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 Zoë-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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

WHERE ARE THE YOUNG FOLKS?

Young people are very instrumental to the plan and purposes of God here on earth. All through Scriptures, we see strength attributed to young people. Young people are strong. Young people are energetic. Young people are very zealous and passionate. However, it is always the case of young people either using this strength-treasure to either advance a righteous cause or an evil one. When a man is full of energy and zeal, he wants to do something; he wants to exercise his abilities. The Word of God tells us that “The glory of young men [is] their strength: and the beauty of old men [is] the gray head.” (Proverbs 20:29).

The famous king of Israel, Solomon, gave a heart striking admonition and caution to young people in Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 (I pray you take some time to study it today, it’s so important you do). Verse 1 of that portion of Scripture says: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;” We are instructed to remember the Lord in the days of our youth because the evil days are coming fast. Because the years are drawing near. Because there would come a time when we can not do what we can do now. This is a very important admonition. Please think about it for a moment.

In my endeavours, I have often had the privilege of coming across a lot of aged people and having some time with them. I have noticed that, unfortunately, it is difficult to find one of them without regrets. Most of the time their regrets stem from the fact that they never utilized the opportunities of their youths. Now they wish they could do more but they can barely do much. Time has gone and they are trying to catch up. This is sad. I feel so emotional as I write this. Today I see a lot of aged people going into missions and serious kingdom service but very few youths are involved and I am forced to ask this vital question: WHERE ARE THE YOUNG PEOPLE? Destiny is a force that has a pull on everyone. We must respond to the call of our destinies in God. Time is ticking fast. If we don’t spend our youthful energy in earnest service to the Lord today, when are we going to do so? We must be mindful of the fact that a man can only be a youth once in a life time – just once.

I once heard a preacher explain how that when a man is young, he can both see (have dreams) and run (pursue them), but when he starts aging, this dual abilities reduce till it gets to the point where he can only see but can’t run, can’t pursue what he sees. Are we rightly spending or wasting our youthful season. We must be mindful that the youthful stage of life has a lot of distractions that we must contend with on purpose if we must make unhindered advancement in life. We must fight for this. We either fight or lose.

There is a prophetic Word for the young people in Joel 2. The Prophet Joel, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, declares “…your young men shall see visions:” (Joel 2:28). I believe this is the day for the fulfilment of this prophecy. I believe these are the days for the manifestation of more visionary youths. I see the Holy Spirit stirring up young people all over the world for unquantifiable Kingdom impact. It has already begun. In many parts of the world we are seeing many young people arising and stepping into their destinies in God, doing amazing and mind blowing things in honour of the Master. Don’t be left out. Stop everything that stops you from properly maximizing your youthful days. When you do this, you’ll rejoice and be so fulfilled at old age, mentoring the next generation. This is how it ought to be. Glory to God!

THE RESISTANCE

All over the world, God is staging up a resistance that would withstand the wickedness of the devil and his agents in these last days. God is not silent about what is going on all over the world. He is not surprised either because they are the signs of the times we are in. God uses men to stand against the devices of the wicked one. Isaiah 59:19 says “So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.” The word standard here speaks of the resistance against the devices of the adversary. The Spirit of the Lord raises us a standard through the militant believers whom have submitted themselves to be equipped for spiritual warfare.

The Word of God tells us in James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Lately, I’ve been so blessed and inspired by Evangelist Ben Cerullo’s take on this portion of Scripture which he brands ‘The Resistance’. James 4:7 speaks of both personal revival and spiritual warfare. But one comes first before the other. We must first submit ourselves to God before we can effectively carry out spiritual warfare to claim souls and territories stolen by the adversary – the devil. This is something every believer must be mindful of. The believer is a warrior. When we submit to God, resisting the devil is never a problem. In fact, when we submit to God, we not only resist the devil, we become God’s resistance against all the wiles of the devil. The Lord says to us in Jeremiah 51:20 “Thou [art] my battle axe [and] weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;” It is time for us to awake from slumber and take our place in God’s end-time agenda. It is time to stand up and take action! God wants to display His might through us to all the nations of the world.

