SPIRITUALLY PREGNANT (How To Give Birth To Your Dreams.)

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 in

It’s interesting how God gives His prophets different angles on a thing and at times they seem almost to contradict one another, but in the end you can see how it all fits together. The Messianic prophecies are a good example. But I digress. Or do I? It’s been almost a year since I had that dream, and I’ve had others about the baby as both an infant and a toddler since then. The Lord recently brought these things to my remembrance while I was reading about Mary, the human mother of Jesus, and a Messianic prophecy she received that changed her life. And there’s a lesson in it for us all in this year of new beginnings.

You’ll remember when the angel Gabriel, often seen delivering messages to God’s people, found Mary in Nazareth. Gabriel told Mary she was highly favored of the Lord, and blessed among women. Then Gabriel delivered his prophetic message: “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus” (Luke 1:31 NIV). Mary was perplexed and asked the angel how it was possible, seeing as she was a virgin.

Imagine the flood of thoughts rushing through Mary’s mind. She wasn’t married, so turning up pregnant would be more than a little inconvenient to her lifestyle. Unlike my superficial complaints over finding time to get my work done with a newborn’s diapers to change, Mary’s prophetic revelation could have cost her everything. Not only was she in danger of losing Joseph, the love of her life, she could also find herself on trial for fornication. Fornication was reason enough to be stoned under Mosaic Law. Mary probably met with demon-inspired imaginations about her fate.

Then Gabriel answered Mary. “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1: 35). Gabriel also gave her two other insights. He told Mary that her cousin, Elisabeth, who had been barren, was pregnant in her old age. He also told her all things were possible with God. At this news, Mary probably remembered Abraham and Sara’s miracle baby and began to put her faith in God.

“Mary responded, ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true’” (Luke 1:38 NLT). Mary displayed willingness and obedience to allow the Lord to use her however He chose. I don’t believe He would have used her if she had not been willing and obedient. God will not violate our own will. That’s why, after I awakened from my pregnancy dream, it wasn’t so much about getting revelation on exactly what I was birthing. It was about lining up my will with God’s will in the matter.

Let’s get real. Birthing anything, from a baby to a ministry to a business, is hard work. It changes your life. It forces you to get more disciplined. It challenges you to go deeper in God to find the grace you need to meet with the spiritual stretching you will no doubt experience. Indeed, birthing new things demands many adjustments. That’s why so many people have aborted the call of God on their lives. It’s not that they couldn’t yield to the Spirit of God and work with Him to birth something new. It’s that they were not willing.

I believe God is birthing new things this year – and He needs people who are like Mary, willing and obedient to allow the Lord to do what He pleases for His glory. Notice I say for His glory. Mary gave birth to Jesus not for herself, but so the sin of the world could be taken away. Whatever the Lord chooses to birth through us – a song, a book, or an entire ministry – remember that it’s not about you. It’s about the people who need what you are carrying. You aren’t carrying the Savior of the world, but you may very well be carrying something that will save people a lot of pain, bring people greater understanding of God’s Word, or give people the hope of fulfilling their purpose and destiny in Christ. Isn’t it worth it?

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THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Tuesday, August 23, 2011 in

SEEK HIS KINGDOM FIRST
"For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:32-33.
Dear beloved, the word first brings to mind what we call PRIORITY. What is the first on your list today? Is it to seek after these same things you've been running after all these years and still do not have enough satisfaction? Well, I have great news for you. "Do not leave your life on resources (things) because they will soon run out. But rather, leave your life on the source (his kingdom) because it will never run out." 

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IS GOD UPSET WITH ME?

Monday, June 06, 2011 in

SATAN'S SCHEMES


2Cor. 2:11 "Lest the devil should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices."

How do you perceive your relationship with God? Did you know that your faith depends on how you perceive your relationship with God? A person may have no trouble believing God's Word when it tells us that we have authority to lay hands on the sick, and see them recover, but where that person may have a struggle, is when they doubt their worthiness to walk in such manifestation of God's Spirit. If a person has a problem with feeling worthy, then they need to understand the power of the Blood of Jesus, and what difference it makes to their relationship with God.

It is absolutely essential that you perceive your relationship as if it were washed clean with the Blood of Jesus. God's Word tells us that if we walk in the light, then the Blood of Jesus continually cleanses us from all our failures along the way:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

Are you walking in the light and forgiving / loving one another as Christ has loved you? If so, then your under the constant protection of the Blood of Jesus, which washes away your failures. It is no ticket to continue living in sin, but it is an opportunity to grow in Christ.

Perceiving your relationship with God depends on how seriously you take what He says about your being made right with Him through faith in Christ Jesus. If He says that the Blood of Christ has washed away your sins, but you still see yourself as guilty and shameful, then you're not really standing on that promise in His Word. You're not taking what God says seriously, and therefore it is causing you to see your relationship with Him in a way which is not true. Such perceptions greatly affect our faith.

