Developing a Life of Significance – By Dee Mapa

“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” – Matthew 16:18 (NASU)
 

The words of Jesus above spoken to Peter conveyed many meanings. They were not only an utterance of prophecy. They were meant also to build up and to give Peter a life of significance. Peter was a man given to impulse, a characteristic that belied an obvious need to be esteemed. There are many like Peter, people who desire a life of significance. Yet, in this world of increasing materialism, instant gratification and compromised morals, finding significance is more like a search for the Holy Grail. Still, living a life of significance is possible. It begins with four thoughts we can find in the verse quoted above.

 

1. KNOW YOU ARE SPECIAL

(”…You are Peter”). Jesus wasn’t merely reminding Peter of his name. He was, in effect, saying, “You are somebody. In fact, you’re no longer Simon the fisherman, but Peter the rock!” God doesn’t create junk. He created you with a perfect and eternal plan in mind that, when fulfilled, will reveal the profound love God has for all mankind. He’s given you skills, talents and gifts so you can do your part in that divine plan.

 

2. KNOW YOUR PURPOSE

(”…upon this rock I will build My church”). God’s divine plan is fulfilled when we realize that we are in this world for a purpose. Certainly that purpose isn’t confined in building our own home, owning the latest car model or wearing the most expensive jewelry. Our purpose would definitely have something to do with other people. Thus, we must find our purpose in serving others or meeting their needs. A purpose that seeks to benefit others is not only noble, it is divine.

  

3. KNOW YOUR WEAKNESSES

(”…and the gates of Hades will not overpower it”). What defeats divine purpose is our weaknesses, because weaknesses tend to feed the self and cause problems (e.g. Peter’s denial of Jesus). Yet, when we admit our weaknesses and seek to correct them, we consequently mature and become more of a blessing to those we serve or relate with. In turn, we also help others mature. We must not go through life with a defeatist but a victorious attitude. This means we must first conquer our weaknesses.

 

 

4. KNOW WHO GOD IS

 (”I also say to you…”). It was Jesus who was addressing Peter, therefore he was trustworthy and believable. But, more than this, he was the Son of God! And this is the crux of the matter: It is within a relationship with God that we can find significance in our lives. It’s not about religion; it’s not about doctrines and dogma; it’s not about church and denomination. It’s about relationship. In our mundane world, we need to be able to touch the divine. To do so is to begin to live a life of significance. God bless you.

 

If you’ve been blessed by this article, please subscribe to Pastor Dee’s weekly messages by sending a blank e-mail to: fromthewildernesssubscribe@yahoogroup.com

 

 

 

UNDERSTANDING THE WILL OF GOD – BY ROBERT MOMENT

“I can of myself do nothing…because I do not seek my own but the will of the Father who sent me.” – John 5:30

 

It is easy for others to tell us that we should “do God’s will,” but it is difficult for most of us to understand what God’s will for our lives truly is. Angels don’t often land in our front yards with trumpet fanfare to announce what we should be doing (although that would be wonderful, wouldn’t it?). In today’s world, it can be difficult to know the will of God because we have so many others demanding our time and trying to tell us what to do. Sometimes the most difficult obstacles are our own wants and desires, which may be at odds with God’s will.

 

So how do we discover God’s will in for us? We must pray earnestly, understand our circumstances and remember to study God’s word. The Bible is full of references to God’s will for all of us. If we study the word of God and follow them, we are heading in the right direction. Fortunately, all we have to do is read the Scriptures to find clear instructions:

“He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” Micah 6:8. Micah clearly tells us what God’s will is for every one of us – mercy, justice and humbleness before the Lord. He desires this for all of mankind. It’s interesting that most of us know instinctively that we should be merciful, kind, just, honest and faithful. These principles of fairness and care are nearly universal and we know in our heart of hearts that they are God’s will. The difficulty is that often fulfilling God’s will can cause conflict in our lives. Sometimes it’s easier to just do what we think will be easiest or best for us, forgetting about God and the people around us. We may tell ourselves that we can’t always keep all of God’s commandments, or that it’s hard to understand what true justice is, or even that honesty may not always be in our best interests. We would be so wrong! Because God’s will is always for our lives to be prosperous, fulfilled and righteous. Perhaps it is easier if we look at Jesus’ answer regarding God’s will. He explains what the greatest commandment is – and even if we forget every other commandment or instruction of God – if we follow God’s will in this, everything else will naturally follow!

 

“’Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to them, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself’.” (Matthew 22:36-39) Think about this. If we love God with all of our hearts, minds and souls, then we will naturally seek justice, be humble and live righteously in order to praise Him. If we love our neighbors as ourselves, we will be honest, fair and just in everything we do.

 

God’s will is also expressed in Romans: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what it is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2) Any time you have a difficult choice before you, simply ask yourself these questions:
1.Is this a good thing to do for all concerned?
2.Is this acceptable to God?
3.Is this God’s perfect will? (Does it meet Biblical standards?)

To find the answer to these questions, pray earnestly for guidance, read the Scriptures and listen to that part of your heart that is honest and just, not concerned with you and your desires, but dedicated to God. “Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:6) Are you ready to seek, accept and understand the will of God? Then bow your head and pray for Him to reveal His individual will for your life. So long as you seek, you will find what you need to fulfill God’s will.

 

About Author: Robert Moment is an innovative forward-thinking “throw the box away” Christian business and marketing coach and author of newly published book, God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about empowering individuals on how to experience God’s love, power, joy, peace and prosperity. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE Christian Living e-course. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/ChristiansFaith.

