THE BATTLE GROUND

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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 6:10-12

We are to be strong in the Lord, not in ourselves or our cultures and traditions, nor in carnality, but in the Lord. 

We do not wrestle against flesh and blood. Every time you think otherwise, you are already been distracted and in captivity by the enemy.

For as long as you are targeting the wrong person or your focus is somewhere else and on someone as your enemy, other than the real enemy, the devil has gotten you.

A lot of times, when we think someone is our enemy and have finished "killing" him, the devil will look for any available person to take up his place. This attitude and heart is one thing that has divided our nation, NIGERIA. The hatred and rivalry among tribes have destroyed not only our nation but her citizens as well.

The hatred and rivalry between tribes is demonic. The thought of division in Nigeria is the thought of a defeated and weak mind. A weak mind keeps looking for means of dodging issues, or an escape route. The north is not our problem; a location cannot be our problem. Your utterance is actually the problem. You cannot call a confederacy what they call a confederacy and think you are different. In Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek. Two cannot walk together unless they are in agreement. You cannot be in disagreement with God and expect to be used of Him.

The authenticity of God’s word cannot be nullified because of our experiences. However, we should judge our experiences with the word of God. The devil can manifest through flesh and blood, but flesh and blood is not the issue. When we know this, it will help us in discerning who and where the real enemy is. Our responsibility as believers is to rescue and to save, it is God who has the sole right to decide who lives and who dies.

NOTE: Life is an arena of warfare. The physical is subject to the spiritual

Our warfare is not in the physical but has physical manifestations 

Principalities and powers are spirits that can manifest through any available flesh and blood.

“…For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 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, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled”. 2 Cor. 10:1-6. 

We cannot come into the plans of God as long as our thoughts do not align with God’s thoughts. We are either free or captives in the thought realm.

The Apostles were not taken unawares. The fact that some were killed was because they were ready and willing to lay down their lives.  In fact, a prophecy came about Paul and how he would die if He went to Jerusalem but that didn’t stop him, he had an assignment and his mind was made up to finish it and not allow the thought of death deter him.

 

Life is an arena of warfare, everything that manifests in the physical has already transpired in the spiritual. This war is not fought in the physical. Every time a love-being drops down to the terrain of hatred, you start losing.

What should we do in dangerous circumstances? 

Since we are not wrestling against flesh and blood, the war cannot be with physical weapons. It would be utterly impossible for us or for anyone to win a battle that is not fought in the terrain meant for that battle. If our warfare is not in the physical, then our defensive mechanism cannot be physical. God is the Man of War; He has never lost any battle.

The best defense mechanism is a personal, functional working relationship with the Holy Ghost.

What/where are these strongholds?

The strongholds are not just somewhere but inside- it is the state of the mind, be they imaginations, thoughts, they are all inside.

Strongholds - that which holds you strong in the mind.

- The battle GROUND is in our mind, that's the terrain for the battle. 

- The battle is fought, lost and won in the realm of our thoughts. Spirits enter men and take hold of them through thoughts. It is the inside that determines the outside. All our struggles stem from the thoughts that go on in our minds. Through that thought pattern, you sieve everything you hear, including the word of God. For as long as you are thinking like an Ibo/a Yoruba/an Edo man etc, whatever is the limitation on these cultures become yours also. God brought the Israelites out from Egypt, out of slavery yet, they didn’t allow slavery to go out from them.

- Every time you do not reckon with who you are in Christ, you cannot walk in and enjoy the benefits and privileges of redemption. 

Prosperity is a state of the mind. You may be in church, a believer, but still, think and live like an unbeliever. We cannot escape being limited and defeated when God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, nor His ways our ways. Isaiah 55:8-9.

We limit God in our lives because of our thought pattern. Our thought pattern has not only become an individual problem but a national problem as well. However, when we begin to think like God, when we open up to God and allow His power to go to work in and through us, then we are coming up to His level and our thought pattern is being upgraded.

To be continued…

PERFECTING OUR WALK

“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God, walk before me and be thou perfect.”  

