Saturday, December 12, 2009

Meditating On God's Word


Meditation is an almost-forgotten discipline in the Christian Church, but it is a practice that draws us closer to the Lord. When we meditate upon His Word, it transforms our lives so that we are more like Him.

What does “meditation” actually mean? It means: “to murmur, speak, moan, mutter, babble, talk, sing, discuss, or ponder verbally.” God told Joshua to meditate on His Word both day and night. God said that his way would be prosperous and successful if he did so. (See Joshua 1:8.) So shall it be for you. Meditation places the Word of God in your heart. It is a deliberate process of communing with God by quietly studying, singing, and reflecting on His Word again and again—over and over, and over again—and over again. In this way you are strengthening the Word of God in your heart, mind and soul.

The process of meditation is like a sheep’s digestion process. When a sheep first swallows, the food passes to the first of its four stomachs. Later, the sheep brings up the digesting food as “cud” and chews it again. Again the sheep swallows, passing the cud to the second stomach. The sheep brings it back up a third time, chews it, and swallows it again. Eventually the cud will go through all four of its stomachs.

In the same way that the sheep is nourished by food, you receive sustenance from the Word of God. Jesus explained, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). As the sheep chews its cud, you, too, chew on God’s Word. Meditating on His Word maintains your spiritual health and elevates you to receive revelation from Him.

Meditation helps you have the mind of God. It disciplines your thinking so that you may know God better. God said:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Meditating on God’s Word renews your mind and transforms your life. It allows you to replicate the mind of Christ within you. (See Romans 12:2 and 1 Corinthians 2:16.) Likewise, it enables you to bring every thought under obedience to His Word repeatedly until you automatically think, say, and do it. It is then that you experience Kingdom living and enter a heavenly realm of blessings in the here and now!

Satan knows the power that comes from meditation on God’s Word. He also knows that when you grow in the knowledge of God’s Word and faith, you are able to subdue and take dominion over him. His greatest fear is that this will happen and you will multiply your knowledge and faith to other men and women, inflicting severe and heavy casualties upon his kingdom and his activities. His purpose, therefore, is to thwart you from obtaining your divine potential. He will do all he can to prevent the Word of God from richly dwelling in you. Resist him by submitting to God’s revelation of His Word in your life. Then declare God’s Word over Satan’s lies, which are always contrary to the truth.

Be very careful about how you think. If you allow it, your thoughts can cause you to separate yourself from God and negate the force of His power being manifested in your life. Your thoughts can also cause you to turn your focus away from God and toward a worldly mentality. This is why we’re told to take captive every thought that is contrary to the Word of God. (See 2 Corinthians 10:5.)

When your thoughts are focused on God’s Word, He’s obligated to direct your path into the way of knowledge that is necessary to accomplish His will in your life. The amount of time you give to meditating on God’s Word is in direct proportion to the increase you receive, multiplied back to you.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Our God Reigns


Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1Timothy 1:17)

Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, described God as eternal, immortal and invisible King. That is, He has been King before the ages began, and would continue to be King even after the close of age. In other words, His reign is everlasting. That He is not seen strutting around town in His glorious robe and attire do not take it away from Him that He is the King of kings. The glory of His majesty is so strong and powerful that mere mortals cannot behold it, except given the special privilege to just have a glimpse. Moses wanted to see His face but God sternly warned him: “And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live” (Exodus 33:20). The Bible says that God dwells in unapproachable light (1Timothy 6:16).

The Bible describes Jesus as the King of kings, and the Lord of lords: “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND Lord OF LordS” (Revelation 19:16). He is robed in majesty so much so that His vesture and thigh carried a clear inscription of who He is. That He is King of kings means He’s our King, for the Bible declares that He has made us kings and priests unto God (Revelation 1:6). In other words, you’re royalty! You are a king in the order of Jesus, who shared the same title as His Father. And because you are also a part of that family, the Bible says you have equal access to the Father’s inheritance through Christ (Romans 8:17). You have as much right to the reign of the Father because you are a joint-heirs!


No wonder the Bible declares that you are a royal priesthood (1Peter 2:9). You are born to reign and rule in life as a king, for your heavenly Father is the King of the ages. He is the eternal King of glory! In Him you live, and move and have your being (Acts 17:28). He is the King eternal, immortal, invisible, and the only wise God. You have the right to step into the reign of your Father in heaven and be His representative here on earth. Be the true prince that you are!
Jesus gave us a clear example for us to follow. He rode on an ass that no one had ever ridden on into Jerusalem with shouts of “…Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest” renting the air to give Him the kind of welcome, an heroic welcome, no other king has ever received (Mark 11:9). He was simply establishing His reign and demonstrating how unique and powerful His kingdom is. He was showing those in authority at that time how influential His reign is.

Do not be worried and alarmed when the devil comes with his lies that he is winning; that he is conquering the world. He cannot conquer the world because the Bible says that the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord (Revelation 11:15). We have a sure victory in Christ Jesus!

Learn to trust Him, because He is your sufficiency; He is your all in all. Refuse to be worried about anything because He has done all things well! When you walk on the streets, remember that your King walks with you. Do not walk with your head down; do not walk like you are nobody. Walk like the prince that you are; walk with your head high up; walk with pomp and majesty. Take your steps with confidence knowing that your steps are ordered by your King, and that you cannot be a victim but a victor in this life.

Friday, November 27, 2009

The Power of Two Minutes


Depth, not length, is important.

Not how long you take to talk but how much you say. Not how flowery and eloquent you sound but how sincerely and succinctly you speak...that's what is important...that's what is remembered. Two memorable minutes can be more effective than two marathon hours.

The story was told of the Pennsylvania historic event in 1863. During the first days of the month of July, 51,000 people were killed, wounded, or missing in what would prove the decisive Union victory of the American Civil War. Anguished cries of the maimed and dying made a wailing chorus as the patients were hurried to improvised operating tables. One nurse recorded these words in her journal: "For seven days the tables literally ran with blood". Wagons and Carts were filled to overflowing with amputated arms and legs, wheeled off to a deep trench, dumped and buried. Preachers quoted the twenty-third Psalm over and over as fast as their lips could say it while brave soldiers breathed their last.

A national cemetery was proposed. A consecration service was planned. The date was set: November 19. The commission invited none other than the silver-tongued Edward Everett to deliver the dedication speech. Known for his cultured words, patriotic fervor, and public appeal, the orator, a former Congressman and Governor of Massachusetts, was a natural for the historic occasion. Predictably, he accepted.

In October President Lincoln announced his intentions to attend the ceremonies. This startled the commissioners, who had not expected Mr. Lincoln to leave the Capitol in wartime. Now, how could he not be asked to speak? They were nervous, realising how much better an orator Everett was than Lincoln. Out of courtesy, they wrote the President on November 2, asking him to deliver "a few appropriate remarks".

Finally on the D-day, shortly after the chaplain of the Senate gave the invocation, Everett was introduced. He knew his craft. Voice fluctuation…Tone…Dramatic gestures…Eloquent pauses. Lincoln stared in fascination. One hour fifty-seven minutes later, the orator took his seat as the crowd roared its enthusiastic approval.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, Lincoln was introduced. As he stood to his feet, he held his two-paged speech in his right hand and grabbed his lapel with his left. He never moved his feet nor made any gesture with his hands. His voice, high-pitched, almost squeaky, carried over the crowd like a brass bugle. He was serious and sad at the beginning...but a few sentences into the speech, his face and voice came alive. As he spoke, "The world will little note nor long remember..." he almost broke, but then he caught himself and was strong and clear. People listened on tiptoe. Suddenly, he was finished. No more than two minutes after he had begun, he stopped.

Over 146 years have passed since that historic event. Can anyone recall one line from Everett's two-hour Gettysburg address? Lincoln's two minutes have become among the most memorable two minutes in the history of America.
Some of you in the church may have felt a desire to set aside time to think about what's really important in life...to evaluate your use of the hours in your week...to pray about specific concerns in your life. Even as you're that "you just don't have time". After all, what could be possibly accomplished in the ten-, five-, or two-minute blocks of time you have to spare? It might surprise you-with God, the possibilities are limitless.