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THE ROOTS OF BITTERNESS.

Sunday, June 05, 2011 in

BITTERNESS IS POISON IN YOUR BODY

Bitterness is known in the Bible as spiritual poison and a means by which many are defiled (Hebrews 12:15). It is the source of countless spiritual and physical problems in millions of lives today. The Bible tells us that MANY are defiled by the means of bitterness. Bitterness can be tricky to recognize because it's not a symptom or visible on the surface like anger usually is. Many claim that they aren't an angry or hateful person, but that's not what bitterness is all about. Bitterness is an underlying problem that doesn't always manifest on the outside, but dwells in that person's system.

Bitterness is a root!

Hebrews 12:15, "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled."

What is a root? A root is a source, or a bubbling fountain that is laying under the surface. Roots do not directly manifest or make themselves known, but are a source of nutrition or fuel for other elements that are on the surface. You don't usually see a plant showing off it's root system, but if the plant didn't have a root system it wouldn't survive. A root's job is not to manifest on the surface, but to brew under the surface and fuel things that are on the surface.

Let's take a closer look at a plants root system... where does the roots dwell? Under the surface of the soil. Can everybody see it's root system? No, because it's hidden under the soil or surface. The same is true with bitterness in a person's soul. It is a hidden element that lies under the surface, and out of it springs up anger and other negative emotions against others and against the circumstances around us. People who have a root of bitterness find it easy to get upset over things that other's are doing around them. It's like a brewing fountain that lies beneath the surface, waiting to fuel something that is on the surface.

Bitterness can be kept to one's self

Countless women who are raped develop awful emotional and spiritual bondage. It's not because they were raped, but because they allowed the trauma to get to them. Many women are in bondage today because they became bitter under the surface about what was done to them years ago. I believe Clinton Clark once said that from his observation, it seemed that boys who are molested by older men and forgave the molester and forgot about it right away, walked away without picking up unclean homosexual spirits, but those who allowed the trauma to bother them walked away with homosexual spirits and other bondages. That's how the demonic spirits gain access into a person's life through rape and abuse. It's not the abuse or rape, but the bitterness and unhealthy feelings that build up within a person who has been taken advantage of. Demons thrive on bitterness and unforgiveness, and it's a wide open door for them to move right in on a person and develop many spiritual, mental and even physical bondages.

Now many of these people who have been hurt, don't express it on the outside, but rather hold the hurt and bitter feelings inside where they fester and grow. I know women who have been raped, and they are kind and gentle and loving people, but inside they are bound up because of what was done to them many years ago. Just because they aren't angry or outrageous individuals, does not mean they are free from the root of bitterness. As I said earlier, bitterness is a root, and roots are not always visible on the surface. They may promote ungodly anger and other emotions on the surface but bitterness itself works under the surface.

Bitterness is a root, thereby making it harder to identify and expose than many surface issues, but none the less it's a deadly poison that needs to be released. If left alone, it will grow and fester, and it has the ability to spring up many surface issues such as irritability, anger, hatred, etc. Individuals who have a root of bitterness will often find it easy to become upset over little things that go on around them. It is easy for them to look at the circumstances around them as the source of their problems, rather than seeing how they are handling those circumstances. Instead of letting it go and forgiving, they let it get to them, and it devours them alive. This is a very common route by which demons enter people today.

Whether bitterness is manifest on the outside or not does not matter. 

Due to the nature of bottled up feelings and emotions, they are not always made noticeable on the surface, but that by no means discounts the fact that they are there. If there is a root of bitterness, it needs to be cut off at the root and removed from one's soul. We need to make a choice to release all hurt and bottled up feelings inside our systems, and repent for holding that poison in our hearts. Turn from those feelings and forsake them, and allow the Lord's love to minister to your soul!

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ADEQUATE

Tuesday, May 31, 2011 in

THE BLOOD IS ENOUGH

This is a powerful and liberating teaching that we must understand in order to experience true freedom from guilt and shame of our past. It is absolutely essential for us to realize the forgiving power of the Blood of Jesus! Nothing we can do will ever add to or take away from the work that Christ did on the cross. As the song sings, "What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the Blood of Jesus!"

I think one of the reasons why it is so hard to grasp the true forgiving power of Christ's shed blood is because it just seems too good to be true. Wouldn't you agree? But God's Word is true, and it even tells us that through Christ, we have exceedingly great and precious promises:

2 Peter 1:4, "Whereby are given unto us EXCEEDING GREAT and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

The word precious in the above verse refers to the Greek word timios, which actually means valuable or costly! These promises that God has given us, cost Jesus dearly... He paid a steep price for our redemption, healing and deliverance!

