REVIVAL OR REFILLING

Understanding of any matter is what ensures an establishment in that area. 

There are certain things we are permitted to be children in, but in the matter of understanding we must be men.

“Brethren be not children in understanding; howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.” 1 Corinthians 14:20.

Understanding is the ability to grasp the meaning of something and know how it works. It is the link between wisdom and knowledge. Without proper understanding, wisdom and knowledge cannot be maximized.

It was the understanding of times and seasons that set the sons of Issachar apart. (1 Chronicles 12:22)

Understanding the will of God is what will enable us truly redeem the time in these evil days. (Eph.5:14-17)

We have gotten to a point where we must walk in full understanding of God’s agenda and desire for the church.

Present happenings in the nations has to an extent woken the church from her lukewarm state. Local assemblies and people are now waking up to fast and pray to the Lord to intervene in the chaos and insecurity in our nation. The truth is that, presently the church needs a revival, but we must also understand another great truth – REVIVAL WAS NOT IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN OF GOD FOR HIS CHURCH.

The early church never had a need for revival, there is no record of a time where the church gathered to pray for revival. They never had a “WE NEED REVIVAL MENTALITY”, and till we come to this depth of understanding, we cannot hold forth till the end.

Interestingly, the word revival is not used in the whole of the New Testament. Revival is from the word revive and it means;

·         Make to live again or have a new life

·         Be brought back to life consciousness or strength

• Restore from a depressed, inactive or unused state.

Looking at these definitions, the early church and the church founded by Jesus was never in a dead, inactive or depressed state, nor was it ever meant to come to such a state, where it loses interest in God.

Now, the nation of Israel in the Old Testament or we can say the church in the Old Testament, constantly had to pray for a revival, because they were always falling away and serving other gods. They kept on going in circles, sin (turn away from God - then repent (rise up again) – after a while go back to their dead state (sin and disobey God). But this is not the New Testament order.

“Come, and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn and he will heal us, he hath smitten and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will revive us up and we shall live in his sight.” Hosea 6:1-2

Yes, they needed a revival because they had turned from God. But after the revival, what happened? They still turned away again.

We need a revival right now, but we must not walk with that mentality. This mentality cannot raise a strong church that will usher in the second coming of our Lord.

In our churches, after a period of fasting and prayers, maybe for even 30 days, what happens next? Most people go back to their normal lifestyle and after a while, are waiting for another “revival meeting”. No! A period of intense prayers and fasting should bring us into a new order and level and the fire and lifestyle should be maintained.

God expects us to follow through with every dealing. Jesus came to give us life more abundantly. If we are walking in this abundant life, there will be no need for revival. If our focus is to increase and grow in that life there will be no death.

2 Corinthians 3:18 says “But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

If we focus on Him, it will be from glory to glory. Not from glory to shame, or from life to death then life again, no, not a circle of rising and falling. But from glory to glory. From glory to glory is a product of what we are beholding, what we are focused on. Revival only comes in, when death comes in, where there is a shift of focus.

Even in the old testament our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were on an ever increasing path after they entered into covenant. They never diminished.

Let’s see the early church more closely;

“And 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 Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8

In Acts 2, this word was fulfilled. After the outpouring of the Spirit, and they were filled with power, there was a progression and increase. Peter preached a sermon that got three thousand people saved, after this, about five thousand got saved and daily men were added to the church. In the midst of persecution in Acts 4 and onward, they did not relent but kept advancing. It was a progression. Until we arise with this progression and advancement mentality, we cannot do much. They kept asking for more of God.

“And now Lord, behold their threatening and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word By stretching forth thine hand to heal that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the word of God with boldness.” Acts 4:29-31

They had a refilling mentality. Instead of scattering, they came together to cry for more of God. From Jerusalem, the Apostles became men who made world impact. They progressed in the knowledge of God and the manifestation of the Spirit. There was never a time they said Lord, revive us again.

But the present church is behaving like the Israelites of old, up today, down tomorrow, go our own way today, return to God and then still fall away. We must change our mentality and pattern. We should walk with a REFILLING MENTALITY not a REVIVAL MENTALITY. This is applicable at all levels and in every sphere of life.

