The Refiner's Place Ministries

PASTOR’S CORNER

THE MYSTERIES OF UNREASONABLE REASONS:

THE UNREASONABLE FIGHT

REFERENCES: ECCLESIASTES 9: 2-3, JOHN 15:24-25, ECCLESIASTES 10:11, REVELATIONS 12:9, LUKE 10:19

The unreasonable fight…

You cannot imagine the reason for it, and you wonder: why are you continually charged and trained to pray warfare prayers; how hard can life be; what is that reason, that demands you constantly fight?

You cannot fathom the reason for the fight, because, as far as you know, you have done nothing to provoke or stir it up.

It does not matter whether you believe it, or not; whether you want to fight or not.

You are in a fight. It is unreasonable, but very real.

The challenge before us today, is to understand the mysteries behind the unreasonable fight, and to lay hold of the mysteries working for our victory.

 

Eccl 9:2-3

All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

The devil. Affliction. Death. Disaster. Evil. All things come alike to all.

It does not matter who you are, or where you stand on the righteousness spectrum; whether you do good or not; whether you a liberal and sacrificial soul, or you are not interested in giving; whether you have integrity or lack it.

Being born again, holy and righteous therefore, does not exempt you from the fight.

This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all…

Evil, though it is, it is the true reality of your life. It is one event that you cannot buy, or pray your way out of. No extent of philanthropy- no level of money or gift sharing- will change this either.

 

Jn 15: 24-25

If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

You are a front runner in your world. You are the first to pursue and complete a higher education program; the first to build a house; to bring infrastructural and social development to your community; the first to set a standard of wealth and prosperity; you have done the best; you have achieved what no one has ever achieved…good for you.

But YOU ARE STILL IN A FIGHT.

But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause

If you had assumed that there was something you could say, or do, to change this reality, it is time to walk in the truth.

What you do, or do not do, does not matter.

You are in a fight without a cause.

 

Eccl 10:11

Surely, the serpent will bite without enchantment…

The devil-the serpent- will surely bite anyone and everyone.

Enchantments are real. It is possible for evil to be invoked against you.

Yet, God reveals that, the devil does not need a reason, or a stirring, to attack you.

Your adversary, the devil, will fight without any provocation on your part.

He does not fight you because of something you did or did not do; neither does he need someone to invoke or enchant him against you.

…and a babbler is no better.

Even those who think they have reached an agreement with the devil (who think they have him on their side) will be attacked by him.

 

Rev 12: 9

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Your spiritual or character status does not change the reality on ground- that you are in a fight. Belief or unbelief do not change it either…the serpent will bite.

That serpent is the Devil; now transformed into a dragon. He has centuries worth of evil experience in his arsenal.

It is therefore foolhardy for anyone to assume that he can overcome this old adversary with contemporary ideas, philosophies and achievements.

To live in ignorance or denial of this reality is also foolish, and will end in tragedy. Scoffing at the pastor for insisting you live a battle-ready life, is therefore an exercise in folly and loss.

Adam fell because he was ignorant. He did not know that someone in his territory was in a fight against him.

He did not know that his enemy did not need to be provoked, or invoked.

He paid dearly for his ignorance.

 

Your adversary is patient, longsuffering and resolute in his mission. You will do well therefore to be aware and ready to resist him, steadfastly.

Since it IS an undeniable reality, then your focus should be: how to win the fight.

This is the mission of TRPM; to build you up to fight and win.

The devil only stirs himself up against the man on a mission, but the good news is this: for every mystery against you, there is a mystery working for you. Your mission and assignment are backed up by divine mysteries that surpass the mysteries working against you.

 

Lk 10:19

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy…

The serpent- the devil- employs the principle of unity in diversity. He therefore has the capacity to birth scorpions, witchcraft, occultism, marine witchcraft and other vessels of evil. They are diverse in name and form, but from the same source.

The Master does more than just reveal the family tree of the enemy. He reveals the mystery at work for you.

You have divine power to destroy all the power of the enemy; whether they be serpents, scorpions, witches, witchdoctors… whatever offshoot of the devil is fighting you.

…and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Christ frustrates the mission of the devil with this declaration. He spoke these words with the consciousness of Eccl 10: 11; that the serpent bites without enchantment, and for a purpose- to hurt you.

If you have a mission, know the devil knows it, and will fight you. Understand therefore that, there is a corresponding devil on a mission against your mission.

The good news is that, for every mystery at work against your mission, there is a divine mystery at work for your mission; and that which is from above is above all.

Christ has given you power for a purpose. The divine command is clear: trample, destroy these offshoots of the devil.

Do not spare them. Wherever you encounter them, crush them.

 

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My Father, I need more fire for the fight.

• My life, receive sufficient fire for the fight; to crush every devil on assignment.

• Any mystery of the devil on a mission against my mission in life and destiny; I scatter and destroy you by fire.

• Any ancient power in my household, on assignment against my assignment; hear the word of the LORD. I shoot you down by fire.

• Any ancient mystery on a mission against my mission; I damage and destroy you down by fire.

 

PASTOR’S CORNER

THE MYSTERIES OF UNREASONABLE REASONS:

THE MYSTERY OF UNREASONABLE SHARES

REFERENCES: I CORINTHIANS 15:47-49, PSALMS 78:1-8, HEBREW 3:14, EPHESIANS 3: 4-6

Unreasonable shares refer to things that you have shared from your parents, from your fore-fathers, knowingly or otherwise.

Unreasonable as they may seem, these things- traits, attitudes, experiences, patterns- are visible in your life, and are frustrating the fullness of your divine destiny.

 

I Cor 15:47-49

The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Everyone has shared something from their earthly parents. Your complexion, height, facial features, etc can be traced to them.

Just as you have shared of the earthly nature of your fathers, you are now to bear the image of the heavenly. You are no longer ordinary, but divine, and your life should reflect this.

This means that whatever you shared from your earthly parents, that is contrary to your divine identity, must be done away with. Now, your life must share the nature of your heavenly parents.

It is the responsibility of spiritual parents to imbibe only the nature of God. You should therefore, share the love of God, prayerfulness, holiness, total submission to the will of God, from me, because these are the things that I have shared from Him.

Ps 78:1-8

Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: what we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

Parables are mysteries (Matt 13:3, 11)

Brethren, the mystery behind your life; that makes your life like that of your fathers, cannot be overcome by the system of the world.

Thankfully, for every mystery working against you, there is a mystery working for you.

However, only those who are ready to look well will understand the dark sayings.

You can only speak the dark sayings that you have heard. You can only teach the mysteries that you have learnt.

Sadly, many have chosen to live in the shallow realm of divine knowledge. They choose to live fake Christian lives, pretending to know, when they do not.

When time and pressure are applied to their lives, it is suddenly made glaring that they do not know.

For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:

These mysteries are not only for you, but also for your children. Like you, they cannot arise- in power, prosperity, greatness, destiny and glory- until they know.

That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

Do not be like your fathers; do not be like your mothers. Be better than them.

This is the desire of God for you; and He has given you mysteries to help you fulfil that divine expectation.

If you will go beyond your fathers, you must prayerfully investigate the mysteries behind what conquered your fathers; and seek the dark sayings of the Word that will give you victory over these evil mysteries.

Good intentions are not enough to overcome what overcame your fore-bears. Whether you are conscious of it or not, your soul has shared something from them, and that portion will fight to be relevant in your life.

Thus, you will find yourself living one life in church, but a different one outside the church. You display a dual personality of ‘Israel and Jacob’; saint and sinner.  

This will continue until you hate it enough to fight and overcome.

You must determine in your heart not to be like your earthly fathers. Instead, they must look at you, and desire to be like you. Your life must be a standard for them.

You must therefore look into the Law, seek and use divine mysteries, if you must overcome.

God has shown you the picture of your fathers, because He does not want you to be like them. It is hard, but possible to cast their nature out of your life.

 

Heb 3:14

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end

For we have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first [NIV]

For we have become fellows with Christ (the Messiah) and share in all He has for us, if only we hold our first newborn confidence and original assured expectation [in virtue of which we are believers] firm and unshaken to the end [AMP]

Brethren, you are called to share somethings in Christ.

In the three and the half years He lived on the earth, Christ was a wonder and a mystery to His world. Doctors, lawyers, teachers and rulers came to hear the man that was trained a carpenter.

You must also get to the point where your history is no longer the determiner of your life’s story. What you could or could not achieve in the past must no longer limit your destiny. Share that in Christ.

Before His days began, He was subject to the control of His earthly parents. However, in His days as a Son, He declared that His true parents and siblings were: those who hear and do the Word. Share that in Christ.

Receive your full share in Christ.

 

Eph 3: 4-6

(…Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

The mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. [NIV]

The mystery of God is revealed. Until it is made known, you cannot know it.

This is the mystery: that you and I should be inheritors of God.

Your earthly father did not have the fire of God burning in his soul; but in Christ, you have access to the fire. Why then should you live without this divine inheritance?

You are called to partake of God’s promise in Christ.

