THE SECRETS OF A SUCCESSFUL MINISTRY
The word Minister is a Latin word meaning Servant. We are servants of the Most High God, in the sense that He has sent us to work with Him. Because more than anything else, we are His children. This morning I want to talk to you about the secrets of success in the Ministry. By the grace of God, I have discovered the secrets of a successful Ministry which I want to share with you. I believe if you are willing to do what the word of God says, I am sure your Ministry will succeed.
How did I discover these secrets? It is by studying the only one who I knew succeeded beyond all measures. That is our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. God used only one verse in the scripture to open my eyes to these valuable secrets – Acts 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with Holy Ghost and with Power; who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devils, for God was with Him”.
There are 2 major secrets in the verse:-
a. Anointing
b. Divine presence.
A. ANOINTING: - Jesus was anointed with Holy Ghost and with Power
i. It is possible to get the Holy Ghost and no power
ii. It is possible to get power and no Holy Ghost
iii. It is possible to get both Holy Ghost and Power –
Acts 1:8"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth"
Zech.4:6 "Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts."
If you examine the life of Jesus Christ, you will discover that everything He did on earth from the beginning to the end was done through the Holy Ghost.
1. He was conceived by the Holy Ghost.
2. He was baptised by the Holy Ghost
3. He did His examination by the Holy Ghost – Matt.4:1 "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil."
4. All His preaching He did by the Holy Ghost
5. He did not perform a single miracle until He had been baptised in the Holy Spirit.
6. Jesus died through the Holy Spirit – Heb. 9:14 "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"
7. He was resurrected by the Power of the Holy Spirit
8. He did all His Post Resurrection works through the Holy Spirit – Acts. 1:2"Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:"
From His conception to the very moment He was lifted from this world, It was the Holy Spirit all the way. Now if Jesus needed the Holy Spirit that much, how can you think you will succeed without the Holy Spirit.
DISPENSATIONS: We are now in the dispensation of God the Holy Spirit. There are three dispensations of the Holy Trinity.
1. Dispensation of God the Father – Old Testament
2. Dispensation of God the Son – Yes to come at the Millennium
3. Dispensation of God the Holy Spirit - Now
B. DIVINE PRESENCE
Jesus succeeded in His earthly Ministry because God was with Him. You need the divine presence of God to succeed. Why?
1. you cannot handle the devil alone, he is older and wiser – James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
2. You need divine intervention of God to succeed for genuine signs and wonders
3. There is a difference between divine backing and divine presence. Divine backing gives you authority while divine presence gives you power.2Kings 6:1-3 (1. And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. 2. Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. 3. And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.")
4. There is a possibility of working for God and not with God. Moses – Exo.33:12-15(" 12. And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. 13. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. 14. And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. 15. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." )
5. You need divine backing to exercise the Authority given in Mark 16:15-18. ( "15. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18. They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
6. The moment your will is not in line with His will, you are on your own and that is failure. The moment your plan crosses His plan, you will be in greater trouble – Like if God wants you to be in a town outside London and you insisted it is London for you. Remember Gehazi and his leprosy.
C. HOLINESS: -
The two major things you need, Anointing and Divine Presence comes down to one thing – Holiness
1. You need holiness for the anointing to flow – Heb.1:9" Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."
2. The secret of divine blessing is holiness – 1Peter1:15-16." 15. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16. Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."
3. You want God to be working with you? Birds of the same plumage flock together – Amos 3:3, "3.Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" He is a Holy God.
D. CALL TO MISSION:-
The call to Mission is the logical outcome of the changed life. We are changed into His image who said “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you”. It is the out of the Holy Spirit’s vision that sees a lost world as Christ saw it, and is willing to follow in His footsteps. The field is the world; beginning at Jerusalem – where you were when you were converted. The opportunity of going to foreign lands is only available for the few. The called ones are those who have heard God saying “who will GO for me” and who have answered, “Here am I Lord send me “Isa.6:8
You must be ready to pay the price for your call – Moses willing to be blotted out of the Book of life for His brethren. – Exo.32:32, Paul willing to be accursed for his kinsmen – Romans 9:3. The biggest mission field before you today is our beloved UK – which has been described as the 2nd most ungodly nation next to Japan.
THE FATHER'S BLESSING."I pray for you today as you read this message. You will not fail, you will not fall, you will not fade, you will not falter in the call of God on your life. The Lord will work with you, He will work around you, God will work through you and He will work against your enemies and like Paul, you will reach your goal, Like Joseph you will fulfill your dream and your destiny and like Jesus you will succeed beyond measure in the mighty name of Jesus." (Amen).
EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US.
Friday, 25 February 2011
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
THE GREAT PHYSICIAN IS STILL ON DUTY: THAT SICKNESS IS NOT UNTO DEATH!
Wednesday, February 16th, 2011
Bible in on year Josh. 10-12
YES NOT UNTO DEATH!
THAT YOUR SICKNESS IS NOT UNTO DEATH IT IS THE LIE OF THE DEVIL THE REVERSER OF THE IRRIVERSIBLE IS AVAILABLE TO DELIVER AND SET YOU FREE!
Memory Verse: "When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." (John 11:4)
Bible Reading: John 11:1-4
1 ¶ Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
God's vessels of honour are used in making statements in the world. Sometimes, He can use some vessels to reveal His ability to make the impossible possible. He can also use some to demonstrate His ability to reverse the irreversible. When His friend Lazarus was sick, and He was informed in John 11:1-44, Jesus kept His cool and stayed back for four days. Many people would want to know why He did that to His friend. It was simply because the Lord wanted to use Lazarus to tell the world that no matter how bad a matter had degenerated, it could still be reversed if only He is brought into the picture. If you were left like Lazarus in a bad situation that was getting worse, it would not have been funny at all. Lazarus died and was buried. He was already stinking. Not even his sisters would want to come close at this point yet, the Lord went into that stinking tomb and reversed the irreversible. This tells us that no situation is beyond redemption. How bad is your situation today? Is it so bad that the matter got buried and sealed? It shall be exhumed and reversed today. Is your situation so stinky and repulsive that nobody wants to give a listening ear? Fear not! The Lord will wade into that stench, and cause a fresh scent, and a compelling aroma to waft out.
"When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby" (John 11:4). One lesson here is that while sickness may be the avenue to leave this world, like it was for Elisha (2 Kings 13:14), it could also be a means to glorify God and encourage God's ministers. If you find out that a particular sickness is due to any of the above reasons, you would know how to handle it. On the other hand, some sicknesses are from the devil and must be rejected. In addition, if the Lord tells you that you will not die through a particular illness, even if you became dead like Lazarus, you will still live. That sickness in your body will not kill you. Are you already yielding to death because you feel you cannot hold on any longer? You shall not die! There shall be an expedited reversal of your state of health. You shall recover!
THE FATHER’S BLESSING: “I pray for someone reading this message today or someone believing this message for a very close loved one. The Great Reverser of the irreversible will reverse that negative report of the doctors. As the Great Physician totally heal you of that incurable disease and set you completely free and remember, He will not share His glory with anybody including you in the mighty name of Jesus.” (Amen)
STATEMENT OF FAITH AND PRAYER FOR TODAY
If the Resurrection and the Life (Jesus) says death shall not take you, even if death has swallowed you, it shall vomit you. Father, every good thing death has taken from me, be restored today in Jesus name!
Bible in on year Josh. 10-12
YES NOT UNTO DEATH!
THAT YOUR SICKNESS IS NOT UNTO DEATH IT IS THE LIE OF THE DEVIL THE REVERSER OF THE IRRIVERSIBLE IS AVAILABLE TO DELIVER AND SET YOU FREE!
Memory Verse: "When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." (John 11:4)
Bible Reading: John 11:1-4
1 ¶ Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
God's vessels of honour are used in making statements in the world. Sometimes, He can use some vessels to reveal His ability to make the impossible possible. He can also use some to demonstrate His ability to reverse the irreversible. When His friend Lazarus was sick, and He was informed in John 11:1-44, Jesus kept His cool and stayed back for four days. Many people would want to know why He did that to His friend. It was simply because the Lord wanted to use Lazarus to tell the world that no matter how bad a matter had degenerated, it could still be reversed if only He is brought into the picture. If you were left like Lazarus in a bad situation that was getting worse, it would not have been funny at all. Lazarus died and was buried. He was already stinking. Not even his sisters would want to come close at this point yet, the Lord went into that stinking tomb and reversed the irreversible. This tells us that no situation is beyond redemption. How bad is your situation today? Is it so bad that the matter got buried and sealed? It shall be exhumed and reversed today. Is your situation so stinky and repulsive that nobody wants to give a listening ear? Fear not! The Lord will wade into that stench, and cause a fresh scent, and a compelling aroma to waft out.
