PRAYER

Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the  Lord , the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by My word."  

Wow! What a man! Elijah went down to the king's palace and decreed famine in Israel and it was so.... But in reading up on that story, you'll realize that it is not where it started.. In the New Testament, in one of my favorite scriptures, James, inspired by the Holy Spirit, shows us how Elijah could have this kind of results...


Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly(fervently in Prayer) that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. James 5:17 NKJV


We've heard a lot about prayer... And for want of time, I will not go in depth into the teaching of prayer. Right now, I just want to stir us to take action on what we already know... It's time to get into our prayer closet guys.... Jesus, and afterwards His Apostles, emphasized and lived a life of prayer... They were able to get the results they got because they were in constant communication with the Father.... Prayer is the lubricant of Christian life...By yielding to the Holy Spirit in the place of prayer, you can work possibilities on the earth that many never knew existed... Pray everyday.. Pray unceasingly.. It will not only change your life, It will save it..


Many times, the enemy has made attempts on my life, sometimes by bizarre incidents like when the fan in my room which was at top speed suddenly pulled out of the ceiling and fell next to me as i lay on my bed, or by direct attacks of demon spirits that I could see... In both occasions, amidst many others..... In those times, it was prayer offered up in faith before or during the events that saved me...


Prayer is also a way to show and build up our faith.... One translator goes on to say that He that prays in an unknown tongue (Praying in the Spirit) enhances his spiritual progress... And make no mistake about it, Progress in the physical is merely a demonstration of what has occurred in the Spirit realm.... The physical realm reacts to events in the spiritual...It is in the spiritual that everything is decided, the physical just plays it out...A life of prayer is a life of humility before God... It's basically you saying that you know you can't handle your affairs on your own...and that you need God's help... If that's the case, Prayerlessness depicts the exact opposite.... A life of consistent apathy to prayer is a life of pride, a pattern that says you are supremely competent in handling your affairs and you don't need any help from God...


And yes, if you have the time and capacity  to worry,  you have the time and capacity to pray.. In mark 10:23-24, Jesus would highlight that the way we get our desires granted by the Father is to first get into prayer.... Years later, Paul would reiterate that when he said "Be not anxious for nothing, but in everything, with Prayer, Supplication and thanksgiving, make your requests known into God"  Substitute sorry for prayer and see the difference that makes.


We are the generation of people who will unveil unknown dimensions in God to the world...but we'll never do it if we never stay in study and meditation of the Word and Prayer... In the New Testament, anytime something of note happens, it first happened in prayer.... The outpouring of the Spirit in the Upper room, the first miracle at the beautiful gate, the escape of Peter from Prison, the sending of Ananias to Paul, Jesus walking on the sea, the first conversion of a gentile, and many more.... Countless possibilities were unveiled because people dared to pray.... 


It's not always pleasing to the flesh, but if you'll maintain a consistent prayer life, you'll see your life change before your eyes.. And that change will affect everything and everyone around you...and the world at large.... That's what happened to Jesus, the Apostles and God's Genesis that we read about....That's what God wants to happen to you too..


Thank you for coming to my TED Talk...

SPIRITUAL BOREDOM

When people hear Boredom, scenarios such as this come to mind;  "Oh!, I've been home all day.  No light (thanks to Nepa),  so there is nothing interesting to do.  I'M BORED"

Here is the thing,  most people equate boredom with having nothing to do,  we think it is synonymous to idleness and probably relaxation.  But it is not.
Boredom is not the absence of anything happening outside,  it's more about what's going on inside of us.
When you are bored,  there is actually something happening or in the picture,  you are not just deriving pleasure,  gassed about it or enjoying it.  That feeling of excitement has been lost.  We'd rather be doing something else than it.

SPIRITUAL BOREDOM is a much more dangerous problem most people don't pay attention to.  I myself have been there but I didn't understand it fully.

"Been praying for 5 hours daily, used to be so excited about coming to talk to God but now the excitement is gone. I still love God but I'm not just hyped to pray,  worship or study the word"
 We are not in the mood today,  so we shift till tomorrow.  Missing 2 days is really not a big deal.  Before you know it,  it's 2 months.  Not praying has become a habit,  now when you genuinely decide to push yourself to pray,  it is harder cos your body adjusted to the new routine.