God was speaking to Jeremiah and to us in extension when He said, in Jeremiah 1:10 “See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” God has set us over the nations. In other words, God has put us in charge of His earth to establish Divine order in it. Yes, He wants to do it through us – His battle axe! This is not the time to fret and withdraw, but the time to press on into the destiny that God has for us. This is the time to go over to the frontlines and enforce the victory of Christ over the enemy, thereby rescuing destinies from the grip of the devil. In the Kingdom we don’t fight to get the victory. No! Jesus has already won the victory for us. We fight to enforce the victory that belongs to us and choke the devil out of our way. We fight from the stand point of victory. Glory to God! 1 Cor. 15:57 says “But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

It is also important that we understand the enemy we wrestle against and the weapon that has been made available to us in Christ. These are clearly spelt out in the following Scriptures: Eph. 6:10-18 tells us “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” And 2Cor. 10:3-6 further says “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” Every believer must engage in this spiritual warfare. Evangelist Ben says “you either fight or die.”

Daniel 11:32b says “but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits].” The number one key is knowing God. Not just knowing about God but know God for real, having a vital one-on-one relationship and knowledge of Him. Secondly, in order to stand firm before and after spiritual warfare, as instructed by Jim Goll, we must have no common grounds with the enemy. Jesus says in John 14:30 “for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” God bless you!

WHERE FAITH AND PATIENCE MEET

How long can you wait on the Lord? How long is long enough? Well, time has a way of proving a man. Time has a way of proving a thing. Time has a way of revealing to us the actual state of our hearts. The genuineness of our faith is based on how long we can wait without questioning God’s ability. If you can’t wait on the Lord in absolute trust after making your request in prayer, then your faith is not active – it’s weak. Patience is the proof that you really trust God. Hebrews 6:12 tells us “That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” One thing that is always missing when we are being taught about faith is the link between faith and patience. A message that addresses faith without showing the link between faith and patience is not only lopsided, but also produces weak believers who lack persistence. Your faith is not perfect without patience. In other words, patience is the perfection of our faith. Patience keeps hope alive while faith is at work.

No one really likes to wait. Everyone would rather go for a quick fix. It is really not easy to wait, but when dealing with the Lord, we must learn to wait. Waiting on the Lord speaks of brokenness and total dependence on Him. We learn a lot when we wait. So why do we have to wait for so long sometimes before we see the manifestation of what we asked the Lord in prayer? The answer to this is two fold. First, because we don’t wait long enough in the place of prayer to hear what the Lord has to say about the matter. This makes us to wait as a consequence for our impatience in the place of prayer. Secondly, Because God is a Father and not a prayer answering machine. God knows what we really need and when we really need it just like our earthly fathers do. God is not just interested in you having your desires met; He is also interested in you enjoying it. There are people who, as soon as their desires are granted by the Lord, walk away from Him. They simply lose out on God’s presence and big plan for their lives. This class of people simply have quick satisfaction and can’t see the bigger picture – they’re spiritually immature. So God is interested in meeting our needs while He concurrently wants to grow us into maturity.

Patience is highly connected to spiritual maturity. It’s an act of true worship. It is a major mark of those who really know God, not just for what He can do but also for who He is. Mature Christians know God. They know that He never fails. They know that though it tarries, it will surely show up. They might not know the when and how of it but they know the Who they have trusted. Life in Christ is such an amazing adventure. So, whenever we ask the Lord for a need and we do not get a quick result (after being sure that we are in faith and are walking in holiness before the Lord), it is an opportunity to grow into maturity. Dr. Joyce Meyer said something I will never forget. She said “Patience is not just about waiting. Patience is waiting with the right attitude.” It is really not just about the waiting as it is about how we wait. At the end of the day, after we have seen the manifestation, we’d then realise that not only did the situation change, we also changed! That’s the goal!

Hebrews 10:35-36 say “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” In James 1:3-4 we read “Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” Be encouraged today. Blessings!