"When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby" (John 11:4). One lesson here is that while sickness may be the avenue to leave this world, like it was for Elisha (2 Kings 13:14), it could also be a means to glorify God and encourage God's ministers. If you find out that a particular sickness is due to any of the above reasons, you would know how to handle it. On the other hand, some sicknesses are from the devil and must be rejected. In addition, if the Lord tells you that you will not die through a particular illness, even if you became dead like Lazarus, you will still live. That sickness in your body will not kill you. Are you already yielding to death because you feel you cannot hold on any longer? You shall not die! There shall be an expedited reversal of your state of health. You shall recover!
THE FATHER’S BLESSING: “I pray for someone reading this message today or someone believing this message for a very close loved one. The Great Reverser of the irreversible will reverse that negative report of the doctors. As the Great Physician totally heal you of that incurable disease and set you completely free and remember, He will not share His glory with anybody including you in the mighty name of Jesus.” (Amen)
STATEMENT OF FAITH AND PRAYER FOR TODAY
If the Resurrection and the Life (Jesus) says death shall not take you, even if death has swallowed you, it shall vomit you. Father, every good thing death has taken from me, be restored today in Jesus name!
Monday, 14 February 2011
YOU HAVE POWER TO BOUNCE BACK! YES YOU WITH JESUS!
Monday, February 14th, 2011
Bible in A Year: Josh 4-6
POWER TO BOUNCE BACK AS YOUR SMYRNA LIVES AGAIN!
HAS THE DEVIL STRUCK YOU AND YOU ARE FLAT ON THE FLOOR? NEVER ACCEPT DEFEAT! YOU ARE DOWN BUT NOT OUT! YOU TOO CAN BOUNCE BACK! YES, I MEAN YOU!
Memory Verse: "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me." (Micah 7:8)
Bible Reading: Revelation 2:8-11
8 ¶ And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich ) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
10 Fear none of those things, which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Of the seven churches the Lord wrote letters to, only two passed His assessment. The church at Smyrna was one of them. The Lord had nothing against them. May the Lord help you to a point where He will find nothing against you. A look at the history of Smyrna shows that it was founded, then destroyed, then rebuilt. The new rebuilt city was extremely beautiful. One of the finest of all Asian cities then, it was referred to as the 'ornament', 'crown' or 'flower' of Asia. One of its streets was called 'street of gold'. It proudly harboured a stadium, a public library and a home of music. Several idols such as Zeus, Apollo and Aphrodite had their temples there. Smyrna was a trading city and there were several influential Jews there. This magnificent city was really a beehive of activities.
In His letter, the Lord introduced Himself as the One who was dead but is now alive. To any resident of Smyrna, this statement was something they could relate with, as Smyrna was once dead but then lived again. This speaks of the capacity to bounce back after a fall. If a city was destroyed and after 300 years it bounced back formidably to the extent of becoming the envy of other cities of Asia, you too can bounce back from your backslidden state and overtake those ahead of you. This tells us that a fall is not final until the fallen accepts defeat. Has the devil struck you down and you are flat on the floor? Never accept defeat! You are down but not out!
"Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me" (Micah 7:8). The power to bounce back is present in Christ. Peter fell to a point of denying Christ thrice but afterwards, he keyed into this grace and he bounced back. Are you a fallen soldier of the cross? Don't stay down: Arise in the strength of Christ. You fall to rise, not rise to fall or stay fallen. No matter how badly you have fallen, you are bouncing back strong. That you fell does not mean you cannot be a winner or an 'overcomer'. Virtually everyone who overcame or won once experienced a fall or decline. Get up! Stand up! Take your rightful place now. The power of the Lord is right behind you.
THE FATHER’S BLESSING: “I pray for someone reading this message today. Those who have been laughing at you because of your present slip and predicaments will soon run back to you, to join you and laugh with you. Your days of Restorations commence now and you shall pursue, overtake and recover all in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ.” (Amen.)
PRAYER ACTION FOR TODAY
Pray that God will revive weak believers and restore backsliders in our churches.
Bible in A Year: Josh 4-6
POWER TO BOUNCE BACK AS YOUR SMYRNA LIVES AGAIN!
HAS THE DEVIL STRUCK YOU AND YOU ARE FLAT ON THE FLOOR? NEVER ACCEPT DEFEAT! YOU ARE DOWN BUT NOT OUT! YOU TOO CAN BOUNCE BACK! YES, I MEAN YOU!