SPIRITUAL BOREDOM often means a feeling of void,  emptiness,  frustration and dissatisfaction in the state of our relationship with God.  There is really nothing catchy holding down our attention.  At this stage,  we are stuck spiritually.

Boredom is very annoying and overwhelming,  it can get you irritated most times.  It drags us down,  keeps us from moving forward,  we are not functioning properly spiritually,  no interest in almost everything.

When we hit this rock,  it happens that we have lost our sense of wonder,  nothing at this point intrigues us as it used to anymore.


CAUSES OF SPIRITUAL BOREDOM

- Deferred Hope/Unanswered Prayers

 Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.
Proverbs 13:12 MSG

There are times when we've prayed and prayed over a particular thing,  we've hoped and hoped till there is no will to hope again.  We pray for others and it happens but nothing is happening for us.  We know God still loves us but things are not just going well. Everything is just Bland!

Praying has become tiring,  sometimes we can't even open our mouths or we start and just doze off.  Worship has now (almost) become empty lyrics being poured out in melody.
 Deferred hope/unanswered prayers can really frustrate us as humans and in turn lead to spiritual boredom if not handled carefully.

Waiting on God can be so tiring especially when while asking us to wait,  He is still using us to answer other people's prayers.
Even the Israelites upon all the miracles that happened with them,  they couldn't wait for Moses to come down from the mountain.

Are you in this place?
You are tired of waiting,  you just want things to work out.  You just want that job to click.  You just want that sickness to to go away.
You are tired of everything around you.
You are actually not sinning or doing anything wrong but everything wrong has decided to come up for you.

I know you are tired of waiting,  but I need you to hold on,  for this is where depth and maturity takes root.

The period where we have to wait for the seed to grow outwardly is where it is actually growing inwardly.

- Not Applying what the Bible teaches

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
James 1:22 KJV

If all you've ever done as a Christian is listen,  listen,  hear,  hear and hear,  it gets to a point where you've overheard the word and you are just tired of hearing it.
The word of God at this point becomes ordinary sermon to you.
Your heart is not looking forward to grabbing something new.

The problem is not the preacher or the way he teaches the word,  neither is it the word,  that it is now boring.   The problem is actually you.

I took some courses in school that I had no interest in,  I just go sit to mark attendance and listen just enough to pass the exam.  Those lectures are ALWAYS  boring to me.  This is because I never tried to apply them outside the class for my own personal use.
My only interest was to lists.

If as a Christian,  your only interest is listening and not acting,  you will get tired.  The enthusiasm will wear off.

- A rigid relationship

A lot of us have created routines in our walk with God.  This Is actually a very good thing as it helps us not to lose focus but there is a problem when we get too comfortable in our routine with God.

We've reached that point where Sunday Service is nothing more than routine.
"Why are you going to church?"
"Oh!,  today is Sunday na"

Our walk with God has slowly shifted to just duty and obligation.
We are no more satisfied by our daily/weekly outlines to get through the week with God.

You are tired of it.
It's now boring doing this over and over again
Here is the thing,  our hearts were designed for passion.
Anything you have passion for usually automatically becomes interesting.

There is that longing and desire in us that needs to be fed as Christians and if it stays starved for long we get stuck.
We were designed for a relationship with God,  longing to experience His fullness every minute.

If we stay without this desire for long, we go bland.

Where there is no true intimacy and fellowship,  it gets boring.
One party gets tired.

You can actually start with it and fall out along the line.
What you feed is what will grow.  What you starve will die.

There was a time I decided to stop fasting food.
Whenever I fast food or do any Marathon prayer (24 hours non stop,  or 3 days church program),  I come back fulfilled.
I feel like I don't need to pray anymore.
Somehow the zeal to pray just leaves me.

I noticed this after a while.

After having a good time with your spouse, do you pause on your relationship or intimacy?  No.

So I took a break from it for a while as I realized I was getting too overwhelmed with the experience.

Then I focused on my relationship with God and getting more intimate.

The next time I fasted,  I was prompted to.  And it was amazing.

God wants to have a relationship with us beyond "I fast every Monday"
"I pray at 12am every day"
"I study my Bible 6am daily"
"I start my prayers with Thanksgiving,  then end with praying for others"
"I pray for one hour daily"
All these things are not bad.
They are actually very good.
But God doesn't want us to limit our relationship with Him to just this.

