Be of Good Cheer & Walk in Victory, Child of God

I sometimes see life as a cyclist on a bicycle.  As long as the cyclist is on the bike and desires movement, they will utilise the peddles.  The foot peddles represent the various seasons of life that we have to experience to progress in life.  Think about it.  The foot peddles move up (high seasons) and down (low seasons), and sometimes are on balance in horizontal position (moderate/ so-so seasons).

Usually, the cyclist is not worried about the foot on the peddle in down position because he knows that this is only temporary.  As long as the bicycle is in forward movement, the peddle will come up again.  On the other hand, the cyclist is also cognizant of the fact that the peddle in the up position will at some point shift its position.  No position is permanent for the foot pedals.

The up-down movement of the peddle facilitates progress and it is by no means designed to reverse the bicycle.  Do you know that to reverse the bicycle, normally you have to put at least one foot off the pedal and reverse the bike using your hands?  Similarly, life is full of seasons that come in varied lengths and intensity.  These are both enjoyable and challenging seasons; joyous and sad seasons; restful and warring seasons.  Just like the bicycle analogy, these seasons all work out for good and for fulfillment of God's grander plan for our lives.  As long as your feet are moving in forward direction on the bike peddles, expect progress and not retrogression!  Keep pressing on; do not give up!

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.

Paul assures us that all things work out for the good of those who love the Lord.  God has called you and I according to His purpose, and He is Faithful to align all occurrences to work out for the fulfillment of that purpose.   As long as we are hidden in Christ, no challenge, no set back, no disappointment, no loss will deter you from your destiny.  However, you need to know this!  This needs to be your persuasion as you journey through the seasons of life.  Whatever life brings, may you always know that your entire life is safe and secure in God's hands.

Romans 8:37-39 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.

God has assured us of victory in all things!  We are not to conquer in some seasons of life.  No, we are to conquer in all seasons of our lives!  In fact, we are to do more than conquer; our victory as believers is to exceed expected standards of victory.  It is a divinely given victory that defies all odds.  It is a victory that defies the economy's prospects; the doctor's report; the opinions of society; your family background; your physical limitations; only to mention but a few.

You and I need to be convinced about this.  You and I need to profess this daily in our lives.  You and I need to live in the revelation of this truth, that we are more than conquerers.  It is not enough to just believe it; live it!

Romans 1:17b The righteous shall live by faith.

One of my friends some years back was confronted with stage four cancer that threatened to take away her life.  The doctors' reports painted gloom.  During this season, Romans 8:37 was revealed to my friend and I and it was our rhema word for the season.  We stood on God's word that we are more than conquers and we would proclaim it in almost every conversation we had: sisi ni zaidi ya washindi (we are more than conquerers).  We said it, we sang it and the Lord showed Himself strong in that situation, in accordance to His word.  Today, about six years later, she is alive and serving the Lord!

Contrary to God's desire, it is unfortunate that in a time of crisis, we sometimes run away from God rather than running to God.  Feelings of anxiety, despair, bitterness, impatience and hopelessness make our hearts to grow cold and to turn away from our Father.  Those who live in the revelation of Romans 8:37-39 will hold fast to God, for they know Him as a Refuge.  They that have learnt the discipline of looking on to God will receive strength that enables them to charge against an army, to scale walls (Proverbs 18:29) and to quench all flaming darts of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16).

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Like children, we must learn to rest in the loving arms of God.   Rather than spending time pitying ourselves and praying for lapse of a season, let us choose to rejoice in the workings of God in and through us while we journey through that season.   Let us pray for an eternal perspective to life, such that our hope will not be pegged on what is earthly (temporary) but what is eternal (permanent).  God desires that we walk through the valley of the shadow of death in victory.  In so doing, our lives become a living testimony of God's goodness and faithfulness.

Psalms 23:4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

In this season of Christmas, irrespective of your circumstance, choose to celebrate and walk in the victory that is your inheritance as a child of God.  Do not let media reports, society's opinions, economic forecasts, doctor's reports and family background to cause your heart to be downcast.  Rejoice in the Lord!  Again I say, Rejoice, for this is the plan of God for you (Philippians 4:4)!

Last month on one quiet evening, in a hotel room in Lusaka, I was broken-hearted and repentant.  I was repenting on my own behalf and on behalf of my nation Kenya for the sin of grumbling and hopelessness.  These two are manifestations of the flesh that are often borne when man looks to any other thing, apart from God, for help.

On this particular day,  my heart had been deeply convicted during a conversation I had engaged in earlier in the day with delegates attending a work meeting. Among those attending the meeting were delegates from African countries and during tea break, we conversed about the situation in our home countries.  Some were coming from countries with significant challenges, but to my surprise, their level of hope and positivity was commendable.  The conversations provoked a necessity for objective self-evaluation on my "gratitude and hope thermometers".

I realized that I and my country men (Kenyans) had grumbled unnecessarily.  Perhaps, we are chronic grumblers- those that whine about the half empty glass and consciously ignore the water filling half the glass.  The object of our trust has been wanting.  We have put our trust in shaky ground: politicians, economic forecasts and media reports.  Many Kenyans exhibit hopelessness in their conversations, and the church which is meant to be a place of refuge for the hopeless, has not been spared.  Sadly, the conversations of many believers exhibit negativity and hopelessness, in a measure that relatively compares to that of non-believers.

What happened to children of God, called to be beacons of hope?  Abraham's life challenges believers to build their lives on the solid rock of Jesus Christ and not on temporary/ material things.  Abraham obeyed God to leave his homeland and follow God's guidance to a promised land.  Though he received and obeyed the promise of God, he lived in tents like a stranger in a foreign country.  Not only he, but his child Isaac and his grandchild Jacob also lived in tents, though heirs of God promise.

This seemingly delay of God's promise should have made Abraham and his descendants hopeless.  However it did not.  Abraham's focus was on God (the giver) and not on the promise (the promised land).  This gave him an eternal perspective of life.  Hebrews 11:10 says that Abraham was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

For this faith, founded on the Maker of heaven and earth, Abraham was commended.  In fact, God was proud to be surnamed as God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for He had prepared a heavenly city for them (Hebrews 11:16).  Friends, our father Abraham showed us the way of faith:  Faith in God who is a Good and Faithful Father.  It is a faith that rises above delay, physical weakness, emotional hurt, human reason and wisdom.

As I sought the Lord in that room in Lusaka, God impressed upon me two questions which I believe He is asking us (believers) today:

• Why are you downcast, child of God?

God commands you to put your trust in Him; to keep your praise to Him (which is a spiritual weapon) and to remember Him (His Love, His Faithfulness, His Victory, His Grace, His Mercy, His Promises fulfilled in the past etc).

Psalms 42:5-6 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior 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.

• In what/ whom is your trust?

Psalms 34:5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame

I pray that in this season of Christmas, hope in the promises of God will be renewed in you.  I pray that your faith will be strengthened and in obedience to God, you will live by faith.  I pray that you will be of good cheer irrespective of your circumstance.  I pray that God's Victory will be manifest in your life, to the praise and glory and honor of God!

Be Restored in Your Spiritual Authority- Part II

From part I of this discussion, spiritual authority is the legal ground to exercise spiritual power.  We learnt that spiritual authority is inherent in our restored relationship with the Father through Christ, since all who believe are made Sons of God (John 1:12).  Righteousness is key in exercising spiritual authority and this is attained only in Christ, as believers surrender their lives to life long sanctification.

Also noteworthy from the previous discussion is that Christ commissioned us and gave us the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:19; 28:18-20), to open doors for the blind to see, the lame to walk, the oppressed to be liberated and the sick to be healed.  The exercise of authority requires a believer to live by faith, firstly through seeking to know God through the revelation of His Word; moment-by-moment focusing on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; and spending time in the secret place of prayer.

