Virtuous Living

Who is Jesus to you? (1)

Foundation scripture

”But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.“

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

To come to God requires believing that has a foundation of knowing that

⁃ he is sovereign,

⁃ all knowing

⁃ All powerful

⁃ All present

”He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”“

Psalms 91:1-2 NKJV

⁃ the psalmist introduces God to us as

⁃ The Most high and Almighty indicating His placement above all things

He then goes on to personalize The Most high and Almighty God as

⁃ The Lord

⁃ He is my Refuge and my fortress

⁃ my God, in Him I will trust

Many Christians today do not know God on a personal level, there is only the general knowledge about God and His son Jesus.

Many Christians today if they are confronted to give information about Jesus will have very little to say about him.

Jesus asked his disciples one time “whom do men say that I am? –

Jesus was interested in finding out what He was known for

For many in his day and now

⁃ Jesus is still hanging on the cross depicted by the images around us.

⁃ For many he is Joseph and Mary’s son

⁃ For some he is the wine maker who turned water into wine.

⁃ For many Christian’s now he is the answer to their problems

⁃ He is a sure banker to breakthroughs

Jesus died, he was buried but He rose again to bring us victory:

The Bible speaks of 8 different occasions where Jesus revealed himself to his disciples at various times over a forty day period before He ascended into heaven.

⁃ Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene . Mark 16.9, john 20.14 this brought victory over despair

⁃ Second, Jesus appeared to other women as they were leaving the tomb (Matthew 28:9-10). They thought he was dead, but he appeared to them, and they worshipped Him there. Jesus brought victory over death.

⁃ Third, Jesus met up with two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32). These men were talking about all the week’s events surrounding Jesus. They didn’t understand what had happened. Jesus talked with them and stayed with them until they understood. Jesus brought victory over confusion.

⁃ Fourth, Jesus appeared to 10 disciples who were hiding together (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25). These disciples were afraid of what might happen to them since Jesus had been killed. Jesus brought victory over fear.

⁃ Fifth, Jesus appeared to all 11 remaining disciples (Mark 16:14; John 20:26-31). Thomas, who had doubted Jesus’ resurrection, was with them this time. Jesus brought victory over doubt.

⁃ Sixth, Jesus appeared to seven disciples, including Peter, who had denied Jesus three times (John 21). At this appearance, Jesus puts Peter back into ministry. Jesus brought victory over failure.

⁃ Seventh, Jesus appeared to the 11 disciples at a pre-arranged location on a mountain in Galilee (Matthew 28:16-20). There Jesus told them He had been given all power and authority. He gave His followers the great commission to make disciples. Jesus brought victory over any other power.

⁃ Eighth, Jesus finally appeared to as many as 500 of His followers at one time. He confirmed the completion of His mission and the promise of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:1-8). Jesus had victory over all things.

Jesus shown himself alive by many proofs

⁃ speaking the things concerning the God and charging them to wait for the promise of the Father.

To be continued…

Shalom!

Rev. Ron Chiarelli

THE GOOD, ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD

Romans 12:2 reveals that the believer who is being transformed by a new, godly way of thinking “may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (NKJV). This three-fold description of God’s will can teach us more about who God is and His plan for us.

God’s will for the believer is good. It is good because He is fully good (Luke 18:19) with no evil or darkness in Him (1 John 1:5). Every “good and perfect gift” comes from God (James 1:17), and “He withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). God’s good will is revealed for our benefit and the benefit of those we serve.

God’s will for the believer is acceptable. God’s will is acceptable, or pleasing, in that it is approved by God and fully pleasing to Him. Those who obey the will of God are acceptable to Him (Matthew 12:50). The believer who serves the Lord in a spirit of deference, love, and righteousness is “acceptable to God and approved by men” (Romans 14:18, ESV).

God’s will for the believer is perfect. His perfect will has no defect and fully reaches the goal, purpose, or end that was intended. Following God’s perfect will makes us better reflections of God’s perfect nature. God’s perfect will leads us to spiritual maturity. Scripture was given to make the believer “perfect” in the sense of “thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17).