History won't let us forget the day when one man accomplished more in two minutes than another did in two hours. How much more should we not underestimate the power of two minutes with God?

So what if you find yourself with only minutes to spare? Invest them in valuable ends, in enduring goals, in honest conversation with God. Give it your best! Time is like character; it's depth that counts in the long run.

Soaring Higher


“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Unfortunately, many see the word “wait” as fasting. Waiting is much more than fasting; it is TRUST (the state of being convinced and absolutely dependent upon someone or something). It is our TRUST IN GOD that produces the impetus for us to soar in life. Trust (in God, not in self) is the most important prerequisite for soaring in this life. Scriptures clearly states in First Samuel Chapter 2 Verse 9 that “He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.”

Zechariah 4:6 says “…not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts”. We do not soar in life by natural ability but spiritual impartation. Those who have tried to succeed by human abilities have ended up becoming casualties in life.

There is something that guarantees success in life – it is the wind beneath our wings – and it causes us to mount to great heights that the world cannot explain (John 1:5). This wind is the power of the Divine Presence in a life that imparts the very life of God (Zoe) into an individual and makes supernatural living a physical reality. Jesus said “…I have come that you may have life (Zoe) and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

This study hopes to answer our hunger for the better life by closely looking at what has been provided for every blood-bought child of God; it also hope to bring into our sub-consciousness the Kingdom Life – which is the essence our preparation here on earth to meet with the Lord ultimately. We hope to really have a nice time sharing the revelation of God in its most sincere, simple and systematic way tonight.

The Old has given way to the New. There is something about our generation that makes us so special and unique (Heb.11:39-40 – “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”)

In the Old Testament the Glory, the Power and the Presence of God comes down from heaven to the earth and had to be borne or carried around in an Acacia wood on the shoulders of priests. The Presence was tabernacle in a building called Temples or Synagogues and could only be accessed by a priest (Deut.10:8 – “At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.” ), whose preparation for the task must be for a whole year and who have to do it to the letter (Num.4:15 – “And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.”) – Remember Uzzah? (2Sam.6:1-12)

(Romans 8–10:18; Colossians 1:23-29).

But now, all the fullness of the Godhead is tabernacle inside of us (Col.2:9; 2Cor.5:17; 2Pet.1:3-4) and we have become the carriers of the Divine Presence. The Glory, the Power and the Presence of God need not come down again because it is in us – it only needs to be lived out! (Rom.8:8-11,19).

What does it mean to manifest? To manifest means to show clearly; to demonstrate. Therefore, we have been called to demonstrate the Divine Presence clearly for our world to see. There is absolutely nothing to show our world if we are still at the same plane or level with them – i.e. living like they do. We’ve got to be ahead; we’ve got to be above them (John 3:31). We are the products of heavenly extraction, and it must show in every little thing we do – the Divine Presence must be carried in everything we do. There must be a divine wind under our wings to propel us to soar higher above the standards of the world. If you are a born again child of God reading this right now, you are qualified for this life. Take it, it is meant for you! You have come into the kingdom at the best time! This is the best time of your life!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Understanding Your Purpose In Life


“And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.” (1Kings 6:7)

Rick Warren’s best-selling book, “The Purpose Driven Life”, is very apt for us to consider in dealing with the question of “why on earth am I here?”. Just like someone said, “when the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable”, a lot of us need to come to terms with the reason why we are here. Some important things must be resolved in our hearts about our existence here on earth. We are not just here for the fun of it; we are here to fulfill a divine mandate and we must understand that fact.

There is a lot of ‘noise’ today in the house of God because we have a clash of purpose. People are unaware of the fact that we can all be ‘high-flyers’ without been collusive but cohesive. The air is big enough for birds to fly without colliding with each other, so says a popular saying in Nigeria. We can all be what we desire to be when we all understand our purpose here on earth. We can live our dreams when we realize that we are part of a bigger script written by the Creator to affect the world positively for Himself and for His pleasure.

Ambition Versus Vision
There are certain things that rule in the affairs of our core existence in life. An understanding of these basic things will guarantee us the rights into the privileges of life and what life generally stands for and holds for us.

Questions have been asked in previous times about how we can understand the reason for existence. I wish to state categorically here that existence only functions properly when it coincides with what the will of God is. Many of us pursue after success in life in direct opposition to God’s will. The majority of human problem is as a result of the confusion we have been shaped with by society or even the formal education we have. A lot of us have confused the concept of ambition with vision. We pursue vigorously at ambitions as the vision of our lives, and they unfortunately drive us in the wrong direction, away from God.

Ambition is your personal pursuit for personal fulfillment and or happiness, while vision is the reason why you were created; your purpose for being in this life. Your vision is what the marketers call your ‘raison d’etre’ – your reason for living. While ambition is personal and selfish, vision is much more tended towards others and selfless in nature. While ambition seeks gratification from personal fulfillment, vision is gratified when the needs of others are meant.

The ready example I give to people when I make this distinction is equally as simple as it is – when someone says, “I want to become a doctor”. That is an ambition and the person does not find fulfillment and joy till that becomes a reality. On the other hand, someone can say, “I want to be a doctor so that I can be of service to mankind and help those who may not have the opportunity for quality healthcare”. What difference did you find in these two statements? That is exactly what I mean when I say the difference is easy to spot.

Therefore, if our lives must make a meaning, it must grow beyond us and touch others. You cannot live by yourself and make a meaning in life. Personal fulfillment becomes much more interesting when we pursue the fulfillment of other people’s dreams. Go check this out, the people who make the most and profoundest impact in history were people who lived beyond self and reached out for the good of all. Mike Murdock will always quip, “what you make happen for others God will make happen for you”. It is as simple as that – you draw life and the essence for living when you live outside of yourself and make the dreams of others come to pass. Remember, the Law of Harvest is as real and true as the Law of Gravity (Gen.8:22; Gal.6:7-10).

A popular servant of God in Nigeria was quoted sometime ago as saying that his reason for being is to ensure that the vision of his senior pastor becomes a reality. What a servant of God! No wonder his success has been inevitable; because as his pastor is moving forward he is also moving forward. How I wish a lot of us have this sense of security about our calling. The truth is we cannot all be leaders all at the same time. There will be a time when we poured water into the hands of our ‘Elijahs’, and serve them (2Kings 3:11). What gives us security about our future and our calling in life is the assurance that we are right at the center of God’s will for our purpose.

How Do You Discover Your Purpose?
Another pertinent question to ask in this regard is: “What is the will of God and how does one begin to understand and appropriate His will in the fulfillment of what one has been created to achieve?”

The answer is the Word of God (John 5:39). The Word of God is the cheapest way to discover one’s God-ordained purpose. When you correlate the Word of God with the way you have chosen to live your life then you begin to discover the purpose for your existence. In the case where you have derailed from God’s documented ideals then you know without any iota of doubt that you are not in alignment with His purpose for you.

Therefore, if you do not understand what the Word of God says concerning your life you cannot equally understand what His will for your life is. God’s word is His will; and you need to understand it in relation to your purpose.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Dominating The Physical Realm


(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were (Rom.4:17).


Like God, you have the authority and ability to call things that be not as though they were. When you speak what you believe in faith, you can literally change circumstances and situations in your life. Agree with God, speak in faith, and don't allow affliction to affect your speech. Never allow your circumstance dictate to you, you have been given the power to rule over them.

When man was created, God delegated authority to man to act in His stead; that while God was ruling and reigning in the affairs in heaven, man was to establish rule here on earth in God’s behalf. He gave man the mandate to be ‘god’ over the things around him; He told man to have dominion and subdue all creation (Gen.1:28); and honoured the voice of man on earth such that whatever man called anything that was its name (Gen.2:19). God was releasing man to call things by his own definition. What a wonderful privilege!


God's Way of Operating.
God’s way of operating is to call those things that are not as though they were (Rom.4:17). God never doubt His ability to call up none-existing things into life. Before He started creating things in the beginning, God called up light (that was not in existence then) and light became (Gen.1:3).


In the original Hebrew text, this description was reported in the most amazing way. It was recorded that what God actually said was “light be” and light became, and not exactly as recorded in the KJV that God said “let there be light” and there was light. God was actually calling a thing that was not as though it already was. This is powerful, considering the weight that the first statement carries. This is the same calling we have been called into–for everyone of us to speak things like God, and never doubt what we say.