It is children that keep falling, that is why they are not given much responsibility. The church Jesus is coming for is not a baby church. It is a church that is matured and full-grown. Our pursuit and interest for God must be on the increase. We must completely embrace a refilling mentality.

As a child, inconsistencies are permitted, but one must not stay on the ground. There is even a tag that a growing responsible child will resist. God’s desire is that they will grow up and sin not. He does not talk of young men sinning and falling but of strength and knowledge of God. See 1 John 2:1, 12-14. Anything not steadily growing will ultimately fall. We must brace up and move up.

“That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive”. Eph.4:14

Having done all things to stand, we must stand therefore. For the world is waiting for us. “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.” Rom.8:19

STRONGHOLD OF FAITH IN GOD

Right now if one goes anywhere, it is a common thing for your temperature to be checked, either through the hands or the forehead. Gradually by the day, the whole system is being configured to accommodate the reign of the antichrist. If we are not in the spirit we will be taken unaware. This is not to make us scared but to prepare us. There will always be an explanation for these things but all of this is to prepare the ground. We cannot pray against them, but we must do what God says we should do. Let nobody fool us, the coming of Jesus is sooner than we expect.

“…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 Corinthians 10: 4-6,

If we are not warring against the flesh, then the weapons of our warfare cannot be carnal. The arguments, the high things are all THOUGHTS. Our OBEDIENCE is fulfilled at the point when ALL our THOUGHTS align with the THOUGHTS of God. 

We have said that a stronghold is a fortified area, an establish THOUGHT pattern, what holds you strong in the mind. 

There are different kinds of stronghold. Some people always see possibilities no matter the situation, while some others see impossibilities. A stronghold can be poverty, it can be cultural, it can be tribalism, it can be inferiority complex etc.

Spirits take hold of men through THOUGHTS. The thoughts we entertain per time determine what spirit influence we are under. We are the ones who will determine what influences us by what we THINK, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7) NKJV

THE OUTCOME OF YOUR LIFE IS DETERMINED BY THE STATE OF YOUR MIND. You cannot become what you are not thinking. 

 If we want life and peace we must be spiritually minded. Some people are carnally minded but they want life and peace. And the carnal mind is enmity against God. Romans 8:6-7

If we pull down the strongholds in our minds and are not replaced with something else, then we cannot win the battle.

IF THERE IS WHAT TO PULL DOWN THEN THERE IS WHAT TO BUILD.

As we deliberately build, all others will give way.

We are to BUILD A STRONGHOLD OF FAITH IN GOD. This does not happen by magic or accident. There must be a deliberate and consistent attitude to BUILD.

WHY MUST WE BUILD A STRONGHOLD OF FAITH IN GOD?

1) There's no hope outside of Jesus. Building a stronghold of faith in God is so important because satan is doing everything possible by the day to rubbish our faith in God. For us to be able to build a stronghold of faith in God, we must have an unreserved functional walk with the Holy Ghost. The sons of God are those who are led by the Spirit of God: and those who are sons of God are those who depend solely on God and walk in the consciousness of His leading through the Holy Ghost. (Romans 8:14).

The Holy Ghost is the God-head on earth right now, and if we don’t know Him, we don’t know God. The sons of God are those who are dead to self and will defy all odds to obey the leading of the Holy Ghost. 

Those that know their God will be strong and do exploits (Daniel 11:32). There's no plan or calculation now that can guarantee a future except you are led by the Spirit of God. His thoughts are not our thoughts, nor His ways our ways. But we must labour to ensure our thoughts and ways align with God's thoughts and ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

The most effective defence mechanism is to follow the way of the Spirit. When we allow the Holy Ghost to lead and guide us, whatever is not of Him will not have a place in us. If the Holy Ghost is the one that is in control, then He will be able to tell us what to do and what not to do per time. (Proverbs 3:5-7) But often, we divorce the Holy Ghost from the INSTRUCTION. 