10 Success Secrets of Jesus – By Sesan Oguntade

I have been able to extract ten success secrets from my careful study of the life and times of Jesus on this earth. I hope you will be richly blessed by these success secrets.  

 

(1) He was Prayerful
Jesus Christ understood the fact that He cannot be a good success if He does not have a relationship with His father in heaven through communication with Him.
The story of Jesus in the gospel books is full of Him going to His father at all times in prayer. “And He went a little further, and fell on His Face, and Prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible; let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as You will – Matt 26: 39

 

He knew He needed instructions from heaven if He was to succeed here on earth and He can only get those divine instructions mostly in the place of prayer. I have been divinely instructed to take one step or the other in business or in other aspect of my life on so many occasions in the place of prayer and I have thoroughly benefited from obeying those instructions. You cannot rule out divine help if you want to be a good success. This divine help can be yours on a regular basis if you have a relationship with God through prayer. You must however, strive to live a holy life if you want your prayer life to be very effective. God says in the book of Isaiah: “And when you spread forth your hands, I will hide My Eyes from you: yea, when you make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood”. Isaiah 1:15.

 

You may be wondering whether it is possible to live a holy life. Well, the good news is that you can actually live a holy life if you take a decision to accept Jesus Christ into your life as you personal Lord and Savior. When you do this, the Holy Spirit makes you His dwelling place and He begins to assist you to live clean everyday.

 
(2) Jesus was humble
Jesus lived a humble Life. The Bible says in the book of Philippians 2: 6 about Jesus: “Who, being in the form of God thought it not a thing to be grasped to be equal with God” Jesus is God He never allowed this to get into His Head; He took a decision to come into the earth as a Lamb of God to die for the sins of the world. Jesus is God but He took a decision to come into the world using the manger as His maternity home. Jesus is God but He chose the poor home of Joseph, the Carpenter as His family home. Jesus is God but He made Himself a friend to all less-privileged people. Even though, He owns heaven and the earth, He still associated Himself with this people. Humility was a great key to His success on earth. No wonder God (His Father) made Him (Jesus) to have a name that is greater than every other name and at the mention of His Name, every knee must bow and every tongue must confess – (Phil 2:9 – 11). Have you allowed the little success you have achieved to get into your head? You need to take a decision to change. Success is a journey that can never finish. So, the little success you have today is just the beginning of what you can still achieve if you keep your head.

(3) He was Hardworking
“I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night comes, when no man can work” John 9:4 Jesus worked very hard during His stay on earth. He made everybody around Him to know that He must do what he has come to do on the surface of the earth. He knew there will be a time when He would not be able to work again. He put in a lot of effort to achieve Hs purpose on earth. Do you need good success? You must be ready to work hard.
One of my mentors once told me when I was starting out in business; he said “Now that you are going into your own business, you need to show everybody that you are not a failure by working round the clock at the beginning to put the business on a good stand”. This statement, to me, was a call to duty. It was to make me understand the importance of hard work in business. Hard work does not kill, it only strengthens. So, emulate Jesus, put in all the effort now.

 
(4) He was an Investor
At the start of the Ministry of Jesus, He took time to search for men he can invest in for the future. He found the twelve disciples and invested heavily into them while He was on the surface of the earth with them. The result of the investment was the exploit of the disciples when Jesus had gone. I wonder what the fate of the gospel would have been if Jesus had not smartly invested in the disciples. Smart investment of your time, money, effort is very important for you to be a success story. Great men and women of today are great investors of their time, money and effort. Begin to invest wisely with these resources of yours now and you will be ready to share your success story with the whole world soon.

 
(5) He was a Giver
In the book of Matthew 15 verse 32–38, Jesus had compassion on the multitudes that were following Him and He fed them. You must be a giver if you want to succeed in life. The Bible passage above states that Jesus had compassion on the people and He took the decision, to provide for them. Compassion for the less-privileged of the society comes first before the decision to give to them. A good giver is a wise investor! If you are always closing your palms you will not be able to take in new things into your Palms. But when you open your Palms, you can bring in new things. Over the years, I have come to observe this attribute in the lives of great men and women. They are all great Philanthropists. They give and give and give. From Bill Gate to Warren Buffet. They are all givers. So, be a giver and continue to climb the success ladder.

 
(6) He worked His Passion
Jesus Christ was known to be very passionate about His purpose on earth. He worked his Passion right from His early years. After a long search for Him sometimes, the parents found Him in the Synagogue teaching. The young Jesus was surprised His parent did not come to the Synagogue to look for him in the first place. He felt, they ought to know that He would be in His Father’s House. Jesus never struggled when He was on the earth’s surface because He only concerned Himself with what He has come to the earth to do. You need to discover what you are passionate about and get yourself busy with it. One of Nigeria’s best ever footballers, Austin “Jay Jay” Okocha was once quoted as saying “I can’t believe my fortune when I got to Germany and people were ready to pay me for dong what I enjoy doing (footballing)” Yes, the young man enjoyed playing football and he really did wonders with the round leather object. He worked his passion and he became rich doing what he enjoys doing. You will make more money when you begin to do what you love to do. So begin to work your passion now.

 
(7) He served Humanity
Jesus rendered a lot of services to humanity when He was here on earth. Even though, He is God, He still served. Jesus demonstrated His great leadership qualities by taking a decision to wash the feet of His disciples (John 13:1-17). He used the opportunity to pass an important message across to the disciples and it’s the relevance of service to our success in life. A leader will be very successful if he or she understands this fact. His or her worth is measured by the quality of service he or she can render to his or her followers.

