Monday, December 17, 2012

A STREAM OF THE MIRACULOUS

The Christian life is a journey in the miraculous! Living in Christ is simply living in the miraculous. The day we got born again we were actually introduced into a world of the miraculous. First and foremost, the New Birth is a miracle itself. Then all that follow are miraculous display of the new life in Christ (the ZoĆ«-life of God). We see something amazing in Mark 16:15-20: “And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.” (NKJV). When you read something like this you just want to activate the miraculous dimension in you instantly. Every believer in Christ is empowered for the miraculous life. Signs should follow us and not us following signs! From this Scripture it’s so clear that Evangelism unlocks this miraculous dimension or lifestyle. These signs are simply for those who believe and act on God’s Word, not just for Pastors or evangelists or mature believers. It’s so simple. Do you believe? Are you saved? If yes, you qualify for this miraculous life. The reason a lot of believers don’t see miracles is simply because they’ve just never acted along that line before, yet it’s in them! God wants to do miracles through you! When you understand this you don’t just want to wake up to a miracle, you want to wake up to the miraculous life. There’s an atmosphere where the miraculous flow unhindered. You consciously position yourself for the miraculous. There’s so much we can learn about this from the life Christ. While Jesus walked the earth He was such a wonder to the people who witnessed His works. He simply connected heaven and earth by His miraculous acts. He brought the fragrance of heaven to the earth. Men couldn’t understand why He stood out to be so different with the power of God oozing out of Him. He never struggled to have a miracle. Miracles were so real and natural to Him. Acts 10:38 tells us “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” How was this constant, consistent and continues flow of the miraculous possible in the life of Jesus? First He yielded Himself to the Holy Ghost, walking with the consciousness of His presence; secondly, He lived a life of thanksgiving and thirdly, He acted on the Father’s Words. The key is found in John 2:5 “…Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” However, there’s always more to a miracle from God than the physical manifestation we see. Every miracle from God doesn’t just have to do with the physical manifestation we see with our optical eyes but does something to our spiritman which if paid attention to can multiply that physical manifestation. The problem is that we are often ‘distracted’ by the physical manifestations that we think that that’s all there is to it not knowing that God wants us to also pay attention to how we’re being changed on the inside as a result of what’s happening on the outside. I once saw a Church sticker on a car that reads “miracles are forever.” I was so captured by that and it just kept ringing inside of me over and over again. Yes, miracles were never meant to cease. They were meant to continue forever. Every miracle was meant to prepare us for the next one. Praise God! If so, then we must start paying more attention to what’s happening on the inside of us than just what’s happening on the outside. Never forget that what is happening on the inside (the unseen) is more real than what’s happening on the outside. In other words, the Supernatural is more real than the spectacular. As we celebrate the miracle of Christmas this season, must pay more attention to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our spirit and watch how we are changed from the inside. Sure you can end 2012 with a bang! Just get into the flow. Release your faith for the lifestyle of the miraculous and you’d be changed for eternity. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

REPORT FROM LIFE SUMMIT 2012

The year 2012 has been a Season of Grace for us as a Ministry and we have experienced undoubtedly the overwhelming grace of God in different areas of our lives. This rhythm and theme of Grace came to the climax in LIFE SUMMIT 2012. It was simply a celebration of Grace, the amazing Grace of Lord Jesus Christ. It was an unusual meeting packed with the influence of the Holy Spirit from the beginning of the service to the end. During this epoch event, we had a great time of worship as we sang songs that showed our love and gratitude to the Lord. We also had Priscilla Egbelehulu minister to us in songs of love and devotion to the Lord. It was a time of fellowship. It was a time of the Word. Bro David started by leading the whole congregation in the prayer of salvation and then he prayed for the sick both those present and those represented. Then he began to share the Word. He ministered on the power of the Gospel. Taking his reading from Romans 1:14-17, he explained that the Gospel is good news – the good news of what God did through Jesus Christ for mankind and that this good news has God’s ability to change anyone who dares to believe it. He further explained that as believers we owe the Gospel to those God bring our way every single day, explaining how the Apostle Paul felt and expressed his indebtedness to preaching the Gospel to his generation. This was crowned with a time of prayer and intercession for the nations. The whole building was saturated with the spirit of grace and supplication – everyone expressing him/herself in the spirit. Then came words of prophecies from the Lord as the Holy Spirit inspired words through Bro David. The consistent words were “it comes easy, it’s by grace. No pressures. No struggles.” Glory to God! After sharing some of the things the Lord did through the ministry in 2012, how the Lord greatly impacted lives, opened doors to the nations, provided graciously a good ministry office etc, Bro David declared the Prophetic focus for the ministry in 2013. He explained that the Lord already gave the word as early as in July. He declared 2013 to be Our Year of Honour and Glory: When the Lord is honoured, His glory is revealed. The congregation received the words with great joy. Praise God! He concluded by announcing the passing on to glory of his Mum [Rev. Mrs. Josephine C. Okoye] who passed on April 9, that’s Easter Monday this year (2012). He explained how her life has inspired him so greatly in life and ministry and how she was a vital part of all that was happening in the ministry. He encouraged all to let their lives count for the glory of God. We thank God because we know she’s not lost but resting with the Lord in Heaven. Testimonies followed immediately after the meeting starting with the ministry itself. The Lord delivered into our hands a major equipment for our outreach through one of the ministry’s partners who attended. Other testimonies of what the Lord did during the programme followed and in that same week amazing things kept happening to some of those who attended the meeting, confirming God’s Words. But what thrilled us the most was how the Lord ignited the hearts of those who attended with a holy passion to reach the lost for Him. We had people immediately enroll for our Strategic Evangelism Training after the service. We’d never forget the experience of Life Summit 2012 in a moment. We’re so thankful to the Lord for all He’s done and will do in the coming days. We return all the glory to our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