MANY OF THE PROBLEMS WE FACE ARE ALL FRUITS OF OUR IGNORING AND ABANDONING THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE HOLY GHOST

2.) “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love”. (1Corintians 13:13) We need to build strong faith in God because in these times and with greater intensity, satan is coming to attack our Faith, Hope, and love. All of which are crucial to our walk with the Lord. Many things are calling for our attention, thereby making us more self-centred and tampering with our commitment to God. Jesus asked when I come shall I find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8) But we must ensure our faith in God is strong. 

3.) Hebrews 4:1-11. We must also know that the reason most of the Israelites who left Egypt did not enter the promise was because of unbelief. We must watch against unbelief because it limits God. They did not enter, because of unbelief, which is equivalent to disobedience. If you do not believe, you will not obey. But how can you believe what you are not fellowshipping with?

Every day we are confronted with options. Whatever you give attention to, is what you will experience. We need to labour to enter into rest, and there's no rest outside of God. The labour is in the word, in building a stronghold of faith in God. They didn’t believe because they didn’t give attention to the word, they did not fellowship with the word they heard enough to make them believe in it and act accordingly.

We are facing the same problem today as they also did because many do not have deliberate communion with the word. We come to Church but divorce our daily lives from the word. We do not go back and fellowship with the word. The word is our life. We must stop playing Church and wake up to the word. Have a strategy to go back and meditate on the word you have heard, pray about it, confess it and fellowship with the word.

WE HAVE AN ASSURANCE

“...The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble: and he knows those who trust in him”. Nahum 1:7. We have an assurance in God. When God is your stronghold there is no devil that can get to you. God is a man of war and has never lost any battle. Exodus 15:3. We cannot please God if we do not seek Him. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11; 6) When we have faith in God, we will not compromise His word for anything. Our daily steps and actions show who/what our faith is in.

THE Lord is a stronghold in time of trouble. Whoever believes in God will not be put to shame. (Romans 10:11)

We have examples of men who loved not their lives unto death, and they overcame by their stronghold of faith in God, men and women who went headlong with God no matter the circumstance in which they found themselves-Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Joseph Esther, David, etc. (Rev 12;11)

OUR ACTION PLAN

Romans 12:1-2 We must be deliberate in consistently and actively renewing our minds. We cannot come into all that God has for us if we do not renew our minds. Many of us have been in Church for long but we still THINK and ACT like unbelievers, like people from the village and from the street. We have to begin to replace those ugly THOUGHTS in our minds. We must be deliberate in constantly hearing God’s word, and constantly meditating on and confessing what the word says.

WE HAVE TO BECOME MORE DELIBERATE IN BUILDING OUR FAITH IN GOD IN THESE TIMES.

Let’s remember that the spirit influence we are under per time is as a result of the THOUGHTS that run through our minds and we accommodate. We must Think the Word, confess the word and act on the word to build a stronghold of FAITH in God. 

OUR RESOLVE

Romans 8: 19-35. Nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ. 

If you fear God, you will fear nothing else.

Let’s CHANT

Psalm 46:1-11

PRAYER

Pray in the Holy Ghost

THE BATTLEGROUND (The change process 3)

Hebrews 5:7-8 NKJV

“who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered”. 

 “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 12:54-56.

“Of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command” 1 Chron. 12:32. Taking a look at the boldened scriptures, we are presented with three questions;

Hebrews 5 says Jesus learnt OBEDIENCE by the things He suffered. Is it possible that we are learning to be complacent about God or passionate towards God? Nothing and no one can be imposed on you, whatever you learn is what you’ve decided to learn. Every day offers us two options- to learn or not to learn. The first question is, what are we learning? What are we learning from the things we are going through in this season? Are we learning to be more humble before God or rebel against God; are we learning to love more or hate? 

The second question is, hope we are not hypocrites able to discern the face of the sky and not discern the times? We are hypocrites when we want to continue to live as usual and do things in the way we are used to doing them. The wise ones go back and think about this type of question. It is no longer business as usual, so do not continue to behave and live as if it’s business as usual.