I believe the Holy Spirit has showed me that if you have to do something to receive forgiveness of your sins, then you will always wonder if you've done enough! Look at this passage in scripture:

Galatians 3:11, "But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith."

Knowing that your conscience is clean is very important. A while back, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, "You need to KNOW that you are clean... your faith depends upon it!"

The Blood of Jesus was shed to not only forgive, but to remove sin!

In the Old Testament, the priests would sacrifice lambs, goats, etc. to cover the people's sins. However, this sacrifice was not significant to remove the stain of sin. But since Christ shed His blood, our sin can be REMOVED from our account! In Hebrews 10, it paints us this picture very clearly.

Hebrews 10:1-22, "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 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; And having a high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."

Jesus tells us in Matthew 26 that His blood is shed for many for the remission of sins. The word remission here is referring to the Greek word aphesis which means:

"Forgiveness or pardon, of sins (letting them go as if they had never been committed), remission of the penalty."

With that said, read this verse to yourself and meditate (that is to soak in) it's meaning!

Matthew 26:28, "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

John the Baptist also confirmed this when He said that Jesus, the Lamb of God, taketh away the sin... not just cover... but taketh away!

John 1:29, "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

How do we receive this forgiveness?

First, we need to understand that the forgiveness of our sins is considered a GIFT... this means that we cannot deserve it or earn it in any way, but we must receive this gift.

Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."

We are told that through faith in Christ Jesus, we can obtain forgiveness of our sins through the blood that He shed for us:

Galatians 2:16, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

John 3:15, "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

Romans 3:28, "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

Galatians 3:11, "But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith."

Galatians 3:24, "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."

As you can see through the verses above, it is through faith in Christ Jesus that we are made right with God. The Bible even goes on to show that if we try to make ourselves righteous by our own works, then we are missing the whole point, and therefore we are not truly accepting the work that Christ did as significant!

Galatians 5:1,4, "So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law... For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace." (NLT)

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IS THE KINGDOM IN YOU?

Thursday, May 26, 2011 in God, holy spirit, in you, joy, kingdom, peace, power, within

The moment the word "Kingdom" is mentioned the definition is always likely to mean the same as a country or nation governed by a monarch. Thus all kingdoms will necessarily have these four attributes; a king who rules by law over a number of subjects within a certain territory.
Most modern 'Christian' ministers have their own way of expressing their ideas concerning a statement our Lord Jesus Christ made in Luke 17:21, where Jesus said, "For behold, the kingdom of God is within you."  "Within" is translated from the Greek word entos , primarily meaning "inside". Yes, what I am driving at is that, the kingdom of God must of necessity dwell inside you as a christian. Have you read carefully this scripture, Matthew 23:26;
 "²⁵ “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! ²⁶ You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish,^[a] and then the outside will become clean, too." (NLT).
Paul in Romans 14:17 gives us a great insight into what the kingdom of God is. " For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, ¹⁸ because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
1. RIGHTEOUSNESS
Many of the struggles around us as Christians are as a results of not 'seeing' or being able to receive within us the characteristics of the kingdom of God at work in us. In fact, I fact, many Christians today are either ignorant or have totally rejected the righteousness that Christ Jesus gave them when He became sin for us. 2Cor. 5:21 "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." You have the righteousness of God in you, so your struggle with sin should be over. This 'trait' -a characteristic that is genetically determined is what you inherited from Jesus and the evidence of the kingdom of God within you.
2. HIS PEACE
Philippians  4:7 "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
As a christian, your life must be full of the peace of God. Many hearts and minds are at war fighting even when the boby is supposed to rest. Anxiety has become the order of the day, worrying for nothing. Read Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." The world needs peace. As you pray, pray also that your neighbor will receive this kind of peace also. by this, many will experience the kingdom of God also.
Jesus said in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." This 'trait' -a characteristic that is genetically determined is what you inherited from Jesus and the evidence of the kingdom of God within you.
3. JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
The personality of the Holy Spirit is one that no christian can do without. He is the administrator of God's educational institution here on earth. He is also the power at work in every christian who is willing to see the unadulterated word of God at work in him or her. In order words, He provides the proof of the word.
In Acts 1:4, Jesus told the disciples that they will be baptised with the Holy Spirit. In verse 7, He said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
This is what establishes the kingdom of God in you and bring to you the joy that the christian must have.
In John 3:3 "Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,^[a] you cannot see the Kingdom of God."
To see the kingdom of God is not as in vision, but rather you experience the righteousness of God, the peace of God and the joy in the Holy Spirit within your spirit man.
PRAYER
Pray that the kingdom of God (righteousness,peace and joy in the Holy Spirit) will be manifested in you.
God richly bless you.

