Evangelist Godwin Gbadebo Ojerinde
Christ Healing Ministry
ARE YOU FORCED TO PRAISE GOD
Does God need our praise, can’t He do without it? Why are we told to praise Him? Or maybe it is us who need to praise Him, is it?
I don’t know about you but as far as I am concerned I feel so disgusted when someone simply demands recognition without any support, without being worthy of it. Respect has to be earned and as humans we must respect each human being ,however, the Nobel prize should only go to the person who deserves it!
No, God is not forcing us to praise Him even if He indeed deserves all science and peace prizes of the Universe as He invented everything!
"You are worthy, our LORD and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being" (Revelation 4:11).
It is obvious that people all around the globe have two choices: to decide to recognize God or to live without Him. If God had created us with the only option- that of praising Him- it would have made us some "robots" programmed from the start with a certain "software", the "holly software". So, no, we are not forced to praise God, we can choose which way to follow.
But does God need our praise?
Would a self-sufficient God need something? Can’t He do without human praise?
First, we need to realize that giving thanks for what we received from God is different from praising Him. To praise God means to acknowledge God for who He is, for His attributes while thanks giving is connected to what He has done for us, what He gave us.
The God who created everything does not need our praise; He can do very well without it!
It is we who need to praise Him! While praising Him we reinforce in our minds and hearts the fact that we indeed have an almighty Father who performs miracles! He is after all a supernatural God!
It is through praise that we can trade death for life, bondage for freedom, and sorrow for joy because the Bible says that God dwells in the midst of praise! "But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel" (Psalm 22:3) .
Consequently, if we long to see an understandable and clear demonstration of God's grace and presence, all we have to do is to praise Him with our entire being: heart, mind, and soul.
Can one always praise the Lord?
"I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips (Psalm 34:1)."
Who thinks of praising when your own life is threatened? Who can praise God when things seem to be out of control? David did! "I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips (Psalm 34:1)."
When enemies attack, look at the result praise brings! "I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies" (2 Samuel 22:4).
As long as we breathe we should praise God. Psalm 150:6 states:" Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord".
If you are still alive, you have the honor of praising God and this will release strength in your faith, which will determine God to move on your behalf. "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger" (Psalm 8:2).
The spiritual environment is obviously changed when God is praised. Look what happened in the temple while the singers (Levites) worshiped God: "The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: 'He is good; his love endures forever.' Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God." 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 God literally came in there! He indeed dwells in the midst of praise! What a privilege for us to feel His holly presence and be blessed by Him!
"Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands" (Psalm 63:3-4).
So regardless of good or bad in our life, the first thing we as Christians should do is to praise our almighty God! He deserves it; He conquered our hearts with His love! Praised be His holly name forever!
Evangelist Godwin Gbadebo Ojerinde
Christ Healing Ministry
Whether you are a person of strong faith or intensely superstitious, your beliefs have a great impact on what happens to you. Positive and negative thinking have been talked about again and again. The truth is, if you believe that you can achieve something, without a doubt, you will probably achieve it. On the other hand, if you doubt your abilities, you will probably prove yourself right when you fail. Faith and fear go way beyond the positive or negative thought patterns. As a matter of fact, every aspect of your life is based on faith or fear.Does fear control your life?
What are you afraid of? I am not talking about being afraid of the dark, or being afraid of heights. Phobias aside, are there things that you absolutely dread the thought of? Is it failure? Commitment? Death? Losing someone? You may not consider yourself to be a fearful person, and you may not have any phobias, but fear might have a stronger grip on your life than you think.
Have you ever said to yourself, "I was afraid this would happen?" If you fear something, you will probably go out of your way to avoid it. What actually ends up happening is that your actions actually create the situation you feared. Here is an example:
Did you see Star Wars Episode III? Anakin feared the loss of his wife so much, that he sold his soul to try and stop that from happening. He ended up causing her early death because he was driven with that fear. He turned to the dark side because he was afraid of losing her. The very thing that he feared happened. Perhaps if he had the faith to know that she would be all right, she would have survived. He certainly would not have hurt her the way he did.
Think about it. What efforts have you put forth because you are afraid of something happening, or not happening? Do you try to control things because you are afraid that if you don’t have control bad things will happen, or good things won’t happen? What is driving your actions?
How faith works
Faith is the opposite of fear. It is a deep knowing that something is true although there may not be physical evidence or a way to prove it to others. It is beyond positive thinking. Faith carries action. If you truly believed that you were going to move, wouldn’t you start packing? If you truly believed that your significant other loves you, and you love them, wouldn’t you trust them? If you truly believed you were having a baby, wouldn’t you prepare a space for it?
Faith will guide your life, rather than control it (as fear can). The deep knowledge of truth assures you that even though things don’t appear to be going the way you want, in the end the outcome will be how you are picturing it. Faith builds your confidence. If you walk in to an interview knowing that you will be hired, and if not the right job for you will come along, your confidence will be evident. Fear will take away from your confidence and cause doubts. Faith will encourage you to move forward, while fear will cause you to be discouraged and slow you down.
If you work towards eliminating your fears and building your faith, you will enjoy your life better. It won’t happen overnight; you have to work at it. After a while, you will have more confidence and you will feel more free. Don’t just think positively, but put action with your faith. Don’t let your fear control you. Get control of your life and have faith.
Remember, what you believe is what you will see, not the other way around.Remain Blessed
Evangelist Godwin Gbadebo Ojerinde
Christ Healing Ministry
Silent Prayer is it Biblical?"
The Bible may not specifically mention praying silently, but that does not mean it is any less valid than praying out loud. God can hear our thoughts just as easily as He can hear our words (Psalm 139:23; Jeremiah 12:3). Jesus knew the evil thoughts of the Pharisees (Matthew 12:24-26; Luke 11:7). Nothing we do, say, or think is hidden from God, who does not need to hear our words to know our thoughts. He has access to all prayers directed to Him, whether or not they are spoken.
The Bible does mention praying in private (Matthew 6:6). What would be the difference between praying out loud or silently if you are by yourself? There are some circumstances where only silent prayer is appropriate, e.g., praying for something between you and God only, praying for someone who is present, etc. There is not anything wrong with praying silently, as long as we are not doing it because we are embarrassed to be seen praying.
Perhaps the best verse to indicate the validity of unspoken prayers is 1 Thessalonians 5:17: “Pray without ceasing.” To pray unceasingly obviously cannot mean we are praying out loud all of the time. Rather, it means we are to be in a constant state of God-consciousness, where we take every thought captive to Him (2 Corinthians 10:5) and bring every situation, plan, fear, or concern before His throne. Part of unceasing prayer will be prayers that are spoken, whispered, shouted, sung, and silent as we direct our thoughts of praise, petition, supplication, and thanksgiving to God. God bless you
Question: "Is speaking in tongues evidence for having the Holy Spirit?"
Answer: There are three occasions in the book of Acts where speaking in tongues accompanied the receiving of the Holy Spirit—Acts 2:4, 10:44-46 and 19:6. However, these three occasions are the only places in the Bible where speaking in tongues is an evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit. Throughout the book of Acts, thousands of people believe in Jesus and nothing is said about them speaking in tongues (Acts 2:41, 8:5-25, 16:31-34, 21:20). Nowhere in the New Testament is it taught that speaking in tongues is the only evidence a person has received the Holy Spirit. In fact, the New Testament teaches the opposite. We are told that every believer in Christ has the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14), but not every believer speaks in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:29-31).
So, why was speaking in tongue the evidence of the Holy Spirit in those three passages in Acts? Acts 2 records the apostles being baptized in the Holy Spirit and empowered by Him to proclaim the gospel. The apostles were enabled to speak in other languages (tongues) so they could share the truth with people in their own languages. Acts 10 records the apostle Peter being sent to share the gospel with non-Jewish people. Peter and the other early Christians, being Jews, would have a hard time accepting Gentiles (non-Jewish people) into the church. God enabled the Gentiles to speak in tongues to demonstrate that they had received the same Holy Spirit the apostles had received (Acts 10:47, 11:17).
Acts 10:44-47 describes this: “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 'Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.'“ Peter later refers back to this occasion as proof that God was indeed saving the Gentiles (Acts 15:7-11).
Speaking in tongues is nowhere presented as something all Christians should expect when they receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and are therefore baptized in the Holy Spirit. In fact, out of all the conversion accounts in the New Testament, only two record speaking in tongues in that context. Tongues were a miraculous gift that had a specific purpose for a specific time. It was not, and never has been, the only evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit.
Evangelist Godwin Gbadebo Ojerinde
Christ Healing Ministry
www.christhealingministry.com
Question: "When / How do we receive the Holy Spirit?"
Answer: The apostle Paul clearly taught that we receive the Holy Spirit the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior. First Corinthians 12:13 declares, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” Romans 8:9 tells us that if a person does not possess the Holy Spirit, he or she does not belong to Christ: “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Ephesians 1:13-14 teaches us that the Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation for all those who believe: “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.”
These three passages make it clear that the Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation. Paul could not say that we all were baptized by one Spirit and all given one Spirit to drink if not all of the Corinthian believers possessed the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 is even stronger, stating that if a person does not have the Spirit, he does not belong to Christ. Therefore, the possession of the Spirit is an identifying factor of the possession of salvation. Further, the Holy Spirit could not be the “seal of salvation” (Ephesians 1:13-14) if He is not received at the moment of salvation. Many scriptures make it abundantly clear that our salvation is secured the moment we receive Christ as Savior.
This discussion is controversial because the ministries of the Holy Spirit are often confused. The receiving/indwelling of the Spirit occurs at the moment of salvation. The filling of the Spirit is an ongoing process in the Christian life. While we hold that the baptism of the Spirit also occurs at the moment of salvation, some Christians do not. This sometimes results in the baptism of the Spirit being confused with “receiving the Spirit” as an act subsequent to salvation.
In conclusion, how do we receive the Holy Spirit? We receive the Holy Spirit by simply receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior (John 3:5-16). When do we receive the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit becomes our permanent possession the moment we believe.
- Bind all the lesser demons under the chief demon, and then cast out the chief demon with all of the lesser demons bound to him.
- Or cast out each one of the demons one by one.
Satan and his demons can use the Ouija board to give advice, or even to guide a person in a certain direction. This guidance will even seem to be true, good, and helpful. Satan and his demons pretend to be caring. They try to appear as something that appears harmless. The Bible says, "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).
Satan and his demons will do this in order to get a person even more deeply involved in spiritist practices. Things like the Ouija board appear to be innocent at first, but soon a person finds themselves addicted to guidance from the spirit world - thereby allowing Satan to control and destroy their life. 1 Peter 5:8 warns us, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." The Ouija Board may be advertised as just as game, and that is exactly what Satan wants us to believe. Ouija Board - The Truth: Are they Evil?
Sadly, many people are deceived into believing that Ouija Boards are just a game. The truth of the matter is that God views channeling, or consulting spirits or the dead, to be a serious sin. Deuteronomy 18:11-12 says that anyone engaged in these practices is "detestable to God." According Old Testament Law, the Israelites were supposed to stone (execute) anyone who was a medium or a channeler (Leviticus 20:27).
Why does God take such a hard line on things like Ouija Boards - something that many people view as a game? In Isaiah 8:19-20, God says this: "When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? …If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light…" God points out that we need to come to Him for answers. Because God is omniscient and omnipresent He knows everything and He is in control of everything. Asking charlatans and unknown entities for advice can be worse than fruitless; it can be dangerous. God wants us to trust Him! http://christhealingministry.com/index.html
It is the place or state of final punishment of the wicked. It is an actual place, as surely as heaven is. Many like to accept that heaven is a place while rejecting hell as a place. As God has a place of happiness for the redeemed, so God has a place of punishment for the rebellious who serve the Devil. What is it Going to be Like?It is a place that the devil and demons inhabit. It is such an awful place to be, that Jesus said it would be better to cut off your hand or gouge out your eye rather than to go there. There is crying and total darkness there. It is described as a lake made up of fire and brimstone, which cannot be put out and causes intense pain and agony.
- It Will Be A Place Of Fire And Brimstone – Revelation 19:20, 20:10,14-15
- It Will Be A Fire That Is Never Quenched – Mark 9:43,45
- It Will Be A Place Of Intense Torment, Pain & Weeping – Matthew 13:42,50,
- It Shall Be A Place Of Blackness & Darkness – Jude 1:13
- Those who do not know God. (2 Thessalonians 1:8)
- Those who do not obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8)
- Sinners and hypocrites. (Isaiah 33:14)
- Those that practiced lawlessness. (Matthew 13:41)
- Cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murders, sorcerers, sexually immoral, idolaters, and all liars. (Revelation 21:8)
- Homosexuals, adulterers, thieves, covetous people, drunkards, extortioners. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
Dear Lord,
I admit that I am a sinner. I have done many things that don’t please you. I have lived my life for myself. I am sorry and I repent. I ask you to forgive me. I believe that you died on the cross for me, to save me. You did what I could not do for myself. I come to you now and ask you to take control of my life, I give it to you. Help me to live every day in a way that pleases you. I love you, Lord, and I thank you that I will spend all eternity with you.
Amen
Congratulation as you are now a child of God, I wish you well in Jesus name.
thank you and remain blessed.
Dear Lord, as I close the door on this old year,
I ponder on the things I've done...
on the things I've said and the joys I've had...
then I wonder, have I lost or won?
I've thought of the new friends I have made,
and of the old ones staunch and true...
the path of the old year was made easier Lord,
because I have walked it with You.
I think of all the many times,
when my burdens were so heavy to bear,
and how my faith slipped away from me...
but somehow You were always standing there.
Now as I open the door to this New Year,
and carefully peep inside,
I wonder what it holds for me...
but I'll throw the door open wide
And whatever it brings to me and mine,
I'll meet it with a heart so true...
I know that, Lord whatever it may be
you’ll be there to carry me through Another year is dawning
with the chance to start anew.
May I be kinder, wiser, Lord,
In all I say and do.
Not so caught up in selfish gain
that I would fail to see
the things in life that mean the most
Cost not a fancy fee.
The warm, kind word that I can give,
The outstretched hand to help,
The prayers I pray for those in need--
More precious these than wealth.
I know not what may lie ahead
Of laughter or of tears;
I only need to know each day
That You are walking near.
I'm thankful for this brand new year
As now I humbly pray,
My hand secure in Yours, dear Lord,
Each step along the way. Dear Lord, please give me . . .
A few friends who understand me
and yet remain my friends
A work to do which has real value,
without which the world
would feel the poorer . . .
A mind unafraid to travel,
even though the trail be not blazed
An understanding heart . . .
A sense of humor.
Time for quiet, silent meditation.
A feeling of the presence of God.
And the patience to wait
for the coming of these things,
with the wisdom to know them
when they come.
Joshua 8:8 And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.
Psalms 97:3 - A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.
Psalms 104:4 - Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
Psalms 106:18 - And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.
Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
With fresh fire, comes a fresh supply, fresh anointing, fresh power,
• God has chosen fire to be the symbol of his presence.
• Throughout history, Revival has always been associated with fire.
• To ask God for Revival is to pray for Fire From Above.
GOD don’t need no matches he’s fire by himself.
Come on in this house it’s going to rain, it’s going to rain down fire it’s going to rain.
Even the word of GOD is like fire he said “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breakout the rock in pieces”
The word is like fire and like a hammer that will break rock like pieces. It will break your mountains down into pieces. It shall break your walls down into pieces.
Fire is a symbol of GOD’s presence.
From the Burning Bush that spoke to Moses that was not consumed and when fire rained down from heaven and in Isaiah when he said thy presence is like melting fire that burneth and causes the waters to boil to make known thine adversaries and tremble at the presence.
What would bear the fire must pass through the fire, and what would not must be washed with water. These things had been use by Midianites, and, having now come into the possession of Israelites, it was fit that they should be sanctified to the service of that holy nation and the honour of their holy God.
To us now every thing is sanctified by the word and prayer, if we are sanctified by the Spirit, who is compared both to fire and water. To the pure all things are pure.
The necessity of doing this. The flesh must be mortified. The danger of not doing this. The matter is brought to this issue, that either sin must die, or we must die. If we will lay this Delilah in our bosom, it will betray us; if we be ruled by sin, we shall inevitably be ruined by it.
I am convinced that everyone that is of GOD must go through the fire. Everyone that is of GOD must go through a Hurricane Katrina type of experience,
A 911 type of experience, an experience when it seems like everything is wiped out, when your finances are wiped out, when your material things are wiped out, when it seems like your spirit is wiped out, when it seems like your health is wiped out, when it seems like everything seems to be going wrong in your life.
Fire consumes -- burns out the sinful and unnecessary “stuff” in our lives.
Fire purifies -- makes us clean and holy before God.
Fire prepares (as in food) -- makes us tasteful and pleasant to each other.
Fire cheers -- when we are caught in the cold grip of despair and discouragement, He cheers us on to victory.
Fire softens -- the Holy Spirit softens the heart of the sinner and he repents.
Fire unites -- ( as in uniting different kinds of metals) the Holy Spirit brings unity to the people of God.
Fire empowers -- “Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” (Acts 1:8).
Acts 2:1-4 1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Fire is never satisfied, it will burn as long as there is fuel.
(Heb 12:29 KJV) For our God is a consuming fire.
This means God is never finished, he never reaches a point where he says you’re holy enough, spiritual, enough, disciplined enough, cleansed and purified enough so my fire is finished in your life.
Your sacrifices are burned up to GOD in order to make a sweet saviour unto the Lord. The things that you do for GOD are burned up as an offering to GOD.
God’s determination for your life and mine is not just to touch us, but to consume us with his fire.
(Heb 1:7 KJV) And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
Not on fire but of fire.
When you are on fire that means the fire is on top of you but when you are of fire that means that the fire is inside of you, that means that it is a part of you.
When you are of fire then everything that you touch starts to heat up. You change the very atmosphere that you are in. Everything around you starts to change. The bible says be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed and once you are touched by the fire then you are forever transformed and you are changed by the renewing of your mind.
When you are of fire then you can be like Jeremiah when he said it’s like fire shut up in my bones.
The word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and the lamp is filled with fire. The fire is the light unto your path..the fire will direct you to where you are going and the fire can burn some of your enemies before you get there.
In order to get to a certain place you have to go through the fire in order to get there. You can’t go around it, you can’t go under it and you can’t avoid it.
You didn’t even know that when you prayed the prayer of Jabez and asked the Lord to enlarge your territory that you were asking for fresh fire.
You see that I want the Lord to create in me a clean heart that you had to get some fresh fire to get that clean heart.
When you asked the Lord to heal your body you didn’t know that you were going to need fresh fire in order to burn away that sickness, to burn away that cancer. In order to get rid of cancer they do what. They burn it away with a laser...it’s got to go through some fire, some radiation in order for it to burn away.
You said you wanted to be the head and not the tail. You need some fresh fire.
You said I you wanted more anointing and more power, you were simply asking for fresh fire.
You were sitting in Church saying just a closer walk with thee. Grant it Jesus please. The bible says that if you draw closer to GOD then he will draw closer to you and since GOD is a consuming fire then you are asking to get closer to the fire and closer to the flame.
You may be going through the fire right now.
Got laid off from your job
No money in the bank
Sick in your body
Eviction notice on your door
Depression seems to have you bound
It doesn’t matter what, the fire is GOD said be still and know that I am GOD.
GOD said when thou walketh through the fire you shall not be burned.
You can be like the three Hebrew boys and say even though I am cast in the fire. I know that GOD is able to get me out of the fire.
JOB said GOD knoweth the way, he knows my heart and although he sent me through the fire, I shall come out as pure gold.
If you don’t pass this test then you are bound to go back in the classroom again. Maybe the Lord is trying to get you to acknowledge him more, maybe the Lord is trying to get you to get him more involved in your decision maker, maybe GOD is trying to get you to increase your prayer life. if your cell phone minutes exceed your prayer time then you have a problem...in other words if you spend more time on your phone talking to or texting then you have a problem.
Jesus said I didn’t come to bring peace but I come to ignite a fire.
The prophet Joel said in the last days I am going to pour out my spirit upon all flesh. GOD is going to pour out Fire upon all flesh. Those that can abide in the fire must go through it. All of GOD’s children must go through the fire. The bible says that you will be seasoned with fire. Fire is used to seal in the flavor of meat. GOD is using fire to seal in your flavor.
I was looking at this movie the other day called firestarter and it was about this little girl that could start fires with her mind, just by thinking of it. She would burn up anyone that attempted to hurt her and her daddy. We can’t do it quite like that but let me tell you something you have the ability to start a fire wherever you go.
