Your life will never be the same again. The miracle of resurrection will be not just history but your portion forever.  This is your heritage. This eternal power of life is what you want. Money cannot buy it. Men cannot give it to you. Seek Jesus Christ until you find Him afresh. Let your spirit be revived. Be healed in Jesus name! Be free in Jesus name! Glory to God! Let the higher level worship begin. Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne! Worship the Lord!!! Halleluiah!

“Crown Him the Lord of love;

behold His hands and side,

those wounds, yet visible above,

in beauty glorified.

All hail, Redeemer, hail!

For Thou hast died for me;

Thy praise and glory shall not fail

throughout eternity” (Matthew Bridges, 1800-1894)

(This is a picture I took on the road of Emmaus in Israel)

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.” (Lk 6:46-49)

Many desire to experience miracles of healing or prosperity. I too desire those. God is sovereign in the way He blesses people.  I know that God is good and faithful to His promises. But as a ‘simple person’, what can I do to experience the supernatural power of God? How can I ‘facilitate’ a miracle? What is the part I must play in my relationship with God? The answer is this: I must dig deeper and draw closer to God!

Our Lord tells a story about two men. One is foolish and the other one is wise. Each one loves the good things of life. Each one built a house for himself. Both houses look good from the outside. Each one enjoyed his house for a time. But when the storms of life came, one house stood strong and the other fell down and was destroyed.

Wisdom means to apply in practice the knowledge that you already have. For example, you know some scriptures. Now obey what you know! This is wisdom and everlasting success! What is the secret of the wise man? He is a true believer obedient to the Word of God! The foolish man was a false believer, a hypocrite. He called Jesus ‘Lord. Lord’ meaning ‘Master, Master” but he did not obey the words of his master.

This is the first lesson: Christianity is not just words, even if they are good religious words. Christianly is active faith and obedience to the Word of God! Faith and obedience are twins. A true child of God OBEYS his Lord’s commands! The clear proof of salvation is an obedient spirit! To obey it means to comply, to follow the commands, restrictions or wishes of your master. It means to submit to his authority. Obedience is action and not just words.

The secret of the wise man is that he went to ‘dig deep’ until he touched the Rock. That is the place he anchored the foundation of his house. The Rock is Christ! Once the foundation is secure, no storm outside can destroy the house.  To ‘dig deep’ it means to penetrate down the earth, to advance by pushing aside or removing the soil. It means to go down, to be profound in thinking and to have deep faith. This wise man is not shallow or superficial. He is not interested only in the visible things. He wants a deep humble walk with God. He wants to be established in his faith. He wants to have a strong testimony and character. His life is spiritually fruitful. These things are not found on the surface. These are found as you study the Word, fasting, praying and doing ministry in the church.

This is my attitude to spiritual things: I search for the gold of revelation deeper than what is easily available for me. I take the ‘hard’ road. I dig deep. I search for Christ. Thru the power of the Holy Spirit I work to kill the desires of my flesh. I hate fear, doubt, confusion and empty religion. I kill these things. For as long as they still whisper to me, they are not dead. So the battle goes on. From the bottom of my heart I want to obey God. I want to make my Lord happy. This is hard work and the flesh hates it. But the Holy Spirit loves it and He encourages me. I want my life to be an inspiration, beatified with miracles and testimonies. I want my life to remind you of Jesus! To remain focused on Jesus is hard work. But the reward is much greater than any of my labors. I am willing to pay the price for true Christianity. May God strengthen my heart, my mind and my will! I Jesus name I pray, amen!

The X-ray showed that the fracture is healed! The cast has been removed! The butterfly is out of the cocoon! Free indeed! To God be all the glory!