A pertinent example in exercise of spiritual authority is the police man who standing on the road side, is able to flag down cars and the driver stops to listen to authority.  The police man may be the ordinary man in your neighbourhood, perhaps with a physically weaker stature than many people in his hood.  However, whenever he puts on his police uniform and walks out of his house, he is able to exercise the authority conferred to him by his enlisting authority.  Similarly, believers are commanded to clothe themselves with the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:14).  This instruction is given in the context of living in the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

Believers are to always be dressed for duty, with the full the Armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-18).  We are to sleep in the Armour, and go on vacation in the Armour, and to the mall in the Armour, and for work trips in the Armour.  Like the policeman, we are to exercise our authority wherever and whenever God leads us to, in order to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, and to build and plant (Jeremiah 1:10).

Soldiers are trained never to put down or put off their Armour while in the battle field.  My mother, a retired police officer, went for a promotion of rank course in the mid 90s and always came home with exciting and memorable stories.  One of the unforgettable stories that she told me is that when out in the jungle, they used to sleep in their uniform, boots, backpack positioned on their shoulders and each soldier holding on to his/her ammunition.  The body would be so fatigued that all joints and muscles ached, but they were trained not to give in to the lure of comfortable sleep.

On one of those nights when my mum and her fellow soldiers were out in the jungle, the trainers stage managed an attack where they began to fire at the tents where the trainees were sleeping.  Each soldier, as trained, quickly took cover and begun to crawl to his/her designated ditch to take their counter-attack position.  Fire exchanged for a while until they heard the voice of their Commander shouting out for ceasefire.  Each soldier was instructed to stay at their position for inspection and the trainers came by, ditch by ditch, evaluating each soldier.

Sadly, one of the most experienced soldiers in the troop was found to be bare footed.  He had removed his boots at night to take a comfortable nap and when the attack was suddenly staged, he moved out of the tent in haste, not having time to put on his boots.   As harsh as the discipline might seem, the soldier was immediately dismissed from the promotion of rank course.  He was not ready for higher responsibility!

Similarly, believers are in a a 24-7 battle field and we must discipline ourselves to be always clad with the full Armour of God!  Anyone who does otherwise is not fit for exercise of spiritual authority.  Irrespective of number of years in salvation, the principles of God's Word never change.  The command remains: put on the Armour of God!  Like the uniformed traffic policeman on the roadside or the armored soldier on patrol, is your spiritual authority being felt by your family, colleagues, neighbours, and the society at large?

It is without doubt that a soldier's mandate comes with authority.  This authority gives him/her the legal ground to exercise power.  A well trained soldier knows when to exercise certain powers because his/her objective is to accomplish the work entrusted to him/her by the master.   A traffic policeman by the roadside may need a pistol and handcuffs to enforce the law whenever need arises.  A soldier in a banditry stricken land needs more than a pistol to enforce the law in his/her area of jurisdiction; he may need an AK or G3 type of rifle and more sophisticated tools.  Simply, the authority of a soldier is complemented by weapons of power, as circumstances demand.

Spiritual power is endowment of divine strength and ability to a believer by the Holy Spirit to accomplish the Great Commission.  The Gospels are very clear on this Commission, it is not something to be imagined or speculated on, it is expressly articulated in scripture.

Matthew 28:18-20, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  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, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Mark 16-15-18, He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” 

Luke 24:45-49, "This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

John 20:21, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 

Following the conferment of authority to the disciples for fulfillment of the Great Commission, Jesus further promised the gift of the Father, the Blessed Holy Spirit.  He sternly instructed the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for divine empowerment (Acts 1:5).  The disciples now fully Commissioned waited in Jerusalem for dunamis (greek word for power used about 120 times in the New Testament).  On the Day of Pentecost (50 days after Passover), the disciples received divine strength and ability to be effective witnesses of Jesus Christ!

Men who had been shy, doubtful and uneducated became dynamites for Jesus!  God's Dunamis was at work in them and through them for the fulfillment of the Great Commission.  The Book of Acts provides a great historical record of the early church moving in spiritual authority and power.  It was not a "fake it till you make it" gimmick.  No!  The ability to perform signs, wonders and miracles was inherent in them by reason of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  God's power was evident in their daily lives.

The apostles in Acts 5, for example, discerned that Ananias and Sapphira had lied to God in bringing in an incomplete offering.  The discernment of spirits is a gift of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:10). Consequently, they exercised their spiritual authority to pronounce judgement on the couple's disobedience.  In Iconium, Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas were speaking effectively, in the authority of Christ, and many believed.  However, a circumstance arose.  Some Jews incited women and men of influence in the city against the two apostles.  For the advancement of God's work amidst the opposition, God confirmed Paul and Barnabas message through miraculous signs and wonders.   Miraculous power is a spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:10).

On another dramatic occurrence, Paul was preaching late in the night at Troas, and a man listening to Paul by the name of Eutychus fell from a window on third storey and died. Paul went to where he was lying, threw himself on the dead young man and wrapped his arms around him.  The young man was resurrected and many comforted by God's doing (Acts 20:7-12).  The power that raised Christ from the dead was at work through Paul's life to raise the dead! 

The apostles had certainly received the Gift of the Father (the Holy Spirit)!  Not earned but given freely!  Theirs had only been to tarry in Jerusalem in obedience to Jesus' instruction and wait with expectation for the infilling of the Spirit.  Consequently, the apostles not only lived and ministered in spiritual authority but they were also empowered by the Holy Spirit and operated in gifts of the Spirit.  Are you baptized with the Holy Spirit?  If not, what are you waiting for?  The blue print to receiving the Holy Spirit is in Scripture: desire; ask; wait in expectation; and receive the gift of the Father.

"Authority comes in the Commission.  Power comes in the encounter," by Bill Johnson

However, I need to caution that believers are called to pursue God and not power.  In God, are inexhaustible blessings and gifts (Acts 1:8; Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Ephesians 4:11-13; 1 Peter 4:10-11).  Our heart's cry needs to be like that of Paul in Philippians 3:10: "I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death."  As we eagerly desire spiritual gifts, we are to pursue a deeper relationship with God, for in so doing we follow the way of love as commanded in 1 Corinthians 14:1.

The late Dr. Myles Munroe in teaching about spiritual authority and power, highlights that they are three symbols of a Kingdom: crown, sensor and sceptor.  Crown represents power; sensor represents influence/ glory and sceptor represents authority.  Psalms 45:6 states, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom." Additionally, David prophesied about the Anointed One in Psalms 110:2 and said, "The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies."

He who has the sceptor (authority) has the other two, crown (power) and sensor (influence).  However, it is possible to have power but no influence or authority.  In Genesis 49, Jacob is recorded blessing His sons.  Regarding Judah, Jacob prophesied, "The scepter will not depart from Judah".  David and Solomon, descendants of Judah, had the scepter to rule over Israel.  In addition, their power and influence is demonstrated in the accounts of scripture.  For example, other kings would temporarily leave their kingdoms to sit at the feet of Solomon and gain wisdom.  This was great influence!   However, it would be misleading to focus on Solomon's power and influence independent of his authority.  When Solomon allowed worldly affairs, including marrying foreign women and allowing worship of their gods, his authority begun to wane.

The late Dr. Myles notes, it is possible to be anointed but not legal. Simply put, some believers who received the gifts of the Spirit during their earlier days in salvation, have allowed their hearts to be corrupted and to grow cold to God and they have thus walked away from the way of righteousness.  Sadly, they continue to minister in the gifts of the Spirit since the gifts and call of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).  However, they have little impact in advancing the Kingdom of God because the devil is not afraid of a believer's power but authority (reflect on the story of the ten plagues by Moses).