You can start a Holy Ghost fire on your job
You can start a Holy Ghost fire at your school
You can start a Holy Ghost fire at the workGOD said I want you to go and set that city on fire. I want you to set America, Europe, Africa, Asia on fire.
I want you to ignite a fire everywhere you go. The devil is coming at you with hell fire and you have to come back at him with Holy Ghost Fire.
Somebody said that you have to fight fire with fire. GOD said I am not coming back for a lukewarm Church, but he is coming back for a church of fire.
Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed. Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot, and ground coffee beans in the third pot. He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter. The daughter, moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing. After twenty minutes he turned off the burners. He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them a bowl. He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup. Turning to her he asked. "Daughter, what do you see?" "Potatoes, eggs, and coffee," she hastily replied. "Look closer", he said, "and touch the potatoes." She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face. "Father, what does this mean?" she asked. He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity - the boiling water. However, each one reacted differently. The potato went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak. The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard. However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new. "Which are you?" he asked his daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean?" In life, things happen around us, things happen to us, but the only thing that truly matters is what happens within us.Believe in Jesus and you will overcome.
Evangelist Godwin Ojerinde
Christ Healing Ministry
You Are Not AlonePsalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
Introduction
King David is the best person to write such a psalm about the shepherd and sheep
• He was a shepherd, practically from childhood (following in the footsteps of his father Jesse), all the way to young adulthood.
• He writes from experience, the relationship of a shepherd with his sheep and mirrored it to our relationship with God, the Shepherd of our life.
Today we want to look at verse 4 alone, and learn the 3 perspectives to the journey of life. David says, “Even though I walk through the valley…”
(1) Accept the reality of the valley.
Why do you need to go through valley if that’s a difficult path?
• Shepherds tell us at least once a year they will take their flock on a longer journey to the mountains.
• During spring, they will glaze in the fields nearer home while the mountaintops are still covered with snow.
• And so summer is the time to seek newer fields further away - up the hills.
• The route takes them through the valleys – it’s cooler under the summer heat, and it’s a well-watered route.
• The journey may not be easy, but it is necessary.
There will be valleys in life. Days when the sun doesn’t shine as bright, when things look gloomy and sad.
• You wish to have mountain-top kind of feeling everyday, but that isn’t real.
• You failed your exam. Your good friend turned his/her back on you. Your boss tells you off. Nobody seems to be bothered with you.
• Don’t be too surprised by them. Valleys are inevitable.
(1) Learn to accept the reality of the valley.
• Don’t go into self-pity, and tell yourself that you’re the only one suffering so much, everyone is happy and I’m going through a tough time.
• That day on face book someone wrote on the personal caption – “Everyone is against me because of Christianity. I’ll burnt all the bibles and pray to Satan.”
• Don’t fall into the trap. There will be persecution and problems in life.
• Life cannot always be smooth, always this mountain-top happy feeling.
• And God is not to blame. He is innocent. In fact, He is in it with us in the valley.
• So we need to stay strong and walk on.
But we must first accept the reality of the valley - there will be difficult days and difficult times.
• Everyone will face them. Some more, some less. Some deeper, others not so deep. Some longer, some shorter. But we’ll all face them.
Listen to what Jesus said:
• Matt 5:45 “…He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
• Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble." (John 16:33) but before and after this, He said we can find peace in Him.
• John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
• In order words, we are told to LOOK at Him and not the troubles.
(2) Watch how we respond in the valley.
It will either make you or break you.
Don’t focus on the valley. Focus on the Shepherd, the One who is with you.
• Declare to God your faith in Him, like David did.
• Notice in the first part of the Psalm David talks about God in the third person – He is my shepherd, He makes me lie down, He leads me, He restores my soul…Now in verse 4, He talks to God - "I am not afraid, because You’re with me; I am going to go through difficult journey safely because You’re here; I can feel secure because You are capable of protecting me, with the rod and staff in Your hand…”
• It’s a prayer. In the midst of difficult circumstances, fearful times, declare your victory in Christ, our faith in God.
David says “I will walk, I will not fear, and I will get through…”
• He is not “psyching” himself… He is basing it on TRUTH – He is reminding himself of the truth of God’s Word, what God has promised.
• We are to keep on walking, even thought it is difficult. Be determined to go on and not give in to fear or intimidation.
Look at David’s attitude –
he did not say, “I walk IN the valley” but “I WALK THROUGH the valley.”
• The valley is temporary. The sheep needs to go through to reach the grassland.
• 2 Cor 4:17-18 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
David was determined & confident that he’ll walk through, because of the Shepherd.
• It is a declaration of faith, not in self but in the Shepherd.
• The circumstance has not change, but he is putting his trust in God.
• This is how we ought to respond. And this response is critical to the success of the journey.
A child stood in front of his classroom to make a speech about “What I want to be when I grow up.”
He said, “I’m going to be a lion tamer in the circus. I will have lots of fierce lions.
I will walk into the cage and they will roar. And I will use the whip to control them.”
He paused for a moment, thinking through what he had just said. And then added, “But of course, I’ll have my daddy with me!”
(3) Remember Your Resources
David wasn’t really looking at the valley.
• His eyes were somewhere else, obviously, because he saw some things.
• He saw the rod and staff in the Shepherd’s hand. He must be looking at Him.
That’s where our focus must be!
• The Shepherd is capable of protecting (rod) and to help and save us (staff).
• The rod is used to fight against attacks from wild animals; the staff is to rescue, to assist the sheep.
David speaks from experience. He knew how important these tools are.
• David himself fought a lion and a bear.
• He wanted to help fight Goliath, and told King Saul –
1 Sam 17:34-36 “34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear…”
David knows the power of the rod in the hands of the shepherd!
• No wonder he has the courage to fight Goliath – he knew God was with him.
• It was because of this past experiences as a shepherd – he learnt of God’s power to protect and help him – that gave him the confidence to face Goliath when the whole army hides in fear.
That’s why David starts off this Psalm declaring, “The Lord is MY Shepherd.”
• Not others, but HIS.
• All the experiences describe in this psalm are possible because of this foundational truth – the Lord is our Shepherd.
This Shepherd does not observe us from a distance.
• He is actively involved in the journey.
• With a rod and staff in His hand, He is not a passive observer.
• He is actively involved in our life. He is IN IT WITH YOU.
Sometimes when we’re going through difficulties, we asked, “Where is God?”
• Actually He is there with you, helping you through.
• Remember the “Footprints”?
You look back at your life and see two pairs of footsteps, but at the lowest point of your life, most difficult time, only one pair of footprint.
You asked, “Why did You leave me when I needed you most?” He said, “I did not leave you. You say only one pair of footprints because I carried you then.”
Remember:
“When life caves in, you do not need reasons - you need comfort. You do not need some answers - you need someone. And Jesus does not come to us with an explanation - He comes to us with His presence.”
illustration
READING OF PSALM 23
A famous actor was an after dinner speaker at a big function and when he stood up to speak, he invited his audience to choose a poem for him to recite.
There was a long silence until a retired clergyman raised his hand and asked for Psalm 23.
The actor was slightly taken back, but agreed to do so provided the clergyman would recite it after him, which the clergyman reluctantly agreed to do.
The actor recited Psalm 23 and received a standing ovation. When the clergyman recited the Psalm, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
The actor came over to the clergyman and said in front of all the guests. "Do you know the difference between his version and my version? I know the 23rd Psalm but he knows the Shepherd."
1 Pet 1:6b-7 “…though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
• God wants to build our faith in the valleys. We love the mountaintops, but we build faith in the valleys.
Recall some of the past difficult, sad moments in your life.
• You’d probably realize that you’ve learnt from them, you’ve come to trust God more; you’ve grown stronger because of them.
• That was my experience.
“Often we pray or sing the hymn requesting God to make us an inspiration to someone else. We want, instinctively, to be a channel of blessing to other lives. The simple fact is that just as water can only flow in a ditch or channel or valley – so in the Christian’s career, the life of God can only flow in blessing through the valleys that have been craved and cut into our own lives by excruciating experiences.
For example, the one best able to comfort another in bereavement is the person who himself has lost a loved one. The one who can best minister to a broken heart is one who has known a broken heart.
Most of us do not want valleys in our lives. We shrink from them with a sense of fear and foreboding. Yet in spite of our worst misgivings God can bring great benefit and lasting benediction to others through those valleys.”
Conclusion
Rev 7:17 “For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
• In order words, there will be sad times on earth, but God will wipe away EVERY tear from our eyes.
The basic question is not whether we have many or few valleys in life.
• It is not whether those valleys are dark or not so dark.
• The question is how do I respond to them? How do I go through them?
• Put your trust in the Shepherd. Rely on Him.
Even the ultimate, the greatest obstacle to life - death itself - cannot stop us.
• God has already opened the way for us in Jesus Christ; we will go through it without harm, to a better place.
• The traffic police have a road safety campaign banner that says, “You may beat the lights, but you cannot beat death.” In a spiritual sense, we BEAT it, through Christ!
• Trust Him.
Christ Healing ministry
Evangelist Godwin Ojerinde
WWW.CHRISTHEALINGMINISTRY.COM
The Truths about the Christ
John 1:1-13
* Darkness is defined as the "absence of light." In Genesis 1 we clearly see this concept. In verse 1 God created the heavens and earth and in the verse 2, darkness covered it all. God didn’t created darkness, it simply exists. Then God created light and from that point forward everything has been different. Just to be clear, the light which God created was not the light of the sun because it wasn’t until 3 days later that He created the sun. It is almost like God turned on the light switch of goodness, holiness, and purity, to give perfect light to the perfect world and universe He had in mind.
* This light shined until sin switched the divine light off in the garden. Before this, as far as I can determine, there is no mention getting weary or sleeping except for the divine surgery which produced Eve.
* After the sin in the garden, darkness invaded the hearts of mankind because the light of righteousness had been switched off. Starting from Genesis 4 running down the time line of the Old Testament and the New Testament throughout the history books, this truth can be followed even until today.
> We can see it in the murder of Abel.
> We can see it in the wickedness which prompted God to send the flood.
> We can see it in the pull of King David to the rooftop.
> We can see it working in Peter when he said, "I don’t know this man Jesus."
> We can see it in the life of Saul of Tarsus as he guarded the pocket books and clothes of those who stoned Stephen.
> We can see it in the lives of those religious fanatics who took control of commercial airliners with the intent of destroying life and property on 911.
> We can see it in this culture who attempts to make the sin of homosexuality and murder of unborn children the law of the land.
> We can see it in the person who, in the name of Christ, murders the abortionist.
> We can see it in the believer who chooses to promote their personal agenda rather than the gospel.
> We can see it everywhere and it is a sad sight.
The prophet Isaiah tells us this, "the people walked in darkness." This is talking about spiritual darkness. It is into this environment that we read our text. Before I was saved I saw John 1 as a bit confusing, but it is truly LOADED with truths which assist us in knowing about Him. Let’s pull out 4 simple Truths;
1) The Simple Truth – This simple truth is one which needs to be understood and accepted; once it is, it has the power to change our lives, our church, our culture and our world. In verse 1 notice the word, “WORD”. Then notice the change in verse 2-5, “word” is now changed to “He and Him.” The word, He, and Him speak of Jesus, the baby, the Lord, and God’s son. Seeing this, gives us two understandings from the 1st 5 verses;
a) He Oversees - He was there in the beginning, He was there at creation, and He is the source of light. In Genesis 1, God the Father said, “Let there be light” , I don’t know all about what and who responded to those words, but from this text it would appears that Jesus had something to do with it. He watched it, was involved in it, and is now responsible for it. You see, to oversee something carries the idea of responsibility for it. Not that it surprised Him, but when Jesus saw the darkness in the world and that the darkness was indeed the darkness of death, He accepted the responsibility for bringing light to the darkness and life to death. Darkness was and is not going to win on His watch. He was there in the beginning with God, was God, and IS God.
b) He Overcomes- Verse 5 is clear, the light of life (Jesus) came into the darkness and darkness was defeated. Isaiah 9:2 says, “The people walking in darkness” (that would be all people) “have seen a great light” (that would be Jesus); “on those living in the land of darkness” (that would be ‘on earth’), “a light has dawned” (Jesus has come to earth through the manger). He didn’t come to earth to make your life better; He came to earth to overcome the darkness of sin, to release the bondage of shame and the shackles of guilt. He came to see the captive free. This should be what celebrating Christmas is all about! Jesus came to give us the gift of Spiritual freedom. He came to offer us an answer to life. The light He offers is as real today as the star that guided the wise men. His light is available to show you the road HE has for you (which is the best way).
This has been true yet, there is;
2) The Sad Truth – God the Father, so desperately wanted God the Son to be see, understood, welcomed, recognized, and received, that God appointed someone special to announce to the world Jesus’ arrival. John the Baptist was given the responsibility to give a witness or to testify to the coming of Christ. His message is recorded several places in the gospel. “Repent, because the Kingdom is near! I am the one crying out ‘Prepare the way for the Lord. I baptize you with water, but HE shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Scripture tells us that crowds flocked to him, that the multitudes came, and that people came from all Judea & Jerusalem. John fulfilled his personal assignment and personal call from God to properly and appropriately introduce Jesus to the world. But there are two sad truths;
a) The world did not Recognize Him –John the Baptist had gone to great length to introduce Jesus to the world. Many people heard and were even baptized, but the scripture says that His own people did not recognize Him. The same is happening today. In many ways the Biblical Jesus is not recognized today. Among believers & nonbelievers alike, the contemporary concept of the Jewish Carpenter is much different than is written about in the New Testament. Today He is seen more as compliant rather than confrontational person who called the Pharisees hypocrites and snakes. He is seen as the soft (to almost effeminate) man versus the strong man who went to the woods with His earthly father to cut and retrieve trees for the carpenter’s shop. He is literally seen as the one who accepts whatever we choose to give Him as opposed to one who expects our all. Is it any wonder that the world does not recognize Him? Since they didn’t recognize Him;
b) The world did not Receive Him – For most of the stronger translations, the word received is used. However, other translations & paraphrases say, “accept, welcome, and even the antithesis, rejected.” The Greek literally means to “welcome to the point of association with or joining to, and are being their companion.” Have you ever gone to a new church and had difficulty being accepted? You thought, “Well, we are all believers so this should be easy” only to try to break into a SS class or another group and find it not so easy. Candidly, to not be received does indeed feel like rejection. What if it’s your gang who does it?
3) The Solid Truth – What I learn from this text is that humankind consists of 2 groups of people. This is affirmed throughout scripture.
a) His Creation – Everyone who has ever been born is a part of God’s creation. Verse 10 says, “The world was created through Him” and verse 2adds this; “apart from Him not one thing was created!” There is so debate today about divine design, or that God created it all. Yet, the most learned scientist and clearly understand the intricacies of this universe could have simply happened any more than the complexities of our bodies could be a ‘oops’ type of events. The truth is we have come to worship & serve creation instead of the creator & exchanged the truth of God for a lie. Never forget, all are His by creation.
b) His Children – The most blessed thing about Christ is this; He wants you and me to become His Children. No want become an “Offspring by Osmosis” or a “Dependent by Default.” This required intentionality. There are only two ways to become an offspring, a dependent, or a Child in a family. One way is to be adopted. This process occurs when a responsible person or couple sees an individual with a need to be accepted and loved so they extend an invitation to become a part of their family. As a rule this is a voluntary process, requiring people of extraordinary compassion and love. The other way is by birth. We have several examples in our congregation of couples who have just given birth to babies and thus, this is by blood. Interestingly, to join the family of God both processes are employed.
Verse 13 tells us we are born, not of blood, flesh, or man, but of God. It is only 2 chapters over in this gospel where Jesus says, “Unless you are born again, you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven” which means, you’re not a family member. Only family members enter. It’s like the little boy who built a little boat and lost it in the water. Later he found it & bought it from the store where someone has sold it. When he left the store he said, “You are twice mine, because I created you & bought you.” We are only His child when we have been born & adopted into the family.
4) The Saving Truth –
a) Believe right – You must believe that Jesus is God, sent from Heaven to earth as the light of the world through which you can have life. You must believe this to the point of receiving Him as the virgin born baby in a manger who some 33 years later would die on a cross for YOUR sins and raised from the dead to make you right before God. You must believe that He is the way, the truth, and the life. And this belief must be so embraced that you are willing to surrender your life to Him. He loved you so much that He surrender His life for you, so in return, you must turn loose of yourself and give Him control. Never forget, “You do what you believe, the rest is just talk.” To drive this point home, please hear this; If you have walked an aisle and never surrendered your life, the transaction wasn’t complete. Becoming a part of God’s family requires a huge change of life, without it – it isn’t!
b) Birthed right – We have already said we must be born and adopted into the family. Nicodemus didn’t understand it & many of us do not. It’s a simple formula: If you have only 1 birth you can suffer 2 deaths (that is the physical and eternal). However, if you have 2 births, you will suffer only 1 death.
The truth about the Christ child is this: He came to grant you an invitation to become a part of God’s family. Will you accept His invite?
If you reading this text and you have not given your life to Jesus Christ or you have, but you have backslide, or you know your fire has gone down, please go on your knees and pray the prayer below loud before God.
Dear Lord,
I admit that I am a sinner. I have done many things that don’t please you. I have lived my life for myself. I am sorry and I repent. I ask you to forgive me. I believe that you died on the cross for me, to save me. You did what I could not do for myself. I come to you now and ask you to take control of my life, I give it to you. Help me to live every day in a way that pleases you. I love you, Lord, and I thank you that I will spend all eternity with you.
Amen
Congratulation as you are now a child of God, I wish you well in Jesus name.
Let me ask you some questions. What are you waiting for this Christmas? Are you longing for anything? What are you expecting to receive? Are you looking forward to anything special this Christmas?
In the Gospel of Luke, we come across two characters who make their appearance in the final acts of the Christmas drama. One is a man named Simeon; the other is a woman named Anna. They don’t appear in any nativity scenes or in many Christmas cards, but they are significant players in the first Christmas pageant. Both of these individuals were waiting for something -- actually, they were waiting for someone.
Luke uses a Greek word of anticipation that identifies them as waiting with expectation for the coming of the Messiah, or Savior. It literally means that they were “alert to His appearance, and ready to welcome Him.” We see this word in Luke 2:25 in reference to Simeon where we read that “He was waiting...” and in 2:38 to describe a woman named Anna who was, “...looking forward to...”
Simeon -- Waiting For Comfort
We’re introduced to Simeon in Luke 2:25. “Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon Him.” Simeon was righteous before people, and he was devout in His relationship with God.
Things weren’t going real well for the nation of Israel. They hadn’t heard from God for many years and were under Roman rule. They had lost their political independence and were living in fear of the capable, crafty, and cruel King Herod, and many were wondering if the Messiah would ever come.
Verse 26 shows us that Simeon had good reason for his hope and anticipation: “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Simeon’s expectation focused on the comfort that Christ would bring. Among Jews of Simeon’s day one of the popular titles of Messiah was Comforter. Like some of the Christmas songs we just sang, they were longing for the Messiah to come and bring His comfort to them.
It strikes me that the desire to be comforted is a universal human need. We all struggle with loneliness, emptiness, insecurity, even desperation. In fact, the Christmas season is one of the major crisis times of the year for depression and suicide.
The Holy Spirit prompted Simeon to go to the temple courts at just the right time on just the right day that Joseph and Mary were bringing their infant to the Temple. When Simeon looked at the baby Jesus, now about 6 weeks old, he knew that God’s promise had been kept. Here was Immanuel, “God With Us,” to make everything right, to provide significance by His presence, and to eliminate rejection, fear, and loneliness.
Verse 28 of Luke 2 says that Simeon reached down and took Jesus out of Mary’s arms and began to praise God. Let me pause here to make a comment. Parents, how would you feel if some old man came up to you, took your infant in his arms and started singing out loud? I’m sure this was a bit unsettling for Joseph and Mary. But Simeon didn’t look all that dangerous. As he broke out into praise, he acknowledged that God had not only fulfilled the individual promise to him, but also the promises of the prophets to send the Anointed One to comfort both Jews and Gentiles.
Anna -- Waiting for Forgiveness
The other Christmas Character waiting with anticipation was Anna. After her husband had died, she had dedicated herself to fasting and praying in the temple. In fact, the Bible says that she never left the temple but worshipped day and night. She could have filled all 360 slots of the Bible Reading Marathon herself because she was always at church!
She was looking forward to the same person as Simeon was, but with a different orientation. Instead of looking for comfort, Anna was looking for forgiveness. Take a look at verse 38: “Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”
The word redemption is related to the idea of captivity. The Old Testament Passover and the release of Israel from Egyptian slavery stood in Anna’s day as the ultimate redemption and the symbol of God’s power to release captives. Ultimately, Passover pointed ahead to that day when God would provide deliverance from the slavery of sin.