You inherited malice, stubbornness, filthiness, poverty, failures… from your earthly father. However, your heavenly Father has called you to share His nature of love, forgiveness, holiness, righteousness, wisdom, breakthrough, prosperity…

You should partake of this. It is a choice.

Remember, it is hard, but possible.

The time has come to live in the fulness of your divine reality.

It is time to cast out all that you have shared from your earthly fathers against your destiny.

 

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My life, I charge you. Receive the power to take your portion in Christ.

• My life, I charge you. Receive full capacity to function fully in Christ.

• My life, receive fire to serve the LORD well.

• Whatever my soul has shared from my fathers and mothers, that is fighting against my fulness in Christ; I damage their power now.

• Any evil experience that my life has shared from my parents; I damage and destroy their power now.

• Whatever my life has shared from my parents, against my destiny; I destroy by fire now.

 

PASTOR’S CORNER

THE MYSTERIES OF UNREASONABLE REASONS:

UNREASONABLE WORDS FOR YOUR DAYS

REFERENCES: MARK 6:9-11, PSALM 90:9-13, PSALM 39:4-5, LUKE 17:20-22, JUDGES 5: 6-7

Today’s word is for mature hearts. As you sit through it, I urge you to be willing and ready to adjust to the Word.

We begin by studying a common portion of the Scriptures: The Lord’s prayer.

Mk 6: 9-11

…Our Father, which hath in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven…

First, His kingdom comes. Then, His will is done.

You cannot know the will of the King, when you are not in His kingdom; and for you to know the will of the King, you must be in His kingdom.

What do you need to know the will of the Father, in order to establish it on earth? The next verse gives the key.

…Give us this day our daily bread.

His bread- the bread He gives- is different from our bread.

In Exodus, God promises to bless your bread and water [23:25].

His own bread however is already blessed. His bread is the life of the Son of God- the Word.

You need this bread daily.

Anyone who proceeds with his day without spending time with the Word is not yet a man in Christ. He is a babe.

Without the bread from heaven, there is really no bread on earth.

Without the bread, there is no glorious day.

 

Ps 90:9- 13

For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for is soon cut off, and we fly away.

When a birthday is being celebrated, the 12th verse of this scripture, ‘So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom’, is often quoted. This shows that we regard the number of our days to have started when we were born.

Yet, no one can claim to know the day of his birth.

The truth is that your days did not start when you were born. Your days began, when you became aware of your purpose for being- your destiny. Your days begin the day you are enthroned to function in life.

The writer of this Psalm, Moses, began his days when he was 40years.

At 40, he became aware of his purpose: that he was born to lead his people out of captivity. However, he tried to work it out with human understanding, and had to spend 40 years in the wilderness, while he learnt how to carry out his assignment.

So, while he died at the age of 120, the number of his days was 80 years.

He did not regard the first 40years of ignorant existence as part of his days.

Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom…

The journey from Egypt to the Promised Land took 40years. Moses died in the 40th year of that journey. This means he died the same year Israel entered into their destination. He was so close to his destination, but he missed it.

This was why he declared: had I known the number of my days to the Promised Land, I would have behaved myself wisely.

There is no wisdom without knowledge, and there is no knowledge without the Word.

When Israel got to the Red Sea, God commanded Moses to stretch the rod over the sea; and it parted.

When they needed water, the first time, God commanded him to take the rod and hit the rock; and water gushed out.

The second time however, God’s command was different. He was to take the same rod, go to the rock, but this time, he was to speak to the rock.

However, Moses judged foolishly.

He decided that, since the God was the same, the rod was the same, the rock was the same, and the expectation was the same, the application should be the same. Therefore, he struck the rock.

Water did gush out, but it was not according to divine direction.

His wrong application of divine knowledge, his folly, put him at the receiving end of God’s anger. Because he did not apply the knowledge he received correctly, he lost the opportunity to enter the Promised Land.

Three times, he entreated God about the matter, but there was no changing the judgement.

So it was, that, in the same year that Israel entered the Promised Land, Moses ended his days.

This was the reason for his lamentation. He realised that, if he had known the number of his days; that that would be the year to enter Canaan, he would have applied knowledge according to instruction.

However, his failure to apply his heart to wisdom meant that his story did not get to the destination.

Had he been conscious of the value of wisdom in determining how he ends his days, he would not have died before getting into the Land.

Return, O LORD, how long? And let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

Three times, Moses pleaded with God over this issue, but God did not change His mind. Over that matter, his appeal for mercy was denied.

Your days are the time and season that God has brought you into, to fulfil destiny and reign in life.

Brethren, if you are going to end your days well, you need the wisdom of God, so that you will do what He has called you to do, according to His instruction.

If you know the power of the anger of God, you will not mess up, because you will understand that, you might do so when He is angry, and thus lose the number of days you have to reign.

Therefore, your prayer should also be to know your days, and walk with a heart of wisdom.

 

Ps 39: 4-5

LORD, make me to know my end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.

This is David’s prayer to God; to know his end, and how short his time on earth is.

God answers…

Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah

The divine answer is revealed in David’s observations. He learns that his days are indeed very short…

The time you are wasting away, living a careless, profitless life, is a sign that you do not know the measure of your days. You do not understand that your time is as short as a handbreadth. Before you know it, your trouser-sagging, nightclubbing, TV-bingeing self is 75years old. A trendy dress sense or regular exercises will not change the fact about your age then.

Your days, if you will live them profitably, must be patterned after the Word. You are a king, and according to divine law, the Book of the Law must be by your side always, to teach and guide you as you reign in destiny.

God knows your days. Therefore, you must receive the Word from His mouth daily.

The Word is the life of the day.

You need the Word daily.

This is what Moses missed. When he missed the Word, he died at the edge of his destination.

David lived for 70years, but his days- the time of his reign on earth- was 40years.

When he missed it, by committing adultery and murder, he was quick to seek for the Holy Spirit to remain with him, because he knew that he was at risk of losing the mercy of God.

Many are yet to begin to live their days, and show them forth.

If this describes you, it is time to rise. Discover your destiny and live your days according to the instruction of the Word.

 

Lk 17:20-22

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Brethren, the kingdom of God is within you. It is not coming down from above.

Therefore, when you say, thy kingdom come, do not look up, expecting something to come from heaven. Instead, see it as a call to set your heart on fire for God, and for the establishment of His will on earth.

And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

This is not addressed to everyone; just His disciples.

Whenever you are tempted to wish for a manifestation of the days of Christ, save yourself the disappointment.

Rather, understand that this is your day, and it time for you to manifest the kingdom of God in you.

He has finished His assignment; He fulfilled His days. Now, it is your turn.

The book written after the testimony of John is called the Acts of the Apostles, not the Acts of Jesus.

The days of Jesus ended in John. The next chapter talks about the Days of the Apostles.

I am speaking to disciples.

This is your day.

It is time for you to show forth the kingdom of God in your world.

What you need to escape death, to end the reign of evil, and establish the reign of righteousness is in you.

Manifest your days.

The days of Jesus came to manifestation when He was born again, of the Water and the Spirit.

Brethren, as long as you walk in powerlessness, your days have not begun.

You will know when you get to the throne.

That is your real birthday.

 

Jdgs 5: 6-7

In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose [in my days], that I arose a mother in Israel.

The words of Deborah.

This woman referred to the days of another judge.

In the days of this man, Shamgar, the nation was gripped with fear, and no one dared to travel freely.

Then, she arose, in her days, and things changed.

When will it be your days?

When are you going to arise?

 

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• I charge my life; receive fire to function in my days.

• My inner man, receive the power to showcase my days.

• Every attack of the wicked to silence my days; you are a liar. I silence you by fire.

• Whatever the wicked has put in place to silence my days; I scatter and destroy them by fire.

 

PASTOR’S CORNER

THE MYSTERIES OF UNREASONABLE REASONS:

UNREASONABLE KEYS TO THE SUPERNATURAL IN CHRIST

REFERENCES: MATTHEW 16:19, I CORINTHIANS 15: 21-23, JOHN 5: 24-27, ISAIAH 41: 21

Unreasonable reasons are things that are unthinkable and unimaginable.

Matt 16: 19

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

The kingdom of heaven has keys. They are used to bind and loose.

With the keys of the Kingdom, you have the capacity to bind and loose whatsoever.

These keys are not visible. They are unimaginable. One would wonder: how does one bind and loose with keys? Yet, the keys are real, and their potency are undeniable.

…and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven [AMP]

The question you have to ask is: what is improper and unlawful? It is time you declared failure, sickness, poverty, mediocrity…improper and unlawful. It is time to bind them.

These keys refer to knowledge and power- principles from heaven. They cannot be acquired in the world’s institutions of learning, because they are beyond the reasoning capacity of men.

It takes what heaven reveals for you to function on earth. These are the keys- divine revelation into the mind of God. Armed with these, you can discern the proper from the improper and make the right declarations.

 

I Cor 15: 21-23

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

Death did not just come; it came in by a man.

Brethren, understand that this is a principle. Whatever is wrong with your household came in by a man. That improper thing in your life entered by a man.