The more you meditate on scriptures regarding the matter under discussion, the more you realize that often when we live defeated Christian lives and are ineffective in ministry, it is not because of inadequate power but that our legal ground to exercise power is compromised.    For some believers, sin has compromised their legal ground to exercise power.  For others, unbelief while for others, complacency in seeking God in the secret place.  It is no wonder that on the Day of the Lord, some will be crying out to the Lord saying, "Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?  Did we not cast out demons in your name? Did we not perform many miracles?"  Matthew 7:23 states that Jesus will painly say to them, "I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers." 

Are you born again? Are you a Son of God?  You were created to exercise spiritual authority in Christ Jesus for the fulfillment of the Great Commission.   In your service to the Lord, God has provided divine strength and ability through the Spirit's power, and we see the manifestation of this power through various spiritual gifts.  This blessedness is yours in Christ Jesus!  May God help you and I to be restored to a life of spiritual authority and power. Amen.

Be Restored in Your Spiritual Authority- Part I

Until recently, I have always considered spiritual authority and power to be inseparable.  I never imagined that a believer could have spiritual power and yet not be living in spiritual authority.  I have taken a bit of time to write this article because I felt that God's teaching needed to work in me first before I could teach others.  Even as I share this message, God continues to work in me both to will and to do for His pleasure.  I keep learning, from Him, Gentle and Humble Teacher.

In the following discussion, I aim to explain the meaning and practice of spiritual authority.  This will provide a good foundation for me to further the discussions in the next phase by helping us see the relationship between spiritual authority and power, and what God's master plan for every believer is as regards the exercise of spiritual authority and power.  My prayer is that as we learn the Truth of His Word, we will be made strong in the Lord and in the power of His might to advance the Kingdom of God as well as wreck havoc to the kingdom of darkness, destroying principalities, powers, rulers of this present darkness and spiritual hosts of wickedness (Ephesians 6:12).

The spiritual authority of a believer is their legal ground to exercise power.  Believers have a legal ground to exercise power because of what Christ accomplished on the cross: He paid the penalty of sin and restored us to a relationship with the Father.  Those who receive Him, become children of God (John 1:12).  In Christ Jesus, they become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).  A believer can only live in spiritual authority when he/she is rightly positioned in righteousness.  This requires that we surrender our lives to Christ for life long sanctification.

The early church demonstrated tremendous spiritual authority.  Peter, preached with authority in Acts 2 and this resulted to conversation of three thousand (3,000) people.  In Acts 3, Peter and John commanded a crippled man to walk, and immediately his feet were strengthened and he begun to walk and jump. Notable, is that they did not compromise with sin.  In fact, great fear befell the people such that those who were double minded on following Christ dared not join the disciples (Acts 5:11).  Ananias and Sapphira is a great example of how sin could not be accommodated nor concealed among the disciples.  In accordance to 2 Corinthians 10:6, the early church punished every act of disobedience because their obedience was complete.

Many believers today want to walk in spiritual authority and yet they still want to entertain the works of the flesh in their lives.  Sadly, some have turned to false spirits to deceptively display a form of spiritual authority.  A believer who is living in sin has no legal ground to exercise power.  And the devil knows this very well. Ask the sons of Sceva (Acts 19:11-20)!

Exercised spiritual authority by a believer ought to yield submission and obedience.  In several incidences, Jesus demonstrated in His ministry that nature, demons, sicknesses, death, among others, were under His authority and had to bow down and conform to instructions/ orders issued in that authority.  For example, when a furious storm raged against a boat in which Jesus was with His disciples, the situation seemed out of hand and caused a frantic panic among the disciples.  However, when Jesus awoke from sleep, He rebuked the winds and the waves, and the waters immediately became completely calm (Matthew 8:23-27).

Upon arriving at Gadarenes (following the storm incidence), Jesus met two demon possessed men coming from the tombs.  He ordered the demons out of the men by simply saying "Go".  With only one word from Jesus, the demons obeyed the order to leave the two men (Matthew 8:32).  In another account, Jesus arriving at His home town met a paralytic and ordered "Get up and walk" (Matthew 9:5-7).  The man immediately got up and went home.  In yet another notable event, Jesus healed Jairus' daughter demonstrating His authority over death.  He spoke, "Talitha Koum" meaning "Little girl, I say to you get up!"  And so it was.  The girl arose from the dead (Matthew 8:18-26; Mark 5:21-43).  These are just a few examples of numerous demonstrations of Christ's authority in the gospels.

Noteworthy is that when Jesus first sent out the twelve (Matthew 10:1), he gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.  In verse 7-8, Jesus further expounds the mandate to the twelve by commanding as follows: "preach this message: the Kingdom of heaven is near.  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons."  Also, prior to ascending to heaven, The Risen Messiah gives instructions to His disciples, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, ...." (Matthew 28:18-19).  Is it a mere coincidence that the first time the disciples were sent out by Christ, they were given authority and similarly, the last instruction from Christ to His disciples was the bestowing of His authority on them?

 A believer's spiritual authority comes from his commission (Matthew 28:18-20; John 20:21)

Christ knew something often overlooked by believers today.  There cannot be fruitful ministry without a believer exercising spiritual authority!  May be we will have better understanding if we revisit "the fall of man" story.  God mandated man (Adam and Eve) to subdue the earth and to rule over every living creature.  Man was able to perfectly exercise his God-given authority.  At this point in time, Satan had no chance of dominion on earth because man was in the fullness of God's glory, and was ruling the earth.  This must have been a great incentive for Satan to scheme the fall of man.  When man fell into sin, he fell short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  Consequently, Satan took over as the "god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Satan thought he had eternally thwarted the plans of God for man to be fruitful, to subdue and to rule the earth.  However, he was utterly surprised when his actions of crucifying Jesus on the cross provided the way for restoration of man to his place of spiritual authority.  Colossians 2:14-15 states, "having cancelled the written code, with its regulations [the charge of our legal indebtedness], that was against us and that stood opposed to us, he took it away, nailing it to the cross.  And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."

By Christ paying the penalty for our sin, He provided for man's restoration of spiritual authority!  When we receive the Lord Jesus into our lives, our spiritual position changes from "subdued" to "rulers".  Hallelujah!  Ephesians 2:6 states, "And God raise us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus."  In this position of spiritual authority, believers are able to effectively fulfill what they have been called to: "God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works ..." (Ephesians 2:10).

The good works we have been called to do were modeled out by Christ in His ministry.  Acts 10:38 states that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and power, and He went about doing good: healing those who were under the power of the devil.  Luke 4:18-19 also highlights these good works in Jesus' ministry: preaching the good news to the poor; proclaiming freedom for prisoners; recovery of sight for the blind; release of the oppressed; and proclaiming the year of the Lord's favour.  All that a believer does whether at home, in the market place, in church gatherings or in the mission fields should result to impacting people with good works of the gospel for the salvation of their souls.  Undoubtedly, believers have been called to do good works and this is possible, firstly if we are rightly positioned in Christ.

Please note that the twelve disciples were novices when Jesus sent them out in Matthew 10 (account also in Luke 9).  Notwithstanding, their mission report was outstanding: "preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere" (Luke 9:6).  How is it that this bunch of uneducated Jews, mainly of low social status, effectively fulfilled Christ's mandate?