When Anna saw Jesus, she gave thanks to God and spoke of Him to all who were waiting for redemption. Here, at last, was the One who would save His people from their sins.
Jesus Provides What We Need
Friends, when Jesus came, He provided the very things that Simeon and Anna were waiting for -- God’s comfort and His forgiveness. Let me ask you a question. What are you waiting for this Christmas? Whatever it is, Jesus can give it to you.
Can any of you identify with Simeon tonight? Some of you are really hurting right now. You feel lonely, empty, afraid, and maxed out. Do you need some comfort? Some consoling? Do you need a fresh sense of God’s presence? If so, you can find what you’re looking for in Jesus. He came to console us right where we’re at.
Or, do you identify more with Anna? Are you plagued with guilt this Christmas because of something you’ve done or the way you’ve been living? Do you feel like you’re trapped in a pattern of sin that you can’t break out of? If you need forgiveness, Jesus can give it to you today. I can think of no better time than Christmas to do just that.
Action Steps
There are three action steps from this passage that will help you experience God’s comfort and forgiveness this Christmas.
1 -- Become a Marveler
#1: Become a marveler. When Joseph and Mary tried to process everything that was happening, verse 33 says that they marveled at what was said about Jesus. According to the dictionary, to become a marveler is to be filled with wonder, astonishment, and surprise.
Are you a marveler this Christmas? Or, are you too caught up in the busyness and stress of the season? Have you been running around because of the Holidays, or are you taking the time to make Christmas a “holy” day? Has Christmas become too predictable, too familiar? Have you heard the Christmas story so much that it no longer astonishes you?
Actually, this can be a dangerous time of the year for us. Our annual celebration of Christmas can immunize us to its reality. We hear just enough of the story each year to inoculate us against the real thing, so that we never really catch true Christmas fever.
Here’s an idea that may help you recapture the marvel of Christmas. Pick one of the Christmas characters and put yourself in their sandals. Imagine what it must have been like to witness the Christmas story first hand. Go ahead; pick one -- Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds, Simeon, Anna, or the Wise Men.
2 -- Become a Mover
Action Step #2 is to become a mover. Take a look at verse 27: “Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.” Now drop down to verse 38: “Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God...”
Both Simeon and Anna were movers. When the Holy Spirit prompted them to move, they didn’t sit still. I wonder what would have happened if they had not responded? Actually, every one of the Christmas characters responded to the Spirit’s leading with the exception of Herod:
Mary was ready to move when she said to the angel, “May it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 2:38)
Joseph demonstrated that he was a mover when he woke up from his dream and “...did what the angel of the Lord had commanded and took Mary home as his wife.” (Matthew 1:24)
The Shepherds were movers as well when they said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened...” (Luke 2:15)
And, as we learned this past Sunday, the wise men saw the star and moved out of their comfort zone to find the King of Christmas.
Friend, when God prompts you to do something, then you need to do it. It might mean salvation for some of you. It might mean full surrender for others of you. Or, maybe the Spirit wants you to be more involved in serving people. Do you sense Him asking you to do something tonight? Are you a mover? Are you willing to move? Don’t procrastinate when God prompts you to do something -- you may miss out on a miracle this Christmas.
I’m struck by what Simeon told Mary in verse 34. It must have taken her breath away. “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will spoken against…”
That’s not really a joyful Christmas greeting, is it? Simeon is not saying, “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.” Rather, he pauses, clears his throat and tells her that Christmas will never be merry and the New Year will never be happy until people get moving and surrender their lives to Christ.
Here’s the truth. Christmas splits people into 2 camps. Since Jesus has entered the world, He has divided the human race. Jesus will cause the falling and rising of many. Because of who Jesus is and what He came to do, He forces people to make a decision about Him. The Bible uses powerful imagery Jesus is either a rock that you build your life upon (that’s the sense of rising) or he’s the rock that you stumble over (that’s the meaning of falling). On the cusp of the last Christmas of the millennium, Jesus is calling each of us to a moral decision based upon our willingness to move and respond, we will either rise or fall.
You can’t stay neutral about Jesus. You are either for Him or against Him. You’re moving closer to Him, or further away. You either have the Son or you don’t.
3 -- Become a Messenger
Interestingly, as we work at becoming marvelers, we can’t help but become movers. That leads us to the final action step from this passage -- become a messenger. Notice verse 38 again: “...she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”
Do you have family and friends who’ve been caught up in preparations for Christmas? Look at it this way -- maybe their anticipation and longings really represent an inner search for comfort and forgiveness -- those things that only the Messiah can provide. God wants each one of us to become messengers of the Christmas story.
Conclusion
Let me wrap this up. As you and I become marvelers, the wonder of Christmas will astonish us. Then, as we become movers, our needs for comfort and forgiveness will be met. And, as we take our role as messengers seriously, we’ll be in position to introduce others to the Christ of Christmas -- so that they in turn can find what they have been waiting for.
Friends, in a nutshell, Christmas is a marvelous, moving, message! How can we not find what we’ve been looking for? And, how can we keep quiet about it? Once you have the Son, you have everything.
Whoever Takes the Son
Many years ago, there was a very wealthy man who shared a passion for art collecting with his son. They had priceless works by Picasso and Van Gogh adorning the walls of their family estate.
As winter approached, war engulfed the nation, and the young man left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram. His son had died.
Distraught and lonely, the old man faced the upcoming Christmas holidays with anguish and sadness. The joy of the season had vanished with the death of his son.
On Christmas morning, a knock on the door awakened the depressed old man. As he walked to the door, the masterpieces of art on the walls only reminded him that his son was not coming home. As he opened the door he was greeted by a soldier with a large package in his hands who said, “I was a friend of your son. I was was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you.”
The soldier mentioned that he was an artist and then gave the old man the package. The paper gave way to reveal a portrait of the man’s son. Though the world would never consider it the work of a genius, the painting featured the young man’s face in striking detail. Overcome with emotion, the man hung the portrait over the fireplace, pushing aside millions of dollars worth of art. His task completed, the old man sat in his chair and spent Christmas gazing at the gift he had been given.
The painting of his son soon became his most prized possession, far eclipsing any interest in the pieces of art for which museums around the world clamored.
The following spring, the old man died. The art world waited with anticipation for the upcoming auction. According to the will of the old man, all the art works would be auctioned on Christmas Day, the day he had received the greatest gift.
The day soon arrived and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world’s most spectacular paintings. Dreams would be fulfilled that day.
The auction began with a painting that was not on anyone’s museum list. It was the painting of the man’s son. The auctioneer asked for an opening bid, but the room was silent. “Who will open the bidding with $100?” No one spoke. Finally someone said, “Who cares about that painting. It’s just a picture of his son. Let’s move on to the good stuff.”
The auctioneer responded, “No, we have to sell this one first. Now, who will take the son?” Finally, a neighbor of the old man offered $10 dollars. “That’s all I have. I knew the boy, so I’d like to have it.”
The auctioneer said, “Going once, going twice…gone.” The gavel fell.
Cheers filled the room and someone exclaimed, “Now we can bid on the real treasures!”
The auctioneer looked at the room filled with people and announced that the auction was over. Everyone was stunned. Someone spoke up and said, “What do you mean, it’s over? We didn’t come here for a painting of someone’s son. There are millions of dollars worth of art here! What’s going on?”
The auctioneer replied, “It’s very simple. According to the will of the Father, whoever takes the son…gets it all.”
Puts things in perspective, doesn’t it? The message is the same this Christmas. Because of the Father’s love…whoever takes the Son gets it all.
Will you take Him this Christmas?
You’re invited to a birthday party tonight. It’s the birthday of Jesus. It’s His party but He wants to give you a present. He wants to give you the gift of Himself. Will you take Him?
Matthew 1:18-25
How were you raised to regard Christmas? How are you raising your children to regard the holiday? There was once a family that celebrated Christmas every year with a birthday party for Jesus. An extra chair of honor at the table became the family’s reminder of Jesus’ presence. A cake with candles, along with the singing of "Happy Birthday" expressed the family’s joy in Jesus presence. One year a Christmas afternoon visitor asked five-year-old, "Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas?" After a moment’s hesitation, she answered, "No, but then it’s not my birthday!"
Christmas is all about Jesus, yet many of the essential figures of the nativity are still recognizable, well maybe, except for Joseph.
The cast of characters associated with the story of Jesus’ birth is colorful and memorable. We recognize them by their unique speaking parts. With dramatic lines, the Angels take center stage to announce the birth of the Savior. They appear to Joseph to announce that the name of the child would be Jesus. The arch angel Gabriel makes the unforgettable announcement to Mary. An angelic choir interrupts the shepherds singing, Glory to God in the highest.
The Virgin Mary, whose Divine selection humbles her, offers her beautiful hymn and thanksgiving in Luke 1:46-48: "My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed."
The wise men are desperate in their search to find the newborn king and prepared to divest themselves of treasures to present Him with gifts of worship. In Matthew 2:2… "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
The shepherds became early evangelists! In Luke 2, the shepherds hasten to find the baby Jesus after the announcement of the angelic choir. Upon finding Jesus, Luke says, "Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child (v. 17)."
Oddly enough, only Joseph has no speaking part. He is the lone silent member of the cast and often forgotten. Angels bring heavenly greetings. Mary sings a praiseful solo. Wise men worship. Shepherds preach. Joseph is silent. No notable lines are attributed to him. No sound bites. No quotes, only silence.
However, while Joseph is the forgotten figure of Christmas, he is irreplaceable in the story of Jesus’ birth. His importance cannot be overstated. Through Joseph, God protected the unborn life of Jesus and preserved human life for the Savior.
God protects the “unborn purposes and promises of Christ” in our lives. In your life now, there is an aspect of His will yet unknown, a promise yet to be fulfilled, a word yet to be manifest – a ministry, a loved one saved, a move – but faithfully watched over and protected by God to be realized for His glory in your life.
His life teaches us 3 lessons - a lesson in righteous mercy, in redemptive faith, and in ready obedience. Each are important to preserve and realize God’s purpose and promise in our lives.
1) A Lesson in Righteous Mercy 18-19
We are introduced to Joseph in the middle of an unwelcome nightmare. Having become engaged to a beautiful young girl in the Jewish tradition, he has worked hard to establish an income to support his new bride and begin a family. He is in love. He is committed to Mary. He believed she loved him, until the news that his precious bride is pregnant.
Heart-broken and betrayed, how should he respond? Should he publicly shame her and serve her with a certificate of divorce? Should he surrender her to a public stoning? Her explanation of the pregnancy was unbelievable, even profane, and did nothing to ease Joseph’s emotional pain.
If Mary would not have been stoned on the charge of adultery, she could have been stoned on the charge of serious blasphemy. However, Joseph chooses the path of mercy…
V. 19 - Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
It is response born of solid character. Before any divine explanation, Joseph chooses mercy. No malice. No explosion. Certainly words would have been appropriate here. How could you do this to me? Who’s the father? Tell me his name. But, no words are recorded, only tenderness. He might be the talk of Nazareth. Friends might distance themselves with snide comments, but he would not hurt Mary, no matter what he thought she had done to him.
That’s a just man! That’s a merciful man. When he could have demanded a bitter justice, he chose a righteous mercy.
Joseph’s mercy stands in stark contrast with his ancestor Judah in Genesis 38:24-26… Judah demanded justice, being blind to his own sin.
*In the kingdom of Christ and from my personal experience, people broken over the personal sin of sexual immorality are often more ready and capable of extending grace and mercy to others, who have committed similar sin.
The mystery of Jesus birth, that He sunk Himself into our flesh and became like us, is beyond all human understanding. The mighty God takes on the weakness of a newborn. It is the righteous mercy of Joseph, which preserves the life of Mary and preserves the unborn Christ. This merciful carpenter would raise a merciful Savior.
When people deserve the sentence of justice, choose a righteous mercy, which extends patience, grace, encouragement, prayer, empathy…
2) A Lesson in Redemptive Faith 20-23
The unborn plans of God are also protected by faith, redemptive faith. In other words, when we trust God – we will arrive at His promises.
We see this in Joseph’s faith, his willingness to believe God. Joseph intended to serve a certificate of divorce, end his engagement with Mary, and handle the matter quietly. Now the Lord is ready to let Joseph in on the plan. He was ready to call him to faith, to believe. Joseph’s eyes were opened to the glimpse of the Divine plan.
In Joseph’s dream, God reminded Joseph of His God-given identity. God’s angelic messenger addressed Joseph with a unique title, "Joseph, Son of David."
The God that watches over His plans and purpose for your life wants you to know who you are in Him.
Ephesians 1:18-19 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power…
Do you understand that in Christ, you have a special identity as a member of His family and that God knows who you are? With that recognition, we come into the confidence of His working through our circumstances to perfect His purpose.
Next, God assured Joseph that he did not have to be afraid. Fear is the enemy of faith and steals our hope. Joseph could take stock of his dilemma and afford hope even when it seemed impossible.
Third, God gave Joseph direction. He was to take Mary as his wife and be a father to the child, whom he would give the name – Jesus. Be teachable and allow His instruction.
Finally, God assured Joseph of His divine involvement. God’s message to Joseph was the confirmation that this was God’s doing. Joseph now had a different perspective.
Faith is believing according the promise of God’s Word. As He informs our faith, our hope is strengthened to trust Him in our circumstances.
3) A Lesson in Ready Obedience 24-25
Obedience followed Joseph’s faith. He did as he was commanded. The Bible defines faith with obedience and obedience with faith. In other words, they are two sides of the same coin. You cannot have one without the other.
With an informed faith to trust God, Joseph would now obey. He would take Mary to be his wife and suffer the caustic remarks of a child conceived prior to their wedding. He would obey in spite of the fact that this child of divine promise would be born under a cloud of adultery.
He would also obey by giving this child the name given by the Angel, the name JESUS – a name declaring the God, who saves – Yahweh is salvation.
Joseph hears and obeys. His is a ready obedience. Men of God obey.
We need to consider the places of obedience. Herod was out to destroy the next successor to the throne of Israel. Matthew 2:13-15…
Egypt holds a special significance. In the OT, Joseph was sent to Egypt after the betrayal of his brothers. Over time, the people of Israel were turned into slaves. Memories held it as a place of oppression.
Places of oppression are not welcomed places of refuge. As unwelcome and Egypt is, it has often been a place, where obedience leads godly people in Biblical history…
Moses was commanded to return to Egypt and face Pharaoh to set the Israelites free and endanger his own life in the process.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are condemned to a fiery furnace in Babylon.
Daniel, likewise, faced the lion’s den.
Places of obedience are not always the most comfortable. Joseph takes Mary and the infant Jesus to Egypt. He leaves behind an established carpenter’s trade and business. He leaves family, friends – to obey God and go to Egypt.
*Herod can’t destroy you in a place of obedience. God’s promises are preserved in places of obedience.
Conclusion
Mercy. Faith. Obedience. Each are important to preserve and realize God’s purpose and promise in our lives.
Are you waiting on a particular promise? Are you looking for a soon answer to hopeful prayer? Continue in mercy, faith, and obedience.
If you reading this text and you have not given your life to Jesus Christ or you have, but you have backslide, or you know your fire has gone down, please go on your knees and pray the prayer below loud before God.
I admit that I am a sinner. I have done many things that don’t please you. I have lived my life for myself. I am sorry and I repent. I ask you to forgive me. I believe that you died on the cross for me, to save me. You did what I could not do for myself. I come to you now and ask you to take control of my life, I give it to you. Help me to live every day in a way that pleases you. I love you, Lord, and I thank you that I will spend all eternity with you.
Christ Healing ministry
Evangelist Godwin OjerindeWWW.CHRISTHEALINGMINISTRY.COM The Greatest Christmas Gift Christmas is a time of giving. And that means Christmas is a time of shopping. Ever since the wise men from the east showed up at the stable carrying gold, frankincense, and myrrh, people have been exchanging gifts at Christmas. Of course, it’s much more complicated today than it was for the wise men. For one thing, they didn’t have to contend with shopping malls, all packed full of parents going from store to store , desperately searching for a Nintendo Play station 2. There were no razor scooters in those days, no life-size Barbie’s, and definitely no robot toy dogs. Just plain old gold, frankincense and myrrh. Well, this year, just like every year, millions of people, both children and adults, will open millions of gifts. Some won’t fit. Some will be the wrong color. Many will be returned or exchanged. But there’s one gift that meets everyone’s need, one gift that will never wear out, never break or need repairing. A gift that is appropriate for a small child, or a teenager, or an adult, or a senior adult. Boy or girl, man or woman, it makes no difference. The gift we all need, the most valuable gift of all, is that baby in the manger. The one that this whole season is about. On Christmas, we celebrate the fact that God gave us the gift of His own Son, Jesus Christ, so that through faith in Him we could be forgiven of our sins and have eternal life. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (NIV) This morning, I’d like to make three points about this gift, this incredible, priceless gift. 1. The gift is Jesus Christ himself First; the gift is Jesus Christ himself. The gift God offers us is to know Christ. To know Him as a friend, to have fellowship with Him, to have a relationship with Him. The gift God offers us is to be known and loved by Christ. [Jesus: ] “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” – John 15:15 (NIV) “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” – John 17:3 (NIV) Let me ask you a question: Have you received this gift? Do you have this kind of relationship with Jesus Christ? Do you know Him as a friend? Is He someone you can talk with, confide in, and seek counsel from? Do you feel at ease in His presence, like you would with a close friend, or do you feel like you have to rush around cleaning up your spiritual “house” before you can welcome him in? If the answer is “no,” if you don’t have this kind of relationship with Christ, the good news is that you can. All you have to do is ask. Come to him in prayer; confess your sins, ask His forgiveness, ask Him into your heart. That’s all you have to do. Maybe you’ve never heard the Christian life described in this way before. Perhaps it sounds a little strange to talk about spending time with Jesus Christ, as if He were a flesh and blood person, someone you could see and hear and touch. Well, no it isn’t like that. We don’t claim to see visions or hear voices. But that doesn’t make our fellowship with him any less real. Christ is present with us. His Spirit lives in us. He speaks to us through the Bible. And we speak with him through prayer. “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” – 1 John 1:3 (NIV) People sometimes think of Christianity as nothing but a set of burdensome responsibilities. Doing things you’d rather not do. Like going to church, when you’d rather be home reading the Sunday paper. Some people see the Christian life as a lot of rules, a lot of “do’s” and “don’ts” (mainly “don’ts”). Or if they view Christianity more positively, they might see it primarily in terms of the benefits it can bring – improved relationships; stronger marriages; guidance in raising children; emotional strength to deal with difficult circumstances. And that’s true, but even this misses the mark. The essence of Christianity isn’t rules, or “do’s and don’ts”, or even blessings. The essence of Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Yes, the Christian life brings many benefits – joy, peace, hope. But they all come through Christ; they all flow from our relationship with Him. Your greatest gift to your children isn’t a few boxes wrapped in colored paper, on Christmas or their birthday. The most valuable thing you can offer them is a relationship; your love and care, your time and attention, your commitment to always be there when they need you. Right? Everything else flows from that. In the same way, God’s greatest gift to us is a relationship with Jesus Christ, and a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. 2. The Gift Has Great Value the second point I want to make is that this gift has great value. Although there is truly nothing more desirable than knowing Christ, many people just can’t see it. Their eyes haven’t been opened. They look into the manger, and they don’t see a king. They don’t see the Savior of the World. They don’t see “the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace,” as the Hallelujah chorus puts it. They don’t see anything special at all, because they don’t have eyes of faith. All they can see is an ordinary human being. And so, they pass by the child in the manger and instead seek after the gold, and the frankincense, and the myrrh sitting at the side. They don’t want the baby, they want the presents. Which do you value more, the toys and trinkets of this life that will all eventually crumble into dust or a relationship with Jesus Christ that will last forever? "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” – Matt. 13:44-46 (NIV) Knowing Christ is worth more than anything else in this world; in fact, knowing Christ is worth more than everything else in this world. We will never be disappointed by Him. He is that treasure; He’s that pearl of great value. God’s gift to us, this child in the manger, is worth more than anything else we could ever possess. Does your life reflect that truth? Do you know Him? Are you seeking Him? “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” – 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV) 3. The gift must be received finally, the gift must be received. It’s available to everyone, but God doesn’t force it on anyone. We have to receive it. We have to take the package, and open the box, and accept it as our own. We each have to make the decision to receive Jesus Christ into our lives. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” – John 1:12 (NIV) Not all who heard about him, or agreed with his teachings. Not all who attended church? Not all who tried to follow the golden rule? But all who received him. Some people imagine that God’s love has to be earned; that we have to do something to deserve His forgiveness , that we have to somehow be good enough to merit His acceptance. But a gift you have to pay for is no gift at all. [Imagine your wife or children trying to pay for their gifts.] Now, maybe you opened that gift years ago, but lately it’s been sitting on the shelf. You’ve been too busy, or too distracted, or too hurting to give Christ the time and attention you know He deserves. Or maybe for you that gift is still under the tree, wrapped and ready to be opened.My appeal to you this morning is this: Don’t leave Christ on the shelf; don’t leave Him under the tree. Take him into your heart and into your life, even today. That gift from God has a tag with your name on it. What better day than Christmas to renew your commitment to Christ; or what better day than Christmas to begin a new life of fellowship with Jesus Christ, a new life of joy and peace and love?