Memory Verse: "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me." (Micah 7:8)
Bible Reading: Revelation 2:8-11
8 ¶ And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich ) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
10 Fear none of those things, which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Of the seven churches the Lord wrote letters to, only two passed His assessment. The church at Smyrna was one of them. The Lord had nothing against them. May the Lord help you to a point where He will find nothing against you. A look at the history of Smyrna shows that it was founded, then destroyed, then rebuilt. The new rebuilt city was extremely beautiful. One of the finest of all Asian cities then, it was referred to as the 'ornament', 'crown' or 'flower' of Asia. One of its streets was called 'street of gold'. It proudly harboured a stadium, a public library and a home of music. Several idols such as Zeus, Apollo and Aphrodite had their temples there. Smyrna was a trading city and there were several influential Jews there. This magnificent city was really a beehive of activities.
In His letter, the Lord introduced Himself as the One who was dead but is now alive. To any resident of Smyrna, this statement was something they could relate with, as Smyrna was once dead but then lived again. This speaks of the capacity to bounce back after a fall. If a city was destroyed and after 300 years it bounced back formidably to the extent of becoming the envy of other cities of Asia, you too can bounce back from your backslidden state and overtake those ahead of you. This tells us that a fall is not final until the fallen accepts defeat. Has the devil struck you down and you are flat on the floor? Never accept defeat! You are down but not out!
"Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me" (Micah 7:8). The power to bounce back is present in Christ. Peter fell to a point of denying Christ thrice but afterwards, he keyed into this grace and he bounced back. Are you a fallen soldier of the cross? Don't stay down: Arise in the strength of Christ. You fall to rise, not rise to fall or stay fallen. No matter how badly you have fallen, you are bouncing back strong. That you fell does not mean you cannot be a winner or an 'overcomer'. Virtually everyone who overcame or won once experienced a fall or decline. Get up! Stand up! Take your rightful place now. The power of the Lord is right behind you.
THE FATHER’S BLESSING: “I pray for someone reading this message today. Those who have been laughing at you because of your present slip and predicaments will soon run back to you, to join you and laugh with you. Your days of Restorations commence now and you shall pursue, overtake and recover all in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ.” (Amen.)
PRAYER ACTION FOR TODAY
Pray that God will revive weak believers and restore backsliders in our churches.
Sunday, 13 February 2011
YOUR ALABASTER BOX OF OINTMENT!
Sunday, February 13rd, 2011
Bible in A Year: Josh1-3
WHERE'S YOUR SPIKENARD: ALABASTER BOX OF OINTMENT?
WHEN THE TIME TO FAVOUR YOU IS RIPE GOD WILL GIVE YOU AN UNUSUAL OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL TAX YOUR FAITH AND CONFIRM YOUR REDINESS AND CAPACITY TO RECEIVE FROM GOD
Memory Verse: "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:" (Proverbs 6:6).
Read: Mark 14:3-9
3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
One way of knowing that your time of favour has come is when God gives you unusual opportunities. For King Solomon, God gave him the unusual opportunity to ask for whatever he wanted in a dream. "In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee" (2 Chron 1:7). However, that opportunity did not just come on its own, it was provoked by Solomon's sacrifice of a thousand burnt offerings in one night. This simply tells us that there are things you can do to hasten or provoke your day of favour. Giving extraordinarily can trigger your favour. Unfortunately, many who are asking God for their day of favour are still holding back. Do you know that if Solomon had not given that landmark offering, he would not have accessed the wisdom that made him the wisest man on earth? Sometimes, God folds His hands and observes how far you can go for Him. He wants to see the extent of your love. He wants to see the level of risk you can take for Him. Have you given Him that landmark gift that provokes an open cheque? Looking at the life of Solomon, you would discover that the wealth that followed his gift cannot be compared to what he gave. He never became poor all his life. He rather became the wealthiest man of his time-comparable with the billionaires of our time. You cannot lose out when you give to God. Do not deny yourself of the opportunity of a lifetime!
In Mark 14:3-9, the Lord was taking a meal in Simon's house when a woman came in. Before then, she had thought of how to make a lasting, positive impression on the Lord. Then, she remembered her expensive box of ointment. 'Yes! The Lord deserves my best!' she said to herself, and took the box with her. God only knows how long she had kept that treasure. When she got to the Lord, she opened it and anointed Him. On realizing the value of that perfume, some people around became angry. To them, it was a waste of money anointing the Lord with such expensive oil. Unknown to her, she had keyed into prophetic declaration concerning the death and burial of the Lord. As a result, her name and deeds were etched in gold in the heavenly Hall of Fame. Thousands of years later, her gift is still speaking for her. When we get to Heaven, we will see her. Are you still hiding your box of spikenard?