ONE THING IS NEEDFUL

We live in a world that is fast advancing in every facet that it appears difficult for one to keep his or her mind fixed on just one thing. A lot of things calling for our attention, some of them not necessarily bad but just simply not expedient. So many things are happening, and so fast, all over the world. This is the time to pay more attention to what the Master has to say as never before. The Word of God tells us in Hebrews 1:1-3 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” It matters who you listen to in life. In Luke 10:38-42, we read about the incidence that took place when Jesus visited Mary and Martha. We see how Martha was so occupied with the need to take care of the Master that she neglected what was most important. But Mary gave the Master absolute attention which, the Master said, was needful. Now, it is important we understand that what Martha was doing wasn’t wrong in itself, at all. It is vital to make your guests feel at home first of all before sitting down to receive or attend to what he/she came for. It’s called courtesy. So the problem was not that she was trying to fix things for the Master’s comfort. The problem was in her not recognizing or having a full understanding of Who had visited. In fact verse 38 tells us that it was Martha who received Jesus into her house – she was the main person in focus here. We need to catch this! And I pray that the Holy Spirit grants us revelation on this. The focus of this incidence is in the juxtaposition between the spiritual need of the hour and physical needs. Martha should have known that she wasn’t always going to have Jesus in her house, knowing who He was. She should have known that Jesus was a different kind of visitor. Her understanding of Who had visited should have made her see that paying attention first was more important than taking care of Him. If only Martha understood that Jesus Christ came for just one purpose and that it was urgent, she would have also understood that this is one opportunity not to be missed. Listening to the Master would have been her uttermost preoccupation. The problem was in her not recognizing, by revelation, Who had visited. She was OCCUPIED with so many things. What’s your emphasis in life? What is taking your attention the most? It’s time we rearrange our priorities to position ourselves aright for what’s really vital in life. Friend, it’s so unfortunate that I’ve heard a lot of teachings on this subject but the Teachers only emphasize that one thing is needful and they go ahead to say other things but that one thing which is needful. I’ve hardly heard any teaching that placed emphasis on that one thing Jesus said was needful. It’s so important that we pay rapt attention to God’s Word. God’s Word is not just another literature. There are no irrelevant details in God’s Word. Every single thing is important. Why, in the first place, was this incident documented? It’s for us to get God’s emphasis on what really matters in life. Jesus lets us know what that ONE THING is: Listening to Him (Luke 10:39,42). I make bold to say this, by the Spirit of God, that a man who makes listening to God a priority in life will never lack a single thing he really needs in this world. This is so true by revelation and by experience. God will always instruct you on the way to go and how to make a thing work if only you’ll listen to Him. No wonder Proverbs 4:13 tells us that we should take hold of God’s instructions because His instructions are life. I’ll never forget what Kenneth E. Hagin of blessed memory once said. He said God told Him “If you listen to me, I’ll make you rich.” That’s just it! Praise God! As we advance from age to age, we must come to a place in life where we define for ourselves what true value is. The word ‘value’ is actually relative. What a man defines as value may be different from what another defines as value. Our various definitions of value range from our different purposes in life. But for the Believer, Jesus says, value is absolute – listening to Him! When you listen to the Master, every other thing falls in place because He will instruct you on what to do in every area of your life. It’s so unfortunate how people think spending time in prayer is a waste of time. They rush out very early to work without giving God their most precious time of the day. They return so weak and used and sometimes even try to mumble some words in prayer and just sleep off only to wake up the next day and have to leave so early to work and this goes on and on and since they cannot hear the voice of God, not being well positioned through prayer, the enemy strikes and one thing leads to another and before you know it one tragedy occurs and so on. It is blatant foolishness to live life without express communication with God! Concerning the devotional life of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God tells us in Mark 1:35 “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” This is so inspiring, considering the fact that no minister of the Gospel on earth has ever been busier than Jesus Christ was during His earthly ministry but He still had such a time for such kind of fellowship with the Father. This is to tell us what value the Master placed on listening to the Father. It’s about value friends! In the midst of all the hustling and bustling always remember that just one thing is needful. Even as the year closes up there would definitely be some kind of rush here and there in a bid to catch up with lost time. Still remember that just one thing is needful. Before you do anything, before you make any decision or take any step, especially in these last days, pay attention to what the Master is saying through the Holy Spirit. Sensitivity is a priority to those who really care about what the Lord has to say about everything. We build this sensitivity by meditating on the Word of God and letting the Holy Spirit work in us.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

NO PRESSURES!

Is it possible to overcome anxiety in a world full of pressures and troubles? Is it possible not to worry when everything around you is everything but pleasant? Is it possible to believe God for the best when it appears you only experience the seemingly worst situations in life? Is it possible to smile or even laugh when legitimate needs are before your very face? Is it possible to lift your hands in heartfelt worship when going through the storms of life? Yes! It is possible. But, how? As believers in Christ Jesus, we must understand that Jesus Christ already told us what to expect in this world, but better still, He tells us how to live on top of situations. He showed us how to live in victory every single day of our lives not just because of but also in spite of... He showed us how to have a shout in our spirit 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. Glory to God! Jesus didn’t leave us in the dark about anything and that is why we must pay rapt attention to Him. In John 16:33, Jesus declares “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” The first thing you must observe here is that Jesus said something to us in order that we may have peace. Meaning that we cannot base our peace on anything else but the Words of Jesus! Never look to or observe the situations to find peace, but look and listen to Jesus! Then He said that in the world you shall have tribulation. Now He’s informing you that what you’re going through is not new – that’s how it is in the world. As long as you’re in this world dominated by sin and its effects, there would be tribulation. But then, He tells us what to do. He said to be of good cheer, or in other words, cheer up! You must consciously choose to cheer up, not just when the situation changes for good. No! You must cheer up, stay worry-free, laugh in the midst of the situation! Why? Because Jesus has overcome the world! Hey! This must come to you as a revelation that Jesus has overcome the world – literarily! Now the case is different for us. Now we can be hopeful for change. Now we can expect a miraculous turn around. Now we know that things would change for the better because Jesus Christ – Himself – has overcome the world for us and so we have overcome the world! Praise God! This Scripture will strangle any form of pressure in your life if you let it sink deep! Now, Peter by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, tells us what to do with the cares and worries of our lives. He said “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1Peter 5:7). In other words, take the pressure off yourself and put it on Jesus Christ! Glory to God! We can live pressure-free in a pressure-filled world! You must consciously disallow pressures in your life. That’s your responsibility – no one does it for you! You choose to do so or stay with pressures! It could just be as easy as saying “Lord, concerning this situation, I take the pressure off of myself and place it on you because you care for me. I believe in Your love for me.” Praise God! If only you can be foolish enough to be ‘careless’ for a moment, you’d see the mighty hand of God at work in your life. You can’t be more responsible than God. Philippians 4:6 tells us “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” We must do the Word, in spite of legitimate or logical reasons to worry, if we must live in the miraculous. Trust God for real. Proverbs. 3:5-6 says “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Refuse to worry! Whenever you feel like worrying just laugh because you know that things would change for good – somehow! As the year is quickly closing up you may be tempted to want to worry about unaccomplished targets and goals but you must refuse to worry because worrying can never change the situation but complicates it. Be hopeful and trust God. Live according to the Words of the Master in Matthew 6:25-34 and stay pressure-free because you are covered. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Cor. 15:57). Praise God!