“This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps 118:24)

There are many reasons to be sad in this world. Just listen to the news and you will cry. The whole world is in pain. In the past, we associate suffering and pain with poverty. But now, even the rich are not exempted. So why will I rejoice? Why will I chose rejoicing over sadness? Is that not crazy? I tell you why…

PRAISE REPORT

“All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children” (Is 54:13)

Today, our children, Matthew, Jemine, their baby Oliver and Joy (Matthew’s sister) drove home from Florida. They passed thru the city of Baton Rouge at exactly 9 am when three police men were shot dead. They did not even know about it until they arrived home and saw the ‘breaking news’ on the TV. Good is good! God is also faithful! Thank God for His protection upon our children. To God alone be all the glory!

“For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control” (2Tim 1:7)

Today is eight weeks since I broke my ankle. I celebrate it declaring my testimony that I am fear free! I want to encourage you to do the same!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation” (2Cor 1:3-7)

Tomorrow shall be eight weeks since I fell down the stairs and broke my ankle. I had to stay indoors waiting for my healing. In the flesh it was not easy. But in the Spirit, I enjoyed the sweet presence of God in His fullness. I know for sure that this was not an ‘ordinary’ accident. I fell forward on my two hands. Normally, my wrists should have been broken not my ankle. It makes no sense in the natural! I thank God that it is me who fell and not my husband. The devil hates both him and me, so this could have happened to any of us. Thank God it was me! My husband needs his body more than I need mine. He has more visibility in ministry than me. Thank God he is well and strong at such a time as this! The ministry must continue! The worship must continue! Praise the Lord!

The truth is that I was not surprised that the devil attacked me. Since January, in the prophetic class, we have declared a season of warfare. We have made progress! I rejected all his wicked offers of compromise. The battle line has been drawn. I hate him and he hates me. I and the devil can never ‘settle’! But one thing that surprised me was the amount of peace and comfort supplied during this testing of faith. Immediately I fell, I felt a sharp pain in my leg. But in the same time I witnessed ‘a blanket’ of peace covering me. It was strange but so sweet…

There are many reasons why God allows us to pass thru trials in this life. I am not talking about the trials coming to rebellious people. I am talking about suffering for Christ sake. If you identify with Christ, the devil will attack you. He will use people to persecute you and to mock you. He will attack you with fear, confusion, weakness and discouragement. If you are a born again Christian, you know what I mean.

In the passage above we read about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in times of affliction for the sake of Christ. The Holy Spirit is called the Comforter. He is the representative of Christ on earth. In Greek it is the word ‘parakletos’. It means somebody that comes close to you, to help you when you are in great need and you call his name. To comfort it means to strengthen you in times of sorrow; to make the pain bearable. The Holy Spirit comes when you call the name of Jesus. He will strengthen you to bear the affliction. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit you can never backslide no matter the trial you are passing thru! He will help you to endure without breaking. He helps you to move on to victory even when things are terrible. Each pain becomes promotion; each sorrow become success; each grief becomes gain! No man and no book can comfort you like the Holy Spirit!

The purpose of this supernatural comfort is also to be used for ministry. The comfort given to you now is meant to be invested in the lives of other people who pass thru similar trials. This comfort becomes a holy plantation that will produce a great eternal harvest to the glory of God.  Do not despise suffering for it is a Bible school to increase your deposit of love, strength, compassion, wisdom and anointing. Grumbling is like a virus that destroys the seeds of life. I recognize the work of the Holy Spirit in my life! These eight weeks of trial have proven to me once more that I am serving the God of the Bible. He has promised to supply comfort in ‘ALL our afflictions’! God has supplied much comfort to me! He is faithful! It is my privilege to serve Him forever! Children of God, you who suffer now, from the encouragement I have received, I share with you! The pain is great but the comfort is greater! Give God all the praise! For He has not abandoned us in our sorrows! Blessed be the name of the Lord!

“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe” (PV 29:25)

In Hebrew the word ‘fear’ means to be so full of anxiety until you become restless and impatient. It means to become frustrated, confused and embarrassed because of defeat in battle. Fear of man produces a coward and a loser. This fear is a snare, something deceptively attractive that traps its victims. Fear of men is a snare. The believer is captured by the devil as a prisoner of war. Fearing what men can do to you is something you must confront. You cannot ignore this fear. You must defeat it! Many believers are in bondage to the evil spirit of intimidation. They need deliverance but they are not ready to fight for it. They try to keep safe by (over-) investing in relationships. But that idea is a snare. For no man or woman can save, protect you or promote you! Only God can do that!

