Works to Open Doors

Anchor scripture: Rev 3:7 -12 NKJV

““And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.”

  • A door is an access point that leads somewhere.
  • There are certain works that open doors
  • The scriptures talk about two types of works.

A. Good works

B. Dead works/ works of the flesh (Gal 5:17)

Emphasis on good works. What does the Bible say about good works.

1. Our pattern for good works

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. Acts 10:38-44 NKJV

2. A new identity that brings forth good works

Ephesians 2:10 reads “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

3. Good works for kingdom for kingdom advancement.

And purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:14.

  • In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works.” Titus 2:6-8“
  • To obey, to be ready for every good work.” Titus 3:1.
  • That those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.” Titus 3:8
  • Psalms 11:7 The Lord is righteous and loves good deeds; those who do them will live in his presence.
  • Galatians 6:9 NIV Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

B. Dead works of works of the flesh

Galatians 5:19-21 NKJV

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:

  • adultery
  • fornication
  • uncleanness -(, to be defiled, polluted, unhealthy, or unfit, moral, sexual impurity)
  • lewdness, – (Lewd people have unbridled lusts and little sense of shame. They are outrageous in their shamelessness and give themselves to debauchery in a brazen way (Ephesians 4:19; 1 Peter 4:3). “Lewdness” is reckless sinning. It does not care what God or people think.)
  • idolatry – replacing God with other things -money, idols, people …
  • sorcery- the use of magic, especially black magic.
  • hatred
  • contentions – argumentative
  • jealousies
  • outbursts of wrath,
  • selfish ambitions,
  • dissensions – disagreement that leads to discord
  • heresies – belief or opinion contrary to orthodox (especially Christian) doctrine
  • envy
  • murders
  • drunkenness
  • revelries – Revelry is a wild, fun time.
  • and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Gates or doors and what they respond to:

1. Identity (who we are)

“Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle.” Psalms 24:7-8 NKJV

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV

All things respond to the Name of Jesus including gates and doors.

“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Colossians 3:2-4 NKJV

Because we are hidden in Christ Jesus, doors will be accessible to us.

2. Gates and doors respond to Praise of the saints (Paul and Silas)

“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” Acts 16:25-26 NKJV

3. Prayer (Peter and the angel)

“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”” Acts 12:5-11 NKJV

As you tarry in prayer may the angel of God that was sent to Peter appear to loose every bonds of bondage and cause every prison do to open to set you free.

Shalom, Rev Ron.

Humble Yourself

Righteousness is a gift of God at salvation. A gift is freely given. The delusion is that many have received this gift and yet walk by their own leadings and direction.

To walk in righteousness requires many virtues including

Faith

1. the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.

2. And Abraham had faith towards God and it was accounted to him for righteousness .

Humility, patience, love, kindness, joy…

A lack of humility results in pride in all cases.

1. Pride is a deadly evil that affects humans.

2. It is an invisible evil that has started more quarrels and more wars than you could ever imagine.

3. Pride is the reason for the conflicts and the confusion in our world. We are desperately in need of a formula for humility that will deliver us from “those who are proud.”

Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. Proverbs 13:10

Many problems in the world now are because of pride. Satan is the one who inspires pride, arrogance, and conflict .

All who walk by pride walk under the influence of satan. Job 41:34

… he (satan) is a king over all the children of pride.

In the church all the problems in the church are due to pride and high mindedness. Disloyalty is caused by pride.

Satan inspired 1/3 of the host of heaven to rebel against God. And he is still doing the same thing now on earth. He said i will arise and displace the one who sits on the throne, i will replace the almighty God, i will be like the most high.

Symptoms of pride

  • Full of self-importance
  • Self -conceit
  • Delusion of self worth ( it takes about 10 years to completely unravel and destroy those who believe in them)
  • Unthankful / ingratitude 2 Timothy 3:1-5

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5 KJV

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James4:10

Seven Reasons why you must be humble (James 4:6)

1. Humble yourself because God resists proud people.

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, GOD RESISTETH THE PROUD, but giveth grace unto the humble. Pride is so contrary to God that He has declared war on all who are proud. When you become proud, God will become your enemy and oppose you in all that you do.

People who have become proud do not realize that God has begun to oppose them. Satan goes on holiday. Often they make the mistake of rebuking satan. By being proud you make God Almighty your enemy because He resists the proud. Do u want God to be your enemy? Then be humble.

2. Humble yourself because God gives grace to the humble. James 4;6

… God gives grace to the humble…

  • Amazingly, God gives underserving help to humble people
  • Grace is underserved help and favor
  • Think of all the undeserving help you can receive in your life if you walk the paths of humility. Then humble yourself.
  • Do u need undeserving help in your finances then humble yourself.

3. Humble yourself because through that you will be lifted up to the next level in life.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the lord, and He shall lift you up. James 4:10

The next important reason for you to be humble is for promotion. If you want to be promoted then humble yourself. You will find yourself rising out of your current level into heights you never dreamed off. 1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourself therefore under the mighty hand of God and HE MAY EXALT YOU IN DUE TIME. Exaltation is to be gloriously lifted up into beauty and shining excellence. Humility is the key.

4. Humble yourself so that you will be covered and protected. 1 Peter 5:5

“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.””

  • Humility is not just an attitude
  • Humility is a spiritual covering
  • Humility is not just a poor and simple way of living
  • Humility is not being timid
  • It protects us from many unseen spiritual dangers.

5. Humble yourself because your pride is a signal for your soon to come destruction, your fall and your shame. Proverbs 29:23

“A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.” Proverbs 16:18-19 NKJV

“Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.” Proverbs 11:12

“When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2 NKJV

In conclusion, it is in our own interest as children to maintain an attitude of humility if we want to fulfill the will and purpose of our God. Colossians 3:12-13 NKJV

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”” Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV

Be blessed as you pursue humility.

Rev. Ron

Darkness and Demons

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 NKJV

The darkness of this world is the home of evil spirits. Darkness speaks of the environment in which evil flourishes. Satan rules in the darkness of this world. Deception is a type of spiritual darkness. This is because the environment of deception is the breeding ground for evil spirits.