In Romans 12:2, the words good, acceptable, and perfect can also be taken as nouns that rename the will of God; in other words, God’s will equals that which is good and acceptable and perfect. This appositional construction is brought out in the ESV: “You may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Viewed this way, if you are doing good things that are pleasing to God and leading to your maturity, then you are doing God’s will.

At times God’s will does not seem to us to be good, acceptable, or perfect. If His will includes suffering, or if it doesn’t make sense to us, we question it. When God called Moses to go to Egypt and rescue the Israelites, he questioned God’s will, wondering if the people would believe him (Exodus 4:1). Moses gave excuses for why he could not do it, saying he was not “eloquent” of speech (Exodus 4:10). God reminded Moses that God made man’s mouth and that He would help Moses speak and teach Moses what to say (Exodus 4:11).

God’s will revealed to Joshua probably didn’t seem to be good, acceptable, or perfect, either. What human sense did it make to walk around Jericho for seven days (Joshua 6:1–27)? What sense did it make for the widow of Zarephath to give Elijah her last meal (1 Kings 17:7–16)? For Naaman to bathe in the Jordan River seven times (2 Kings 5)? For Peter to cast his net on the other side of the boat after a night of fishing in vain (John 21:1–14)? When Jesus revealed His will that the disciples feed 5,000 people, Philip remonstrated: “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece” (John 6:7). Jesus told the people at Lazarus’s tomb to roll away the stone, a seemingly pointless thing to do, since Lazarus had been dead for four days (John 11:17–44). In each of these cases, people obeyed the Lord, with the result that God’s plan was fulfilled perfectly. In our limited thinking and strength, God’s will seems strange, but it truly is good, acceptable, and perfect.

Romans 12:1–2 tells us how we can know and fulfill God’s will. The process begins by consecrating ourselves to God: “In view of God’s mercy, . . . offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (verse 1). As we offer our whole selves to Him, He transforms and redirects our lives. Verse 2 continues with setting ourselves apart from the world and allowing our minds to be transformed: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Then comes the ability to discern God’s will: “You will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2). As believers renounce the ways of the world and submit to Christ, their minds, hearts, and wills are renewed by God’s Word and Spirit. This is how we can test and approve God’s will.

By His divine power, God “has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3). Following God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will allows us to enjoy life abundantly (see John 10:10). May we echo the psalmist’s words in Psalm 119:111–112:

“Your statutes are my heritage forever;
they are the joy of my heart.
My heart is set on keeping your decrees
to the very end.”

As we press on through the last quarter of this year, I pray that you discover God’s good, acceptable and perfect will for your life. May you completely find your purpose and walk in it to the glory of God’s Name.

Shalom,

Rev. Ron Chiarelli.

Hold On (2)

Surrender your heart to God’s wide open gates of endless grace. There is no shortage of supply in His storehouse of plenty. When the winds of adversity blow, look up to God for protection, provision and mercy. When you are planted in God, you will not be blown away by your troubles. God will never lead you to a place He hasn’t already been.

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

How you respond when God speaks His words of promise over your life determines the development and growth of your faith. Your response does not change God’s faithfulness. As you live out God’s kingdom principles, He will order your steps into divine provision.

“It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭118‬:‭8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

God wants you to feast on the goodness of His presence. When you walk with God you journey on a pathway of peace which leads you to everlasting joy. Holding on to God is not vain hope but indeed true faith. Your inheritance lies in the eternal fruit of God’s kingdom. His kingdom is accessible to you when you completely surrender your life to Him.

“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, In God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭56‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

God is the power of life itself, the source of all that was, is and is to come. He is not limited by the laws of this nature. He is the giver of good things and restores all things to glory. He is making you new, reviving your courage and restoring your identity as the child of the living God.

“There are many devices in a man’s heart; Nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19‬:‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

No one can contest it when God speaks. Nothing can stop Him from doing a new thing in your life. He gives beauty for ashes and redeems broken dreams. Trust God completely. You might not always get what you want or desire but He will definitely provide just what you need in every season. Hold on to Him and be hopeful because everything has a purpose in God. You will find security in His perfect embrace.

With Love, Esinam.