THE CALL

The call of Abraham was a type of the call to the Christian life. Genesis 12:1 says “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:” I believe these instructions are clearly spelt out. It’s a call to a life of consecration to God and to His divine purposes. But unfortunately, there is a lot of compromise in our response to the call today. It is very common to find believers who want to mix earthly culture with their Christian life. I believe this is because these believers have not really understood that Christianity is a call that entails leaving and cleaving – just like marriage. You see, there can’t be a mix of the both! I’m yet to see a culture on earth that doesn’t have a demonic influence in it. 2 Cor. 4:4 tells us that the devil is the god of the system presently operating here on earth. It says “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” The devil tries to influence everything on earth, but as New Creation in Christ, we must stand out and refuse to bow or condescend to his influence.

The Word of God clearly tells us in Philippians 3:20 “…our citizenship is in heaven…” (NIV). In the Kingdom of God, dual citizenship is illegal. Some believers still cling tightly to their earthly descent to the point that the Heavenly citizenship has no reflection or expression in their lives. 1 Peter 2:9,10 makes it so clear that “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: 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.” also we see in 2 Corinthians 5:17,18 “Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things [are] of God…” The Christian life is a call to a new identity – entirely! John 1:12,13 says “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

This is not to say we should have nothing to do with our earthly relatives. But if we claim to follow the foot steps of Jesus, then we must ask ourselves intelligent questions like: what was the place of earthly culture in the life of Jesus during His earth walk? When we ask the Holy Spirit questions like this and upon critical research, we would easily put things in the right perspective. Then we can follow in Jesus’ steps. If not we would miss it greatly. It’s about total consecration to God and His eternal purposes on earth – nothing else!

FIRE FIGHTERS

The Word of God tells us “but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” (Jude 23, NKJV). The first thing I want you to note here is that before you can go on fire rescue, you must be sure that you’re fireproof, meaning that you must ensure that you are not putting on or holding anything that can be burnt. This is very important and significant in the realm of the spirit just as it is in the physical. Sin is flammable and before we can do what the opening Scripture says, we must be sure that we take this caution! We must live right before God so that we can be useful to Him in helping the lost out of the flame of destruction and redirecting them to the path of life. The Word of God also shows us in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 that there are things that are flammable and things that are not. Please take out time to check that out today!

When dealing with fires, we have this sense of urgency. Those in the fire service understand this too well, that any delay in responding to a fire outbreak spells disaster or loss. Fire is wild! As a soul winner, you are likened to a fire fighter. There are certain people the Lord will show you who you will know are surely on their way to damnation – hell – and don’t even know it. You will need to fight for their lives in earnest intercession and, as surely as the Lord leads, you must speak to them. When the Lord sends us to pray on behalf of a lost soul or to speak to them for Him, He expects immediate action. God wants us to approach soul winning with the urgency of fire. It’s about life and death. A life is at stake and something must be done immediately.

Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke, in his classic ‘Evangelism by Fire’ described delay in taking the Gospel to the unsaved as a fire fighter who is informed about a fire outbreak, instead of acting immediately, decides to shave before going to quench the fire. It is unfortunate that that’s really how many believers approach the preaching of the Gospel. We must think differently. We must change our approach to the Great Commission. The way that leads to destruction is a wide road and many blindly follow that road. We can’t afford to watch them get into the eternal flames of destruction. Now is the time to act. Now is the time to do something urgent! Let’s have them saved for the glory of God! Great shall be our reward. God bless you!

INDEBTEDNESS

Do you know that every single day you are alive on earth, you owe at least someone the preaching of the Gospel? That’s right. For every day you wake up and discover that you’re still on planet earth and still breathing, you’re a debtor! The earlier we understand this, the more fruitful and productive we’ll become here on earth. In Romans 1:14–17, Paul made an amazing declaration towards the Gospel mandate. He says “I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” (NKJV). Paul was simply saying “I’m owing everyone the Gospel.” Our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, Himself was also compelled by this sense of indebtedness during His life and ministry on earth. Mark 1:38 says “But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.” (NKJV). Paul, by divine revelation, understood the heart of Jesus in reality and function in it.

I noticed that whenever the Lord lays it upon my heart or stirs up my heart towards reaching out with the Gospel to any land or community, I often feel this sense of indebtedness towards that community until I actually preach the Gospel to them. I just literarily feel that I owe them something that I must pay. And after I have preached the Gospel to them, no matter their response to it – whether positive or negative – I experience an unusual outburst of joy within me as though I had just paid a heavy debt. I believe it is the Holy Spirit who creates this sense on indebtedness in us to enable us fulfil our part in the Gospel mandate. The truth is that we’re going to give account to Jesus on that great day when we stand before Him. He will ask us about how faithful we have been to the task He gave us and how obedient we have been to His instructions. Every believer has been entrusted with the supreme task of preaching the Gospel to everyone who will listen. We owe the world the Gospel!