Darkness is simply the atmosphere of deception under which Satan operates. Our defeated foe flourishes in the deepest darkness. He stands no chance when we come out into the light. This is why Satan hates the Word of God so much. Jesus is the Light that destroys Satan’s influence over men.He is the Word of God. The Word of God is a light that shines in the darkness. Demon activity is greatly reduced where the Word of God is taught. That is why it is essential to be constantly nourished by the word of God through sermons and personal Bible study.

“And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:5 NKJV

The power of Satan against the church can be likened to several wars and confticts in the world today. When a super-power fights against an inferior army, the weaker side often knows that he Does not stand a chance in open conventional warfare. Therefore, he hides and fights from a position of secrecy, deception and darkness. This often results in guerilla warfare and terrorist activities.

For instance, the army of Israel is far more superior to the armies of the Palestinians; the Palestinians do not stand a chance against the military might of Israel. Israel is even said to be a nuclear power. Because Palestine does not stand a chance, they resort to surprise suicide attacks and terrorist activities. Hijacking planes and killing members of the Olympic squad of the Israelis are just a few examples of the kind of warfare that the weaker army engages in.

Terrorist attacks like the one on September 11 are other examples of a weaker and smaller army fighting against a gigantic force. Similarly, the army of demons arrayed against the church,is no match for the power of God. The weapons of our warfare are mighty.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,” II Corinthians 10:4 NKJV

Satan trembles at the mention of the name of Jesus. Demons shiver when we sing about the blood. When they see the blood, they pass over. The Word of God is a mighty sword, which slices fallen angels and evil spirits into shreds. In the realm of the spirit, we are a nuclear power fighting against an army of natives brandishing swords.

Because the devil has no chance against us, the mainstay of his operations is through deceptive tricks. The Bible calls these “the wiles of the devil”. Our greatest effort therefore must be to uncover the tricks and the traps of our illusive enemy.

Believe it or not, one of the most successful tricks of the enemy is to make people believe that the devil does not exist. This amazing lie is so successful that the devil has used it on multitudes of unsuspecting Europeans. Most European nations are plagued with hordes and hordes of demons. The neat pavements and quaint roads with perfectly arranged buildings will deceive the unspiritual into thinking that all is well. I believe that Europe is the darkest continent on this planet. It contains the most immoral, and godless communities on earth. The devil is very successful in Europe because he has convinced them that he does not exist. Through this powerful deception, Sodom and Gomorrah have been recreated.

The more our eyes are opened spiritually, the more the wiles of the devil will be exposed. It is only the power of Christ that has the authority to confront demonic activity. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today. What makes Him the same yesterday, today and forever? The answer is simple. He does the same things today that He used to do years ago. Years ago, He healed the sick and cast out devils. Today, He still heals the sick and casts out devils. Years ago, He visited people’s homes and blessed them. Today, He still visits our homes and blesses us. He raised the dead two thousand years ago and is still raising the dead in today’s world. He is the same.

Accept it! Believe it today. Jesus is alive and He is stretching out His hand to minister to you now. He has not changed at all. He loves to do the things He used to do. That is a hallmark of the ministry of Christ. I have personally seen the Lord Jesus healing the sick and casting out devils today. He has not changed. Do not let the devil deceive you. The things you read in the Bible are real and are still happening Bible is one of the highest kinds of deceptions is to think that the Bible is just a history book describing the miracles of a Jewish zealot who is not relevant. this modern, computerized society.

There are still mad men like the mad man of Gadara and Jesus still heals such people. There are still many epileptics, who convulse and foam at the mouth. The power of Jesus still heals such people. There are still many, many women with gynecological problems like the woman with the issue of blood Jesus still heals such gynaecological diseases. There are many blind people in the world today. There are now schools for the blind. Christ Jesus opens blind eyes today. I have seen blind people receiving their sight in my ministry. There are many lame people in the world. Jesus is still healing such people.

Is it not amazing to note that the problems are still the same? The plagues that confronted humanity two thousand years ago are still the same. In spite of medical advances, these problems do not seem to go away. It is comforting to know that Jesus is still a healing Jesus. As you read this book you can expect the power of Christ to confront the evil powers of Satan in your life.

How does Jesus heal today? He heals today through His body. He is the head and the church is the Body of Christ. No matter what the good intentions of the head are, He needs the cooperation of the hands to do His works. Your head may decide, “I am going to read this book,” but it is your hands that will be used to lift the book up. Without the hands doing their part, the good intentions of the head cannot be realized. That is why the church must have healing and casting out of devils as a principal activity that goes on alongside preaching.

We are the hands and the feet of Jesus today. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Allow Him into your life right now to heal you, to touch you and to set you free.

With Love, Esinam.

(Excerpts from Demons, by Bishop Dag Heward-Mills)

Waiting on God

It’s in our human nature to rather not wait. Being in a queue is probably one of the most undesirable forms of waiting. It is even more painful when after hours of waiting for your turn you’re told to come at another date.

As children of God, even waiting on God can be such a daunting and unpleasant experience. We oftentimes wish that as soon as we make a request it is granted. But God has His way of doing things. His ways are not our ways.

““And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good? Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it.” Deuteronomy 10:12-14 NKJV

The Lord requires us to fear Him and follow His ways, obeying His commandments with all our heart and soul. The heavens and the earth belong to our a father and when we follow His ways we delight him and then He blessing us with the good things that pertain to life and godliness.

“He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.” … “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them.” Psalms 103:7, 17-18 NKJV

God’s ways are what He likes, what He desires of us. You ought to always ask Him to show you His ways so that you can prosper and flourish in Him.

“Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.””Exodus 33:13 NKJV

You can discover the ways of God through prayer. This type of prayer is not just to seek our own but to seek His will. This is not the I like it, I want it, I need it so give it to me kind of prayer. Some even quite scripture and will be decreeing and declaring that God should give them what they deserve. Rather this is a prayer of humility.

““Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you.” Deuteronomy 28:47-48 NKJV

Reasons why you can’t wait on God:

1. You can’t pray on your own. Now many only rely on corporate prayers, especially those held online. Barring that, they have no personal prayer life.

2. You have no stamina for spiritual things. You see it as a chore and easily get bored or tired.

3. You are intelligent but not spiritual.

4. You have no time to pray because you are always busy doing other things.

5. You don’t have anywhere to wait on God. “And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples.” John 18:2 NKJV. Our Lord Jesus had a special place He dedicated to prayer.