If you reading this text and you have not given your life to Jesus Christ or you have, but you have backslide, or you know your fire has gone down, please go on your knees and pray the prayer below loud before God. Dear Lord, I admit that I am a sinner. I have done many things that don’t please you. I have lived my life for myself. I am sorry and I repent. I ask you to forgive me. I believe that you died on the cross for me, to save me. You did what I could not do for myself. I come to you now and ask you to take control of my life, I give it to you. Help me to live every day in a way that pleases you. I love you, Lord, and I thank you that I will spend all eternity with you. Amen Congratulation as you are now a child of God, I wish you well in Jesus name. thank you and remain blessed.
Christ Healing ministry
Evangelist Godwin Ojerinde
DIVINE VISITATION
Genesis 18:1-2 (New International Version)
1 The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
Somebody is going to have visitors of joy this month in Jesus name
As a matter of fact somebody will receive visitors of joy tonight In Jesus name.
When the Lord visits you, your life can never be the same again in Jesus name.
Usually the Lord visit in critical situation, I don’t know how critical your situation is, but what I know is that if you believe the Lord will visit you today in Jesus name.
In the above scripture, the Lord decided to visit Abraham at a time when all hope is lost of him becoming the father of Isaac. At a time when he thought all the promises of 25yrs will not be fulfilled.
We are in a month of December, where of course it’s the last month of 2000 and nice(2009)the Lord has put it in my spirit to prepare this sermon for somebody, who will give a powerful testimony this month in Jesus name.
if you are that person why don’t you shout halleluiah.
Where they have said you will not have children, I open your womb in Jesus name
Where they have hold your application I release it to you in Jesus name
Where they have said your marriage will not have peace, I command peace in Jesus name
Where they have limited you, I remove limitation in Jesus name.
Where you have been stagnant, I remove stagnation from your life in Jesus name.
Where you have been put in bondage, I deliver you in the name of Jesus.
Where they said you will not get married, you will meet your right partner in Jesus name
If the above prayers relate to you and you believe, you will give a testimony in Jesus name
According to Colossians 1 verse 27(27To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.)which says Christ in you the hope of glory. I prophesy that for the rest of your life it will be glory in Jesus name.
in Genesis 19 verse 1( The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.)
You will find out that the same men visited lot; you learn from the above verse that lot was a big man sitting at the entrance of the city, but he never knew destruction was close to him. But he received visitor of joy, who came to rescue him from destruction.
Maybe there is somebody that is about to make a decision, or about to travel this month, the good lord will protect you in Jesus name.
Remember that the one visiting you as recorded in john 10: 10(10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.)
Is there anyone sick or suffering from a disease reading this text, I pray you receive divine visitation of healing in Jesus name.
Just less than 2 months ago in Manchester, the Lord reveal a woman to me that she is hiv positive and she was pregnant, I told her if she can serve the Lord and have hope, the Lord will heal her and her son she is pregnant with, after a month she came to me crying that the nurses said her unborn child is hiv positive, I felt for her, and I prayed for her, and I gave her a date to go for the test again, to God be the glory, yesterday she confirmed that she and her born child is hiv negative.
If you believe today any disease you have, any sickness, the Lord that heals will heal you in Jesus name.
In 1st king 17 v 8-16, you will find there a story of a widow, who was at the crises point; things were very tight for her. She had only one meal left to prepare for her and her son and then to wait for death. But a visitor of joy came in, what was to be her last meal became her first.
Maybe there is somebody reading this text, who is at their crises point, you will give a testimony in Jesus name. If the Lord tarries somebody reading this will text will continue giving unbelievable testimonies in Jesus name.
In 2nd kings 4: 9,( 9 She said to her husband, "I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God.)This is a story about the shunammite woman, who regularly receives a visitor of joy from time to time, at a time when she has resigned to her faith of not having a child; she has money, a good house to live in, a good husband, but no child. But one day the visitor of joy asked her, what do you need, she said nothing, the man of God now said I think you need something, something that’s not allowing your joy to be full. The man of God said, it is already settled.
As I write this txt as a representative of the most high, whatever remain that will make your joy full, God will give it to you this morning in Jesus name.
In 2 chron 1 : 7(7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you.)
God appeared to Solomon at a time when Solomon thought he had everything, except one supreme thing, wisdom .
According to proverb 4: 7(Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, [a] get understanding)
There is someone reading this text today, you might not be the most educated, but you will be the most preferred in Jesus name.
In Luke 5 : 1-3 , when God visited peter, he was at the height of frustration , he has fish all night and caught nothing , he was tired, poor , frustrated, but when he got the visitor of joy . His frustration was changed to promotion, because the one who visited him is the one that is called the promoter, some of you have been working , no promotion , no increase I prophesy into someone reading this text’s life, that the lord will promote you in Jesus name.
In act 10: 1-3, Cornelius received an unexpected visitor, he was not expecting any visitor, he was minding his business, but because Malachi 3: 1 (See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty)
What this verse mean is that before you finish reading this text, you will receive a divine visitor in Jesus name.
In this text you will notice that all 7 people I mentioned in this text that were visited by God,had one thing in common.
1, Abraham: giver and accommodating Gen 17 : 3-8
2, Lot : giver and accommodating : Gen 19 : 2-32 "My lords," he said, "please turn aside to your servant's house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning."
"No," they answered, "we will spend the night in the square."
3 But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.
3, widow of zarephath : giver and accommodating
1 Kings 17:11-16
11 As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
12 "As surely as the LORD your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die."
13 Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.' "
15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah
4 Shunammit woman giver and accommodating 2 Kings 4:8-10
8 One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. 9 She said to her husband, "I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. 10 Let's make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us."
5 Solomon giver and accommodating 2 Chronicles 1:6
6 Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it
6, peter giver and accommodating even after the miracle, he left everything and followed Luke 5:11
Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." 11So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
7, Cornelius addicted to giving Acts 10:2-4
He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"
4Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.
The ladder of prosperity is giving .your life can change as you read this text , its up to you. I believe with this short sermon, somebody will be visited in Jesus name.
If this sermon has blessed you, you are free to donate to the ministry of God in my hands by donating online on our website below.
http://christhealingministry.com/donation.html
thank you and remain blessed.
19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
20But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
24Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
This morning as we move into the Christmas season let’s allow ourselves to reflect on the real reasons for the celebration that we so enjoy. I invite you this morning to get excited about Christmas. On that first Christmas the Word of God says that even the Heavenly Host were excited. The shepherds, the wise men , the three kings Mary and Joseph , oh I love it all! But the main reason for our excitement can be found in verse 21of our text.
21And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
The Christmas season many times brings out the best in people. The first Christmas brought out the best in God as he sent his only begotten Son to save all who will call upon his name and receive him into their heart.
This morning if some of us have lost the excitement, the feeling, the special spirit this time of year then I invite you to read this.God willing, as we look into three areas of our heart, The past, the present and the future. if we have been saved by the grace of Jesus Christ and are walking in his ways our past does not have a right to trespass on our mind and soul.
1. What does God think considering my past?
Micah 7:19 (King James Version)
19He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Corinthians 5:17-18 (King James Version)
17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
Jesus Christ came to save us from our past. Our past is wiped out in the sight of God when we confess our sins to him. To think that God is dealing with us because of something we done before salvation or before we confessed it to him is just simply wrong. There may be natural consequences that occur because of our actions or some chastisement from the Lord, but God is not holding our past against us. God don’t hold grudges against his people.
God is not punishing us today because of something that we did in our past if we have put it under the blood of Jesus.
If we have not confessed it to him and ask for forgiveness then we need to do that today and move on in our spiritual life.
Psalm 103:10-12 (King James Version)
10He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Thessalonians 5:9 (King James Version)
9For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
I am not saying there is no consequences to sin, I am saying this:
1 John 1:8-10 (King James Version)
8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
2. The ghost of past hurts.
One thing that I have found out that helps me this time of year is to send everyone that has gotten angry with me this past year an e.mail,just saying “I am thinking of you, I am praying for you and I love you in the Lord”.
It does not matter where the blame is. It does not matter who is at fault.
In order to run this race this is one thing I must do. Look how Paul puts it.
Philippians 3:13-15 (King James Version)
13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Notice Paul says “this one thing I do”.
Notice what Jesus says about this:
Matthew 5:23-24 (King James Version)
23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
We can be set free from the thing that holds many back this Christmas by releasing our past hurts to God and allowing him to heal them. As long as we are holding on to that it will continually come up and prevent us from being as blessed as we should be. God has made provision for this and few take his way. Holding on to past hurts is the single largest problem Christians face today. We may not find adultery in a church. We may not find theft in a church. We may not find unbelief in a church but we will find people being held back by past hurts in every church.
It is my responsibility to give my past hurts to God and move ahead.
It is not the person who hurt me who is responsible for my healing.
It is mine. If they have done wrong believe me God will deal with them but the responsibility to get over it belongs to me and I will not move ahead according to Paul until I forget it!
3. I must forgive myself for coming up short sometimes in my walk with Jesus.
We must strive for perfection as a Christian, but we must understand that at the best we will do sometimes we will fail.
Romans 3:23 (King James Version)
23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
There may be something in our past that we just know we really blew it!
There are things that we wished we had handled differently.
There are things that if we just cold go back and change.
We cannot.
We all have this in common.
It comes to visit not just at Christmas but time after time as we lay our head upon the pillow. It visits us almost daily and consumes our visions for the future. We begin to think what is the use? Why strive for anything now? I blew it along time ago!
I know Jesus and God have forgiven me. But I just can’t forgive myself!
The best example in the Word of God pertaining to this is Peter.
Mark 14:67-72 (King James Version)
67And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.
68But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.
69And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.
70And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.
71But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.
72And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.
Peter really blew it here big time!
But the thing about Peter was that he was a come back guy.
Peter was the original come back kid!
He was always getting knocked down but he always got up because his love for Jesus out weighed his sense of fail.
Oh yes there will be times we stumble. There will be times we fail and fall but we cannot fail to run! To much is at stake!
Let’s go acts and see what the original comeback kid is doing there!
Acts 2:12-16 (King James Version)
12And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel
And so on…..Peter is boldly standing to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ despite his past failures.
Jesus came to make our past just what it is our past. We need to stop reliving that bad water under the bridge and this Christmas allow Jesus Christ to be glorified through us.
There are only two spiritual Kingdoms - the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of the devil. The Kingdom of God is the place where Jesus is King. In God's Kingdom there is peace, there is love, there is hope for the future. There is joy, healing, mercy, justice and living faith. In Satan's kingdom is pride, lust,%
CHRIST HEALING MINISTRY
EVANGELIST GODWIN OJERINDE
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON
This look at the person of the Holy Spirit is Part I of our topical Bible study series on the Holy Spirit. In Part II, you will learn more about the divine work of the Holy Spirit. The series is intended to simplify your study and help you better understand what the Bible says about doctrines such as the Trinity. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and other subjects related to the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is included in the trinity which is made up of 3 distinct persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The following verses give a beautiful picture of the Trinity in the Bible:
Matthew 3:16-17
As soon as Jesus (the Son) was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven (the Father) said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
Matthew 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
John 14:16-17
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
2 Corinthians 13:14
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Acts 2:32-33
God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
The Holy Spirit has the Characteristics of Personality:
• The Holy Spirit has a Mind:
Romans 8:27
And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
• The Holy Spirit has a Will:
1 Corinthians 12:11
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
• The Holy Spirit has Emotions:
The Holy Spirit grieves:
Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Isaiah 63:10
Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.
The Holy Spirit gives joy:
Luke 10: 21
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure."
1 Thessalonians 1:6
You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
• He Teaches:
John 14:26
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
• He Testifies of Christ:
John 15:26
When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.
• He Convicts:
John 16:8
When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt [Or will expose the guilt of the world] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:
• He Leads:
Romans 8:14
Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
• He Reveals Truth:
John 16:13
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
• He Strengthens and Encourages:
Acts 9:31
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.
• He Comforts:
John 14:16
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
• He Helps Us in our Weakness:
Romans 8:26
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
• He Intercedes:
Romans 8:26
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
• He Searches the Deep Things of God:
1 Corinthians 2:11
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
• He Sanctifies:
Romans 15:16
To be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
• He Bears Witness or Testifies:
Romans 8:16
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
• He Forbids:
Acts 16:6-7
Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.
• He Can be Lied to:
Acts 5:3
Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
• He Can be Resisted:
Acts 7:51
"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!"
• He Can be Blasphemed:
Matthew 12:31-32
And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
• He Can be Quenched:
1 Thessalonians 5:19
Quench not the Spirit.
I pray that the Holy Spirit will not depart from you in Jesus Name.
Beloved, you are invited to our monthly retreat title:A TIME WITH GOD FOR DELIVERANCE
Deliverance from stagnancy,Deliverance from poverty,Deliverance from marital failure,Deliverance from financial failure,Deliverance from barrenness,Deliverance from spiritual attack,Deliverance from bondage
Venue:
The Methodist Church
Central Hall,Oldham St
Manchester, UK. M1 1JQ
Date:10th-oct - 2009
Time:1PM-5PM.
Ministering Evangelist Godwin Ojerinde
Prophetic Healing Deliverance
Christ Healing MinistryPOO
Kindly visit my website as i will be in Nigeria from oct 14th-nov 1st, Italy nov 7th-9th,usa nov 18th-27.visit my website to know the various churches address and time.
http://christhealingministry.com/event.html
Christ Healing Ministry
Evangelist Godwin Gbadebo Ojerinde
Bible Verses to Read When:
You Feel Afraid
Psalm 34:4
I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.Matthew 10:28
2 Timothy 1:7
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline
Hebrews 13:5-6
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" So we say with confidence. "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
You Feel Anxious
Psalm 46: 1-2
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea
Matthew 6:19-34
I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" 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. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God
1 Peter 5:6-7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
You Feel Defeated
Romans 8:31-39
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: " For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
You Feel Depressed
Psalm 34
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.
Psalm 40:1-2
I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
1 Cor. 10:13
...God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Disaster Threatens
Psalm 91
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, "
He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-
Then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
"Because he loves me,"
says the LORD, "
I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honour him,
With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."
Psalm 118:6
The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Luke 8:22-25
One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."
You Feel Discouraged
Psalm 42:6-11
My God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me
a prayer to the God of my life.
I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"
My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Saviour and my God.
Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.
Matthew 5:11-12
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
2 Corinthians 4:8-18
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
You Are Doubting
Matthew 8:26
He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
John 7:17
If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
Hebrews 11:1-2
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings.
You Are Facing Crisis
Psalm 121
I lift my eyes up to the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
the Maker of Heaven and Earth' He will not let your foot slip-
he who watches over you will not slumber
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep
Isaiah 43:1-2
But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
Matthew 6:25-34
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" 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. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Your Faith Fails
Psalm 42:5
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour
Your Friends Fail
Psalm 41:9-13
Even my close friend, whom I trusted,
he who shared my bread,
has lifted up his heel against me.
But you, O LORD, have mercy on me;
raise me up, that I may repay them.
I know that you are pleased with me,
for my enemy does not triumph over me.
In my integrity you uphold me
and set me in your presence forever.
Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Isaiah 49:14-16
But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me." "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me."
Luke 17:3-4
So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."
Romans 12:14-21
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay, " says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
2 Timothy 4:16-18
At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. to him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
You Are Feeling Lonely
Isaiah 49:14-16
But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me." "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me."
Isaiah 54:10
"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
Matthew 28:20
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Hebrews 13:1
Keep on loving each other as brothers. 2Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. 3Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
John 14:18
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
Romans 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: " For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
You Are Grieving
Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
1 Thessalonians 4:13
Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.
You Are Needing God's Protection
Psalm 27:1-3
The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.
Psalm 91
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, "
He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-
Then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
"Because he loves me,"
says the LORD, "
I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honour him,
With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."
Isaiah 43:1-2
But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
Philippians 4:19
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
You Are Needing Guidance
Psalm 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
You Are Needing Peace
John 14:1-4
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."
John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
You Feel Overcome
Psalm 6
O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.
Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.
My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long?
Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.
No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave ?
I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.
My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.
Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.
The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.
All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.
Romans 8:31-39
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: " For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 John 1:4-9
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[ sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
You Feel The Call to Be More Prayerful
Psalm 42
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
My tears have been my food
day and night,
while men say to me all day long,
" Where is your God?"
These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
among the festive throng.
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Saviour and my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me
a prayer to the God of my life.
I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"
My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Saviour and my God.
Luke 11:1-13
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.
He said to them,
"When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation. "
Then he said to them, "
Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him."
"Then the one inside answers, "Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything." I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs." So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. " Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
1 John 5:14-15
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us whatever we ask we know that we have what we asked of him.
You Need to Feel Protected
Psalm 18:1-3
I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.
Psalm 34:7
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
You Are Sick Or In Pain
Psalms 6
O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.
Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint;
O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.
My soul is in anguish.
How long, O LORD, how long?
Turn, O LORD, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.
No one remembers you when he is dead.
Who praises you from the grave [b] ?
I am worn out from groaning;
all night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.
My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.
Away from me, all you who do evil,
for the LORD has heard my weeping.
The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;
the LORD accepts my prayer.
All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed;
they will turn back in sudden disgrace.
Psalms 37:39-40
The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
Romans 5:3-5
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
1 Peter 4:12-13,19
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed... So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
You Feel Sinful And Far From God
Psalms 31: 22-24
In my alarm I said,
"I am cut off from your sight!"
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
Love the LORD, all his saints!
The LORD preserves the faithful,
but the proud he pays back in full.
Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.
Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.
Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are [c] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Isaiah 53:5-8
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
1 John 1:4-9
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
You Are Sleepless
Psalm 4:8
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 127:2b
... for he grants sleep to those he loves.
Proverbs 3:24
When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Matthew 11:25-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
You Are Tempted
Psalm 1
Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Matthew 26:41
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.
1 Corinthians 10:12-14
So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.
James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
2 Peter 3:17
Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.
You Need to Be Thankful
Psalm 100
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his [a] ;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 13:15
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise the fruit of lips that confess his name.
You Are In Trouble
Psalm 16
Keep me safe, O God,
for in you I take refuge.
I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing."
As for the saints who are in the land,
they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. [b]
The sorrows of those will increase
who run after other gods.
I will not pour out their libations of blood
or take up their names on my lips.
LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Psalm 16:1-5
In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Free me from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.
John 14:1-4
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."
Hebrews 7:25
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
You Are Weary
Matthew 11:28-30
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.
Galatians 6:9-10
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
You Are Worried
Matthew 6:19-34
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" No one can serve two masters . Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life
EVANGELIST GODWIN OJERINDE
CHRIST HEALING MINISTRY
For Each Negative Thing We Say to Ourselves,God Has A Positive Answer For It.
HOW DO YOU FEEL
Lord, I feel.....
Beaten...yet
you have made me more than a conqueror (Rom 8:37).
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us
Bound....yet
You are my deliverer (Rom 11:26).
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
Confused....yet
You are my counselor (Isa 9:6).
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, [a] Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
A failure....yet
You have made me an overcomer (1 Jn 5:4).
For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith
Fearful....yet
You did not give me a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, andof a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7).
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
Friendless....yet
You are a friend who sticks closer to me than a brother (Prov 18:24).
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
In darkness....yet
You are a light unto my path and a lamp unto my feet (Ps 119:105).
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Lonely.....yet
You promised never to leave me nor forsake me (Heb 13:5).
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you;never will I forsake you."
Misjudged....yet
I'm accepted and approved by You (Eph 1:4).
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
Poor....yet
You supply all my need according to Your riches in glory (Phil 4:19).
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Sick....yet
You are the Lord who heals all my diseases (Ps 103:3).
…who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
Troubled....yet
You are my peace (Jn 14:27).
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you asthe world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Unclean....yet
You are the purifier and refiner of my life (Mal 3:3).