What I see God tell our father Abraham here is, ‘your walk with me needs to be perfected and upgraded. There is something vital missing in your walk with Me that must be added to make it complete, whole and better’. Abraham, at this time, was already a believer and it was God who made the declaration but there was an added step that was missing.

“And he believed in the LORD and it counted to him for righteousness.” Gen.15:16

 “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Rom.10:10. However, when you remember the eternal law of salvation and what it takes to enjoy its package, you will know that Abraham was just in step 1 of the steps. He had believed but was not yet confessing. He was still bearing the name Abram. God had to change his name to Abraham (father of many nations) and Sarai to Sarah to get them to confess and declare as a lifestyle what he believed. It is interesting to note that it was on this premise that further instructions came to him and in the same year, his wife took in and delivered.

1.      If he had not perfected his walk with God he would never have seen the fulfillment of the word of God in his life

2.      It was not Abraham that waited on God for twenty-five years but the other way round. If he searched out these combinations (heart & mouth) at first, it could have happened then. How long it took was how long it took Abraham to press completely into the mind of God in the place of fellowship.

“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.” Gal. 3:29

“Look unto Abraham your father and Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him and increased him.” Is.51:2

God has set the life of Abraham as an example to speak to us. And the question you and I should be asking now is “how and in what area does my faith or walk with God needs to be perfected, upgraded and improved upon for me to come into the fullness of all that God has for me”? My humble and honest discovery is that failure to address this issue puts a barricade to the move of God in your life.

“Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith.” 1Thess. 3:10

WHAT IS LACKING? For Abraham, it was confession.

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to your virtue knowledge, And to knowledge temperance, And to temperance patience, And to patience godliness, And to godliness brotherly kindness, And to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see far, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” 2 Peter 1:5-10

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO ADD?

I strongly believe this call is not just personal but also corporate (local assemblies, corporate bodies etc.)

May God help us at our different levels and platforms to respond to what it is as revealed by God’s searchlight in Jesus name.

For example, as a local church, assembly of believers (LOVE FAMILY ASSEMBLY), God specifically told us to upgrade and perfect our LOVE WALK. Of course, when such a word comes to a house or a people, it means every individual member of that house/church/assembly must address it in their lives. In other words, a word to an individual is only binding on that individual but a word to the house, assembly, church is binding on every member.

Let’s receive grace to upgrade and perfect our LOVE WALK as a people in Jesus’ name. And I pray for the prophets to arise in strength and power with utterance to declare the word for the body in the nations, localities as the pastors do same for the assemblies, and grace for the people at the various levels to respond accordingly in Jesus’ name.

 

PURSUE THESE THINGS

Matt. 6:1-34 

The Father comes first, His interest and reign come first. This is very important because as the times are changing, there's the tendency to change and put yourself first.

Times and seasons do not alter the order of God. These times make it easy to change but God does not change. His interest must come first. As long as we put ourselves first, we remain in want. Jesus gave the disciples a template they were to follow (Matt 6: 9-13). Our daily bread is available where His will is done. Every time there is pressure to alter the order of God and you are able to pull through, and insist on God's standard, you have by that stand raised a block in your life, and crossed to a new level. 

The level of injustice in these times makes one easily offended and unforgiving, but we must learn to forgive and grow in it. This is one reason marriages are breaking up and can’t be sustained, even organisations etc.

Statements such as “secure your future” are simply avenues to make you rely on physical things. Our confidence must never be on physical things, having confidence in physical things doesn’t secure your future. Your confidence must remain in God. When God wants to test what your confidence is in, He would touch what seems dear to you, place a demand on you and check your heart. 

No man can serve two masters.  Generally, there are two sets of people; those whom God is ruling over and the other whom mammon has control over.

In these times, the level of desperation and hardship will increase, and if you are not careful, you will join the bandwagon of desperadoes, thus, it becomes the survival of the fittest.

John 4:24 makes it clear that God is a Spirit and mammon is a spirit. 

Who dictates or governs your countenance, choices, decisions, actions etc, is your master. Nobody masters anything when the gain is what they are focused on. There is only one spirit that can threaten the place of God in a man’s life and that is Mammon.