Thursday, November 1, 2012

I SEE THE HARVEST

As a little boy growing up, we lived close to a Christian neighbour who liked playing this song every Sunday. An old song which goes like this ‘all over the world the Spirit is moving. All over the world as the prophets say it will be. All over the world there’s a mighty revelation of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.’ Amazingly, I never knew what those words were doing to my spirit. I grew up remembering that song again and again and kept wondering why I was so affected by it. Today, the Holy Spirit has made Habakkuk 2:14 the melody of my heart. I never new I carried a prophecy in my spirit. Habakkuk 2:14 tells us “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Praise God! When you look at the world today, what do you see? As you look into the eyes of people from day to day, what do you see? As you hear of turbulence and catastrophe from the news media every single day, what do you see? What comes to mind when you hear of the pestilence, terrors and inhumanity of fellow humans? Friends, I see the harvest. I see countless number of men and women, boys and girls from every nation, race, tongue and tribe turning to the Lord as their only hope. I see a sea of humanity turning back to their creator God through the only remedy He has provided – Jesus Christ! I see multitudes calling on the wondrous Name of Jesus Christ for their salvation! It’s harvest time. The harvest is ripe and ready for harvesting! This is the season the Prophets talked about when there shall be unprecedented divine manifestations! The Lord Jesus Christ firmly declares in John 4:35-36 “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” This is so instructive and prophetic! What harvest was Jesus talking about? – The harvest of souls brought into the Kingdom of God, possessing His eternal life and free from the dominion of the devil! The Lord Jesus said to His disciples and to us in extension that we don’t need to look too far to see the harvest. He said that the harvest is ripe already, ready for harvesting. In other words, it’s not the time to wait, it’s not the time to analyse the situation, and it’s not the time to try to see the possibility of plunging into the harvest field to reap the harvest into God’s ban. It is simply the time to act. It’s the time to step out with every eagerness and faith to bring in the harvest. Jesus was expressing Heaven’s urgent demand on you and me towards getting the lost to hear the Gospel and receive the gift of God – eternal life (Romans 6:23). Heaven is counting on us! I want you to observe these three expressions Jesus used in John 4:35 “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” The first thing I want you to observe is the word ‘behold’. It’s an old expression which means to see something, to look upon. Next is the phrase ‘lift up your eyes’. This expression doesn’t refer to a physical act of lifting up your eyes but to something very supernatural and prophetic. It has to do with our positioning which would in turn affect what we see and how we see what we see. Jesus was simply asking us to see through the eyes of the Spirit in the same manner a Prophet would. This is very important because by way of application if you look through your optical (physical) eyes you will see little or nothing. In fact those who try to see with their physical eyes only end up discouraged because the physical factors are so disheartening. In Genesis 13 we see this play out so amazingly. Lot lifted up his physical eyes and looked and made a deadly mistake that almost cost him his life. But Abraham lifted up his eyes, at the Lord’s instruction, to see and saw through the eyes of the Spirit and till today his action is still paying off well (Genesis 13:10 & 14). Abraham couldn’t have seen what he saw through his optical eyes – it wasn’t possible for that to happen because he actually saw the whole world. Wow! That’s what God wants us to lift up our eyes to see. He wants us to see beyond our local Churches, communities, nations and see the world because the harvest is so great – everywhere! Thank God we can see through the eyes of the Spirit. This also applies in any situation. Then thirdly, the phrase ‘look on the fields’ is very instructive. In a nutshell Jesus is asking us to breakout from the four walls of the Church buildings and go reach the unsaved out there! He’s asking us to set our focus on the harvest. The Church exists on earth for one ultimate purpose – to reach the world for Jesus. But if we only organise Church meetings without stepping out to win a lost world to Jesus then we have lost our whole essence of existence. As long as we continue to focus only on blessing ourselves, we remain useless to God! The Prophet Joel gave a very timely prophecy that speaks of our day. What a great time to be alive and watch this happen before our very eyes and to be a part of it! Joel 2:28-32 says: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit...And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.” Glory to God! This is the season of its full fulfilment. Be a part of the harvest! Prayer: Father in the Name of Jesus, thank you for the privilege of being a part of this historic season of harvest which will usher in the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. We ask that you cause our eyes to see through the eyes of the Spirit so that we can see and play our roles effectively in this season of unprecedented harvest of souls. Amen! Photo: Christ for all Nations (The Evangelistic Ministry of Reinhard Bonnke)

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

BE THANKFUL

Someone once prayed “Lord, summarize all my prayer points to thanksgiving”. This is quite ridiculous! Well, I guess what this fellow didn’t understand was that he was responsible for that summary, not God! Thank God we can summarize our prayers to thanksgiving as our faith is actively on God’s Word! A thankful person will always have his tank full and running over. Thankfulness is not conditional; it’s an attitude – a powerful attitude that brings increase and multiplication! It’s a Kingdom principle that we see over and over again in Scriptures that whatever we are thankful for multiplies. The Word of God expressly admonishes us to be thankful as an attitude. “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” Col. 3:15 (NKJV). God wants us to be thankful because that is the lifestyle of faith and the Righteous ones shall live by faith (Rom. 1:17). As the year is fast coming to an end, there would be lots of temptations to want to consider what and what and what has not been accomplished. But you can choose rather to consider what and what and what and what and what has been accomplished and be thankful for them! Praise God! Always find a reason to be thankful. Thankfulness is an attitude of the Kingdom citizens. It is a conscious positioning for the miraculous. That’s right. Whatever you are thankful for will multiply naturally. It’s a spiritual law. This is why the devil will never remind you of what the Lord has done but only what seems not to have been accomplished. We must not give him that attention. How did the Lord Jesus multiply the few loaves of bread and fishes for several thousands of hungry people to eat? How did He raise Lazarus from the dead? Check these out, it was through thanksgiving. This is so because thanksgiving is the highest expression of unwavering faith in God and His ability to perform. So many people are confused about what and what to be thankful to God for. “Are we to thank God for all the good, the bad and the ugly?” It is very important that we get this straight. We thank God only for what He has done and not for the works of the devil. Ephesians 5:20 tells us “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” By just reading this casually you may think the word ‘for’ suggests that we thank God for everything – good, bad and ugly. But that’s not what it means. It says “...for all things unto God...” Now the phrase ‘unto God’ suggests that we give thanks to God for all things that are God-ward, meaning for all things that come from God. You see, God is never going to take the credit for what He hasn’t done – it’s not in His nature to do that. That would be called stealing! The Word of God shows us over and over again that all good and perfect gifts come from God. God doesn’t give bad things. God is not the source of sickness, accident, failure, lack etc. No! He is a good God! He may permit it but He never commissions it. God cannot give sickness because He doesn’t have it. He cannot give misfortune because He does have it either. Same with everything evil. He is good, not only by action but by nature. In Psalm 145:9, the Scripture tells us “The LORD is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works.” (NKJV). Praise God! In I Thess. 5:18 we read “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (NKJV). That means in whatever situation you find yourself – good, bad, ugly – you must maintain a thankful attitude towards God. Why? Because of Romans 8:28. It says “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Praise God! We are not thankful for the bad things but we are maintaining an attitude of thanksgiving to God even in the midst of the storm. Why? Because we know how it’s going to turn out. We trust God that we shall come out of the storm better. We know that everything is working together for our good. We know that God is for us and not against us. We know that if God permits it then it’s a miracle in disguise. Praise God! We know! We are confident of this very thing! We are too persuaded to be troubled about the situation and so we give thanks! That’s the Spirit of faith at work in us! Never let situations affect your thankfulness! Even in times of trouble you can be thankful. Glory to God! We serve a good God! So you see why you should never deprive God of thanks even in the midst of odd circumstances? He is good to all. He is not just good by works but goodness is His nature. So how do we give thanks? We give thanks to the Father in the Name of Jesus. All through the New Testament we see that everywhere we are admonished to give thanks, we are instructed to give thanks to the Father in the Name of Jesus. Hebrews 13:15 is very instructive in this respect. It says “By him [Jesus] therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” We see some other references in Eph. 5:20, 1Thess. 5:18, Col. 3:17 etc. It is also very important for us to be thankful to people through whom God has brought a miracle or good things our way. Thankfulness will build good relationships and bring good things our way. Ensure that you say ‘Thank You!’ not only to God (of course, this is the ultimate) but also to people God has sent our way every single day! So friends, be thankful and enjoy a life filled with the fullness of God!