 

 (8) Jesus was Selfless
“Then said Jesus, father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his clothing, and cast lots” Luke 23 v 34
Jesus was in deep agony on the cross of Calvary. At that moment He had all the powers to command the angels to crush His accusers to set Himself free. He however decided to pray for the people instead! What a selfless Man! You must think more of others than you think of yourself. Everyday, you should always ask yourself what you can do to humanity. I have loved this statement credited to this man, John Bunyon. He said “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you” A selfish man will not enjoy good success.

 

(9) Jesus Recognized God’s will
Jesus never allowed His will to overshadow the will of God for His life. “And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, If it is possible, let this Cup Pass from me: never-the less not as I will, but as you will” Matt 26: 39. At the Garden of Gethsemane, even at the point of death, Jesus allowed the will of God to be done. Jesus never did anything outside the Will of the Father, No wonder, He enjoyed good success all through. You must make conscious effort at all times to recognize the Will of the Father. This is a great key to good success. Never embark on a project without going to Him in prayer. The Bible says: “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” Prov 3: 6

 
(10) Jesus was Brave
Bravery is an important quality you must possess if you want good success. The rich are known to demonstrate this trait when taking some decisions on investment. The poor are always scared or too cautious to take risks. Jesus was a brave man during His stay on the earth. He said this to the hearing of Pilate when He was being questioned in John 19 v 11a. “Jesus answered, you could have no power at all against me, except it were given you from above” This statement can only come under such condition to Pilate from a man with great courage and strength of character. Jesus, despite the fact that He knew what was going to happen in Jerusalem, in the book of Matt 20:17 went into Jerusalem with His disciples. “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the Chief Priests
and unto the Scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death.” Great courage is needed for us to enjoy good success. Jesus demonstrated this while He was on the surface of the earth. He courageously worked out His purpose on earth. You must be brave and courageous to take decisions that will ensure you enjoy good success.

 
About Author

Sesan Oguntade teaches Success Principles at www.sesanoguntade.com Obtain OVER 30 Secrets on “How You Can Begin to ACT on Your Ideas” and gain access to 69 product IDEAS you can begin to ACT upon immediately to rake in LOTS of PROFITS! Visit www.sesanoguntade.com

 

LIVING A SUPERNATURAL LIFE

One of the greatest desires of every true Christian is to live that kind of life that Jesus lived; the supernatural life. Even the non Christians also share in this desire. The supernatural life is a life of distinction. That is the kind of life which every one wants. The supernatural life is of a universal craving. This has made a lot of people to turn to the occult and all sorts of satanic devices. It has caused many to go to the extreme. Even some Christians have had to compromise their faith just to get outstanding results, which is never a stranger to the supernatural kind of life. The supernatural life is the kind of life where you live in a class of your own. It’s a life of glory, honor, dignity, fortune, outstanding results, uniqueness, and so on. This is the kind of life Jesus lived here on earth. The supernatural life is the kind of life where everything answers to you. You speak and things happen. I’m talking about an exclusive kind of life where you function at heavens frequency, loaded with divine power and ability. This is the life Jesus lived. He spoke to ANYTHING and it obeyed. Even the sea and the wind obeyed his command (Mark 4:39). For too long, a lot of Christians have classified the supernatural life as a life for a set of people such as the Pastors, Prophets, and so on. Come to think of it. If we are made in the image and likeness of God and God is the Father of the supernatural, shouldn’t we who are children of God also experience the supernatural life? If Jesus Christ, an epitome of the Supernatural, should abide in you and you in him, shouldn’t you live a life of distinction? A lot of Christians have been held down, oppressed and plagued with all manner of satanic attacks and captivity simply because they are ignorant of this supernatural life, which is suppose to be their birth right. The bible says “Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge…” (Isaiah 5:13). However, my mission is to reveal to you the life wire or source of the supernatural life.

 

One dynamic fact about the supernatural life is that it is a life guided by divine forces beyond the laws of nature. As a result of this, the supernatural man produces results that can’t be explained by the laws of nature. A life in the supernatural is a trail blazing life. It’s a pace setting life, filled with signs and wonders. The question at this junction is, “What does it takes to live this kind of life?” All you need to do is to hear and obey the voice of God at every junction of you life. What makes a supernatural life is the fact that when you hear and obey the voice of God on every issue of your life, God is committed to backing you up. It is that backing of God that brings in the supernatural into your life and makes you a mystery to the world. As God speaks to you and gives you instructions and you obey it, God confirms his word (Hebrews 2:4) and backs you up. It is that backing from God that will produce the supernatural in your life. Friend, the key to this life I’m talking of is hearing God and obeying him concerning every issue of your life. There is no amount of prayer that can do. You can never get it by fasting (if you try to, you’ll end up a fasting looser – I’ve seen quite a number). You won’t get it by speaking in tongues. You will only get it by hearing and obeying God. Friend, as a covenant child of God, redeemed by the blood, it is you covenant right to hear God. So also, it is your covenant right to live in the supernatural. Let me share with you some ordinary men in the bible who became extra ordinary by virtue of the supernatural life they lived in.