Imagine seeing your spouse daily at the same restaurant for 15 min for years.  Same food.
Someday it will get boring.
One person will get tired.

God wants spontaneous.

Our hearts also want spontaneous.

The human mind somehow loves adventure and when we can't find it,  boredom sets in

Your boyfriend hits you up everyday and it is the usual Nigerian
"How are you,  have you eaten? "

It will be sweet at first but Sooner or later,  you will get tired.

- Change in seasons

Sometimes when we are tired or bored spiritually,  it is pointing towards a change in season.
Our system is tired of the usual and we are ready for the next level so we are not just satisfied with all we are doing.

We are restless.
Everything is not interesting
We get easily irritated
We want MORE
We are not satisfied anymore with the status quo.


If we pay attention clearly and focus more on God,  we might get to know seasons are actually changing for us.
Maybe a new career,  new location,  discovery of some spiritual gifts we never knew we had,  joining a new ministry,  finding purpose etc.

But all of these will be missed if we don't Channel the energy rightly.

Frustration and boredom sometimes can drive you to creativity.  You discover hidden talents

If you are getting restless as a Christian or not satisfied,  it might be time for a new direction or entry of another season
But first make sure you get directions from the Holy Spirit on this

How do we cure spiritual boredom?

What are the solutions to spiritual boredom?

- Focus on God's greatness and Holiness

When was the last time you shuddered and trembled at the thought of God's greatness and in the presence of His Holiness.  Some of us have never even experienced this.
Do we perfectly conceive His holiness?
Do you say "God you are so great" and your mind begins to wonder just how great,  you just end up in tears.
Like you stay in one position for minutes thinking "How Great".

Sometimes you might need to leave your house to get to this place if it's hard.  Gaze at the heavens,  look at the sky,  go to the oceans,  watch and see how these creations proclaim the greatness of God.
Just focus on the waves.
Sometimes,  encounters with creation gives us a wider view of the creator
Until we are able to see God as who He is,  our worship will remain mere words.
Just take a look at the waves of the ocean,  proclaiming the glory of God.
The birds in the air
The flowers blooming in the field.
Just pay close attention to the creation
With the Creator in mind

- Chew the word

We've said this time and time.  Meditate on the word.
Let it be what you wake up to.  Let it be the last thing on your mind before you go to bed.
See,  especially now that you are not married and having plenty kids.
When school fees is not knocking at your door with other responsibilities

If you don't know how to meditate now,  you might not be able to even when you are older.

Breathe the word of God.  Let your thoughts be centered round it
That you can just be in the office and the word pops up again and you start smiling sheepishly.
Let it not just be when word alive is sharing or your personal devotion time that you think about the word.

Let it be engraved on your palms,  on the walls of your heart.

- Forget about yourself and needs,  look towards helping others

When we are only about ourselves and what interests us,  we might get bored.  There is nothing new.
Try to do something for other people.  Try to make it not always about you.  Find ways to reach out to others and help them grow.

Don't think you are not qualified enough please.

When we help those in need,  we help God.  It could be words of Encouragement,  anything.

- You can get a prayer journal

Pen down all your prayers,  for yourself and other people.  Mark it when your prayers get answered.

When you get stuck due to deferred Hope,  just carry your journal and go through it.
In fact before you pray for anything difficult,  carry your journal and go through it.
It will stir you up
You know that the God who did this can do others. Nothing is difficult.
Just imagine if the Israelites were able to just reflect on what God had been doing for them before complaining each time.

The human mind is set to forget quickly especially when disappointment is continual.

Get a prayer journal,  so you never forget,
Not even one of His benefits

You might not need it till 30 years to come,  when you've gotten so comfortable that you've forgotten you once fasted and prayed to get to that point

- Take prayer walks

You've been trying to get back on track but you keep dozing off?
Try to take prayer walk sometimes.
Try something different with your prayers.
You could go to a secluded environment to pray (a park,  field)
You could do it while having your morning run or walk round the street at night

- Don't be rigid

Pray outside your set prayer time too.
Be ready to enjoy intimacy with God at any time.
Maybe it's lunch break at work or your way out.
You could just park somewhere in your car and worship.
Enjoy God

God loves spontaneous
Your human nature craves spontaneous too
So try spontaneous
Sometimes,  just gist with God during your prayers.
Like the way you gist with your friends.
Be adventurous in your relationship with God.