6. You don’t know how to wait on God.

7. You don’t know the implications of not waiting on God.

“For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.” Isaiah 64:4 NKJV

Learn to wait on God and follow His ways. And while you wait, serve. And while you serve, rejoice. May God grant us the grace to flow in Him. Stay blessed.

With Love, Esinam.

The Kingdom is Like… A Dragnet

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:47-50

Fishing was a main occupation of these times and commercial fishermen would use large nets to harvest fish for selling at the market. The dragnet was the largest of nets weighted below and with corks on top. It covered about half a mile of water and picked up everything in its path.

In the parable the net is full and taken to shore where the fishermen would begin separating the edible, saleable fish from the worthless fish. The edible would be placed in containers to keep fresh in order to transport. The inedible were simply thrown away. The people of Jesus’ day, especially around Galilee, had seen this happen all of their lives.

In this parable Jesus goes ahead and actually takes the comparison one step further in order to reveal the similarities that exist in the spiritual realm.

He explains that this parable points to the end of the world and a time of judgement. Since He said that the kingdom is like a net thrown out to catch fish, the judgement here refers to the people, who are in the kingdom, the ones who have been taken in the net.

✓ We know that the “net” is the gospel, which is cast out into the world bringing in all kinds of fish (people) into the kingdom.

✓ Jesus says that at the end of the world the angels will separate the true disciples (good fish) from the false disciples (bad fish).

✓ Angels do this – Matthew 25:32. The good go into the containers (the many rooms of the Father’s house), the bad will be thrown away (into the darkness with bitter weeping).

This parable about the kingdom teaches some very different lessons than the one regarding leaven. They do not contradict each other; they complement each other by adding more detail.

From the dragnet parable we learn:

1. All kinds of people are brought into the kingdom. We know now that the gospel is the means to draw all people into God’s kingdom.

2. There is good and bad in the kingdom. People say, “I’m not going to that church because there are hypocrites there.” They think that the true church is the perfect church. Jesus teaches that all kinds of people find their way into the kingdom – for a while. The net brings all in. The requirements to be a member of the church allow for even insincere or evil people to be included if they want to. We ought not to be surprised or discouraged when we see someone naming the name of Christ but not acting like a Christian – Jesus said this would be normal. Work out your own salvation

3. The kingdom will be purified. When Jesus returns, not only sinners and disbelievers will be judged. God, through His angels, will remove all those from the church who don’t belong there. We can fool society, we can fool the brethren, we can even fool ourselves – but we cannot fool God. God knows who are the true disciples and He will keep only these in the end. Of course, this is a warning to everyone at various levels:

A. For those who are not in the kingdom. Jesus spoke this parable, not to disciples, but to the crowds who came to hear Him speak. He made it clear to all that there was to be a dividing line between those who were in and those who were out (not all the fish in the sea were in the net).

Christianity is both inclusive and tolerant. Anyone can become a Christian and all Christians are to be patient and loving even in the face of another’s weakness. But Christianity has boundaries set by God (the One who is allowed to do so and whose boundaries are always right and just). For example, God is the one who set the boundaries for marriage (Genesis 2:24) and no human court (e.g. U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage) can overturn His decision. Christians simply reflect what those boundaries are, they don’t invent them!

Another set of boundaries set by God can be seen in the gospel message itself:

• If you believe and respond to it in faith – you’re in the kingdom.

• If you disbelieve or refuse to respond – you’re out of the kingdom.

He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. Mark 16:16

This is not intolerance or bigotry, it is God’s boundary and those who follow Him also hold to the boundary He has established. Jesus demonstrates the idea of boundary in this parable; some are in the net, others are not. It is possible therefore to be left out if we so choose. Another warning:

B. Those in the kingdom. To those in the kingdom, but there in name only not in the Spirit (I.e. I’m a Christian but bear no fruit). Jesus warns these that they will not escape judgement. Some people think they can hide in the church. They believe that they can have just enough religion to keep them saved while still enjoying the world. This parable warns that there will be a sorting out within the kingdom in order to clean out the hypocrites and the dead wood. Jesus wants to offer God a “living” church, a kingdom alive in Christ when He comes. For this reason, those who are really of this world and insincere in their Christianity will be removed.

Finally, a word of encouragement:

C. To the true citizens of the kingdom. For those who know Christ; obey Christ; trust completely in Him; are faithful to the kingdom; growing in the kingdom – there is the promise of a better place. They will be kept for rooms in the mansion of the Father. Each of us has to determine where we are and where we need to be – this is the invitation or message of this parable.

• For some it may be the initial step of repentance and baptism to enter into the kingdom.

• For others it may be a recommitment and renewal to a deeper and more faithful discipleship with God to remain in the Kingdom.

• For most, this parable should be an encouragement to continue following the Lord as they have been; knowing that the reward is sure because the Lord who promises it is faithful to the citizens of the kingdom.

May the Lord grant us the grace to heed to His word and strive to be members of His kingdom.

Rev. Ron Chiarelli

THE WITNESS OF THE LORD PART 3

Acts 22:15: For you are to be His witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard”.

The question is what have you personally seen or heard? It’s good to have information on someone or something through another person or materials but it’s better to be the principal witness of an event or of a person or an entity.

Thank you Holy Spirit for this song, “My prayer everyday, Father don’t let them ask, don’t let them ask where is my God.

My hope and trust are in you. My life is full of your glory so don’t let them ask where is my God. Those who cast their cares on you shall never be forsaken. Don’t let them ask where is my God?

A witness is not only a proof producer, a martyr or a preacher. He is also someone who dominates or takes over a field or department of life.

Genesis 1: 28 says “ and God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. God’s plan for man before his fall was for him to have total control or dominion over every creature of the air, water and land. That’s what we call dominion but sin prevented man from fulfilling that plan but through the sacrifice Jesus made for us whatever we lost has been restored to us. We can only have access to this blessing when we wake up from our slumber and become aware of who we are in Christ and act accordingly.

In the area of football, we hear some names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappé among others. These men dominate the world of football. Are they Christians? It’s believed Ronaldo and Messi have Catholic backgrounds meaning they are Christians. For Mbappé, even though he has refused to personally talk about his faith in public, it’s alleged he attends Muslims’ Friday prayer meetings regularly. Whether the three of them are devout Christians or not, I can’t confirm for now but the truth is that they are productive in their fields. People look up to them so they are multiplying themselves by pouring their spirits into young ones. In fact, they are the major voices in world football. What are you doing, believer filled with the Spirit of God? How different are these footballers from you? How many Christians are influential in your respective areas of callings? Why must it always be our brothers and sisters Muslims and other wonderful people from other religions?

