WHEN FELLOWSHIP BECOMES A STRUGGLE

 So I will ask us, 

What does fellowship (with God) mean to you?

What are the major areas of application for believers?

Samson - Fellowship is being "fellows" with God - There is a relationship where you and God share  and discuss stuff, you know him as Father and he knows you as son/daughter. Fellowship with God is our identity as believers. We can't say we are believers if we don't know he who saved us. It involves every area of our lives

Ayodele - Fellowship, for me means time spent enjoying the presence of God and just worshipping. The overall totality of my relationship, defined by worship. Its like my own personal time with the Holy Spirit. Bonding time

Debola - Building a relationship with him. Talking to him

Sumi - For me Fellowship is spending quality time with God

If fellowship is communication, what are the areas of application

Samson - As I said, it should be applied in every area of our lives. Fellowship is not just when we go to church and praise is going on and we are happy. Fellowship with God is also during our lowest moments, decision time, when having dinner, when watching a match...it is the constant connection to the Father at every moment/stage of our lives

Sumi - In all areas. From directions and instructions in all areas. For example Work, choices etc

When Fellowship becomes a struggle

Application area: Prayer and Studying the word

How many of us have struggled with fellowship (in terms of this application areas) or are currently struggling? What is it like?

Samson - Thank God for daily sharing on Word alive and daily prayers. 😩 Sometimes before you know it, you never do personal bible study for 3 days

Ayodele - me! Sometimes I am just tired or lazy. Some other times, I am distracted by too many  things. Work can be overwhelming but I realised that in the midst of that 'busyness', I still find time for other recreational things.

Precious - I have. The struggle is real, there are times when I get carried away with work, Bible study and prayers become a struggle, sometimes when I need something and it's not fourth coming it becomes a struggle to pray, other times I'm just tired internally

Remi - Me too, I will answer. There are times the struggle is like every Eke market day 😭 Some times, I'm praying fire but struggling with studying.  Also, struggling for me is not the absence of these things o. It is the zeal and energy involved. Like I'm praying and studying but I know I'm not really praying and studying. Everything is just lifeless and forced somehow

Sumi - Me. Most times tiredness and sleep. And procrastination too

First, I will like us to know that You are not alone

That struggle to come to God, that period of prayerlessness, you can read all the novels in the world but the minute you open bible, you are tired.

You are not alone

When it comes to fellowship, here are the struggle areas I've found so far:

- Distractions

- Consistency

- Time management

- Lack of Zeal

- Feeling disconnected

- Sin and Guild

- Laziness 

- Hope Deferred 

Pearl - Sin and guilt is it for me, along side fear of failure, due to past failure. Like what's the point of starting again now, when I know I won't be consistent?

I'm sure every believer (including our pastors), have experienced one area of struggle or the other in their walk. You probably can relate to one of these things or even all. Maybe you are currently struggling with prayer or studying the word. Or even both

Please note that the word struggling is not just the absence. That's another thing the devil does. You still have your You Version streaks so yes you are on course. But deep down, you know that something is not balanced.

Struggling is not just the absence of fellowship. People can be in a marriage and struggle to make it work

Acknowledging where you are in your fellowship with God is a great starting place. You can't move forward without it. And no, it is nothing to be ashamed of.

For some of us, we are "prayer warriors" o. In fact, as we are finishing prayers like this, we are updating everybody on status with "Rhema"

In fact, it is the Rhema that pushes us to fellowship. We are trying to feed the world but deep down, we neva chop belleful (for the non Nigerians, this means we have not eaten to the full ourselves)

Prayer warrior but deep down, you know you are struggling

One thing the devil does so well is help you to believe a lie to massage your ego. As long as you have made yourself believe there is no problem, you will keep going down that line

The worst will be spiritual leaders or those with spiritual gifts. In seasons of prayerlessness and not studying the word, you will be surprised you can raise the dead.

The grave will still listen to you and tear open when you speak, so you pat yourself on the back that all is well but all is not well

And then you back this lack of fellowship up with work.

You try to substitute work with fellowship but they are not the same.

The time we spend with God should be way more than the time we spend ministering God to people.

Our first step is acknowledging that this is where we are. A lot of us are still doing hard guy with God

There is nobody that walks in love with God not marked by vulnerability. So first, acknowledge that there is something wrong

This helps me a lot 

I can tell you that since my prayer life peaked between 2016 and 2017, I'm not sure I've stayed struggling with fellowship for more than a week. I'm quick to spot that something is wrong. 

I do not think that I'm bigger than something being wrong

So immediately something is wrong, I see it and get back on track

I'm going to share a story

I'm sure I've shared it with you guys before but I will again

Dec 31st 2015, watch night service.

After the service, everyone had gone to the city centre to watch fireworks. I stayed behind with my pastor and church keyboardist and we started praying.

We prayed for about 2 hours that day and my pastor asked all 3 of us to commit to praying everyday at midnight for the next 6 months.

Almost 6 years after, I have not stopped

That same December, I had broken up with the person I was dating for no reason. Little did I know that God was calling me into something deeper and distractions had to be cut off. You know I said me and my pastor prayed for 3 hours the first night. As we left the church, all 3 of us set an alarm for 12 midnight.

So the next day, I had to continue alone.

I prayed, prayed and prayed. Prayed for like 10 hours, opened my eyes to check time and it was still 12:05am

So all that long prayer was just 5 minutes 😭😭😭 I wanted to die. It was easier to pray for hours with other people cos we can take from each other's fire. In fact, after we left church that day I remember getting home to continue praying and I stayed there for long.

I basically was fueled up from the group prayers

But as it remained only me, fuel finished and 5 minutes felt like 5 days

It was at that time I knew I was in for a ride

But I was also ready for the ride

Another sad part to this my story was that my tongues vocabulary was really low. Na just one sentence I sabi then. I'm not sure I had up to 8 syllables 😭

Tongues help a lot in prayers as they cover all the things our human minds cannot. But me I was limited at that time. So I had to make do with the language of man. Tough ride o but I rode still.

Day 2, same thing.

