The Gift of Power!

As we seek God through His Word, we will see that as a son or daughter of God we have been given a great gift - the gift of power, that lives inside of us. In 1 John 4:4 we are told, 'greater is He who lives in me than he who is in the world'. I am assured here that the power to overcome darkness already lives in me - therefore, I am a power-filled being, equipped to take on the enemy at all cost. However, we sometimes do not recognize how much power and authority is in us and we are blinded by the subtlety of the devil. Just imagine church, our Great God created all of the universe, the things we see and so much more that brilliant scientists of our time are trying to figure out. This Magnificent God who put the stars in the sky and knows them by name, who commands the winds and seas, and who painted the colors of the atmosphere - HE LIVES IN US!

Therefore, we have power and authority in us. We are weapons against the enemy. But, like my Pastor preached recently, if we are not using the gift, we won't see any results. He gave us this example: say someone buys you a car that they parked in your garage for your convenience, but everywhere you need to go you walk or use public transportation - how did the gift (car) benefit you? In the same way, if you already have the power of God in you and the enemy comes and you never use the power, how will you be successful, prosperous, or victorious against the enemy?

The devil is so subtle - sometimes we accept things happening without even discerning it is him. For a couple of weeks I had been hearing what I assumed was a bird on my rooftop making somewhat of a clocking sound. The sound would only be heard at night and was loud and very irritating. I tried to find out where exactly on the roof it was, but I couldn't see. After hearing the message on the power of God in me, I decided to use it. That night after church, I came home and was enjoying a cup of tea. And then I heard it. The sound was loud especially in the quiet of the night. I began to declare in the atmosphere the power that is living in me and I command the evil to depart from my dwelling place. To my amazement, after a couple of tries, the sound stopped. From that moment onward, I never heard the sound again. The devil uses people or animals, or any body he can inhabit. We have to be able to discern him and rise up with the power in us and fight against him. Remember, he has already lost! Victory is ours because our God is victorious! Let's step out now unto the unknown territory God is taking us to. Because He is with us, we can be sure we will only flourish!

Love you all - powerful people of God!

As Humble as a Lamb

Peter was a follower of Christ who was privileged to walk with our King in the flesh... After His passion, Jesus remained with His disciples for 40 days, eating, drinking and sharing Kingdom things with them. When He ascended into Heaven on a cloud, the men who bore witness to this was assured that He would one day return again....and they knew there was much work to be done for His name's sake, until His return.

Our faithful God knew that His people needed Him, and thus, He did not leave us comfortless...He promised that the Holy Spirit, the third member of the God Head, would be with us to guide, counsel, convict, lead, protect, save, unify, teach and correct us, among many other things. But, most of all, I believe that one of the Holy Spirit's gifts to us is to empower us, causing us to be victors like Our Father which art in Heaven!

And so we read in the book of Acts, chapter 3, that a man who had been lame and begging for contributions by the gate called 'Beautiful' was healed by men of God who were empowered by His Holy Spirit. We know that when God performs a miracle in our lives the world looks upon us and marvels. But, how often do we get caught up in the the hype and forget that the miracle was not as a result of our own doing, but it was the work of God? I remember one time I attended a thanksgiving service at a sister's house and was fortunate to be a part of the worship team. After the service, a man came up to me and was going on and on about how great the worship was. I was so proud of myself that I forgot that it was not me at all but the Spirit in me who was using my vessel for His honor and glory! Right here in the scripture taken from Acts 3:12 (AMP), it says, 'And Peter, seeing it, answered the people, You men of Israel, why are you so surprised and wondering at this? Why do you keep staring at us, as though by our [own individual] power or [active] piety we had made this man [able] to walk?' Unlike me, Peter was quick to discern the devil's tactics in an attempt to cause him to become puffed up in himself. He quickly addressed the awestruck crowd letting them know that he was not responsible for the miracle they witnessed but the glory belonged only to God! 

The more I meditate on this portion of text, the more I begin to understand the humility that is required of us. This can only come from true love for God, and true relationship with Him. When we are able to recognize without any flicker of doubt that God is the source of all things and that all things belong to Him, we begin to fathom His value. We begin to appreciate that this God who formed the entire universe, is looking down at us, and attending to our needs. We begin to see our filth before Him because we begin to become familiar with His Holiness and purity. It is only then we can truly understand humility... knowing that all we are - we owe to God.

Let us take pattern from these men who sought after kingdom things, forsaking the flesh. Let us seek to become humble as we serve Christ. After all, the Bible says that those who humble themselves shall be exalted...(Matt. 23:12).

Love you all in Jesus' name!

Faith like a Mustard Seed....