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

UNDERSTANDING HOLINESS

The first thing we must understand and establish about holiness is that it is the nature of God. God identifies Himself so much with it all through Scripture – from the Old to the New Covenant. Therefore, if holiness is this important to our Father God, then it becomes necessary for us to properly understand it in order to function in it. There is so much noise today as to what holiness is or is not. I believe the devil labours so hard day and night to see that there is a misconception of it in order to cause believers to live short of the divine nature we received at the new birth. Thank God we are not ignorant of the devices of the enemy. In order to define what holiness is, it is important to first of all state what it is not in order to get a better picture of what it is. Holiness is not just an act; it is actions streaming from a nature. It is not an outward show; it is rather an outward manifestation of what is already in the heart (spirit). It is not trying to show our superiority over others, it is rather showing the superiority of the ways and standard of God above the ways and standards of this world. What then is holiness? The word ‘holy’ is translated from the Greek word ‘hagios’ which means to consecrate or set apart. It is two-dimensional. First, it means to be set apart unto God. Secondly, it means to be set apart from the world (the world system). At the New Birth, a man is set apart unto God and then he becomes a New Creation, his spirit is now holy – this is automatic. Remember that man is a spirit being, he possesses a soul and lives in a body. However, the second aspect that deals with his separation from the world is going to involve him personally because this aspect deals with his unregenerate soul and body. This is why we are told what to do with the soul and body after the New Birth. We see that in Romans 12:1,2. It says “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. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind [your mind is the same as your soul – the seat of your will, intellect and emotion], that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Holiness and sanctification mean the same thing. They both mean to be separate or set apart. Holiness is two-fold. First, the presence of the Holy Spirit in a man’s life is what makes him holy. You can never be holy without the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life no matter how right you live. Understand that you can never impress God with your good works. The Holy Spirit is the Sanctifier (1Cor 6:11); He makes us and our spiritual and physical services acceptable to God. Even the Lord Jesus Christ had to offer Himself to the Father through the Holy Spirit (See Heb. 9:13-14). We receive the Holy Spirit at the New Birth. In Exodus 2 we read of Moses on Mount Sinai before the burning bush. When the Lord spoke to Moses, He asked him to remove his shoes because where he was standing was holy ground. What made the ground holy? What did the ground do to become holy? It was actually the manifest presence of the Lord on that ground that made it holy. So it is also with our lives. Praise God! Secondly, practically living according to the Word of God – doing the Word. This second part is progressive and as long as we live on earth we will still be under this operation, we are only perfected when we meet with the Lord. This is just like righteousness. First, we are made righteous by the finished work of Christ but it doesn’t stop there, we must then take advantage of our righteous nature to produce good works in righteousness – not in self righteousness as sinners do. That is actually what the breast plate of righteousness signifies. So then, we must not be confused when we see words like “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1Peter 1:16. The Lord is simply asking us to walk in the holy nature we have received because if we don’t it is only going to lie dormant inside us while the devil takes advantage of our unregenerate soul and body to lure us into living in sin as though we are still sinners. Every believer in Christ has been empowered to live right. The Righteousness of God that was imparted into our spirit at New Birth is actually an empowerment to live right. So we don’t live right to become righteous but rather we have been empowered by righteousness to live right. Praise God! It is therefore, not natural for a Christian to sin! Sin is not the problem of the New Creation in Christ because the nature of sin has been replaced by the nature of Righteousness. God has dealt with the sin problem in Christ so that we can walk in liberty – free from sin and its effect! It is now a choice to sin and that is why we are going to be held accountable for our actions on earth. In summary, walking in holiness is walking in love. Walking in love is walking in God because God is love. Holiness is all about the love walk. If we love God and people we would live right and treat people right. The more loving you become, the holier you become in the sense that you manifest more of the nature of God in your life and then, your fellowship and dealings with the Lord deepens. God is love and we, His children, are sons and daughters of love. A practical way to walk in love is to live a life totally dominated by the Word of God. If we do the Word we are actively walking in the love of God and it will affect every area of our lives. So wherever you are in you walk with God never give up. Keep pressing on because the Father believes in you. Never listen to the voice of condemnation. The moment you notice you’ve erred, go before the Lord in genuine repentance and receive His forgiveness. 1 Peter 3:15 says “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts...” that means give Him the centre stage, His rightful place. That’s where it all begins. “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1Thess. 5:23. Amen!

Thursday, September 20, 2012

A WORD FROM MY LOVER

I was quite younger when I first read through a book of the Bible titled Song of songs or Songs of Solomon as some call it. I was so surprised that this book was part of the Bible. I thought it shouldn’t. I mean, God is a HOLY GOD, why in the world should He permit such to be included in the ‘Holy Bible’? I thought. In fact, I felt like hiding it (can you imagine that?). But I will eternally be thankful for the ministry of the Holy Spirit as the Teacher of the Word and all good things. Not long from the time I had read this book of the Bible, I was on transit on a certain day (the best place to get my attention) and the Holy Spirit brought this book to my remembrance and removed the covering veil from my mind. He made me remember what my name ‘David’ meant (David means ‘beloved’) and that was it! Bearing in mind that Song of songs is partitioned into ‘Lover’ and ‘Beloved’ communication, I got the picture. God is the Lover and I am His Beloved. Wow! That meant everything in the world to me. I thought to myself, so the Lord would dedicate a special book to describe our love relationship? I was changed. Something happened to my heart that day that still remains in me to this very moment. I’m so captured by the love of the Lord for me. He’s not just a God to me. He’s my Father and He loves me so dearly. What a thing to know! Ever since I have read this book in a different way, a new perspective. And I have come to believe that it takes a personal revelation from the Holy Spirit to understand the Bible and all the matters of life – no other way. Understanding the book of Song of songs has always been an issue of who is reading it and from what perspective is he seeing it. Is he reading with the spirit of revelation or with sense knowledge interpretation? Is he reading as a carnal man or a spiritual man? The reader best answers these questions. If some believers have a chance they’d want to vote out this book from the Bible, they think it shouldn’t be there. But thank God they don’t have a chance for that. All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable – none is irrelevant (2 Timothy 3:16,17). Check this out: “Lover: My dove in the cleft of the rock, in the hiding-places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom. Beloved: My lover is mine and I am his; he browses among the lilies. Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, turn, my lover, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the rugged hills.” Song of Songs 2:14-17 (NIV). Christians believe that Song of Songs is meant for married couples and could also be used as a picture of the love relationship between Jesus Christ (The Groom) and the Church (The bride). However, I have come to discover that the key to experiencing the revelation in this book is studying it from the perspective of one who is in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s about a love commitment. You’ll get to see how that the Lord Jesus is personally committed to having you experience His love for you which was expressed on the cross and you will also experience how that agape-love of God spurs you into going the extra mile for the Lord. Hence, you will understand words like “If you love me keep my commandments” (John 14:15) and “For the love of Christ compels us.” (2 Corinthians 5:14). The Word of God tells us “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:1-3, NKJV). The love of God gives us hope. Have faith in the love of God for you personally and remain in His love!