I was still struggling

I had roommates then, so it was also very distracting.

We are watching originals together and my alarm goes off (one thing I never did was choose any other thing over my prayer time).

I will stand up and go start prayer in my corner but I'm hearing someone shout "Klaus has killed him, eh God". I'm thanking God but I'm also longing to know who Klaus killed.

Or I'm praying and I open my eyes to somebody kissing their boyfriend in the room.

It got to a point, I wrote on a stick note "Remi you will die if you don't pray" and placed around me. Cos it looked like the devil was working hard to ensure I don't pray

5 minutes

5 minutes turned to 10 minutes, then 15 minutes.

And then 1 hour

Sometime in 2017, I found out I had prayed for over 5 hours on my own unplanned.

Like I had just stayed in fellowship, enjoying  God

I cried that day, cos I knew where I was coming from. 5 hours turned to 8 hours then 24 full hours, 2 days non stop....Without fuel from other people

How did I move from struggling to pray and study for 5 minutes to fellowshipping for hours? Yes, the 5 minutes included bible study, praise and worship and prayer 😂.

It was that bad for me

Intentionality

This was my number one step

I wanted God, I wasn't even sure of all the details. But I knew that I wanted Him so I took that step

You will have to be intentional with choosing Fellowship.

Life is busy

There is so much noise around us

So much dragging for your attention

You have to make that choice yourself

Be intentional with studying the word and praying.

If you can read this and you currently struggle with consistency in any of prayer and the word, immediately go to your alarm. Fix a time you know you are mostly free and can be alone. You can fix both together or fix them separately.

Let me tell you a truth, you won't survive by vibes.

You have to be intentional about being consistent and this is your first step

Pick a time and make it a date with God.

Pick it now

Don't procrastinate

Jesus had a habit of fellowship with God

A few days later, Jesus went out to a mountain to pray. He stayed there all night praying to God. Luke 6:12 ERV

After he said goodbye to them, he went up into the hills to pray. Mark 6:46 ERV

Word Alive daily prayers will not replace your own personal fellowship. The daily reading schedule can serve as your personal guide though but you must read on your own too even as you come online to check what others share.

My alarm was set for 12 midnight, I remember days when I'm watching movies with my roommates.

Before my alarm goes off, Martina is already telling me it's almost 12 o, you will not go and pray.

Sometimes I want to continue the movie with them but I had unknowingly built a habit that the people around me had also noticed

So I'd stand up and move to my bed. There were days I'd go into the toilet to pray if I was feeling too distracted 

There were days I'd go out in the snow and take a prayer walk. If you know me well, you will know how much I dislike twitter but not even a -15°C could stop me

I used to miss class cos of cold 🙈 but not prayers.

I went all out for it (and yes, I had the help of God. I was so mightily helped by God. Will explain this part next week). So yes, fix a time for your prayer and study. Can be same time and can be separately.

But pick a time you are sure you will be free and set that alarm now.

Name it as you would

If you find yourself struggle, remember that it is normal. 5 minutes was 5 days for me for a long time.

Let that be your motivation

For those of us scared to start over again. You've been here before and it feels like you keep coming back

Hmmmmm.

I will share a story again

Between 2009 and 2011, I was in an organisation called FECA (myself and Precious). At some point, we were praying 1am everyday. Note that there was no zoom then.

I had a torchlight phone in 2009. I set alarm for that time, stand up, read the bible and pray for 1 hour.

I didn't have YouTube to play music in the background. So it was just me and my paper back bible

Somehow, life happened and I stopped praying

I was still praying o

I was praying in the midst of brethren

I was doing those rush prayers (plus Jesus minus Satan every morning)

I was opening my bible when the church/fellowship opened bible

I was even praying alone too but vibes and when it entered my head or I wanted something from God

Between 2012 and 2015, I moved from this to struggling to pray for 5 minutes

It can happen to anybody. Be ready to start prying again tomorrow. If I stop praying today, I will start praying again tomorrow

If I notice that I stopped reading my bible today, I will start again tomorrow

I will share a secret with you I do not think of myself as one that cannot struggle with fellowship

Nobody is bigger than it. So when it happens, e don happen be that

Holy Spirit, where do we start from cos my strength has failed as usual. Carry me

It's really this simple

And I move on

The early days of starting back may be difficult but I don't send

I know I will get back fully on track

Don't beat yourself over it

Even the 3 closest people to Christ slept off when they were meant to pray. God did not beat them over it. Stop holding it over your head

That's also a tactic of the enemy to keep you from God. If you fail, you start again and again and again. If you find it difficult to start over yourself, get someone to kickstart you.

Join prayer groups and refill there

Speak with a friend to join you in your fixed prayer time for a short while till you are able to stand on your own

But that feeling that you will still fail again at it so no need to try again, please let it go.

If you don't have a study plan, you can start with the reading schedule for Word Alive.

Be faithful with it and you will see growth.

You will hear God speak to you.

The "biggest" Rhema I've gotten is while reading from the schedule.

And it's amazing cos it's just random, there is no topic in mind.

I'm reading the word, open mindedly through the lens of Jesus.

You can also check You Version for devotionals or church devotionals

Just make sure you start.

HEALING SERIES 7: DIVINE HEALING AND DIVINE HEALTH

Divine Healing and Divine Health

So open question. Is there a difference between both? Can someone help us with their understanding of both terms?

Ayodele: Divine healing- Supernatural healing for someone who is already sick. Divine Health- Being in perpetual good health divinely.

Chelsea: For me, the word divine already tells it's not from/by man, but from God. Divine healing would be the supernatural restoration process to having Divine health (good health of course)

Joshua: Devine healing is for the sick, while Divine health is a supernatural resistance of sickness, decreases or any infirmity.

Sumi: Divine healing for me is God , through someone or  something healing someone who ill and Divine health is being immune to sickness or any infirmity by God's supernatural power.

Jane: Divine Healing is a process, while divine health is a state of enjoying supernatural health.