Now, if the improper thing entered your life by a man, it will leave your life by a man.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Have you ever observed a toddler’s propensity to disobey and lie, and wondered at the source? Who taught the child to lie?

Adam did.

Brethren, no one becomes a Christian by natural birth or by association. You must be born again.

Christ was born again, and again, and again.

First, He was born of a woman.

At Jordan, He was born again, of the Water. When He came out of the Water, He was born of the Spirit.

When He died, He resurrected, and became the Firstborn from the dead, that He might be the Lord both of the dead and living (Col 1:18, Rom 14:9)

This is why no one can escape my Jesus. In life or death, He is Lord.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Death is an unescapable reality for those born in Adam.

In Adam, all die. This is a constant.

However, in Christ, ALL shall be made alive.

Yet, not everyone in Christ is alive in all areas. Many are born again, but have dead brains, dead finances, dead marriages, dead careers, dead minds…

They are in Christ, but there is still death in them.

…shall all be made alive

This is a process. There is a making involved.

Not all Christians are wise, sound minded, or excellence oriented; they are in Christ, but these parts of their lives are still dead. However, when they submit to the divine process, ALL shall be made alive.

If you walk in this understanding, you will not tolerate death, in any form, in any area of your life. For, why should your soul be alive, and your marriage dies? Why should your brain be alive, and the works of your hands fail?

Why should you be in Christ, and any part of you still die?

You came to Christ with some dead things; but Christ has given you the consolation: it does not matter what they are, or how long they have been dead. In Him, they shall be made alive.

This is your time.

There was a time the enemies killed somethings in you.

Now, in your time, you must declare what is written: every dead thing in must be made alive.

But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming

Christ is the firstfruits, born again of the water of the Word and the Spirit.

You are fruits as well; born also of the water of the Word, and the Spirit.

As our Elder Brother and Example, He has come to show us how to walk in the reality of our identity…

Consider as an example, the fact that Christ did not raise everyone from death. However, He raised the son of the widow of Nain, because the man’s destiny was connected to His.

In this your time, establish your own order and declare life to all that is dead in you.

Jn 5: 24-27

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word…

I pray that you will hear God in my voice.

Hearing God is very much different from hearing about God.

Those who hear about God, sit as members of the church, but will not be counted as members of the Church of Christ. They are disconnected from the Body of Christ, and therefore cannot receive instructions, revelations and commands from Him.

In human physiology, that is a symptom of stroke.

Do not settle for hearing about God in me. Rather, strive to hear Him in me, and believe.

…and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation

Condemnation only comes after judgement. You cannot condemn a man that has not been judged.

The man who hears me, and does what I tell him to do, cannot be condemned. When enemies rise to speak against you in judgement, you shall be the one to condemn them; thus, fulfilling the Scripture (Isa 54:17).

…but is passed from death unto life.

No divination or enchantment can nullify this Word. No boasting of the wicked is relevant at this stage, because you have passed from death to life.

Why?

Because you have a man, whose words you hear, and believe.

This applies to those who have not died. Because they listen to God in me, they will not see death. This means that no judgement of hell can determine the time or manner of their death.

There are those however, who are spiritually dead. Physically, they exist, but their glory- their true virtue- has been killed.

What happens to these ones, who have been made dead in one part of their lives or another?

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

Christ is a Son of God.

He was the son of Mary according to the flesh, but He was the Son of God, by the coming together of the Word and the Spirit.

When He came out of the water, the Holy Ghost came upon Him. Then, the Father declared Him to be His Son; giving a command as well. ‘Hear Him, as my Son’.

As the Son of God, He has the divine capacity to make alive…

When the Father declared Him to be His Son, demons recognised Him.

He was no longer the Son of Man.

When a man is born of the Water and the Spirit, and is declared to be the son of God, he has the capacity to make dead things come alive.

Not every Christian can do that. It takes one that has become the son of God.

Those who hear the Son of God shall live.

In the lives of those who hear God in the voice of the pastor, dead things shall come alive.

For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgement also because he is the Son of man.

God has never called any angel His son.

It takes a son of man, that has been made a son of God, to bring dead men to life.

So, you hear the son of God; who was once a son of man, and has been MADE the son of God.

 

Isa 41: 21

Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob

[You idols made by men’s hands, prove your divinity!] Produce your cause [set forth your case], says the Lord. Bring forth your strong proofs, says the King of Jacob. [AMP]

God is speaking to idols.

There are powers in your household saying that your life must not come alive, and they give unreasonable reasons against you.

Although their reasons are unreasonable, they are effective against you.

To them, God speaks. He charges them to show their strong proofs, why dead things must remain in the lives of those that are in Christ.

Prove your divinity…

This means that you are more than meets the eye; that you are a carrier of the divine.

These devils insisting that you are a failure, are giving unreasonable reasons, to prove that they have the divine right to determine the order of your life.

Today, I come as one who has been made a son of God.

In as much as you hear me, as a man who has been made the son of God, you will live.

Sadly, the devil wants you to hear me as a son of man.

He leverages your knowledge of my history against you; preventing you from seeing my destiny.

History is human; destiny is divine, and history is always against destiny.

This is why Jesus could not perform many miracles in his hometown.

They could not see Him as the Son of God because they knew Him as a carpenter.

Brethren, as long as you see Jesus as a carpenter, He will only prepare your chair. Although He has the capacity to prepare your throne, that will not happen until you see Him as the Son of God.

Today, as you hear the voice of God in me, every power, giving unreasonable reasons why you cannot prosper under the anointing of God upon this ministry, will be destroyed.

It is time for ALL of you to come alive.

 

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My life, receive the power to come alive.

• Holy Ghost, speak to me.

• My Father, by Your power and Your mercy, help me.

• Any wicked hand over my head, I uproot you by fire.

• Every part of me; hear the word of the LORD. Come alive by fire.

• Whatever is dead in me; hear the word of the LORD. Come alive now!

• Any power that wants to disconnect me from God; I destroy you by fire.

• I condemn every judgement against my life.

• Any unreasonable reason behind evil experience in my life; stop and backfire.

• Any unreasonable reason against my life; I stop and destroy you by fire.

 

PASTOR’S CORNER

THE MYSTERIES OF UNREASONABLE REASONS:

THE UNREASONABLE ROBBERY

REFERENCES: LUKE 11: 24, PSALM 119:61, PSALM 2:2-3, MATTHEW 12:28-29

As we round up this teaching for the moment, we look into the mystery of the unreasonable robber.

There is a robber that steals, unreasonably.

The thief steals virtue, strength, blessings from you; you cannot explain how, but you see the effect of that robbery.

When a great man of God falls away, or someone who has been a blessing in the Kingdom, suddenly falls into error; it is a case of unreasonable robbery.

This mystery works both ways.

Whenever the devil puts a man in bondage, he considers the man, and all he has, as his property. Now, when someone rises to set the man free from his captivity, the devil considers him [the deliverer] a robber.

 

Lk 11:24

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.

The devil called a man his house. And, what do you call someone who forcefully evicts you out of your house?

When you bring a man out of the custody of the devil, consider that you have been tagged a robber by that devil.

The devil does to you, what he does not want you to do to him.

He wants to steal from you, but he does not want the things he steals to be taken back from him.

He steals from you, but he does not want anyone or anything to be taken from him.

Therefore, he will fight with everything around him, to keep what he claims to be his property.

Ps 119: 61

The bands of the wicked have robbed me…

Though the cords of the wicked have enclosed and enslaved me… [AMP]

 

The devil has bands- cords with which he binds people.

A man who struggles to pray, to sit with the Word and do the work of God, has been bound by the wicked.

When you find that you yawn and sleep when you are before the Word or in the place of prayer, but you suddenly come alive and can vigorously discuss politics or sport, or a telenovela, you have been bound.

The brains, minds and hearts of men have been bound by the devil; and it is for a purpose. He binds in order to steal.

He binds with distractions, ignorance, prayerless-ness, and carnality, in order to steal power, blessings, promotions, profits…

 

Ps 2: 2-3

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

The devil understands the principle of bands and cords.

Therefore, while he binds men, he does not want to be bound.

This means that he hates lukewarm-ness. He understands that, to be in such a state is to risk being bound, and being stripped of what you have.

When a devil finds himself in bounds, he does not just accept his fate and stay there. No! he calls a meeting, mobilises other devils, and seeks to be free of the bands, placed on him by the anointed of God.

It takes the anointing to bind the devil.

While the devil comes to bind, steal, kill and destroy; you will, by the power of God, bind him, retrieve what he stole, kill and destroy him.

When a man prospers in the midst of the thick darkness in his world, enjoying spiritual, financial, physical, marital, ministerial prosperity; it is because the devil has been bound.

Empty words are a sign of bondage.

There are men, in bands, who are still talking. Yet, they do not enjoy their divinely appointed blessings because a devil has declared it so.

A man who is unbound will declare and go where he lists- desires and plans to go- and no devil will be able to stop him.

 

Matt 12: 28-29

But If I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house.

This is the principle the devil uses against the children of the Kingdom. Whenever he seeks to steal from a home, household, business… he does not bother with the cold and lukewarm in that environment.