Hold On (1)

A few weeks ago, hubby and I went on a vacation to France. We transited through Heathrow airport. Upon arrival in France, so many of us were missing some luggage. Upon inquiry, we were told that some luggage was still in Heathrow, and would come on the next flight. Some people were distraught, since it was a long flight and everyone was exhausted. Others were anxious, angry, etc. There were a myriad of emotions.

There was one lady who caught my eye. She was unusually calm amidst everyone else’s anxiety. I asked her why she was so calm, she told me she had Airtags on her luggage, and she had tracked her luggage via her AirTag, and she knew her luggage was in France. There was another lady, who said she tracked her luggage using her AirTags as well, and those were in Heathrow.

True to the first AirTag lady’s word, a few minutes later, we heard the conveyor belt and some luggage came out! Apparently, the conveyor belt was broken, and the luggage was there all this while. So, the first AirTag lady was right!

Her luggage was indeed in France.

As life always has it, not everyone’s luggage came out. So the second AirTag lady was also right – some pieces of luggage was still in Heathrow. We were part of the Heathrow luggage crew, so we waited. Sure enough, our luggage came on the next flight.

My takeaway were the two ladies who had tracked their luggage’s via AirTag. Their confidence was unmatched. They knew, without a shadow of doubt, that once the AirTag had said their luggage was in France or Heathrow, their luggage was there. No matter what anyone else said.

“And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

I know the year is coming to an end, and you probably have unanswered prayers, and plans that didn’t come to fruition.But I have a question for you. What has God said? What has He promised you? Hold on to it. Regardless of what else is happening around you, or what anyone says, have the confidence of the AirTag ladies – once God has said it, it shall come to pass!

“For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Another take away is that: whether the luggage was in France or Heathrow, at the end of the day, we all got our luggage within a couple of hours. It was a reminder that life isn’t always a race.

Remain blessed,

Mrs. Benedicta Agyeman (Esq)

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM HEAVEN (2)

You need to become a watchman and practice your responsibilities as one that’s waiting to hear God. The Spirit of God will make you strategic. If there will be indomie scarcity for instance in 2 months, He’ll tell you and instead of it going for say GHC 20 which maybe is the current price, you’ll buy the factory and sell it at a higher price because you have heard from Him.

The average believer doesn’t journey but complains. He can travel to the village and consult demons instead of do business with God in prayers. It’s easier to hear God than to hear the devil. The reason is that you’re born again and the Spirit of God is in your heart. Do you know the implications of that? If you have a phone, before you bought a sim, the calculator, torchlight in your phone could work. You could check your calendar isn’t it? Did you buy the phone because of that? No! You did because of communication but communication cannot find expression until you introduce a SIM card. The SIM card can interpret the potentials of a network, give you accessibility.

You can browse with it, send messages etc because you have a SIM card.

The day you gave your your heart to Christ, the Holy Ghost is the SIM card that was inserted into your spirit man. The design is that you are a vessel. You need a SIM card to operate. You’re a bag of potentials but except the SIM card is inserted, it’s only a calculator, torchlight and calendar that will work. Don’t let your earthly purpose be neglected here on earth. Don’t be limited in life and destiny. Stir up the Spirit of God in your life by praying in the Spirit- Jude 1:20. Paul said “I can pray in tongues than all of you”. I thank the Lord you can also pray in tongues. If you can’t, see your church leaders so they can help you have access to that heavenly language.

The moment you insert the SIM card of the Holy Ghost into your vessel, you become compatible with heaven’s network. You can now pick things from the realm of God.

It’s been long since we heard an announcement from God. If you aren’t born again you can’t see the kingdom of God. This realm of civilization exists but you will be cut off from it perpetually until you become born again and when you become born again the Holy Spirit is inserted into your spirit man and the implication is that he gives you awareness of what’s happening in the layer of God when you decide to make prayer a preoccupation that I did many years ago.

I saw the demon troubling my family and an owl that stood on top of our house and was dancing in a circular motion and as it was dancing up there my elder brother became mad. Satan was a mystery to us. Everybody was afraid of Satan just like some of us are now. So I decided to seek the face of God and that’s when I knew I was already connected to heaven and God started making announcements to me. And I understood that the things I have been afraid of were supposed to be afraid of me. If you receive announcements from God and he shows you some things fear will be knocked out from your spirit permanently.