By contrast, faith in God keeps you truly ‘safe’. In Hebrew, the word ‘faith’ means to be confident in God’s promises and to be sure of His Word. Faith is His covering makes you bold as a lion. All your hope is in God. To be ‘safe’ it means to be strong, totally inaccessible from the attacks of the strongest men, exalted on high and promoted above all your enemies.  In Christ, God is your unfailing defense. You need to choose: who do you fear? Is it God or men? God protects you from your enemies but men cannot protect you from the judgment of God!

Child of God, please listen! To fear men more than you fear God it means that something is wrong somewhere. As a coward you do not completely trust God and His promises. You may be deceived to say ‘I trust God’ but in reality your faith is damaged and you are ignorant of it. You need help from God. Selah!

For example, in Genesis 12 you see that the great Abraham became afraid that Pharaoh will kill him and take away his beautiful Sarah. To protect himself he convinced her to lie that she is not his wife but his sister. Here you see that fear of man makes a man a partner with the devil who is a liar and a deceiver.  Abraham forgot that when God called him He promised total protection and safety.

Jehovah God said to him:

“And I will bless (do good for, benefit) those who bless you,

And I will curse [that is, subject to My wrath and judgment] the one who curses (despises, dishonors, has contempt for) you.

And in you all the families (nations) of the earth will be blessed.” (Gen 12:3; AMP)

It is possible that Abraham believed the promise of blessings. But he did not completely believe that God will fight and judge his enemies, those who will reject, dishonor or slander him. This snare is very common in the lives of many Christians. They trust God to make them wealthy but they do not trust God enough to protect them from their enemies who are jealous of their blessings.  Fear of man produces the snare of doubt in God’s protection.

Child of God, please pray that God will open your eyes to see if your feet are already caught in the snare called ‘the fear of men’. Pray that God will deliver you from it! If not, you will not be able to stop lying and deceiving others; you will not be able to move forward and make progress; you will not be free to serve God well. May the entrance of God’s Word bring light in your heart and your situation! Praise God who is able to save you and to protect you always! The truth sets free indeed!

As for me and my household, in Christ, we declare:

We fear God too much to fear what men can do to us!

The snare of intimidation is totally broken!

We are like the eagles that fly high above all troubles!

God is our Savior!

We trust God for total protection!

We believe that all the promises in Christ are yes and amen!

Truth has set us free indeed!

We shall worship God forever!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe… ” (Rom 6:63, 64)

The Holy Spirit is God. He is the third Person of the Trinity. The Father invented the plan of salvation. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, executed it thru His life on earth and death on the Cross. The Holy Spirit has come from the Father and in the name of Jesus Christ. He applies the revelation of salvation to our minds. The Holy Spirt is given to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. This is His primary purpose on earth. Any activity in the church, any sermon, any gift or any prayer that does not glorify and magnify the Lord Jesus Christ is not of the Spirit of God. Its source is the counterfeit evil spirit of religion which works thru the flesh. Without the Holy Spirit you will read the Bible in vain, you will pray without success, you will go to church and serve God for nothing. Religion without the Holy Spirit is unprofitable, useless, boring, disappointing and dangerous. It is the Holy Spirit who gives life and revives your spirit. As a believer, if you grieve the Holy Spirit you will become spiritually weak, lazy, insecure, afraid and depressed. If you are truly born again, you will not lose your salvation but you will lose your reward, your confidence and joy.