I thought about this today.  A friend of mine traveled to Croatia.
My mind,  I'm like one day I will be traveling the world with the love of my life
Then it dropped in me,  have I thought of traveling the world with God.
Not just to tour but to gaze upon His creation and worship Him?
Just me and Him moment in these places?
God would really love this
Our spiritual lives will really love this
 I've been trying to imagine what the experience will be like

Finally,

- Long for intimacy and Romance with God

These things were instilled in us in creation but we usually think it is for the opposite sex alone. Unleash it in your pursuit of God.
Let intimacy with God be your priority for the rest of your life.  Let it be top on your list.


Again, 
God is exciting,  very exciting.  He loves spontaneous and you are naturally wired to want spontaneous. So please,  try spontaneous.

God bless you!

TRIALS AND TEMPTATIONS

Personally, this topic resonates with me for it has summed up my 2018. We will be using James 1. The entire chapter is self explanatory. i was just going to pick verses but I realized that everything in the verse is important. After this teaching, I will advise that we all go back and read the entire chapter one by one.

What are trials and temptations?
Trials are challenges that come to us in our walk as Christians. Trails can also mean a test in preparation for something bigger. When football clubs want to sign amateur players, they first invite them for trials. New drugs also get to go through trails to prove that they are effective for the purpose for which they were created. If the drugs passes the trial, it blows. If not, it becomes another failed invention.

Temptations are things that are attractive but are not good for us, basically.

Trials are trainings in preparation for a new level. Without examinations, students wont move to a new level in school. As growing Christians, these examinations are important for us to move to new levels in our walk with Christ.

James 1:2- My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

The goal is to come out better and and learn patience, to also come out better in strength, capacity and knowledge. Periods of trails are periods of deep devotion. It is a time to invest more in our spiritual lives and see beyond the trial.

We must always see Jesus. It is important.

Note this: Temptations does not mean that you are careless or carnal, it shows that you are human.  Even the most anointed of men of God go through these things too


What to do in moments of trials and temptations.

1. Stay confident in the Lord. The unassailable belief that Jesus is at the center of it all! Let it be shown all over you that Jesus reigns. Even if you fell and people saw you, don't let them criticise you. It is between you and God ultimately. Just find a way to go back to God as a penitent child and pour out your heart. His arms are always open to welcome you.

I like Psalm 71 and it is a good chapter for this. My personal style is to have a conversation with God.

2. Keep pleasing God, remember when Jesus said if you love me, you will keep my commandments. Trials are also to teach you obedience, stay obedient. Work out your salvation deliberately.

3. Do not sin, avoid sinning. That thing when people push you to want to react or you are about to yield to temptation, do not fall for it. See Ephesians 4:26- 'Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.'

4. Affirm scriptures. Confess and declare scriptures you know and read new ones. Personally, I claim many scriptures at this point but there are some that God told me about myself personally. I affirm them and declare them true. One verse God gave me in 2014 is Isaiah 54:10. Another fav scripture is Romans 8: 28. Look at that fact! We know that all things, ALL things work together for good to them that love God(US), to them who are called according to his purpose.(US again)
Such Peace

I believe that these steps can help us overcome challenges, trials and take us to the next level.

5. Keep Bearing Fruits. Galatians 5:22-23 The fruit of the spirit:
1. Love (Love everyone)
2. Joy (Be joyful, radiate God's joy, joy unspeakable)
3. Peace (Be peaceful, follow peace with ALL men)
4. Longsuffering (This one, you have to be able to suffer long, endure hardship)
5. Gentleness (Be gentle)
6. Goodness (be good, just be good to people, no bargaining)
7. Faith (this is an entire teaching but EXERCISE faith and be faithful)
8. Meekness (Be meek and humble)
9. Temperance (Be temperate, moderation is important in all you do)
 I will add one, Bring forth fruits of repentance. Matthew 3:8

6. - Rejoice. Look at 1 Peter 4: 12-13. 13 says rejoice even in trials.
- Give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5: 18 says In EVERYTHING, Give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

7. Stay Positive. Romans 12:21 says Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Dont let enemies change you, show them love regardless. Don't let unbelievers ruin your relationship with the holy spirit.