In Luke 10, another group of seventy two was sent out by Jesus to go and preach the gospel.  When they returned, they reported, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."  Christ's response was, "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you" (Luke 10:19). Jesus' response is as if saying, "Why are you surprised?  Don't you understand that I gave you authority before I sent you out?"

While in the Luke 9 report, healings of people everywhere were recorded, in the Luke 10 account, casting out of demons is recorded as the sign that accompanied the disciples as they preached the gospel.  What did these disciples do that the Church of Jesus Christ is not doing today?

Christ joyously exclaims following the mission report by the seventy two: "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." It is clear that it was not the disciples' human wisdom or education that earned them success in ministry.  Instead, it was their pliable and babe spirits, fully surrendered and dependent on God, that made the difference.

One of the distinctive characteristics of the disciples was their child-like faith.  Jesus said it and they believed it!  They took Jesus at His word!  They were fully persuaded that Jesus had given them authority and so they went out and exercised that authority, in the name of Jesus.  Before Christ ascended to heaven, He left you with a command to go into the world in His authority, anchored on the premise that all authority had been given to Him.  Colossians 2:10 states, "and you have been given fulness in Christ, who is the Head over every power and authority."  Do you believe it?  I ask again, Do you believe that Christ has bestowed His authority on you by reason of what He accomplished through His death and resurrection?

Matthew gives an account of Jesus walking on water, which is a spectacular demonstration of authority over the laws of nature.  Peter, seeing Jesus walking on the water towards the boat in which the disciples were in, requested Jesus to bid him come.  Upon Jesus' invitation, Peter responded by faith and stepped on the water and begun to walk towards the Messiah.  However, when Peter saw the wind, human reason revealed the possibilities of him being swept away or drowning, and this yielded doubt that resulted to his sinking.  Jesus reached out and held Peter by the hand, asking him "why did you doubt?"  The moment Peter doubted, his ability to exercise spiritual authority over nature was immediately incapacitated (Matthew 14:22-36).

Doubt incapacitates a believer's ability to exercise spiritual authority.  

Jesus did walk on water, despite having fully taken the form of man, because He had faith in God, the Creator of heaven and earth.  He not only believed that God was able, but He did also step out onto the waters, this being evidence of His faith. 

The spiritual authority given to us, is not by a mere ruler of a city or nation.  It is given to us by the Son of the Living God!  When Jesus asked His disciples who He was, Peter through the revelation of the Spirit replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God" (Matthew 16:16).  This revelation is paramount for any believer who desires to live in spiritual authority.  The One who gives believers authority is the Anointed One; the Ruler of the Kings of the earth (Revelation 1:5); the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16)!

Spiritual authority is "keys of the kingdom of heaven".  It opens doors.  The keys need to be utilized.  It is not enough to have a key; the key is useful when it is used to open doors.  The kingdom of God is at hand when believers exercise spiritual authority!  This is an inheritance of the children of God: "whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19).  By reason of the authority given to believers in Christ Jesus, they can uproot and tear down; they can destroy and overthrow; and they can build and plant (Jeremiah 1:10).

What is required of believers is faith as small as a mustard seed and they will say to a mountain, "move from here to there" and it shall obey (Matthew 17:20).  What a great promise given to believers, that nothing will be impossible for those who have faith as little as a mustard seed.  Many of us suffer from unbelief.  It has actually been one of my greatest obstacles in ministry; making God too small in my eyes.  Indeed, unbelief grieves God (Hebrews 11:6).  Oh Lord, help our unbelief!

What does God require that I do to deal with the fox of unbelief that spoils my vineyard?  I am to immerse my self in hearing, reading, studying, memorize and meditating the Word of God.  This is because faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God.  Secondly, I must learn to set my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith (Hebrews 12:2).  As long as Peter looked onto Jesus, he walked on water.  When his focus shifted to the winds, he begun to sink.  O Lord, give us stubborn faith that acknowledges the facts of our circumstances and yet dares to believe the God of impossibilities!

Thirdly, the language of faith is prayer, thus believers who desire to live by faith must spend time in the secret place of prayer.  When the disciples were confronted by a case of a demon possessed boy who needed deliverance, they were unable to heal him (Matthew 17:14-21).  Were these not the same disciples who had healed the sick in Matthew 10 and cast out demons in Luke 10?  In this particular case where they were unable to heal the demon possessed boy.  Jesus pointing to their little faith indicated, "But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

It is without doubt, that prayer was at the center of Jesus' ministry.  At every available opportunity, Jesus prioritized prayer.  He was intentional about seeking God in prayer.  He understood that as fuel is to an engine, so is prayer to ministry.   There are over twenty five records of Jesus praying in the New Testament.  For example, we see Him sending the crowds away and retreating to pray until evening (Matthew 14:23).   In Mark 6:46, He left His disciples and went to the mountains to pray.  In Luke 6:12, He spent the whole night in prayer.  In Mark 1:35, he left the house early in the morning, to a secluded place to pray.  Luke 5:16 states that Jesus would often slip to the wilderness to pray.

Also, when believers walk in their spiritual authority, they disrupt the works of the "god of this world".  The devil knows this well and so he is also at work trying to prevent the advancement of the Kingdom of God.  He does not sit pretty and wait for believers to invade and take over his grounds.  He wages war instead.  Believers are in a 24-7 spiritual battle, whether they realize it or not.  Vigilance is essential.  Putting on the spiritual armour of God is mandatory.  The call of God upon our lives requires that we be always on guard.  Our assignment requires that we pray in the Spirit at all times (Ephesians 6:10-18).


It is sad to report that prayer for many believers today is not in their top three list of priorities.  Many of us are busy doing ministry and yet we are not willing to spend time with the Lord of the Harvest in prayer.  How can we effectively work when we hardly spend time to commune with our Lord, and receive grace and mercy to help in our time of need?  How can we trust (have faith in) the Lord, yet we hardly know Him?

"The priority of Jesus was not ministry to men.  It was spending time with His Father." Dr. Myles Munroe

Prayer nurtures your intimacy with God.  The more you know Him, the more you will know His character and gain insight to His heart.  In so doing, your faith is built up on God's power and not on mere head knowledge and human wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:5).

In exercising spiritual authority, a believer is required to speak (speaking both the written Word of God- logos and Rhema word).  Believers who spend time in the secret place speak many words to the Father thus while doing ministry, they need only speak a few words to men, demons and situations and they obey.  God does not want believers to be passive.  He is calling you and I to build the wall and stand in the gap on behalf of the land (Ezekiel 22:30).  He is calling us to continually call on Him day and night, until He establishes our land and makes it a praise among the nations (Isaiah 62:7)!

I wish to conclude by reiterating that any believer who desires to live in spiritual authority must live by faith and know the joy of the secret place of prayer (and fasting).  Bill Johnson provokes us to this kind of life by the following quote:

In private cry for more.  In public take risks.

Keep Watch; Be Ready- Part II

I recently saw a quote on social media which highlighted the popular slogan, "life is short, enjoy it."  However, thinking about it in light of God's Word, I realize that a believer's focus should not be enjoyment of life due to its brevity but rather should be on preparation for eternity.  Thus, a more helpful note on the quote is, "eternity is infinite, prepare for it!"

The parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 is a continuation of the message to the Church on the Coming of Christ from the preceding chapter.  Prophecy is foretold of the state of the church at the times of the coming of Christ.  In ensuring that the message is clear to His disciples, Jesus tells the story of the ten virgins in the context of marriage ceremonies at that time.