THE FATHER’S BLESSING: “I pray for someone reading this message today, the Lord will grant you the unction and sensitive spirit that will allow you to know the day of your visitation for divine favour Every destiny killers in around you are destroyed in the mighty name of Jesus.” (Amen)
KEY POINT FOR TODAY
Give God your best.
Bible in A Year: Josh1-3
WHERE'S YOUR SPIKENARD: ALABASTER BOX OF OINTMENT?
WHEN THE TIME TO FAVOUR YOU IS RIPE GOD WILL GIVE YOU AN UNUSUAL OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL TAX YOUR FAITH AND CONFIRM YOUR REDINESS AND CAPACITY TO RECEIVE FROM GOD
Memory Verse: "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:" (Proverbs 6:6).
Read: Mark 14:3-9
3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
One way of knowing that your time of favour has come is when God gives you unusual opportunities. For King Solomon, God gave him the unusual opportunity to ask for whatever he wanted in a dream. "In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee" (2 Chron 1:7). However, that opportunity did not just come on its own, it was provoked by Solomon's sacrifice of a thousand burnt offerings in one night. This simply tells us that there are things you can do to hasten or provoke your day of favour. Giving extraordinarily can trigger your favour. Unfortunately, many who are asking God for their day of favour are still holding back. Do you know that if Solomon had not given that landmark offering, he would not have accessed the wisdom that made him the wisest man on earth? Sometimes, God folds His hands and observes how far you can go for Him. He wants to see the extent of your love. He wants to see the level of risk you can take for Him. Have you given Him that landmark gift that provokes an open cheque? Looking at the life of Solomon, you would discover that the wealth that followed his gift cannot be compared to what he gave. He never became poor all his life. He rather became the wealthiest man of his time-comparable with the billionaires of our time. You cannot lose out when you give to God. Do not deny yourself of the opportunity of a lifetime!
In Mark 14:3-9, the Lord was taking a meal in Simon's house when a woman came in. Before then, she had thought of how to make a lasting, positive impression on the Lord. Then, she remembered her expensive box of ointment. 'Yes! The Lord deserves my best!' she said to herself, and took the box with her. God only knows how long she had kept that treasure. When she got to the Lord, she opened it and anointed Him. On realizing the value of that perfume, some people around became angry. To them, it was a waste of money anointing the Lord with such expensive oil. Unknown to her, she had keyed into prophetic declaration concerning the death and burial of the Lord. As a result, her name and deeds were etched in gold in the heavenly Hall of Fame. Thousands of years later, her gift is still speaking for her. When we get to Heaven, we will see her. Are you still hiding your box of spikenard?
THE FATHER’S BLESSING: “I pray for someone reading this message today, the Lord will grant you the unction and sensitive spirit that will allow you to know the day of your visitation for divine favour Every destiny killers in around you are destroyed in the mighty name of Jesus.” (Amen)
KEY POINT FOR TODAY
Give God your best.
START POSSESSING YOUR POSSESSION NOW
Saturday, February 12nd, 2011
Bible in A Year: 1 Thess 1-3
HEIGHTS, SIGHT AND POSSESSIONS
YOUR HEIGHT DETERMINES THE RANGE OF YOUR VISION AND THAT DETERMINES YOUR POSSESSIONS: IF YOU CAN SEE IT WITH THE EYES OF FAITH YOU CAN POSSESS IT
Memory Verse: "For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever." (Gen 13:15).
Bible Reading: Genesis 13:14-15
14 ¶ And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
Perception is necessary for discovery and recovery. What you see determines what you get. If you cannot 'see' divine healing in the Bible, but just read about it, you may never experience it. So many believers have heard of divine healing but very few have experienced it because they cannot 'see' the true picture as presented in God's Word. In Genesis 13:14-15, God told Abraham to take the look of his life; just one look, and whatever he saw became his. If you were asked to take that one life-changing look, what will you do? You would climb to a very high mount, get a vantage point that guarantees the best view, before you take that look. If you were on a mountain top, you would have a great view and as a result greater possessions than if you were in a valley. In the same way, your spiritual level determines how much you can benefit from God's Kingdom. Whenever you are spiritually high, you will be able to derive greater understanding and revelations from the Bible than when you are in the valley of sin. Any time you are in sin, you are 'down'. Do all you can to remain on the mountain top of God's presence! The extent of your vision is the limit of your possession. You cannot possess what you cannot see. Anything the eye of your spirit-man can envision, God will deliver into your hands.