God uses what has not manifested to reduce and nullify things that have manifested (1Cor.1:26-28). Everything that can be seen is temporal-subject to change; however, things that cannot be seen are eternal (2Cor.4:18). It implies that if you can see it, you can use the Word of God to change it because you have the authority in your mouth to call forth what you desire to see according to the Word of God.


We are not saying that you should deny what has manifested; instead, call in what has not manifested. For example, if you're sick, don't just deny sickness, call in healing. Denial alone won't resolve the issue or change what can be seen. This is the error some faith preachers fall into. Faith is not optimism; and neither is it realism. It is simply applying the truth of God’s Word to change a situation, without doubting. It is borne out of a conviction that God’s Word cannot fail, no matter what.


Your Speech Is A Demonstration of What You Believe (2 Corinthians 4:13).
Your words betrays you. It tells a volume about who you truly are because it is an expression of what you believe (2Cor.4:13).


Pastor W.F. Kumuyi said in one of his messages I listened to that “give me 5minutes with a man, let me hear him speak and I can tell you who he is”. How true? Our words exposes us, and tells the whole world who we really are and where we are aligned (Mat.12:34; Luke 6:45).


Doubt is evidence of disagreement with what the Word says. God told Zacharias he would have a son, but Zacharias started speaking negative words (Luke 1:13,18,19). What Zacharias said indicated what he believed.


On the other hand faith is evidence of agreement with what the Word says. Jesus demonstrated what He believed when He spoke to the fig tree (Mark 11:12-14). The tree withered from the roots because Jesus had confidence in what He spoke (Mark 11:20).


Like Jesus, you can speak to circumstances and situations in your life (John 14:12). You have been given the authority to speak the course of your life. When things are not going the way you want them, take authority over them and speak words that agrees with God’s Word, without doubting and you will see God move into the situation.


Have you ever wondered why Jesus said “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith” (Mark 11:23)? He said “…whosoever shall SAY”, He did not say “…whosoever shall pray”. I have wondered about this until recently when God opened my eyes to the fact that our prayers are mere words until they carry the ability to change our realm. No wonder a lot of prayer going on today in churches and in the personal lives of people are not reaching its expected target.

Recently in Uganda it had not rained for months and everywhere was dry and dusty in the city of Kampala. The north of Uganda started experiencing serious droughts, and the famine was beginning to take a toll on the people because commodities were becoming expensive.

At about that time I was ministering in one of the churches in Kampala, and was speaking in this same direction. I told the people we could change this around us by the words we speak and encouraged the whole church to rise up and prove this principle, whether it works or not. We all prayed for 10minutes asking the rain to begin to fall everywhere. By the next day it was raining all over Kampala, and heavily too!

I strongly believe this is what we have been called to do. We are world changers; we have the ability to cause change anywhere we are; we have the authority to unlock the power of God over this realm that we live in. This is what we have been anointed to do; we are wired to dominate the physical realm.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

The Prayer of Intercession


Intercessory prayer is prayer for others. An intercessor is one who takes the place of another or pleads another's case. One study Bible defines intercession as "holy, believing, persevering prayer whereby someone pleads with God on behalf of another or others who desperately need God's intervention."

The Biblical basis for the New Testament believer's ministry of intercessory prayer is our calling as priests unto God. The Word of God declares that we are a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:5), a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9), and a kingdom of priests (Revelation 1:5).

The background for understanding this calling to priestly intercession is found in the Old Testament example of the Levitical Priesthood. The priest's responsibility was to stand before and between. He stood before God to minister to Him with sacrifices and offerings. The priests also stood between a righteous God and sinful man bringing them together at the place of the blood sacrifice.

Hebrews 7:11-19 explains the difference between the Old and New Testament ministries of the priest. The Old Testament Levitical Priesthood was passed on from generation to generation through the descendants of the tribe of Levi. "The Melchizedek Priesthood" spoken of in this passage, is the "new order" of spiritual priests of whom the Lord Jesus is the High Priest. It is passed on to us through His blood and our spiritual birth as new creatures in Christ.

Our Model Intercessor
Jesus Christ is our model for intercessory prayer. Jesus stands before God and between Him and sinful man, just as the Old Testament priests did: “For there is one God, and one mediator (intercessor) between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1Tim.2:5). It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us (Rom.8:34). Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them (Heb.7:25).

Jesus brings sinful man and a righteous God together at the place of the blood sacrifice for sin. No longer is the blood of animals necessary as it was in the Old Testament. We can now approach God on the basis of the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross of Calvary for the remission of sins. Because of the blood of Jesus, we can approach God boldly without timidity (Heb.4:14-16).

Jesus was an intercessor while He was here on earth. He prayed for those who were sick and possessed by demons. He prayed for His disciples. He even prayed for you and me when He interceded for all those who would believe on Him. Jesus continued His ministry of intercession after His death and resurrection when He returned to Heaven. He now serves as our intercessor in Heaven (Heb.7:25; Rom.8:34).

How To Have Effective Intercession
In intercessory prayer, we follow the Old Testament priestly function and the New Testament pattern of Jesus - standing before God and between a righteous God and sinful man. In order to be effective standing "between" we must first stand "before" God to develop the intimacy necessary to fulfill this role. Numbers 14 is one of the greatest accounts of intercessory prayer recorded in the Bible. Moses was able to stand between God and sinful man because he had stood "before" Him and had developed intimacy of communication. Numbers 12:8 records that God spoke with Moses as friend to friend and not through visions and dreams as He did with other prophets.

As New Testament believers, we no longer sacrifice animals as in Old Testament times. We stand before the Lord to offer up spiritual sacrifices of praise (Heb.13:15) and the sacrifice of our own lives (Rom.12:1). It is on the basis of this intimate relationship with God that we can then stand "between" Him and others, serving as an advocate and intercessor in their behalf.

Peter uses two words to describe this priestly ministry: "Holy" and "royal." Holiness is required to stand before the Lord (Heb.12:14). We are able to do this only on the basis of the righteousness of Christ, not our own righteousness. Royalty is descriptive of the kingly authority that is delegated to us as members of the "royal family," so to speak, with legitimate access to the throne room of God.

The Power of Intercessory Prayer
Among many other examples of intercessory prayer in the Bible, some individuals brought the realities of the potency of this type of prayer. Anytime we engage in prayer of intercession we need to look out for the effect, which could be:
(a) To deliver a man from the destruction of his soul (Luke 22:31-32). Jesus prayed for Peter that he be not sifted as a wheat by Satan. When you stand before God for the souls of men, you are engaging in the prayer of intercession, and great results can be produced.
(b) To turn away God's wrath (Exo.32:9-14). The people were deserving of God's wrath when they ascribed their deliverance from Egypt to the work of their hands, to a molten calf, which they also called 'Jehovah'. But Moses interceded for the people of Israel till the wrath of God was turned away.
(c) To turn your personal afflictions around (Job 42:10). This is a remarkable scripture “And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends…” When you are concerned about other people's case, God becomes personally committed to your well-being. Job's situation would have persisted if he had not brought in the power of intercessory prayers.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Prayer of Petition


1 John 5:14, NKJV
”Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us”

We shall continue in our prayer series, and today we hope to treat the subject of Prayer of Petition.

Most people know, and believe that prayer is an integral part of a fulfilled Christian life. What some people do not know, however, is that there are different types of prayers for different situations, and the Prayer of Petition is one of the most effective form of prayer when it comes to bringing about quick changes in your life, especially if you need the answer fast.
Generally, there are 3 main categories of prayers. Firstly, there is the prayer that changes things. There is also the prayer of thanksgiving, as well as the prayer of dedication. The prayer of petition belong to the first category (also the prayer of agreement that we looked at last week belong here).

Perhaps you are facing a financial crisis, maybe you need to restore a broken relationship, or perhaps you need an outright healing miracle. Whatever it is, if you have a need, God has the answer for it, and the petition prayer is the best way to co-operate with God and receive what He has in store for you.