One man, Moses went into Egypt and challenged the whole nation and their gods. A mortal with a rod in his hand brought judgement upon Egypt. When you read your Bible, sometimes, stop and think. Was he really alone? The 12 gods of Egypt were afraid of him because he had heard announcements from God that changed his thinking. Do evil happenings in your family bother you? Only watchmen ask questions.

The first secret of spiritual intelligence is seeking insight and that makes God proud. The answers were not coming so I added fasting. Watch for signs. God can speak directly to you or through other people by possessing them. I prayed and in a dream of the night God came. I assure you many angels have visited all of you here on this platform but the ability to discern them is the issue. So when the Lord visited me he told me his deliverance in my family will not be instant, it’ll take time. He said it will happen when a male child is born in my family. I saw that child in my vision. When my wife took seed and gave birth, she gave birth to that child I saw in my vision. And I lifted him I thank the Lord and I knew my family’s captivity had come to an end. I went and cursed the altar, demons n demonic priests in my family and that was the end of their operations. When you give yourself to prayers consistently, He always gives you signs and nothing takes you by surprise except God decides to do so for reasons known to Him only.

If you don’t stay with God for a long time you will not know him. I want to provoke you today that you must stand upon your watch until he answers you except you are ok with the evil happenings in your family and feel you have a pure heart so no one can harm you. Don’t be deceived for the moment you became a believer you became Satan’s target. Besides the power of demons is always stronger on the lives of spiritual ignorant Christians than the knowledgeable ones.

Stand on your behalf and on behalf of your family till the answer comes. It’s possible. If God did it for Apostle Arome, He can do it for all of us too provided we are ready to pay the price needed to change our status quo in Jesus name! Make less time for mundane things and more time for Jehovah now that you have breath and are here for a time being. You must fulfill your destiny on time. Stop blaming your family. God saw that family of yours and still made sure you came through it because He trusts you to deliver and make Him proud as His ambassador in the midst of “wolves”.

Shalom.

Dr. David Tobi Ogoudou

(From a message by Apostle Arome Osayi)

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM HEAVEN (1)

Note: This message is from Apostle Arome Osayi. It blessed me and that’s why I’m sharing it with you too here so that it can also bless you.

I have personally made a few additions in it, however. Some parts of the message have been domesticated to suit our context too.

Honestly, I’m challenged and I’m going to push until I see positive changes in my life and in my family. What about you? Please, don’t just read it and say you are blessed without practicing it. By the grace of God, I have started and won’t stop till I see life transforming results. So please your destiny and that of your family are in your hands and not always in the hands of a preacher who may help.

You don’t need to be a preacher to effect these changes. You were planted in your family beyond the little blessings you may be seeing now in your life. There’s more to your destiny than “tea and bread”.

Are you happy with what’s happening in your life and family? Do you really care? If you do you will have to really navigate or travel in God via prayers so you can hear his thoughts concerning your destiny, family and loved ones. Until you develop yourself you will always be a victim of witchcraft, anguish, in fact what happens to unbelievers may happen to you but that will never be your portion in the name of Jesus!

Say to yourself, for the next 120 nights, “I’m going to be up standing from 12 midnight to 2 am. No prayer point; just stand and speak in tongues for 2 hours and go and sleep. Before you finish 47 days, you’ll hear an announcement. The prophetic will surely be opened in your life and God will make an announcement as touching what he wants to do in your life and destiny and family.

You don’t need to be a prophet before you pick these frequencies. The moment you begin to keep your watch, the prophetic will open. You will know what to do, where to go and where not to go. You will know how to deal with stubborn situations because you are a man of the altar. This is because secrets will be known to you like Daniel in the night. – Daniel 2: 19.

The reason is because of Moses’ prayer in the Old Testament that “ I wish all the Lord’s people were prophets and He could put His Spirit upon them”. That was Moses’ prayer in Numbers 11:29 and God answered it in the New Testament by putting his Spirit upon all of us so anyone who’s born again has the Spirit of God upon their life. It’s this Spirit who shows us things to come.