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YOU NEED A FAITH LIFT AND NOT A FACE LIFT

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 in Change, Face, Faith, Lift, use

The world if fast changing and the order of doing things are also changing. Similarly, christians and many other people are facing very difficult times of economic collapes, family problems, pay cuts, disappointments in relationships, massive marriage divorce, even the abolishment of 'bible knowledge' in schools, and many others. In the midst of these problems, many christians in their attempt to solving the problems have resorted to what I have termed face Lifting. Do you need help? Is your faith diminishing these days?



 As a christian, have you being praying these days for a job, for marriage, or maybe for a favor from someone or simply a breakthrough? Such worldly pressures have compelled many children of God to change their real inner image to what does not really show their true nature.Have you soon given in to the sexual demand of your boyfriend just to save the relationship? That is not your nature if Christ truly lives in you.

Have you soon accepted going out with a married man just to help you secure a job?

Have you changed your way of dressing just to entice or attract some attension?

Are you content with what you have or you will do anything to impress others?

Are you planning to end it all? Maybe you are fed-up.

Do you feel like fainting?

Face - Lifting can only change your physical appearance for a short time but Faith - Lifting will bring that inner and eternal change that you desire.

Look at Joseph, though he had an opportunity to face lift his image by having an affair with his master's wife, preferred to keep his God-given image (his dream) by fleeing that temptation. Genesis 39:12-14. This young man rather lifted his faith and God preserved his dream of becoming a prime minister.

He refused to be face - lifted. What about you, are you leaving your real life?

HAVE FAITH IN GOD.

As christians of this dispensation, we do not need a "face lift" to enhance our lives. Instead, in all situation that we find ourselves, we must endeavour to have faith in God. In Mark 11:22, "And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God." The aim of the devil is distort your faith in God and to make change the plan of God for your life.

Matthew 6:31-33"Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

It is your faith in God that will bring you to your desire. Refuse to be face-lifted by the pressures of life and the schemes of the devil and have faith in God. Amen.

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The Christian Should Never Say: "I Am A Sinner."

Sunday, May 22, 2011 in forgiveness, nature christian, righteousness, sin, sinner

Jesus did not die to make us sinners. As a truly born- again christian, never make such a confession in your prayer; "Father I know I am a sinner." What a statement! Many christians today make this terrible mistake in their prayers. We are God's holy and sanctified children, born with His own rightheousness.

2Corinthians 5:21 says that; "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

The sinner is not someone who has commited sin. Sin is the nature of the devil and it is passed on to anyone who born into the world. Sin a nature and far beyond mere acts of lying,stealing, fornication, etc. 2Corinthians 5:17 says that; " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things are passed away; behold all things are become new." Halleluyah! you do not have nature of sin any more, but the very nature of God in you which is righteousness. Stop labeling yourself a sinner. You are made sin free.

Romans 3:21,22&24 "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the rightouesness of God wich is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that beleive; for there is no difference; 24 Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Your true nature now is righteousness and not a sinner. Therfore don't let anyone call you a sinner, for you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

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Know your value!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011 in born again, eternal life, Jesus, prayer, salvation, saved

YOU ARE AS VALUABLE TO GOD AS CHRIST IS

Everything in life exacts a price. As a born again Christian it is important to know how much you are worth. Evaluating the worth of something does not always equate money but for a particular effort that was taken in achieving that thing. In other words, what it cost God or the price He paid to save us from eternal damnation.

I have never heard of any person knowing the price of an item and picked it from the shelve of a super market or a glossary shop and decided to offer or pay more or less than the actual value of the item.

Many people across the globe have asked this question; “Why God being the almighty and the creator of all creation could not use any other means to save mankind His own creation?”

Yes! That's very true. God is the creator of all things and He is the Almighty. Yet He had to pay the actual price (which is to nail His own Son to the cross) for you and I. There was no other way round it and as we go on, we will study more on this.

1Corinthians 6:20 “for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” (NLT)  Here Paul makes it plain to us that we were bought with a HIGH price and that our bodies cannot be used for anything less but to honor God with it. Also read 1Corithians 7:23.

In Paul’s welfare message to the elders of the church of God, this is what he said in Acts 20:28 "So guard yourselves and God's people. Feed and shepherd God's flock--his church, purchased with his own blood--over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.”

Watch this; if God had to give out His only Son to shed His blood in exchange for us, then we are as valuable as the price (Jesus) Himself. Better still the price was equal the prize.

Revelations 5:9 "And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation."

Now that you know your value, you must learn to walk in your dignity. Your dignity is recognizing who you are and to honor God with your whole life.

Philippians 1:20 "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." 

Romans 12:1 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship."

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