Anywhere Muslims go, they insist on occupying positions of leadership like “ chief of staff, Inspector General of Police, great businessmen among others. They do this because of their mentality. They don’t see themselves as inferior people. Dangote has dominated the cement industry and we Christians are excited we work for such men. You may work for them for sometime but don’t remain there forever. Think on how you will own your properties and become an influential person like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Philip took over Samaria as a deacon and not a pastor. Do you understand? Your uncle or boss can be used by God to bless you but look up to Jesus Himself. If He lifts you up, no man can bring you down.

You can start your own business, bank, estates, school or hospital. Believe you can do that. You represent a greater kingdom and the King of that kingdom is Jesus your Father. What’s impossible for Him? “Behold, I’m the God of all flesh, is there anything too hard for me? – Jeremiah 32: 27,” the word of God confirms.

How long shall we sit down and always wait for those in the world to dictate to us? When you are going out, have the mentality of a royal, dress well and represent your God. One of the reasons why I love Apostle Johnson Suleman is because, anytime he goes out to preach in Europe or any other part of the world, he dresses smartly and commands the respect of his audience. That’s a kingdom envoy.

To become a force that dominates, you have to also believe in yourself and in God. If you believe Jesus became poor for you to become rich, you will then have to start working, pay your tithes, save and multiply your streams of income. If you do this, a time will come, you will have a big shop, employ others to help you and because of your dedication to work and diligence, people will hear of you. Your name will become a household name and that’s influence. You may fail when you begin your business, but don’t give up. If you know it’s God that led you to do that work, you would have to reinvest in that same job till it yields positive results.

Whatever you do as work, with the grace of God, diligence and professionalism you will become an influential person. If you will have to go to school to polish your skills, please go. Man of God, you maybe be so anointed but without sound exegesis, pastoral ethics or homiletics, the world may not hear you. Why not disabuse your mind of “ ministry is not about theology but only anointing “but rather go for training or humbly sit under a man who can train you to reach people you may not be able to have access to without theological training?

In Genesis 26 :13 -17, the Bible says Isaac became so rich that the Philistines feared him and even envied him. They even asked him to leave their place. Can you imagine? Isaac became a witness to the grace of riches that was upon the life of Jesus. Stop saying you were born poor and that your poverty is synonymous with holiness or God takes delight in it. That’s not biblical and that’s not the mindset of a witness. Who followed God with all his heart in the Bible and was later rewarded with poverty? The Bible says “ ….the Lord delights in the prosperity of his servants ( Psalms 35: 27). In this harsh economy, some people are genuinely doing well. Notice I used the word “ some people “ and “ genuinely “. Your prosperity isn’t in a location but rather in a person called Jesus.

Young man and woman, when you go to secondary school or the uni for the first time, introduce yourself as a serious Christian through godly association, the reading of the word of God, prayer and public affirmation of your faith to your friends. That’s how an influential person exercises dominion wherever they go. When a fetish priest visits a land, he pours libation to let people know who he is. He doesn’t shy away from his beliefs or expects other people to tell him what to do. Young woman, if you let your friends or mates know who you are, they wouldn’t talk about certain things in your presence. In fact, when they know you are around, they would be careful as to what they do or say. Do you know what it means? You are in charge! Through your commitment, you will win souls for Jesus and thereof expand his kingdom. If your friends change you at school negatively, what do you think it will mean to the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkens? No one should change you negativity young man. You should rather change them because you are a representative of the kingdom of light. There’s a reward for you only if you raise the banner of Jesus higher. No man changed me negatively when I was in school and no one will change me negatively wherever I appear or go. It’s a superior mentality I have and consciousness I have sustained all over the years for wherever the word of the king is there’s power. You are a king!

Believer, as a teacher, you can also own a school someday and employ people. If you really believe it, start working towards acquiring a land. It may even be a half plot if you don’t have enough cash now. Then you start kindergarten or nursery there. Trust me with the help of God, that school will grow and surprise you and from there you may have to get a bigger plot and do wonders. Don’t you think, if your school grows and it has a Christian name, it may host children of big personalities and the name of Jesus would be glorified?

From the corridors of eternity, Jesus would be smiling and saying “ well done, good and faithful servant, that’s my witness “.

Beloved, you are not an ordinary person. Don’t be moved by the present circumstances, just fix your eyes on Jesus, take positive and faith filled steps towards what you want to do in life that will bring glory to Jesus and you too will become a reference point to the body of Christ and the world at large. You are an influential person!

Be blessed!

Dr. David Tobi Ogoudou

THE WITNESS OF THE LORD PART 2

Acts 22: 15 “ For you are to be His witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard. “

After Ananias had restored Paul’s sight through the power of God, he gave him a prophetic word in the anchor scripture above “ For you are to be His witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard”. For me this is a perfect definition of a witness. From the scripture we see who or what a witness does for the advancement of the kingdom of God.

Last week, we learned that a witness is a proof producer and a martyr.

Please, say after me, “I’m a proof producer. I’m a martyr for Christ Jesus. Amen!

A witness is also a preacher or an evangelist. Some people say preaching and teaching are the exclusive right of the five fold ministries ( apostle, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers). Some even say women are not supposed to preach or teach because of a scripture they were shown that lacked good biblical exegesis . We are not here for arguments but to learn precious ones. Every believer is supposed to preach and teach the word of God wherever they are and when the need arises. In Matthew 28: 19 -20, we read “ go ye ( disciples or believers) therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all the things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo, I’m with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen!

Besides, when Jesus resurrected from the dead, he first appeared to a woman who later went and informed the disciples ( Mark 16: 9 -11 “Now when he was risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, disbelieved.

Mary Magdalene proclaimed the good news to the disciples. Theologically speaking anyone who proclaims the word is actually preaching it. One can also encourage the people of God by preaching. In other words, Mary, a woman preached the word of God. So every believer who desires to be a witness should strive to teach and preach the word of God with power, accuracy and precision.

When you preach, you talk about God’s personality, power and kingdom.