In Exodus 2:2, Jochebed saw something in Moses that other people could not see. While other Hebrew women were seeing their new born baby-boys as dead, Jochebed saw her baby boy as alive, contrary to the king's verdict. She simply made an exception for her baby. She said, 'All other Hebrew male children may die but my baby boy will live', and it was so. Today, because of the economic down turn, many people are seeing death in their businesses. But the 'overcomers' see life. In the face of an epidemic, what are you seeing: life or death? You can only get what you see. Like Jochebed, make yourself an exception, and it will be so. No matter how dire a situation is, there is always a positive side to focus on. As you do so, good outcomes will be your portion.
THE FATHER’S BLESSING: “I pray for you as you read this message today, the Lord will open your spiritual eyes to see beyond your present predicament, there is light behind the tunnel, that the present weeping may last till the night, but there is joy in the morning. Very soo, your joy shall be full in the mighty name of Jesus.” (Amen)
KEY POINT FOR TODAY
Always lift up your eyes unto the hills
Bible in A Year: 1 Thess 1-3
HEIGHTS, SIGHT AND POSSESSIONS
YOUR HEIGHT DETERMINES THE RANGE OF YOUR VISION AND THAT DETERMINES YOUR POSSESSIONS: IF YOU CAN SEE IT WITH THE EYES OF FAITH YOU CAN POSSESS IT
Memory Verse: "For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever." (Gen 13:15).
Bible Reading: Genesis 13:14-15
14 ¶ And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
Perception is necessary for discovery and recovery. What you see determines what you get. If you cannot 'see' divine healing in the Bible, but just read about it, you may never experience it. So many believers have heard of divine healing but very few have experienced it because they cannot 'see' the true picture as presented in God's Word. In Genesis 13:14-15, God told Abraham to take the look of his life; just one look, and whatever he saw became his. If you were asked to take that one life-changing look, what will you do? You would climb to a very high mount, get a vantage point that guarantees the best view, before you take that look. If you were on a mountain top, you would have a great view and as a result greater possessions than if you were in a valley. In the same way, your spiritual level determines how much you can benefit from God's Kingdom. Whenever you are spiritually high, you will be able to derive greater understanding and revelations from the Bible than when you are in the valley of sin. Any time you are in sin, you are 'down'. Do all you can to remain on the mountain top of God's presence! The extent of your vision is the limit of your possession. You cannot possess what you cannot see. Anything the eye of your spirit-man can envision, God will deliver into your hands.
In Exodus 2:2, Jochebed saw something in Moses that other people could not see. While other Hebrew women were seeing their new born baby-boys as dead, Jochebed saw her baby boy as alive, contrary to the king's verdict. She simply made an exception for her baby. She said, 'All other Hebrew male children may die but my baby boy will live', and it was so. Today, because of the economic down turn, many people are seeing death in their businesses. But the 'overcomers' see life. In the face of an epidemic, what are you seeing: life or death? You can only get what you see. Like Jochebed, make yourself an exception, and it will be so. No matter how dire a situation is, there is always a positive side to focus on. As you do so, good outcomes will be your portion.
THE FATHER’S BLESSING: “I pray for you as you read this message today, the Lord will open your spiritual eyes to see beyond your present predicament, there is light behind the tunnel, that the present weeping may last till the night, but there is joy in the morning. Very soo, your joy shall be full in the mighty name of Jesus.” (Amen)
KEY POINT FOR TODAY
Always lift up your eyes unto the hills
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
I LOVE AND CHERISH THE NARROW OLD PATHS!
THE OLD PATHS
I liked the old paths, when Moms were at home.
Dads were at work.
Brothers went into the army.
And sisters got married BEFORE having children!
Crime did not pay;
Hard work did;
And people knew the difference.
Moms could cook;
Dads would work;
Children would behave.
Husbands were loving;
Wives were supportive;
And children were polite.
Women wore the jewellery;
And Men wore the pants.
Women looked like ladies;
Men looked like gentlemen;
And children looked decent.