Many Christians do not know the difference between flesh and Spirit. May God open your eyes to see! My dear children please do not invest in the things of the flesh. That labor is superficial, temporary and deceitful for it has no gain at last. Flesh lusts after sinful things. Sin ends in death. There is no profit in death. Nobody can praise God in the grave! Do not be among those who do not believe or reject the truth! Be among them who are called the true children of God, who are men and women of the Spirit! Let your life will bring light to this dark world! Be filed with the Holy Spirit! By the grace of God you shall make progress and move forward. You will never backslide! Led by the Holy Spirit you will never make mistakes. I command every evil spirit to doubt, unbelief and empty religion to leave you and go away! In Jesus name, amen!

This is God’s command: be filled with the Holy Spirit. Then your body and mind will be revived. You will be hungry for the Word of God!  You will love God and His people. You will pray with passion and faith and God will answer you. You will worship God in Spirit and in truth. You will not be discouraged when men mock, ignore, persecute or reject you. Your spirit will be strong always, even during periods of testing.  You will be free from fear. You will love the ministry. God will notice you and reward you. You will be an encourager to many. God’s favor will be with you. This is a great gain no money can buy. Sickness and old age may slow you down. Poverty and lack of education may hinder you to achieve success in life. But I counsel you not to focus on these things for they do not have eternal value. Look unto Jesus, the Author of life and the Prince of Peace! Desire to be filled with His Spirit! Sow in the Spirit and you shall reap eternal life! Signs and wonders shall follow you wherever you go!

This is my testimony: for almost eight weeks I had to stay indoors because of a broken leg. My infirmity stops me to do many things. I cannot cook or clean the house. Because of this I could have been depressed. But I prayed to God to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that even in this difficult situation I will be active spiritually. My ankle is weak but my spirit is very strong! My husband is doing ‘my work’ now. He said that he misses me in the kitchen. He said he feels lonely there cooking for the two of us. But one thing is sure: he does not miss me in the Spirit. In the evenings, we have long talks about the Word of God. We pray together. We have sweet fellowship in the presence of God. We exchange ideas. We challenge one another to draw closer to God. We share our ‘discoveries’ from the treasure of the Bible. We rejoice together as we dig deeper to find the gold of the Gospel. We encourage one another to write books. In this way, even now when I cannot do much physical work, I do not feel frustrated, left behind, angry or bitter with myself. Patiently I wait for my healing testimony. Until then I walk in the Spirit who knows no boundaries and has no limitations! As you can see, I am free! Glory to God!

“By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward” (Heb 11:24-26)

It is almost eight weeks since I fell and broke my ankle. This difficult season has been for me a wonderful time with God. I almost forgot how sweet is to experience the extraordinary grace of God given to them who suffer for Christ’s sake. There are many lessons for me. I have been sharing some with you. This is what I have discovered…

Faith in God must be tested to be proven real. Faith in God must grow and must be purified by the fire of affiliation. God chooses the time and the type of test for each believer. I know that the devil attacked me. God allowed it to happen for His glory and for my good. No devil can take that from me!

In a way I was not surprised that this ‘accident’ happened. My husband and I we started a church ‘from scratch’ here in Nigeria. Both of us are pastors in full time ministry. We both preach the truth! I have been involved in prophetic spiritual warfare. We pray for revival. Prayers became more fervent as we interceded for Warri and Effurun in Nigeria. The devil has been pushed back. His captives are set free. I knew that there will be a backlash. But that did not stop me to fight the good fight of faith. God sent me to Nigeria with a missionary anointing. There is no fear in my heart. The battle is the Lord’s! Jesus has never lost any battle and He can never lose! We are soldiers for Christ! The victory is sure!

Read the scripture above. There are different levels of faith. Faith must grow. Mature faith makes some choices that baby Christians are not able to do. Like Moses, a mature Christian will reject any relationship with sin from the past. Pharaoh’s daughter was good to Moses. She was his adoptive mother. He could not separate from her when he was a child. But when ‘he became of age’ he rejected her as a mother to him. No unbeliever will be able to control a believer for too long. The separation must happen. It is the sword of God in action! It is painful to the flesh but pleasing to God.