Interestingly, you are the one who will make the decision about whether God or mammon will be your master. There can only be a divine supply in God’s will.

Whoever is leading you is the one that will keep you. You can’t serve two masters. You can’t claim to be serving God, yet mammon is your lord. With the difficulty of the times, more and more people will serve/run after money (mammon) and this will rule and ruin as many as give themselves to it.

Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. When money is what determines your future, choices, security, your choice of relationship, it has become your master and it will ruin you.

When God is your master, it shows in your values and choices. The church is the body of Christ. Know God, grow in God and spread the good news of the gospel.

The Church is under serious attacks in these last days. Don’t carry an assignment God did not give to you. As Christians, we are meant to grow in Christ and leave whatever news going on in the body of Christ to the builder and founder of the Church. You have no right to speak against the Church, the body of Christ. When you do that, you are liable to become a victim of what you are speaking against. When there are things you see going wrong in the Church, it should push you to pray and not speak against the Church. Whenever you see a fault, make sure you are not contributing to it but rather make sure you are walking in the right path.

Beware of the words that proceed out of your mouth, because God is watching and by Him, actions are weighed. Don’t speak against the government or against constituted authority, etc.

In recent times, due to some government initiatives, there are a number of monetary offers, in the form of loans, which some have collected. You have no right to speak against the government if you are benefiting from it.

Don’t borrow money if you are not willing to pay back. Don’t borrow money for pleasure, grow in God and believe Him to have the kind of money you need. 

When God is your Master, money becomes your servant. It is sad that we have put money and gain before our eyes. When you find God, everything He has become yours. We are to seek first, the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and other things shall be added unto us. 

Don’t become desperate or fretful over what you will eat, drink, or shelter but be content with where you are whilst believing God to take you to the next level.

Until God approves the motives, He doesn’t reckon with the result.

- To seek means to be in a desperate search. Anytime we see the word seek, it gives the impression of a ‘desperado’. When you find God, all that He has and is becomes yours. Deliberately, generously and cheerfully give to the gospel. Love is the greatest motivator. Where there is love, many other factors do not count. We are not applying the values of the kingdom in our everyday life because we are afraid of missing out.

Whatever you are seeking for should be God-sought. Don’t seek things but God’s ways,

(His righteousness) His acts and His way of doing things. A true seeker of the kingdom of God must be totally committed to God’s way of doing things, whether in ministry, business or in the home.

- “Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met”. (Matthew 6:33 MSG)

Solomon out of love for God gave in abundance and God gave him all the things any man would desire that he did not ask for. 

- God is a God of process; He’s a God of principles. He doesn’t bypass His process and principles. You do not determine the process you will go through. 

- We must not be people governed by our emotions but ruled by the principles of God. Pursue God, not money. Your expected end or outcome will determine the path/process you will go through. Do not abort the processes of God in your life. (See John 8:31, Ephesians 2:10, Acts 2:42).

It is at the point of ownership there is transfer. You own it when you truly believe and abide in the word, the doctrine of scripture. When a word from God comes to you in whatever state it hits you, believe it first and act on it and the grace to deal with your peculiar state will be revealed to you. Make God your goal and dream.

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses”.  (1Timothy 6: 10-12 ) NKJV

In other words, never compromise these things for gain/money, status etc. 

We must commit to learning the principles of God and being ruled by it. Conviction should govern you not results and whatever your hands find to do, do it well and righteously.

LET THE WORD GROW MIGHTILY

Luke 12:54-56

“Then He also said to the multitudes, whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, a shower is coming, and so it is. And when you see the south wind blow, you say, there will be hot weather, and there is. Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?”

The truth is that, you cannot know what you are not interested in.  You will always interpret issues in the light of what you are passionate about. So it is with the word of God. If you are not interested in knowing the mind of God on any matter, you will not know it. Jesus called them hypocrites because if truly they were following God, they would have been able to interpret the times by the unfolding events going on and by the signs, they could see around them. When the events in the world are playing out, we need to get out of the flesh and interpret the times correctly. 