People loved the truth,
And hated a lie;
They came to church to get IN, Not to get OUT!
Hymns sounded Godly;
Sermons sounded helpful;
Rejoicing sounded normal;
And crying sounded sincere.
Cursing was wicked;
Drugs were for illness;
And divorce was unthinkable.
The flag was honoured;
West Africa was beautiful;
And God was welcome!
We read the Bible in public;
Prayed in school;
And preached from house to house
To be called an African was worth dying for;
To be called a Christian was worth living for;
To be called a traitor was a shame!
Preachers preached because they had a message;
And Christians rejoiced because they had the VICTORY!
Preachers preached from the Bible;
Singers sang from the heart;
And sinners turned to the Lord to be SAVED!
A new birth meant a new life;
Salvation meant a changed life;
Following Christ led to eternal life.
Being a preacher meant you proclaimed the word of God;
Being a deacon meant you would serve the Lord;
Being a Christian meant you would live for Jesus;
And being a sinner meant someone was praying for you!
Laws were based on the Bible;
Homes read the Bible;
And churches taught the Bible.
God was worshiped;
Christ was exalted;
And the Holy Spirit was respected..
Church was where you found Christians on the Lord's day, rather than in the garden, on the creek bank, on the golf course, Or being entertained somewhere else.
I still like the old paths the best!
"I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." (John 9: 4)
"The Old Paths" was written by a retired minister who lives In Tennessee
THE WAGES HAD NOT DEPRECIATED AND THERE IS STILL ONLY ONE WAY TO HEAVEN AND THE PATH TO HEAVEN IS STILL NARROW NOT WIDE
GIVE ME THE OLD TIME RELIGION
GIVE ME THE OLD TIME RELIGION
IT IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME
IT WAS GOOD FOR PAUL AND SILAS
IT WAS GOOD FOR MARY AND MARTHA
IT WE TAKE US ALL TO HEAVEN
IT IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME
GOD BLESS YOU ENJOY THE MID-WEEK
EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US
I liked the old paths, when Moms were at home.
Dads were at work.
Brothers went into the army.
And sisters got married BEFORE having children!
Crime did not pay;
Hard work did;
And people knew the difference.
Moms could cook;
Dads would work;
Children would behave.
Husbands were loving;
Wives were supportive;
And children were polite.
Women wore the jewellery;
And Men wore the pants.
Women looked like ladies;
Men looked like gentlemen;
And children looked decent.
People loved the truth,
And hated a lie;
They came to church to get IN, Not to get OUT!
Hymns sounded Godly;
Sermons sounded helpful;
Rejoicing sounded normal;
And crying sounded sincere.
Cursing was wicked;
Drugs were for illness;
And divorce was unthinkable.
The flag was honoured;
West Africa was beautiful;
And God was welcome!
We read the Bible in public;
Prayed in school;
And preached from house to house
To be called an African was worth dying for;
To be called a Christian was worth living for;
To be called a traitor was a shame!
Preachers preached because they had a message;
And Christians rejoiced because they had the VICTORY!
Preachers preached from the Bible;
Singers sang from the heart;
And sinners turned to the Lord to be SAVED!
A new birth meant a new life;
Salvation meant a changed life;
Following Christ led to eternal life.
Being a preacher meant you proclaimed the word of God;
Being a deacon meant you would serve the Lord;
Being a Christian meant you would live for Jesus;
And being a sinner meant someone was praying for you!
Laws were based on the Bible;
Homes read the Bible;
And churches taught the Bible.
God was worshiped;
Christ was exalted;
And the Holy Spirit was respected..
Church was where you found Christians on the Lord's day, rather than in the garden, on the creek bank, on the golf course, Or being entertained somewhere else.
I still like the old paths the best!
"I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." (John 9: 4)
"The Old Paths" was written by a retired minister who lives In Tennessee
THE WAGES HAD NOT DEPRECIATED AND THERE IS STILL ONLY ONE WAY TO HEAVEN AND THE PATH TO HEAVEN IS STILL NARROW NOT WIDE
GIVE ME THE OLD TIME RELIGION
GIVE ME THE OLD TIME RELIGION
IT IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME
IT WAS GOOD FOR PAUL AND SILAS
IT WAS GOOD FOR MARY AND MARTHA
IT WE TAKE US ALL TO HEAVEN
IT IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME
GOD BLESS YOU ENJOY THE MID-WEEK
EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US
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