Faith chooses suffering instead of sin. No unbeliever can make this choice.  Only faith in God can choose to suffer for God. Sin has its pleasures but they last only for a season. When the season changes, the same pleasures become bitter and deadly like poison. This is the Word of God: if you reject sin you will suffer. But be encouraged for the suffering is also for a season. The pleasures of sin and the suffering for sin are temporary. But what mighty is the difference in their reward! Sin will lead to death and eternal perdition. But the suffering here on earth leads to eternal glory and joy in heaven!

This is my testimony. It is proven by my scars. I am so happy that the attack happened here in my house in Nigeria and not abroad. It is a territorial demon from Nigeria that attacked me. This proves that my ministry here is having an impact. Some people suggested that I should go abroad for treatment. Why abroad? The devil attacked me in Nigeria so I will stay in Nigeria to see the end of the story!  My healing is from God but will come in Nigeria. We have suffered together we must rejoice together! My testimony will bless the people of Nigeria first of all. We are one Body! Long ago I have made a promise to God that I chose to die rather than backslide and serve the devil. Any day any time by faith I chose suffering for God than to sin. Hand in hand with Jesus, I walk on the royal way of the Cross! I died to sin and its pleasures. I died to the world and to the devil.  Let it be written in my book in heaven that I Malia chose suffering instead of sin. Like Moses, I too look up for my reward! Now it is time to worship God….

“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your word” (Ps 119:67)

It is almost eight weeks since I fell and broke my ankle. I have to stay indoors with a cast on my leg. There are so many lessons that I needed to learn. To tell you the truth I was not even aware of my ignorance.  I really thank God for this time of resting. ‘The Lord is my Shepherd. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He restores my soul…” (Ps 23:1, 2). What a wonderful restoration! I continue to pray not just for my healing but that I may come closer to God. I pray for an increase of anointing in ministry! I want to find the purpose of this pain. I don’t want to waste it. Like with Job, this affliction must become worship!

One great lesson I am learning is the need for Patience. I walk with crutches. It is true that I am more skillful using them but I cannot run holding on my crutches.   This cast has slowed me down. God wants me to ‘go slow’, at least for now. It means that in the past I was too ‘fast’ or better said too impatient. I was not aware that I was deceived to enter the dangerous land of the proud and foolish, of them who have much religious zeal and too little knowledge. This combination produces a terrible ‘hasty spirit’ that leads the person astray (PV 19:2). Now that I am slower with my body, I have enough time to pray not only for zeal, but for the true knowledge of God’s will in every situation. I need more spiritual understanding and discernment. I need the wisdom necessary to move on in life. I need the prudence to avoid dangerous obstacles. More than ever I depend on God for His mercy and provision!

Looking back I see that God permitted the accident so that I re-evaluate my life and my ministry. I am seeing areas in which I should have done better. God is ‘fine-tuning’ my spirit, my marriage, my ministry. Only God can do that! Patience and joy are fruit of the Spirit. I almost lost them trying to do too much, too soon. To increase the prophetic anointing I need to practice faith and patience at a higher level than ever before. I am willing to pay the price for it!

We are commanded to be patient like Job and like the prophets (James 5:7-11). God called the prophets and warn them that they, and their words, shall be rejected by the majority of the people. Rejection is part of the ‘prophetic game’. The prophet must be faithful to speak God’s Word to others. He is not responsible for the people’s reaction to his words. God judges that! There is a temptation to become angry and impatient when your words are rejected when you suffer persecution because of the prophetic anointing. Jesus said that under the provocation of rejection, we should rejoice, we should be ‘exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven’ (Mt 5:11, 12). This command is hard to practice, even if you are a committed Christian. We all want to see some reward here in earth. It is hard to be patient waiting for your reward in heaven. But this is the Word of God. I should trust God for rewarding me in any place He wants to do it! I should be patient and wait without grumbling, without getting angry or trying to find another form of satisfaction here on earth. I must serve God from a pure heart of worship!