No empire, kingdom, industry, organization... is forever. When world kingdoms, football stars, basketball stars, political parties etc, are failing, it should point you to the fact that nothing is permanent/constant- Jesus is the only constant. His kingdom is the only Kingdom that is constant and will reign forever because Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Of the increase of His government and peace, there shall be no end. Thus, as you see the events happening, interpret correctly and take your stand in God. If you do not want to fade away or become irrelevant, stay with God. Jesus’ name is the only name above all that will not change and cannot change, for the name of Jesus is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are saved. At the mention of the name of Jesus, every knee must bow and tongues will confess that Jesus is Lord. Kings come and go but the King of kings’ remains forever. May your trust not be in what is passing away. May we not stand on a sinking foundation. All other ground is sinking sand. The only sure foundation is Jesus.

You must learn to move with the cloud of glory because if whatever you are holding onto is not God, when it fades away, you will fade away with it. 

Acts 19: 1-20

“And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? So they said to him, we have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit… When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all. And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks…Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them… So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed”.

Your first and primary concern is to be sure that all those within your scope of influence and as many as come your way, are born again and filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. At the time of the Apostles, asking anyone they came across whether they were born again and filled with the Holy Ghost was a constant and normal question. They were not diplomatic about this question.

There are things we must not outgrow because when growth comes and tampers with certain values that brought the growth in the first place, then something has gone wrong or is becoming faulty. There are questions you must not outgrow asking. Asking if someone is born again and filled with the Holy Ghost is one of such questions.

Still, we must not stop at simply getting men born again; the true goal is to make them disciples. A true disciple should be out making disciples. Thus, if you are not making disciples, you are not a true disciple. Let's not practice intellectual Christianity or be more concerned with people just attending church activities.  We are to make disciples!

 When you get filled with the Holy Spirit, you will speak in tongues. It is the first and initial evidence of been filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the sign that makes the New Testament believer stand out. 

Apostle Paul never built his ministry on the experiences that followed his ministrations but on the revelations of Christ. He did not build a doctrine out of what took place in Asia or anywhere the power of God was made manifest, but on the revelation of Jesus.  Build your life based on God's word, not experiences. 

The sons of Sceva went after the power and experiences and not after the life they should be building with God. Whatever is not a product of the word of God will not stand the test of time. 

Generally,  people want to see the power of God but are not willing to seek God.

The fact that the word of God grew mightily and prevailed was not accidental! The word of God cannot grow mightily and prevail in a heart not trusting in the Lord,  not sold out to God,  nor seeking the Lord. As they kept coming daily and were studying the word, the word of God kept growing and terrible things in righteousness became the order of the day.

Make your heart a fertile ground and deliberately grow the word. Whatever has value, must be deliberately planted, nurtured and groomed. 

If the word of God will grow mightily and prevail, we must deliberately grow it, give it attention. When we are full of the word, our lives will express it. We must become WORD ADDICTS. Jesus left us here on the earth to reorder it, to turn it around for God and His kingdom. We must saturate our world with the word of God.

If we want to find life, we must give attention to God’s word. Prov. 4:20-22, Joshua 1:8. You give attention by reading, studying, confessing, meditating, sharing the word, talking about it, living it and praying it.

When we are filled with the word, we will interpret life in the light of the word and the word will grow mightily and prevail in our lives.

THE SOURCE OF GENUINE SUCCESS IS THE WORD!

READ, THINK, STUDY, LIVE AND SHARE THE WORD!

UPHOLDING GOD'S STANDARD

“Then He also said to the multitudes, whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, a shower is coming, and so it is. And when you see the south wind blow, you say, 'There will be hot weather', and there is. Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time”? Luke 12:54

Meteorologists and even we can take a look at the sky and tell when it’s going to rain, and automatically, this can alter one’s plans. Jesus was amazed that we can read the physical times and are able to tell what’s going to happen, but spiritually, we cannot discern the times.

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart”. Luke 18:1-8.