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify theLevites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will havemen who will bring offerings in righteousness,
Vulnerable....yet
You are my strength and my strong tower (Ps 18:2).
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn [a] of my salvation, my stronghold.
Worthless....yet
You see me as a pearl of great price (Matt 13:46).
When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
You say: "It's impossible"
God says: "All things are possible" (Luke 18:27)
Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: "I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28-30)
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: "I love you" (John 3:16 & John 13:34)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another
You say: "I can't go on"
God says: "I will direct your steps" (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
You say: "I can't do it"
God says: "You can do all things" (Philippians 4:13)
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
You say: "I'm not able"
God says: "I am able" (II Corinthians 9:8)
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all thingsat all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every goodwork.
You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: "It will be worth it" (Romans 8:28)
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: "I FORGIVE YOU" (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
You say: "I can't manage"
God says: "I will supply all your needs" (Philippians 4:19)
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: "I have not given you a spirit of fear" (2Timothy 1:7)
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: "Cast all your cares on ME" (I Peter 5:7)
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
You say: "I don't have enough faith"
God says: "I've given everyone a measure of faith" (Romans 12:3)
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: "I give you wisdom" (I Corinthians 1:30)
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: "I will never leave you or forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5)
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you"
Christ Healing Ministry
Evangelist Godwin Gbadebo Ojerinde
Unconquerable Power
There are different powers in this world; some are from the pit of hell, while some are from men but there is a Divine Power; that is greater than every other power.
Col. 2:15: And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
This is a tremendous verse of scripture with deep meanings. The Greek version of the Bible, connotes “Spoiled” here, with “stripped naked.” “Shew” connotes display.
This can be illustrated in the image of a soldier who goes to war and comes back with the captives which include the king and weapons of the opposing camp, he would line them up in public, to display his victory. So what Jesus did, was to strip naked the wicked satanic powers and expose them in disgrace, to show His victory. He displayed them openly in the heavens. It was not a quiet affair, and it is still the same today.
The Bible tells us that Jesus bruised the head of the serpent and that we should resist the devil and he will flee from us. It is when you declare war against the devil and correctly resist him that you will notice that he is a coward.
Many problems of people are tied to fear.
Pray this prayer point:
Spirit of fear, release me in the name of Jesus.
Luke 10:17-19: And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. [18] And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. [19] Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Remember, anyone going about with beggarly powers is just wasting his or her time. Beggarly powers are those powers that are not of God; it includes occultism and the reading of occultic books, joining associations and sects like Amorc, Grail message, Lodge, gatherings that donr call the name of Jesus, herbalists etc.
You will find out that these powers will always have some that are more powerful than them and the ultimate power is the Lord’s. There are always senior herbalists or prophets or magicians but they are no match to the Power of God. They can manifest anywhere but they have limits.
I am bold to declare to you, that every power that is not of God, is a beggarly power. The only power that cannot be conquered, is that of the Lord Jesus Christ. For He has been given a name that is above all names and He has exalted Him far above every principality and powers and every name that is to be named, even if it is non- existent yet, as far as it will be given a name, the Lord’s name is far above it.
If you have any other name you are calling, apart from the name of Jesus, you are in trouble, because the enemy will study you very well, know the level of your power and go and get a higher one to finish you.
There was someone who wanted to be the leader of a country many years ago. The Lord sent a man of God to tell him that he could be the leader, if he became born again. This man did not give his life to Christ. He went into all sorts of occultism and tried very hard to get elected but never was, till he died.
Luke 10:20: Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Born again Christians must realize that they are in a contest with the enemy. satan and his demons will not release the blessings and the souls of men without a battle. Without confrontation, there is no victory.
I would like to be frank with you beloved; evil spirits are not playing games with anybody; they are fighting and their aim is to destroy. If you are the kind of Christian who wants to give up without resistance and you surrender, they will gladly take you into captivity, enslave and use you at their will. The Bible says:
“Resist, give no place...”
We are already in a period of terrible warfare. Terrible because we are fighting forces we cannot see but they can see us. Most Christians are not ready to go into this war in the spirit realm, they are not making necessary efforts to prepare themselves for war.
If your parents were born in a country, where there is no idol worship and you too were born there, including your ancestors, then, you would say there is no spiritual war to fight.
Also, it means you have no incision on your body, you have never taken any concoction, neither have you ever burnt candles nor incense, neither have you been to a herbalist yourself nor by anyone on your behalf, so, you can afford to sleep.
But if you were born in or by Africans and you were given names during your naming ceremony, by the people you do not know, whether they are witches or enemies of your parents, you were circumcised although you are a female, in a traditional way, your parents probably consulted oracles or idols on your behalf, then, you have a lot of battles to fight.
Whether you fight or not, war has already been declared. How much you know about the battle, will decide the way the battle goes.
Paul and Peter demonstrated the power of God. So also will I. Do you hope to demonstrate the power of God and have the last laugh over your enemies? Declare it openly and loud!
There is no gentle war. No noiseless war. It is not a play thing, neither is it a picnic at the beach. You can not organize a peaceful rally against witches, carrying placard, singing: “All we are saying is stop drinking blood.”
They will not listen; in fact it will strengthen them the more. What you need do, is command them to be paralyzed, then it will work.
We have to make a strong petition against those powers that are working against God’s children, today. Wars are not won by words but by force, strength, aggression and by power and violence.
WHY? The enemy has come to kill, steal and destroy. If you do not fight and win, he will accomplish all these things in your life. It is unfortunate that some people only arrive in church, after they have been messed up by the enemy.
Our war is not against persons who have bodies; our fight is against principalities and powers, bodiless beings, great evil princes, large number of evil spirits rulers, powers, demonic leaders, executives, chief heads who are demonic, master- mind controllers and strongmen, evil powers, evil intelligence, tricks, strategies, craftiness, skills, devices and councils.
The person, who wants to fight this kind of entities, must be ready to know and do some things.
I know a brother who used to go about making trouble for Jesus. He used to go to places where magicians usually gather people to deceive them. As these magicians are carrying out their exploits, the brother would be nullifying them in the name of Jesus. The magicians would fail and would look around to see if there was any witch or wizard counter- acting their efforts. They would not know that it was a small boy standing on the word of God.
When you are ignorant of satanic devices, you give the enemy an advantage over you. It is to your advantage to correctly know who the enemy is, how many they are, their power, their strategies, what they do and what area is under attack. These powers will not have mercy on you, if they succeed in getting you cornered. They will use all their powers and make sure they win, because that is their aim. Don’t fight as someone beating the air, especially now that you know that the spirits are subject to you..
We must launch our battle against the strongman and the wicked spirits who have rejected Christ and chosen satan. There are some people who are not bound, neither are they possessed, therefore, they don’t need deliverance but the spirit inside them is the spirit of wickedness.
There are human spirits that have become strongmen and must be dealt with by believers. There are high-ranking principalities working amongst believers and about the streets. They are the ones controlling and directing witches and diviners, magicians and sorcerers.
Acts 13:6-12: And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus: [7] Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. [8] But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. [9] Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, [10] And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? [11] And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. [12] Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
When Bar Jesus tried to use his demonic power against the Apostle, Paul did not even witness to him nor sing praise - worship. He did not pacify him, he quickly located the enemy and exercised the power given to him by the Lord Jesus Christ. He tried the spirit inside the man and found that it was evil so, he treated him like a devil. We need that kind of power today too. The deputy was astonished, so also the kind of things we say and do today, must astonish people too. We need to shock people at the instant results that our commands will bring. We have been called to a life of signs and wonders.
Say this loud and clear:
My miracles will amaze the enemies in the name of Jesus.
My life will advertise the power of God in the name of Jesus.
I shall confound my enemies in the name of Jesus.
My miracles shall astonish people in the name of Jesus.
We must astonish the enemies of God; you need something more than the stamping of feet or jumping up. We need to speak with power and boldness and people will get up and give us a slap or gnash their teeth, as they did to Stephen. The deputy in Acts 13 was astonished at the doctrines of the Lord; because Paul blinded somebody instantly. We have to issue our warfare; God has given us His power and dominion over all forces of darkness. Evil powers must bow at your word; if they don’t, it could be that you have not given sufficient orders or there is sin in your life, that is giving them a legal ground to stay.
We are supposed to tell these powers what to do; they are not the ones to tell us not to prosper nor be in good health nor sleep. Once they appear, they should be chased out immediately. They should not find a foothold in our lives. God has given us His Spirit, His Name, His strength, His word, His life, His Armour to work with, His Blood, so; we are not supposed to tolerate or allow enemies to overcome us.
We must overcome spiritual laziness. There was a security man who slept off at night, he was woken up by a screechy sound but was so drowsy that he went back to sleep. He heard another one later but did not wake up. In the morning, he found out that the four tyres of the car in front of him, had been stolen. When interrogated, he said he was there but had not known when it happened.
The laziness of one soldier can put a whole battalion in trouble. Laziness can defeat a person in business and in fellowship. That demon power that makes you procrastinate is the spirit of laziness. If you are lazy, you will not be a threat to the enemy.
A lazy person cannot fast and pray effectively, he or she will always do things half-way. He or she could have good ideas but cannot accomplish them or even start a project or jump from one project half- way, to another. They usually do not admit the fact that they are lazy.
We have to flush laziness out of our system as individuals and as a nation, so that things will move forward. We have to ask for the zeal of God to consume us. The Holy Ghost fire of God’s zeal is the opposite of laziness.
In this our environment, you cannot afford to be spiritually lazy. The enemy has adapted his tactics to suit all our personalties. If you are an introvert and would always lock yourself up, he will use physical laziness to mask your problems. If you are an extrovert and are jumping here and there, he will keep you busy doing nothing.
This message is meant to help you collect divine zeal, fire and power to go out and use against the enemy.
The prayers that I am suggesting below, are to be prayed with all the aggression that you can gather. I want you to beef up your faith and believe that whatever you stand against now in these prayers, will remain paralyzed forever in the name of Jesus.
Beloved, if you have not yet surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, you are not born again, I would like you to do so now. It does not matter if you go to church or not. I am talking about having a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus. If you have never invited Him into your life, I would like you to do so right now, where you are.
Confess your sins to Him and ask Him to forgive you. Name them one after the other and ask Him to cleanse you with His Blood. Claim the redemptive power in the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross at Calvary, for the remission of your sins.
Invite the Lord Jesus into your life and ask Him to become your personal Lord and Savior. Enthrone Him over your life and openly say good- bye to the world and the devil, Promise Him that you will never go back to the world anymore.
I congratulate you for this decision that you have just taken. My prayer for you is that it shall be permanent in your life. I pray that the Lord will uphold you with His right hand of righteousness and He will not let you fall, in the name of Jesus. The Bible says that now that you are in Christ, you are a new creature. Old things are passed away and all things are become new. You are now born again. Make it known to everybody.
Now, you will take these prayer points aggressively.
1. I nullify every satanic prayer by the Blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.
2. I nullify every satanic challenge by the Blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.
3. I nullify every satanic decree against my life, in the name of Jesus.
4. I nullify every satanic desire upon my life, by the Blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.
5. I nullify every satanic expectation concerning my life, in the name of Jesus.
6. I nullify every satanic decision taken against my life, in the name of Jesus.
7. I nullify every satanic agreement standing against my life, by the blood of Jesus.
8. I nullify every satanic conspiracy in the Heavenliness against my life in the name of Jesus.
9. I nullify every satanic conspiracy on Earth against my life in the name of Jesus.
10. I nullify every satanic conspiracy in the Sea against my life in the name of Jesus.
11. I nullify every satanic plans and program for my life, in the name of Jesus.
12. I nullify every satanic opposition and reinforcement against my life, in Jesus’ name
13. I reject partial and temporary freedom, in the name of Jesus
14. Every area of my life, competing with the kingdom of God, receive defeat in the name of Jesus.
15. Every evil inner voices, be silenced forever in my life, in Jesus’ name
Christ Healing Ministry
Evangelist Godwin Gbadebo Ojerinde
7th Sep 2009
Miracle Needed
2 Chronicles 16:9: “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him...”
Every day, God watches out for an opportunity to do a great thing for you when your heart is perfect towards him. Anyone who claims that he does not need a miracle must be somebody without goals in life. We are all in need of miracles and thank God, we have the God of miracles.
WHAT IS A MIRACLE?
It is an event beyond the power of any human being; an event beyond any physical law. it is a supernatural occurrence or a wonderful thing brought about by the power of God. Sometimes the Bible refers to it as mighty works or marvelous things. When God does it, He does it to His own glory. Anywhere you see human beings, miracles are needed. Paul the apostle had been inside a ship for a long time and the people with him in the ship refused to listen to the voice of God. Rather, they listened to the devil and started to reap the result. Sailing became dangerous and they spent a long time on the sea in anguish. Most of them stopped eating. They threw their luggage into the sea and it was dark for many days. They had given up hope on living. To worsen the situation, the ship in which they were travelling, hit a rock and was shattered to pieces. But one way or the other, they all got to the shore on splinters of wood. When they got to the shore, Apostle Paul, the man of God sat down to warm himself by the fire and a viper jumped out of the woods and fastened to his hand, wanting to disgrace him. All other prisoners and the sailors were there. It did not go for them. I do not know which serpent has fastened itself to your own hand but one thing I know is that God can shake it into the fire. That was what happened to Paul. As the people there were waiting for him to fall down and die, thinking he was evil, he shook the snake into the fire and did not fall down neither did he die. When they found that he did not die, they changed their mind and gathered around him as he continued to demonstrate the power of God in their midst. So the disgrace that the enemy planned for him was converted into a revival. God is still in that business of having His children throw serpents into the fire. Paul threw the snake away and its poison had no effect on him. That was a miracle.
If miracles work contrary to human logic then you expect the unusual or the unexpected to happen whenever you are praying for a miracle. If you were going to be looking at what your biology or sciences say, you would be far from miracles. When you come to God, know that what you considered to be logical would be illogical to Him. What you think is completely illogical may be the right thing to God. The Bible makes us to understand that God still works miracles. Unfortunately, these days, many people do not agree that the human brain has its own limit. Anything such people cannot understand with their brain, they just conclude it cannot happen. What a shallow way of looking at things.
Once the brain perceives certain things as impossible, the human mind accepts it quickly and sometimes, when we accept it like that, our faith would not go beyond what we have accepted. Then, we end up insulting God. It is an insult to limit God. God often looks at us when we limit Him and He would be saying: “This people cannot realize that I created these things and I can readjust and rearranged them.” God, when He is in operation, specializes on things that people say is impossible. Those who are close to God, obedient to Him, and have faith in Him will always experience His miracle working power. This is why we need to cry unto Him saying: “Lord, I need a miracle.” If you cry unto Him like that and He sees your heart, He will respond.
God works His miracle for several reasons and He does not have to consult anybody before doing it. He may do it just to teach a lesson, to enable men to declare the gospel properly, to silence false prophets, to reveal the devil as a destroyer, or to reveal His goodness or to reveal Jesus, the resurrection and life.
WHO NEEDS A MIRACLE?
Perhaps familiar faces are troubling you in your dreams, you need a miracle. Perhaps you notice that your life has been converted to a material for testing new satanic weapons, you need a miracle. Perhaps you have been sitting for satanic examinations in your dream, which has turned you to a student in the school of tribulation, you need a miracle. Perhaps your spiritual life is stagnant, you have been struggling on your own and trying your best, but you find that you are not making progress, perhaps there are hidden and clever devourers working against you, just sucking your money and resources away, you need a miracle.
Perhaps you have what we call weak breakthroughs. By the time you have a breakthrough, there would be sufficient debts on ground to swallow it. Although there is a breakthrough but the breakthrough is not sufficient to carry the load that you have. You need a miracle. Perhaps you notice that your life is following an evil family pattern; everybody in your family is heading towards one wrong direction, for example, you notice that in your family, nobody has a good job, nobody has good health, people die young or people are not getting married, you need a miracle.
Perhaps you know that your names are placed on evil altars somewhere and someone you don’t even know chants incantations on them, you need a miracle to destroy the satanic priest at the altar and to set the altar on fire. Perhaps you have been suffering from prayer paralysis. You find that you can only pray for a short time or else you develop migraine or become afraid, it would seem as if some forces want to overshadow you, you need a miracle. There are many people who have benefits abroad which foreign demons have captured. Such people need a miracle to release those things. There are many people who have been duped, they need a miracle. There are many people as well who have been cursed by satanic prophets for no just cause; some have the mark of hatred on them, those who liked them suddenly began to hate them passionately, some are suffering from leaking pockets, money comes in and goes out, they cannot retain it, they need a miracle.
I was talking to one man about the gospel and he was saying all kinds of blasphemy against the Lord Jesus Christ. I said, “O Lord, give me a word for this man, that he would know that you are the Lord.” And the Lord said, “Ask him whether or not he sees himself roaming about in the market place anytime he gets his salary and he would feel as something is passing down through his pocket.” I threw the question directly at him as the Lord had said it. He was surprised and asked: “Who told you that?” I said, “The same Jesus that you called a bastard now.” Anyone whose pocket leaks in the spirit cannot retain money physically. He would not be able to give account of how he spends his money. Perhaps you have medical problems that defy medicine, you need a miracle. Perhaps all roads to progress seem blocked. Anywhere you go, it would seem as if someone had already gotten there before you and put a stumbling block on your way, you need a miracle. Perhaps you notice that any time you have a particular dream, a particular problem would start, you need a miracle. Perhaps you have no good job or business, you need a miracle.
Perhaps your family is under attack and they are being bombarded everyday by the arrows of the enemy or you have a building you cannot finish because witches have urinated on it, you need a miracle to remove your building from their grip. Perhaps you have answered to demonic calls; you need a miracle to cancel the evil call. Perhaps you are being tormented by very intelligent wicked network and you don’t really know who your friends are or who your enemies are, you need a miracle. Perhaps you never really enjoy divine benefits. You just hear God blesses people but the only blessing you receive is that you are alive and breathing, you need a miracle. Perhaps you have open, unrepentant and stubborn household wickedness, you need a miracle. Perhaps you are suffering from intensive marital attacks, you need a miracle. Perhaps you are one of the so many people who are born again but cannot even locate the enemy. They just know that there are enemies but cannot locate them and cannot fire their bullets properly, you need a miracle. Perhaps you are a student but you always fail your examinations, or the enemy has converted you into a foot mat; all the inferior people are promoted above you but you taught them the job, you need a miracle. Perhaps life has become like a prison and you wish to die, you need a miracle. Perhaps you are suffering from intensive financial embarrassment, you need a miracle.
Perhaps you find that you are spiritually cold, or all those who want to assist you suddenly become unwilling to help, you need a miracle. Perhaps you have good ideas but there is no capital for you to work with, you need the God that turned the fish into a bank. Perhaps as one problem is going another one is coming or you are the kind of person who always fights and struggles before you can get anything done, you need a miracle.
Perhaps you have children that have traveled abroad and are doing well, but they have completely forgotten you here. And you are wallowing in poverty. Perhaps you are occupying the wrong position in your dream, you see yourself in three-piece suit, dressing well, inside a very fine car but in the physical you cannot afford a bicycle. You need a miracle. Perhaps your promotion is being denied or delayed. You need a miracle. Perhaps your marriage is the type they can call the cat and mouse marriages. You need a miracle.
Perhaps the enemy has converted your business to a desert, you need a miracle. I cannot understand how a person would take food down to the market place for sale and bring it back home without selling one grain. Such a person needs a miracle. The devil has turned the lives of so many Christians upside down so much that what is supposed to be normal, they see it as unusual. Perhaps your account is dead, you need a miracle. Don’t limit God. He does not use your arithmetic to operate. He operates in a way that is beyond your imagination. Perhaps you have accumulated debts and you don’t know where to run, or your situation is so bad that you have closed your door to visitors and have given your children strict instruction that the only person they can open the door for is your pastor, you need a miracle. Perhaps you notice that your virtue has been transferred, you are supposed to be the first born but your younger ones are doing better than you, you need a miracle. Perhaps you know you are being bewitched. When you get money your hands and body would be shaking and you put it in the wrong place, do the wrong business, and buy the wrong things, you need a miracle. Perhaps you have a dead organ in your body, you need a miracle. Perhaps you are being pursued by the spirit of death or the arrow of poverty, you need a miracle. Perhaps you are a spiritual spectator; you are just observing everything. When they say, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost,” your spirit is as cold as ice block. Your own child is prophesying but you as daddy or mummy cannot see beyond your nose, you need a miracle.