The third question is: Do we have an understanding of the times? Are we doing what we are supposed to be doing? Do we understand the times? What are we doing? What time is it? If you are wise, you will take heed to these questions, and make the needed adjustments. You will not make an effort to change if you do not see the need to change. We must have answers to these questions if we are going to be true participants in God’s program. 

“…if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land”. 2 Chron. 7:14. If there’s going to be change in the land, God’s people will have to change. Heaven is waiting to take orders from its representatives on the earth. It is what we permit on earth that will be permitted in heaven. We have to turn from our ways to God’s ways.

In order for this change to come through, there has to be a change on our inside that will spill over to the outside. This change affects everything about us; our body language, posture, and mindset. Our mind is where the real battlefield is. The disposition or state of the mind is a controlling factor when it comes to making changes. The benefit of salvation you will enjoy is tied to the extent to which your mind is renewed.

The key cry now is A CHANGE OF ATTITUDE. The attitude to life, authority, rebuke, correction and teachings are areas where we need to make changes. A change of attitude is the way to break off from the old order, to break off generational curses and limitations and enforce generational blessings. Also, you must see all of these changes in the light of the big picture-we need to make choices in the light of who we are in Christ. What it means to be a Christian is to be sure that our lives are completely subject to Christ, that the choices we make are in the light of the big picture- that is, about the purpose of God, visions of God, the heavenly vision, the coming of Jesus, the kingdom of God.

Attitude to Life

From the life of Adam, we learnt that;

1) We should never run from God but run to God. We should make God our stronghold. Run to God and stay with Him. There are many reasons people run from God, such as guilt, when one is living in sin and compromise etc but run to Him no matter what. To run to God is to stick to the principles of scriptures and the demands of the covenant

2) Take responsibility for your life, nation, day etc, stop looking for whom to blame.

3) You must die to self; say no to selfishness, say yes to Christ centred living. The gospel cannot advance through a people who are not dead to self. Those who will take the gospel to the ends of the earth are those who are Christ centred, not self-centred- Men and women who have died to self. Matthew 24:12-14 said because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Iniquity means lawlessness, illegality, violation of laws, violating scriptural laws- it is only those whose love will not wax cold that will preach the gospel to the ends of the earth. 

2 Tim.3:1-4 says “…men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”. The gospel will not advance when men love pleasure more than God. If self is not curtailed, it will ruin you. Adam fell because of self. The hindrance to the advancement of the gospel is not satan but self.

Attitude to Authority

Judges 17:6, records a time in Israel when there was no King and everyone did what they liked, this brought chaos in the land.  Right now, this seems to be the present state in our nation. Everyone wants to do what they like. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end is the way of death”. Prov.14:12. You must be in the right way, otherwise, you will fail. We need to have the right attitude to authority. Authority is responsibility. It is not about giving commands and then doing what you like. God does not take the glory for any result that goes contrary to scriptures.

“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets…” Matthew 7:12-14. Whatever you are demanding from others, (especially those in authority,) the President, your Pastor, spouse, children, etc be sure that you are doing the same at your own level. If you expect others to be accountable, you have to be living a life of accountability. 

The way to life is narrow and difficult only a few find it.

To be a benefactor of the authority that is there per time, you must find out what’s in the mind of God concerning that authority figure. Romans 13:1. See Daniel 2:20, 4:17, “There is no king that will be enthroned if God does not approve”. Every time God raises a king or a leader, we ought to ask Him, “God, what are you saying”? We are not getting answers because we are not asking Him the right questions. Whatever we are seeing and experiencing in our land, the church is responsible for it, we are the culprits. Jesus subjected Himself to His parents’ authority. Luke 2:51. You cannot command authority if you are not under authority. Life cannot exist without authority.

You can never have a problem with men if you have no problem with God. You can’t be led effectively by a man if you are not under the authority of God’s word. The gospel didn’t just call us to BELIEVE, it calls us to OBEY also. A man that cannot tremble at the voice of the Spirit cannot tremble at the voice of a human. If you cannot listen to the right voice, the wrong voices will control you. Authority structure is set up to help and guide us. We have to come to terms with whatever God has ordained. 