If the Body of Christ will faithfully play her role of taking the Gospel (Good news) of the Kingdom of God everywhere just like the journalist spreads the daily news, there’s going to be an amazing spread of the Gospel all over the world in a short time. We must be faithful to the Master because we love Him and because we love and care about the people He has sent us to. How true are the Holy Ghost-inspired words of Paul the Apostle: “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.” (1 Cor. 9:16,17,19). Also in Acts 20:26 Paul says “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.” Are you free from the blood of your neighbour, friend, colleague, etc? Have you preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them? PREACH THE WORD!

THE FRUIT OF GENTLENESS

The Greek word for gentleness as used in Galatians 5:22 is: ‘Chrestotes’ it means moral excellence (in character & demeanour (Outward behaviour: somebody's behaviour, manner, or appearance, especially as it reflects on character). To be gentle means to be discreet, prudent, compelled by wisdom (not just knowledge), knowing what to do and how to do it at all times. It also means to be sober (thoughtful). It really takes the Holy Spirit to be gentle. In one word, gentleness means wisdom (See James 3:13-18, NLT). Ultimately, being gentle means actively walking in the Wisdom of God – not just having it, but actively walking in it.

“Ladies and gentlemen” is an official way we address an audience both formally and informally. It’s quiet ridiculous to address a crowd as gentle people. Calling everyone gentle could just be as funny as calling everyone wise! The world’s definition of gentleness is totally different from the Bible’s just like it is with the word ‘love’. We must be very careful about using the dictionary to define spiritual things. The closest definition of gentleness, out of all other definitions given by the dictionary is having a gracious and honourable manner [Manner of life, lifestyle].

Gentleness is not quietness or taciturnity even though they could be virtues of a gentle person. A gentle man is known by the results he produces. You don’t know gentleness by just outward display – but result! Real gentleness starts from the heart and then reflects on the outside. Even though Gentleness doesn’t mean quietness, it has a lot to do with how we use our words. A gentle man is conscious of his use of words (James 3:2; 1:19; Col. 4:6).

WHO IS A GENTLE PERSON? – Gentleness can be identified (Philippians 4:5).
1. One who is born again (Every saint has the fruit of gentleness. We just need to grow in it).
2. One who has received The Holy Spirit, yields to Him and walks with Him.
3. A person who walks in practical wisdom – Prudence. He’s driven by the force of wisdom (Phil. 4:5, NKJV)
4. A person who has strength of character – the entire fruit of the spirit is the character of the Christian.
5. A person who always knows what to do in every situation – He’s never stuck! (Col.1:9-11).
6. A person who has control over his life by controlling his tongue (James 3).
7. A person who maintains a disciplined prayer life – His stability comes from his fellowship with the Lord.

Jesus Christ is our perfect example of a gentle life just as in all other fruit of the spirit.

AREAS OF FOCUS IN DEVELOPING THE FRUIT OF GENTLENESS
1. Words: Col. 4:6 “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” (NKJV).
2. Actions: Philip. 4:5 says “Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.” (NKJV). A gentleman always thinks before acting and not vice versa.
3. Understanding: Eph. 5:17 “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
4. Time Mastery: A gentle man never goes late for an event because he has mastered the use of his time.
5. Value: A gentle man understands true value and so doesn’t waste his time, energy or resources on things that don’t produce value.
6. Discernment: A gentleman is always discerning. He knows what to do at all time since he’s always keen to the voice of the Spirit.
7. Integrity: A gentleman or woman is known for doing what is right (doing the Word) no matter the cost.

The more gentle you become, the lesser the mistakes you make – Gentleness is Christian maturity! The strength of a gentleman is in how keen he is to the voice and leading of the Holy Spirit. How we need to be gentle in the world and time we live in today. It will change everything about us!