Sunday, September 2, 2012

HONOURING THE LORD IN YOUR GIVING

It is one thing to give to the Lord and it is yet another thing for the Lord to be honoured by your offering. A huge number of givers are not even recognized before God. They throw away their substances in the name of giving. Our pursuit in giving should be to honour the Lord with our substances and not just to give the Lord ‘something’, for He’s not in need. The harvest we get in return when we give is not as important as the Lord honouring our offering first of all. Proverbs 3:9-10 shows us something we must never forget if we must honour the Lord in our giving. It says “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” It is either the Lord is honoured by your offering or He is despised by it. There’s really no middle ground! The Lord would rather have you give nothing than to dishonour Him with your offering. Honour always comes first when it comes to giving to the Lord. Many believers think that so long as there was a harvest after giving to the Lord that means the Lord honoured their offerings – not at all. The fact that there was a harvest in return after giving is not a sign that the Lord honoured your offering. The law of sowing and reaping works for everyone – both sinners and saints alike. God initiated that cosmic law. It is a law that functions here on earth (as long as this earth is still in existence) and doesn’t only relate to giving but to every action or decision we make in this life. Genesis 8:22 shows us God’s declaration to that effect. It says “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Also we see that in Galatians 6:7-9 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Glory to God! Note what is says “whatsoever a man soweth...” ‘a man’ there doesn’t refer to only the saints but to every man (and woman). So you can see that this law works for whoever puts it to work. However, there is the Bible way to give an offering that honours the Lord and that the Lord honours! It is found in 2 Corinthian 9:7. It says “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” The Amplified Version renders it this way: “Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, ``prompt to do it") giver [whose heart is in his giving].” Wow. This is amazing. I recommend, if possible, that we always read, study and meditate on these portions of Scriptures before giving to the Lord and stop despising the Lord and wasting your substances. Giving is a serious business before God. It’s a matter of honour. Remember what the Lord says in 1 Samuel 2:30 “...but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” It should be our quest to honour the Lord in all we do. The whole purpose of giving to the Lord is to honour Him and once that is not in place the whole essence is lost. Just like in the old covenant, God gave the Israelites various specifications for their offerings and sacrifices. If they followed these specifications their offerings were accepted but if they didn’t then their offerings weren’t accepted. It was more of the issue of honour than it was the gifts or offerings. So it is also in the New Covenant. We must always remember that in whatever we do, God is always focused on the attitude of the heart with which it is done – He’s not a man! Why was Abel’s offering accepted and that of Cain rejected? It was for this same purpose. It appears as though we have wandered away from the foundation or basics of this principle. We seem to lay more emphasis on the size of the offering or even the currencies in which they come instead of focusing on the Kingdom’s essence of giving. Have you ever asked yourself why giving is such an important part of the Kingdom principles? I mean giving in all ramifications – time, talent, treasure, service etc. Giving is one major way we show value and honour. What’s the difference between a $10 and a $10millon offering? – The heart! Before God it has nothing to do with the size! Now when it comes to the issue of what to give, it is very important that we listen to the Spirit of God. God doesn’t honour emotional giving. He never touches whatever comes from the flesh. He only receives what comes from and through the Spirit. Even Jesus Christ offered Himself through the eternal Spirit of God – the Holy Spirit (See Heb. 9:14). What the Lord provides for you is either seed for sowing or bread for food (2 Cor. 9:10). When you don’t listen to the Spirit, you will do dumb things – eat the seed and sow the bread. Check out how the Macedonian Church gave. Paul speaking by the Holy Spirit in II Corinthians 8:1-5 tells us. In verse 5 particularly, he said “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.” Wow. We must follow their example. In the Kingdom of God, giving has never been a money or material issue. It has always been a heart, honour and attitudinal thing. So will you follow the Macedonian example or will you do it your own way? If your goal of giving is to truly honour the Lord with your substance, then you must do it the Bible way. “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.” Ecclesiastes 5:1. Blessings!

Saturday, August 18, 2012

REDEFINING PATIENCE

I woke up one morning [July 17, 2012] just wanted to start talking to the Lord but amazingly He started speaking to me. It was such a beautiful moment and I will never forget it. I mean, the Lord started the gist for the day! I shut up and just listened. And the Lord said something to me that virtually staggered me. This is the best way I can describe what He said “Patience is not just waiting but working while waiting.” He immediately gave me a picture that further explained it. It’s the picture of a farmer who had finished ploughing a field but now is waiting for the rain. Meaning that God’s definition of patience is to busy ourselves with doing what He has already empowered us to do while we wait for Him to do what He alone can do. That is so powerful! I immediately began to think about many believers who say that they are waiting on God but with unploughed fields, they might as well have to wait all their lives and nothing will happen for them except they catch this revelation and navigate appropriately. Friends, there is the Kingdom way of being patient: We work while we wait. There is no pausing moment with the Lord. A lot of Christians wouldn’t even spring into action in service to the Lord because they claim that they are waiting on the Lord while time is ticking ever so quickly. Hey! Wake up and get to work – do what you’ve been empowered to do. As you work the Lord would be working on you too. This is the right way of positioning ourselves for the supernatural. There is no dull or idle moment in the Kingdom. Hebrews 6:12 says “That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” That doesn’t sound like it means for us to just sit down and wait, expecting to receive the promise. The devil always takes advantage of lazy and idle people. Never give the devil that opportunity. A lot of Christians talk about waiting for revival, but I have never heard of any revival that ever happened without someone stepping out and taking faith-filled action to propel its manifestation. While they waited in anticipation of what the Lord would do, they kept working at it – doing their own part. This is why revival is God’s response to the expressed desire of men. Revival doesn’t just happen! Sometimes we say we are waiting for God while God is actually waiting for us. Revival doesn’t come by waiting but by doing what Elijah did. He prepared the sacrifice, prayed and he didn’t have to wait for long before the fire of God fell to burn-off the sacrifice and announced the supremacy of God to apostate Israel. This also applies to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. We can’t just fold our hands and say we are waiting for Him, but we must busy ourselves with ensuring that everyone hears what God has accomplished for man through His Son Jesus Christ. We must press on with this Gospel of Jesus Christ till everyone hears it and have the fair opportunity of accepting of rejecting it. This is a call to action!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE

Light is so important to God and humanity alike that the first thing God brings on the scene in creation was light. He spoke forth those powerful words: LIGHT THERE BE LIGHT and that was it! There was light. While Jesus was on earth, He made staggering declarations which the people of His day couldn’t handle. I mean, Jesus was an enigma. They couldn’t just figure out what manner of man He was. He was just different. He confounded the ‘know-it-alls’ of His day. He said words like: “…I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12). “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5). Also in John 12:46 He says “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” Wow! Power-filled declarations. But then He knew that in a short while He would be leaving the earth and He must transfer this responsibility to the New Creations, the results of His redemptive work. The Lord Jesus made a profound statement in Matthew 5. He said “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16). He transfers the light commission to us. What a privilege to be God’s light bearers! In verse 14 Jesus lets us know who we are. He let’s us know our true identity on earth – the light of the world. He also showed us our position on earth, He lets us know that we are a city set on a hill and we cannot be hidden. The Believer in Jesus Christ is the illumination the world needs today. The earlier we come to acknowledge this the more effective and influential we become. In verse 15 of Matthew chapter 5, the Master addressed the issue of hiding our lights. It’s really amazing when you hear Christians – the lights – complaining of the world situation. There is so much darkness in the world today simply because the lights are not shining. The questions are: who turned off the lights? Why is the light not shining? Who is to blame? And the answers to these questions are in the Church. The word ‘let’ simply means to consciously and willingly allow something or someone. When Jesus used the word ‘Let’ in Matthew 5:16, it is for us to know that it’s our responsibility to allow the light to shine before men. That means we can either allow the light to shine through us or we can inhibit it. It’s up to us! Someone rightly said that the only condition for evil to thrive is for the good people to do nothing. One thing is always certain: Darkness can never over power the light. In the real sense, darkness doesn’t even exist! As a matter of fact, darkness is only the absence of light. So when the light refuses to shine, the natural result is the presence of darkness. In verse 16, the Master calls us to action. He said “Let your light so shine before men…” in other words, take action! This is a call to action. He didn’t just say that our light should shine, but He specified the degree to which it should shine. He said “Let your light SO shine before men…” In other words, get radical about your light! Let your light shine with a shout! Get to work with your light and expel every darkness with your light! I know in our world today we do a lot of things with light like designs; special effects etc. but suffice me to say that the number one purpose of light is to shine and get darkness out of sight! Light is for shining! Light is for illumination! I believe John the Baptist understood this demand of Heaven. The Lord Jesus tells us in John 5:35 that John the Baptist was a burning and a shining light. That’s just about what it means to let (allow) your light to SO shine before men. Just as John’s light did, our lights ought to shine with some special effects – I mean with heat! Men cannot ignore this manner of shining because they would either see it or feel it! That’s the attitude Jesus had. Glory to God! When your light shines in this manner, men wouldn’t only see your light or good works but they would also feel it! I strongly believe the Lord Jesus spoke as a Prophet here, resounding the very words of the Father God on the lips of the Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 60:1-3 which says “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” This is to say, we’ve been empowered to shine forth the glory of the Lord all over the world! And this light would attract men to the Lord. Remember that the sole purpose of our shining the light is not for selfish purposes but that men would see our good works done in Christ and glorify the Father Who is in heaven. No wonder 1Peter 2:9 tells us “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” It is right about time for us to get loud about the light we’ve got. We’ve got something to shout about! So how do we get to work with this? By heralding the Gospel of Jesus Christ everywhere everyday! Never be silent about that which we’ve been called to preach. The world needs it. The world is desperate for a Saviour. As we shine forth the light, they would be pointed to the One who has shined upon us and whose light we reflect. In conclusion, it is also important for me to say that good works matter. Faith without works is dead as the body is without the spirit. Our good works done in Christ matter a lot and the Lord promises to reward them both now and in eternity!