He first binds the strong man of the house- the person who constitutes a threat to his mission.

There is a devil on a mission against you.

If you fail to bind that devil, he will bind you.

You have a responsibility: bind the devil and take back every thing he has stolen from you.

 

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My Father, anoint me with Your raw fire.

• Raw fire of God, to bind the wicked; possess my life.

• My life, receive the power and fire of God, that cannot be robbed.

• Every band of the wicked over my life; thus says the LORD. Scatter by fire!

• Bands of the wicked over the works of my hands; I scatter and destroy you by fire.

• Any power on a mission to bind my heart, mind, works, and what belongs to me; you are a liar. I slay you by fire.

• Any power that wants to put me in bondage; thus says the LORD. I bind you.

• Any devil on a mission to steal from me; thus says the LORD. I bind you.

• Every judgement of darkness, to bind me; I bind that judgement by fire.

 

PASTOR’S CORNER

THE MYSTERY OF ELEVATION BY APPRECIATION IN CHRIST:

APPRECIATION DEMANDS UNDERSTANDING OF GOD’S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE

REFERENCES: I PETER 2: 9-10, ISAIAH 43:21-24, II THESSALONIANS 2:3-4

Everyone is made by God for a purpose.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made for a purpose. Your salvation is for a purpose.

Our understanding of this divine purpose for our lives determines our ability to appreciate God. A man who understands God’s purpose for his life will appreciate Him all the days of his life. Every experience, situation, challenge, test and trial will become an opportunity to appreciate God.

I Pet 2:9-10

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;

God chose you out of so many. He did so for a purpose.

Wherever you are, understand that there is a divine purpose for it. Therefore, you must prayerfully to know the reason for your being there at that time.

Why did He choose? What is that purpose He desires to fulfil through you?

...that ye should shew forth the praises of him...

You are chosen for this purpose: to display the power and praise of God. You are not to showcase your own praise but that of God.

...who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light...

God brought you out of the darkness- He sought you and brought you out of limitation, poverty, fruitlessness, despair and captivity- into His light for this purpose: so that your life will become a testimony of His power, blessings, abundance, fruitfulness and liberty.

Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

While in darkness, you were nobody. You were at the mercy of the evil that kept those in darkness in obscurity. You suffered what they suffered.

Now, however, you are known. Now, you matter. You are now of God, and no longer an ordinary person. Now, in the kingdom of light, you have become a partaker of His mercy.

The purpose of this is so that your presence, marriage, career, business, ministry...will show forth His praises. When you walk in this understanding, your life becomes God’s lapel pin, advertising, displaying God wherever you are.

Isa 43:21-24

This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

God formed you for His praise. Your beauty, riches, marriage, achievements, blessings; these are all given to you so that through them, you will showcase God.

God does not make mistakes. There is a purpose for everything He has done, and given to you. Therefore, when you perceive that things are not working according to divine purpose in your life, be quick to identify and stop the enemy at work.

But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

Unfortunately, when purpose is not understood, abuse is inevitable, and destiny is frustrated. This is why many, in their ignorance use God’s gifts against Him. His gifts have become their reason for disregarding God...

Beauty becomes the excuse for immorality; money, achievements and power generate pride. Marriages fall apart because the reality of divine purpose is missing.

Christians fail to call on God; they fail to serve and bless Him with their substance and fellowship. Men find various ways to wriggle out of serving God with their time, money and love. In doing so, God is made tired, burdened by the weakening force of their sins and iniquities.

His desire to walk and work in our lives, marriages, businesses, careers and ministries is frustrated because He is wearied. Sin curbs His ability to serve in our lives.

God is saying, ‘I want to work in your marriage, business, personal life, and your generation, but your failure to praise Me- to serve Me with all I have blessed you with- because you do not appreciate the purpose for which I formed you, is frustrating my divine agenda’

The question ‘why?’ arises. Why is it that those chosen by God fail to do what He has called them to do?

II Thess 2:3-4

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

The importance of this question is revealed when we realise this: whenever a man fails to do what God has called him to do, he gives the devil an invitation to work evil in his life.

The evil day will not come until there is a falling away. Until a man falls away from the purpose of God, the enemy will not appear. Whenever you experience the revealing of the man of sin- the devil- in any area of your life, do not waste time complaining and bemoaning your fate. You will do well to check your life and ask: how have I rebelled against God?

Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Even the devil appears for a purpose. His presence is to oppose divine purpose and establish his own evil purpose in your life.

It is crucial that every Christian

Any Christian who walks without the understanding of divine purpose will give satan...

You are called out of your household to become the destruction of destruction. You are where you are for an assignment.

When you fail to carry out this assignment, you defeat and disappoint divine purpose, giving satan a place to gloat and claim the place of God in your world.

The enemy takes advantage of your falling away to come in and take over. He keeps you away from the worship and service of God. Then, you struggle to pray, fast, serve, and fellowship with God, because the one who opposes God has come to you.

You suddenly find it difficult to see any good that God has done, but you can list all that He has not done. You love for Him grows cold, because the one who seeks to exalt himself in the place of God has come to you.

You no longer desire the things of God, because there is a devil sitting in the temple of your life. That devil shows himself as god over your life because he has discovered a place in you, made available by your falling away.

Brethren, the time has come for you to resist the evil day.

Destroy every evil day that has already come upon your life.

Walk in this understanding of God’s purpose for your life; and show forth the praise of God in everywhere you are divinely located.

Give no room to the evil day in your life

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• Higher power of God, to destroy every opposition in my life; possess me now.

• Fire of God, to show forth the praises of God; possess me now.

• Any evil day waiting to come upon me, I conquer you by fire.

• Any destruction waiting for me and my household; I destroy you by fire.

• Every evil conspiracy to make me fall away; I frustrate you by fire.

• Any power showing himself as god in my life; I destroy you by fire now.

 

PASTOR’S CORNER

THE MYSTERY OF ELEVATION BY APPRECIATION IN CHRIST:

EVALUATION ENHANCES APPRECIATION

REFERENCES: I CORINTHIANS 3: 16-17, ROMANS 12: 1, II SAMUEL 7:1-16

In the corporate world, compensations-financial increment and awards- are based on evaluations. In the same vein, our appreciation of God is enhanced by our evaluation of all that He has done for us.

I Cor 3: 16-17

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

God dwells in you. You are the temple of God, and He will destroy every defiler of His holy place.

Rom 12: 1

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

You need God to worship God.

When you understand that God lives in you, you have a responsibility to appreciate Him by presenting your body to Him as a living sacrifice. This is your true and proper worship to Him.

This means that, when you know that God is in you, you will also appreciate Him. When you know that He lives in your business, marriage, career... and that He is the source of every good thing you have, you will compensate Him in appreciation.

II Sam 7:1- 16

And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies; That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

Have you ever considered how far God has brought you? Do you consider all that He has delivered you from, and all that He has blessed you with?

David did.

See now...

Once I was a shepherd boy but, see now, I am a king.

Once I was a fugitive and outlaw, but see now, I live in a house of cedars.

Once, I had no rest but, see now, I have rest.

As he evaluated the journey of his life, he realised all that God had for him. Therefore, he sought to compensate God.

Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?

Since the time God led Israel from Egypt, He had no rest. His ark was placed in tents and tabernacles.

Now, David was proposing to give Him rest. His evaluation of God’s impact in his life made him decide to do for God what no one had considered doing- giving Him rest.

May God find rest in your life- in your body, marriage, business and ministry.

The power of God is driven to and fro in your life because you have not properly evaluated all that He has done for you. When you consider that He has given you rest- blessing you in every way, in spite of the enemy’s expectations, His presence, power, and fire will be stable in your life.

You will seek to fill needs in His house that others do not consider, because He has done you well in that area.

Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.

God is saying, ‘your decision to do this for Me is because of all I did for you.’

God knows that our willingness to appreciate and compensate Him is determined by how well we have evaluated His good deeds in our lives.

Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime

Whenever you compensate God for what He has done for you, He will give you more reasons to appreciate Him.

Up till this point, the children of wickedness had afflicted Israel with instability.

Now, God is saying, ‘I will plant my people. I will them make them stable. They will no longer experience fluctuation- be tossed to and fro- in character, their prayer life, in their fellowship with God.

And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

David appreciated and compensated God for giving him rest. Now, God was going further.

God had given him a house; now He was making him a house.

God had made him king; now He was establishing his kingdom.

God had given him rest; now He was establishing his rest.

God had made him ruler over His people; now He had established His people.

By compensating God, he set himself up for establishment of his house, kingdom and people.

No one can out give God. You cannot out compensate God. Every step you take towards compensating Him will turn around in your favour. He will compensate you by establishing you in that area in which you have appreciated Him.

If you desire establishment in your body, marriage, business, or career, the arithmetic is simple: evaluate the goodness of God in your life and compensate Him.

Prepare a place of rest for God in your life and He will establish you.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My Father, establish Your power in my life.

• Any wicked power making my life unstable; I destroy you by fire.

• Any voice speaking against the establishment of my life; I silence you by fire.