When my father died prematurely I cried because I didn’t know God that much to stop death so that experience made me go on a journey, a pilgrimage never to come back until I found Him and I did.

Let barrenness, demonic sicknesses, demonic delays, unemployment, witchcraft, continuous still births, singleness orchestrated by bell, academic failures, strange business losses cause you to go on a spiritual journey to get answers from the Ancient Spirit.

Don’t say you don’t have time because of your job or something else. Beloved, no one has time in this world but we make time for what or who we love. Do you really love your destiny or life?

I pray someone will be provoked, someone’s heart will be stirred up.

You must journey until you find Him. You must wake up in the night and say “I’m going on a journey for 200 days for example ( 12 – 2 am). Listen, when you start it, it won’t be easy. You will be discouraged with bad dreams and your case may become worse but don’t give up because you are on a journey. Remember, no one in your family has ventured into these hot waters before so don’t expect hell to sit down and clap for you and make things easier for you.

You can’t break satanic gates without opposition but remember those that are with you are more than those that are with them. You won’t give up. They rather must give up. You must be spiritually stubborn and determined. During your journey you will be tired but don’t be distracted. Pray for grace to be consistent. That altar you are raising won’t only benefit you but your family and those connected to you. You may be baptized in the Holy Ghost but the Spirit of truth may not have come to you yet.

To be continued…

WHEN GOD OPENS A DOOR

You know a door is an open door when you do not have to do anything outside of the will of God, His statutes and commands to enter into it. Even when there are obstacles to entering and you have to fight battles in order to breakthrough, you still remain in the will of God because it is He who helps you overcome the challenges. You do not overcome by your own wisdom or strength.

To any open door you need keys to give access because keys represent authority. In the kingdom of God keys could be patterns that lead to destiny. The kingdom of God has keys that God gives to the sons of God to access and also to close doors. When it comes to accessing the domain of God, you need the right key as a child of God based on the prescribed pattern for entering His presence.

Matthew 16:19

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

The first key you need for an open door is the key of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is one of the keys God has given to us to access open doors. It is the will of God for us to be thankful. (Psalm 100:1-4)

The second key is the key of humility.

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:3

Humility is a key because it opens the door to salvation. (Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬-‭17‬, Job 22:29)

Humility is a key because it opens the door to healing. (2 Chronicles 7:14, 2 Kings 5:1-19)

Humility is a key because it opens the door to the riches and honour. (Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭4‬)

Humility is a key because it opens the door to the Grace of God. (‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭3‬, James‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬)

The third key is the key of sacrifice.

Psalms 50:5

”Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”

The quality of saints is specifically stated. It is not every believer that God needs gathered but those who have consecrated themselves by making a covenant with God by sacrifice. According to the above scripture, God is not inviting just anyone. (1 Peter 2:4-5,9)

Abraham had to make the first move towards sacrificing to discover the open door of God’s provision of a ram in the bushes. There is a new testament type of priesthood who is dedicated to offering spiritual sacrifices to God.

Spirits understand the weight of sacrifice because God is Spirit. God seeks to find expression in you, but he will do that when u have positioned yourself as a priest that offers sacrifice. These types of sacrifices include thanksgiving, prayer, praise, lifting of hands and offerings.

Essentially, you know a door is an open door from God when God Himself hands you the keys to it. A door may be open to you but a sign that it is not from God is that He did not give you the keys to it according to the patterns of His kingdom. You may have access to it by certain means that may be out of His will and purpose for your life. This is a dangerous route to travel because the consequences will be severe.

The enemy might fight you and set you back in accessing God’s open door for your life but that does not mean it is not from God. Similarly, you cannot brand an open door as one from God by virtue of the fact that it was easy to access it. The surest indicators to decipher an open door from God and one that’s not from Him are the keys to access the door and the peace of mind and heart regarding it that only the Holy Spirit can give.

“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

John‬ ‭14‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Be thankful, be humble and be sacrificial and if the Holy Spirit gives you peace of mind and heart about it, you can be certain that the open door is from God. God bless you.