Obtaining the background on wedding ceremonies in the Jewish culture helps us to better understand the parable of the ten virgins.  It is worth noting that different Jewish tribes and people groups may have celebrated the wedding ceremonies in varied ways.  I thus choose to highlight the common practices that cut across most if not all wedding ceremonies.  The first step in Jewish weddings was the betrothal where the groom visited the bride's family and formally engaged the bride by payment of a bride price.  The groom would then return to his father's home to prepare a house for the bride.  The groom's father would monitor the son's progress and would be the one to instruct the groom to go and take his bride.  The groom would normally send out a shout to alert the bride of his coming, though the bride would not know the hour of his coming.

Culturally, where the betrothal took place when the groom-to-be and bride-to-be were adults, the groom took about twelve months before he could take his bride to the house prepared for her.  The family members and the community would accompany the groom and the bride up to their house, where the bride would undergo ritual cleansing and a private wedding ceremony conducted.  Thereafter, the newly wed couple would know each other (the consummation).  This was then followed by a marriage feast.

The Church is already betrothed to Christ!  Our heavenly Father already paid the bride price for us.  He paid the penalty of our sin and redeemed us from eternal condemnation.  The bride price was Himself; He gave His Only Begotten Son to die for my sin and your sin.  This is the highest demonstration of His love.  There is no argument as to the love of God.  That love is complete and enough; reaching out to us from one generation to another!

Prior to Christ departing through His death, resurrection and ascension, He left his disciples with a promise that when He goes, He shall prepare a place for them.  Christ is preparing a chamber for His bride.  He awaits the Father to instructs Him to come for His bride.  He has sent out the shout to alert the Church that He is about to come.  His prayer is that you and I will be found ready.

John 14:1 states, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that 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.

This is the eternal hope to which we have been called.  The Groom is coming for us!  He will take me with Him that I may be with Him, to intimately know Him and become one with Him.  John reminds us that though we do not know what we will be when Christ appears, we assuredly know that we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2).  Our mortal bodies will be transformed to immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53), never again to struggle with the lusts of our eyes, the lusts of our flesh and the pride of life- this is the ritual cleansing of the bride.  We shall be clothed in fine linen, bright and clear (Revelation 19:8)!

We shall dine with the Groom at the marriage feast for seven years (Revelation 4-6), as those who remain behind after the rapture go through the great tribulation (Revelation 7-19).  No one who does not have the wedding clothes will be allowed at the wedding banquet of the Lord (Matthew 22:1-14).  Only those whose robes are spotless.  It will be unspeakable joy and divine rest for those who will be at the wedding banquet.  The invitation to the wedding banquet is to many, but only some will make it to be there with the Groom.

Reflecting on the parable of the ten virgins, we realize that they all had some things in common.  Each of them had a lamp; they were all expecting the groom to come, thus they went out to meet him; and since the bride groom took a long time to arrive they all became drowsy and slept.  The lamp is a representation of the salvation that we have received in Christ Jesus.  Jesus, the Word of God dwelling in our hearts is a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths (Psalms 119:105).

Salvation is instant, it is progressive and it is eternal.  The ten virgins had committed to follow Christ.  They were His.  I thank God that I made a commitment to follow Christ as a young girl.  This is the starting point of us preparing for eternity.  However, the journey of faith does not end at that initial commitment to follow Christ.  We must work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).  We must must take up our crosses daily and follow Christ (Matthew 16:24).  We must live and walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16).

The Church faces the danger of spiritual slumber at the time of the coming of Christ.  We must rise above our feelings, moods, ambitions, comforts and operate at a higher level of obedience to the Spirit.  This requires that we pomel our bodies and make them our slaves (1 Corinthians 9:27). 

Mark 13:35 states, "Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning."

The Laodicean church (Revelation 3:14-21) is a representation of the church of this age: materially wealthy; learned and advanced in many fields of knowledge, including medicine; highly influenced by the world; ruled by the people rather than God; lukewarm; and exposed to attacks/ vulnerable.  The comforts of today's church lure us to slumber.  Our intellect and self-reliance deceive us that we are secure, thus our alertness wanes.  Consequently, we lack the passion for God.  We are prone to religious drowsiness and destructive self-centerdness.

The five foolish virgins lacked oil and this constituted not being ready at the coming of the groom.  The lack of oil led to them being shut out of the wedding banquet.  The oil is a representation of the Holy Spirit.  I thank God for those who have accepted Christ as their Saviour and Lord.  I urge you by the grace of God, surrender your lives to the working of the Spirit for sanctification.   Be filled with the Holy Spirit!

Ephesians 517-20 states, "Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.  Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Secondly, Jesus uses the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 to exhort the church to be faithful and wise stewards, till He returns.  The master in the parable was going on a journey and thus entrusted his property to his servants.  To one servant he gave five talents; to another he gave two talents; while to another he gave one talent.  The servant who received five talents worked them and bore five more.  The one who received two talents worked them and received two more.  The one who received one talent dug a hole and hid it in the ground.

The master is said to have taken a long time before returning.  Just like at the time of Noah when it took one hundred and twenty years (120) before the floods actually came as forewarned by God's servant; and just like in the parable of the ten virgins where the groom was a long time gone; so it is in this parable.  Waiting requires faithfulness (patient endurance) and wisdom (disciplined focus).  You and I must not loose sight on the gifts/ abilities God has entrusted to us for completion of His work.

When the master returned, he settled accounts with his servants.  Friends, a day is coming when we will give an account of what was entrusted to us.  The quality of our work will be tested and will be shown for what it is (1 Corinthians 12-15).  Your work done here on earth might have attracted men's accolades and made you popular.  Notwithstanding, before our master, our work will be subjected to a superior test: the Spirit's fire and the light of God's Word.  The person whose work survives the test will receive a reward.

How prepared are you for eternity?  We all desire and trust to live a long life.  As uncomfortable as this may sound, the reality of life is that some believers will be called home much earlier than others.  When God calls me home, whether earlier or later than expected, will I be ready?  What treasures will I have stored in heaven for eternity?  What works will follow me when I rest?

Revelation 14:13 states, "Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”  “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

The believers who were faithful and wise to undertake the work committed to them in their Father's Kingdom will be rewarded.  Matthew 24:47 states that God will reward such believers to be in charge of all his possession.  Both the servant who receives five talents and the one who receives two talents receive the same commendation.  Our performance rating as we stand before the Lord will not be against other people's performance, but rather against our God-given ability.

What has been entrusted to you? Focus on doing it faithfully and in wisdom. 

Believers must be deliberate in keeping the focus.  Paul in Philippians 3:12-14 says, "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ... Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."  In spite of the many distractions and reasons for discouragement, keep pressing on to run the race and win the prize.  Keep your eyes on Jesus!  

Those who will be ready at the coming of Christ will enjoy the wedding banquet of the Lord (Matthew 25:10).  Those who will have been faithful and wise stewards of what has been entrusted to them will be told, "Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master's happiness!" (Matthew 25:21,23).  The raptured saints, having enjoyed the wedding banquet and shared in their Father's happiness, will return to reign with Christ for one thousand years. 

Revelation 20:6 states, "Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years."

I pray to see you there at the wedding banquet of the Lamb.  The Groom's shout is out!  Behold He is coming for His Bride!

Keep Watch; Be Ready- Part I

One of the childhood occurrences that I vividly remember to date is one sunny afternoon when as a first grade kid, I came from school at about 1300 hours and as routine would have it, I took my lunch and slept.   After enjoying a soundly deep nap, I woke up in fright from a bad dream.  The dream seemed very real and so in confusion I responded to its illusion.

In my dream, all my siblings had gone to school and had left me behind sleeping.  School for me was synonymous with playing and that explains why the thought of being left at home on a school day was overly devastating.  At school, I was a team leader of a game called "circular" and the fun that came with it made school the best place in the world.  Not realizing that it was merely a dream, I jumped out of bed in haste, frantically wore my shoes and sprinted out of the house (never mind that I had not won my school uniform and did not pick my school bag).