If we will not faint in these times, we must pray. Praying is expedient.  Prayer does not have a substitute. Praying is an act of your faith in God. Jesus also said, if we don’t want to fall into temptation, we must pray. No one can outgrow been tempted, but you can outgrow falling into temptation. The higher you go, the more you will be tempted. In order not to fall into temptation, you must watch and pray. Praying should be our lifestyle.  Your response will always be different concerning things you are praying about. If you keep making excuses for why you do not pray, you will remain in that state.

The judge in this passage complained that the widowed woman will wear him out if he didn’t quickly grant her request even though he did not fear God nor regard man.  The enemy’s plan is to wear us out, to bring us to the point where we doubt God’s word. Now, if the woman did not give up on an unjust judge, we have no excuse to give up on a JUST GOD. MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY.

"I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" 

This was Jesus’ question-will He find faith when He returns? Will He find men who are totally sold out to Him, who have not redefined His word, principles and standards? We are not forsaken people, we are not helpless. If there are people that will pray, God will answer. For Jesus to ask such a question shows that before He comes, faith will be scarce. Put in another way, He is simply asking if He will still find men in the faith. Every one of us ought to live by faith because whatever is not of faith is sin. Faith is simply obedience to God’s word. Speaking by faith is not telling a lie but you are simply saying what God’s word says. Faith is rising up to take responsibility and God honours it. Faith is not living in self-denial. Anybody walking by faith is a responsible person. God will not do what you ought to do. Jesus is looking out for faith. We have to understand that in the coming days, our faith will be attacked. When you are not praying, when you do not see God as your all in all, your faith will shift.

“…the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you…And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass… For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake…And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another…And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will wax cold…” Matthew 24:3-22.

We see in verse 3, the disciples asked a threefold question;

1.       Tell us, when will these things be?

2.       And what will be the sign of Your coming,

3.       and of the end of the age?

The you in that passage is not referring to an individual alone but to the body of Christ. You cannot relax in these times because all is well with you. Whatever affects your brother, affects you. Thus, because of these happenings, the love of many shall begin to wax cold. We are in the times where the events taking place can turn one into a self-centred person, the times can make you think differently, and unconsciously, other things will start taking the place of God. The unfolding events can begin to turn one into a wicked person, these times can harden one’s heart, and we can also start questioning our faith in God. Faith is a ONE WAY TICKET.

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth…” 1 Timothy 4:1-11.

The doctrines of demons will not teach you about demons but will simply distort your views and shift your attention from Christ. This plays out when you have alternatives to prayer, taking your attention away from the truth etc. These times try to distort God’s standard for marriage and food. There are all kinds of doctrines creeping in now that gives room for divorce and all sorts concerning marriage. When it comes to food, moderation is key. The gospel of dieting and healthy eating is spreading fast. It appears we seem to have more dieticians on the pulpit these days. It is so easy to think that you are in good health because you are eating certain types of food. You are not alive because you are eating healthy. It is God that sustains you. If you are not careful, your faith will shift from God to things.

Men and women ought to give themselves to some form of bodily exercise, and exercises are deliberately done. It has some profit especially as one is getting older, however, if you are not careful, as you are doing these exercises religiously, your faith will shift from God to these exercises. If men will give themselves to God as they do to these physical activities, their lives will be so much better and the benefits are in the now and hereafter. It is the God factor that makes the difference in the life of any man. YOUR CONFIDENCE MUST NEVER SHIFT FROM GOD. Any time, it seems as if your confidence is shifting from God to something else, pause and repent and begin to acknowledge God first as your SOURCE. The principles we religiously follow with regards to our diet and exercises, we must bring to bear on our spiritual life. What is your daily routine concerning reading, studying your bible, praying, worship etc?

“…Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints…” Jude 1:1-20. 

Jude was enjoining believers to contend for the faith: to fight to keep the faith. He would not have told them so if the standard of faith had not dropped. As believers, we have to fight to uphold the standard. 

The fact that something is generally accepted does not make it right. The present happenings have come to compete with the kingdom culture. This is the real fight, to keep the faith. The standard of the kingdom has not changed.

“Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set”. Prov. 22: 28

There is no modern Christianity or modern Jesus. The principles of God’s word remain the same. Holiness cannot be redefined; faith does not have a new definition. Make up your mind to fight to uphold the Faith. Stick to God’s standards. The fact that it doesn’t seem popular does not mean it is not true. Things may change, but we must remain guided by the principles of God’s word. “Thus says the LORD: Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit”. Jude 1:20

You can’t pray in the Holy Ghost amiss. When you consistently pray in the Holy Ghost, you will be strengthened and stay alert and awake. You will receive prayer points from the Spirit.

You don’t compromise what is sustaining your life. When you win the internal fight, the external fight is a walkover.

There’s a fight, there’s a war and the real fight is the fight to keep the faith, it is a fight not to lower the standard of Faith.

 God is able to keep us as we stay with Him.

COMMUNICATING THE GOSPEL 2

“Then Elisha said, Hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the LORD: 'Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria. So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, "Look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?" And he said, "In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it…” 2 Kings 7: 1-20

Note: The fact that you doubt God’s word does not mean it won’t come to pass, it simply means it won’t come to pass in your life. Your experience is a product of what you choose to believe.

When the prophet gave the word about an unimaginable thing that would happen in Samaria, it seemed farfetched that it would take place. When times like these show up, it is only the prophetic word that can bail anyone/people/nation out.  In this case, it was lepers that God used as instruments to bring about the fulfillment of that prophecy. 

“Then they said to one another, we are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. If we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us. Now, therefore, come, let us go and tell the king's household” 2nd Kings 7:9.

"And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king..." verse 18. If God could use lepers, He can use you also, so stop putting limits on yourself and never look down on yourself. 

The lepers knew they owed others this news and they knew it may become a punishable offence if they kept the good news to themselves. Don’t keep what you can and should share with others to yourself. “The liberal soul shall be made fat”. Prov. 11:25. Ordinarily, lepers could not come into the midst of the people, but the lepers had access to where they never had access hitherto because they had good news to share. 

If the lepers were not quiet, we have no reason to be quiet and not share the good news with others. The lepers carried the burden of the nation; the encounter was too much for them to keep to themselves. There is a mandate over our lives to rescue people and generations, to carry the good news to everyone and places we have access to.

Many times, we have inadvertently put limits to why we cannot preach the gospel because we have become so self-centred that we do not look at others nor consider others. A lot of times, we have what can take us, yet we still hinge on ourselves, we use our faith for self alone. We still so need conscious, self-centred, self-seeking. But we have to come to the understanding that human needs can never be satisfied, they are insatiable.

Hezekiah had an opportunity to share the goodness and faithfulness of God when envoys came from Babylon to see him upon his recovery but he showed them his treasuries and everything he had in his kingdom. See 2 Kings 20. Every time, people have access to you, it is an opportunity to share the gospel, to reveal Christ. We are to spread the fragrance of the gospel all round.  2 Cor. 2:15. Apostle Paul declared, “…woe is me if I preach not the gospel” -1 Cor. 9:16.  We were left here on earth to share the gospel of Christ.  In Luke 10:17-20, the disciples were joyous at the works, signs and wonders they were able to do but Jesus pointed them instead to the fact that their joy should be in their salvation: that their names are written down in heaven. 

Let’s not forget that our greatest testimony is that we are saved and that heaven rejoices even when one soul is saved.

The gateway to the kingdom of God is Jesus. You must not hold back the preaching of the gospel/good news. The lepers did not hold back the amount of spoil that they came across to themselves alone; they made up their mind to take the news to the king’s palace. The goal of the lepers was not for themselves alone. 

With our mouths, let us tell others of the Lord's faithfulness. 

“I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations”. Psalm 89:1.

 
As long as you are in Christ, you have a testimony, the testimony of a saved life. The lepers simply fulfilled the scripture that says not to withhold more than you need. *If you are waiting for a perfect state to share with others, you will never have the opportunity*. The lepers acted in a haste to share with others their findings, we also need to have this mindset whenever anyone, comes within the scope of our influence.