Perhaps you have been feeding your enemies to fight you harder, you need a miracle. Perhaps you have long standing infirmity or you have a vagabond anointing. You cannot settle down on something, you are fishing in the ocean of life but catching nothing, you need a miracle.
Perhaps you have what we call verbal trap. The devil has recorded many messages from your mouth, and have used it to cage you because you are the one saying them, you need a miracle. Perhaps your business is suffering from what we call profit starvation, you need a miracle.
GOD’S MIRACLE AGENT
Genesis 1: 1 – 3: “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moves upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. It was after that that God spoke and things began to happen. In the Bible, we can see that God did a lot of miracles through Moses. Moses was so close to God that the anointing upon him was so tremendous. At a stage, God took part of the Spirit that was upon him and divided it amongst seventy people. What was the secret of the miracle working power upon Moses? It was the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s miracle agent. Do you know the secret of Joseph’s success in Egypt. Why was he so much in tune with God.? It was because the Spirit of God was in him. Bezaleel the son of Uri was the first spiritual artist in the Bible. He constructed the furniture in the tabernacle. How did he do it? He did it by the Holy Spirit.
David was a successful king and warrior because he had the Holy Spirit. He said, “Take not thy Holy Spirit away from me.” Elijah operated in the miraculous and worked wonders for the Lord. The Bible talks about the spirit and the power of Elijah. Elisha received the double portion of that spirit because he recognized that no miracle would happen without the Spirit of God. He waited for the anointing and it came upon him and that wonderful passage in
Isaiah 10:27: “...And the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.” The miraculous birth of Jesus was done through the power of the Holy Spirit. The angels told Mary that the Spirit of the Most high God shall overshadow her.
Luke 5:17: “And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee; and Judea, and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.”
The power of God has to be present for healing to take place.
The power of the Holy Spirit is God’s miracle working power. The Bible says that God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power and He went about doing good, healing those that were oppressed, for God was with Him. Jesus moved under the anointing. The apostles too moved by the power of the Holy Spirit. Any meeting where the Holy Spirit does not come down and flow freely, there will be no miracle. The Holy Spirit will not come down or move freely if He is grieved or quenched. Once you rebel against Him, He will move away quietly and nothing happens. The Holy Spirit can be resisted. What does it mean to resist the Holy Spirit? It means to rebel against His conviction.
When people refuse to surrender all to Jesus, they experience small miracles. Those who do not believe that nothing much can happen would only expect minor miracles. Once you come to God with the expectation that He has all the powers and can do all things, you would receive miracles. But when you come to the house of God, and before the prayers start, your spirit is already low and down, the Holy Spirit will pass you by. The same thing applies to those who come to service and do not concentrate. Miracles will not happen in such lives. Some people come to the church meditating on their problems. During prayers, such people just shake their heads and say nothing and so nothing happens. God wants us to come to Him with high expectation. You do not come to a meeting and say, “Well I am going again, I hope God will hear me today.” You don’t come to God like that. You should come to God with high expectation.
THE GREATEST MIRACLE
We must know that the greatest miracle we can have is our salvation. When that is taken care of, other things would follow. So if you are not saved better get saved now. We thank God for His mercies. Salvation is offered free of charge. Some people say, “I just want a miracle, I don’t want to be born again.” We must know that a person may get a miracle and still go to hell fire. All those who say, “I don’t want to be saved. I don’t want those restrictions. They don’t allow you to have a mind of your own.” If that is your own opinion about it, I counsel you to change your mind. And if you say you won’t change your mind or surrender completely to Jesus, a time will come when you will leave this earth and you will knock at His gate and He too will look at you and say, “Who is that rebel, clear out of that place.” Even if you stand and begin to say, “But I was born in Italian Catholic church. My father was the chief usher of the Kerosene and paraffin church and my Mother was the most senior mother in Israel in our church or I was born in Elijah Apostolic church and was brought up in supernatural Anglican and now you say I should not enter,” He will not open for you.
A lot of people fail examinations because they did not prepare very well. You only get what you are ready and prepared to receive. The sower went out to sow. Nothing was wrong with the sower and nothing was wrong with the seed. It was the soil that had some problems. You have to make yourself available to God. Drop worry and anxiety and make yourself available to Him. Doctors do not go about the streets asking people if they are sick. Clothes sellers do not go about the street saying to people, “You are wearing rags, buy new clothes.” Likewise barbers do not drag people from the street into their shops, saying, “Your hair is bushy, come and cut it.” Soap sellers do not force people to buy soap even if they are smelling. Be prepared. Before Jacob’s name could be changed, he got alone with God. He became spiritually aggressive in prayer. There was a preparation. Before the wall of Jericho fell down, the Israelites marched round it for seven days. There was a preparation. Before the widow of Zarephath could receive abundance, she gave up everything she had to the prophet. In spite of the fact that she knew there was nothing else to fall back on. Before Naaman could be healed, he dropped his pride, obeyed the prophet and took a bathe in the dirty water. There was a preparation.
Before that woman could receive abundance of oil, the man of God told her to go and get more vessels. God began to fill the vessels and the miracle continued for as long as there were vessels to be filled.
Identify what you need now. There is no point for a person to come before the living God, the limitless God with unbelief in his heart or without the faith that a lot of things could happen. You ought to offer a holy cry to the Lord that: “Lord, I need a miracle!”
Before we go into the prayer session, I counsel you to give your life to Christ in case you are not yet born again because I want you to experience the miracle power of God and the deliverance power of the Almighty. I want you to see the impossible happen. If you are ready to do so, make the following confession: “Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. I want to get born again. Come into my life. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with your blood. I say bye to the devil. I enter into the kingdom of heaven. Thank you Jesus, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
We have to take steps to arrest every evil progress. No evil progress must continue. It is important we take this step. Perhaps you have been suffering for a long time; it is time to deliver yourself from the bondage of the enemy. The first thing to do is to break the stumbling blocks and clear the blockages away before we begin to cry to the Lord for a miracle. Remember blind Bartimeaus threw away his garment that was disturbing him so that he might reach the Saviour. We must also fling away every evil garment now so that we can touch the Saviour. Raise your voice like thunder as you take the following prayer points:
PRAYER POINTS
1. I receive spiritual violence to confuse my enemies, in the name of Jesus.
2. Every satanic angel blocking my breakthroughs be bound, in the name of Jesus.
3. O God that answereth by fire, answer my prayer now by fire, in the name of Jesus.
4. Every power making my miracle to slip out of my hands, disappear, in the name of Jesus.
5. (Focus on one thing at a time. If you have any sickness on your body, lay your hands on the place and pray like this): O Lord, on this issue I need a miracle, in the name of Jesus.
6. (Focus your attention on another thing and pray aggressively like this): O Lord, on this issue I need a miracle, in the name of Jesus.
7. Let my poverty disappear; let my prosperity appear, in the name of Jesus.
Thank God for answering your prayers
NEXT RETREAT IS ON THE 12TH SEP 2009
THEME: DIVINE HEALING. ARE YOU SICK PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, FINANCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY, SEXUALLY? There will be somebody there that day to heal you and that person is God (exodus 15:26. Come and receive your healing.
Venue:
The Methodist Church
Central Hall, Oldham St
Manchester, UK. M1 1JQ
Time: 1PM-5PM.
Christ Healing Ministry
Evangelist Godwin Gbadebo Ojerinde
5th Sep 2009
The Scriptures reveal that man is a tripartite being, that is, he is made up of a soul and a spirit, both of which live in a body.God, the wonderful creator, wishes that man prospers in these three departments of his being especially the soul which is the spiritual part of his life.
The enemy knows this, therefore, he attacks and cages man’s soul thus rendering him weakened, and unfulfilled in his earthly and heavenly pursuits.
How can you know when a soul is caged? How can a caged soul be delivered and made to prosper? This life-changing message answers these interesting questions.
Ezekiel 13:18: And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you? 19And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies? 20Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.”
The creation of man is a wonderful process. The Bible says:” I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14).
The creation of man took place in three stages:
1. God Himself sat down, took dust, moulded it and formed man.
(Next time, when you feel like boasting, remember that you are ordinary dust); whenever you feel like broadcasting yourself, it is Mr. Dust that you are broadcasting.
At burial ceremonies, it is said, “Dust unto dust ashes unto ashes.” That is, the person came from dust and is going back to be dust as it is put in the ground. That is why all the chemicals that make up the human body can also be found in the ground.
It is therefore very interesting to find the dust (man) boasting against his creator. The dust- man fabricates dust - drugs and puts all his faith in the drug.
2. God breathed the breath of life into man’s nostrils, so that the Spirit of God moved into it to create the spirit of man which went straight into the blood.
3. Man became a living soul, a distinct individual, a distinct personality.
The body of man is world-conscious. It is through it that human beings relate with each other.
The soul of a man is the seat of his intellect, will and emotions; it is self- conscious. It is through the soul that a man knows that he is bold, weak, strong, intelligent and that he is different from any other person.
The spirit of man is God - conscious, it is through it that he realises that there is God and recognises His Lordship. It is also through the spirit that man denies the existence of God and refuses to serve Him.
Man is fearfully and wonderfully made.
When the body is caged, it cannot move. It is limited and cannot do what it wishes to do. It has a problem.
A person in prison, for example, is limited. He is being watched and controlled, he cannot go about as he would have desired.
If a parrot is put in a cage, it is limited, it cannot fly. It can only hop within the confines of the cage. Even though it can sing beautifully and recount what it sees or hears, it is still limited to the cage. When the spirit - man is caged; it means it is possessed and controlled by demonic spirits. They dictate what the spirit man should do and should not do.
All witches, wizards and familiar spirits are possessed and controlled by the demon - spirits. It is amazing to know that these dark powers can summon a person out of his body. The experiences that some people regard as dreams are not so; they are actual happenings in the spirit world.
When you see yourself in the dream in your village or old secondary or primary school, or a house you lived before, it means that an evil covenant had been formed with your spirit at that location or that something went wrong there or that your placenta was buried there.
Sometimes, these powers make sure a tree is planted where the placenta is buried and the life of that child now depends on the growth of the tree. If the witches now decide to make that tree their meeting place, it means the child will be in their cage forever.
Take this prayer point:
Every power pursuing my destiny, die, in the name of Jesus.
THE SOUL AND MAN’S EXISTENCE
God gave man a soul and that makes him an individual. He is able to exercise his will and has a personality. There are no two persons with the same soul. The soul belongs to the spirit; not to the body. That is why, when a person dies, his spirit retains the soul which comprises the will, intellect and emotion.
When a Christians dies, his physical body will be discarded and replaced by the resurrection body of the Lord Jesus Christ. The soul will go with the spirit to heaven.
If the person did not have an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ while alive, his soul goes with the spirit to hell.
The soul is the center point of man. Within it is the mind, the heart (where there is love, consciousness), the will (where you have the capacity to choose between good and evil). The position of the soul in the center, makes it possible for the balance of decision to be swung either to the left or to the right, or either for good or evil, to the things of heaven or hell.
Jesus knows the importance of the soul and He asked : “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:26.
Beloved, there are terrible, wicked spirits whose function is to capture the souls of people. I am not talking about witches or wizards. These are terrible spirits and I want you to know the symptoms which indicate that a soul is under their captivity.
IMPORTANT SYMPTOMS TO NOTE
Whenever something good is about to happen, a tragedy occurs and the road closes. Something goes wrong somewhere.
1. When a person is sleeping and talks out to the hearing of everybody around, as if he was engaged in a discussion.
2. When a person knows that he should be highly placed but is relegated.
3. When a person sees God at work and refuses to surrender his or her life to the Lord.
4. When a spouse is saying that his or her spouse is not the person he or she got married to.
5. When a person never feels the stirring of the Holy Spirit within, no matter how many songs he or she sings, the person does not feel His presence.
6. Seeing slow animals in the dream - tortoise, snail serpents etc.
7. When a person dreams and sees himself/herself in a thick forest and cannot find his way out or in a market place where he buys nothing but goes up and down till the close of day or finds himself lost and cannot find his way home and then wakes up. It means the soul of the person is obeying an evil command.
8. Having a double personality, that is, being unpredictable, no one knows what your reaction would be to a given situation.
9. Feeling lifeless, as if the person’s blood has been drained.
10. Finding it difficult to detach oneself from a former boyfriend or girlfriend, even though one is now married.
11. If concentration is difficult, it is an indication that the person’s soul has been captured.
12. Seeing oneself in the dream as having a twin substitute.
13. Seeing oneself in the dream as being summoned out of one’s body.
14. Hearing strange voices.15 many more(contact me if you know something might be wrong with you, but its not listed.)
WHAT TO DO
Surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, if you are not born again.
1. Pray deliverance prayers for the mind.
2. Arrest the soul traders.
3. Gather all the fragments of the soul that have been scattered by these powers.
4. Ask God for a total restoration of your spirit, soul and body.
“What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?”
If you are reading this bulletin and you have not yet surrendered your life. to the Lord Jesus Christ, I would advise that you do so now. Pause and think about your life. Are you in line with the dictates of the word of God? I want you to examine your ways.
Don’t say you go to church or that you were baptized as a baby. That is not enough. The Bible says: ”All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” See yourself as a sinner; confess your sins to God, right there where you are. He is there with you and will cleanse you of all unrighteousness.
Appropriate to yourself, the sacrifice that the Lord Jesus made with His life on the cross at Calvary, as redemption from sin, for the whole world. Ask Him to come into your life and be your personal Lord and Saviour. Enthrone Him on the seat of your life and hand over everything that concerns you to Him.
Renounce the devil and his cohorts that have hitherto ruled your life. Renounce the world and all that have drawn you to sin. Say bye-bye to the devil and sin, cling to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now that you have taken this great decision, the Lord will lay His hands of power and glory upon you, plant you on the Rock of Ages and you will be firmly established in Him, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Now, I want you to quietly look into your life and see where anything has been arrested by these powers. With the authority in the word of God, I want you to arrest these arresters with the trap of Jesus.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Let the trap of Jesus, arrest every arrester of my soul, in the name of Jesus.
2. Every soul - arrester, be arrested, in the name of Jesus.
3. My placenta, be released from every cage, in the name of Jesus.
4. I possess all my blessings for this year, in the name of Jesus.
5. O God arise and contend with those who are contending with me, in the name of Jesus.
6. O God arise and fight those who are fighting, me in the name of Jesus.
7. All those who seek my life, I command you to receive double disgrace, in the name of Jesus.
8. O Lord, bring to light every darkness shielding my potentials, in the name of Jesus.
9. I break every curse of backwardness, in the name of Jesus.
10. I recover myself from every evil diversion, in Jesus’ name.
11. I shall not come to the world in vain, in the name of Jesus.
12. Every forest and rock demons assigned against me, fall down and disappear, in the name of Jesus.
13. Every local charm burnt against me, be roasted, in the name of Jesus.
14.I release myself from ungodly parental linkage, in the name of Jesus.
15. Lord Jesus, manifest yourself in my life by your name called ‘Wonderful’.
16. Every bird of death assigned against me, fall down and disapear, in the name of Jesus.
17. I withdraw the food and drink of my problems, in the name of Jesus.
18. No evil family river shall flow into my life, in Jesus’ name.
19. I withdraw my progress from every satanic regulation and domination, in the name of Jesus.
20. Every garment of darkness be roasted by fire, in the name of Jesus.
21. I refuse to live a floating life, in the name of Jesus.
22. Every deeply entrenched problem, dry to the roots, in the name of Jesus.
23. I destroy the weapons of satanic night raiders, in the name of Jesus.
24. Every stronghold of failure be broken, in Jesus’ name.
25. Every internal warfare in my life be quenched, in the name of Jesus.
26. Every internal thief, be exposed, in the name of Jesus.
27. Anything planted in my life by my enemies, come out with all your roots, in the name of Jesus.
THE LORD WILL HEAR YOUR CRY
Isaiah 12:6
Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
It is often said that the shouting side is the winning side. When there is a football match or any contests at all, one would recognize the side that has an upper hand through the ambit and atmosphere. The side that is doing well will be vibrant and the supporters that are watching will be hailing them and probably dance and sing. The other side that is treading the path of defeat will be struggling to put in their best and will be sweating profusely. Their faces will not be bright and their supporters will be encouraging them to strive on. They are not likely to be dancing. They could sing but the songs would probably be asking for God’s intervention.
At the war front, the winning side is vibrant and will shout the songs of victory. The side that is being defeated will not be able to shout because there are corpses of their comrades lying on the ground here and there. This means the army has reduced in number and even if they shout, their voice will not be as loud as that of the winning side. Their song will not be that of victory; it would either be of supplication to God or of surrender. In the text above, Israel had felt God’s hand of salvation and cannot but shout for joy. A shout is not a silent sound, it is a loud sound that is heard by other people and from the intonation, the hearers will know what it is announcing.
The Psalmist says:
“In the day that l cry, then shall my enemies turn back this l know, for God is with me”
What is the power behind the cry of the Psalmist? It is found in the text we read in Isaiah 12-“Great is the Holy one of Israel”
If you are an avid reader of the bible, you will notice that there are many life changing cries that people cried in the Bible. When people cry unto the great one of Israel, things begin to happen.
Examples:
1 Jacob: He was the first person to utter a holy cry in the Bible. After he had cheated his brother and left for foreign land where he took refuge so that his brother would not kill him, he decided to come back home after many years. He repented before the Lord and prayed. He sent forth his family and was left alone. That night, he wrestled with an angel and as the day was breaking, the angel wanted to leave but Jacob cried out that he would not let go of him, except He blessed him. That marked the beginning of a new thing in the life of Jacob. The angel first changed his name and then blessed him. This account could be found in the book of Gen 32:24-26. I pray that the arrows of prayer that you will shoot today, will change your life for the best in the name of Jesus.
2.The children of Israel Exodus 2:23-25
And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. [24] And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. [25] And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.
The children of Israel were in bondage and when they cried unto the Lord, He heard them and delivered them out of the land of Egypt. I pray that the Lord will hear your cry today in the name of Jesus.
3. Jabez
1 Chron. 4:10
And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
This 4-point prayer brought about a radical change into the life of Jabez who was born into sorrow. The Lord blessed him and enlarged his coast. I pray that your cry today will enlarge your coast in the name of Jesus.
4. Elijah
2 Kings 1:10
And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
This was a strange cry. It was not a cry for help but a command and God honoured it; fire fell from heaven.
5. Elisha
2 Kings 2:14
And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over
.
Elisha was at the river bank of Jordan and he wanted to cross over. He uttered a cry that even up till today scares the kingdom of darkness. Anytime prayers are said and you utter this battle cry of Elisha, fear enters the camp of the enemy and Jordan will separate for you. I pray that you too will utter a holy cry today that will change your life for ever.
6. Zerubbabel
Zech. 4:7
Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
You too can shout this life-changing cry: “Who art thou great mountain before (your name) thou shalt become plain
7 Jesus Christ
He stood at the tomb of Lazarus and reminded God of how he had always answered His prayers. Then, He turned to the tomb and shouted: “Lazarus, come forth! And Lazarus came forth. There was a change and the demonstration of His power as the Resurrection and life was shone. John 11:41-43
8 Bathemeus
Mark 10:47-50
And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. [48] And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. [49] And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. [50] And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
Bathemeus must have really cried out loud and several times too. He insisted, despite the fact that people asked him to be quiet. I do not know how many times and how loud you have cried unto the Lord but l pray that your cry today, will put a brake on Jesus and He will attend to you. The bible says: “ And Jesus stood still………..
Which kind of cry do u need to cry today? The cry for a change” If you look through all the characters mentioned above, you will notice that they all cried for a change. I do not know the kind of situation you are going through, I do not know what the enemy has done to you, or what he has stolen from you, but l know someone who can cause a change in your situation and it will be for the best.
Perhaps your own change is in the area of marriage or career, health, profession, occupation etc. Beloved the truth is this, you either change or harden. It is a terrible thing for you to allow the enemy to harden you. Concrete is hard; it cannot grow, it cannot even move. You need a change! The mystery about change is this; No change is made without inconvenience.
It is not convenient to shout; it is not convenient to stay awake and hold night vigils. It is not convenient to fast and stay for days without eating or drinking. But beloved, you cannot get a problem solved, at the same level of the awareness of the power that created it. Many people hate change whereas; change is the nature of progress. If you do not change, you simply would not grow. That is why those people cried out for a change, l would like you at this junction, to cry out for a change like this:
My father! I need a change by fire, in the name of Jesus.
One of the changes that will occur in the life of anyone that is reading this devotional is that, your prayer life will improve radically. Once your prayer life changes, I advice that you allow a change in your bible-reading too. If that happens, you will be amazed at what will happen. If you do not try to change beloved, the enemy will put you in a room without a door or if there is a door, it will have no key.