I believe it was by divine arrangement that my dad who worked about 8 minutes walk away, thought of checking on me just about that time when I was running out of the house.  He literally stopped me on my tracks about three minutes away from home.  I didn't relent easily; it took some convincing before I came around to realize that I had already had my share of school for the day.

Whenever I think of this experience, I relate it to the rapture account in Matthew 24:36-51 which states that no one knows the day nor the hour of the coming of Christ.  Two men will be in the field, one will be taken and one will be left.  Two women will be grinding with a hand mill, one will be taken and one will be left. Unlike my experience, the rapture will not be a bad dream.  Not at all.  It will be an irreversible occurrence with eternal implications.

Just like the days of Noah (Genesis 6), so will be the times at the coming of Christ.  Jon Courson in his exposition of Genesis 6 elaborates on the characteristics of that time: population explosion; gross immorality; violence; and minds corrupted with evil thoughts.  All these signs are evidently present in the times that we live in!

Matthew 24 is basically a message to the disciples of Jesus.  This means that the message in this chapter is for the church.  In verse 1-2, Jesus prepared His disciples for his crucifixion, death and resurrection.  In verse 3, it actually dawned on the disciples that Jesus was physically departing from them through death on the cross.  This prompted them to reflect on the promise of Christ's return.  Thus in that verse, the disciples asked Jesus, "When will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of age?" 

Although contentious amongst believers, I strongly believe on account of God's Word that the Church will be taken (raptured) first and saved from the hour of trial; the great tribulation of 7 years.  Revelation 3:10 states, "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth."  The disciples of Christ who have kept the commands of God and endured patiently, at the coming of the Messiah, will be caught up with Him in the air!

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 states, "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."

Christ took time to explain to us what it will be like both at the time of His coming for the Bride (Matthew 24:36-44) as well as the end of age- judgement of the nations (Matthew 24:4-35; see also Revelation 6, 7, 20).  Perhaps the following illustration will better help us understanding the unfolding of the end-time events as taught in scripture:

I totally agree with Jon Courson's statement that though we may not know the day and the hour of Christ's coming, we should know the times and the seasons.  Just like the Sons of Issachar, we ought to be men who understand the times and also live in the wisdom of knowing what we ought to do at the proper time (I Chronicles 12:32). 

The responsibility of the Church in this age is to keep watch and be ready! (Matthew 24:42,44)

Effective watching requires right positioning.  In the case of soldiers watching, some would position themselves at a vantage point while others may choose to take cover in bunkers depending on the situation.  A believer is rightly positioned when they are walking in righteousness.  Actually, the word righteousness means "right standing with God".  A believer soiled in sin cannot effectively  engage in watching.  Ephesians 2:6 states that we are seated in and in Christ in the heavenly realms.  When believers live in righteousness, they rule and reign with Christ in the heavenly realms.

Effective watching requires eyes that see and ears that hear.  As we watch, we look out for the enemy and his schemes/ traps; we look at unfolding events in light of the word of God; we listen in to hear God and deliver His Word (rhema) to humanity; and we listen in to the voice of the commander-in-chief, Jesus Christ, directing us in the battle ground.  Such watching, requires alertness.  It requires that a believer's mind be set on things eternal and not on temporal things (Colossians 3:2).  It requires a sober mind with a clear conscience.

Effective watching literally demands that we leave our comfort zone and familiar grounds.  It requires patient endurance.  It requires discipline.  It requires hearts committed to their Lord's cause, even when the flesh is weak and failing.

Believers are required to watch so that they may sound a warning regarding what they see (Ezekiel 33:1-7).  They are to blow the trumpet; they are to speak God's rhema word.  Believers are God's mouth piece urging people to repent; reconciling men to God; and offering prophetic direction.  God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked and will hold us accountable for the blood of all whom we fail to warn (Ezekiel 33:8-11).  Believers are appointed watchmen to travail in prayer, reminding God day and night of His promises, on behalf of their families, cities and nation until the purposes of God are established.

In readying ourselves for the Groom, every human being must first be reconciled to God by acknowledging his/her sinful state and their need for a Saviour; repenting and welcoming Christ into their hearts to be Lord over all aspects of their lives.  This seems basic, but is not obvious in this era where mere Christian rituals are mistakenly taken to be the same as a man's reconciled relationship with God.

It frightens me that many people have associated themselves with the Christian faith merely by reason of their names, family backgrounds and christian practices such as attending church.  However, their hearts are not reconciled to God in Christ Jesus; they have not come to the point of true repentance- asking for forgiveness of sins, turning away from sinful living and allowing Christ to be Lord of their lives.

It is only in Christ that we become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Have you made that conscious decision to surrender to and follow Christ?  Is your name written in the Lamb's book of life (Revelation 3:5; 17:8; 21:27)?  The inhabitants of the earth whose names will not be written in the book of life will remain when Christ takes away the Church.  Those whose names will not be present in the book of life will have to endure the great tribulation, and will perhaps have to defend their faith by their own blood (Revelation 7:9-17).

The irony of Jesus' ministry is that he was utterly distressed by the religious more than the 'sinners'.  Often, we see Jesus rebuking the Pharisees and the Sadducees and yet I can hardly find an incident in the Bible where Jesus rebuked the tax collectors, the prostitutes and the Roman soldiers.  One of the greatest undoing of the religious people during Jesus' time was hypocrisy.  This hindered brokenness, and consequently true conversion.  Yet to all who truly confessed their sins- the tax collectors, the Roman soldiers and the prostitutes included- were baptised (Matthew 3:6).

Preceding Jesus' ministry was John the Baptist who had begun preaching the message of repentance in the wilderness, to prepare the way of the Lord.  John blatantly expressed his discontent when the religious people came to him for baptism.  Perhaps the religious people came to him because it was the socially correct thing to do.  They might have perceived it as spiritually fashionable or an attainment of religious status.  They were pursuing the action and yet their hearts were far from God.  The radical prophet would have none of this.   

"... You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."  Matthew 3:7-8  

Christ warning his disciples in Matthew 16:6 stated, "Be careful.  Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."  The same warning is resounding to the church today!  A believer's outward expression of faith ought to be a reflection of inward transformation.  You and I must allow the Spirit of God to work on our inner man for sanctification.  This takes humility and obedience.   Christ is coming for a bride that is holy and blameless, whose garments are without spot or blemish.

You and I must be prepared for the groom! We must guard our hearts against worldliness, for to love the world is to be an enemy of God (James 4:4).  The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1John 2:15-17) comprise worldliness.

According to Galatians 5, it is for freedom from the slavery of sin that Christ set us free.  We must take caution lest we fall back to the yoke of slavery.  The desires/ lusts of the flesh include sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.  These lusts relate to physical pleasure from sinful activity.  The devil knowing that Jesus was hungry after his fourty-day fast, tempted Jesus to turn stone to bread for the sake of physical gratification.  Jesus countered this temptation with the word of God.

The lust of the eyes concerns desire to have things that are not ours or to look upon things that we should not look upon.  Today's Church is divided and it struggles to forge forward in unity because of the sin of covetousness and strife.  We covet other peoples' spiritual gifts and ministries; we covet their material blessings; and we live in strife with fellow brothers and sisters.  The devil showed Jesus the kingdoms of the world and tempted the Messiah with earthly authority and splendor.  Jesus countered this temptation with the word of God.

Luke 21:34 states, "Be careful or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.  For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth.  Be always on the watch ...."