• You enemy of my establishment; be wasted by fire now.

 

PASTOR’S CORNER

THE MYSTERY OF ELEVATION BY APPRECIATION IN CHRIST:

YOUR CHOICE REFLECTS YOUR INNER MAN (B)

REFERENCES: I CHRONICLES 13: 1-4, I CHRONICLES 15: 1-3, II SAMUEL 6: 13

I Chr 13:1-4

And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us: And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul. And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

David had a God-inspired desire. He wanted to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the house of God. While under the leadership of Saul, he had observed that his master made decisions by human reasoning, with no regard for God.

He however desired to do things differently. He understood that he had no power of his own, and was not going to rule the people of God without God.

However, he missed it in one aspect. In his zeal to bring in the ark, he sought the counsel of men.

Whatever is of God must be handled His way. You consult Him first about His work. By consulting men first, the king did the right thing the wrong way.

I Chr 15:1-3

And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever. And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he had prepared for it.

At this point, Uzzah had died. This was a repercussion of David’s error. However, although David was displeased with the LORD  because of the death (I Chr 13:10-12), he did not lose focus. His original desire and intent, to be able to inquire of the LORD (Ps 27:4), was not shaken by the tragedy.

David was a mighty man; he started his military career by killing a giant. Yet, he acknowledged that his strength would fail him.

It is a good thing to study books on how to deal with various areas of life. However, it is crucial to understand that the wisdom of man is not the strength of a Christian; when you depend on your mental capacity, you will fail.

Instead of giving up, David asked the right question: How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?

He asked the question, and received the answer; and he acted according to divine counsel. He acknowledged that the ark should only be carried by the Levites- the priests.

The idea of bearing the ark on a cart was borrowed from the world, as represented by the Philistines. They were the ones who placed the ark on a cart while returning back to Israel. (I Sam 6)

Today, Google has become the cart on which the shepherds of God’s people place His ark. They seek content and ideas on how to lead and serve the flock from the world. As long as they carry out God’s assignment that way, they cannot bring Him or Him into the House; and consequences will be tragic.

If you desire to bring God into your life, marriage, business, ministry and world, follow up your zeal with divine counsel. You need the priest- God’s chosen vessel for the task.

However, even before he had sought to bring in the ark, David had already prepared a place for it. Many Christians desire the power of God, but have not bothered to prepare for Him.

II Sam 6:13-23

When your heart is right with God, you must also learn His ways- learn to do the right thing the right way.

God could not allow the ark to get to David on a cart because that would have legitimised the system of the world.

If like David, you have also missed it, in a zealous bid to do something for God, it is very important to understand that this is not a condemnation.

Every man, elevated by God, has missed it in one way or the other in his journey with God. Therefore, no one can glory in himself.

Also, when you yield to God and seek His way, He will turn your mess into a miracle.

It was in the process of correcting his mess and doing things God’s way, that David discovered his priestly office. His mistake became a miracle.

And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.

As a priest, he offered sacrifices to the LORD, and bearing the blessing of God into the house of God, he blessed His people. Not only that, he fed a multitude with bread, flesh and wine (does the miracle of five loaves and two fishes come to mind?)

Sadly, one person was not part of the celebrations.

And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

Michal saw her husband dancing before the ark, and despised him in her heart.

While the celebration was going on, she was missing.

Not only did she did not join in the celebration, when he came into his household, in the capacity of a priest, to bless her and his house, she met him. She approached him and made her disdain verbally known.

Consider Michal.

When Saul refused to give Merab to David, the bible says Michal loved him.

When her father sought to kill David, she risked her father’s wrath, and her life, to save him.

Yet, on the day when the mercy of God was available, she was missing.

When His mercy sought her out in her own home, she despised the messenger.

Why did she behave so? The answer is found in the Word

...Michal the daughter of Saul...

There was something in her foundation that contended with her blessing.

Brethren, whatever keeps you away from the presence of God is working against your divine appointment with His mercy and blessings. Be sensitive; there is something in your foundation fighting to keep you from receiving, and bringing mercy into your household.

When you find yourself speaking in despiteful tones to the man or woman in your life, who stands as priest, praying and seeking the face of God on behalf of your household, beware also; there is a devil at work.

Michal did not understand this mystery, and on the day of her blessing, she misbehaved.

And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.

Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

Michal was not the first member of her family to be connected to David.

Jonathan was the first, but he went after his father and died in battle with him.

Merab was promised to David, but Saul went back on his word.

Then there was Michal. And she missed it.

God’s mercy had departed from Saul’s household. Therefore, God kept connecting members of that family to David in order to make one of them a partaker of divine mercy.

It was not until Mephibosheth that the divine agenda was realised, and that was no small feat for the lame man.

Look into your life. What is that evil, working against your household, which is hell bent on keeping you away from God’s presence? What is that voice that is fighting to disconnect you from your divine source of mercy?

Consider the state of your inner man. Prepare a place for God. Seek to know ‘how’ to bring Him in. Fight to remain connected to your priest. Deal with the foundational enemy of your mercy.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My Father, I humble myself before You.

• My life, your time has come to obtain mercy. Receive the power to get the mercy of God.

• My life, receive the mercy of God to do it well again.

• Mercy shall be my portion forever. Therefore any judgement against my household, contesting with my appointed mercy and blessing; I conquer and destroy you by fire.

 

PASTOR’S CORNER

WINNING THE YEAR IN CHRIST:

WINNING IS CONTAGIOUS

REFERENCES: I SAMUEL 17:8-9, NUMBERS 14: 6-9, 21-24

 

Pro 13: 20 teaches the importance of choosing ones companions wisely. As we continue to study the key to winning the year in Christ, this scripture will serve us well.

 

I Sam 17: 8-9

And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants of Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.

 

In the days of David, there were 5 giants, and all were killed by David and his men. This is because who you follow determines who you become. When you diligently follow a winner, you will inevitably become one as well.

 

Goliath stood and challenged the army of Israel: I stand as one man for the Philistines. You also choose a man to stand for Israel.

 

The problem facing the people of God is not the number of wicked personalities in a household; rather, the question is: can God find a man- somebody to stand and fight in His name against the giant in his household?

That person must be ready to do the work and pay the price in full- to bring down the giant of poverty, death, loss, stagnation, waste.... Then, like Christ, he will spring up and reign.

 

The principle of One Man...any Christian willing to apply this will find that no devil is undefeatable. Even better, the devil he conquers will give gifts to his children. In arrogance, By his words, Goliath made the entire Philistine nation servants unto David. And, when David died, they still brought gifts to Solomon.

 

Every family will remain in the mess of demonic oppression is because no one has taken up the challenge to stand up and defeat the devil. When that man rises to the occasion, the reach of his victory will extend far beyond that space and time.

 

Brethren, you must understand that the devil fights to kill. He bombards you with troubles on every side for that one reason- to kill. That way, he ensures that everyone in the household bows to him in fear...however, if a man kills that demonic champion, he brings all other devils into subjection to him.

 

... If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants...

 

It is written in the divine constitution that a person’s will is in effect once he dies. Well, Goliath’s last will and testament sealed the fate of the Philistines and made them slaves to David. But that was because David chose to fight and win.

 

Num 14: 6-9, 21-24

And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: and they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through tot search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land and give it us; an land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

 

When the Amalekites rose up against Israel at the onset of their journey to the Promised Land, Moses called Joshua and gave him an unusual charge: choose men to fight the enemies, while I go up to the mountain. The young man obeyed and came back victorious.

 

When Moses chose 12 prominent men from each family to scout the land of promise, Joshua and Caleb were amongst the 12. It is important to note that Moses had changed Joshua’s name (from Hoshea to Joshua, which means ‘The LORD is our Salvation’), and God endorsed it.

 

Before this, no mention had been made of Caleb. Now, in Israel, the name- Caleb- means ‘Dog’. Considering that names carried meaning at that time, it is safe to assume that the name was a pointer to the circumstances of his birth.

 

So, for 40 days, this ‘dog’ followed Joshua- The LORD, our Salvation... and something fell from Joshua into Caleb’s life.

 

As truly as I live , all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD, because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall nay of them that provoked me see it: but my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

 

And so it was that, the one that was called a dog became a servant of God. God declared him so, because it was obvious that, in his 40-day walk with Joshua, the different spirit that was upon Joshua came upon him and the evil spirit that had made him useless left. 45 years after, Caleb could still refer to that day, as he walked strong in that new spirit.

 

Consider this: if 40 days changed the life of Caleb, why then is it that a Christian, who has been under the ministration of this ...for many years still walks in fear, unbelief, un-forgiveness, and oppression?

 

The giant-killers of David’s time were so fearless because the grace upon David came upon them as well.

What are you doing with the grace that has been made available to you?

 

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• Any power fighting to kill me, I waste you by fire.

• I command today, you negative spirit from my household, following my life to defeat my destiny; you are a liar. I defeat you by fire.

• Ancestral judgement following my name to defeat me; I destroy your power by fire.

• The Spirit of the Lord is on me. Therefore, I defeat every negative experience that has taken hold of my life.