With Love, Esinam.

HOW TO STAY POOR

1. PRIORITIZE SLEEPING

Never wake up early. Stay in bed as long as possible, stretching and turning until hunger forces you to get up. If there are no bed bugs, why hurry?

2. PRIORITIZE SPENDING

Never plan on investments. Spend money as soon as you get it. When it’s gone, try to recall how it disappeared.

3. AVOID SAVING

Don’t save until you have a huge amount of money. How can you save when you earn so little? Those who advise saving don’t understand your very important expenses.

4. PRIORITIZE YOUR PRIDE

Avoid activities deemed “uneducated” or “low class” like selling or small businesses. As a graduate, professional, or someone from a well-known family, engaging in such affairs is a huge insult to your standards and status.

5. WAIT FOR MIRACLES

Wait for an angel to deliver a bag full of money for your capital. It’s impossible to start any business without millions. Sure, some businesses began with little capital, but you know success is 100% guaranteed if you start big.

6. COMPLAIN ENDLESSLY

Complain about everything except your own attitude and mindset. Blame your poverty on your parents, the system, the government, and the banks that refused to lend you money. They are all bad and do not want you to get rich.

7. OVERSPEND

Always spend more than you earn. Buy products on credit and keep borrowing from friends and employers to maintain your lifestyle.

8. DRESS TO IMPRESS

Make sure you look rich so others will be intimidated by your presence. Win your secret showing-off competition. Whenever your neighbor buys a new phone, make sure you get a more expensive one.

9. PRIORITIZE CAR

Purchase a car that costs more than three times your annual salary. It’s an essential status symbol. Don’t worry if you don’t have a house or a place to park it. In fact, don’t prioritize buying your own house because you can’t use it to impress people like you can with a car.

10. SPOIL YOUR CHILDREN

Give your children everything they ask for to show your love and prove you’re the best parent. They shouldn’t struggle for anything. It doesn’t matter if they grow up lazy and entitled. What’s important is that you give them the best so they don’t suffer, unlike those cruel parents who, despite their means, choose to let their children struggle.

11. FOCUS ON ENTERTAINMENT

Devote your time, energy, and resources to watching your favorite sports or playing computer games. It doesn’t matter if you’re not productive. What’s important is that you enjoy life to the fullest. A time spent on enjoyment is never wasted.

12. PRIORITIZE VICES

Indulge in your favorite vices. Whether it’s smoking, drinking, or gambling, make these your top priorities. Enjoy drinking with friends and embrace the image of being a smoker or gambler. Fully commit to these habits, regardless of their impact on your well-being or finances.

HOW TO STAY POOR

1. PRIORITIZE SLEEPING

Never wake up early. Stay in bed as long as possible, stretching and turning until hunger forces you to get up. If there are no bed bugs, why hurry?

2. PRIORITIZE SPENDING

Never plan on investments. Spend money as soon as you get it. When it’s gone, try to recall how it disappeared.

3. AVOID SAVING

Don’t save until you have a huge amount of money. How can you save when you earn so little? Those who advise saving don’t understand your very important expenses.

4. PRIORITIZE YOUR PRIDE

5. WAIT FOR MIRACLES

6. COMPLAIN ENDLESSLY

7. OVERSPEND

Always spend more than you earn. Buy products on credit and keep borrowing from friends and employers to maintain your lifestyle.

8. DRESS TO IMPRESS

Make sure you look rich so others will be intimidated by your presence. Win your secret showing-off competition. Whenever your neighbor buys a new phone, make sure you get a more expensive one.

9. PRIORITIZE CAR

10. SPOIL YOUR CHILDREN

11. FOCUS ON ENTERTAINMENT

12. PRIORITIZE VICES

The Battleground – The Mind

Anchor scripture

2 Corinthians 10:5

⁃ ”For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God

⁃ for pulling down strongholds,

⁃ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God,

⁃ bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,“

The mind and thoughts

⁃ The mind is a powerful asset that brings about transformation.

⁃ God can transmit His thoughts into your mind. The renewed mind has the the ability to receive thoughts from God

⁃ Your thoughts have power.