When we are silent about Jesus, it means He’s not real to us.
“Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, What do you seek? They said to Him, Rabbi (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), where are You staying? He said to them, Come and see. They came and saw where He was staying and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, We have found the Messiah (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas (which is translated, A Stone)…” John 1:35 - 42

Looking at these verses, you will notice that as each person found Jesus, they went and called others to come and see Him. The question is who has found Jesus because of you? If you have seen Jesus clearly, your heart will be burning to share Him with others because your heart will burn for Him and your mouth will speak of Him. If you are not calling anyone, it means you have not found Him.

"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." Luke 4:18-19

The same anointing that was upon Jesus to carry out His mandate is upon us also. You may not have a special feeling, but, it is there, it is upon you, just do it. You are anointed to preach the GOSPEL. When you begin to function as you ought, you will walk in authority and have access. Rise up and take your place, do not let anyone take your place.

COMMUNICATING THE GOSPEL

Texts: Jeremiah 9:23-24, 1Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 10:5-11

If we are not proud of what we have there is a problem. Our GREATEST testimony is that we are saved. Every other thing is secondary. Our salvation is our real testimony. 

"Thus says the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might,  Nor let the rich man glory in his riches: But let him who glories, glory in this, That he understands and knows Me..." Jeremiah 9: 23 -24

As long as this testimony is not tampered with, we have not lost anything. For the kingdom of God is not in things, meat and drink but in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. *As long as the joy of your salvation is not tampered with, sharing the gospel will not be a problem*. The Gospel is not a complex thing. The most important questions and issues have simple answers. It's satan that tries to make it complex. And that is why often we think we need to say something big before people can believe but the gospel is not complex.

IF WE ARE GOING TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH GOD THEN  WE MUST ALSO DELIGHT IN WHAT HE DELIGHTS IN.

There's rejoicing in heaven when a sinner repents. What gives God joy is that men become His TYPE. So there is rejoicing in heaven when one becomes His type. God rejoices when one soul is saved. If we don’t know what to say about our salvation, then we do not really BELIEVE. If you do not know what to say, then it means you do not really know what you believe. What you are saying,  is a product of what you believe. 

The first Adam failed the identity test,  but the last Adam (Jesus) passed this same test. The devil simply came to test their knowledge of what they believed. 

The gospel we believe is that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that, he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.1st Corinthians 15: 3-4

WHAT YOU SAY IS A PROOF OF WHAT YOU BELIEVE

The devil and men fought Jesus for calling Himself the Son of God but Jesus would not call Himself otherwise, because indeed He is the son of God. This was the real contention. It is our identity that distinguishes us all round. If we fail the battle of identity then we have lost every other battle.  

At Jesus' baptism, (Luke 3:21-22 )the Father declared, "thou art my beloved Son..." Jesus heard what the father called Him, He stood by it, and lived by it. 

Who do you believe, and what do you believe? What did you receive and what are you standing on?  We must hold fast to the word through which we were saved. Becoming like Christ is not the end. Our being saved makes us saviours It is our responsibility to reach out to others with the gospel, so they are saved and become like Christ.  

What we BELIEVE  (that Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day and He is coming back again ) is what we owe our generation. We are not condemned, we have been redeemed. This is the basis upon which we profess our faith. 

Jesus was crucified for declaring He was the Son of God.  Today, the contention is that we believe He resurrected. Every time we identify with this truth, the power of resurrection goes to work on our behalf. We will not be caged, cowered over but we will keep triumphing over evil. 

THE STRENGTH OF THE EARLY CHURCH WAS THAT THEY KEPT ON EMPHASIZING THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS, and the resurrection power was evident in their lives. 

In summary, we can say that what we believe of our salvation is that Jesus died for our sins, was buried and that God raised Jesus from the dead. And whosoever believes in Him and accepts this provision for salvation will be saved. (Believe in your heart confess with your mouth. Romans 10: 9-10)

This is the simple gospel we should communicate to others and leave the rest to the Holy Ghost. This POWER is also available to everyone who believes.