So How Do You Pray A Prayer Of Petition?
Well, it can be as simple as stating your situation to God, and agreeing with what the Word of God says about it. A petition prayer, simply put, is a formal request to God regarding a situation you need help with.


However, the mistake most people make, is that they simply keep stating how bad their plight is, and attempt to plead God into taking action. Yet, this kind of prayer rarely, if ever, brings about results. To put it in a very simple form someone said, “quit telling God how big your problems are but tell the problems how big your God is”.

God’s Word says that when you pray, you should pray in confidence that God hears you, and that He will answer you as long as you pray according to His will. Also, be convinced in your heart that God is able and willing to help you out of your predicaments when you take the situation to Him in petition.

The secret in the prayer of petition is that you must be ready to plead your case before Him (Ish.41:21). Remember the Importunate Woman in Luke 18:1-8 and Hezekiah in 2Kings 19:14-20; 20:1-6.

It paints a picture of a Law Court. The attorneys must be able to make a case before the judge on behalf of their clients. They must plead their case with convincing evidences backed up with the right application of the constitution and precedence to sway the judgment in their favour. Where the reasons are not strong enough, the case is obviously lost. The same principle applies to the prayer of petition.

So What Is God’s Will?
God wants you to be Saved, Healthy, Prosperous, and Happy. Therefore, whenever you make a petition, never doubt the Will of God. It IS His Will to heal you, prosper you, and give you the desires of your heart. Therefore, when you pray, you should pray with utter and complete confidence that your prayer is answered. And like we said earlier believe that God is able and willing to help you.

If you will just focus on this one Truth, you will find that more and more of your petitions are answered, and in shorter and shorter time spans.

What Makes It So Powerful?
The power of a Prayer of Petition lies in 3 major sources:
1) The Name of Jesus
2) The Word of God
3) The Holy Spirit

Firstly, when Jesus gave you the right to use His name, he gave you more than just a cliché way to end a prayer. Remember, the Name of Jesus is above ALL other names. This means that no matter what the name of your problem is, be it ‘debt’, ‘sickness’, ‘depression’, or any other condition, it is still subjugated to the Name of Jesus (Phi.2:10). And just as Jesus calmed the storm, you too can create peace out of any problem you are facing by using the Name of Jesus.

On top of that, God has also clearly stated out His Will to help you in His Word. Whatever your situation is, take a look into the Bible, and I’m sure you will be able to find relevant verses that speak to your situation and show you how God has promised to deliver you from your problem. God has said that His Word will not return to Him void. By agreeing with His Word, you are in effect providing the faith necessary to make it come to pass in your own life (Heb.4:12).

Lastly, the Holy Spirit is always present to help you and give you both the utterance and power for your prayer. In fact, it is the Holy Spirit that gives power to the Words of your prayer, and make it real in your life (Rom.8:26-27).

Remember, God has already answered your prayer of petition through Jesus’ work. Will you give Him enough credit to take Him at His Word?

Friday, October 9, 2009

Prayer of Agreement


When I just gave my life to Christ, there was something I found so interesting in the church and among the brethren then that was so beautiful and powerful. They prayed together. You would always see in the church two or more people coming together as “prayer partners”; they come together to pray on some very important things, privately and collectively. It was a beautiful sight to behold; and the church of God was usually the better for it!

But in recent times, this culture have died down and in some cases non-existent. People in the church today no longer have prayer partners (though some still do and they obviously know the attendant benefit to it) and everyone is running towards personal and selfish ambitions. No wonder the church of today lacks the vibrancy needed. Attendance at prayer meetings have even dropped drastically, except where there is ‘a man of God’ in town to anoint people for power and prosperity.

I say this to the shame of all of us today. We are too busy chasing after the shadows in life and ministry that we leave out the very much powerful prerequisite for getting our prayers answered. Even Jesus in His last days on earth needed people to agree with Him in prayers (Mat.26:36-45).

Even as I write to you now I have friends that we started out as prayer partners scattered all over the world who still keep in touch with me in prayers. In spite of the distance between us we still keep in prayer-touch with each other and our regular prayer chain is still sustained as I write.

It is a beautiful experience to have confidants and partners in the place of prayer and we need to go back to this old practice.

"Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:19-20)

God has given power and authority to the Church and when we stand together in unified pray His power is released in great measure. We need to embrace this treasure all over again if we must experience the outpouring of God’s graciousness in our lives and in the lives of others.

WHAT IS PRAYER OF AGREEMENT? (Mat.18:16-20)
The prayer of agreement is: Agreeing together in prayer for God’s purposes on earth.
The Greek word for ‘agree’ is ‘sumphoneo’ to sound together, be in accord. A symphony of prayer agreement. Like the orchestra, there are many instruments playing but the purpose is to give off a sweet melody that is well-blended and harmonised.


It is a very powerful tool for getting answers from God, but it has to be in accord (i.e. the people involved must be united in purpose and be agreed) before it can generate the required power. Therefore, in getting someone to agree with you as a prayer partner or in corporate prayer there must be an agreement between you and the person. You must both be giving the right sound. This is why it is a very powerful tool for married couples. Couples who don’t pray together don’t know what they are missing!

THE POWER OF AGREEMENT
Prayer of agreement produces a melodious sound in the hears of God and brings Him quickly into a situation more than any other type of prayer in the Bible. It makes a lot of power available for those who engage in it.

The power of agreement…

1. Will bring victory (Exo.17:12)
Israel defeated Amalek while Moses held up the rod of God in his hand. Moses needed help holding up his hands because they became so heavy. Aaron and Hur supported his hands and caused them to be steady to defeat Amalek. This was a kind of power-agreement for victory.

2. Will bring anointing and blessing (Ps.133:1-3)
David compares living in unity (agreement) to anointing oil and the dew on Mount Hermon. Both signify the cleansing and blessing of God. Out of agreement God commands a blessing and causes His anointing to flow freely.

3. Will help us make the right decision (Acts 1:24)
The 120 prayed together and asked the Lord to show them who He has chosen to join the apostles. Praying with a group or even one other person is a powerful way to make right decisions.

4. Will bring the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-2)
On the Day of Pentecost they all prayed with one accord (in agreement) and the Holy Spirit came as a mighty wind. That experience has never left the entire world the same again, just because there was agreement!

5. Will bring Jesus (Mat.18:20)
When we gather in His name and pray in agreement He is there. The place of agreement is an invitation that Jesus cannot reject.

6. Will bring freedom (Acts 12:5-11;16:25-34)
The Church prayed in agreement for Peter’s release from prison, and supernaturally he was released from the prison same night.
Paul and Silas prayed and a jailer was saved.

The Prayer of Agreement Must Also…
1. Be in conformity to the will of God (1John 5:14-15)
2. Be in faith (James 1:6-8)
3. Be in sincerity (Hebrews 10:22)

Monday, October 5, 2009

Conditions For Answered Prayers


Ps.91:15: “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.”

Many of us pray and we don’t seem to get answers to our prayers; and we have concluded in our hearts (sometimes subconsciously that prayers do not work). Some of us on the other hand have made prayer more like a mandatory and obligatory routine that we turn to only when we have crisis. Prayer to a lot of us have become so mechanical that it no longer produces the result and the effect expected of the prayer of the righteous. Some of us still have a pre-conditioned mind about certain things before we bring them to God in prayers, only looking to God for ‘approval’ as it were. God is never a rubber stamp – He has provided guidelines in the scriptures for us to follow if we want our prayers to be answered.
Why are prayers not answered? Simply because there are guidelines and conditions guiding prayers for it to be answered. Until we fulfill these conditions we would only be wasting our precious time, making unnecessary noise in the church.
We must however not leave these write up today without this assurance that God answers prayer (Ish.65:24: “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”). We only need to stand firm in His word. I hope to answer the questions in the heart of many of us as we consider the conditions that must be fulfilled for our prayers to be answered.

WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS FOR ANSWERED PRAYERS?
1.Come To God By Faith. (Heb.11:6; 4:16)
Clearly put, anything done outside of faith can never receive God’s approval. Our prayers must be much more than a routine, it must be done in faith. That is, faith must be the motivation for our prayers. Access God’s presence with the confidence of a child entering to his father’s bedroom to make a request for the day.
God is not at all embarrass at your ‘barging in’ on Him. He wants you to come with the faith of a child that wants to tell his Daddy something important. This is the picture I want you to have in your mind as you go to God in prayers next time – come with a conviction that you cannot be turned back and down.
God delights in showing Himself strong on your behalf (2Chr.16:9). He was to showcase His power on your behalf and put your enemies to shame.