Dear children of God, if you suffer right now, please listen! There is a reason for your suffering. It is not easy but it is not in vain! God will show you the purpose of your pain. God the Father has the right to chastise you when you have a tendency to go astray. Please remember that it is a privilege to be chastised by the Father. It is a manifestation of His love. Only God’s children are chastised in this way. The unbelievers do not partake from this form of love. Suffering makes us strong. Suffering makes us patient. Patience produces character and hope (Rom 5:1, 2). When hope comes, you shall be glad!

This is my testimony: I cannot run (for now). My body has slowed down. But soon, I shall walk, run and dance to the glory of God! My spirit soars above the cares of this world, above the expectations of people who lust after prophetic words, above the intimidation of some who promise money for religious performance or ‘prophetic’ entertainment. For now, I need to rest my body and soul in the embrace of Him who died for me. Jesus Christ is my Savior, my Lord and my Lover!  He is the One who called me to service. He will perfect all that concerns me! No matter what people expect from me, I must be found faithful to Him who called me to Himself. I shall patiently wait for His strength to stand on my feet and walk again. My mouth shall open and God shall provide the words! Fearlessly I shall declare the mystery of the Gospel of Christ crucified! I fear not for my present in my future belongs to God! I have nothing to lose, for I abide in His presence where there is fullness of joy. I am grateful for these many lessons. The Holy Spirit is my Teacher. Let Him have His way in my life! In sickness and in health, in poverty or riches, let Christ be magnified in my life! It is well with my soul! Amen!

“Thou shalt not steal” (Ex 20:15)

What I want to say now may not surprise many people: Unfortunately, there are many thieves in Nigeria. I speak with a heavy heart for I live here since 1980. My husband is a Nigerian. I love Nigeria! I do ministry here. All foreigners who come to visit Nigeria are warned about the very skillful thieves in this country. There are small thieves and there are big successful thieves. Many Nigerians believe in the saying: ‘You can steal but don’t be caught!” I too have been a victim of stealing. People have stolen not just my money but my peace and my joy. I am not a police officer. I am not a court judge. I am a servant of God and a pastor. The only way I can help is spiritually I pray that the Word of God will touch and change your hearts! In Jesus name, amen!

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (Jn 10:10). The devil is a thief. Jesus says that the devil has only one desire: to steal from you, kill you and destroy your destiny! The devil’s children are accomplices of their father. They shall suffer the same punishment as their master. How do you know that somebody is an accomplice to a thief? He keeps quiet when he is supposed to talk! He refuses to openly confess and repent of his sins! He hears the curses upon the thief but he dares not testify against the thief.

If you get angry at these words, it means that you are guilty of stealing! I am sorry, for these are not my words but the words of God. To be a partner with the devil it means that you become your own enemy. You will hate yourself unto death. You will reject God’s plan for you! You will not be able to love God or your neighbor! You will not be able to worship God! Your marriage will fail! Refusing to repent from stealing is spiritual suicide. “The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies; they are put under oath and dare not testify….If you assist a thief, you only hurt yourself. You are sworn to tell the truth, but you dare not testify…The partner of a thief hates his own life; he hears the curse, but discloses nothing” (PV 29:24)

Please pay attention!  What is the definition of stealing? To steal it means to take something that does not belong to you and you are not supposed to have. A thief takes something in a way that is wrong or illegal and without asking for permission from the true owner. He wrongly takes and uses another person ideas or words without giving the true owner the credit. A thief takes God for granted! A thief gains something by deception or skill. He is rebellious and daring, having sufficient courage to boldly confront the true owner and seizes his property by force. Stealing is rebellion against God! Adultery is stealing. Kidnapping is stealing. Stealing is punished by God! No thief has eternal life! No thief can enter heaven! I have seen thieves who repented of stealing kobo (Nigerian coins). But they continued to steal millions. Their so called ‘repentance’ is fake and deceptive.