Pride is another element of worldliness and its temptation does not spare the believer nor the sinner.  Believers must watch out for pride because the enemy is roaring around looking for someone to devour.  Pride seeps in slowly and un-announced.  Even Jesus Christ was tempted on pride when Satan asked Him to throw Himself from the temple top and proof the word of God regarding protection.  I believe in the manifestation of the Spirit.  Signs, wonders and the miraculuous are our heritage as children of God.  Sadly though, God's grace manifest through spritual gifts in believer's lives have become their reason for pride.  How can we overcome pride?  Counter it with the word of God as Jesus did.

The word of God is primary in our inward transformation, even as we prepare for our Groom.  John 17:7 records that it is the Truth of God's Word that sanctifies believers.  It is tragic to note that many believers want transformation through many means other than reading, hearing, studying, meditating and memorizing the Word of God.  The Word of God is life, sharper than two edged sword; piercing to the division of the soul and the spirit; to the division of the bone and the marrow (Hebrews 4:12).  All believers need to as often as possible lay at God's theater table for the surgery and healing of their hearts and minds.  The Word of God is the sword that circumcises the foreskin of our hearts (Jeremiah 4:4), causing us to be delivered from sin's grip.

Through the Holy Spirit, God works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).  God reaches to the core of us and heals our wounds and delivers us from the bondage of sin.  By His grace, we are empowered to shake off every sin and every weight that hinders us from running the race of perseverance (Hebrews 12:2).

Christ's intent for believers/ the church is that they would endure to the end.  This is depicted in the message to the churches in Revelation 2 & 3.  Each church's message ends with a promise given to "him who overcomes ...."  It is great that believers have received Christ as their Lord and Saviour.  However, we must press on to run the race of faith set before us according to the rules (2 Timothy 2:5).  Cursed is the man who puts his/her hand on the plough and looks back (Luke 9:62).  Friends, we ought to endure patiently and to finish the race.

In spite of how difficult the race might get, our comfort is in knowing that we have overcome the world.

1 John 5:4-5- “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”

God desires that we watch and keep ready faithfully and in wisdom (Matthew 24:45-47).  These were important traits for the early church as they elected leaders.  Perhaps the words of Jesus in Matthew 24 were still so loud and clear to their ears.   For example, when the disciples were looking for Judas Ischariot's replacement, they looked for a man who had faithfully followed Christ during his earthly ministry.  Also, when the church decided to elect deacons, they looked for men full of the Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:3).  Stephen, one of the deacons is described as being "full of faith and power" (Acts 6:8).

The Groom's expectation is that His Bride will watch and ready Herself faithfully and wisely.

God desires that individually, we will be found ready, faithfully undertaking the work entrusted to us.  Doing God's work is not burdensome because it is a natural expression of our relationship with God.  Labouring for the Lord is done willingly because it emanates from the love of God poured upon our hearts (Romans 5:5).  Enduring patiently is made possible by reason of the eternal hope that we have in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:18).

God desires that we will gain a heart of wisdom, to number our days (Psalms 90:12); to utilize every opportunity in realization of the fact that the days we live in are evil (Ephesians 5:16); and to prioritize the work of God's Kingdom for the fields are ready and the harvest is ripe (John 4:35).  For abundant and enduring fruit, the Church needs to learn to join God in His work and abandon pursuit of its own agendas.  The latter are effort in futility.  Wisdom demands that the Church be where God is, to do what God requires, in the manner that God prescribes.

The following words of Christ are resounding now more than ever:

Revelation 16:15- Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.

 I pray that at the return of the Groom, you will be found watching and ready!  Amen.

The Lavish of Grace- Part 3

Spiritual gifts are God present in, with and through human thoughts, human deeds, human words and human love (Sam Storms).  Simply stated, Wayne Grudem defines  spiritual gifts as the manifestation of God's grace on the life of a believer.  He further elaborates that a handful of words are used in scripture for spiritual gifts but the primary word used is charismata (e.g. in 1 Corinthians 1-14).  The root word of charismata is "charis" which means grace.

The greek word "charitos" also means grace, favor, a gift or blessing, and kindness.  In some contexts in scripture, it is used to mean the divine capacity and ability given to do something (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon).  Some of the scriptures in which this term is used include:

• Romans 12:3,6 states, "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 faith God has distributed to each of you.  ...  We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith."
• Romans 15:15 states, "Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me."
• 1 Corinthians 3:10 states, "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it."
• Galatians 2:9 states, "James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised."
• Ephesians 3:2,7- "Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, ...  I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power."
• Romans 12:6a- “We have different gifts according to the grace given us.”

God's grace upon a believer gives him/her the capacity to do things which they would not naturally do.  This divine capacity is not to be confused with mere natural talents and abilities.  The grace of God given us will cause our natural abilities to be Spirit-powered for supernatural results and/or may divinely provide abilities to people who did not possess such abilities.

While at the university, I attended the Christian Union fellowship and I had the privilege of witnessing the divine nature and power of a unique spiritual gift, through a young man by the name of Jackson.  The young man, upon baptism of the Spirit, was gifted with divine ability to compose and recite, all in a matter of minutes, swahili poems (shairis).  The calibre of the shairis was that of a trained and experienced poet who has invested adequate time in composition and memorisation.  Since grace (divine enablement) was upon Jackson, God would drop a rhema word for the congregation in Jackson's spirit and he would spontaneously begin to recite the shairis.  This was not earned capacity, say through schooling, but divine capacity bestowed by the Holy Spirit for the strengthening of the body of Christ.

On the other hand, God can anoint natural abilities, and in that case, it is proper to call them spiritual gifts.  When God wanted the Tabernacle constructed during the time of Moses, He gave divine capacity to Bezalel.  Exodus 31:3 referring to Bezalel states, "... I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts."  Exodus 35:31-33 seems like a repetition but further elaborates that, "he [God] has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship."  Natural abilities when baptized in the Holy Spirit are made phenomenal in accomplishing the purposes of God.

Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and Ephesians 4:11-12 discuss various spiritual gifts.  They include, prophesy, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving to needs, leadership, mercy, wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in different kind of tongues, interpretation of tongues, apostleship, evangelism and pastoring.  Please note that the gifts cited in these scriptures are not exhaustive, thus more spiritual gifts are available to believers.

Also noteworthy is that spiritual gifts are not proof of spiritual maturity but are freely given in Jesus Christ through the Spirit, for the fulfilment of God's purposes: service to the body of Christ and effective witnessing to the world.  This means that a new believer may receive spiritual gifts but in their walk with God, they will also need to go through the sanctification process where their inner man will be transformed to bear fruit of the Spirit.  In this regard, John Piper remarked, "spiritual gifts are not for our oohs and aahs, ..., they are a means to extend love and God's grace to others."

Apostle Paul urged us not to be ignorant about spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1).  There are many believers who have lived lives that manifest the gifts of the Spirit, and in so doing they have fulfilled the purposes of God.  The Apostles in the book of Acts are a great example of how the church was strengthened and the kingdom of God advanced as they ministered by gifts of the Spirit- healings, faith, wisdom, knowledge, discerning of spirits, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy, miracles, signs and wonders, among others.

On the contrary, there are many believers today who are serving God and yet are ignorant of spiritual gifts and their importance in fulfilling the missio dei.  God has empowered us to fulfill His mission by gifting us with various graces through the Holy Spirit.  It is sad to note that many believers continue to serve without desiring and asking for spiritual gifts.  Consider brother Lawrence who lived during the 20th century Azusa Street revival and who full of the Spirit and power made his work station as a dish washer in a hotel, a place where his colleagues could find salvation, healing and deliverance.  May God help us to realise the invaluable place of spiritual gifts in the life of a believer.  These gifts are not merely for ministering in church gatherings but are also for ministry whenever and wherever God sends us in His mission.