2.Know What The Will of God Is Concerning What You Are Praying About. (1Jn.5:14; Mat.6:10)
God is not a rubber-stamp. The reason a lot of us don’t get answers to our prayers is because we already have an alternative before we come to God in prayers. God will never show up for as long as you have alternatives. God always wants the praise to Himself and will only show up when you have exhausted all your options and you are at a cross road.

3.Put Away Unrighteousness. (Pro.15:8; Ish.58:9)
A story was told us how our father-in-the-Lord went to a country in one of his mission trips. When he arrived at the airport, observing the dryness and the harshness of the weather, the ministers of God who came to receive him confirmed to him that it had not rained for a while. As a matter of fact it was a matter of national concern as prayer meetings have been held by very senior Christian leaders for God to release rain. And it did not rain for months!
But in his very simple and unassuming way he said it will rain before we get to the hotel. As they approached the airport and he was about to enter the hotel, it rained for the first time in many months!
When one of the concerned pastor asked him for the secret, he simply said, “…holiness”.
The prayer of an unrighteous man is an abomination to God. Simple!

4.Constantly Abide In God’s Word. (Jn.15:7)
The more of the word of God you have in you, the easier it is for you to communicate to God what His will concerning issues are. God is always looking for a witness on earth – someone who will confirm His word and return it to Him with effect.
Anytime we go to God in prayer it is similar to a lawyer in the court of law and we have got to argue ‘our case’ before the Judge, bringing ‘strong reasons’ to Him. A lawyer cannot make a good case outside of what the constitution says, so also a believer cannot make an enough good case outside of the word.

5.Ask In His name. (Jn.14:14)
Someone might say, “but I pray in the name of Jesus; why then are my prayers not answered?” Praying in the name of Jesus is much more than appending the name to your words. It is not the amount of ‘in Jesus name’ that you put in your prayers that guarantee the answer (remember our edition [Vol. 1 No.8] titled: “…In Jesus’ name” that we treated sometime ago?).
Rather praying in the name of Jesus is about the relationship you have with that name. The name of Jesus on the lips of someone who is not born again is empty and lacks the power to produce answers.
The story of the sons of Sceva in Acts 19:13-16 is a classic example to this fact. The name of Jesus is just another name in the mouth of the one who has not accepted Him and the Lord and personal Saviour.

6.Receive The Answers By Faith. (1Jn.3:22; Mark 11:24)
We started with the action of faith, and we will be closing with another action of faith.
To receive in the scripture above is the Greek word “lambano”, which means “to take a hold of without letting go; to seize something and remove it”. The implication of this is that we must get the hold on our answers and let them go till we see them manifest in the physical.
This is an act of faith. It is not something you do passively – you believe God for the answers and thank Him for the answers and thereafter begin to live like you have received it.
Develop a confidence and a knowing that God has done what you have requested of Him and then act like it (1Jn.5:14).

THE PRIVILEGES OF PRAYERS
1.Until You Pray There Cannot Be Answers. (Luke 11:9: “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”).

2.There Is Always Revelation Backing Up Great Prayers. (Jer. 33:3: ”Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”).

Friday, September 25, 2009

Become A Leader


Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. (Pro.14:34, NKJV)


Our country's greatest need right now is obviously leadership. Like Dr. John Maxwell will always say “everything rises and falls on leadership”. We need leadership at all levels of our national life and all tiers of government. We need leaders in our business terrain. We need leaders in our schools. We need leaders in our churches. We need leaders in our homes.


There is a tendency for us however to think that the subject of leadership is for those that are up there or only politicians, but I want you to realize that this discourse is about you and I. We are not talking about someone else's responsibilities or failures. We are talking about the expectations for you and I, because we are all leaders in our own rights, at one point or the other.


Everybody is a leader. You have leadership potentials locked up inside you and you can exert a measure of influence, to some degree, wherever God might have placed you. The change can be sparked by one who is willing to make it happen. Most times multitudes are not needed to bring about the necessary social change - the multitudes are mostly won over by the resilience of one who is willing and ready for change. The destruction of moral values and societal structures in this part of the world are traceable to bad leadership. When we look at the history of this nation, dating back to the 60's, we realize that this nation has just never been able to go farther than its leaders have gone. A body cannot move faster than its head. The values and principles of a nation depend largely on the leader. This holds true also for a family. If something goes wrong with the person who is meant to be the head of the home; something goes wrong with the family. Business organizations are no exception to this truth.


Leadership can be defined as the ability of one person to influence many people to achieve worthwhile goals. The key word is influence. When you discover the power in leadership, you will want to be a leader because leadership multiplies your effectiveness and puts your success on the geometric level. The essence of leadership could be best captured in the words of D.L. Moody, “I would rather put ten men to work than do the work of ten men”. The cheapest way to multiply your life is to become a leader and to be able to raise other leaders after yourself. Your effectiveness in life will never rise beyond your leadership ability. When God wants to carry out a change in a society He does not use institutions, He uses persons. All He needs is a leader who can mobilize other people to create the needed change.


Generally, when you talk about leadership, all that comes to people's minds is the old belief that only a few people are born to rule, others are born to be followers. Some people have said leaders are born and not made based on some philosopher's view points. It is unfortunate that leadership, before now, had been built on that premise. In some parts of our country, there is a belief that some people are born to rule and others are born to follow. But the truth is that everybody is born to lead. There are people who are not making any attempt to lead because they do not believe they have the potentials to lead.


Have you ever influenced anybody to making a decision? Have you persuaded anyone to join you on a cause or an assignment? Then you are a leader. Leadership guru, John Maxwell said “if no one is following you, you are on a walk, but when you have someone following you, then you are a leader”.


The implication of this is that we all lead at some point of our life. So, we are leaders!


Whether you are aware of this or not, you have been placed here to solve problems for this nation because uncommon leaders solve uncommon problems, and become an inspiration to others in the process. You did not plan to be born at the time you were born. Now that you are here, there are challenges we are facing in this nation that you can do something about in your own little way. You were born to solve a problem and in the bid to solve these problems you become an inspiration to some other people. You have all it takes to take this nation to the next level and make her a pride among the comity of nations.


In becoming a leader you need a guiding vision. You need the ability to see ahead to know where we have to go. You need a clear picture of the future. This is one of the critical qualities that separates a true leader from everyone else. Every leader all through history has had this attribute work for them. You have to be able to see a better future for yourself, for your family, for your organization, and for this nation. Anyone who cannot clearly articulate the vision of a better future is not worth following. Our future is in our picture. Dream of a new Nigeria.


Secondly, you need a definite purpose. This is the stuff leadership is made of. Leaders are crusaders. Crusaders are people who are willing to lay down their lives for a cause. Understand that if you do not stand for something; you will fall for anything. The greatest leaders of all time are those who broke beyond selfishness to do things that affected many people. If you expend all your spiritual, physical and material resources on yourself alone, you have made your life cheap. On the long run, it is what you do for others that counts. Stand up for what is right wherever you are. Footprints on the sands of time are not made by sitting down. Do something this week that can make Nigeria better.


Thirdly, you need a recreated mind. The reason Prof. Dora Akunyili is having a lot of problem with the re-branding thing is because the solution to the ills in Nigeria is beyond human theories and models - there is a need for all of us to return to our Creator and understand that there is something much more important than this transient existence that we have . The solution is not re-branding but recreation - our minds need to be renewed into a new way of thinking. Life is too short, and no matter how long you live you will die one day and be face-to-face with God in judgment.

If our minds are recreated corruption will be a forgotten story in Nigeria and the political leaders will know they were elected to serve and not be served.


I still believe in the vision called Nigeria, and I strongly believe it will work. A day is coming when the Green Passport will be the most sought-after passports ever. A day is coming when Nigeria will become an envy for the nations of the world. A day is coming when corruption will be history in our nation.