Thank you so much everyone. Your answers are correct

One thing we've been focusing on is healing for ourselves and others, which is divine healing. Basically God taking away our sicknesses. But there is something greater and sweeter

It is called Divine Health

I really bless God for the gift of healing released to us. I have enjoyed it and so many even through me. But you see, I will actually prefer not to need healing in the first place.

Some Christians will tell you that it is not possible to have divine health until eternity. Because sickness is a result of sin (the fall) and until the Christ comes again, we will have to live with some of these things. So divine health as a concept for believers is wrong and misleading. You see this school of thought I just shared, I do not agree with it.

Israel had divine health for a whole generation. They had it in the worst possible place ever: The wilderness. That's like the easiest place to fall sick.

But no, what they received from God wasn't healing but divine health.

They were not falling sick. Between Egypt and the promised land, this covenant stood

And you know the most interesting part? The people that enjoyed this divine health were rebellious. So it wasn't that they did something to deserve this from God or they were good people.

They were sinful. They were not born again. They didn't have Christ

If a people like this could lay hold of divine health, then it is time for us in Christ to sit back and know exactly what is ours to take. 

I don't know if we've met Christians that tell you they can never be sick and they are never sick? Like they don't even take paracetamol or cold medicine. 

I met someone like that first during my ND days. So careless with his health. Can sleep anywhere with plenty mosquitoes. Can eat anything. Yet he knew he'd never fall sick. He'd say it with so much belief. This person was a Christian o but I thought myself a "better" Christian than him, yet it was me in the hospital every now and then. 

The secret is this, he aligned with God on His covenant for Divine Health. He simply believed that covenant and it became his reality.

While I was preparing for this sermon, I was wondering what life would have been like if me sef know. I knew this guy, I even used to talk about how he is so lucky and never falls sick but I didn't think I could have what he had. I was basically okay with getting healed for every time I'm sick

That too is a miracle from God. I didn't know there was something more

Something better than healing; DIVINE HEALTH

Beloved friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and that you continually enjoy good health, just as your soul is prospering. 3 John 1:2 TPT

Gaius was doing well spiritually but it was also important that he knew to enjoy good health. This will mean that a person can be spiritual yet not enjoy good health

For us to get repeated healing, it will mean that we have repeated sickness. God offers healing o but He offers even something bigger for those that can lay hold of it

God's best for you is Divine Health

You must serve the Lord your God. If you do this, I will bless you with plenty of bread and water. I will take away all sickness from you. Exodus 23:25 ERV

Divine health!

Christians may get sick, this is not a sin. God has also provided a solution to sickness which is healing. But there is a bigger solution, which is divine health. It is us having permanent healing.

God offers healing o and it is available for everyone. But like I said before, something more sweeter has been offered

It is Divine Health. It is a permanent fix to sickness.

From our reading in 1 Cor 15, we established that the second Adam came to undo whatever the 1st Adam did.

Man was made in the image of God and there is no sickness in the image of God. But man fell and lost a lot of these divine privileges because of sin.

Then Jesus came and He undid what Adam did.

If you believe that you have eternal life, then you should believe that divine health can be yours too

Before we started this series, I didn't know this also. Or rather I knew, but I didn't really accept it as mine deep down.

Until the period we were in Ibadan in April/May. At this point, I want us to include in our personal confessions our divine health status. We can't afford to keep moving from one pills to the other, one diagnosis to the other.

For how long?

How long do we live this way?

How long do we keep coming for healing?

Coming for healing will mean that we experience the discomfort of sickness first. How long do we keep believing God to take away that discomfort (of course He will answer) when we can actually believe Him to never be sick

And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. Isaiah 33:24 KJV

No one living in Zion will say I am sick. Not I was not healed. They wouldn't even get sick in the first place

I say this again, if Israel as stiff-necked as they were could enjoy divine health in the wilderness of all place. Those people sinned so much yet

How much more you and I?

If divine health is the will of God, why then do most Christians not have it?

Why are we looking for healing up and down every minute?

They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. Psalm 82:5‭-‬6 KJV

But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. Psalm 82:7 KJV

Look at.

I have said you are gods

Yet you know not

You do not understand your identity as God and because of this men walk on in darkness.

Ignorance is a huge problem. 

If they pick up snakes or drink any poison, they will not be hurt. They will lay their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” Mark 16:18 ERV

Is it not the believer Jesus was talking about here. You will drink poison and nothing will happen. Because you are not meant to be susceptible to sickness. I am not meant to be

You are gods!

We need to recognize our privilege as gods and live it

How then can we access Divine health?

1. Faith

You cannot rise higher than your faith. 

There is nothing we've received in this kingdom that was released to us outside of Faith. 

If you do not believe that God is willing to give you divine health, then you can't receive it.

2. The word

First, to know it.

You need to know what God has said concerning your health and believe it. When you know what God has said, you do not beg to be healthy.

It is our right.

Then we move to confessions

My son, pay attention to what I say. Listen closely to my words. Don’t let them out of your sight. Never stop thinking about them. These words are the secret of life and health to all who discover them. Proverbs 4:20‭-‬22 ERV

Look at. These words are the secret of life and health to all who discover.

Your health is hidden in the word.

Find it, know it and begin to Confess it.

Eat the word

Feed on it

Let it be your diet

3. Opposing the devil based on the words we have found

You see, the devil doesn't want you to live in good health so he will fight.

The devil always fights even when he is losing. 

I was speaking with someone (I think Ayo and Fola) on how hardworking the devil is. The devil works really hard and "smart". Read the smart as cunny

He will come to attack you because of this word that you have received.

He will try to test if the word has root

You will not let him.

You will stand on God's promises

He sends headache? Oh Devil! I live in divine health. Send him the new memo till he gets it.

So give yourselves to God. Stand against the devil, and he will run away from you. James 4:7 ERV

Stand against the devil! How? With the word!

One person I honour so much is Kenneth Hagin.

Bro Hagin taught so much on healing. Then what did the devil do? He sent a heart problem. This heart symptoms persisted for 6 months. And it's somehow you know, when you preach one thing to people and some even lay hold on it then the devil strikes you with that exact thing

It's like he is trying to use you to show off and make your God a laughing stock. 