PASTOR’S CORNER

WINNING THE YEAR IN CHRIST:

SOMETHING ON ME (PART B)

REFERENCES: II PETER 2:20-22, ACTS 1: 15-16; 20, PSALM 69:24-25, ISAIAH 10: 27

 

At the beginning of this teaching, everyone was enjoined to ask a question: ‘what is sitting on me?’ We learnt that the Breaker sits upon the head of every Christian, to change their minds and confession, and also to break every yoke. As we continue, we will learn that something else can be upon a Christian.

 

When you discover that you keeping falling out of grace; that you transgress the Word, struggle in the place of prayer, struggle to obey divine instructions, and do things you cannot boldly declare before God, it is because there is something sitting upon you against your destiny.

 

II Pet 2:20-22

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

 

Brethren, when you discover that something you had overcome in the past- a sin, habit, attitude, behaviour- has taken hold of your life again and is ruling over you; if you are now entangled in that which you once conquered, it is because that something is sitting upon you.

If this is your experience, do not despair, for today, a higher force will come upon you today and break that yoke...

 

When a man, who has known the way, turns away from God, it is a sign that something is on his head. Whatever turns a man away from the presence of God is evil and is working against his destiny.

 

The question now is: what happened to such a man?

 

A word, spoken many years before, has come upon him. The word was not directed at him specifically, but it has come to sit upon him. So, whether the man is zealous for God, loves holiness, righteousness and faithfulness, who gives cheerfully to God, or he loves sin, it is because that thing that was spoken as far back as many centuries ago, has come upon him.  

 

It is important to understand that everyone is controlled by a spirit, either of God or of the devil. You must therefore seek to understand why you live the way you do, as well as the influence behind it.  

 

When an evil word sits upon a man, he is washed, purged, purified by the Blood of Jesus, but goes back to wallow in the mud of sin, corruption, defilement and death- entangled again in the thing they had once overcome.

 

Act 1: 15-16, 20

And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before, concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

 

For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

 

Ps 69:24-25

Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them. Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents

 

Just like the true proverb in the second book of Peter, the scripture referred to was not linked to any person- no name was given. Yet, the declarations of evil became manifest in the life of a certain man- Judas.

 

A deeper study of the Psalm, (Ps 69:24-25) shows that the prophecy was not even directed at one man! David had spoken in anger against his enemies and his words referred to many. Yet, in the Acts of the Apostles, it is shown that the word came upon Judas.

 

Judas was an apostle, yet he had fallen victim of the evil prophecy. That is a call to caution for all Christians, even ministers. You have a responsibility to fight off every evil word that is seeking to sit upon you.

 

Judas did not hear this message. He did not understand that something had come upon him to take away his office and place in Christ. He did not know that he needed to fight to keep his place and testimony.

 

God did not make a mistake by placing you in that family- by birth, marriage or adoption. He knew of the principalities, powers, strongholds and giants in that land before He sent you there. You are therefore doing Him a disservice by giving excuses for your failings. Get up and break every yoke. Invoke the Breaker upon your head and battle to conquer.

 

Isa 10: 27

And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

 

David is an example of an anointed head. His father sent him to the battle front to serve his brothers. He did not know that young man’s anointing had prepared him for the battle he was not aware of, and divinely moved him to the battle field. The anointing also worked on his hands and made him a deadly force to the enemy.

 

Note that the burden- the yoke- is on the shoulders, but the anointing flows from the head.

When you are overburdened with failure, stagnation, confusion...there is a yoke that must be broken. When you struggle to say and maintain your ‘yes’ to God, when you find yourself going back to the vomit of past sins, wasteful habits and associations, there is a yoke that must be broken. When you find it hard to honour and fear the presence of God, when you struggle to obey divine commandments, there is a yoke to be broken.

 

Brethren, ask yourselves again, ‘what is on me?’ and if your answer is not ONLY the Breaker, then you have some putting off to do.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

 

• My head, receive the raw fire of God.

• Every evil word spoken against my destiny, performing in my life now; your end is now. I put you off by fire. Break and scatter by fire now!

• Whatever is on me, turning me away from God; I destroy you by fire.

• I cast off and send out of my life, by fire, every evil word spoken over my life.

PASTOR’S CORNER

WINNING THE YEAR IN CHRIST:

SOMETHING ON ME

REFERENCES: MICAH 2: 13, ACTS 2:1-4, ACTS 13:39-41, 44- 46

 

Everyone carries something. There is something sitting on every man’s head. The question to ask is: what is on me? By the end of this teaching, it will be the power of God.

If what is upon you is evil, do not be discouraged because you have the capacity to put it off. Therefore, whatever evil prophecy has come upon you and made you a victim of its terrible effect will come off

 

Mic 2: 13

The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.

At His resurrection, Christ revealed that all the prophets had spoken concerning Him had been fulfilled. This means that today, we are simply working out the reality of what was spoken.

Winning in life is a function of activating what has been settled concerning your life. It has nothing to do with your knowledge, work or abilities.

 

Zachariah and Elizabeth named their son John. However, when he became a man, he looked into the book of Isaiah. As he beheld the Word, something moved from that Book and sat on him. From that moment, he moved out of his father’s house and went into the wilderness. When asked his name, he did not say ‘John’. He said ‘I am the voice of him crying in the wilderness...’

 

When the Breaker (the Messiah [AMP])- the Anointed One- sits on your head, yokes shall be broken, bars of prisons will melt, and obstacles shall make way for you. You become unstoppable as you breakthrough, passing through every limiting gate and prison door.

 

When you walk in the reality of this fulfilled truth, you will think differently. The lies of the enemy will no longer matter, because it will be impossible for you to see failure or defeat as your lot in life. A man who thinks death, failure and defeat at all times; who is intimidated and discouraged by the raging of the enemy has not seen the Lord sitting on his head.

 

Acts 2:1-4

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Whatever you do is a reflection of what is sitting on your head. You struggle in the place of prayer, sleep when the Word is been taught, live in sin without regret because something negative is on you.

 

When the Holy Ghost sits on you, it will affect the way you behave. He will affect the way you speak...ask yourself: what gives me utterance?

 

Brethren, whatever you give yourself to will eventually give itself back to you. Give yourself to the Word. Do this consistently. Inevitably, the Word will reciprocate and sit upon you. When that happens, your language- your utterances, confessions, and declarations- your demeanour and your mindset will change.

 

Acts13:39-41, 44- 46

And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

YOU ARE JUSTIFIED FROM ALL THINGS:

From every curse, spell, decision of evil personalities, evil patterns, judgements.

From sin and death

From your past errors

From hell

 

BUT BEWARE...

Beware that you do not despise the power of the Word. The man who despises God’s word will wander and perish in his mess. He will not see the manifestation of God’s power even while it is at work, but the one who believes and receives the Word- that the Breaker has come upon him- will breakthrough.

 

The apostles received the Holy Ghost and power because they believed the Word of the Breaker and tarried in the upper room for 10 days, according to His command.

 

The Jews in this story acted differently. God sent the Word of life to them, with a warning of the danger of rejecting His Word. But they, filled with envy, put it off them. They declared by their actions that they were unworthy of going to heaven, and cast off the Word of life. As they did this, the word of hell came upon them.

 

Consider this: if these men could put off the word from God, why then can you not put off every word from the devil?

 

You have been justified from ALL things. But for God to work His wonders in your days, beware not to despise His Word. Believe and receive the fulfilled work of the Breaker.

 

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

 

• Fire of God, come upon my head.

• Word of the Lord; wisdom of God; raw fire of God, I submit my head to You. Sit on me.

• Evil word sitting on me; I put you off by fire.

• Any evil judgement/ word, which has come upon my life, against my destiny; hear the judgement of the Lord. Right now, I put you off by fire.

• Judgement from my household, negating the will of God for my life; hear the judgement of the Lord. Right now, I put you off by fire.

• Every evil garment sitting over my life; hear the judgement of the Lord. Right now, I put you off by fire.

• Every cage holding me bound; hear the judgement of the Lord. The Breaker is on my head. Therefore, break and scatter now.

PASTOR’S CORNER

WINNING THE YEAR IN CHRIST:

SUSTAINING YOUR PERSONAL PRAYER LIFE (B)

REFERENCES: COLOSSIANS 2: 14-15, ISAIAH 38: 9-10

 

In the first part of this teaching, we learnt that the first key to winning the year in Christ is to ensure that you sustain your personal prayer life. To achieve this, you must ensure that no power can boast of taking off your armour of fire and power. When a Christian receives fire in the church but finds it difficult to sustain it at home, it is a sign that there are powers at his gate, waiting to strip him of his garment of power.

 

Col 2: 14-15

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

 

Whatever disarms a man in the secret has one agenda: to disgrace him in the open. When you fail to conquer a habit, attitude, situation, pattern, power...in the secret, it will disgrace you openly.

 

Christ’s journey to the cross did not start in the open. In the secret, He conquered on His knees. Therefore, while the soldiers ridiculed and scorned Him in the open, He had already spoiled their powers. It was therefore inevitable that the captain would acknowledge that He was indeed the Son of God.