Nigeria will Succeed!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

The Devil Wears Prada


“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Luke 12:15)

I am a strong believer in Life’s Lessons, and have heard God spoken to me on several occasions through the seemingly minutest things in life. I know that there is a lesson in everything around us if only we try to pay attention to the ‘voice within’ that guides us through life and helps us from running into errors and things that might hurt us.


I would have titled this article something different than this. I am not very sure if it will really make sense for those who are not movie goers or have never been interested in labels before. But the more I ponder on the words of Jesus, the more this title resonated with me so strongly. So, finally I decided to put pen on paper and scribble this thought for you to consider.


I hope it will bless your heart (because it did mine!).


For those who have not seen the movie, I have captured the basic story line:


“Miranda Priestley, of "Runway" magazine tears up the landscape as a demanding fashion editor. She is a terror to everyone who is around her as is quickly depicted in the opening scenes of the movie. Her first assistant strives to please her and tries to emulate her, but one can sense that she is not quite as hard as she tries to put on. Into this mix comes a young woman, Andrea Sachs, who knows nothing of the fashion industry, has never read the magazine, and doesn't know who Miranda Priestley is. She only sees this as a stepping stone to another journalism position. Showing no fashion sense and immediately scorned by everyone, Miranda nonetheless hires her as the second assistant. When Miranda demands that she obtain the next unpublished Harry Potter manuscript, you can sense that she is trying to force her to quit, but it makes the young woman dig in to please her boss. With the help of one of the magazine's fashion editors, she gets a complete makeover and a new security. However, with her new appearance and the demands placed on her, she starts to lose her friends, family and her live-in boy friend. As she is whisked away to Paris with Miranda and faces all of the glamour that could be hers, including a flashy if not artificial freelance journalist, she is forced to make the decision of where she wants to be in her life”.


Truth is there is an Andrea in all of us, lurking around to show up at any slight opportunity! We must be willing to conquer this monster that drives us to such tiring length in life.

It is astonishing how our choices in life can drive us to do amazing things. How we can be drawn into making choices that might turn around to haunt us in the most bizarre way. How these choices of ours can make us throw all caution in the wind just because of what our hearts seek to be pleased with. How we risk relationships because of the ‘I-want-it-at-all-cost’ attitude that we have developed in our lives. It can be frustrating to see how we want more of what we already have. There is the insatiate cry within us that screams so loud ‘I WANT MORE!’ We are all driven by the sin of covetousness, which a man of God calls the sin of our time, even though it is hard to accept.


Solomon, the man of wisdom, tells about the leech that always want more, and the four things that are never satisfied: the grave, the barren womb, the earth that is not filled with water and a raging fire (Pro.30:15-16). What a vivid picture painted in on the canvass of wisdom!


It is equally dangerous when our dreams over-clouds our judgment to do what is right. It is much more dangerous when those dreams deter us from knowing the difference between what is good and what is not – when we think that whatever is convenient or conducive for us is right and permissible, and we convince ourselves that as far as it pleases me and makes me feel good then it is good.


How wrong? Because the devil wears prada.


Unfortunately, our lives are not really built around our fantasies; they do not consist of the things we think we own; they are not dependent on the vagaries of this life – things that are today here and by tomorrow they are nowhere to be found – things like fashion, style, wealth, beauty etc. Things that are transient and short-lived.


Rather, they are built upon much more enduring things that will outlive us and consist of those things that are concrete in nature and have lasting values. They consist of things that are done to reach out to the world around us rather than what we indulge ourselves in. For the mind that is rich and deep with the understanding of the ways of God, these things are the things that pleases God.

The Fundamentals For Successful Living
Jesus captured the essence of living successfully in this life, when He summarized one of His greatest sermons by this grand statement: “…take no thought for your life” (Luke 12:22). In other words “DON’T TAKE YOURSELF SERIOUSLY!” Learn to live life fulfilling the desires of the One who created you and formed you in your mother’s womb.


Jesus also gave us the fundamentals for achieving the statement He made in verse 22 of Luke chapter 12 in the verses following (Luke 12:23-40):


1. God Will Take Care of You.
God is committed to your well-being and will always take care of what you will eat, drink and wear. You need to believe this however difficult things might seem at the moment. If He cares for animals and plants, then He is committed to your matter.

2. Seek The Kingdom of God.
The things you pursue in life betrays and exposes who you are. Your heart will always go in the direction of what it treasures. So, when you seek after the things that will gratify your flesh, you are carnal. When you seek after the things that edifies your spirit, you are spiritual.
Are you seeking the kingdom? Please check your passion. Check the things you love to do. Check the places you love to go. Check the people you hang around with (Col.3:1-3).

3. Be Generous.
The one who gives to the poor becomes a creditor in the book of God (Pro.19:17), and will always move the heart of God to do the unusual in his situation or circumstance. The generous is not taken lightly by God; he is always on God’s mind (Acts 10:1-4; Ps.112:5).

4. Be Ready.
Interestingly, our motto as Christians is similar to that of the Boys’ Scout: “Be Ready”.
We have been called into warfare, and it will be a disaster if what we are doing in the battle field is to chase butterfly (2Tim.2:4). We have been called into a serious business, therefore we need to be battle-ready at all times.
We are also to be ready for His coming. It is more imminent than ever. All the things happening around us are saying one thing: “He’s coming soon!” Sooner than we can ever imagine. Therefore, we need to be ready and not caught unawares (1Thes.5:2; 2Pet.3:10).


My prayer for all of us is that the devil will not steal us away from the truth that we have. Let us embrace the light that we have because it will come in handy in the darkness that pervade our world and help us to make the right decisions.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Come And Dine


“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps.16:11).
“They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God” (Ps.84:7).

There is a challenge in the body of Christ today – we have robbed ourselves of the pleasure in His presence. Most of us come to the presence of God weighed down by our present predicaments and problems; never realizing what the presence of God actually means -- the presence of God is a place of pleasure; the presence of God is a place of strength; the presence of God is a place of fun; the presence of God is a place of great encounters and great meetings (Heb.12:22-24).

Treasures Worthy To Unearth
In John 21:1-12, a remarkable story was recorded by John, the beloved, that reveals some great treasures to unearth and that will stir us to loving His presence more in our lives, so that we may be able to say like David said in Ps.84:1-2 “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God”.
I would love for you to stay with me as I share the revelations in this twelve verses that the Holy Spirit ministered to my heart:

1. Vs. 1 – God Defines The Point And Place of Encounters In Our Lives.
“After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias...”
He selects and handpicks people, places and times as the backdrop for the painting of our experiences and encounters in life. Someone once told me, “you can forget stories, you can never forget encounters”.
The setting for this great encounter according to our text is the Sea of Tiberias, which is also the same as the Sea of Galilee (Jn.16:1).
The meaning of Galilee is “circuit or a wheel”. Oh, how apt this is, because at this point in the life of the disciples they were experiencing a cycle – they were back to where they started from! To them it seem as if three (3) years of their lives have been wasted, just chasing shadows and very unproductive. They went back to the fishing business they had always been known for.
It is interesting to know that God can choose the most frustrating time of our lives for an encounter. He loves to show up when the cloud seem darkest and gloomy.
Just like He does in our lives, He chose the Sea of Tiberias as the place of encounter and an unforgettable experience in the lives of dejected and hopeless disciples.

2. Vs. 1 – He Is Always There At The Right Time.
“After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.” [Emphasis mine]
He showed Himself AGAIN to the disciples (this encounter was actually the third time He would show Himself to the disciples after He rose from the dead. He showed Himself more than twelve (12) times in all to His disciples after his resurrection, at different times):
(i) To Mary Magdalene (Jn.20:14-17);
(ii) To the disciples when they stayed behind shut doors for the fear of the Jews (Jn.20:19-21);
(iii) After 8 days specifically to erase Thomas’ doubts (Jn. 20:26);
(iv) To seven (7) of His disciples (Jn.21:1-8) – where we are studying from now;
(v) To the two (2) disciples on the road to Emmaus (Mk.16:13-32);
(vi) To His disciples to buttress the claims of the other two (2) disciples on the road to Emmaus; and to also teach them (Lk.24:36-42);
(vii) To His disciples when He gave them the promise of the Holy Spirit, and shortly before His ascension (Acts 1:3-7);
In 1Cor.15:5 Paul revealed five (5) more encounters that may have not been recorded in the Gospels, and which may have possibly occurred after His ascension:
(viii) To Peter;
(ix) To the twelve (12);
(x) To 500 brethren;
(xi) To James; and finally
(xii) To Paul himself.
(xiii) We can also add His revelation to John (Rev.1:9-19)
He is also revealing Himself to us! Hallelujah! He shows up in our situations when we think that all hope is lost.
But, why would He show Himself? I have three reasons:
(a) To give you undeniable proofs that He exists (Acts 1:3);
(b) To reassure you that He is still there; and
(c) To create a sense of eternal intimacy with you.