When was the last time you preached the word of God to someone. If you say you don’t know the scriptures and that’s why you can’t preach, I would tell you Jesus is disappointed in you. If you say you can’t preach because you don’t understand English, I would tell you Jesus says you are not serious. Sometimes, we give all these flimsy excuses because we live like those in the world. We don’t care if people perish. See, heaven and hell are real. If we don’t believe the word of God, only death can confirm the existence of those realities to us.

Would like death to confirm the existence of heaven and hell to you? What if you were not saved and thought you were before you died? Stop saying if my father will change, he will change and that you don’t care. Masa, care oh. In fact, those who are not saved in your family are your assignment as a witness. You can’t afford to see them languish in hell tomorrow. It’s not a good place. Please, get them genuinely saved through the word of God. You are not only going to church to have your personal needs met but also to be a blessing unto others.

When we come to church, we taught the word of God, are trained to read the scriptures, meditate on them and go out there to win souls for Christ. If you have never preached before or you feel shy to do so, please wake up cos we don’t have time now and you and I may not know when we or our loved ones who are not saved may exit this world. When a young person or someone dies, the question we ask is “ were they married? Did they have children?”. In as much as these are well meaning questions, I don’t think that should be the first questions to ask? Were they born again should be the first question and the rest come follow. This is because marriage and children are blessings from the Lord but trust me when to get to the other side of the divide the question would not be “ were you married or did you have children”? No! If you did on earth, that’s a plus and it’s good but there it means nothing. Your salvation is what counts there!

Your pastors can’t reach out to everyone on earth and that’s why they preach to you every day so that you can go out there and become a blessing to perishing souls.

If you are a policeman, you have to go and preach to policemen and not necessarily your pastor. This is because, the Lord planted you there for that purpose. If you are a nurse, get unsaved nurses saved either through the word, your lifestyle that commands results or your prayer life. You will render an account of unsaved souls at your workplace that you didn’t try to get saved when you face the judgement seat.

1 Corinthians 9: 16 “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!”. It’s a must to preach the gospel like Paul said as a witness. How did you get saved? Share it with a scripture! How did you get healed? Talk about to the sick with a scripture to back your experience and pray the prayer of faith for them. That’s preaching. How did you get a husband or a child after so many years? Tell people how God had mercy on you and met you at the point of your needs. That’s the work of a witness. You may not need to always quote the scriptures but let Jesus be the focal point of your preaching or salvation and not a Mallam or a fetish priest or priestess somewhere.

I started preaching to, visiting and praying for the sick when I was in secondary school and God has always been faithful. You can do better! Yes, you can do it!

As you begin sharing the good news, the Lord will start upgrading you in the spirit. A time will come, you will quote scriptures to convince some people to get saved and they wouldn’t mind you because such people need something beyond the word. You may hear something like this from the Spirit , “his name is Peter and he had a very bad dream last night and when he woke up he was scared”. As you tell him that he will now be surprised and give you his undivided attention and that would be an opportunity to now expose him to the entire counsel of the Lord and ultimately get him saved and you would also have the opportunity to pray for him.

Some people wouldn’t be moved by the prophetic because of their conditions so out of faith you would have to reach out to them and lay hands on them and pray for healing for them. What do you think would happen if they are instantly healed? Paul said the “gospel is not in words but in the demonstration of power”!

As a witness, you can meet someone and as he begins to tell you about a particular yoke that has plagued his family from generation to generation, you will instantly have an answer to that long standing battle and help him out through the Spirit or God. Would he follow or listen to whatever you tell him when he’s totally free? That’s the gospel.

There’s however a price to pay to get to that level as a witness. Joshua 1:8 “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”. Fill your soul with the word, listen to spirit filled word from generals in the kingdom, live a life of holiness and prayer and you will be a good ambassador of Christ here on earth to the glory of Yahweh!

As a witness, you are a preacher and a teacher irrespective of your sex, age or background.

The best is yet to come. Shalom!

Se. David Tobi Ogoudou

THE WITNESS OF THE LORD

Glory, glory, glory to God in three persons, the blessed holy Trinity.

Jesus, anoint my lips and fingers with a fresh oil and speak to us so that your name will always be glorified.

Acts 1: 8 “ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Sometimes when we hear some people talk or reason, we wonder if they really know who they are in Christ. You head some people say “ Father, come and deliver me”. Babies pray that way. God can answer that prayer by His mercy and deliver you but when you grow or become a witness, he wouldn’t mind you and you maybe wondering why answers aren’t coming. It’s because in Luke 10:19 He said “ Behold, I give unto you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” He expects you to exercise the authority and power He has given to you over that demon responsible for your challenge and you are there crying out to Him. “ Masa”, you are a witness to His power. Let the devil know you know who you are and what you have.

The scripture above clearly said, “ ….you will be my witnesses….”. This was a statement made by Jesus Himself to his disciples of whom you are now because when you got born again, you received the life of God in your spirit man. This means, you are no longer an ordinary person even though you may appear the same way physically speaking.

Moreover, if God wants to do something in the earth realm, He will surely need a man to carry out that assignment. The same principle applies to the devil, he also can’t function adequately without a man.

If you decide to represent Jesus or the devil, you become a witness. But in the name of Jesus, you and your entire family shall never represent the devil and anything that looks like him.

God almighty is so powerful that in Luke 19: 40 He says “ if these should hold their peace( humans) these stones ( inanimate things ) would immediately cry out. You and I will never allow that to happen as long as we have breath in us!!!

Elsewhere, in Psalms 19 : 1, we read “ The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiworks. Even though, inanimate things including the heavens can attest to God’s eternal power and ascribe glory to God, the Bible says” the earth, God has given to the children of men” ( Psalms 115:16). We are the ones to whom this place has been given to to manage and carry out His assignments on His behalf. I mean we are ambassadors of Christ.

An ambassador represents his country in a foreign land. The decision an ambassador takes in the absence of his president in a foreign land is assumed has been taken by the president himself. When you appear where there’s darkness, your light must appear to prove you belong to Jesus. One day, a demon possessed girl was sent to come and destroy me. I was a teacher by then and I didn’t know who the girl in question really was and I also didn’t know God’s hand was so strong on my life. She joined my class as a student and as she got closer to me, she started feeling dizzy and experiencing a terrible headache. But she never gave up. Devils don’t easily give up but we Christians unfortunately do. The more she got closer, the more she held her head in pain and asked me, who am I? I smiled and said I’m a child of God and she was like “ that’s why”. She added by saying she had a confession to make to me. The confession was that anytime she approached me, a Great Light shone upon and around me and that was responsible for her sudden acute headache and dizziness. Praise God in the highest! She went on to say “she knows she belongs to the dark world and that I belong to the Light”. The long and short of this story is that even as a teacher, I represented God in my class by His grace so you too can do same in any field God had called you to function.