 

Sin conquers a man in the secret. It renders him powerless and makes him a victim of disgrace. However, when a man has conquered in the secret, even an open ridicule will turn out for his good. Christ could calmly go with His captors in the open because He had already damaged their power in the secret.

 

Isa 38: 9-10

The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness: I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years.

 

This is the testimony of Hezekiah’s deliverance from his sickness...

 

I said in the cutting off of my days...

This means that he prayed. He understood that the sickness was for a reason; to cut short his days. In the face of imminent death, Hezekiah did not face the wall and bemoan his fate. Rather, he did what Jesus  commanded: when ye pray, say...

 

I shall go to the gates of the grave...

Christ declared that that the gates of hell will come against His Church, but will not prevail. This means that everyone called to be the Church of Christ, called to be great, must go through the gates of hell.

The gates of hell may come in the form of sickness, poverty, barrenness, stagnation. Whatever challenges your divine testimony is your gate of hell. Now, although everyone will go through the gates of hell,  whoever fails to conquer it will be deprived of his greatness. You must therefore fight to conquer. Remember David’s testimony in Psalm 23?

Though I walk through the [gates of hell], I fear no evil....

 

I am deprived of the residue of my years.

This is the ultimate plan of the gates of hell- to deprive. Hezekiah knew that the gates of hell had come to deprive him of the remainder of his days...for someone else, it might be to deprive you of your greatness, children, prosperity, marriage, promotion. Yet, as we have learnt this is not God’s will.

 

You are not permitted to be deprived by hell. Therefore, fight and conquer in the place of prayer. In your secret place, conquer the gates of hell- the evil prophesies, the judgements of doom- and you will disgrace them in the open.

 

In the name of Jesus,

• My soul, swallow raw fire to conquer in the secret always.

• I receive the fire of God, to conquer in the secret always.

• You wicked power that conquers me in the secret, I bury you by fire.

• Wicked powers, working hard to deprive me of my covenant rights, hear the judgement of the Lord; I slay and bury you by fire.

• Judgment of darkness denying me my covenant rights; I conquer and disgrace you by fire now.

• Any judgement, statement, declaration made over my life, that have been denying me my covenant rights; I conquer and disgrace you by fire now.

PASTOR’S CORNER

 

EVALUATING YOUR PACE IN CHRIST:

 

TO CREATE A SENSE RESPONSIBILITY THAT GENERATES POSSIBILITY

 

REFERENCES: EXODUS 2:1- 8, GENESIS 41: 57, GENESIS 42:1, GENESIS 48:11

 

Evaluating one’s pace in Christ is necessary because it creates a sense of responsibility, and this in turn generates possibilities. All things are possible to anyone who is ready to take on the responsibility of doing the work.

 

Ex 2: 1-8

This story begins with a man, but suddenly, it changes and becomes the story of his wife. This is because, when a man fails to take up his responsibility, the woman becomes the man. This woman, upon the delivery of her son, saw that he was a goodly child and she hid him for 3months. This should have been her husband’s responsibility, but the woman took up the responsibility because of what she saw in him. At this time, a judgement had gone from the king to kill all male children. Yet, at the risk of death, she defied the judgment because her vision provoked her pace. 3months after, when it became impossible to hide the child any longer, she took another major decision. Taking up the role of a craftsman, and built a waterproof ark for her son. Then, with the sister keeping watch, she placed him in the river.

There, Pharaoh’s daughter discovered the child, and claimed him. At this time, Mariam, who had been keeping watch according to their mother’s instruction, offered to get a nurse for the child. And who’s better to be called as a nurse, if not the mother of the child?

 

And so, this woman, Moses’ mother, sowed the seed- first, of hiding her child, and when that was no longer possible, of letting him go. In due time also, she reaped the harvest because she got back the child she had been forced to let go.

During this spate of 3 months, while the mother did all to save their son, the father was absent. It is a sad reality that many men fail in their responsibility of looking upon their children- their lives, choices and destinies.

 

Gen 41: 57; 41: 1- 3

And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another: and he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from; that we may live, and not die.

 

At the time of the famine, Jacob was already about 100 years old. Yet, his sense of responsibility was so great that it was he who charged his grown up sons- men who were already husbands and fathers- and gave them the money with which to purchase corn in Egypt.

Sadly, it should have been the responsibility of the sons. But thankfully, Jacob’s mind set- that he must provide for his household- had not waned in old age.

 

Gen 48: 11

And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

 

Just as Moses’ mother received back her son, Jacob also reaped the harvest of his seed, because not only did he receive back the money he had given for the purchase of the grains, he also got back the son he thought he had lost. But there was more, because he received his grandsons- Manasseh and Ephraim- as well!

 

Brethren, anyone who is ready to take up responsibility will undoubtedly receive back in full measure the harvest of his efforts. It therefore does not matter what you have lost-time, money, salvation, power; if you can take up the responsibility to rededicate your life to God again- to study, pray, give, love, forgive and obey His word again- there is a great possibility that you will recover all.

 

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• I receive the power to recover all that I have lost.

• My Father, help me to do more to recover more.

• Any power manipulating people and situations against my life; I slay you by fire now.

• I recover all.

PASTOR’S CORNER

EVALUATING YOUR PACE IN CHRIST:

INCREASING YOUR PACE THROUGH SERVICE

REFERENCES: JOHN 12: 26, JOHN 20: 13- 17, EZEKIEL 29: 18-20

One way to increase your pace in Christ is to increase your service in Him. Your readiness to serve Christ more than you did previously will cause an increase in your pace.

Jn 12: 26

If any man serves me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be...

Brethren, God is a dynamic, moving God. Whoever serves Him therefore must be ready to move forward with Him, because God will move him forward and take him to places- to the place of His power, of His fire, of the revelation of His Word. This of course demands that you increase in the knowledge of how to serve Him better.

...if any man serve me, him will My Father honour.

To serve Christ is to follow Him, and be honoured by God, and whoever God honours cannot be dishonoured.

Jn 20: 13- 17

And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

The Bible records that Jesus cast out 7 demons from a certain Mary. This same Mary went to the sepulchre of Jesus to serve, not the living Christ, but the dead one. This means that she loved her master so much that she even served his corpse.

Rising early, she sought out the body of Christ to serve it. When she could not find His body, she raised an alarm among the disciples. However, while they left once they could not see Him, she stayed behind because she had come to serve and was not going to leave until she had done so.

Even in death, she called Him ‘my Lord’. Brethren, can you still call Jesus ‘Lord’ when you cannot see Him at work in your situation; will you still trust Him then?

Now, Mary saw angels first before Christ appeared. Any Christian who desires to move beyond the mediocre level of his faith- where speaking in tongues and observing religious traditions is all he knows- to the elevated stage of beholding the true God and accessing the deep mysteries of His Word, the secret is to serve.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

This woman was so determined to serve the corpse of her Master that she sought Him with tears, and even offered to physically carry His body from wherever it had been hid.

Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto Him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

Whoever serves Christ will see Him. It took a while, but because her focus was service, she saw what the disciples had been unable to see- the risen Christ. And so, Jesus changed her name, from ‘Woman’ to ‘Mary’.

But that was not all...

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God and your God.

Now, according to divine principle, the high priest serves in the Holy of Holies with a special garment that must not be touched by anyone. At the time He appeared to Mary, Christ had not yet ascended into heaven. He was on His way there to sanctify it with His blood and was still clothed in His special garment. Therefore, He could not be touched by her.

He was not supposed to be seen by men yet, but for Mary- His diligent, resolute and dedicated servant, who served Him His dead body- He made an exception.

So, the Jesus who Mary saw was untouchable, but the One the disciples saw could be touched. She beheld Him in a form that no man was supposed to see Him in.

Brethren, if you are ready to serve Him, even when everything is working against you and you cannot see Him, you will behold Him in way no man can...

Mary served Him even when all had declared Him dead, because she remembered what He had done for her...

Eze 29: 18-20

Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it: Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his  army. I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord GOD.

When pride entered the heart of Nebuchadnezzar, and God sent him into the forest to live as one of the beasts of the field, his kingdom was preserved for him for 7 years. In that time, no one thought to take his place. Wisdom requires that we humbly search out the mystery behind this king’s story.

Nebuchadnezzar had served God to the point of baldness and sorely wounded shoulders, without wages. But with God, his service could not have been in vain, because God will surely repay.

Service to God will cost you sleepless nights, sacrifices of time, money, patience. Whatever load God has called you to carry will cause you to experience baldness and ‘peeled’ shoulders. But your great service will not go unrewarded.

Mary went to the grave very early, and nothing could stop her because she was going to serve.

The apostles could not see what Mary saw because they had no heart to serve. If you therefore desire to see what others cannot behold in the Word, do what they could not do. Serve God well.

Brethren, stop blaming people for the challenges you are facing. Rather, focus on how to serve greatly that you may receive His great reward. Rest assured that when your time of reward comes, no one can stop it.

The devil had seen the original destiny of Mary and sought to frustrate by calling demons to serve him against her. This vessel unto honour then became a vessel filled with 7 demons. What power has been commissioned to serve against your divine destiny? Today, they will be destroyed.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My father, help me to serve well.