How do we grow the fruit of gentleness in our lives?
1. By knowing and yielding to the Holy Spirit!
2. Always pray Col. 1:9-11 for yourself. Also spend time praying in the Holy Ghost – it keeps your spirit keen.
3. Consciously cultivate it by doing the Word.
4. Develop a conscious of it by confessing it daily. E.g. “I’m walking in gentleness today in the Name of Jesus.”

“Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel--rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” 1Peter 3:3,4 (NKJV).

THE MIRACLE OF SALVATION

From time to time, in my evangelistic ventures, I come across a lot of people who want to or even try to reason out the salvation that we’ve got in Christ Jesus. They want to understand with their mind why they should be born again. They want to reason out facts and figures that would convince them beyond any reasonable doubt that Jesus Christ is what He claims to be. I’ve thought about this matter over and over again and sometimes even come to the conclusion that they have the right to have this information in order to accept the Lord Jesus. But one day after the Holy Spirit ministered to me deeply during a moment of contemplation on the Word, I could only come up with one thing: The whole idea about salvation is a miracle! Everything about the Christian life is simply supernatural! It is impossible for the unrenewed mind to grasp spiritual or supernatural things. How can you explain that God has a Son having not married? How can you explain the fact that a virgin could give birth to a holy child without sin or any defect? How can you explain that the Almighty Holy Ghost tabernacles in the body of a human being? Please stop the search and accept the Truth (Reality) from God’s Word and simply live! We that are saved may be able to narrate how we got saved (our salvation experience) but can never explain why we got saved! The Holy Spirit worked on our hearts to show us the need to be saved, that’s all we can tell. This is the reason why those looking for reasons to be saved might never get saved and may end up dying in their sin and go to hell to spend eternity with the devil who has given them the reason to embark on an endless and unrealistic quest. It’s too expensive a thing to do. How unfortunate! I don’t want to go to hell because I am a profession who wouldn’t accept the Truth until I understand it. Sometimes school too could be a problem! We can know too much to accept the basics and simplicity of things to our own hurt.

One thing every believer must understand is that the successful work of evangelism can never be accomplished through logic but in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord never sent us to convince the world of anything. We were sent to preach – declare, announce, proclaim, shout out – the Gospel (Good news of the Kingdom) to a dying world and to leave the conviction to the Holy Spirit. It is very important you understand this because if you don’t, the work of evangelism will continue to be a mystery to you. Someone said to me the other day “I have become scared of evangelising lately.” As I talked with this fellow, I discovered that he was already stepping out of the simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was trying to understand the Gospel through philosophy! You see, we live in an age when people want to attempt to explain everything logically even spiritual things which could only be received in the spirit. This becomes an obstacle and leads to delusion and deception.

I Peter 3:15 says “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” This doesn’t mean that you should try to logically explain the Gospel to people. Notice, it says for you to sanctify the Lord in your heart which means that you must have a personal conviction of the Lord and His workings in your life as you expose yourself to His Word having been saved. Then it says for you to prepare yourself to explain to every man that asks you the reason for your HOPE. Notice again that it didn’t say ‘a reason for your believing in Jesus.’ But it says ‘a reason for your hope’ which means, having been saved, as you study the Word you’d be able to see through the eyes of the Spirit the hope we have in Christ just like Apostle Paul prayed for the Ephesian Church (See Eph. 1:15-18). We must prepare ourselves – on purpose – to tell the world the Hope we have in Christ. That hope is only in Christ. Glory to God! The world is hopeless and helpless without Christ. This should concern the saint and push us to reach out passionately to a dying world. The Lord has given to the Church a Gospel that contains the Hope that the world needs. Yes, real hope is encapsulated in the Gospel we preach! We must shout it on the roof top – all over the world – that there is hope in no other but Christ Jesus who suffered and died for the sins of the world! This is good news to the hopeless. This is good news to the helpless. This is good news to the disillusioned. Glory to God! We’ve got the message of hope for the world. This is the message that produces the miracle of salvation to all who receive it! It’s the message that works. That’s why we must, of necessity, declare it with excitement and everything inside us! That’s why we must intercede for the lost with every passion in our hearts knowing that until they receive this message of hope, it cannot work for them. They don’t need to stay out there wondering what it is all about. They need to come into the fold to understand what this thing is all about. They will be eternally changed by this miracle-producing Gospel of Hope in Christ Jesus! PREACH THE WORD!