⁃ Thoughts in line with the Word of God will protect you—spirit, soul and body.

⁃ Negative thoughts will cost you dearly in the same areas.

⁃ It may not seem like it, but when it comes to the thoughts we think—we have a choice.

⁃ Thoughts can come into your mind from all sides, but you can choose what will stay and what you will cast out.

Types of mind conditions and the effects of their thoughts

1. the anxious mind

Philippians 4:6-7

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus

2. The reprobate mind

⁃ Romans 1:19-26

⁃ all inappropriate behaviors and perversions is because of a debased and reprobate mind.

3. The carnal mind

⁃ Romans 8:6-10

⁃ To be carnally minded is death (incapacitated)

”Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.“

Romans 8:5-8 NIV

4. The accurate mind – the state of the mind that the Holy Spirit can work upon and light up for God’s purpose and to think the thoughts of God.

⁃ 2 Timothy 1:8

For God has not given us the spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind.

What is sound mind ( Greek – a mind that is under your control)

⁃ when ever you are in a situation where your mind seeks to control you and your actions, you are under the influence of devils

– The characteristics of an accurate mind is that it is sound

⁃ your mind is under your control

Satan plans to dominate your thoughts so that his will can be done through you.

He can have power over you when he has power over your mind.

As a child of God you must be mindful of the thoughts that are stirred up in up your mind.

2 Corinthians 10;4-5

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds,

Prayer:

Psalm 139:23-24

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

⁃ Lord i submit my mind to your influence that i may experience transformation in my life…

⁃ Lord i want to reason with you, help me to renew my mind so i can reason with you.

Shalom. Rev. Ron.

HEARING GOD THROUGH HIS WORD

Most Christians only come to God for Him to talk to them concerning an important topic when they need Him the most. Unfortunately, God doesn’t respond to such prayers because He expects us to have a good relationship with Him. Consequently, we get frustrated and conclude He only talks to men and woman called into the 5 fold ministry ( apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) but that is not true.

The primary means by which God talks to us is through His word. Yes! I mean it! In 1 Samuel 3:21 we read “ And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord”. How did he manifest Himself to Samuel the prophet? Through His word.

Every verse we read is God’s voice that gives us inspiration, guidance, encouragement and sometimes provides rebukes. Now if you want God to speak to you concerning a specific issue, you must be a consistent reader and meditator of His word. Also be expecting Him to talk to you. As you do that daily or before you retire to bed calmly, you will one day start talking and thinking like God.

You may be very sick and conclude, it’s God’s will for you to be sick and that’s why he hasn’t healed you then all of a sudden, you come across “Matthew 8:1-3 New Living Translation (NLT); “Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. As this revelation hits you, you will now become aware God wants you healed and He confirmed it to you in that very scripture. So now that God has spoken, what do you do to appropriate that healing to yourself?

Gather all scriptures on healing and see how God healed different people with different kinds of diseases, why were some healed and some not healed. As you search the scripture, you may be instantly healed or God will specifically tell you to believe He can heal you through any means he uses. So, the voice has spoken. You start confessing the word, visit healing men of God or listen to the word of God on healing so your faith can come alive for you to easily receive your miracle and God will do it for “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” – Romans 10:17

You may also be in a dilemma as to who to choose between two men who both want your hand in marriage. One of them may have all the qualities you need in a man but not born again but with a good heart whereas the other one too may not have same qualities but born again. Your family and friends may say go for the former to help them end poverty in your genealogy and only one person may say follow your heart. Now you are confused and don’t know what to do. I assure you that if you are a passionate reader of His word, you may have read this scripture and forgotten “ Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? “- 2 Corinthians 6:14. Now since you have read it before, the Lord can drop that scripture into your spirit to remind you that’s the answer to your question. Once you receive that answer, don’t get emotional and say you will change your partner who has told you he’s not into these church things because of some of the bad things some pastors do. Sister or brother, distance yourself wisely and fulfill your destiny. Once he or she is not born again, forget them. If they don’t want to be genuinely saved, don’t force them to be saved. You can talk to them about Jesus and if they don’t seem to be ready please leave them because you are not the General overseer of relationships.