If our boast will be on knowing anything, let it be in the scriptures. 

We must put the scriptures above everything else. Without all the dimensions of the scriptures in our lives, we cannot be thoroughly equipped. To be thoroughly furnished, we have to embrace all the dimensions mentioned; instruction, reproof, correction, doctrine etc. 2 Tim. 3:14-17.

Prayer

LORD let these words be mixed with faith in my heart. I am a believer, I am not a doubter.

What you believe and experience is a choice. 1 Cor. 4:1-11.

We are His disciples indeed if we continue in the word. (John 8:30-32) As disciples, we are students and students are instructed, corrected and reproved. We are called disciples indeed if we live by the principles of the word and not just by attending church only. It is only the truth that can set men free and the process of knowing the truth is by following the Lord totally. He is the way, the truth and the life.

The Battle Ground (The change process 2)

The change process begins on the inside and not on the outside. The prayer that will be effective is the prayer of the humble, who has sought the Lord. You must seek Him if you will be effective in prayers. 

“The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's; But the earth He has given to the children of men”. Psalm 115:116.

The state of any land/place is determined by God’s people. Wherever darkness is seen or is being perpetuated, it means that the light bearer there is not shining the light. As covenant children of God, we must stop using Babylonian laws and tricks. We need to shine the light; 

-By confessing the word

-Living by the word 

-Preaching the gospel 

-And praying. 

The change we are craving for will not come till there's a change in our ATTITUDE. This is very important because the real battle is in the mind. Without a change in our attitude there won’t be real change. As long as the attitude is wrong, we will keep perpetuating the same thing in the same order over and over again; ultimately, there will be no lasting change.

What we are experiencing in Nigeria is a product of failed leadership, leaders who are totally cut off from the people. We have leaders who are not in tune with the needs of the people.

In the same way, let's stop demanding what we do not provide for. Do not demand a discipline you have not taught or exemplified. 

When what you want and who you are, are far apart, it cannot produce what you desire. 

Attitude to life 

 It doesn’t matter what happens, we have to make God our priority. We must stick to the principles of God’s word, rather than use our emotions, sentiments, traditions and cultures.

- Make faith in God your stronghold. Run to Him at all times. When you have faith in God, you won’t need to steal

- Take responsibility for your life, home, day, domain etc. As long as you are blaming somebody for your circumstances and actions, there will never be a change. Rise up and take responsibility. And if at any time, you can’t find an example, be the example

Attitude to Authority

What we are facing right now in this nation is a leadership crisis. The way to deal with it is not by going to the top. The leaders started from somewhere- (They came from homes. Train up a child in the way he should go and when he’s old, he will not depart from it. Prov.22:6.)

We have to deal with it at the root. At your present level, begin to do whatever you are demanding of leadership. If we are all doing what we ought to be doing at our various levels, we would have better homes, society and nation. Always interpret events in the light of scriptures and not based on your culture/tradition.

God always gives us the kind of leaders we need per time that fits our way of life. “And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding”. Dan. 2:21. 

David never spoke against king Saul at any time at all because he understood that it was God who put him there. As long as a leader has not been removed, you have no right to speak against him in the bid to oust him. When it comes to leadership, it is not about the personality or the person holding the office; it is about the OFFICE and POSITION of AUTHORITY. You need to have respect and regard for whoever is there.

The kind of persons or people God brings into our lives indicates what God wants to do in our lives. You cannot command authority if you are not under authority. If we all come under the authority of God’s word, we would see the change we are all craving and demanding for. 

When a man comes under the authority of God, it becomes easier for him to come under constituted authority. We all seem to know what is right but no one is taking responsibility. Maturity is doing what is right by God's standard without been supervised or forced. Life cannot exist without authority. And authority exists at every level and everywhere. It exists in the God-head, it exists among satan and his cohorts, it exists among nations, homes, families, etc. 