 

Moses was a murderer (Exodus 2:11-12) who became a man that was greatly used by God. Moses lived the supernatural life so much that it reflected on his natural body. I was over whelmed when I discovered in exodus 35:29-30 that Moses had become so close to God that God’s nature rubbed off on him and his face was transformed to the point that it was shinning. In other words, he became a mystery. However, if you study the life of Moses closely, you’ll discover that he was a man who sought the voice of God on every single issue he was faced with and obeyed it to the letter. When confronted with an issue, he turns to God and when God gives an instruction, he does just that. Moses’ obedience to God was what made God to back him up to the point that the Egyptian magicians (who did not believe in God) had to say “This is the finger of God” (Exodus 8:19). When he was faced with a sea, he turned to God and asked God for what to do. God said he should stretch forth his rod. He did just that and a whole sea (not a river or a lake) split into two. Friend, when you begin to obey the instructions that God gives you, the world would have no explanation for the results you produce. All they will say is “This must be God”. When you obey the instructions that God gives you, which will look natural, God will add the “Super” to the natural things you do, causing you to produce supernatural results.

 

Another example is Gideon. Gideon came from a minority tribe but became a major player by virtue of obedience to God. Gideon obeyed God and with 300 men, he conquered the Midianite army. The Midianite army was an army of one of the world’s strongest nations in Gideon’s time. Imagine 300 men conquering the American or German army. That was how it was then. Gideon simply defeated the Midianite army by obeying God. Please note that it’s so easy to miss this kind of life I’m talking about. That’s because the instructions that God will give you might make no sense. But you need to remember that God’s ways are not our ways and his thoughts are way different from our (Isaiah 55:8-9). You need to remember that God uses the foolish things of this world to shame the wise (1 Corinthians 1:28). So no matter how foolish the instruction may look to you, just do it. That’s where faith comes in. And as you obey God, God will back you up and you will become a wonder to your generation by virtue of the supernatural life you’ll be living. I wish you a supernatural life as you key into this.    

Gateway to Financial Breakthrough – By Tolu Olaniyan

The principal gateway to a financial breakthrough is tithing. Tithe biblically is defined as the tenth of your income. This portion must be set aside for the honor of God and the service of His sanctuary. You are supposed to set aside this money to acknowledge and pay homage to the one who has given you the power to make wealth.

 

 The practice of tithing was first carried out by Abraham. In Gen 14: 20 the bible records that Abram gave Melchizedek king of Salem tithes of all the spoils. He did this as a sign of gratitude to God. He paid his tithe to Melchizedek who was the priest at that time. Today, we Praise God that we have a great high priest in the person of Jesus Christ, for this reason we do not have to pay our tithe to any mortal man but straight to the most High God. It is very important that when you receive something from the most high you should express appreciation. Appreciation is essential if you want to receive more. Until you thank God your tank can’t be full. It is worthy of note that God must have his due out of every substance He has given to you. Remember that all you have today and who you are is not your making but the mercy of God. Jesus Christ your great high priest is to have homage done to Him. You should acknowledge Him because He is your king, priest and all in all. For this reason your entire tithe must be brought to Him. After Jacob had a divine visitation from heaven in Gen 28:22 he promised to give tenth of his acquisition to God. He did this as a sign of honor to God. He understood the fact that God is his helper and he must come back to appreciate Him. A tenth of your substance is a very fit portion to use to appreciate God. However as God prospers you, you could decide to increase it as your level of faith allows you.

 

 Tithe is a commandment from God. Jesus said “whosoever loves me will keep my commandment”. That is to say, the acid test to prove your love for God is to keep His commands. Lev. 27: 30 emphasis that tithes must be paid of all increase of the seed, land, fruit and tree, because all is holy unto the Lord. Any product you have that has the benefit of the Lord must be honored with your tithe. Rent is paid to a landlord, so also should you pay tithe to the bishop of you soul. By giving your tithe you are not only paying homage, you are making supplication to your father that there should be a continuance of His abundance.

 

It is essential that you pay your tithe so that there will be meat in the house of God. Your quota must be contributed for the support of the work of God in your local church. When you put God first by paying the tenth of your income, the remaining 90% will be enough for you to spend. You will find out that you would be able to save from it. Let God be the first in your service with your money, then God will prove himself as God. He will open the windows of heaven, and he will restore your plenty. In dealing with God you must deal on the basis of trust. To trust I mean, first pay your tithe and trust that He will reward you. Mt.6:31 says that you should first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, only then can other things be added unto you. When you pay your tithe the windows of heaven will open and pour out blessing that is more than enough.

When you obey this commandment of the Lord there is a blessing attached to it. The devourer will be rebuked for your sake. Destroyers and wasters will be far from you, even when they gather because it is not of God they will fall for your sake. When you pay your tithe the word barren will be cancelled from your dictionary. In the time of famine He will make your bones fat. As you pay your tithe when men say there is a casting down your song for you and your family will be that there is a lifting up. When you pay your tithe nation shall call you blessed. The hands of the Lord will be evident in your life, the only thing people would be able to say concerning you is that you are blessed of the Lord. When you pay your tithe the minister of the household of God will not want. If your pastor has sown unto you spiritual things it is a great thing if they should reap carnal things from you.

Friends I commend you into the hands of God and by the power in the name of Jesus I ask that you receive grace to be a hearer and doer of the word of God. If you love Jesus you will keep his command. If you have not started to pay your tithe do so today. If you have being paying, be consistent and see God opening the windows of heaven to pour you blessings beyond you imagination. Stay blessed.