In fact, until people see the glory of God in your life, family, marriage, business, you are not yet an ambassador of Christ but rather just a Christian if you are born again. Being a witness of Christ has nothing to do with a denomination or a church but you the person or the child of God.

So, if a Christian is not a witness, who then is a witness? It’s true, to become a witness, you have to be a Christian first. That’s the first stage that cannot be overemphasized.

Someone who sees or has personal knowledge of something is a witness. What have you personally seen or what personal knowledge do you have about Christ, that you can replicate when the need arises for His glory?

Someone called to give evidence in a court is also a witness. When your family says, prove to us that your God can heal, can you prove it to them by healing your family members’ whose health have defied modern and traditional medicine? If yes, you are a witness, to Jesus healing power.

Finally, a witness is someone who is called upon to witness an event or action, such as a wedding or the signing of a document. When there are weddings are you called to come and grace the occasion because your people know the hand of the Lord is upon you? Remember, being a witness for God is for the whole body of Christ. It’s not limited to those in the five fold ministry.

Also remember, Jesus went to a wedding in the Bible and showed us what it meant to be a witness there. If you can dedicate your children to God instead of dedicating them to a familiar spirit, you are a witness of the Lord. He doesn’t need to come down and do that because you are around.

Wake up! What dimension of God do you represent as a witness apart from your title at work or church or wherever you go or are? Do the broken-hearted feel comfortable when they are with you? If yes, the Holy Spirit’s ministry of a comforter is finding expression in you and through you and that’s an eternal witness.

Did Jesus cheat people when he was on earth? The answer is a capital NO. If you are fair in all your dealings with men and make sure people are paid after working for you and in fact they are happy working for you, you are a kingdom representative. Kudos to you! We are in a generation where we can’t tell who an eternal witness is from who a satanic witness is. Unfortunately, it’s Christians who behave like worldly people in our offices. You hear statements like “ We are all Christians but……..”. Brother if you make such statements consistently, I personally doubt your salvation. Yes, you are not a Christian, let alone an eternal witness because when the Master was on earth, we never heard statements like “ I’m Jesus but in this situation, let’s go the way of the world”. If he didn’t do that why do you do so? Jesus didn’t falsify documents to make money so you just can’t do same. Don’t sit there and say “ but…”. My friend, the fact that everyone is doing a wrong thing doesn’t mean everyone is like that. There are still remnants for Christ Jesus and they are the people we call the witnesses of the Lord.

You maybe so poor now but trust me when you begin to put into practice kingdom principles responsible for kingdom financial wealth and freedom and add diligence to what you do, sister those who doubted your God wouldn’t need you to preach to them before joining you to your church. This is because you would have proven to them that “even though he ( Jesus) was rich, he become poor so that you can become rich”. It’s not everyone who is moved by the word of God. In addition to the word, some need the prophetic, power or they want to see you represent wealth to genuinely give their hearts to Jesus. Hence, a witness is needed!

A witness is also a martyr. This is what most Christians don’t like hearing. We want preaching, prophetic utterances and power which I believe in and walk in by His grace. But see, there is a place for that.

A martyr is someone who willingly accepts being put to “ death “ for adhering openly to one’s religious beliefs; notably saints canonized after martyrdom. Some of the disciples of Jesus died as martyrs. Luke, the physician, was hanged on an olive tree. Matthias [Disciple who filled the place of Judas Acts 1:20-26 ] was stoned and beheaded at Jerusalem. Apostle Paul (Saul who wrote half of the New Testament was beheaded by Emperor Nero at Rome. Where was God, when they were killing them? Did they renounce their faith to avoid being killed? No!!!

Do you believe enough to die for Christ? The three Hebrew boys said, “even if you throw us into that blazing furnace, we will not bow to your God.” Do you understand? How many of us can confidently say to the devil that even if we have no children, we will never go and see a jujuman for solution but still believe in God for our miracle?

James 1: 2-3: “ My brethren, count it all show when ye fall unto divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith workers patience”. Count it all joy when you are not married and you are growing. God cannot disappoint you like the three Hebrew boys in that furnace. Once he sees your heart and knows you mean what you say and trust in Him, He will reach out to you. Job never broke down in calamity. In pain, agony, when his wife even said, “ curse your God” and die, his reply was “ even if he slays me, yet will I trust him”. Eiii!!! That sickness can do its worse but it cannot kill you for like Job keep saying “ my redeemer liveth”. And remember, for you as witness, that infirmity is not unto death, but for the glory of God to manifest in your life and through you”. You shall not die but live to declare the works of the Living God in the land of the living”. Are u a witness? You could have slept with that man for that job, but you said no way, and he sacked you. Don’t worry my sister! You did what was right in God’s eyes.

Some of you are sexually molested because you did not dial the number of immorality. Some of you have been unemployed since you said no to that witness of the devil and are therefore struggling. Witness of Jesus, hear the word of the Lord, maintain your integrity, look up to Jesus for there’s fire in his eyes, he sees everything, knows the secrets of men and he’s the righteous Judge. Mark my words, since you have come out from among them, he will sanctify you. Yes, I know it’s not an easy thing, it’s an ordeal you must go through and after that you shall receive “ the promise”. Without tests, you have no testimony. The song writer said “ through it all, through it all, I have learnt to trust in Jesus, I have learnt to trust in God, through it all, through it all, I’ve learnt to depend upon His word.