The Bible tells us in Mark 11:24, 'Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye have received them, and ye shall have them. Therefore I say to you, Whatever things ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them'. Do you know in this scripture, God was speaking to believers? Yes, to you and me, the saved, adopted sons and daughters of God. He was giving us a glimpse into His Glorious Kingdom by telling us that whatever we want, because we are His, we only have to believe when we ask for it, and it shall be granted unto us! What a love from a generous Father! But, knowing that we are His, knowing that we can ask that the windows of Heaven be opened and His blessing be poured out upon us, still doesn't mean anything if we don't believe it can happen!
Matthew 17:20 of the Amplified version of the Word of God goes like this, 'He said to them, Because of the littleness of your faith [that is, your lack of firmly relying trust]. For truly I say to you, if you have faith [that is living] like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you'. Again, Jesus was speaking to believers. More interestingly, in this portion of text, He was addressing those most closest to Him - His disciples! These were the men who walked with Him, ate with Him, and performed miracles in His name! These were also the same men who were of little faith! So where does that leave us?
If you are anything like me, then you love God. There is nothing that satisfies you more than the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Yet, when the situations of life come against you, somewhere along the way you become weary.. and the doubt squirms its way into the matter. You say that it will all work out because you serve the One True and Living God, yet, you know you are doubting that the best is yet to come.. 
But, my brothers and sisters, here I am, a living testimony! My life is a series of ups and downs, with twists and turns that I didn't bargain for. But, I am learning everyday that the more I spend time in God's beautiful presence, the more I read and fill myself with the knowledge of who He is, the more I am able to build my faith..
Anna Rountree gives her testimony on www.spiritlessons.com of her experiences with God in Heaven. There, she shares an amazing truth that there are human organs and parts that are stored up in Heaven ready to be released to the sick among us - but we don't believe in His marvelous healing, so they remain there, and we grow more and more sick..
We pray for job promotions, new houses and vehicles, financial breakthroughs, healing, deliverance, marriage partners, and so many other things, but we don't believe that we can receive these things from our God. Therefore, there is no manifestation of His Might for the unbelievers to see..
Today, I just want to encourage you to know that God loves you more than you can ever imagine. Our minds are too limited to process the kind of love He has for us. He wants to give us the desires of our hearts - but we need only to believe...

Be an OVERCOMER!

'You're an Overcomer!' This line was taken from Mandisa's song entitled with that ever powerful word, 'Overcomer!' In this new year, 2015, God wants us to overcome the obstacles and barriers that have ever been plaguing our lives and holding us back from enjoying freedom in Him. He promises that this year will be an exciting one for His people, but we first have to get to that place with Him where there are no boundary lines. But how do we do this?
For me, I had to recognize that everyday I battle with generation curses and hereditary spirits that tackle me from every angle. I had been engaged in warfare, but I was not too sure who or what I was really fighting against. As a result, I begun to study what these things were so that I could better equip myself. Pastor Paula White says that if we examine our families, we would clearly see the patterns that emerge from generation to generation. Some of these curses may include divorce, cancer, alcoholism, depression, fornication, adultery, poverty, accidental and untimely death, particular sicknesses and diseases and many more.. Knowing these curses, means we can now attack the enemy will full force. Bear in mind that we have to be clothed with the full armor of God and have confidence in Him knowing that greater is He who is in Me than He who is in the world! Understand too, that even if the curse was not broken with us, with constant warfare, we can break them from our children's lives - and thus change our generations ahead of us.
The next thing is understanding that God is no man's debtor. Everything we do for God is rewarded. Colossians 1:5 of the Amplified version of the Bible tells us that, 'Because of the hope [of experiencing what is] laid up (reserved and waiting) for you in heaven...' Therefore, we seek to overcome the world knowing without a shadow of a doubt that there are things laid up for us in Heaven that our words cannot express and give honor to!
What is it that you want to see happen in your life this year? Get to a place with God where you can truly connect with Him and thus be able to proceed in His plan for your life. Jesus loves us so much more than human understanding permits us to comprehend. Trust in Him and call on Him to help you overcome the hurdles you are facing - Now!
Be ever blessed.

Standing Strong in Jesus Name

By Nathan Edwards

Don't you give up
Don't you quitYou keep walking
You keep trying
The Victory is ahead
and it will be alright in the end
Trust JESUS,
for he is Jehovah Jireh,
the Lord our Provider
he is El Shaddai,
the All Sufficient One
and Believe in good things to come

Never give up
Never lose hope
Always have Faith
It allows you to cope
Trying times will pass
as they always do
So put on a smile & live through your pain
Know it will pass & strength u will gain

"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:14

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake...