3. Vs. 2 – Fellowship Can Be Lost When Your Hunger For Him Is Lost.
“There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.”
The Bible says there were seven (7) disciples there at that time – 5 named and 2 unknown. The truth here is that loosing fellowship with God can happen to anybody – Pastors and spiritual leaders are not immune from it; church workers and members are not either. We are all susceptible to it – what can keep you going is to continually have a hunger for more and more of God. Don’t give any room for the devil to keep you away from God. Seek to know more about Him daily for yourself. The deeper you are in Him, the broader your life will become.
Bishop David Oyedepo puts it this way, “seek to know and your world will know you.”

4. Vs. 3 – When You Are Frustrated With God, You Loose His Presence.
“Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.”
The great Peter, the one who was given the keys of the kingdom, got so frustrated that he said “I go a fishing”! He returned to what he was delivered from – he allowed the ‘Galilee syndrome’ work negatively for him: he went round in cycle. He literally went back to his vomit (Mat.12:43-45). He was frustrated with the whole thing, and even with his Master and he lost every sense of purpose and direction.
Don’t let your frustrations drag you away from His presence.

5. Vs.4 – When You Loose Touch You Become Oblivious of His Presence.
“But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.”
Jesus was present yet they did not know it was Him. How sad? The same Jesus that they had been with for three (3) years, sharing every moment of His earthly ministry! Jesus had become just another stranger to them. They have lost touch with His presence! How sad?
The greatest catastrophe in life is to be oblivious of Christ’s presence in our situations, especially when we need Him most.
David has a grasp of this when he said in Ps.42:1-2 – “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”
I have discovered that our preoccupations and proclivities can deny us the privilege of Jesus’ visit or an encounter with Him in our lives and situations. Most times we forget that He camouflages our circumstances in calamities and catastrophes. We are too engrossed with what we are going through that we forget He is there through it all.

6. Vs. 5 – His Love Is Overwhelming.
“Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.”
In spite of their shortcomings Jesus still called them “Children” (“Friends” in another version – NIV).
This shows the heart of the Master towards you and I (Ish.49:15-16 ). He loves you – we are not making it up. That’s exactly how it is!

7. Vs. 6 – His Ridiculous Instructions Can Produce Miraculous Experiences When Obeyed.
“And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.”
He told them to throw the net at the right side of the boat and be ready for the catch of their lives. Jesus was proving to them that without Him they can be nothing (Phi.2:13). He was proving to them that He has the power to make it happen for them. He has the power to make it happen for you too!
Another important truth here is that most times the solution to our problem is just at the circumference of the problem itself. What will redeem you will always be around you or come through you. In other words, the solution to your problem is as close as you can imagine (Eph.3:20; 2Kings 6:6; Exo.15:23-25).
Don’t give up too soon; your victory is close by! Closer than you can ever imagine!

8. Vs. 7 – His Love Produces Revelations In Our Lives.
“Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord…”
The disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, it is the Lord!
What a relief to know Jesus is with you all through the time to make it happen for you. His love produces revelations in our lives (Eph.1:15-23). Therefore, when you love you automatically grow in wisdom, knowledge, understanding and revelation (2Pet.1:8). This love must be two ways: vertical and horizontal. That’s the sign of the cross! Love for God and for other people (1Jn.4:20-21).

9. Vs. 7b – Sin Makes Us Ridiculous.
“...Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.”
Our sin causes us to make irrational decisions when we try to cover them (Pro.28:13).
When we try to cover our sins, we would require more sins to do that, and more to cover them, and on and on it goes. It makes no sense at all not to be real with God Who sees and knows everything.
Like the song writer said, “Just as I am without one plea but that your blood was shed for me…” Jesus wants us to come just as we are – no pretences.

10. Vs. 8-11 – There Is Always A Prepared Table In His Presence.
“And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, and hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.” [Emphasis mine]
There is always a prepared table only if we learn to stick with Him (Ps.23:1-6) and we can only access His prepared table through the knowledge of Him -- and what He is capable of (Phi.3:10). This knowledge is inexhaustible!
Notice also verse 11 – there were many fishes yet the net was not broken!

11. Vs. 12 – You Are Invited.
“Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.”
There is an invitation to everyone and anyone today – Jesus is saying to anyone who cares to hear, “…come and dine”. Jesus is inviting you to the greatest party ever!
Ps.34:8 – “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him”.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Nurture Your Dreams Into Reality


Every plantation begins with a seed; and every great life begins with a dream (Job 8:7). Life operates by the seed-faith principle (John 12:24). Dreams are like seeds that can only survive when they are rightly and deliberately cultivated. Dreams are not enough, cultivating them is the key. Dreams are not just enough, we need to learn how to nurture those dreams into reality.

The kingdom of God operates in direct contrast to the kingdom of the world. Like Rod Parsley will usually say that “the kingdom of God is diametrically opposed to the kingdom of the world”. In God's kingdom, the way up is down. The only way to grow strong and tall is to have a deep root. You can only succeed when you learn how to function in life through the application of the principles of God's Kingdom to life.

DREAMS ARE NOT ENOUGH, CULTIVATING THEM IS THE KEY!
How can you nurture your dreams into reality? How can anyone bring to life and physical manifestation his/her dreams in life? This is what we intend to answer by this article.


1. Acknowledge that God is the giver of dreams, and that through Him we have the grace for the fulfillment of dreams (Pro.3:5-6; 30:5).
It is a shame today that we have grown with so much narcissism and self-centeredness that we have left out God in our pursuits, convincing ourselves that we can do it all on our own.


Many motivational speakers today have not helped the matter - they have built a voracious appetite for self-seeking ambition. A lot of people do not know the difference between ambition and vision (this we hope to treat in the future edition).


2. Your Obedience will commit God's integrity.
Obedience guarantees success in life (Ish.1:19). We cannot always want it our way and think we can make so much of a success out of life. There are established principles in life that the Maker of all things have put in place for us to work with. When we avoid the wisdom of God, we risk failures in life.


The systems of this world has proven to us that there is nothing here - it is simply characterised by failures. The current global economic recession is a proof that when men seek their ways, failure is very imminent. Let us go back to our Maker and Creator!


3. Your Love For God is critical to becoming whatever you dream to be.
When you have your root in His love, you have stepped your feet on the realm of His ever-increasing life (Ps.97:10). You cannot have a heart for God and not make a mark on earth. This truth has been voiced over and again by ministers of God from one generation to another.

Truth is many who influenced and changed their world were people who touched a cord in God’s heart. They were people who simply reechoed what was in God’s heart.


When you win His heart, He makes available His best for you. The quality of your love for Him determines the quality of your destiny (Pro.8:17,21).


What I tell a lot of people who are in pursuit of happiness in life is very simple, and would love to also share it with you: “When God becomes your priority for living, prosperity becomes your lifestyle.”


4. Learn to be a Sower by nature.
Your dreams were given to you not for your own sake but because God sees an opportunity for many people too to find definition through the right expression of your dreams.

The life of Joseph is always an excitement and a motivation for me personally. He saw an opportunity to invest his life for his generation, and generations yet unborn. Listen to what this great man said in Genesis 45:5: “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life”.


No prayer for prosperity get answered until you become a sower and a giver in life (Gen.8:22; Pro.11:24; Eccl.11:1-4).

Every spiritual investment will go into an eternal record. God never ignores the good we do to the people around us. He definitely will not forget your good deeds either.