As a witness, you can’t afford to be smoking and telling me you do that because the weather is cold. Jesus never smoked. If you feel cold, start praying in the Holy Ghost and be moving about. Please, your excuse is unacceptable. Science itself is against it. People felt cold and never destroyed themselves so what are you saying? Don’t let the devil deceive you. You are not married but living with a man. God still loves you and wants you to do the right thing so start doing the right thing. For you to say you are with him because you have no place to sleep is not the attribute of a witness. Go and look for something to do with your life. You may have to go and sleep in kiosks or under a bridge or with friends who may maltreat you. Don’t worry, it’s part of the process of your training. When God finally remembers you, you will become a source of encouragement to others. Suffer for Christ now and tomorrow you will smile. Don’t enjoy in iniquity now and cry tomorrow. Don’t you think some ladies went through same ordeal and came out victorious? I mean they didn’t go and live with a man who is not their husbands but decided to live in deplorable conditions for sometime and later God honored them? You can do same or even better only if you believe, receive grace and make up your mind. The suffering is for a while.

As a witness, you are a proof producer and a martyr.

Jesus loves you all! You are blessed!

Dr. David Tobi Ogoudou

The Good Story

We all have stories about our lives and certain struggles that we deal with. Most often, our struggles might water down the faith and trust we have in God and His plans for us. Today I’m sharing a little excerpt from a recent book read about a mom of four who was battling cancer. I pray that this stirs up your faith and encourages you to hold on to God despite the hard season of life you’re currently struggling with.

“Recently, Jason came in the room in tears and asked me to go and snuggle beside Harper Joy. He was letting her share all her words of her day with him before bed- her favorite time of the day. Then suddenly she turned to Jason and asked, “Is Mama going to die of old age or of cancer?” Jason struggled for the words, but found himself crumpled under his own grief. He came and asked if I could support him in answering. I walked down the hallway and climbed under the covers with my vocal, young daughter. This one longs for the words, to hear the explanations, and process her feelings out loud. She is very much like me. These moments are a gift to my own love of words, feelings, and expressing troubles of my heart. I snuggled close and she draped herself over me. Her eyes were big and tearful. She wanted to hear from me. She wanted the truth.

I knew this was a sacred moment, a moment where the truth was being asked. She wasn’t asking for false hope; she wanted me to love her with honesty. I told her I had heard her question, and I asked her my own question in response. I asked her if she believed God would meet her in both of those places. I looked at her face and wondered at her love, her beauty, her tenderness, and I asked her a question many grown people cannot answer or embrace. In the most painful fear and hurts of our lives, will God be good? Not just the simple: God is good, indeed, always good. Not the rote, recited, memorized answers we have been trained to give in the edges of life. But the asking: Is Jesus really good in the awful of cancer, fire, heartbreak, and devastation? In the face of all that is broken, is God good?

How do you speak to your young child of grace you struggle to have the imagination to behold? You just do. It’s the raw places of faith without sight. It’s the painful moments of preaching a sermon to yourself you know you struggle to believe. It’s the quiet prayer from Mark: “I believe; help my unbelief?” (Mark 9:24). How do you brave the impossible with children? How do you face these heartbreaking moments? You show up. You look at their faces and beg for God to give you His infinite imagination for the goodness of the days to come, the days for which you may not be present. You pray you will be courageous when the hard days come. You pray that, even as the end comes, there will be good days, good moments, that there will still be enough strength for love. You pray for the moments to continue. You pray for the grace in the raw edges to live well, embracing kindness you dont feel. And then you walk back to your room and weep.

Weep that your young child has to lie in bed at night and wonder if they will know their mama in a month, a year, a decade. You weep because you never imagined this will be the good story. You weep because your feet is so weak, but your weak faith is enough when coupled with God’s grace.

In every season of our lives, we meet the edges of life we never expected. The unexpected pain of life often leaves us only with the choice of how we will endure it. It could be a marriage you didn’t expect to break, a job you thought you’d never lose, a difficult child to raise. We all have unexpected hard, but how do we face it?”

Trusting God when the miracle does not come, when the urgent prayer gets no answer, when there is only darkness–this is the kind of faith God values perhaps most of all. This is the kind of faith that can be developed and displayed only in the midst of difficult circumstances. This is the kind of faith that cannot be shaken because it is the result of having been shaken.

Nancy Guthrie, Holding on to Hope

“But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 AMP

Life can be rough and tough but when you experience the dents and ditches of life as a Christian you ought to always trust God to deliver an expected end. The writer of the story of our lives knows what we need, when and how we need it. His timing is always perfect. Many a time when you feel maxed out, it’s a sign that there’s a plot twist round the bend. Keep holding on so as not to truncate the beautiful story of your life.

Behold, I am making all things new. Revelation 21:5

May Jehovah grant us the grace and strength to live out the purposeful lives he’s mapped out for us. Oh that we would have the faith to trust His leading every step of the way, testifying of His faithfulness even in the bleak moments. May your story be the good one that ends in our praise to Him and for His glory.

With Love, Esinam.

Following God

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” Ephesians 5:1-2 KJV

1. To follow God you need to move

How can you follow somebody without moving? There is the need to move in the realm of the Spirit. In the movement itself may even be your survival and your salvation. Many movements that God allows is for life and for survival. And the spirit of God moved and there was life,

“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”Genesis 1:2 KJV

When people are complacent and prefer to remain in their comfort zone it means that the person is resistant to movement. Be ye followers of God by moving.

2. To follow God, you need to be creative.

To be creative means to innovate or make something. It could also imply that you merely add an element to an existing thing such that it becomes like a completely new thing.

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:26-27 KJV

God breathed into us His creative abilities when He made us in His image. God can give you something small (a little idea or decision) to apply to an old thing to make it new.

3. To follow God, you need to be strong.

God is clear. He is not like Pontius Pilate.

“And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him, and release him. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.” Luke 23:13-25 KJV

Pontius Pilate was not strong. He was not clear. One moment he wanted to pardon Jesus and let him go but the next moment he succumbed to the will of the people and gave Jesus up to be crucified. People who seem to be soft are actually evil (not strong). It is not enough to have good intentions. And people who are ambivalent or unclear about their stance are evil. Ambivalence is a very dangerous thing. It is equivalent to being lukewarm.

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:15-16 KJV

Indifference is the greatest enemy in relationships – Rick Joyner.

Pray for the grace to follow God. Grace to move and not be stagnant, that your feet are constantly in motion to swiftly fulfill His purpose according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. May your be creative with bursts in f fresh ideas to enrich whatever your hands find to do. And may you be strong and unwavering in your stance to follow Him.

With Love, Esinam.

Habits of Gratitude

The secret of happiness is to count your blessings while others are adding up their trouble.