Some people feel too good for a change, they are too lazy. If you allow lazyness to give room to the devil to deal with you or kill you, those whom did not want to make fun of you, will be the ones to bury you if you are not careful. I pray that that will not happen to you in the name of Jesus.
When there was no change, it would be like milking a dead cow, or rowing an anchored boat. It is like hibernating your egg under a dead hen or like enrolling in the school of stagnancy. It is like pouring salt on a wound or like painting wounded lips.
If you cry for a change, things will happen. It is a pity that there is not much that someone else can do for you; it is you that has to cry out for a change yourself. You are the one that knows what your problem is. Take for instance, Jacob, what would have happened if he had not cried out for a change? He would have died as a houseboy in house of Laban or would have been torn into pieces by Esau his brother.
The cry for a change is not convenient at all. The person could be sweating and even if people are making fun of him, he will not listen; he will hold on to his aim. One of the best songs in Christendom is the one that says:
Do something new in my life, something new in my life 2x Do something new in my life today.
It is a great cry for a change and God does not despise such cries.
There are some cries l want you to cry now and l can assure you that your situation will change if you really mean it. However, for these cries to really work for you, you have to surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ. You have to be born again, so that your cry will come unto Him and He will effect a change in your life. Whatever power is in charge of your case, will surrender to Him. It is a disaster if you do not surrender your life to Christ. For you to be able to effectively cry out for a change, you have to recognize the fact that there is a changer who is the Lord God; He is the one that changes situations and circumstances to suit the needs of His children.
However, the starting point is a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. You have got to surrender your life and your totality to Him. If you had never at one time or the other taken the decision to leave your sinful ways and follow that Lord, I would advise that you do so right now, right there where you are.
All you need do is, acknowledge the fact that you are a sinner and that you cannot approach the throne of grace in your sinful state. Therefore, confess your sins to the Lord God; name them one after the other and ask Him to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Claim the redemptive power in the blood of Jesus, which was shed on the cross at Calvary for the remission of your sins.
Invite the Lord Jesus Christ into your life, ask Him to be your personal Lord and Saviour, declare that you will never go back to your sins again, say good-bye to the devil and enter into the kingdom of the lord. I congratulate you on this decision that you have just taken. I pray that it shall be permanent in your life in the name of Jesus. I pray that the Lord will uphold you with His right hand of righteousness in the name of Jesus. I pray that God will write your name in the book of life and nothing shall rub it off in the name of Jesus.
I want you to know that when two powers meet the lesser one must bow to the more powerful one, it is a matter of necessity. I want you to know that if you are crying for a change, you are crying to pass from one stage to the other. You are crying because you want to make something happen. The bible says; Arise, shine, for your light is come” It means there are some people that are down that need to arise and that some people are dull that need to shine.
These cries are meant to make your enemies to bow, whether they like it or not. If your destiny has been transferred or exchanged, it will returned to you. It does not matter whether the thief is dead or alive. If God needs to kill, demote, transfer anything or anyone for you to get where you are supposed to be, then He will do it. God had to kill first born sons of the Egyptians before Pharaoh allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt. After they had left, Pharaoh and his host and chariots still stubbornly pursued them and he perished in the Red sea with those that were with him.
Beloved, do you know that your life does not have to follow evil pattern? It is possible that your great grand father, grandfather and father had some ailments or were polygamists or never got married but had children or were poor or were outcasts and you have started to see signs of these things happening in your life too. You do not have to wait for them to happen. You do not have to inherit any evil thing from them. No matter what stage thing is, you must cry out and reject it and there will be a change in your life.
Maybe life has been difficult for you, you are not enjoying it in any way; you have not been able to do that which you would like to do. It could be that you cannot afford anything; you are so poverty stricken that you can hardly feed yourself. Then you have to cry out for a change. Any situation that is not convenient for you must be shaken out of your life. Maybe you want to serve the Lord and something is hindering you; you have to cry out for a change.
I am proposing the following prayer points to you, expecting that you will pray them with Holy aggression but you must first talk to the Lord; ask him to forgive you all your sins and all the ways that you have encouraged the enemy to tamper with your life.
Now, you will take these prayer points with aggression, ensuring that something happens.
Prayer points
1. Let God arise! And let me arise and shine, in the name of Jesus.
2. My stolen destiny I repossess you by fire, in the name of Jesus.
3. Every pattern of darkness in my family line, my life is not your candidate, varnish, in the name of Jesus.
4. Every power that has carried out any exchange of my virtues and my destiny, I arrest you now and l repossess my virtues and my destiny in the name of Jesus.
5. Every witchcraft power that has refused to let me go, I bury you now in the name of Jesus.
6. Every agenda of stubborn pursuers in my life, disappear in the name of Jesus.
7. I fire back every arrow of oppressor in my life, in the name of Jesus.
8. I fire back every arrow of darkness, fired against my brain in the name of Jesus.
9. Every altar of witchcraft in my life, come out in the name of Jesus.
10. Every husband /wife from the waters, your time is up therefore fade in the name of Jesus.
11. All my virtues hidden in the waters come out now and locate me in the name of Jesus.
12. Every opportunity to become extra-ordinary in all areas of life, locate me now by fire in the name of Jesus.
13. Spirit of distinction and excellence, possess my life by fire in the name of Jesus.
14. Testimonies that provoke fresh miracles, bombard the totality of my being in the name of Jesus.
15. Satanic roadblocks to my greatness disappear in the name of Jesus.
16. o eagle of my life, fly to the highest.
17. O God of Jabez change my situations today in the name of Jesus.
18. Every power that has vowed that over his dead body will l make it, burn in the name of Jesus.
19. I shall reach my goal, whether my enemies like it or not in the name of Jesus.
20. Let my cry today, provoke angelic assistance to crumble my Jericho in the name of Jesus.
21. You my life and testimonies become too hot for the enemy to handle.
22. Everywhere l have been denied access, l enter you by fire in the name of Jesus.
23. Let my cry o lord, become a life changing cry in the name of Jesus.
24. Where is the Lord God of Elijah, arise and disgrace my stubborn problems in the name of Jesus.
25. Every enemy of my greatness in my life come out in the name of Jesus.
26. I receive the wisdom to be great in life in the name of Jesus.
27. Opportunities to make it physically and spiritually locate me by fire in the name of Jesus.
28. Blood of Jesus speak greatness to my life in the name of Jesus.
29. Thank God for answering your prayers
The Methodist Church
Central Hall, Oldham St
Manchester, UK. M1 1JQ
Time: 1PM-5PM.
Christ Healing Ministry
Evangelist Godwin Gbadebo Ojerinde
2nd Sep 2009
My morning cometh
Psalm 30:5
“ For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning”.
After going through the rigour of a busy day, one retires at night to rest and or sleep. It is at this time that a person sometimes thinks about all that he or she went through during the day. There could be regrets. It is possible for there to be pains. Sometimes, there would be a need for succour, consolation and solution to problems, which are not easily attainable at this time and so, one has to wait. This wait could be very strong. It would incite a desire to see the early hours of a new day, when solution and soothing will come to the pains that went on throughout he night.
From the text above, we can draw out 8 lessons:
1. Night of darkness represents weeping. It says: Weeping may endure for a night” Perhaps, as you are reading this message, the enemy has been making you to cry, l decree and prophecy upon your life, that your period of sorrow is over in the name of Jesus. Amen. The night is a convenient period for the powers of darkness. Darkness is a convenient environment for wickedness and it is a period weeping and grumbling takes place.
2. The morning represents joy. I decree and prophesy into your life, that if you are reading this message and the enemy has stolen your joy, it shall be restored to you today in the name of Jesus.
3. God Himself has not ordained that any night should endure forever. Whatever your situation might be today, there is no signal from heaven, that will go on forever. The text says: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. It will not be long.
4. After every night, comes a glorious morning. I pray that your morning of joy will come in the name of Jesus.
5. The enemy does not have the last say on your life. In fact, nobody has the last say on your life. No condition is permanent. There is a God called the Almighty, the Greatest on. His power is the greatest. God is the only one that has the last say concerning your life. Once God says: “Let there be light”, It is finished; there will surely be light. All that is required is His command; a word from Him will make every stubborn situation to bow.
6. The powers of the night flee before the morning. This means that their activities are limited to the night and once the morning appears, they are exposed. So they prefer to flee.
7. If you have been weeping, stop crying. Stop it because your morning has come. That is what the scripture says, Beloved, get this fact right, crying will not appease the enemy neither will it move the hand of God. In fact, it could worsen the situation because it is a display of unbelief that strengthens the enemy.
8. Discouragement is a destroyer. It sees the obstacle but faith sees the way out. When you are discouraged, you are telling God that He cannot help you. Joshua sent out spies to spy out the promise land they brought back a report that discouraged the Israelites; they saw the people of the land as giants that they could not overcome. They had forgotten that it was God who said they should go and possess the land. They should have known that since He said they should go, He would be with them because the battle is the Lord’s and He will fight it. These people eventually provoked God to anger and they all perished in the wilderness. They did not get to the promise land. Only their children did. God would rather prolong the day, than the night. He will not prolong your darkness
Joshua 10:11-13
And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
[12] Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. [13] And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
Joshua was fighting a battle and he was winning. When he saw that the day was advancing and it would soon be evening when evening would be dark, he commanded the sun to stand still and it did. That day continued and darkness was restrained. He did that because he wanted to obtain victory and God sanctioned it. As the day was prolonged on his side, the moon stood still on the other side of the continent. So, there was a prolonged night there. God allowed Joshua to prolong the day and this shows us that God is ready to sacrifice anything for the sake of His children. He did it with His only begotten son; and that has redeemed man back to Him. God does not mind destabilizing unbelievers to satisfy His children. While His children had daylight, the unbelievers for His children. While the Egyptians were being troubled by the plagues, the Israelites had no problem in Goshen. If the joy of the children needs a longer day, He will grant it, even if it means darkness to unbelievers. God does not mind killing, removing, sacking, sweeping away anything or anyone to satisfy His children.
Isaiah 43:3-4
For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. [4] Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
The period of the night could be difficult to bear, it could be long but hold on to the Lord, the morning will soon come. Do not get weary, do no be discouraged; there shall be joy in the morning. When you continue to feed your discouragement, it will sap you to death. If you continue looking at the blackness of the night, you may not live to see the morning. Many people die not because of their problems but because of the state of their minds. Some people leave the Christian fold to seek solution from herbalists; such people are just aiding their household wickedness to finish their agenda on them.
Discouragement sees the darkest night but faith sees the appearance of the day. Discouragement is a sin. make up your mind that you will encourage yourself in the Lord.
The story was told of Satan having wares to sell, pride, envy, deceit, talkativeness, all sorts of disease and discouragement etc. Of the wares, discouragement was the most expensive and most demanded. When asked why Satan said it was the most useful and with it, he could operate easily in the lives of people especially Christians.
Make up your mind today that you will not give in to the wooing of the enemy. Can you consider asking a motor mechanic to work on your car and when you get back there to collect your car, you meet him discouraged, lamenting and worried that the car is in such a bad state, that he does not think he can do anything about it. You would not want to leave your car with such a person. So also, God cannot commit anything serious into your hands, if all you can see is the dark side of life and not the light at the end of the tunnel. The same applies to a sick person who goes to the hospital and finds discouraged doctor. If he stays there long, he is likely to die in his illness because that discouraged doctor cannot help him. You must make up your mind that your morning must come. Make up your mind that you will not wage war against yourself.
How can the morning come?
What to do
1. Focus on the lord Jesus Christ: remove your eyes from your situation and circumstances. Know that as you take prayer point’s below, God will arise for your sake. Know that God can go thousands of miles away to trouble the hearts of those that will help you. They will be restless until they have helped you.
2. Cast away every spirit of discouragement. Jesus tells us in John 14, that we should not allow our hearts of those that will help you. We should believe in God and also in Him.
3. Wage war against the powers that does not want you to prosper. The prayers that l am suggesting below will surely bring results. They are not for the feeble-hearted. There was a sister who was about 39years old and was not married. . One day, I was ministering, where there was word of knowledge concerning a person who had been kept in bondage by the three strongmen of their family. The word was a warning that if they did not let go of her the three of them would die one after the other. As at then, this word of knowledge did not mean anything to her. However, when she got home, she made a cup of tea to break her long fast. As she finished praying, her phone rang and she was told that her mother just died. She hung the phone and wept herself to sore. She could not even break her fast again. As she was there sobbing, the phone rang the second time and she was told that her uncle in the USA just died. It was then that it dawned on her that there was a word of knowledge concerning family strongmen. She now consoled herself and said it was God at work. She got up to drink her tea. Shortly afterwards, her phone rang informing her that another prominent member of her family had just died. By the end of that year, this sister, who had every comfort in life but was unmarried at the age of 39, got a proposal for the first time and within a short time, got married. Close your eyes and pray these prayer points:
· Every power of my father’s house that has refused to let me go, your time is up die in the name of Jesus.
· Every power of my mother’s house that says l will die in this condition what are you waiting for die, in the name of Jesus.
Beloved, these are serious prayers and must of a necessity bring results. How ever if you are yet to be born again, you are still in darkness and you cannot command your morning to come. If you had never at one time or the other asked the Lord to come into your life, you are not yet His. If you are ready, you can surrender your life to Him, right there where you are. All you need to do is acknowledge the fact that you are a sinner and that you cannot approach God in your sinful state. Confess your sins to Him, ask Him to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Claim the redemptive power in the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross at Calvary, for the remission of your sins. Invite the Lord Jesus Christ into your life and ask him to come in and become your personal Lord and Saviour. Renounce the world of sin and Satan and make sure that you not go back to them. If you did that seriously, the Bible says you are now in Christ and as such, you are a new creature, old things have passed away and all things are become new. I congratulate you on this important decision that you have just taken. It is the most important in life and I pray that it shall be permanent in your life in the name of Jesus. I pray that the Lord will uphold you and will not let you fall in the name of Jesus. I pray that your name will be written in the Book of life and it will never be blotted out in the name of Jesus. I would like you to make this confession out loud, before you start praying
Isaiah 8:9
Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the word and it shall not stand, for God is with us.
Beloved, I want you to examine your life and identify those things that the enemy has stolen from you. Make up your mind that you want them back and make sure you get them. Meditate on those things that should be your lot and be sure that you get them. Be sure that you get in touch from the Lord. Now, take the following prayer points with all the aggression that you can gather;
Prayer points
1. My helpers in captivity come out by fire, in the name of Jesus.
2. By fire, by thunder, O God arise and disgrace my confusion in the name of Jesus.
3. Every clock and timetable of poverty working against me, be buried today in the name of Jesus.
4. The enemy will not drag my life to the ground in the name of Jesus.
5. Every ancestral wall, built around my glory crumble in the name of Jesus.
6. My glory under bondage, receive deliverance in the name of Jesus.
7. Every bird of darkness holding vigil against me disappear in the name of Jesus.
8. O God my father, change my present speed to divine speed in the name of Jesus.
9. Every witchcraft agent of my father’s house disappear in the name of Jesus.
10. Every witchcraft agent of my mother’s house disappear in the name of Jesus.
11. Every battle against my destiny from my foundation fade, in the name of Jesus.
12. Every architect of affliction from my foundation disappear in the name of Jesus.
13. Stones of fire, locate the forehead of my foundational Goliath in the name of Jesus.
14. Every foundational strongman causing problem for my life disappear in the name of Jesus.
15. Every familiar spirit stealing my virtue, scatter in the name of Jesus.
16. Every strange power, gathered against my advancement disappear in Jesus name.
17. Every satanic panel set –up against me scatter unto desolation in the name of Jesus.
18. Every evil decree passed upon my life, release me and disappear in the name of Jesus.
19. Every embargo of stagnancy upon my progress, disappear in the name of Jesus.
20. My glory, arise and shine in the name of Jesus.
21. O God of Elijah; fight my battles today in the name of Jesus.
22. Earthquake of deliverance shake out the evil covenant and curses in my foundation in the name of Jesus.
23. Foundational strongman release me and die in the name of Jesus.
Thank God for answered prayers
NEXT RETREAT IS ON THE 12TH SEP 2009
THEME: DIVINE HEALING. ARE YOU SICK PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, FINANCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY, SEXUALLY? There will be somebody there that day to heal you and that person is God (exodus 15:26. Come and receive your healing.
Venue:
The Methodist Church
Central Hall, Oldham St
Manchester, UK. M1 1JQ
Time: 1PM-5PM.
http://christhealingministry.com/event.html
Christ Healing Ministry
Evangelist Godwin Gbadebo Ojerinde
1st Sep 2009
How to deal with satanic letters
Thank God for answered prayers
How to deal with satanic letters
Fear is one of the instruments the enemy uses to perpetrate evil against believers and the body of Christ. The devil knows that when he throws a person into a state of panic, the person becomes disorganized, vulnerable and easy to defeat.
As a believer, what would you do if you receive a fearful and unpleasant letter, news or report? Break down and weep as many people often do? That would be an entirely wrong reaction; it would not solve the problem either but rather worsen it.
This timely and anointed message teaches you what to do when the enemy threatens you with evil reports and satanic letters.
Remember that whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. You have Christ’s power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you!
There is a prayer exercise I would like you to go through as you read this message and I would like you to believe God for the outstanding breakthroughs that you desire.
The enemy has subjected so many people to constant weeping and crying. If you are in this state, I want you to believe that as you pray these prayers, the arrows will go back to their senders, in the name of Jesus.
There are people who want the Lord to put their enemies to shame. As you pray, the shame of your enemies will be multiplied.
There are some people who have certificates that they studied for; the enemy has withdrawn the essence of these certificates and they are now like ordinary papers - useless.
Today, as such people pray, their certificates will regain their values in the name of Jesus.
Some people have business outfits whose names have been taken to witchcraft covens thus rendering the business unprofitable. Some of such businesses are even gulping money instead of yielding it.
The situation shall be reversed as they pray and these powers of bewitchment will be destroyed.
I want you to pray with holy aggression and with an “enough is enough” spirit, believing God that something great will happen. The Lord will restore all that the enemy has stolen from your life, in the name of Jesus.
2 Kings 19:14-22 :
And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. [15] And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth. [16] Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. [17] Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, [18] And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. [19] Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only. [20] Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard. [21] This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. [22] Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.
This letter was written to Hezekiah by Sennacherib but was sent directly from the pit of hell.
At the time he received this letter, Jerusalem had already been surrounded by the Assyrian army. The King of Assyria had already carried ten tribes of Israel into captivity and he had fearful credentials. He had conquered every other nation, he had a terrible and well - organized army and all these gave him great confidence.
CONTENT OF THE LETTER
2 Kings 19:10-13:
... Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. [11] Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? [12] Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar? [13] Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?
In one word, that letter defiled the living God.
Today, the devil does not have to write physical letters to people. He is focusing his attention on those who have a destiny to pursue and he is trying to question the faith of so many people; he is writing spiritual letters to people, singing in their ears and asking them questions like these:
“Can God really get you out of this problem?”
“Can’t you see that you are going down instead of going up and that you are in real trouble?”
“Do you think faith can work in this situation?”
You may be in that position today, the enemy may be telling you that God has forsaken you, and your faith is so little and weak that, sometimes, you are as good as dead.
Everything could be looking hopeless and in spite of your zeal and holiness, the enemy seems to be having the upper hand, mocking and asking you how you will make it.
The enemy might be laughing at you now. Beloved, the truth of the matter is that you are under attack, and the enemy has been announcing his victory over other people, including Christians. He has been bringing to remembrance, cases of Christians who trusted God but suffered and died in the end.
Perhaps the devil is offering you a deal, coaxing you to come out of the narrow way and join his crowd on the broad way.
Perhaps you have suffered all your life in your honest way and he is proposing some crooked means of getting money to you.
You might have even received a physical letter that is threatening and unfavourable from the enemy. It could be an examination result, interview result, bank statement or letter of harassment by people, suspension or dismissal letter, divorce suit, medical report, X-ray film, Scan result, laboratory tests results and so on. All these are satanic letters, which have to be rejected as soon as they are received.
HOW TO CANCEL AND PRAY AGAINST SATANIC LETTERS
1. Spread the letter before the Lord like Hezekiah did.
2. Engage in quality praise and worship like Hezekiah
3. Report the threat to the Lord.
4. Fight back
GOD’S REPLY TO SENNACHERIB’S LETTER
2 Kings 19:32-35:
Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it. [33] By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord. [34] For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. [35] And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
This is a serious matter. It means that no matter how many evil spirits are invading your life, no matter how fierce their battle is raging, the Lord your God shall laugh them to scorn and deal with them the way He dealt with the soldiers of Sennacherib.