Friday, July 13, 2012

MANIFEST!

Manifestation is one word the Church needs to come to terms with if we must fulfil our eternal destiny. It must become our watchword. It must become the inspiration behind all our kingdom work. Looking through the Scriptures, especially under the New Covenant, we see that God gives the Church a perfect picture of what is on His mind. After the Lord Jesus Christ had finished all the work the Father had committed unto Him, on that cross He said these 3 staggering words “IT IS FINISHED” and really that was the end of the eternal work. Now the Divine commission for the Church is simple: Manifest what Jesus Christ had already accomplished for the world – show it forth! This is the very reason the Holy Spirit is at work on the earth today. This is the very reason the Holy Spirit is poured out upon the Believer. The Holy Spirit is the Manifester of the finished work of Christ and He manifests this through the Church! The summary of the great commission is: Go and manifest Jesus everywhere! This is the reason why the Gospel must be preached everywhere. The Gospel is not for hidden corners, it’s for the rooftop. This is the reason why the Gospel is not to be whispered in secret but declared with every authority and audacity. Because of the power the Gospel releases when declared out loud, the devil would do anything possible to silence those who herald it. But we’re not going to give up or give in. We have set our hands on the plough and there is no looking back! This is it! The Word of God tells us in Colossians 1:27 “...Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The word ‘glory’ here means manifestation. In other words, Christ in us is the hope of manifesting, revealing, showing forth, displaying etc. What are we manifesting? The grace of God within us! The work of Christ in us! The Father always desires to show forth Himself through His children. And He so desires to do that through you and me today. We must let Him do so in and through our lives. How do we let Him manifest in our lives? We see that in Isaiah 60:1-3. It says “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” It’s time to arise. It’s time to get up and shake off the dust. We are the light of the world. We are the salt of the earth. We are the yeast of the world. I sense in my spirit the Lord is saying to us: “This is the time to let my grace be displayed to the world through you.” Praise God forevermore! I Peter 2:9 says “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” The Spirit of the Lord tells us through Apostle Paul that “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.” (Romans 8:19). Saint, the world needs to hear this Gospel today. The Word of God on your lips would change destinies and determine the eternal destinations of many. Just like Paul the Apostle, we must never be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ “...for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16). So, Manifest Jesus everywhere everyday!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

READY FOR CHANGE?

Everyone desires change in one area or the other of his/her life but only very few are experiencing changes in their lives. What could be the problem? Why is that so? This is revolutionary! Job asked a major question in Job 14:14 “If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.” Many people so desire change but when it comes down to the matter, they are not really ready for change. When you study through the Scriptures, you will realise that whenever change is needed there is always a part for the seeker to play. Romans 12:2 shows us the method by which we can achieve the greatest change we could ever experience after our salvation. It says “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed [changed] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Bible in Basic English puts it this way “And let not your behaviour be like that of this world, but be changed and made new in mind, so that by experience you may have knowledge of the good and pleasing and complete purpose of God.” (BBE). It is then so clear that change is a decision and not just an incidence. Change is a decision that starts up a process that eventually manifests the desired result. It is so important that we understand this if at all we would make reasonable progress in this life. Change is responsibility. If you want anything to change, the only way you can tell how serious you are about it is by taking up the required responsibility attached to such a change and we can only see that in the Scriptures. Many a times change seems almost impossible because we haven’t understood our role in bringing about the desired change. God has a part and we have our own part and God wouldn’t play our part neither can we play God’s part. It’s a kind of specialization. However, if only we could understand, by revelation, that God has already played His part in whatever change we desire, it would change us. If only we could see, by the Spirit, that we are the ones causing the delays having not played our own parts, it would inspire us to action for change. As a result of what He has done, God could rightly say to us “whatever is not right or you don’t like in your life change it!” God has given the New Creation the ability to change anything whatsoever! We’ve got the Word. We’ve got the Holy Ghost. We’ve got the Anointing and every empowerment we need to have it. Change is ours for the taking! We must believe and receive this if we must function in it. It is a conscious decision we must make to see this happen in our lives or situations. It’s really up to us. There is never a significant change without a price. When I talk of the price for change, I’m talking about getting involved in the process of change – facing it! Many would rather give excuses and reasons why they or their situations wouldn’t change than facing the challenge for change headlong. Humans naturally fear change because of this one thing. Change will always be a process. Of cause some changes could happen instantaneously but maintaining them would be a process. For instance, you might receive an instant healing from the Lord, but you would need to be ready to keep your healing by staying in faith no matter the symptoms that might try to make you feel as though the sickness is returning. It’s real work! Humans are naturally afraid of treading new grounds because of the uncertainties. This is the reason why everyone is talking about change but only a little is actually changing. We must be ready to face and go through the process of change if at all we must have it. The question then is: how serious are you about a change. The very word from which change is gotten (metamophoo) speaks of a process – the process of a butterfly (from laver to pupa to maggot to the full grown butterfly). Romans 12:2 shows us that. The mind of every man is the platform for change. Remember that sometimes for change to happen, the mind might have to unlearn some things it had previously learned in under to accept change. It is impossible for a man to experience change when the change hasn’t happened on the mind first. Hence Romans 12:2. There is a great connection between change and the Word of God. This is the reason why those who aren’t born again would find change very difficult or even impossible. This is because the power for change is in the hearing and doing of the Word of God. Remember Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” This portion of Scripture is so powerful and revolutionary. God has a will concerning every area of our lives. The will of God is the Word of God and so to find out what His will is about a matter you must look into the Word. Once you locate what His will is about a matter, you are then empowered by that Word to produce the desired change! This is so important because the Lord is showing this to you so that you can change anything, no matter how seemingly impossible it is. Friends, understand that change doesn’t come by crying. Change doesn’t come by trying. Change comes by the Word. There is so much power in the Word of God to change any situation. Change can happen to anyone. It’s just a matter of how crazy you are for change. One amazing thing about change is that after we have experienced a change in any aspect of our lives under God, God takes us to a higher level in that area such that we become the change. We begin to help people who need those same changes in their lives. It is my earnest prayer that you will truly experience change in whatever area of your life you need it most and then be the change the world is searching for. Get ready! Change is coming! It will come big!