• My soul, receive the power to serve well in the kingdom of Christ.

• Higher power of God, possess my life now.

• Any power hired to serve against my life; I slay you by fire.

DECEMBER 13, 2015 

PASTOR’S CORNER

EVALUATING YOUR PACE IN CHRIST:

UNDERSTANDING YOUR ROLE IN CHRIST

REFERENCES: ISAIAH 44:24-28, EZRA 1: 1-3, EZRA 7:6- 10, PROVERBS 18:17, EZRA 8: 21- 23

It is important to understand your role as a Christian. It is not enough to have seen the vision of God for your life; you must also understand your assignment. This will enhance your pace in Christ.

Once a Christian understands the mystery of his calling; the reason behind his election by God for a particular assignment, he will run and work hard.

Isa 44:24-28

Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and He that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by Myself; that frustrateth the token of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; that confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof; that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:

This prophecy was made about 150 years before it became a reality.

 At the time of this prophecy, Jerusalem was not desolate and Judah was still standing as a city. The words would then have seemed like a joke to whoever had heard them, but God was revealing that both cities would be attacked and destroyed by the enemy, but He would restore their losses.

You must understand that your life, even your name is not a mistake. You were predestined by God to fulfil a particular assignment in Christ, long before your parents even met. This also means that you cannot take the glory for whatever success you achieve.

You might have seen a vision about your life, but could not understand its relevance to your present peaceful situation. Do not worry. It might take 10years to see its manifestation, but when it does materialise, you will remember the prophecy.

That saith to Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

Cyrus was not to be born in Israel or Judah, yet, about a 150 years before his existence, Isaiah had prophesied about him, as one chosen by God to fulfil an assignment.

Ezra 1: 1-3

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath give me all the kingdoms of the earth; and He hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all His people? His God be with him, let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (He is the God) which is in Jerusalem

Brethren, you must understand your role in the kingdom of God.

In the first year of his reign as king, Cyrus received a charge from God to carry out an assignment. This means that God had been waiting for him to ascend the throne, and once he did, God stirred up his heart. And so, the word of the Lord, spoken in Jerusalem, sought out Cyrus in Persia and charged him to build the temple in Jerusalem.

Now, since Cyrus could not go to Jerusalem to build the house of God himself, he made a call,

Who is there among you of all His people? His God be with him, let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (He is the God) which is in Jerusalem

He was not calling on all the people of God, but rather on that man who had also caught the vision, even before the call, to build the house of God.

Ezra 7:6- 10

This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him...and he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem , according to the good hand of his God upon him. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgements.

Any man who will be used by God to do great things is the one who has shown himself ready to obey God, even in the time of ‘captivity’. Ezra was a ready scribe in the law of Moses. This man had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgements, even while he was still in captivity. Because of this, the hand of the LORD was upon him and he found favour in the sight of the king.

If you must have the hand of the Lord upon your life and work out your assignment, you must be faithful in preparing yourself for your assignment.

Pro 18:17

He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.

When you are the first born, either by birth or by making, you must seriously consider and work out this truth: there is an assigned power, coming to search you out and prove you unworthy of your assignment and your place. Thisneighbour comes to find a way to make you fall out your place, and thus prove that you are a mere fluke.

What then is the way out?

Ezra 8: 21- 23

Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of Him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek Him; but His power and His wrath is against all them that forsake Him. So we fasted and besought our God for this: and He was intreated of us.

Ezra had not encountered any enemy, but as a ready scribe, he knew this truth; that for any man commissioned by God to fulfil an assignment, there is a devil commissioned to antagonise and frustrate him. This devil will work hard and long to prove the man wrong and displace him from his position in destiny.

Ezra refused to see Cyrus as the source of their protection. Rather, he boasted in God and proclaimed a fast to seek His face.

Ezra prepared for the enemy in the way. He knew that the hand of the Lord upon him did not immune him from his enemy. Rather, it was to empower him to defeat his neighbour.

Do not relax in your mission as the first. Rather, be sober and vigilant. As you prepare for your assignment, prepare also to destroy the enemy in the way.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• Holy Ghost, charge my life with Your fire.
• My soul, receive the fire to destroy every power commissioned against my assignment.
• Any power hired by the devil to counter and frustrate my assignment; I destroy you by fire.
• Any power rising up against my role in Christ, to prove me wrong; I destroy you by fire.

PASTOR’S CORNER

EVALUATING YOUR PACE IN CHRIST:

YOUR VISION PROVOKES YOUR PACE PT II

REFERENCES: JEREMIAH 1: 11-12, II SAMUEL 18: 9- 32, JOHN 9: 39

Evaluating your pace requires that you reflect on your vision at the beginning of the year and assess how purposeful and urgent you have been in its fulfilment. This will help you prepare better for the next year.

The timing of the fulfilment of your vision depends on how fast you see well.

In Habakkuk, we learn that the vision is written plainly, so that whoever reads can run. This is because what you see about your life will provoke your pace.

Jer 1: 11-12

Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

Without vision, there can be no pace. Until you see well, you cannot run well, because you can only hasten to work out the vision that you have seen.

This is the principle of warfare that explains the reason for a cold, prayer-less life. Those who do not see the need to move in the place of prayer against the hand of the enemy upon their lives and loved ones have simply not seen well. No man can pray to change the situation of his marriage, family, business, life when he has not seen anything.

Therefore, if your spouse is cold towards prayer and spiritual warfare, it is because he has not seen anything.

II Sam 18: 9- 32

And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak...Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies. And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.

Then Joab said to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?

But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.

All scripture is given by inspiration and is profitable. Whoever desires to be great in God therefore needs to feed on the Word and align with the revelation therein, for it is the secret to a successful life.

Absalom had plotted to overthrow his father and this had led to a war. In the process, God used a tree to kill Absalom.

Now, the bible records that, while Absalom was caught up by the tree, a yet-to-be-named man saw it.

In every household, there must be a ‘certain man’ who has seen well. Such person will study, pray and work while others sleep, because he is driven by the vision he has seen.

This certain man reported what he had seen to Joab, their general. At this time, another man, Ahimaaz volunteered to run to the king with the news of ‘how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies’.

Joab dissuaded him on the pretext that none should bear news on the day the king’s son died. He then turned to Cushi, the certain man, and sent him with tidings to the king.

It is the man who has seen that has the responsibility of reporting it to the King. God will only require the vision from the man He showed it to. It is therefore unwise for anyone to compare himself with others. Others may waste their time because they have not seen anything, but the man with the vision is expected to run and give the report to the king.

Seeing that Joab had sent Cushi with news, Ahimaaz again insisted on being sent as well. This time, Joab’s response to his request was more direct: Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?

However, the man insisted, and Joab reluctantly agreed.

Now, what happens when a man runs without having tidings? Whoever runs when he has not seen anything will have run in vain, because he will have no tangible report to give before the king...a man is only ready to give tidings when he has seen...

Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.

And David sat between the two gates; and the watchmen went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone. And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, if he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth.

Now, when David was informed that a man ran alone, he observed that if he be alone, it was because he had news. This means that when a Christian runs alone- studying, fasting, praying, observing to do all that God commands- it is because he has something to say; he is a witness with a message- of change, deliverance, breakthrough-for his household

And he came apace, and drew near...and Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well...and the king said, is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant and me they servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.

Oh! If only Ahimaaz had waited to see! Joab knew what tidings the king would expect to hear, but the young man was too impatient to heed instruction.

And so, he outran Cushi and appeared before the king first. Unfortunately, his speed was for nought because his news was useless to David, and he was cast aside.

TRPM members, you must be willing to heed the instruction that will prepare you to answer aright when you stand before the King. You must get to a point where your vision about your destiny stresses you and motivates you.

And behold Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day...And the king said...is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of the my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as the young man is.

However, when Cushi arrived, he confidently announced that he had news. He could give the king the news he had been waiting for.

Sadly, the enemy have blinded many Christians from seeing the vision of their assignment in order to stop them from running well.

Jn 9: 39

And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

This is a two- part judgment. The first part concerns those who have been blinded by the wicked. This is why they live their lives carelessly. It is a sad reality that, while many Christians are spiritually blind their own lives, the wicked intrude upon their lives and manipulate them at will. Thankfully, Christ came to establish this judgment: that they which see not might see.

The second part affects the wicked; those who spy into the lives of men and use the information to frustrate their destinies.  For them, the judgement of Christ is: that they which see might be made blind.

It is time for you to evaluate your life and the pace with which you have run the race of your life. As you end this year and step into the New Year, you must execute the two-fold judgement of Christ, so that you can see right and run well.

PRAYER POINTS

In the name of Jesus,

• My Father, I rededicate my life to You.
• I receive the fire and power to see and run the race of destiny again.
• My soul, receive the fire to see again.
• Any judgement of darkness that has made me blind to my assignment and destiny; today, I destroy your power by fire.
• Any agent of darkness sending blindness to me; I shoot you down.
• You arrow of blindness fired at me; backfire now.