A GOD GIVEN HEART – By Bucky Olaniyan

God has no problem with lifting you up. It is up to you to remain on top by possessing a Godly character. Some people have to pass on for God’s word to prevail in your life. Make sure you are obedient to the prompting of God to disengage from such people so that your lifting can come in due time. ISam 9:27

 

 

For every position that God causes you to assume, he gives you a heart that is suitable for that position. No wonder the Bible clearly states that it is God that works in us both to will and to do according to his good pleasure. For no reason should you therefore think that it’s your doing to be softhearted or kindhearted. The heart you have right now is in preparation for the height God is taking you to. So you need to watch over that heart so as to make sure that it keeps you on the top that God has placed you. Don’t forget that you also need the help of God to stay on top. You can only connect to the help of God by obedience.
 

It is also important for you to understand that when God gives you a new heart, he turns you into another man. It is your new interior that births a new exterior that is visible to all men. When God takes you to a higher level be sure that there are people that would despise you. But it is expedient that you hold your piece. For reasons like these and many more has God given you a new heart. The heart that is given you is required to help you hold your peace when people despise you. I Sam 10:27. He has also given you that heart so that you can accommodate the people you are leading as well as those who criticize you.

Remember that it is the tree with the most fruits that people cast stones at. If you are not criticized then it means the world has not seen fruits in you. So, be happy when you are criticized, because it is a sign that you are bearing fruits, which will only come when God has given you a new heart. For those that criticize you will soon come and bow to you. The glory bus stop is just a bus stop away from the mockery bus stop. Thank you Jesus for a new heart!!!

MANIFESTING GOD’S POWER (1)

We live in a time that is full of wickedness and evil. The devil is all out for you and I. As the days go by, evil gets worse. The devil is not relenting in efforts to fulfill his mission, which is to steal, to kill and to destroy (John 10:10). That’s why the whole world lies in evil and wickedness. It takes a higher power to overcome evil and wickedness and to also live above the devil and his agents. That power is the power of God. In 1 Peter 5:8, the bible says “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour”. So the devil is not waiting for you to invite him. Rather, he a constantly scheming how to get you destroyed and at the slightest opportunity, he strikes! Your only guaranty for victory over the devil is the power of God. In Acts 1:8, the bible says “But you shall receive power the Holy Spirit come upon you…” When you receive the Holy Spirit, you receive power; Gods power. God’s power is the highest. There is no power greater than it. But it is one thing to receive power and it is another thing to engage power. It is one thing to receive power, it is another thing to manifest power. A lot of Christians have received the Holy Spirit and therefore have the power of God in them. But most don’t know how to engage this power. That’s why a lot of Christians are suffering defeat, sickness, poverty, and all manner of attacks from the devil and his agents. So it is not enough to have or receive power. You need to understand what it takes to engage God’s power in you and how to manifest that power. The power of God in you is spiritual power; its not physical power. So there are dynamics of engaging spiritual power, which is different from the way you engage physical power. My mission in this series is to show you how you can engage and manifest God’s power in you in order to overcome the devil and his agents and live consistently in victory over the evil and wickedness of this world.

 

 

For you to manifest God’s power, the first thing you must know it that you can only manifest the power of God by the Spirit (Holy Spirit), according to the Spirit. So you receive God’s power by the Spirit and you manifest God’s power by the Spirit. The reason why most Christians are not seeing the power of God working when they try to engage it is because they received the power of God by the Spirit of God and try to engage it by themselves, without the Holy Spirit who gave them the power in the first place. Brethren, if you want to manifest God’s power, then you must engage that power by the Spirit, according to the will of the Spirit. Engaging God’s power by the Spirit and according to the will of the Spirit requires that you must be totally subject to the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God must gain absolute control of you. Luke 4: 14 says “Jesus went back full and under the power of the Holy Spirit”. Note two things there; He was full of the power of the Holy Spirit and He was under the power of the Holy Spirit (in other words, the Holy Spirit had total possession and control of Him). So Jesus was full of power and yet He had to be subject to the Spirit. Subjection to the Spirit is your guarantee to manifesting God’s power because God’s power is manifested through the Spirit. Jesus performed so many miracles because He engaged power through the Spirit, being subject to the Spirit. The more subject you are to the Spirit of God, the more control the Spirit has over you. And the more control the Spirit has over you, the more of God’s power that will be manifested through you by the Spirit. When the Spirit of God is able to gain control of your thoughts, actions, deeds, and re-actions, you’ll be amazed at how much of God’s power will manifest. It’s very important to note that the power of God, which you receive through the Spirit of God, is to be used according to God’s will and not your will or desire. So when God’s will and desire becomes your will and desire (by virtue of subjecting yourself to the absolute control of the Holy Spirit), manifesting God’s power will become your nature. That is when you will be able to live in consistently absolute victory over the devil. You will become too hot and tough for the devil. So when you receive the Spirit, you receive power. But when you subject yourself to the Spirit, you manifest power.