Friday, June 29, 2012

STEP OUT & STAND OUT!

Every man created by God was created for a purpose. It is quite unfortunate that a bulk of humanity end up dying only to discover that they never lived in the first place. Every man is either living – fulfilling purpose and destiny or existing – just breathing through life. It is often said that when the purpose of a thing is unknown abuse is inevitable. Every human being has the major assignment of studying and discovering himself. You must know to what purpose you were born. You must know and understand your divine assignment on earth. This is really what brings about real fulfilment here on earth. A lot of Christians, though born again, are not experiencing a fulfilled life and they wonder why. It’s time to step out and be about something beyond yourself. A lot of people are living for themselves only – self-centred living! Me and mine kind of living will take you nowhere. You were born for something bigger than yourself! 2 Corinthians 5:15 clear states “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” This is amazing! So who or what are you living for? What in the world are you waiting for? Step out! Time is attached to your purpose and when your time is up nothing can keep you here on earth for another micro second. Excuse is one of the greatest enemies of man. Excuses only exist in the mind of the person who chooses to accommodate them. Excuses are not substantial in the sight of God. A lot of people give a lot of excuses why they cannot do a lot of things. What excuse are you accommodating in your life? Excuses would only put you down and stop you from doing what you were born to do. Romans 8:19-22 tells us “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” So what are you going to do about this? Time is short so step out! You are uniquely structured to solve a problem so stand out! You are the solution to a specific problem here on earth. It is very easy to make a difference, just be different! Accept no excuses! They don’t exist. The Word of God says in 1Peter 2:9 says “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” Please step out and stand out!

Thursday, May 31, 2012

CONTAINERS OF HIS GLORY

The day the Believer in Christ actually understands what it really means to be a New Creation in Christ Jesus; he will automatically stop seeing him/herself as ordinary, natural or normal. We are not ordinary people. There is Some One inside us that makes us extraordinary, supernatural and abnormal. This is reality friends. 2 Corinthians 4:7 says “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” (NKJV). Glory to God! Did you see that? It says we carry in us the excellence of the power of God. I pray, in the Name of Jesus Christ, that the Lord will grant us a special revelation through His Spirit on this matter. It will change us. What a privilege it is to be conveyors of God’s holy presence. What a privilege to be reflectors of the Person of God. Wow! How staggering it is to even imagine it! Acts 10:38 is one Scripture that has so inspired me personally. Whenever I read it I feel the stirring of the Holy Ghost in my spirit. It says “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (NKJV). The Lord Jesus Christ was a pattern for us. Today, we, the New Creations, carry and convey His glorious and mighty presence. The Lord Jesus is no longer on earth, He is seated at the right hand of the Father. Now the same Holy Spirit by which He was anointed to manifest the glory of the Father is living inside of us for the same purpose. Hebrews 1:1-3 says “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” (NKJV). Today God wants us to be the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person – that’s the purpose of the Holy Spirit in our lives and not just for goose bumps! The Word of God also tells us something amazing in Acts 19:11,12. It says “Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.” (NKJV). This is amazing. What do you think would happen if every Believer in Jesus Christ chooses to step out and walk in the authority and consciousness of the New Creation that we are in Christ Jesus? Be sure that God didn’t work through Paul in this manner because he was more righteous and holy than the other Apostles. This happened because Paul walked in the consciousness of what he truly was in Christ. He walked in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit living inside him. This is available today to you and me. If we dare to step out in simple faith, God will honour His Words on our lips and through our mortal bodies. 1 John 4:4 tells us something so staggering. It says “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (NKJV). Glory to God forevermore! I was so overwhelmed the day I saw by revelation that The Holy Spirit has no physical body and that we, the New Creations, are His body. The Holy Spirit can only operate on earth through Believers in Jesus Christ. He can’t carryout His Ministry to the world without the New Creations. Think about that for a moment! Wherever we go the Holy Spirit goes in actual substantial manifestation. The Holy Spirit is Omnipresence but He doesn’t manifest His presence everywhere except in places where He is welcomed. He is always eager to manifest Himself through us every single moment. Saints, let Him do so through you! We ought to carry this active presence about, glorifying Jesus everywhere! You see, spirit beings cannot manifest fully on earth without a physical body. God created the earth to be inhabited by spirits with physical bodies – men. Spirit beings don’t have full operation on earth without a physical body. So the Holy Spirit operates fully through Believers who yield themselves to His person, influence and leading. The Holy Spirit never forces Himself on anyone. Devils use men too to carryout his threefold ministry – steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a) and he will do anything to possess any human being who opens the door or yields to him. When he can’t find a human being, he possesses animals. The good news is that Jesus Christ carries out His Supreme ministry on earth through us – the saints – the ministry of imparting eternal life to men (John 10:10b). The Great Commission means to spread the divine influence everywhere from our Jerusalem to the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8 says “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (NKJV). We unlock this power by getting involved with the Great Commission – that’s the purpose of Pentecost! God wants all men saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1Timothy 2:4). This is how it works. Also, Romans 12:1 tells us what to do to activate this power in us. It says “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (NKJV). Jesus did the same. We see that in Hebrews 10:5-7 “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come--In the volume of the book it is written of Me--To do Your will, O God.'"” (NKJV). It’s a total abandonment to the will of God – spirit, soul and body – that that releases the glory in us!

Thursday, May 17, 2012

LIFE OR RELIGION?

Jesus didn’t come to give the world another religion. In fact the world was already chocking of religion when Jesus came. Jesus brought Abundant, Eternal Life to man. That’s Christianity – the life of God to the max in a man! The world has religion, the Christian has eternal life. So what have you got? A life or a religion? The word ‘religion’ is quite relative. It all depends on the usage and what it seeks to communicate. From Scriptures we actually see that there are two kinds of religion – the negative and the positive. The negative kind of religion is that which tries to connect with God through acts and deeds, not taking advantage of what has already been accomplished in Christ for them. This is the reason a lot of folks would go to hell. Salvation is just about taking what God has accomplished in Christ and personalizing it. It’s a vital decision we mu
st make in this life before we die or before the rapture if not we end up in the lake of fire. Romans 10:9,10,13 is the basis for this salvation. It says “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” A lot of people who go to Church would still go to hell for eternity because they ignored God’s pattern of righteousness and set up their own standard for connecting with God. This is actually the current problem of the Jewish race (Romans 10:1-13). This is so unfortunate! Jesus called those who practice this kind of religion thieves in John 10:1. He says “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.” This is terrible! It is important we understand that we are not made righteous because of what we deed or didn’t do but because of what God did for us through Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21). In 1 Corinthians 3:11, we read “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (NKJV). The Word of God is so clear about this matter. The positive kind of religion has to do with consistency in doing the right things according to God’s Word. For instance studying your Bible, praying, walking in love etc everyday must be carried out religiously. In this case, it is an attitude not just an act. The Christianity of the Bible is not a religion at all. However, the positive kind of religion is a vital part of Bible Christianity. It is not the whole but a part of Christianity. Christianity is the life and nature of God expressed on earth through mortal men. This must be properly understood. James 1:26,27 tells us “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” (NKJV). This is true religion. Blessings!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