If you are not careful, you may get to a stage where you don't believe or agree that your teaching was in error.

But in all I have read about Bro Hagin, I noticed something.

Every day these symptoms came, for 6 months he stood against it. He refused to accept this as his reality.

He believed Jesus had given him divine health so it was his. It didn't matter that the devil tried to use personal experience to override his privilege as son.

He stood against the devil until those symptoms turned back

The devil is persistent with his wickedness, you need to take a stand.

He stood and the symptoms left. Today, we will say Kenneth Hagin enjoyed divine health. His testimonies have brought life to many but we must not forget the part where he stood on the word of God even when the physical report said different

Divine health is also not just limited to physical health, it is total well being. All round wholeness

In your mental health, spiritual health, marriage, friendships etc

Isaiah 9, the message translation describes Jesus as the Prince of wholeness. That verse says There is no limit to the wholeness the Messiah brings

Question:

Wale: Can an unbeliever receive divine healing?

Answer:

Yes. An unbeliever can

The man at the gate, it wasn't recorded that he believed. Peter gave him what he had which was healing. So a believer can give from his healing stash to an unbeliever

HEALING SERIES 2: HEALING IS GOD'S WILL

He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. Psalms 107:20 NKJV

Glory.

He sent His word

His word revealed (Jesus) and this word healed us

This healing in turn meant deliverance from destructions for us

Again, the word is Jesus, who is the divine revelation of God. If you do not know Jesus, you cannot know/understand healing.

Don't get it wrong, an unbeliever can receive healing if prayed for but that unbeliever can permit sickness in their bodies cos they don't know Christ. The sickness will come back basically.

Even believers that lack this knowledge suffer same fate, which is why the bible says my people perish because they lack knowledge. Most times we are languishing in sickness because we do not know. We are yet to come to full understanding of God's will concerning sickness and diseases

And here is my belief: People need the word more than they need healing

The word enables us to not even give room to sickness in the first place. It opens us to certain truths about who we really are.

Should we fall sick, we speak to it immediately. We do not condone it at all. I had a revelation over the night and I was gisting those in Ibadan with me this morning. So lately, I've been having this pain in my legs. I stand most times when I'm praying (ministering) or kneel, then I'm usually stressed too. So I assumed this was a result of the stress and all

Usually after ministering for long, my leg gives way most times and I just want to rest. In my mind, this is my body telling me to rest more and take care of it. (PS. I'm a firm believer in resting our bodies so this message is not against it)

Since I started feeling this pain in my leg, in my head "it is not that serious", so I just ask someone around to help me massage my body. 

I've been asking everyone in Ibadan to help me massage my leg but they've been airing me 😂😂😂

Samson offered to help Saturday night but I somehow forgot and didn't meet him. So in the revelation, I saw myself asking for a massage again.

"Please help me massage my leg and my shoulders" And the Holy spirit came beside me and clapped 😂

He made a statement: Continue to pet this sickness o. Continue to pat in on the back. This was around 3am in the midnight

I stood up and I was like. "It is just body pain na, it's not that I'm sick"

And the Holy spirit helped me to realise this, that so many times we allow sickness with:

It's just headache

It's just menstrual pain

It's just body pain

It's just...

Most times the devil doesn't start afflicting believers with "big" sickness. He knows the body of Christ will rally round and speak over you. He knows you can send it out with your authority

So he starts with the little sickness, the ones we term as it's just.. He is banking on us allowing those little ones that will now generate into bigger problems. Because they've stayed too long in our body

So as we speak on healing, I want us to open our hearts and ears. We are not just talking of Cancer or those sickness with big and scary names. God's healing is valid for everything and I need us to take what is ours in this period.

It is God's will that you are healed

Even of that seemingly little headache that is getting consistent

Of that body pain

Of that menstrual period

Just name it

Emotional healing 

Physical healing 

Whatever it is, maybe it has name or not, big in your eyes or small. It is God's will that you are healed of it

Scripture says that the wholeness the Messiah brings has no limit.

I love it soooo much

No limit

No restrictions

It is complete wholeness

Your key to experiencing this is first believing it!

You know when you pray for a sick person for healing and in the middle you are putting "If it is your will God"

That's your unbelief jumping out, sometimes induced by ignorance.

Actually all times.

If you are saying "if it is your will God", then you really don't know God's will and you are not sure your prayer might be effective

It is always God's will to heal

So no need to say "If it is your will. God has said it is His will already so why are you still saying if if every time?

It is God's will!

When you use that if statement, what you are doing is destroying your words of healing. It's like somebody planting and at the same time uprooting immediately. You are rendering your words of healing useless basically.

When we say that it is God's will that all men be saved. It is God's will that our sins are washed away. Do we pray for people and say "If it is God's will to wash away your sins/save you"?

Fola: So this means it doesn’t apply to sickness only but other things 🤔🤔

Answer: No. Reason is God (through Christ Jesus) already established healing as His will. In fact, one of the things Jesus accomplished on the cross for us is healing. The only reason Jesus had to be beaten like a thief was for our healing.

So if we believe every other thing achieved in Calvary, we should not doubt healing.

Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was  wounded for our transgressions, He  was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:4‭-‬5 NKJV

He bore our griefs and sorrows. So probably you are in need of emotional or physical healing, the first thing Christ did was carry the weight of it. Everything (past, present, future). So if I'm carrying a heavy bucket of water and someone comes to carry it for me, what does it mean?

I'm relieved from that pain. Maybe temporarily until they decide they are tired.

Now, Jesus permanently lifted this load off us.

Emotional sickness

Mental sickness

Physical sickness

All have been lifted off you. You can't afford to be carrying a load someone else has not just carried but destroyed

He was wounded and bruised for us. It wasn't just coincidental that Jesus went through that. No. There was a purpose to it.

Sickness is a result of sin (the nature), everyone that has this nature is subject to sickness. It is why man has to be born again (change His thinking through the word)

In the suffering of Jesus is embedded provision for your healing

For mine. For the world

And this provision extends to all type of healing. If you don't believe God heals emotional or mental sickness, you are not positioned to receive it

Healing is your legal right as a believer.