Some, even if God speaks to them via His Word, they don’t listen and would rather follow the advice of unsaved people. Master, if your marriage fails you will go through the pains alone but I pray for you “ it shall not fail in the name of Jesus”. If you are coming out of painful divorce, I pray for you, may you receive grace to become an avid reader of the word of God so as to be used to His voice and make better decisions concerning your destiny for God still loves you and know for sure that your bad experience can still be used by Elohim to bless others . He will replace your ashes for beauty in the name of Jesus.

On this note, I challenge you to give the word of God the attention you give to your job, spouse, business, health by at least reading the word of God from Genesis to Revelation every year for it was written for our good. Stay blessed!

Dr. David Tobi Ogoudou

GOD STILL SPEAKS TODAY (PART 3)

Throughout the Bible, God spoke through several vessels, including prophets, priests, apostles, and even an animal.

In John 5:30 Jesus said “ I can of mine own self do nothing as I hear, I judge: and my judgement is just, because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me”. Jesus who is our standard also heard from God.

The Holy Spirit too hears. In John 16:13, we read “ … for he ( Spirit of God) shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear….”

The ear with which we hear is spiritual and not physical. Hearing from God depends on us and not only on God. But if we don’t stop doing some things that are against His word, we may not hear from Him. Some of these things were discussed in previous messages. Today we would like to tackle the rest.

Living in sin can blur our vision and deaden our spiritual ears. So you see, we have spiritual vision and ears but those ears can become unresponsive to His voice when we decide to always grieve the Spirit of God. A Christian is not a sinner though he may err from time to time. His ability to recognize that what he did was wrong and becoming penitent and vows never to return to that old “ vomit” is indicative of the fact that He’s conscious of who he is and the presence of God’s Spirit in his heart. The believer does not have the sinful nature in him anymore because he’s born again and since he’s born again he has the nature of God. For this matter some words are used to describe him “ Saint, righteous, royal priesthood, chosen generation, peculiar person ” among others. For the believer to call himself sinner is the same as saying Christ’s death was useless and couldn’t bring him salvation but remember Jesus came to seek and save the lost which includes you and I – Luke 19:10.

Now, the unbeliever on the other hand doesn’t have the life of God in him so he still operates with the sinful nature. This means no matter how righteous he may seem, no matter how kind he maybe even to the poor and windows, until he accepts Christ Jesus as his personal Saviour and Lord, God still sees him as a sinner and he is a sinner and not you the born again believer. When an unbeliever lives in sin, he feels it’s normal and he believes everyone is like him just that Christians pretend. He may have a few examples to support his view and may forget that the very people he may be using as examples may not be the standard and such people may have reconciled with God. So if an unbeliever lives in fornication or adultery, he may feel ok and even hear a voice telling him the lady he is fornicating or committing adultery with is his wife. That voice is certainly not of God because it doesn’t tally with scriptures. Sometimes too when you live deeply in sin, it’d be so difficult to hear the Lord’s voice.

Finally, depression is another factor that impedes us from hearing from God. When you are always sad, you focus on your problem and rather than on God. When you are in this state, encourage yourself in the Lord like David did when he was depressed ( 1 Samuel 30:6). Don’t give the devil any attention at all but rather look for scriptures that engender encouragement and faith. That’s the voice of the Lord. God can speak to you through them. Don’t pity yourself because if you do so you can be kept down and your ability to hear from the Lord would be blocked. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of joy and liberty. When you are depressed, the devil will use that condition to tell you who you are not in the Lord and physical signs may even confirm that but remember we are not moved by sight but rather by the word of God. The devil may say, you shall never buy land because you have been jobless for years and that may be true. Don’t accept it. Reject it with the word and tell him, you maybe unemployed now but the truth is that you are not only employed but are also an employer of labor. Go out there rejoicing and believing God and not your circumstances. Rejoice and praise the Lord.

I bind the spirit of depression and self pity from your life right now! Be gone in the name of Jesus! I curse you by the God of heaven. I command your power broken over the life of my sister now! Be freed!

Dr. David Tobi Ogoudou