Matthew 5:10 in the amplified version of the Bible says,  "Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions) are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!" This remarkably profound statement promises happiness, favor, spiritual maturity and closer relationship with God to those who refuse to bow down to sin. It teaches us that if we are professing with our mouths to love God, and deep within our hearts we desire to please Him, then we will be persecuted. We will be made fun of, ridiculed, rejected, put down, and belittled when we take our stand for righteousness. It shows us that when the test of persecution comes, and note that it will come, we are expected to go through it and come out victorious because we are standing for God.

In a Bible lesson at church, my Pastor used the example of the three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to illustrate this point. These three young men refused to bow down to serve sin and as a result were thrown into the fiery furness. Even in the fire, they refused to compromise and so the heat was turned up 7 times hotter. With God's unfailing protection, they endured this test and emerged without any broken bones.

Another case comes to mind on the same point. King Darius had set a decree in place that banned the worship of Gods other than himself (since he saw himself as a God). Daniel, a faithful servant of the Lord refused to follow this law and increased the amount of times he worshipped each day. As punishment for his 'menacing' crime, Daniel was thrown into the lions den. Again, our faithful God stepped in and shielded Daniel from the hungry beasts. In the morning, the king was in awe when he saw Daniel make his way out, alive and unharmed! 

These recorded events are there to fill us with hope. Students in a classroom are tested at different times to ensure learning had taken place. In the same way, the children of God are tested to ensure that we have learned all that God intended in the season we may be facing.

My dear friend, I know you are going through a time of persecution where the very people you love are making you out to be the enemy. Embrace this season of your life because you are "Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions)". Use this precious time to build your relationship with Our Father which art in Heaven. Know that this is not meant to harm you but to instill in you more of a Christ like character that will be evident to the world. As you have given yourself over to God, be strengthened and know that He will never let you go through anything alone. He is standing with you. Don't compromise. Don't carry the weight on your own. Allow Jesus to carry it for you as you exchange your burden for His. Remember, His thoughts towards you are always good and with this test, He wants you to draw even closer to Him. 

God Bless You All!

Light in the Darkness, by Nathan Edwards

Jesus

You are my protector, You are my strength, You are my deliverer, You are my redeemer,You are my Shield, You are my Strong Tower, You are my light in my darkness and my friend till the very end. You take me up and lay me back down, I know with you, I am and will be found. I seek you each day and seek your name,I am nothing without you or your Fame. Waking with you, you give me power, To make it another day and another hour. Learning your word is so smart, I love you, Lord, with all my heart. You gave up for me all your life,We could not stop all the strife. Every day I will always say, I long to return to you one day. Love me, Lord, and keep me strong, Without you I can never get alone. For even when I walk through the darkest valley, I shall fear no evil, for God, You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You are the light in the darkness.

When I go through deep waters, I know you will be with me. When I go through rivers of difficulty, I will not drown. When I walk through the fire, I will not be burned up; the flames will not consume me, For your word says oh God I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; Church there is One who cares immeasurably about you, And his name is JESUS, He is there with an outstretched arm to shower you with his unstoppable Love, his unshakable wonderful peace, His unfailing Grace, His indescribable Joy, Jesus you alone are worthy of all the Praise, Glory and Honour and there is no one else oh Lord who was, who is and is to come, You are forever more the same. Whatever you may be going through, whatever test, trial, pain, persecution, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth you will endure all things for those things are just for a while and God your Word says weeping may endure for a night, but JOY comes in the morning, and through your Love Jesus, we are more than conquerors in you because your Love never fails. Who will you turn to in your dark times? Man will fail you but God will never fail you God loves you. The scripture says it like this: For the Father himself loves you the devices of the enemy is to make you feel that no one cares, that you are on your own but church listen to me, there is one who cares there is one who infinitely knows everything about you and His name is JESUS! So shout forth the name of JESUS for he is the light in your darkness lift up your eyes unto the hills for your help comes from the Lord! Lift up your hands to give him all the praise and let him love you for he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our Provider, He is Jehovah Rapha, the Lord our Healer, He is El Shaddai, the All Sufficient One!

Saints of God Jesus rose and conquered death, the grave and all attacks, principalities and powers of the wicked enemy. He's the risen conqueror and as long as we have fellowship with him and believe in him by faith then we shall have the victory in every fiery trial. For Jesus is the light in our darkness....

And wherever you may go remember that

U are Blessed

U are Favoured by the Most High God
U are a Conqueror in Christ Jesus
U are the Head and not the Tail
U will succeed in all that you do
U can overcome every challenge/ obstacle
U will make your dreams a reality
& U will have the Victory in Jesus name