In Matthew 15, Jesus told that woman who asked for healing, that healing belonged to the children. It is their legal right

Healing is bread to the children

Probably you are wondering, "Remi, if healing is God's will, why then are people sick?"

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. II Peter 3:9 NKJV

God's will is that nobody perishes but will people perish? Yes!

Here's how I feel about these things, God's will is brought to life by agreeing men. So if God's will is that nobody perishes, men have to align to this will of I am not perishing. If God's will is that nobody should be sick, I have to be in agreement to it also.

And here is the thing with healing as it is for salvation: The price has already been paid!

You know when something is bought for in your name and you just have to pick it up with a reference code? Exactly! This is the perfect picture. Your healing has been paid for. You are not just trying to negotiate it. It is already completely done

Take your reference code (the word) and get your healing: who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed. I Peter 2:24 NKJV

Past tense

Done, done and dusted

Jesus is not receiving extra stripes or beating o. He did it once and for all

So this is true of healing: It is God's will that you are healed!

God has already healed you!

You have to believe the first statement to believe the second and they are both true. 

And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Matthew 8:2 NKJV

The leper came to Jesus needing healing. Now look at it this way, the leper came off as being okay with just worshipping Christ even if it doesn't lead to healing. So he asks Christ, "Lord, if you are willing, heal me"

So if Jesus is not willing, that's fine too. I will continue to worship

Most times, Jesus replied people with parables first. But you see this leper man got a straightforward answer

I am willing

It was straight to the point, no room for extra interpretation. And this answer is same for you and I today, It is God's will that we are healed

Straight forward.

Don't overthink or analyse

There are no buts or maybe

This statement is true for you and the world at large. Another proof of Healing being God's will is Heaven's design.

What is the eternal plan?

What is the plan before man fell?

What was the plan before man fell?

In heaven, there is no sickness.

In eternity, there will be no sickness

"Your will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven"

What Jesus came down to do was also reveal the father's will. God's will is that men be saved

Healing is a full package in our salvation

If heaven has no mental sickness, emotionally sick people, people with cancer, then it is God's will that men live this way on earth too. It is God's will that you enjoy good, perfect health

Believe this and begin to live it

HEALING SERIES 1: INTRODUCTION TO HEALING

Question: I know we all know what healing is but I will like those of us online to just drop a sentence on healing. Anything that comes to your mind.

Ally: I think healing has to do with restoration of physical, mental, emotional, (financial🤣) wholeness

Pearl: Being transferred from a state of infirmity(physical mental,  emotional) to wholeness of health. (Physical, mental, emotional.)

Samson: Healing is the restoration of health and well-being

Fola of London: To be sound or to be made whole . Could be physical or mental

Jane: Restoring to normalcy

Question: Has anyone here been sick? Or you are currently sick? Or you know someone who is sick? What was going on in your mind about them (you) and the sickness?

Ibukun: When I was in the hospital on Dec 24th 2020 with ulcer pains, I was scared and in panic. I kept saying God please take the pain away

Restoring to Normalcy - Healing! 

You see sickness was never part of the plan at creation. Did we see sickness in any of the things God created? No!

Sickness did not come from God

I want us to know this truth and hold on to it like our lives depend on it.

In Genesis 1, the Bible says everything God made was good. God saw it and confirmed it was good.

To understand healing and God's divine will about it, we will have to first check how sickness came in.

If you really want to understand a disease or sickness, you should be focused more on the cause than measures to treat it. Understanding the cause helps you to know exactly how to tackle that problem.

So let's go to the very beginning. The men that lived in the beginning lived really long. For 17 centuries, men lived for long: 777years, 979 years 365years etc

None of these people died sick. They grew old and just died

No heart disease, no diabetes, no cancer. There is an expectation today for older people to fall sick. In fact, some people save ahead for it.

A lot of us have and invest in health insurance also, of course for the days we fall sick. Sickness has become a normal in our world today

Question: How and when do we think sickness came into the world?

Samson: After the fall of man and sin came into the world. Sin brought death, sickness, pain and all the paparazzi

Question: Can anyone remember the first mention of sin in the bible?

Samson: Genesis 48 vs 1

The fall of man caused a lot of things. Sin resulted in sickness. Man became sick

And not just physical sickness. Sickness is being in a state or condition of illness. A state that is not normal, something that opposes the original wiring of man. 

The minute man fell, man became sick all round. Man became sick in the spirit, body, everything you can think of. Man's normal wiring changed. So man started living a life that is not in accordance with the original creation template.

There is this myth that AA genotypes have malaria easily So I used to claim it. Oh! I'm AA so malaria is a normal thing for me. I can have it like 10 times in a year because I'm AA. And the Holy spirit opened my eyes to it that I was confessing a normal that is not my template. 

It's normal for people to become sick now. It's normal for people to build hospitals today

Imagine Adam and Eve building hospital before the fall. For what? The world became corrupted and cursed at the fall of man. And it will keep deteriorating till this world is ended.

Does this mean we have to accept sickness until our new world? No!

“For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,’ says the LORD, ‘Because they called you an outcast saying: “This is Zion; No one seeks her.” Jeremiah‬ ‭30:17‬ ‭NKJV

I will restore you back to the original order. What I had in mind when I created man. Though God did not cause sickness in the world, God did not push man to sin. Yet God still actively found a way to restore man to the original order.

Today, as we celebrate Easter, one of the things we actually celebrate is the fulfilment of God's word to the prophet Jeremiah. So if we accept sickness as a part of us, we are really not true partakers of sickness. One of the things Jesus' death accomplished for us is healing.

"I don't know why God made me sick" "I know God wants to use this sickness for a purpose"

Erhm...

God is not using anything. God is not responsible for that sickness. His wish is that you are in good health always. 