THE WONDERFUL LIFE

The Word of God clearly tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” This is simply amazing. It appears as though the Church is yet to fully comprehend this passage of Scripture. We seem not to be living in the fullness of it. Understand this Saint, the life we have in Christ is not an ordinary life. No! It’s not. The above Scripture tells us that we became new beings – and of course with a new life – when we got born again. If this is true – and of course it is – what kind of life did we receive at the new birth? What kind of life was imparted into our spirit then? See, it is so important we catch this Saint, because the quality of life we live as believers will be in proportion to the revelation of God’s Word we’ve received into our spirit!

By virtue of our new birth in Christ, we received the very life of God. Can you handle this? At the new birth, God imparted to our spirit the very life He possesses. In the Greek, this life is called ‘zoe’ meaning The God-kind of life. Another meaning for this term is eternal life. Understand that this doesn’t just have to do with longetivity of life. This actually refers to the quality of life that God has. The amazing thing about this kind of life is that it changes the nature of the man who has received it entirely. When we received that life, we received the full package of God into our spirit. This zoe-life of God contains the righteousness of God which we receive and then become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. We can simply call the zoe-life of God ‘the divine package’ because it has all the benefits of salvation contained in it – all in one. This is God’s biggest and best offer ever! Glory to God! So the child of God is a possessor of the fullness of God. That is why we’re told in Colossians 2:10 “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” The new creature lacks nothing! We’re complete in Christ even though we are still growing into that fullness, but we are already what God has made us to be!

The zoe-life is not an ordinary life. It’s a higher life! It’s the Supernatural life. It’s the extraordinary life. It’s the unusual life. Romans 5:17 tells us that we reign in the realm of this life through Jesus Christ! In this realm of life ignorance cannot survive because Christ has become our wisdom. We don’t learn wisdom, it is imparted to us by the Holy Spirit (Of course, you know there’s another kind of wisdom which belongs to the world – not of God). Wisdom is a spirit! It is one of the seven spirits of God as revealed in Isaiah 11:1-2 [Also see Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5]. The Seven spirits of God are actually the full [seven-fold] operation or manifestation of the Holy Spirit (There are no seven other spirits. It is actually the same Holy Spirit operating or manifesting in seven dimensions which display the fullness of God. If you have the Holy Spirit you have them but you must consciously yield to the Holy Spirit in these areas to manifest them).

The zoe-life is a journey in grace. It’s a life that moves by the wind of the Holy Spirit. It is a life that is anchored on and operates by the Word. It is also called the wonderful life! When you have this life you walk in love naturally, you simply become a wonder to the world. This is why Jesus came. He came to give us the wonderful life – the same quality of life He has. He said in John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” NIV renders the phrase ‘more abundantly’ as ‘in its fullness’ which fully expresses what Jesus meant. This God-kind of life is governed by love – the agape-love of God! I’m so passionate about this subject because this is what I’ve been divinely ordained to share all over the world – to tell the world about the wonderful life in Christ! To receive this life, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!

THE SUPERNATURAL VS. THE NATURAL

There is the natural way of doing things. There is equally the Supernatural way of doing things. When we do things in the natural, we do it in the flesh. When we do things in the Supernatural we do it in the Spirit. Man is a spirit being and God designed him to operate in the Supernatural naturally. The distortion of this plan came as a result of the fall but that has been taken care of in the New Creation produced by Christ in His redemptive work. He restored man to the original plan. When we do things through the natural means, we are limited to the human ability. When we do things the Supernatural way, we simply employ the ability of the Omnipotent Father God. It is actually a choice for us to employ the natural or the Supernatural means of getting things done. There is indeed the Supernatural dimension to all aspects of life. We have employed the natural way of doing things for so long that we seem to be aliens to the Supernatural life. Whatever is birthed through the natural means will eventually hunt us. You can verify this from an Abraham who chose a natural option to produce an Ishmael. Today you know as much as I do that the Ishmaelites (hope you understand?) are the greatest human problem we have and it is prophetic. It’s time to start walking in the Supernatural – the realm where we really belong.