 

Another fundamental requirement for you to manifest God’s power is prayer. Men of power are men of prayer. In James 5:17-18, the bible said “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit”. Friend, prayer is the platform upon which power is manifested. Prayer is what stirs up God’s power in you. Until the power is stirred, it can’t be manifested. The power of God is manifested through the Spirit of God that is in you and upon you. But what connects you to that Spirit is prayer. When you are connected to the Spirit of God by prayer, God’s power will naturally flow through you. For you to be in touch with God’s power, you must be in touch with prayer. Prayer is what charges you up for the manifestation of God’s power. In my house, I have a lamp which we always charge with electricity. When we don’t charge the lamp, the light becomes deem and before you know it, the lamp is dead. It simply doesn’t give light. But when it is regularly charged, it manifests light with great brightness. This is the same thing with prayer. Prayer charges you up to manifest power. When you are a man of consistent prayer, you are consistently charged up and you are able to manifest power consistently in order to live in consistent victory over evil and wickedness. Some have lost touch with God’s power because they are slack in prayer. They have no charge; they are spiritually dead. Friend, the more you prayer, the more power you’ll be able to manifest. Many are dead in prayer and so there is no trace of God’s power in their life. They keep suffering from evil and wickedness. Jesus was a man of prayer and therefore, He manifested so much power. If you study the life of Jesus carefully, you’ll find out that He regularly separated himself from people to pray. That was why He manifested so much power in His life time. Your secrete place of prayer is you power house. If you neglect it, you’ll be cut off from power. Daniel was another man of prayer. He was a man of prayer and so He was in touch with power. How do you explain how a slave becomes the second in command in a nation where he was a slave? That is power. How do you explain how a man will lie in a den of hungry lions and the lions won’t be able to touch him? That is power at work. But Daniel generated this power in prayer. He was a man of consistent prayer and nothing could separate him from prayer; not even the Kings decree (Daniel 6:4-28). He was a prayer addict. Divine power is the realm in which men of prayer operate. Friend, if you want to operate in and manifest God’s power, become a prayer addict.

  

In conclusion, only God’s children are entitled to God’s power. Without accepting Jesus, you cannot access God’s power. So if you have not accepted Jesus, join me in saying this simple prayer; “Lord, I know that I am a sinner and I believe you came to die on the cross of Calvary that I might be saved. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Cancel my name from the book of death and register my name in the book of life so that I will reign with you. Thank you for answering in Jesus name”. If you have prayed this prayer, please send a mail togospel.centre@yahoo.com and we’ll be glad to get in touch with you. God bless you

MANIFESTING GOD’S POWER (2)

Welcome to the second part of this series. In the first part, I started by letting you know why you need to manifest God’s power, with emphasis on the difference between having God’s power and manifesting God’s power. I also explained two requirements for manifesting God’s power. These are prayer and being subject to the Holy Spirit. In the second part of this series, I’m going to be showing you some other requirements for manifesting God’s power.

 

Aside prayer and subjection to the Holy Spirit, another vital requirement to manifesting God’s power is God’s Word. One thing you need to understand about manifesting God’s power is that the power belongs to God and not you. It is God’s power and not your power. And because it is God’s power, it must be used in accordance with God’s laws i.e. the word of God. God’s word is the vehicle for God’s power. When you speak God’s word to a situation, God’s power goes with it. It is God’s word in your mouth that God is committed to backing. It is God’s word in your mouth that commands a display of power. Hebrews 2:4 says, “God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will”. Signs, wonders and miracles are only a confirmation of God’s word. So in manifesting God’s power, your duty is to speak what God has said and God’s duty is to confirm that which He has said with signs, wonders and miracles. So releasing God’s word is releasing power. Another thing the word of God does is to transform you. Manifesting God’s power is about being a channel via which God’s power is released. For electricity to pass through an element, it must have certain properties. The reason why electricity can pass through metal is because metal possesses the properties that enable it to carry and transmit electricity. So also, for you to be a channel via which God’s power is manifested, you must possess certain properties or qualities. There are certain qualities that must be actively at work in you. Some of these qualities include holiness, love, faith, and so on. These qualities are what make up God’s nature. However, in man’s natural state, these qualities are lacking. So it is a ‘transition’ from the natural state or nature of man into the super-natural state (which is the nature of God) that positions a man as a channel for God’s power. The power is from God and for God. So for you to be a custodian of God’s manifest power, you must possess God’s nature. This ‘transition’ into God’s nature is only possible via a transformation by God’s word. When you subject yourself to the diligent study of God’s word and you apply it to your life, you begin to acquire more of God’s nature. You become more like God. Manifesting God’s power without God’s nature is impossible. So you need to take on yourself God’s nature, which is only possible by a transformation by God’s word.

 

The question now is how does God’s word transform you? God’s word transforms you by transforming your mind. Your mind is the bed rock of your life. Anything that impacts your mind has impacted your life. So what God’s word does is to impact and renew your mind. It impacts God’s nature in your mind. Romans 12:2 says “…be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…” So your transformation into God’s nature is only possible by renewing your mind with God’s word. Studying God’s word is what gives you knowledge of God (or revelation). Colossians 3:10 says “…and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created”. That new man is the man with God’s nature. One thing about this transformation is that is a daily process. Each day you become more like God and you are able to manifest more of His power. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says “…yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day…” (Amplified Version). Also, Romans 12:2 says “…be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” The word ‘renewing’ shows a continuous activity. So being transformed by God’s word to God’s nature is a daily process. The more you become like God (by virtue of transformation), the more of God’s power you’ll be able to manifest.

 

One of the transformation works of the word, without which power can never be manifested, is holiness. It is important I emphasize this because it is one major reason why some people lack God’s power in their life. Holiness is God’s nature and for you to carry and manifest God’s power, you must be holy. In Leviticus 11:44 and 19:2, God clearly said “…be holy, for I am holy” You cannot have a nature contrary to God and expect to carry God’s power. Nothing blocks the hand of God in your life like sin. Sin quenches the power of God in your life. Manifesting God’s power is about connecting to God as a vessel via which the power of God flows from God, through you, to people, situations, circumstances, and so on. God is holy and for you to connect to Him for a flow of His power through you, you must be holy. You cannot connect rubber to a wire and expect electric current to flow from the wire to the rubber. The nature of rubber is contrary to that of wire so there can never be a flow. So also, when your nature is contrary to God’s nature of holiness, there can never be a flow of God’s power through you. God’s power works in favor of the holy and against the unholy. Until you are properly positioned in holiness, you can never manifest God’s power.