5. Your Environment should not determine your success.
Don't mistake your condition for your portion. Understand your portion through the revelation of His word so that you can deal adequately with your condition. I believe in environmental possibilism rather than environmental determinism - “I have what it takes to influence my environment.”


6. God delights in Diligence.
Stop fantasizing about prosperity; put your hands in a venture. Until you work, you are not fit to eat (Pro.19:15; 22:13,29). Even Jesus, our perfect example worked (Jn.9:4)!

When God created man He created him to work (Gen.2:15 - “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it”).


7. Learn to water your dream seed with Praise.
Until you become a man of praise, you cannot become a praise on earth. Praise releases the forces of prosperity into every seed (Ps.67:5-7; Pro.18:20; Heb.13:15).


Praise is a spiritual device that provokes God's action. Praise is a sacrifice that reaches God's heart and causes Him to use his hands (Jer.33:11).


Many dreams lack the presence of the Giver, so they lack the ability to produce results. I encourage you to allow God into your dreams in life.


My dear reader, the summary of all that we have shared here is that dreams are not just enough, you must learn to cultivate them with these principles outlined above. As you do so, I guarantee to see you at the top.

Monday, September 14, 2009

...In Jesus Name


Many of us need to know what Jesus meant when He said we should pray in His Name. What He really meant was not that His name should be a mere religious appendage to our prayers. The name of Jesus is much more than an endorsement or a seal to prayers. Remember that His name has been highly exalted above every other name (Phi.2:9-10). Therefore, it is imperative for us to know (or probably have an encounter with) the potency and efficacy of that name.

In the model prayer Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13, one would see clearly that Jesus never attached His name between or after the prayer. I am very sure you would want to ask “why then do we pray in Jesus name? Why would Jesus Himself say that God will grant every request we make in His name?”

This is much deeper than a lot of us really understand or can comprehend. Therefore, I will allow these questions form the basis of this article and encourage us to do away with religion and get us to have a clearer understanding of God’s word because “…the letter kills but the Spirit gives life” (2Cor.3:6). Religion cannot lead us anywhere because Christianity is a way of life (the highest form of living).

My admonition is that if we must come to the understanding of this matter, we must do away with religion (in its entire ramification). Praying in the name of Jesus is likened to someone given the authority by a rich man to withdraw some money from his personal account. Withdrawing the money requires more than going into the bank and telling the cashier: “Mr. so and so said I should withdraw some money from his personal account.” You can agree with me what the outcome of this encounter would be. The fellow needs to produce a proof of the order mandating the bank to pay him the sum in question – which usually comes in the form of a cheque slip. He needs an identity proof as the bearer also.

In like manner, when we pray we need to be aware of the authority in that name and our identity or relationship with that name. Hence, for someone who is not genuinely born again and who obviously does not have a real relationship with that name, it is a sheer waste of time. The name of Jesus is like any other name in the mouth of such an one. There is simply no authority backing it up.

Some have a misconception of the role praying in the name of Jesus plays in the answers to prayer in that they see the name of Jesus as a medium, and that angels come, collect the prayer and place it before God who has the prerogative to either answer or not. This is very much untrue!

In the first place Jesus is not a medium (but a Mediator) and no angels take our prayers to God any more in this dispensation. Angels are regarded as “ministering spirits, sent forth for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Heb.1:14). They are ministering spirits FOR us and not TO us. This simply means that they have been created to serve us. The era when angels take prayers to God and bring answers to prayers from God are past. Now we have a better promise through the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus, which takes us right into the presence of God. Hebrews 10:19-20 says “having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh”.

Little wonder why the prayer of so many are unanswered today because they still operate in the Old Dispensation, and like Daniel their prayers are being held-up by the ‘Prince of Persia’ who is standing up to ‘their angel’. Let us wake up to a new realization and allow our prayers become more effectual, pulling down strongholds of the enemy in our minds and creating the desired future for lives and ministries.

Jesus Christ in John 14:6 clearly stated: “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” No man can get to God except by Jesus. This means that it is only in Jesus that we have “the permit” to God. Jesus is the access to God – when He is not in a life, there is no way that life can reach God. It is virtually impossible to reach God without Jesus. No one can reach God apart from Jesus (The Message Bible). This is the picture Jesus was trying to paint in our hearts when He encouraged us to ask anything in His name (Jn14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23-24, 26).

The story was told about a soldier who had been granted permission to seek a hearing from the President, during the American Civil War, as a result of family tragedy. He wanted to request exemption from military service. However, when he arrived at the White House he was refused entry and sent away. He went and sat down in a nearby park.

A young boy came across him and remarked how unhappy he looked. The soldier found himself telling the young lad everything. Eventually the boy said ‘come with me’. He led the dejected soldier back to the White House. They went around the back, none of the guards stopping them. Even the generals and high ranking government officials stood and let them pass through. The soldier was amazed.

Finally, they came to the presidential office. Without knocking, the young boy opened the door and walked straight in. Abraham Lincoln, standing there, turned from his conversation with the Secretary of State and said, “What can I do for you Todd?” Todd said, “Dad, this soldier needs to talk to you”.

This is exactly what Jesus does for us – He gives us direct access to God so that He would bend His head to listen to us. He takes us right into His Glory - where the angels may not reach or approach; where we can express our deeply felt desires in prayer. Thus, when we pray in the name of Jesus, we are praying ourselves right into the presence of the Most High.

Understanding Times and Seasons


See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
(Eph.5:15-17, KJV).

Circumspect comes from two Latin words which mean "looking around." The Greek word carries the idea of precision and accuracy. "See that you walk carefully, with exactness" is the meaning. The opposite would be walking carelessly and without proper guidance and forethought. We cannot leave the Christian life to chance. We must make wise decisions and seek to do the will of God.
Eph.5:14-15 are related. Paul appeared to be saying, "Don't walk in your sleep! Wake up! Open your eyes! Make the most of the day!" It is sad to see many professed Christians "drift" through life, like sleepwalkers, who never really make the most of opportunities to live for Christ and serve Him. Paul presented several reasons why we should be accurate and careful in our walk.


1. It is a mark of wisdom (v.15). Only a fool drifts with the wind and tide. A wise man marks out his course, sets his sails, and guides the rudder until he reaches his destination. When a man wants to build a house, he first draws his plans so he knows what he is doing (Lk.14:28). Yet, how many Christians plan their days so that they use their opportunities wisely? True, we cannot know what a day may bring forth (Jam.4:13-17). But it is also true that a planned life can better deal with unexpected events. Someone said, "When the pilot does not know what port he is heading for, no wind is the right wind."


2. Life is short (v.16a). "Buying up the opportunity - taking advantage of it." An old Chinese adage says, "Opportunity has a forelock so you can seize it when you meet it. Once it is past, you cannot seize it again." Our English word opportunity comes from the Latin and means "toward the port." It suggests a slip taking advantage of the wind and tide to arrive safely in the harbor. The brevity of life is a strong argument for making the best use of the opportunities God gives us.


3. The days are evil (v.16b). In Paul's time, this meant that Roman persecution was on the way (1Pet.4:12-19). How foolish to waste opportunities to win the lost when soon those opportunities might be taken away by the advances of sin in society! If the days were evil when Paul wrote this letter, what must be their condition today?


4. God has given us a mind (v.17a). "Understanding" suggests using our minds to discover and do the will of God. Too many Christians have the idea that discovering God's will is a mystical experience that rules out clear thinking. But this idea is wrong - and dangerous. We discover the will of God as He transforms the mind (Rom 12:1-2); and this transformation is the result of the Word of God, prayer, meditation, and worship. If God gave you a mind, then He expects you to use it. This means that learning His will involves gathering facts, examining them, weighing them, and praying for His wisdom (James 1:5). God does not want us simply to know His will; He wants us to understand His will.


5. God has a plan for our lives (v.17b). Paul alluded to this plan (Eph 2:10). If God saved me, He has a purpose for my life, and I should discover that purpose and then guide my life accordingly. He reveals His plan through His Word (Col 1:9-10), His Spirit in our hearts (Col 3:15), and the working of circumstances (Rom 8:28). The Christian can 'walk carefully and accurately because he knows what God wants him to do. Like the builder following the blueprint, he accomplishes what the architect planned.