To be born again means to be born into the Supernatural realm where everything is ‘of God’! Every New Creature have been dipped into the Supernatural. Just as fishes don’t struggle to swim, we don’t struggle to manifest the Supernatural life. We live in it naturally. Someone may ask “if that is the case, why then is the Supernatural manifestation so scarce?” Well, that is why you are reading this piece. Many Believes don’t know that the Supernatural power of God is already upon them. They have not stepped into it. They have not put it to work. They have not placed a demand on the Anointing. They have not approached it as the way of life. They are surprised when they see a preacher manifest it. If only they can understand, if only they can see it for themselves in the Word, if only they will begin to live in the consciousness of it and put it to work every single day of their lives, they would be amazed at how much power is available to them in Christ. They will simply live the Supernatural life naturally!

The Holy Spirit came to help the Church step into the Supernatural life. One of the major reasons why we seem not to see much of the Supernatural in and through the Church of today is because we have not yielded to the Holy Spirit in the area of world evangelism, especially in reaching those in our neighbourhood, places of work and activities. The power of God will only manifest for the purpose for which it was meant. We don’t work in the Supernatural just to feel spiritually high, get some goose bumps, and go for picnics. It is for serious business. It is for establishing the Kingdom of God in the hearts of men whereever we find ourselves. The Holy Spirit who imparts eternal life to those we minister the Word too is always ready to bring the miracles to manifestation whenever we dare to step into it. It is the most Supernatural thing to have souls saved – become possessors of eternal life. If God can do this through us then there is nothing else that He cannot accomplish through us.

Consider these Scriptural quotes below. These are just few examples of the differences between the natural and Supernatural ways of doing things in our daily walk with God and their consequences:

“Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.” (Jeremiah. 17:5-8, NKJV),

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.” (Proverbs 3:5-7, NKJV).

“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16, NKJV).

Simply, walking in the spirit is walking in the Supernatural and walking in the flesh is walking in the natural. The former is unlimited while the latter is limited. You choice where to operate! Choose the Supernatural and flow with the Holy Spirit!

NO MORE DEPRESSION!

Depression is of the devil, it is a result of the influence of the devil on the mind of an individual. One who is depressed is pessimistic, disheartened and loses value for life even to the point of desiring to end it. I strongly believe that there is a spirit of depression that, if or when given an opportunity, influences the minds of people. I always count it a privilege to share my experience on how the Lord delivered me from depression. You know, I once experienced depression to such an extent that I laid in bed as though I was physically sick. My body was ok but my mind was terribly in trouble because of the war that was raging in there. The devil came with various thoughts of the sins I had committed in the past and started bugging me with them, telling me that my sins were not yet forgiven me and that I had to do something before the Lord could forgive me of them.

Some how I knew the truth about the matter because I grew up hearing that God forgives us our sins through Jesus Christ if we confessed them to Him (1John 1:9). But for some reasons I started considering what the devil was saying to me and that was where my problem started. I never believed that I would one day in my life contemplate suicide. But I did. I thought to myself; why not just end this pain once and for all? But thanks be to God, in the midst of the darkness, Jesus (the Light) walked in! It was a miracle. When I got healed of it, I made up my mind that I would never live another day of my life under the yoke of depression and that I would never watch anybody within my sphere of influence go through the pains and pangs of depression.

I really don’t know what makes you depressed, but one thing is sure, God has a solution for it in His Word. Here are few lessons I learned from my experience:

1. Depression comes when the Word of God is only in the head and not in the heart – when there is no personal conviction.
2. The devil, if allowed, can have a very strong influence on your mind even if you are born again.
3. There’s a spirit responsible for depression and it operates through negative thoughts. When you stop thinking about the things that make you depressed, you stop that depression.
4. Consciously meditating (thinking) on the Word of God keeps you from the path to depression. You don’t just stop thinking about the evil thought but you START thinking the right thoughts (the Word of God) because your mind can never be idle – at every point in time you are thinking about something.
5. Every thought is a seed that would eventually produce a fruit.
6. Whatever you meditate upon is magnified in your life naturally. As a man thinks in his heart so is he.
7. You have the power to choose what to think on – you are responsible for your thought life. You can’t stop evil thoughts from coming to your mind but you can refuse to think (meditate or ponder) on them.
8. When evil thoughts persist, pray in the Holy Ghost – your heaven language (you must be baptised in the Holy Ghost to do this).