 

Today, another opportunity is here for you to position yourself for a life of holiness by accepting Jesus Christ as your lord and savior. So if you have not accepted Jesus, join me in saying this simple prayer; “Lord, I know that I am a sinner and I believe you came to die on the cross of Calvary that I might be saved. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Cancel my name from the book of death and register my name in the book of life so that I will reign with you. Thank you for answering in Jesus name”. If you have prayed this prayer, please send a mail to gospel.centre@yahoo.com and we’ll be glad to get in touch with you. God bless you

MANIFESTING GOD’S POWER (3)

Welcome to another edition of the series “Manifesting God’s Power”. In the last edition, I explained two fundamental requirements for manifesting God’s power; the word of God (which transforms you) and holiness (which is God’s nature). In this edition, I’m going to be showing you another fundamental requirement for manifesting God’s power, without which you can never experience the power of God in your life. This requirement is fasting.

 

Fasting is a key to God’s power. Without fasting, you can never manifest that power of God in you. Many have given up on fasting and so they are struggling endlessly with situations that can be easily dealt with when the power of God is at work. God’s power is not for pleasure; it is a treasure. Treasures don’t fall from the sky. They are costly and require a high price to get them. So in the school of power, fasting is the non negotiable price for manifesting God’s power. Fasting involves depriving the flesh of pleasures in other to have your spirit and flesh focused on God. The pleasures that you deprive your flesh of during fasting include food, sex (for married people), luxury, and so on. Fasting is all about depriving yourself of these pleasures to seek God in prayer and in the study of God’s word. Depriving yourself of these pleasures without seeking God is prayer and in the study of the word of God is not fasting. Fasting is separating yourself from the things of the world to God. Nehemiah 9:1 says “Now the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting and prayer, in sack cloth and with dust on their head. And those of the Israelite Linage separated themselves from foreigners …” So in fasting, you separate yourself to focus on God. It is when you genuinely seek God in a fast that God will manifest himself or reveal himself to you. It is when you commit yourself to God by separating yourself to God that God will release His manifest power to you. Often times, when people fast, they are fasting concerning one problem or the other. That’s fine. But the fasting that will cause you to manifest God’s power is not the fasting in which you seek for things. The fasting that will cause God to manifest His power through you is the fasting in which you seek for God. Seeking God in a fast commits God to manifesting His power through you. When I say seeking God, I don’t mean seeking His power or anointing. Those are good things to ask for but that is not what will move God to empower you. When I say seeking God, I mean seeking to know Him more, seeking to do His will, seeking to be more like Him, and so on. Those are the ingredients of a fast that will cause God to manifest His power through you.

 

In Joel 2:12, the bible says “Now, therefore, says the Lord, ‘Turn to me with all your heart with fasting…” Then in verse 18, it goes on to tell us what will happen if we do that. It says, “Then the Lord will be zealous for His land and pity His people”. In other words, God will become committed to you. When God is committed to a man, he commits everything He has, including His power. Men who manifest God’s power are men who God is committed to. A couple of years ago, one of my great mentors, Dr David Oyedepo, went on a fast. He went up to the mountain and was there for some days. He was not fasting for things. All he was doing was worshiping God, studying God’s word and seeking God’s will concerning his ministry. At the end of the fast, as he came down from that mountain, God said to him “I have touched your tongue with a coal of fire and as you say it, you see it”. From that moment, anything he says stands. Once he says a thing, it happens the way he said it. That is a practical manifestation of God’s power. Friend, manifesting power is not cheap. It carries a heavy price of fasting.

 

One thing you must understand is that you need power 24 hours of a day. The devil is looking for every opportunity to come in and destroy you. The moment you loose touch of power, he come in and pounces on you. Loosing touch of power makes you week and thus, the devil is able to have his way. Fasting is the only way to stay in touch with God’s power. In Matthew 17:21, Jesus encountered a problem that could only be solved by fasting. If He had not been fasting, He would not have been able to solve the problem. Fasting is what strengthens your connection with God. Your connection with God is where you spiritual strength lies. The bible says “…they that wait upon the lord shall renew their strength…” It is not talking about physical strength but spiritual strength. Fasting is not a physical exercise but a spiritual exercise. So your spiritual strength, which determines your connection to God, is being renewed by fasting. The more renewed your spiritual strength is, the stronger your connection to God. A man who has a strong connection with God finds to easy to manifest God’s power because the stronger your connection, the more of God’s manifest power you are able to draw from God.