It is unfortunate to note that in the 21st Century church, when believers operate in the gifts of the Spirit, that is deemed to be out of the norm.  On the contrary, Jesus intended that the church should operate in the gifts of the Spirit as they live lives focused on fulfilling the Great Commission.  Sadly, Spritual gifts have been abused in the church.  Many have used the gifts to draw men to themselves for selfish gain yet God's intent was that men would be drawn to Christ as we witness for Him in spiritual power and authority.  John Piper states that 'gifts are given to be given."

The decline of ministering by spiritual gifts ought to perturb believers.  Notwithstanding the abuse of the gifts, believers ought to desire spiritual gifts if they really are desirous of fulfilling the mandate of God upon their lives.  When is the last time you prayed for a spiritual gift?  What has been your attitude towards spiritual gifts?  What has hindered you from desiring spiritual gifts?  I pray that today, in faith, you will ask the Lord to fill you with a fresh desire for spiritual gifts.  James 4:2-3 states, "... You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

Ignorance amongst believers on spiritual gifts has contributed to the situation in which the church finds itself in, whereby very few believers operate in the gifts of the Spirit.  In some churches, such Spirit-powered believers are barely accommodated.  The irony is that while the church needs to be the place of refuge where the world finds God's healing, deliverance and inward transformation, there are hardly any teachings on spiritual gifts and manifestations of the spirit are viewed with much suspicion.  Since the world is need of God's power to meet their needs, in frustration and despair, they have turned to false teachers and prophets who use manipulative spirits in guise of the Spirit's power.

I charge you in the Name of Jesus to take time to study God's Word on the subject of the Holy Spirit and Spiritual gifts.  I pray that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened so that you may know the glorious inheritance in the saints and his incomparably great power for us who believe (Ephesians 1:18-19).  As you study God's Word prayerfully, God will reveal His Word to you and instruct you on this matters, for He has given us His Spirit so that we may understand what He has freely given to us (1 Cor 2:12-13).

While a significant number of believers may be ignorant about spiritual gifts, more alarming is the fact that many believers do not desire these gifts.  John Piper says, "I really believe that the problem of not knowing our spiritual gifts is not a basic problem. More basic is the problem of not desiring very much to strengthen other people’s faith."  The venom of self-reliance has infiltrated the church corrupting it to believe that its natural abilites are adequate to fulfill the divine mandate placed upon it.  The uneducated apostles such as Peter and John, as well as the learned ones like Luke and Paul, all needed the Spirit's power to accomplish the Great Commission.  Every believer ought to wait upon the Lord for the baptism of the Spirit and also desire to be endowed with spiritual gifts, for service in the purposes of God.  This is the blue print of service for the church; it is not an option amongst alternatives.

John 6:63 states that whatever proceeds from the flesh is of no avail but whatever proceeds from the Spirit is life.  Thank God for state of the art instruments and highly accomplished worship leaders.  Thank God for intellectually endowed deacons board and highly ranked corporate leaders constituting the leadership of our church departments.  However, nothing can take the invaluable place of the Spirit as far as the Great Commisssion is concerned.  Believers must continually remain in that place of dependence on the Holy Spirit in all dimensions of their lives.  This is so vital, that Billy Graham made a prayer that God would strike him dead if he dared go up the pulpit on any day without recognising His dependance on the Spirit.

I minister in the gift of teaching God's Word because I received the grace to do so.  I had the natural ability to teach since I was a young girl in nursery school.  I remember putting across a proposal to my mum to be allowed to tutor a young boy in my class who lived close to our home, and who had learning challenges.  Thankfully my mum granted the permission, and at that tender age of 5 years, I began to exercise my ability to teach.  However, no matter how outstanding that natural gift may be, it is inadequate to accomplish the purposes of God.  This natural gift must be anointed to make eternal impact for the Kingdom of God.

I might have been a talented teacher since childhood but I was also timid before crowds and of a sluggish tongue.  I enjoyed teaching one-on-one but never before crowds.  However, when the Spirit of God came upon me to teach God's Word, I was empowered to be an effective witness of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8) and I began to minister in the grace of teaching.  In those early days before I learnt to trust God to use me to teach His Word before a large audience, He literally had to corner me for me to oblige to His will, and so I could severally find my self in situations where I was required to share God's Word with no prior preparation.  God was patient with me and I am forever grateful for this.  Notwithstanding my weaknesses and my unpreparedness in those circumstances, the Spirit had taken over a timid, sluggish-tongued, conservative girl and empowered her for God's purposes.

Fear is another enemy of believers operating in the gifts of the Spirit.  What will people think? What if I make a mistake? What if I heard wrong and it is my own feeling rather than the prompting of God?  These question have often crossed my mind and underlying the questions has been varied fears, including the fear of people, the fear of making a mistake, the fear of being judged wrongly, among others.  Not once or twice, but numerable times, I have allowed this fear to cripple me and in so doing, I have disobeyed the promptings of the Spirit.  Please note that inaction to the Spirit's promptings is disobedience.  The antidote of the fear is God's Word.  2 Timothy 1:6-7 states, "... I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For God did not give us a Spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

Paul urges believers to fan their gifts.  Fanning entails doing.  Some believers want to read about many spiritual matters but they do not want to exercise what they have learnt.  Learning how to drive a car in the classroom is the easiest part of the lesson.  The true test comes when we practically have to drive the car.  I charge you by the grace of God to move out of your comfort zone and begin to avail yourself to be used of God.  For example, lay hands on the sick whenever there is an opportunity to do so; step out in courage and share that word that has been laid in your heart regarding somebody/a situation; pray in tongues when you feel a burden laid in your heart that you cannot explain etc.  Secondly, our love for God compels us to minister to others, whether we are comfortable about it or not.  The love of God will cast out the fears that hinder us from accomplishing the purposes of God.  1 John 4:18 states that perfect love casts out fear.

Another hinderance to believers ministering by spiritual gifts is, treating casually or with contempt the gifts of God.  Rarely are we able to use what we do not value.  It saddens God that He has presented spritual gifts to each believer, and yet few pay attention to those gifts to unwrap them.  Many things, including pursuits for material wealth and career success, have occupied our hearts and this has corrupted our attitudes towards varied spiritual matters.  Irrespective of the times we live in, Paul instructs us not to neglect the gifts given us (1 Timothy 4:14).  If you have neglected certain gifts in your life, repent and ask the Lord to help you to obey Him in using the gifts as the Spirit of God guides.

In being used of God humility is a mandatory virtue.  We must never allow pride to seep into our minds and turn our hearts away from God.  A believer who manifests the gifts of healing for example, is not used as such because they are more spiritual than others.  A gift is given and not earned.  There is nothing that you have done or will ever do that will make you earn a spiritual gift.  It is a work of grace, and has nothing to do with our "credentials and qualifications".  We must learn from Jesus Christ, who though God, did not consider equality with God.  Instead, He chose to consider himself as nothing; he humbled himself and became obedient to death which was the will of God for Him (Philippians 2:5-8).  I pray that you will become nothing, that Jesus may be everything in your life.  I pray that you will decrease that Jesus may increase in you (John 3:30).

There is much to say and learn about spiritual gifts, but I pray that we will begin to exercise the fundamentals: desire spiritual gifts; fan spiritual gifts; move out of our comfort zones and obey the Spirit's guidance irrespective of our feelings; grow in our ministries as we advance the Kingdom of God wherever and whenever God leads us; and maintain the attitude of Christ, humility, even as God confirms His Word preached through us in signs and wonders.