Philippians 4:8 tells us exact what kind of thoughts to permit in our lives as Believers. It says: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.” (NKJV). This is powerful! This is how it works. Glory to God!

A PRAYER FOR YOU!
Father in the Name of Jesus, I thank You for these ones who are reading, thank You for Your great plans for their lives. I pray that You strengthen them by Your Spirit to walk in Your Word and be perfected in it. I pray that You empower them to think the right thoughts and be free from the influence of depression. Right now I come against every satanic influence over their lives in form of depression or whatever it may be in the Name of Jesus. I declare them free indeed because Your Son – Jesus Christ – has purchased their freedom and made them free. Thank you Father for this in Jesus’ Name. Amen!

THE EFFECT OF RIGHTEOUNESS

Few days from now, Christians all over the world would be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is indeed the greatest experience in the universe as we see that in the resurrection God made the greatest display of His power. The resurrection of Jesus Christ means that man can now be a partaker of the divine nature. Man can now possess the zoe-life of God. Man can now stand perfect before God through Jesus Christ because he is now the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. The power of sin had been broken. Man can now live above the elements of this world. The dominion of man has been restored and man is free again! Glory to God!

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, everything was good, beautiful, sound and in perfect order until sin made it’s way into the world. Suddenly everything became hostile, wild and aggressive. The once friendly animals suddenly became harmful; the still waters suddenly began roaring with the tendency to drown. The firmament became tensed. Everything that once supported man began fighting him. Man had fallen and darkness is everywhere. Man had lost his dominion over the earth. He had become helpless and defenceless. He had broken the hedge and the serpent had beaten. He had navigated from possessing everything to possessing nothing. The laws of the universe is now working against him and had suddenly become unruly to him. He had begun inhaling and exhaling evil and his heart had taken a dimension of progressive wickedness. Man had lost control over everything and even himself. What a blow sin had dealt to man. Now a cruel ruler has taken over man’s place of dominion. Satan had now become the god of this world – a place originally made for man. The same thing happens when sin steps into any man’s life. It’s always the same story. This is not a set up to magnify sin or its ability. It is just to let you know how the world became the mess it is today.

The effects of sin was everywhere. No wonder the first thing that was said about Jesus’ function on earth is “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21, NKJV). Thank God for Jesus Christ! The Bible also tells us in 1John 3:8 “…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (NKJV). Thank God Jesus came to deal with the sin problem and to restore man to his original position. When Jesus stepped in, light stepped into the world again. When Jesus stepped in, darkness disappeared – it couldn’t stand the dazzling light of the Light of the world. When Jesus stepped in, a world of darkness and confusion was suddenly illumined with the inextinguishable light (John 1:4,5). God’s remedy for the sin problem was Jesus. Jesus paid the price. He did it through the cross. He did it by shedding His precious, sinless Blood. He did it by becoming man’s perfect substitute, thereby, taking man’s place – suffering and dying on his behalf. Now 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us something amazing, it says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (NKJV). O what a sacrifice. What a treasure we’ve got in Christ Jesus. Now everyone who is born again have become new creatures possessing and becoming the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

Now I want you to know that the effect of righteousness is more powerful than the effect of sin. Sin can’t stand righteousness just as darkness can never stand the light! Rom. 5:17 says “For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (NKJV). Glory to God! This is staggering!

The devil fears the believer who understands righteousness! Righteousness through Christ is the greatest force in the universe. The devil will do anything to keep the believer ignorant of it and filled with dead works. The man who understands righteousness in Christ will live the zoe-life of God naturally. He becomes a threat to the kingdom of darkness. O what a day it was when Christ became the Righteousness of the Believer. A perfect righteousness gift was imparted to the believer at the new birth – not a progressive one but a perfect one – perfected by the Son of God Himself. Friend, The effect of righteousness is equally seen in Isaiah 32:17 “The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.” (NKJV). This season let’s celebrate and enjoy the effects of righteousness and let the world know about the righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ alone. Happy Resurrection!