We must cultivate the attitude/culture of becoming comfortable with authority, because the authorities that exist are appointed by God. (Rom. 13:1). All those who resent constituted authority are being rebellious. If you resent authority, it is a calculated attempt by satan to stop you from coming into a position of authority. You cannot claim to believe God's word and yet you do not obey Him. For as long as we do not subject ourselves to God’s word, the devil is not bothered-Luke 6:47-49.

As believers, we are meant to pray for those in authority and not speak against them. In serving God, we must not violate authority. That will be rebellion. 

Prayer

- Lord, help me

- Lord, I am willing to be changed

The Battle Ground (The Change Process)

“The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's; But the earth He has given to the children of men”. Psalm 115:16

The order
The heaven-God is in charge
The earth-Man is in charge

We need to understand this so we can exercise our authority as we ought and be able to maximize it thoroughly.

“And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven”. Matt. 16:19

Two locations were mentioned in this passage-Heaven and earth. In the order of the activities/actions that will take place, the earth comes first. That is, will be heaven responds to what the earth has allowed, that is what heaven will sanction. 

The authority you will command and wield is tied to the revelation of God that you have and it comes through deliberate interactions with God (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) Whatever is happening on the earth is what we allow. Whatever we do not allow cannot take place nor happen. It is whatever we permit on earth that will take place.

Even God could not go against this principle of His because when it comes to the earth, it has to be a man who will get the job done. That is why He said He sought for a man. When it came to saving man, God had to come in the flesh as a man to save man.

“…if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land”. Chron.7:12-14

God will only partner with those who are in Christ and it is on this premise God will intervene in the affairs of the earth, through His people who are called by his name and have humbled themselves.

The truth is, if corruption is not found in the church and in our homes, there won’t be corruption in the society. Thus, the state of the land is tied to and determined by God’s people. If you are following Christ, you will stick to the principles of God’s word.

Whenever there is crisis, our first point of call should be to turn to God in repentance and total surrender and not run from Him. Never run from God, run to Him. The change we are craving for can only come through God because God is the SOURCE of TOTAL CHANGE. Any true change we want to see in our time and day is tied to God. There’s no righteousness outside of Christ. Righteous works can only be sustained when God is the foundation. Right now, we are losing faith. If there must be a change, there must be a change of attitude. (That is the disposition or state of the mind, our body language). There must be a change of attitude to life.

The real problem is our attitude. A place is determined by the people there, which is a product of the state of the mind.

The corruption we see in the society is a product of wrong upbringing.

We must learn to take responsibility for the outcome of our lives because that is the right attitude to life. There’s no life outside of God. Making excuses and shifting the blame is another way of lying. In short, it is a higher level of lying. No wrong justifies your being wrong. Take responsibility for your life. What it means to be a mature Christian is that you are responsible and you are no longer regulated by your feelings. God is in need of Responsible Christians.

Change of attitude to authority
There must be a change of attitude to authority. The reason we don’t have good/successful leadership is because we are not good followers. You cannot be a successful leader if you are not a successful follower. We demand accountability when we are not accountable. When the government of God is not working among God’s people, how can it work in the world at large? When we run our homes, businesses the way we like, yet we complain about how the government runs the nation, how can either work?

 Change starts with us, with you and I. We need to upgrade and change our mode of operations. If we are demanding a change from the government/society, we must be the model of what we are asking for.

Prayer
- Lord, I surrender to you

The Battle Ground 2

“Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land”. 2nd Chronicles 7:12 - 14

It is possible for us as God’s people to be wicked, to be proud, to commit sin, and to live disconnected from God. This is clear from the above scripture.

 It is the word of God that has affected us that can affect anyone through us. The things we have heard, we have seen, and we have handled is what we can easily communicate to others. We can be in God and still be operating in wickedness.

God said He will heal the land if His people will humble themselves, and pray, and seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways. So the state of any land per time is a direct reflection of the state of God’s people there. God ties the healing or deliverance of a land, to His people. What NIGERIA is crying out for, is not lack of Nigerians but lack of CHRISTIANS, not church goers but those who are Christ -Like. For once, let us stop shifting the responsibility to others and looking for who to blame. We are responsible for the state of our Nation.  We need to repent and turn to God for light. Until God’s light comes we remain blinded to all our evils and ills. God is a God of ORDER, He will not go contrary to the order He has set in place.