Jesus bore so much pain just to make sure we were healed. Do you know how they beat Him? Even the person that steals in open markets does not get beaten up that much o

And that was allowed for just one reason: Your healing

A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came to give life—life that is full and good. John 10:10 ERV

A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to  give you everything in abundance, more than you expect —life in its fullness until you overflow! John 10:10 TPT

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). John 10:10 AMPC

Christ came so we will enjoy life. Sick people are always in pain, that's not enjoyment. Sickness leads to Death. The aim is to kill, so we can be assured it is from the devil

One thing most of us struggle to get is that the same power that saved us healed us. These things were worked at the same time.

Do we believe we are saved? If yes, why then do we believe we are not or can't be healed?

The first time I had this conversation with the Holy Spirit

I kuku responded

Nobody can see salvation physically na. So it's just a thing of the heart. But health can be seen. I can see if I'm healed or not

And the spirit reminded me of this saying: Faith precedes manifestation

Seeing is believing ❌ This is not kingdom principle, so it is a lie.

We believe then we see. 

If we doubt healing, then we can as well start doubting salvation. Because that one is even more complex

There is no ID number given to you to confirm you are saved except that faith. So what if you get to heaven and they say you did not get saved on earth 😂. It sounds somehow abi?

Exactly.

That faith that we have that we've been saved, we need to have it that we've been healed to. 

One of the things I've found that makes believers to allow sickness is this belief that God sends sickness, allows sickness or uses it. 

God is not planning to prove anything through that sickness. God always works things out for our good

We should not mistake this to be God causing sin Himself so He can prove a point. That is wicked

Remember we just finished the gospel according to  John and we all agreed that Jesus is the living expression of God. 

If Jesus cannot do it, God cannot do it!

We've discussed sickness coming in as a result of sin. There are also human actions that lead to sickness

Bad health habits

Bad eating habits can lead to sickness. Gluttony can lead to obesity which leads to sickness

Health compatibility in marriage

This is another reason for sickness

Before now, our parents didn't know so much.

They were ignorant about these things

But now, our generation is very much aware of  health compatibility, yet people still marry without giving a care about genotypes. And it's more of carelessness than faith on their part

If it were faith, they will activate the healing before they get married and even heal the person ahead. 

There are so many other physical causes of sickness. But everything still points back to the fall of man. And the devil

If man didn't fall. If we decide to eat all the food in the garden, I doubt that we will get obese and be sick. I don't even know if we will be hungry in the first place

So we must know, recognize and accept that only one person is responsible for sickness and it is the devil. If you are sick or you know anyone who is, let this be your thoughts and belief:

The devil is responsible for that sickness

This determines our reaction and how we treat sickness in the long run

So I want us all to believe this strongly

We will stop here tonight and continue on Sunday. Please don't miss any part of this teaching.

Healing gifts will be activated before the end of this series

Testimonies will flow. Before we meet next week, I want you to start praying for the sick around you.

If it is not the will of God then it should not be. So start praying for the sick now

FAITHFULNESS IN GOD'S SERVICE

What is faithfulness? What do we understand by faithfulness?

Ally: I think faithfulness is being "committed" to something or someone

Some synonyms of faithful include, loyalty, allegiance, fidelity. All these are strong words that we use in everyday speeches. They sure mean a lot to us.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” Galatians‬ ‭5:22‬ ‭NKJV

“But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.” Galatians‬ ‭5:22-23‬ ‭TPT

KJV actually renders the word "faithfulness" as "faith". The Greek word used there does not mean "faith" but "faithfulness". This means that faithfulness is already a fruit we have, produced in us by the Spirit of God residing in us. We can be faithful because we're born again. What this means is, God does not require from us what he has not given us capabilities to be or do

Having established what faithfulness means, what then is service? By English definition, service is an act of being of assistance to someone.

Ally: Doing something for someone

I want us to properly understand the terms used in the definition of service 

1. Assistance

2. Someone 

If we say God's service, it means we're being of assistance to God. Think about it for a minute

Will God, the God of the Heavens and Earth, that created everything by the word of mouth? Is there anything he cannot do? We all say "what God cannot do does not exist" and we say right. If so, why will God, needing no help require my service? i.e. my assistance?

We'll unravel as we proceed.

WHY SHOULD WE BE FAITHFUL IN GOD'S SERVICE?

1. God is faithful 

God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9 NLT

“God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.” 1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭NLT

We see that scriptures established that God is faithful. Firmly committed to us. He is loyal. 

If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is. 2 Timothy 2:13 NLT

2. God requires faithfulness 

And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. Luke 12:42 NLT

The Lord Jesus himself told parables on faithfulness. It shows how highly he requires it.

3. The Apostles demanded faithfulness even as they were faithful

You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. 2 Timothy 2:2 NLT

Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 1 Corinthians 3:10 NLT

In 2 Timothy 2:2, we see a plan for 4 generations to receive the gospel simply on the premise of faithfulness. 

Paul was faithful and committed to Timothy

Timothy should be faithful in commuting to faithful men

The faithful men should be faithful in committing to others! What a big deal! 

Apostle Paul called himself a wise master builder! What an accolade!

4. We're beneficiaries of faithfulness

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18‭-‬20 NLT

Post resurrection, Jesus committed the gospel to 11 people. 11 unlearned people. Those 11 men ran with the gospel with faithfulness and that's why we've the gospel today. Think of Paul, who suffered many perils, yet wouldn't relent in the preaching of the gospel, even in prison, he still was concerned for his converts. 

What is going to happen to the next generation? Can they boast on our faithfulness as a reason while they heard the gospel?

5. Ministry requires it 

Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 1 Corinthians 3:10 NLT

If you're going to build, it requires carefulness and faithfulness. We've been called to build men! We might say, oh, I'm not a pastor or evangelist or any 5 fold ministry. But all believer have a ministry of reconciliation

In other words, it was through the Anointed One that God was shepherding the world, not even keeping records of their transgressions, and he has entrusted to us the ministry of opening the door of reconciliation to God. 2 Corinthians 5:19 TPT

BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF FAITHFUL MEN

The Bible is replete with men that served God, from the old testament to the new Testament and served with faithfulness.

a. Our Lord Jesus Christ 

We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his, he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God! Hebrews 12:2 TPT

Jesus showed the example of faithfulness! Faithful to the end! I want us to know that Jesus died as a man like you and I, not with a body higher than ours with maybe higher threshold of pain, no! I mean Jesus could have taken the beatings, mockery, spitting, carrying the Cross etc. And then on the cross, even with nails and crown if thorns on, he could have looked at the people mocking his kingship and come down, pull out the nails and say "una no even worth am"😃

What made Jesus stay? Faithfulness to the cause! This is to say that faithfulness would require us pushing through the inconveniences, pain, rejection, tiredness, discouragements etc! 