Sample trials and temptations
 Illnesses, anger, lust, grief, ridicule, reproach, harassment, lack, disappointment, failure,  rejection,
death of loved ones

Conclusion
Trials teach obedience and patience, trials are meant to make us better as Christians. Trials help us reaffirm God's promises. When God rescues us from floods, we begin to believe more and become more assured. We become more mature.

One thing I learnt personally, the trials wont reduce as we grow. Rather, they become bigger and we learn new ways of surviving them. We grow in capacity.

DEALING WITH ANXIETY

Text: Philippians 4:6-7

Philippians  4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  4:7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (kjv)

For better understanding we will look at what Amplified version says concerning our text later.

So what is Anxiety?

Anxiety can be defined as an uneasy or distressing desire (for something).Or  A state of restlessness and agitation, often accompanied by a distressing sense of oppression or tightness in the stomach

Agitation! Restlessness!  Those are another words for Anxiety

Anxiety is one of the biggest destructive force facing Christianity today. Especially we the youth.

We are anxious to make it, make money and more of it.

Because of anxiousness, many people have lose where they are supposed to be career wise, marital wise or concerning God's purpose for their lives.

Anxiety sometimes can be a product of fear and fear is from pit of hell.

Fear of maybe am lagging behind, fear of meeting up with our peers or something..

Anxiety frustrates effort, if care is not taken, it can move us from the original plan of God for our lives.....

Luke 12:22 He continued this subject with his disciples. "Don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion.
Luke 12:23 There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body.

A real, genuine faith requires us to actually believe that God will provide for us.

When we take the focus off of us and what we can do, it makes trusting in God and what He can do much easier.

Anxiety is all about you and nothing about God let's note that pls

 That is why we are commanded to stop being anxious. God has a plan for every step of your life. Anxiety is only a stumbling block*and a hindrance to walking the path that God has set for you

So What Harms does Anxiety does to Believer?

1) Anxiety stops you from enjoying what you have as a believer. We have a lot! Like He has overcome the world for us but Anxiety will stop us from enjoying this

2) Anxiety Saps us of our strength and derail our faith.

3) Anxiety makes us overlook God promises.

4) Anxiety is not productive (Matthew 6:27)

And who of you by worrying can add one hour to [the length of] his life?
MATTHEW 6:27 AMP

So after all the anxiety and worrying can we even do anything about it? No! so Anxiety is not productive at all.

Lets run from that unproductivity! Amen?

 How can we Deal with Anxiety as a believer ?

1)  Choose to Rejoice no matter the circumstances you are facing.

And how can you rejoice over your circumstances 

a) study the word at all time, there is word for every situation. Find it, sit down with your Bible and study it! Its there for us...

b) praise and worship, not church own o. From your own closet 😀

c) Nourish your mind- read  inspiration and motivation books, they Nourish the soul too. Teachings and all.

Those little can and will make you rejoice at all times.

2) Secure your foundation in christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:4!  Rejoice, Rejoice... Joy actually brings a lot more than we can think of. Through rejoicing, you can see solutions to that problem, through rejoicing, your heart will be open to ideas, opportunities.. So secure your foundation in christ Jesus by rejoicing

3) Develop the discipline to say no to anxiety! You know that saying like Get thee behind me devil  that's how we should develop discipline over anxiety!

Anything that might want to make you get anxious, discipline your mind especially because it all starts from the mind Train your mind

Finally, Seek the face at all times, concerning what you set to do.
As we round off can someone help with proverb 3:5-6

Proverbs 3:5 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Proverbs 3:6 Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track.

4) Seek the face of God at all times concerning what you set to do

So Conclusively, Rely on God, Trust in the lord completely, let Him Guide you, Become intimate with Him in *whatever you do and Dont try to figure out anything on your own!  Rather make all your requests known to Him, He will Direct your path!

God's Path doesnt bring Anxiety Trust in His promises, The vision is yet for an appointed time, wait for it!

As we end this let's pray this prayer in our closet: Father every weariness that is causing anxiety in my heart, soul and body, deal with it lord and help me rejoice at all times (Amen)