What can you do? Repent! You need to come to the Cross and see Christ Crucified! Your sin is not a small sin! It is betrayal and murder! You have killed the Son of God who is the Author of life and the Prince of Peace! It is not enough to repent of the consequences of sin! You need to repent of the root of sin, of being an accomplice of the devil who is the enemy of God! You need to have godly sorrow that leads to repentance and salvation. Religion is not enough! Going to church is not enough! ‘Serving God’ is not enough! Ask the Holy Spirit to help you, to break your hard heart! You need to be born again! You need to be filled with the Holy Spirit! This is a most serious matter! Your eternity depends on it! After that, you need to work with your hands! Get a job! Do a business! Stop stealing! Stop being a curse and a liability to others. God will bless the honest work of your hands. You will not beg or steal! You will live a good quiet life! You will become a man of God, a Woman of God! You will become generous with your resources. By God’s grace, old things will pass away and everything becomes new! Oh…how much I wish this for you! May this be your testimony! May revival come to Nigeria!  In Jesus name, amen!

“The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger” (PV 14:10)

Today is exactly seven weeks since I fell and broke my ankle. Since then I have to stay indoors and walk with crutches. It is not easy. But The Holy Spirit comforts me. My husband is displaying an excellent spirit. He is cooking and bringing the food to me. He is also trying so much to encourage me. People send me messages of good will and prayers. This situation is nobody’s fault. God allowed it. It is for His glory and for my good! I have to pass the test of fire for ministry. I am not looking back. I push forward towards the light…

This is the challenge: I have to battle with many new and ‘strange’ emotions. It is a spiritual battle. I am grateful for it. I know that God is with me and I shall pass this test of faith. I shall come out not just as a survivor but as a champion. I already perceive the fragrance of victory. I do not deceive myself. I do not withdraw from the battle. I do not complain. I am real and I want to feel these emotions. As I am passing thru fire I want to feel the heat. It will help me to know God more. It will help me to understand myself better. The end is better than the beginning. Praise the Lord!

One of the emotions I have to conquer is loneliness. Before now, I was not a lonely person. I love taking care of my husband. I am a pastor of a big church.  I am busy with the work of God. I have many spiritual children and friends here. I was not lonely. But now, just like my leg is wrapped in a cast, I sometimes feel like a prisoner. Loneliness causes restlessness, depression and anxiety. Suffering produces confusion in the heart. Sickness isolates you from the healthy people. Emotionally it is like a roller coaster…

In this scripture you see that both bitterness and joy cannot be shared with strangers. In Hebrew, bitterness means, anger, frustration and provocation. Joy means the pleasure of life. A spiritual stranger is any other person and in particular, an unbeliever. This scripture says that in your deepest heart, you are alone. There is a limit in which another human being can understand you. The believers understand you better. But the unbelievers have no idea of what you pass thru in your heart. I am sure that you understand… There are times when you want to explain yourself but your words sound empty. If you talk too much, you may sound defensive, selfish, lazy, proud, rude or foolish. Then you chose to be silent. But you cannot keep quiet forever… And the pain continues…

What can you do? God created us in such a way that the only truest friend is the Holy Spirit. Human beings may encourage you. But they do not understand you the way God understands for He is your Maker. While on earth, Jesus was lonely and He understands you perfectly. God loves you more than you will ever know. This loneliness is not an enemy. It is a friend in disguise designed to make you draw closer to God. In His presence there is fullness of joy. He alone knows your heart with its anxieties and joys. So, lonely people, receive the supernatural encouragement of the Holy Spirit! You do not need money! All you need is faith! Be filled with the Spirit of God!

This is my testimony: During this season in my life I have gained a new understanding about the challenges the singles pass thru, as they pray for a life partner. God said: It is not good for man to be alone (Gen 2:18). He also said that you should pity the man who falls and has no friend to lift him up (Ecc 4:9, 10).  In the past I was too comfortable to sympathize with the lonely. But now I feel for you, dear single people.  I recognize the deep work for the Holy Spirit in me. This work is so necessary for ministry, to encourage others, especially the lonely people out there. So you see that the pain is already producing holy gain in me. The Holy Spirit has enlarged my heart to be able to love more, to feel more. My prayers are now more present. My worship is more tender.  My words are more gentle. My anointing is stronger. This is a miracle in my heart no money can buy…

“Thank You Lord Jesus! Receive all the praise and adoration. For only You can touch my heart like this. You change me to be like You… I know that You are real for You are real to me. My knees touch the ground. My tears wash my makeup. I weep for joy…I feel at peace with myself. It is well with my soul. I will worship You forever. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!”