I mean, how many of us leave our secular job (assisting a man)  because of tiredness?  Why then would we leave God's work?

b.  Moses

Not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My household. Numbers 12:7 HCSB

See God boast of Moses' faithfulness! 

c. Timothy 

This is why I have sent Timothy to you. He is my dearly loved and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 1 Corinthians 4:17 HCSB

We all know how Paul worked, yet he acknowledged Timothy's faithfulness. 

d. The disciples of Jesus 

The disciples of Jesus were faithful and supportive of Jesus' ministry and of course after his early ministry - Acts 4:19-20

e.  David and Jonathan: 1 Sam 23:15-17

f. Other believers in the bible 

 Epaphras - Col 1:7

Onesimus- Col 4:9

Silvanus - 1 Peter 5:12

Tychicus - Eph 6:21

The list is inexhaustible.

Jesus in Matthew 24:45 says 

“Who then is a faithful and sensible slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time? Matthew 24:45 HCSB

The master cannot be in charge of his household, so he requires a faithful slave!

Ministry is doing for God, what God cannot do for himself. Think about it. Does God need help? No! But this one thing, he does! 

If we see service to God as the God who made the worlds relying on us to do stuff for him, to wins souls he died for, to cater to the needs of his body (the church), to look after that brother or sister, to give to that needy, to pray for that person, just this one thing and we cannot be faithful? 

Let's have a sober reflection. 

Faithfulness is big to God, it must matter to us. 

Just as we won't do our secular job anyhow, let's not do same for God.

This is the assistance, this is our service. And you know what, like we started with, it's not a demand from God, what we cannot give. 

Remember Galatians 5:22...the fruit of our spirit is... Faithfulness. We have it's! Let's draw from within!

EVANGELISM

We already started the conversation on Evangelism last month and some of us already started doing this physically.

First of all...:What is Evangelism?

Samson: Evangelism is the act of telling people about Jesus, the Good News, using every media available.

Ally: Evangelism, I think, is letting people know about Christ's sacrifice. Drawing men to accept Christ and serve God. Can be through speech, music, dance, etc etc

Chelsea: I think it is preaching the Gospel of Christ to people

Evangelism is simply sharing the gospel.

What is the Gospel? Good news

Let’s look at News stations for example. Imagine that they are hoarding news. Imagine they are shy to share news. Imagine Arise TV expects people to know the truth of what is happening by just looking at their body language.

It sounds odd, funny and stupid at the same time right? That’s because news is meant to be shared. It’s meant to be amplified. Everyone should know about it. If nobody shared the news, we’d live in ignorance about so many things and we will pay for it.

Imagine there is a curfew at 9pm today and the news houses refused to broadcast it. People will go out at that time and be arrested, because someone failed to do their job.

As believers, we’ve been called to broadcast. You are a broadcaster in this kingdom. Our duty is to share the gospel. It is the commission Jesus gave to everyone of us

So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time.” Matthew 28:19‭-‬20 ERV

We’ve talked about following before here. Followership/discipleship is such a strong word

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans‬ ‭10:14‬ ‭NKJV

People do not become followers to who they don’t believe in. There is no way they can also believe in a person they’ve not heard about. The only way people get to know about Jesus is when we open our mouth to preach.

Jesus was very strategic in His time here on earth. He definitely could not reach everyone directly in His life time, so what did He do? He trained some directly with the commission to tell this good news and raise followers of Him (Christ). And these men in turn raised other men. And those ones, more men.

Somebody told somebody that told somebody that told another person till it got to us. If people had broken the chain, the gospel might probably have gone extinct today. We can’t afford to break the chain

Here’s the thing: A lot of us believers know that the gospel should be shared. We understand the importance of it. But we are sometimes still reluctant to share. Some of us are also looking for “perfect moments” Or people that will reach out to us like Nicodemus in John 3 to know about the gospel. We will most likely sleep here. It is our duty to reach out to unsaved people

Jesus said: Go ye into the world

Some of us are also trying to be politically correct. We do not want to come off offensive. So we only talk about Jesus to people that talk about Him with us. If we do it with outsiders, we are very diplomatic

We don’t want to offend anybody

Flash news: The gospel itself is offensive (to those on the path of destruction)

To everyone that is unsaved, this good news doesn’t first sound to them as good. In fact, they do not think on the good in the news at first but how it strips them. “How dare you come and tell me I’ve been on the wrong path all my life with my 2 PhDs”

I remember Maraji (Maraji is a Nigerian comedian) posting on IG that Jesus is the only way

Not Buddha 

Not Allah

Not Sango

Just Jesus

And guess what? Even Christians got offended. Their excuse? She said it on a Muslim festive day

“So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭1:20-21‬ ‭NLT

So many times we are trying to package the gospel in such a way that is not offensive so much that we water down the message itself. We want to translate the gospel in a way that our hearers will like. Feel good messages. There is no feel good way to tell someone that they are on a destructive path and are subjected to the wrath of God. Even when we show them what Christ has done for them

Have you noticed that usually when people accept Christ/meet Him, their first reaction borders tears and soberness? Anyone noticed this? That a new convert is most likely not jumping around at the time of conversion

Samson: Yes

It is because people do not accept to be made right unless first they acknowledge they’ve been wrong. You cannot tell someone to come and join path to life if they believe that is where they are already

The Gospel is truly good news. The acceptance of this news means stripping of self. Some people would rather die than be emptied in such a way.

So what we are doing with these people is pat them on the back and really deceive them that they are on the right path. That is wickedness. You see that first confrontation that brings people’s defense up? We cannot avoid it. This doesn’t mean you should go and be confronting people and be harsh on them in the name of preaching o.