William Penn

As we read God’s Word, we can see the theme of being thankful. There are hundreds of verses telling us to give thanks or offer praise to God. Outside of the Bible, you’ll find lots of articles and research stating the benefits that come with being a grateful person. People who are thankful are known to be depressed less, get better grades in school, sleep better, stay healthy, have deeper friendships, and have a brighter outlook on life. Basically, gratitude is good for you!

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Living as grateful people is God’s will for our lives. God knew before the beginning of time how positively gratitude would affect us—long before an article or book was written about the topic. So, whether your life is moving along smoothly or it feels like you’re walking in quicksand, consider adding these daily habits to your life: 

• Create new pathways. Dr. Caroline Leaf, cognitive neuroscientist and author, said, “As you think, you change the structure of your brain.” This isn’t easy. But, we have a choice in what we think about, so let’s allow thoughts of gratefulness to fill our minds.

• Choose five things. Make a daily habit to say or write five things you’re thankful for. You can do it any time of the day—morning or night!

• Set a gratitude alarm. Choose different times in the day. When the alarm goes off, ask God to bring to mind the blessings and gifts in your life and thank Him for them. 

• Tell someone. Every day, talk to someone about what you’re thankful for. Maybe it’s their friendship, the sunrise, a powerful moment with God, or an unexpected blessing you received. Saying it makes it more real.

It’s vital that we make our gratitude habitual so that when life’s storms come upon us, we know how to navigate the rough waters. And part of this is trusting God and even choosing to be grateful when we don’t understand the world around us.

As we build this gratitude muscle, it won’t be something we have to think about—it’ll become as natural as breathing. Enjoy the music using the link below as it ushers you into a place of gratitude.

With Love, Esinam.

Overcoming Insecurities

God has given you an identity, but if you do not walk in your identity, then you cannot operate in the kingdom of God. You cannot walk in your calling until you overcome insecurities. Each one of us may have battled with certain insecurities at some point in our lives, but God teaches us through His word the keys to overcoming deeply rooted insecurities; I hope to teach you glean on these too.

1. First, understand that intimacy cures insecurity.

Never forsake the secret place. Don’t replace time with God for anything else. When you are aware of God, you’ll lose focus on yourself. Get lost in the presence of God again and you’ll notice that the insecurities that seem so big now, will diminish.

It’s when we lose focus on God that our insecurities enlarge. Understand that when you fight to keep your intimacy with God, you’re fighting to keep your insecurities at bay.

2. And secondly, we must read the Word of God until it feeds us.

“And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:15-17 KJV

In Genesis 2, God commands Adam to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We know that Adam and Eve disobeyed and ate the fruit. As a result of this disobedience, they began to struggle with insecurities. There will always be a reason to feel insecure, but there is a choice to not feed on that insecurity.

Many insecurities stem from the fact that people have a Bible, but they do not let it feed them. When Adam and Eve focused more on what the serpent said, instead of what God had told them, their perspectives changed.

If you eat from the tree of insecurity, you will hear the voice of the devil. But if you eat from the tree of life, you will hear the voice of the Lord. Think about this, it was not the tree that made Adam feel ashamed, it was his eating from it that affected him. Feeding leads to feeling. If you choose to focus and “feed” your insecurities, feelings of depression, anxiety, and isolation will follow. However, if you learn to feed on God’s words about you, you’ll find that feelings of security, boldness, and love will follow. I want to encourage you to stop eating from the tree of insecurity and heed the voice of God and His Word.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts:” Psalm 139:23 KJV

3. You must not compare yourself to others if you want to be complete.

The Bible says do not covet (Exodus 20:17). As long as you are desiring someone else’s blessing, you’ll stop counting your blessings. There is nothing wrong with finding inspiration from other people. However, when you try and duplicate what God called someone else to do, you will always live feeling incompetent and not enough. God is not interested in making you better than another person, He wants you to be better than you. God wants to make us complete.

4. Learn to not live in your soul, but instead, speak to it.

The Bible teaches us that David spoke to his soul. As Christians, we should be determined to be ruled by the Word of God, not by our soul’s emotions. Don’t rely on your feelings to determine how you feel. Tell your soul how to feel. Command your feelings to be in line with the Word of God.

It’s not enough to just think about it and direct your feelings; you have to live according to the Word, and not according to your feelings. Feelings are a result of what you are feeding your soul, and what you are feeding on depends on where your focus is.

Focus on God, feed on His Word, and tell your soul what to feel.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul: And all that is within me, bless his holy name.” Psalm 103:1 KJV

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God: For I shall yet praise him, Who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” Psalm 43:5 KJV

5. Be careful to not draw your identity from people’s compliments.

Compliments will cause your self-worth to be inflated, and you’ll find yourself getting easily destroyed by the criticism. The moment you know who you are in Christ, you’ll take criticism, and you won’t let it crush you; you’ll take compliments and you won’t let them inflate you.

Chew criticism, and compliments, then spit them out – don’t let them feed you.

6. Learn to receive correction without feeling criticized.

Many people, when getting criticized, feel as though they are getting attacked. The reason why criticism hurts is due to insecurity. In order for you to step into the call God has for your life, you must learn to take feedback and correction without taking it personally.

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 NIV

When you are being corrected, the person correcting you is addressing your issue, not attacking your identity. If you want to be secure, focus on growing. God will surround you with mentors and people who will help you grow.

Don’t allow insecurities to hinder the calling God has for your life. Let your insecurities dissolve in the presence of God. Find your security and identity in Christ, according to God’s Word. These are things that took me years to learn but have blessed my life enormously. As you put these very simple steps into practice, watch the transformation that will happen in your personal life!

“Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it.” Proverbs 8:33 NIV

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:10 NIV

Let’s pray: Father, forgive me for putting my worth in other things instead of Your Son Jesus Christ. I want that to change. I want to see myself according to what Your Word says. Holy Spirit, help me to feed from the Bible and spend time in God’s presence to know who I am. I know You have a purpose and a plan for me. Give me faith to believe and know that my identity is found in Jesus Christ.

Please help me to be grounded in Your Word instead of being guided by my emotions. God, You know my battle with insecurities and criticisms. Holy Spirit, give me the humility to accept correction from those around me. Put people in my life who will help me grow, even if it is difficult. I want to be the person You want me to be. Thank you for helping me, in Jesus’ precious Name. Amen.

With Love, Esinam.