Get yourself ready to pray because this is exactly what will happen as you take the prayer points at the end of this message.
ONE BASIC CONDITION YOU MUST FULFIL
If you are reading this message and you have never surrendered your life to Christ, you may not be able to pray effectively against the “Sennacherib” that is harassing your life.
I want you to examine your life and recognize the fact that you are a sinner and have fallen short of the glory of God. Know that as you confess your sins to God, He is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Ask Him to cleanse you with the Blood of Jesus, which was shed on the cross at Calvary for the remission of the sins of the whole world and yours in particular. Ask the Lord Jesus to be the Lord of your life and submit your totality to Him. Renounce Satan and the world, say good-bye to them forever and begin to walk in the marvelous light of the Lord Jesus Christ.
My prayer for you is that this decision that you have just taken will be permanent in your life and that the glory of God will overshadow your life, in the name of Jesus.
I command every problem that has been troubling your life to depart in the name of Jesus.
Now, I want you to go before the Lord and ask Him to cleanse you of the sins of your parents and ancestors that have been working against your life and that could be a hindrance to the answers to your prayers.
I want you to pray these prayers with holy aggression and with fire in your voice.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Every power rising against my deliverance, disappear, in the name of Jesus.
2. Every umbilical cord contamination in my life, destroy, in the name of Jesus.
3. Every witchcraft deposit in my body, Blood of Jesus, flush them out, in the name of Jesus.
4. I am the temple of God, arrows of darkness; I am not your candidate, in the name of Jesus.
5. O ground, open and swallow every incantation working against my life, in the name of Jesus.
6. Every messenger of death working against my life, disappear, in the name of Jesus.
7. Every seed of poverty in my life, disappear, in the name of Jesus.
8. Every dark hand in my foundation, pointing against my destiny, wither, in the name of Jesus.
9. Every Pharaoh of backwardness in my life, disappear, in the name of Jesus.
10. Satanic sacrifice fashioned against my life, vanish, in the name of Jesus.
11. Every power waiting for my day of glory to disgrace me, disappear, in the name of Jesus.
12. I soak the roots of my life in the Blood of Jesus, in the name of Jesus.
13. My hands are blessed, my feet are blessed, whether the devil likes it or not, in the name of Jesus.
14. My spirit man, if you have been locked up, break loose, in the name of Jesus.
15. Every witchcraft bag holding my (career, marriage, business, finances, breakthrough, fruitfulness, progress etc.) release it now, in the name of Jesus.
16. Arrows of brain bewitchment backfire, in the name of Jesus.
17. I refuse to abide in the city of confusion, in the name of Jesus.
18. Every sucker of blood, suck your own blood, in the name of Jesus.
19. Every blockage in my dream is dismantled, in the name of Jesus.
20. Every satanic bank manager holding my prosperity, release it and go, in the name of Jesus
NEXT RETREAT IS ON THE 12TH SEP 2009
THEME: DIVINE HEALING. ARE YOU SICK PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, FINANCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY, SEXUALLY? There will be somebody there that day to heal you and that person is God (exodus 15:26. Come and receive your healing.
Venue:
The Methodist Church
Central Hall, Oldham St
Manchester, UK. M1 1JQ
Time: 1PM-5PM.
Christ Healing Ministry
Evangelist Godwin Gbadebo Ojerinde
31st Aug 2009
Let down your net for a catch
Luke 5:1 - 11:
“And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon Him to hear the word of God, He stood by the lake of Gennesaret, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And He entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And He sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when He had left speaking, He said unto Simon: “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught”. And Simon answering said unto Him: “Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at Thy word I will let down the net”. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying: “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord”. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon: “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men”. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed Him”.
This is an interesting story. The fishermen had closed for the day when Jesus arrived. They would have been discouraged because they toiled all night without catching anything. They went through the cold night and had nothing to show for it. Some of them might be ashamed to go home empty-handed. Maybe their wives had nothing to cook and were waiting for the fish that the husband would bring home. Such a man would not be able to face that wife. How does one explain this kind of fruitless toil? Many people are in that kind of situation today; they are children of God, filled with the Spirit of God, but are toiling without having good results. They are at the verge of leaving every thing and going back to the world. If you were in that position, I would encourage you not to give up, because the Man of Nazareth is passing by. The woman with the issue of blood, had tried every means possible, in order to get healed. She had spent a lot of money but there was no improvement in her situation. She had almost given up but she discovered Jesus. She made up her mind that if she could get as close as touching the hem of the garment of Jesus, she would be healed. There was a great crowd, but she did not allow that to discourage her. She made her way through and was able to touch the garment and she received instant healing.
There were two boats at the seashore, but Jesus asked for Peter’s. I pray that the Lord will pick you today, in the Name of Jesus. He sat in the boat and He started to preach to the people there. Peter did not mind; even though he was ready to go, he gave Jesus the chance to use his boat. He did not know that his miracle was on the way. When Jesus finished preaching, He told Peter to launch out his net, into the sea. Peter told Jesus that they had toiled all night but caught nothing. He was in a position to teach anyone, the intricacies of fishing; he knew when it was best to catch fish. However, he obeyed the Lord and trust out his net. He knew that Jesus was not a fisherman but he felt the authority in His word. He must have listened to the sermon that Jesus preached in the boat and came to the realisation of the authority that Jesus has, as the Son of God. Peter said: “At Your word”. He let down his net without trying to find the logic in it. The catch was enormous; to the extent that the net begun to break. That is what the Bible calls: ‘filling to overflow’. Peter and his friends had to call for assistance from the people in the other boat. Even the other boat was filled with fish. I pray that your breakthrough will be enormous too, in the name of Jesus.
Putting yourself in the position of Peter, would you have obeyed as he did? Would you not have lectured Jesus on the techniques of fishing? Wouldn’t you have recounted all that happened whilst you were toiling throughout the night? Would you not have reminded Jesus that He was not a fisherman? Would you not have said that He could know something about carpentry, being a carpenter’s son, that fishing is different? This shows that God sometimes works opposite logic. The trouble with many people is that they tie their eyes, brain and all their faculties, in one direction and believe that God just has to work in a stereo-typed way. They do not know that God works in mysterious ways in order to perform His wonders.
If someone had told Peter that even though he did not catch anything all night, he would go home with fish, he would not have believed it. Are you about to pack it all up? The Man of Nazareth is passing by today. Jesus made a simple request and Peter humbly inclined. Is there anything in your life that God wants to use? It could be your talent, your position, your time; it could be anything. Find out what it is and comply with His demand. The prayers I am suggesting to you in this message are the ones that will make you let down your net into the sea and get a good catch. The fish is always there; all you need do is let the net down for a catch. These are prayers that you have to Pray until Something Happens. It is a kind of catch that will make nets break. Whilst you are still thanking God for what He has done, He will do more that will show Him as God of the maximum. The God that knows no bounds.
Peter had worked all night; he had caught nothing, he engaged in profitless hard work; he had spent his energy and tried all he could, by his own power; nothing worked. When he met the Man of Nazareth, he passed the first examination of releasing his boat. Sometimes, God needs something from us that will advance what He wants to do in our lives. What would have happened, if Peter had refused to give Jesus His boat, for whatever reason? He was also patient to wait for Jesus to finish His preaching and that patience paid off. His night of toil and fruitless hard work vanished when Jesus told him to let down his net. The Bible does not tell us why Jesus asked him to let down his net. Was it to demonstrate the power of God? Was it to compensate Peter for having lent Him his boat? That is how God works. You do not have to know why God has decided to step into your situation; your business is that He steps in. When God steps into your situation, everything bows. The enemy that has been raging and boasting will be put to shame. That is what happened to Goliath that was raging and boasting and threatening the Israelites. It took God just one stone from David’s sling, to destroy Goliath. When God is ready to bless you, He does not need your consent to do it. At that stage, He does not even need your faith, for it to be accomplished.
A terrible story or situation may last for years but one day, the Man of Galilee will just speak one word and it will come to an end. When the disciples were in a ship and the storm was raging, it took Jesus, just one sentence and there was calm.
Psalm 30:5:
“For His anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning”.
The Lord could allow the enemy to do some things to Christians, so that the glory of God will manifest in that life. Do not judge God by what you are going through. If you do, the enemy will seize that opportunity to get you discouraged and that will make you sin against God. The Bible says God respects His word, more than even His Name; believe Him for what He says. Be still and know that He is God.
Matthew 8:7-8:
“And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed”.
The Centurion knew that his servant would be healed, because he had reported the case to the Lord Jesus Christ. Being a man of authority in the government, he could give orders and that made him know that the authority that Jesus has does not need His moving from where He was. It is also faith. A president could speak or give a command and it will not stand or happen; the person commanded, could refuse to obey. The worst that can happen to that person, is that the President will imprison or kill him and the command remains un-done by the person. When the Almighty God gives a command, the Sun, the Moon, the seasons and times, everything will have to cooperate with the accomplishment of that thing. Anything that stands in their way will be bulldozed.
What I am saying in essence, is that you might have fasted and prayed concerning a situation and it seems nothing is happening; like Peter, let down your net and you will see what will happen, because the Man of Galilee is by your side.
Jeremiah 32:17:
“Ah Lord God! Behold, Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee”.
Jeremiah 32:27:
“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
Peter said: “…at your word”; he trusted Jesus for what He said and he complied. He had already dried and folded his net, ready to leave, before Jesus came along. Perhaps you have already packed your luggage and are ready to leave the place of your blessing; your reading this message, marks the entrance of the King of kings into the boat of your life. Whatever the symptoms that you are feeling or seeing; however illogical God’s word concerning your situation may sound, LET DOWN YOUR NET for a good catch. When Peter obeyed, the catch was astonishing. For the first time in his life, he and his friends could not handle their catch and so, they called upon the people in the other boat, to help them. Of course, they to went home with a lot of fish on that day. Do you know that your blessings could be what the destinies of other people are waiting for to progress in life? Do you know that your obedience to God’s command could push you into that breakthrough that you have been toiling for? LET DOWN YOUR NET.
Peter was dumbfounded at the result of the re-launch of his net into the sea and he realized his state. He humbled himself before the Lord Jesus, acknowledging the fact that his having received that great gift, was not dependent on who he was or what he had. He called himself a sinner that was unworthy of the presence of Jesus. He and his colleagues realized that they did not get the big catch because of their fishing experience. At that very moment, he took the decision to leave that fishing profession that he had been into, probably since birth, and follow the Lord. He then forsook everything and followed the Lord. You might have to forsake something that is very dear to you, so that the Lord can use you. Jesus turned Peter into a fisher of men and eventually, he accomplished that assignment. Are you ready to be a fisher of men for the Lord? LET DOWN YOUR NET.
Beloved, the Lord is by the side of the boat of your life today but if you do not know Him, you cannot lend Him the boat of your life and you cannot get any catch. If you have never at one time or the other, surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, you cannot come close to Him. You have a wonderful opportunity to surrender your totality to Him today, right there where you are. All you need do is acknowledge the fact that you are a sinner and that you cannot approach God in your sinful state. The Bible says the eyes of God cannot behold sin.
Repent of your sins; confess them to the Lord; name them one by one and ask Him to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Claim the redemptive power in the Blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross at Calvary, for the remission of your sins.
Invite the Lord Jesus into your life and ask Him to come in and become your personal Lord and Saviour. Ask Him to take control of your life and all that concerns you. Surrender your totality to Him and make Him the Lord of your life.
I congratulate you for taking this decision; it is the most important decision in life and I pray that it shall be permanent in the Name of Jesus. I pray that the Lord will write your name in the Book of Life and nothing shall by any means, rub it off in the Name of Jesus. Go and sin no more!
I am suggesting some prayers that I would like you to pray with all the seriousness that you can gather. Pray them until something happens.
Prayer points
1.I overthrow every satanic rearrangement programmed against my destiny in the Name of Jesus. (When something is meant to go one way and the enemy diverts it to another way)
2. I overthrow every bewitchment programmed against my destiny in the Name of Jesus.
3. Every satanic cobweb, programmed against my life, be destroyed by the Fire of God, in the Name of Jesus.
4. Every satanic signboard, be destroyed by the Fire of God in the Name of Jesus.
5. Every confiscated promotion, be released by the Fire of God, in the Name of Jesus.
6. I receive the anointing of sweat-less victory in the Name of Jesus.
7. O Lord, I let down my net today, fill it now, to overflow in the Name of Jesus.
8. Every witchcraft surgical operation, be reversed now in the Name of Jesus. (This is a change or an exchange of virtues or organs of people, by witchcraft powers}.
of people, by witchcraft powers}.
A four year-old boy confessed to witchcraft some years ago and he said one of the things that he did, was to exchange the brain of his elder brother with that of a cow. The brother was very brilliant until that time. He started to take the last position in the class, whenever there was an examination. If the number of pupils increased, he still would be the last. That was a satanic surgical operation.
9. Anything used to represent me in the spirit world, backfire in the Name of Jesus.
(The doers of evil could erect statues or carve effigies to represent people and whatever they did to that thing would happen to that person in the physical realm; if they knocked nails into its head, the person would feel terrible migraine and so on.)
10. Forces of frustration and failure tormenting my life, disappear, in the Name of Jesus.
11. Forces of demotion and shame tormenting my destiny, disappear, in the Name of Jesus.
12. Lord, deliver me from the evil of this generation, in the Name of Jesus.
13. Thou right hand of the Most High God, do valiantly in my life today, in the Name of Jesus.
14. Blood of Jesus, speak destruction to the works of the devil in my life, in the Name of Jesus.
Thank God for answered prayers
NEXT RETREAT IS ON THE 12TH SEP 2009
THEME: DIVINE HEALING. ARE YOU SICK PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, FINANCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY, SEXUALLY? There will be somebody there that day to heal you and that person is God (exodus 15:26. Come and receive your healing.
Venue:The Methodist Church
Central Hall, Oldham St
Manchester, UK. M1 1JQ
Time: 1PM-5PM.
Evangelist Godwin Gbadebo Ojerinde
30th Aug 2009
Five Conditions for Cursing Words before Resulting into Curses
Conditions for cursing words to meet before resulting into curses
To further emphasize, not every unpleasant matter is a curse. Matters that do not Constitute Curses” covers on this topic. It’s not wise to draw easy conclusions even when an undesirable matter is being experienced after someone made a pronouncement of misfortune. There are many reasons undesirable matters happen. It takes prayer and wise discernment to connect the dots.Needless to say that connecting the dots is not our main priority. Our priority is in ensuring we’ve no grounds for receiving any curse: from God, from self-infliction, or from other people. Should any grounds exist where cursing words may be pronounced we ought to endeavor to close the legal doorways?The expressed words of misfortune, whether spoken or written, do not constitute curses on their own. They’re cursing words but they are not curses in the real sense. It is what emerges or results from the words that constitute curses.
The spoken or written words have to pass five tough conditions that God has established before they can have any power of resulting into misfortune (curses). This is the best part in guarding against curses. God has insured that cursing words do not automatically result into curses. Otherwise expressions of misfortune from people and negative expressions we may say against our own selves would easily materialize as curses.God has made it tougher for such negative pronouncements to bear fruit in order to protect us from being easily harmed.
Most cursing words end up failing on at least one of these conditions. They thus end up not materializing on the person or whatever entity the cursing words were pronouncedIf the expressed matter of ill will or misfortune fulfils all five of these conditions it’s able to operate as a curse on a person. It gains legal entry, a license or authority to operate as a curse on a person. This only happens when all five of the following conditions apply:
1. Curse words need to be outside the Original Sin or the fallen nature
2. Curse words need to be specifically addressed to an individual
3. Curse words need expression through two avenues: speech or in writing
4. Curse words need a person deserving or having grounds for it
5. Curse words need to go through God, the ultimate Gatekeeper of words
1. Curse words need to be outside the Original Sin or the fallen nature
This is in reference to curses from God. Sometimes we easily classify undesirable matters that resulted from the fall of humanity as curses.Curse words (statements of ill will or misfortune) from God are outside the Original Sin or the fallen nature of which the individual innocently inherited from Adam. The book of Deuteronomy has a snapshot of God’s curse words for people walking in disobedience. Here is an example of God’s words of misfortune on the disobedient:“You will sow much seed in the field but you will harvest little, because locusts will devour it. You will plant vineyards and cultivate them but you will not drink the wine or gather the grapes, because worms will eat them. You will have olive trees throughout your country but you will not use the oil, because the olives will drop off,” Deuteronomy 28:38-40.
These Curse words do not relate to the Original Sin as the basis for God bringing curses on people. They relate to the disobedience of people to his ways. The whole world, including us God’s children, is under the curse of the Original Sin. Such a curse is better called the fallen nature, the corrupted nature, the flesh, and so on. It is hardly ever referred to as a curse.Obeying the fallen nature is what can result into a curse from God. The fallen nature is not by itself a curse. It’s the fallen nature, period, not a curse. The fallen nature is what makes us imperfect physically in our physical health and physical looks, and spiritually in our minds, understanding and behavior.Thus under this corrupted nature that came through the Original Sin even our understanding is not perfect. The bible says we know in part, i.e. we do not have perfect knowledge.“For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears,” 1 Corinthians 13:9-10.
That’s why we have so many denominations with somewhat different interpretations and convictions - yet following the same God. Centuries ago we used to fight over it or hang those that differed from the dominant denomination. Now we're more mature and more tolerant of each other (for the most part).
2. Curse words need to be specifically addressed to an individual
Curses are not like spells that people in the occult cast out. Occult spells can be cast to an entire geographical location with the hope that people in an area will not have some protection against the spell. As God’s children we’ve his protection from occult spellsUnlike spells, curses needs to be specifically addressed to an individual. In this case a curse needs to have a source who is the originator of the curse, and who expresses the curse to an individual. There are only three sources that qualify to curse:God, people and the individual himself/herself.
Being specifically addressed to an individual means curses on people are not random. They do not just happen by chance, or by bad luck, or accidentally occur on a person. Like mail curses have an address where they are sent to. It is to the person, people or entity they’re addressed to that curses will affect, if all other five conditions outlined in this teaching are met.For example, the curses God pronounced in the book of Deuteronomy did not just randomly apply to anyone. They were pronounced on those who fell in the category of the disobedient. Thus anyone walking in obedience was automatically spared from the curses. A person walking in obedience was actually entitled to God’s blessings, as you probably know from the well-known blessings and curses chapters in the book of Deuteronomy.
3. Curse words need expression through two avenues: speech or in writing
Curse words (statements of ill will or misfortune) need to be uttered whether verbally or in writing by the source. A mere mental wish of ill will or misfortune cannot result into a curse. Thus curses are not telepathic or psychical. Neither can curses be received through a dream, vision, apparition, or any spiritual phenomena. They can only be expressed in the physical or earthly realm, not spiritual realm. Until such mental or any spiritual phenomena are physically uttered whether verbally or in writing they cannot result in a curse. Thus curses can only be expressed in the physical or earthly realm for them to have any weight. This expression is in the form of curse words, spoken or written.
4. Curse words need a person deserving or having grounds to receive it
“Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest,” Proverbs 26:2.This condition together with condition number 5 (God as the Gatekeeper of words) are the most challenging for curse words. It is through these two conditions that we gain the most protection from curse words made by other people against any of us.For every curse word to have any effect on an individual it needs to find a person having one or both of the following factors:
1) A person in a position of deserving it,
Deserving it implies a person did something wrong intentionally or ignorantly and the curser (source assigning the curse) is justly proclaiming punishment and holding the person accountable for the wrong
.2) A person having grounds or a legal doorway to receiving it,
Having a legal doorway to receiving a curse implies a person is not directly responsible or accountable for a wrong but has a liability for it. He/she has an avenue of access for a curse to bear fruit. This liability poses as a risk factor. Liabilities include having not received the gift of salvation and walking in sin.Thus a person that’s not born again is an open vessel for certain curses bearing fruit. These include curses from people and self-imposed curses. If you’re not yet born again and would like to receive God’s free gift of salvation there is plenty of hope. You can contact any local bible centered church, a committed Christian you know.
Or please mail me at admin@christhealingministry.com so as to pray the Prayer of Salvation for you. Walking in sin also opens grounds or legal doorways to receiving curses in some areas. The major source of curses from walking in sin is God (curses from God). Self-imposed curses can also have an effect on a person since walking in sin creates grounds or legal doorways for various negative matters.“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps whatever he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit will reap eternal life,” Galatians 6:7-8.5.
Curse words need to go through God, the ultimate Gatekeeper of words
God is the ultimate Gatekeeper or Judge over all words, including curses words. “To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue,” Proverbs