 

One of the things that trigger the manifest power of God is revelation. But the deep revelations that trigger God’s manifest power are treasures which must be sought after. Often times, God reveals this deep revelations in fasting. Friend, the manifest power of God is deep and fasting is the only way to get deep in order to connect with it. It is my prayer that God will give you the grace for fasting in Jesus name! However, fasting without Jesus is a waste of time. So if you have not accepted Jesus, join me in saying this simple prayer; “Lord, I know that I am a sinner and I believe you came to die on the cross of Calvary that I might be saved. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Cancel my name from the book of death and register my name in the book of life so that I will reign with you. Thank you for answering in Jesus name”. If you have prayed this prayer, please send a mail to gospel.centre@yahoo.com and we’ll be glad to get in touch with you. God bless you

MANIFESTING GOD’S POWER (4)

Welcome to the last edition of this series. It is my prayer that through this series of teaching, God will open your eyes to what it takes to walk in dominion and victory by virtue of the manifestation of God’s power through you. In the first edition, I introduced what manifestation of God’s power is all about and I gave two requirements for manifesting God’s power i.e. subjection to the Spirit of God and prayer. In the second edition, I gave two other requirements for manifesting God’s power; the word of God and holiness. In the third edition, I elaborated on fasting as a prerequisite for manifesting God’s power. And in this edition, I am going to be showing you two more vital conditions you must fulfill in order to manifest God’s power.

 

Friend, another vital requirement for manifesting God’s power is being at the centre of God’s will or God’s plan for your life. God will only manifest His power through you in order to fulfill the plan and purpose that He has for you. Outside God’s plan, there can never be a manifestation of God’s power in your life. Outside God’s plan, you will only suffer defeat. Jesus was sent to save the world. But if you study the life of Jesus, you’ll discover that Jesus never worked any miracle until be began His ministry (which was God’s will for Him) at the age of 30. Moses was also born to deliver Israel from Egypt. Moses became a man of miracles. But he never manifested God’s power until he started walking in the plan and purpose God had for him. Until you are properly positioned in God’s plan for your life, manifestation of God’s power is not possible. God has a mission for you. When you operate and carry out God’s mission, He backs you up with His power. You don’t have to be a pastor to manifest God’s power. Daniel was not a pastor yet he manifested God’s power. They put him in a den of hungry lions and the lions could not touch him! Shadrach, Meshach and Aded-Nego were not pastors or reverends or bishops. Yet they manifested God’s power. They were put in fire and they did not burn. They came out without a scratch on their body. So you don’t have to be a pastor. Just be in the field that God has called you to and fulfill the requirements for manifesting God’s power and you’ll see God’s power at work through you and for you.

 

The final requirement for manifesting God’s power is spiritual growth. Ephesians 4:11-14 says, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed through and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful scheme. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ”. Spiritually, there are babies, there are children and there are adults. God’s desire is for us to grow up into adults (spiritually). When you become spiritually mature, it becomes so easy for you to manifest God’s power. The manifest power of God is given to those who are spiritually mature; not spiritual babies or children. Power in the hands of a child will bring destruction. So also, spiritual power in the hands of spiritual babies or children will also bring destruction. That is why God’s manifest power can not be entrusted to you until you are spiritually mature enough for it. Jesus was the son of God and came into the earth in the likeness of men. But Jesus had to pass through a stage of spiritual growth. Talking about Jesus, Luke 2:40 said, “And the child grew and became strong in spirit…” Being strong in spirit is spiritual maturity. Jesus began ministry at the age of 30 and that was when he started working miracles. But before he was 30, he had to subject himself to spiritual growth. Also, in Luke 1:80, we see that John the Baptist had to grow spiritually. God will not entrust you with his manifest power until you become spiritually mature enough to use it in line with God’s will and God’s word.

 

Now the question is “How do you grow spiritually?” The principal way to growing spiritually is by studying the word of God. What food is to your physical body is what the word of God is to your spirit. When you are loaded with deep revelations from God’s word, you grow spiritually. The deeper your insight into God’s word (by virtue of studying God’s word), the more you can grow spiritually. Man’s body was made from dust of the earth and so it takes food that comes from the earth to sustain it and make it grow. But man’s spirit is not made from the earth. It is a product of the breath of God into the body He made (Genesis 2:7). God made man with dust and it was when God breathe into man that man became alive. So the spirit of man (without which the body is lifeless) is a product of God’s breath. Since your spirit is made from something that comes from God (God’s breath), it can only grow by something that comes from God. That is the word of God. Remember your body was made from the earth (dust of the earth) and is sustained and grows by food, which comes from the earth. So also, man’s spirit was formed by God’s breath and will only grow by the word of God, which comes from God.

 

When I refer to the word of God, I’m not just talking about the written word but the revealed word. The revealed word of God is the revelations you get from studying the word of God. It is this revelation that makes you grow. When you eat food, it is being processed in your belly and the nutrients are drawn out. It is those nutrients that make you grow. So also when you take in God’s word into your mind, and you process it by meditating on it, revelations are been drawn out. It is these revelations that will aid your spiritual growth. This is how you can grow spiritually. Remember, until you are spiritually mature, you cannot manifest God’s power.

In summary, for you to manifest God’s power, you must be subjected to the Spirit of God, you must be a man or woman of prayer, you must be a person of the Word of God, you must be holy, you must be a man or woman of fasting, you must be at the centre of God’s will or plan, and you must be spiritually mature. These are the keys to manifesting God’s power. It is my prayer that God will give you the grace to engage these keys in the right way in Jesus name! Friend, without Jesus, manifesting God’s power is impossible and therefore you will perpetually live in defeat. You need to accept Jesus. So if you have not accepted Jesus, join me in saying this simple prayer; “Lord, I know that I am a sinner and I believe you came to die on the cross of Calvary that I might be saved. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Cancel my name from the book of death and register my name in the book of life so that I will reign with you. Thank you for answering in Jesus name”. If you have prayed this prayer, please send a mail to gospel.centre@yahoo.com and we’ll be glad to get in touch with you. God bless you