HONOUR

The Lord has been dealing with me on the subject of honour for a couple of Months now. Ever since, I have seen the word honour in a different light. I have made a lot of discoveries from what He has been saying to me and I feel compelled to share some thoughts with you along this line. The word ‘honour’ means to treat someone with special respect. It means to regard someone highly. It also means to hold someone in high esteem. It’s is an attitude of the heart that is eventually displayed outwardly through our actions. True honour starts from the heart and is displayed outwardly through our actions. Honour is more displayed than spoken – you don’t just say you honour someone, you show it! Please read soberly and prayerfully because this could be the missing link in your life. In Malachi 1:6 the Lord Himself said this: “A son honoureth [his] father, and a servant his master: if then I [be] a father, where [is] mine honour? and if I [be] a master, where [is] my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests [people], that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?” This is coming straight from the heart of the Almighty God Himself. The first thing I want you to note here is that the Lord cares about how you treat Him. Yes, He does! A lot of times we are so quick to say “Lord, I honour you”, but in reality we despise Him. Jesus rightly said to the Jews, quoting from the Prophet Isaiah the very words God spoke to the Israelites through Isaiah: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with [their] lips; but their heart is far from me.” (Matthew 15:8). Honour cannot be hidden. It starts from the heart and is displayed outwardly through our actions. We can’t claim to live honourable lives when we don’t honour the Lord. That’s where it starts from – honour for God! Honour is reciprocal. The Lord said, through Prophet Samuel, in I Samuel 2:30b: “...but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” We must seek to earn the Lord’s honour and run away from anything that would make the Lord to lightly esteem us. You see, there’s no middle ground in this thing. It is either we are honouring the Lord or despising Him. We must be very careful about this. The difference between David and Saul was honour. Honour is a seed. When we sow honour we reap honour (Gen. 6:22, Gal. 6:7). This happens naturally. True honour for the Lord is also seen in our honour for other people. When we despise people, it is a sign that we despise the Lord. Honour is just like love, if we can’t honour people that we see with our optical eyes then how can we prove that we honour the Invisible God? How do you treat your subordinates? How do you treat those who serve you? How do you treat your gate man? These are indicators. For us to treat people with honour, we must first learn to see them with the eyes of honour. How do I mean? When you look at a man of low status with the eyes of honour, you simply raise him up to measure up and then you’d be able to demonstrate honour to him. The same works with love. So it matters how you see people? Giving, in its purest form, is a sign of honour. We give to honour people. We don’t only give because there is a need. We don’t only give to people because they are needy. We give to show our honour for people. This should actually be the motivation behind our giving. When we give to the Lord, we must remember that He doesn’t need anything – He owns the earth and everything in it (Psalm 24:1). We must ensure that our hearts are set on honouring the Lord when we give to Him if our goal is to truly honour Him with our substances. If not, we despise Him. In the Old Testament of the Bible we see a reoccurring event of kings giving gifts to kings. Sometimes you read about kings exchanging gifts. This is because giving in itself is a sign of honour not need. The Word of God tells us in Proverbs 3:9 “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” Note it didn’t say “give to the Lord your substance.” No! The Lord is not needy, He’s not a man. Our hearts are meant to be set on honour for the Lord. What God gets from our offering is the honour we attach to it in our hearts – not the substance. So never despise your offering whether it’s small or large. Give whatever you have to the Lord with honour in your heart for Him, that’s what really counts. Honour for the Lord brings about the manifestation of the Anointing of the Holy Spirit both in our lives and in the gathering of believers. Wherever the Lord is honoured He shows up! When we honour the Lord in a meeting, the Holy Spirit is bound to manifest His presence practically. Sometimes we short-circuit the power of God in our lives or in our meetings just because we don’t show reverence for His presence. You don’t despise the Lord and expect Him to show up for good. In fact if He shows up when He is despised it could be for instant judgement. We must be very careful. Honour is the foundation on which we build other things in our spiritual lives. Once there’s no honour for the Lord, every other thing is just noise. When you see a man who honours the Lord, you will know it – it cannot be hidden because he is a carrier of God’s presence. God honours such a man with His presence. When we honour the Lord, He honours us with His manifest presence. The more we honour Him, the more of His presence we possess. How well we honour the Lord will greatly determine the quality of life we would live as believers here on earth. We honour the Lord by our life style. We honour the Lord by the way we talk. We honour the Lord by our obedience to the great commission. Honour is displayed by HOW we obey His instructions or commands. I believe the difference between David and Saul is honour. We honour the Lord by our love walk – loving Him and loving our neighbours as we love ourselves. If we are going to truly reach this world with the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, we must live honourable lives. It is a must! The life that honours the Lord is that which esteems His Word above every other.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

I MUST BE GONE!


When all the earthly lights are turned off
When the sun is darken
And the moon refuses to shine
The effects of the stars go unnoticed
All the visible suddenly become invisible
The hustling and bustling ceases
All that my hands held on to in great might
I suddenly lose grip of, I let go.

All the physical become unreal
My heart begins a quest for the real
Longing for substance in place of vanities
When everything on earth becomes so dim

Then the light of eternity will be turned on
Then I will see my Master, Saviour and Friend
I will know Him just as I am known by Him
When He shall appear I shall see Him just as He is
I shall not be prevented
Nothing shall prevent the eternal cravings of my heart.

But this mortality must first put on immortality
And the corruptible incorruptible
This is the ultimate transition
But I must be gone.

Composed by David C. Okoye – April 17, 2012.

[This piece is dedicated to the blessed and loving memory of my Mother (Rev. Mrs. Josephine C. Okoye) who went to be with the Lord on Easter Monday, April 9, 2012].

The ultimate in life is seeing Jesus face to face, looking into His glorious face and just hearing Him say “well done.” I look forward to that day. Jesus says in John 9:4 “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” Friend, the night is at hand. This is the time to work tirelessly to ensure that you finish well and that you are not taken unaware. Time is running out, what we do we must do quickly.

REPORT FROM ALIVE! 2012, ABUJA, NIGERIA






When the Lord wants to do a new thing He always calls for a people. He calls for a people who would give themselves unreserved to the call. He calls for a people who would rise to the occasion. It doesn’t really matter how many they are.

Alive! Is an event the Lord inspired in the heart of Bro David Okoye to be held every Good Friday of the year. It was first held in 2009 in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. This time around it was held in Abuja, Nigeria on Friday, the 6th of April 2012. It is an event that inspires commitment to the Heavenly Vision. It is a time when we reflect on the greatest sacrifice ever made by Divinity (God Himself) and the greatest investment ever made on humanity (God’s giving up of His Only begotten Son to die for the sins of the world to purchase man back to God, producing a New Creation).
Alive! 2012 had a landmark effect in the build up of God’s people to step into His destinies for their lives. Although the number of people in attendance was small as we understand that a lot of Churches also hold events to mark Good Fridays which has always been the case in all the Alive! Events. But we still believe that those who came were destined by God to receive what He had for them. Bro David shared an inspiring Word from the Lord titled “HOSANNA: The New Sound”. He highlighted the passion the Lord Jesus had for His assignment here on earth – the redemption of mankind. Explaining that the Hebrew word ‘Hosanna’ means ‘save now’ he established the fact that our divine purpose has a voice that cries out for fulfilment. He also highlighted the place of sacrifice in fulfilling our divine purpose. This led to a moment of supplication and intercession.

It was an amazing experience in the presence of the Lord and we eagerly look forward to Alive! 2013 which would hold wherever the Lord leads.