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Heb 12:14, 15)

Tomorrow it will be seven weeks since I fell and broke my ankle. There are so many lessons to learn during this challenging but blessed time. One great lesson is that God is sovereign. Better said: My God is sovereign! He has the last say in all things concerning me. I may not understand everything that has happened to me but this is what I believe: Nothing happens without God’s permission. It is true that the devil attacked me. But God allowed this accident to happen for His glory and for my good. Therefore, I am grateful!

Looking back I see that the devil wanted me to suffer much more than what I experience now. He wanted me to be sick physically and spiritually. The devil wanted me to be bitter against God, against people and against myself. He wanted to take advantage of this accident to inject in me an evil spirit of bitterness. He wanted me to become ‘a bitter root, to cause trouble and defile many’. God forbid! The Holy Spirit protected my heart from the fiery arrow of bitterness. Praise the Lord! Many people are ignorant of this strategy of the devil. In the middle of sickness they become bitter and so, they backslide from the faith. Bitterness is a spiritual damage caused by the devil, following a physical or an emotional hurt. No medicine can cure it except faith in the Word of God.

To be bitter it means to be angry or hurt because of a bad experience or a sense of an unjust treatment. Bitterness enters when you think that ‘God is unfair’ to you. A bitter person is always angry, harsh, rough and violent. He has difficulty in accepting others as friends. He is over sensitive and easily disappointed in others. He cannot forgive others and continues in hatred. Bitterness is a form of ‘madness’ that destroys relationships. It is the leading cause of betrayal and divorce. A bitter person is happy only when he shares his poison with others. He hurts his friends and in this way, he feels better about himself. He is angry when he feels disrespected or ignored. He lives in constant self-pity. He is proud. He looks for excuses to start a quarrel.  A bitter person is jealous finding it hard to experience happiness at the success of others. Bitterness is like a drug; very addictive.  The grip of bitterness is like the grip of a boa constrictor. It is suicidal. It is a demon and you need deliverance from it. This deliverance is done by faith in the name of Jesus Christ!

MY TESTIMONY

Many are surprised at my ‘attitude’ during this time of trial. They say that even in my pain, I am able to encourage others. This is because, to the glory of God and to the shame of the devil, I am free from the demon of bitterness. My life is sweet! As I pass thru this test of faith I shall become better and not bitter. I declare that I am not ‘a biiter root’ or a trouble-maker. I am a blessing! My relationship with God is getting better. My marriage is better. My relationship with my children (physical and spiritual) is better. My ministry in the church will be better. God’s grace abounds towards me and is sufficient for me. I have learned the secret to be content in all situations, hungry or full, rich or poor, healthy or sick, having fellowship with the brethren or alone for a season. All these things are temporary but God’s love for me is eternal. I shall pay the price and make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy. I reject the demons of fear, confusion, doubt, religion and bitterness! I declare that Jesus Christ is my Savior and the Lord over all! My heart is purified and free from bitterness. I see God! I shall live a life of wisdom, humility and thanksgiving. My life, my marriage, my family and ministry shall glorify God! By the grace of God, this is my vow! In Jesus name, amen!

“Be wise my son and make me happy that I may answer him who insults me” (PV 27:11)

This is the wish of any parent, that their children behave wisely. It is also the wish of God the Father, that His children be wise. As a Man, Jesus Christ was an obedient Son even unto death. His humility, faithfulness and obedience gave glory to God the Father who ‘trained and raised’ Him. This glory is an eternal rebuke to the devil and his rebellious children.