“The heavens even the heavens are the Lord's; But the earth He has given to the children of men”. Psalms 115:16

THE HEALING OF THE LAND IS TIED TO GOD’S PEOPLE, HIS CHURCH

If we really humble ourselves, then we will seek God’s face and we will know what to repent of and pray for. God says the ills of the land are tied to our wicked and evil ways. If we all begin to do things right, gradually, the evil and wickedness will reduce. Others will line up and follow suit. Nobody’s error justifies our being wrong.

We are not going to see a change in our nation and in our day until there's a change of our attitude to Life, to authority, to rebuke, to corrections, to instructions and teachings.

These are the keys to breaking off generational curses, limitations, old order etc and enforcing generational blessings.

As long as we follow the lifestyle of our old life we cannot escape its outcome, and that lifestyle is a product of the way we think.

We are born again but we now have the responsibility of retraining our minds to begin to think the way of the new life in Christ we have come into. This is where the real work is. If you do not renew your mind and retrain it, the experiences of the old life and old pattern can still be yours.

UNTIL THERE IS A CHANGE IN US, THERE CANNOT BE A CHANGE AROUND US

ATTITUDE TO LIFE

ATTITUDE: Our body language, the position of the body, way of carrying oneself.

ATTITUDE can also be defined as the disposition or the state of the mind.  

Let us stop looking for whom to blame for our wrongs and errors. Admitting that we are wrong and saying sorry is a VIRTUE.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OUTCOME OF YOUR LIFE

In Genesis 2, after man disobeyed God and ate of the fruit, God came looking for Adam, but he hid.  God will always tie a man to a place.  Purpose is tied to a location. One way to know a man is disconnected from God is that he will be going to and fro aimlessly.

This account in Genesis would have been different if Adam and Eve had simply admitted their sin and repented. Adam shifted the blame to the woman God gave him rather than accepting responsibility. When we are wrong, let us learn to say we are wrong. It does not make us any less than who we are. Often, what you call insult is meant to bring some sense into you and wake you up from your slumber. No matter what happens or whatever you have done in life run to God and never run from God. The right attitude to life is to make God your stronghold.

Strongholds make people feel safe that's why they run there.

ATTITUDE TO AUTHORITY

We must have the right attitude to ALL authority.

Stop insulting the leaders of the nation or any authority figure.

 -The kind of leader or authority figure God gives us per time is the kind we need.

The kind of people God brings into your life is a clue to:

i. What He wants to do at that time in your life.

ii. What He wants you to become and to do.

(Judges 17:6, Judges 21:25, Judges 18:1, Judges 19:1)

From the bracketed scriptures, we see the root cause of Israel’s problem at this time. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. This is the present state of Nigeria!  Everyone wants to do what he likes. All we will find is lawlessness when everybody wants to do what they like. There was no king in Israel so everyone did what they liked.  Kings enforce ORDER but there was no king. You cannot find progress where there is lawlessness.

WE ALL CRAVE FOR LIBERTY BUT LIBERTY WITHOUT SELF DISCIPLINE WILL LEAD TO DESTRUCTION

The only time you are permitted to go against the constituted authority is when what the authority demands is contrary to the word of God.

A lot of us want to be in authority but do not want to submit to authority. We cannot be resentful to authority and still want to be in authority.

ONCE OUR RESPONSE TO AUTHORITY IS WRONG, OUR LIVES WILL BE WRONG

God designed authority to make our lives better. (Romans 13:1-6) God is not a lawless God. Even When God came to earth, (Jesus) He was subject to authority (Luke 2:51). What it means to surrender to God is that we are subject to God’s authority figures over us. Let us not be afraid of authority, but let us do what is right, think right, talk right. We are not just trying to please the authority but we are doing what is right before God.

An indication that a man has truly encountered God is that his attitude towards the authority will be right. 

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…