The Gospel will do its work in its own. Ours is to just share it. It’s a loving news so share it lovingly. There’s a difference between sharing in love and patronizing people to avoid backlash. 

One thing God has been hammering to me is the aggressiveness we should apply to evangelism in this season. It’s not a once in a while thing. We evangelize like our lives depend on it

God cares for souls. God cares for men. And He is really counting on us to just tell them about Jesus.

Some of us, it is shame that stops us from preaching the gospel “So people don’t look at us as if we are too spiricoco”. We don’t want to look like uncool kids. 

Hell fire is not cool one bit. Please, preach the gospel to men. 

“So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News. For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.” Romans‬ ‭1:15-16‬ ‭NLT

How many believers look forward to evangelism? Paul looked forward to it. He was eager

By identifying strongly with this gospel, people will leave you. 

You are dating cool Christians? They will walk out on you  “How can my girlfriend be preaching and constituting a nuisance in public transport”. The person is a Christian too 😁

But will we stop?

No! You see that salvation for everyone who believes ehn, is our motivation. And truly, people will believe. I already explained the success part of evangelism to us before now

A strong evangelism key is prayer. Paul longed to preach the gospel in Rome but long before then he was praying for them

“God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.” Romans‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭NLT

Pray for people. Don’t stop. Don’t be weary

Prayer opens the doors to soul winning. Prayer also gives you discernment and helps you with the right words in presenting the Gospel. Cos we can’t go to people reciting the same 4 lines (60s) pastor taught you. Jesus approached the Samaritan woman with discussion on water and introduced Himself as the living water.

Another thing is Love for people. When you love people, you automatically carry the burden to preach

Note that you can’t love people if you don’t love God. And your love for God is seen in how you love people. 

How best do you love he unsaved? Show them the father’s love. This is a prayer point for us all

That God should help the church love people truly so much that our hearts yearn for their salvation. There was a bad habit the Holy Spirit called my attention to

If I’m in a ride ehn (Uber or taxi) and I’m not in the mood or led to preach the gospel, I will fix my earpiece in. I don’t want to hear a word from the driver.

Don’t talk to me abeg

But you see, when I want to preach, I’m all smiles and ready. What if the driver wants to be silent?

What if he doesn’t want small talks like me too?

Another thing was, I used to set out with mindset to evangelize. So it’s like I’m looking for fish to catch with my net 😂😂

We want the Uber driver to listen by force but we don’t want to listen to them

God listens to people. God has an agenda for men o. But He listens to men 

He allows us express.

Genuinely listen and connect.

Also don’t listen to fish out what is wrong in what they are saying 

A lot of us believers do this (even with other believers ). It’s not good. Don’t wait for such perfect moments.

Be led by the spirit: If you are inviting anyone into a life of the spirit, then you yourself must be led by the spirit

Be very sensitive in evangelizing

Good news if not delivered rightly will sound bad

Who determines mode of delivery? The spirit! Allow Him lead you

I’m going to share the remaining part of the messages I got at the  spiritual pool on Feb 20

WILES OF THE DEVIL

Wiles simply means tricks, strategies, tactics, deceit etc

Wiles are basically tricks or manipulative strategies aimed at deceiving

Wear the full armor of God. Wear God’s armor so that you can fight against the devil’s clever tricks.” Ephesians‬ ‭6:11‬ ‭ERV‬‬

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11 KJV

“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” Ephesians‬ ‭6:11‬ ‭NLT

Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. Ephesians 6:11 AMP

First, it says to wear the armor of God (in full). And it gives a why: Wear it so you can fight against the devil’s clever tricks. Against all of the strategies of the devil. To be able to successfully stand up against the strategies of the devil

Now, here’s what I’ve found amongst Christians, we believe since we are saved we are automatically excluded from the devil’s list. This is untrue

Yes, we’ve been brought to a higher standing. We are seated with Christ

The devil has been defeated. But we must understand that the devil still has little time in the world and he will fight to make sure as many people go down with him.

The devil will fight believers. He will wage war against believers. And if believers do not understand his wiles (first that it exists), they will not successfully stand against it.

In fact, they have no chance against him. Imagine fighting an already defeated man and losing

But there are believers losing daily to the enemy, who has already been defeated on their behalf. Why? Ignorance

What we will be doing tonight is laying out the strategies of the devil (and if time permits us, the full armor of God)

You have to be aware. The person fighting is already on the floor defeated. It’s like allowing someone without hands and legs to beat you up in a fist fight

The scripture we just read, the enemy is not bringing gun to this fight. He is not bringing cutlass or bombs. Only deception, tricks, lies, manipulations 

You know people that cannot fight by their strategy. The devil understands the gullibility of men so he uses this well against them.

“For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44

It is consistent with his character to lie! He is the father of lies! If they say the devil is expert at anything, it is lies (add failure to this)

And the great dragon was thrown down, the age-old serpent who is called the devil and Satan, he who continually deceives and seduces the entire inhabited world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “ N ow the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom (dominion, reign) of our God, and the authority of His Christ have come; for the accuser of our [believing] brothers and sisters has been thrown down [at last], he who accuses them and keeps bringing charges [of sinful behavior] against them before our God day and night. And they overcame and conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, for they did not love their life and renounce their faith even when faced with death. Revelation 12:9‭-‬11 AMP

I need us to take note of these key words. The devil doesn’t leave you alone after the first time. He keeps coming back 

John 10:10 says the thief comes not but to steal , kill and destroy.

This particular thief doesn’t have a gun or physical equipment that destroy.

He has cunny strategies.

A lot of us are focused on village people kind of attacks. Like this is what we think of when we think of the devil but he masters at something else actually: Lies. Deceit!

What are some of the strategies the devil uses?

1. Did God really say?

This one is the oldest trick in the book. From Adam down to Remi, I’m certain the devil has used this one against every believer

Genesis  2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

God had commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from a particular tree. They had received an instruction from God

The snake was the most clever of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. The snake spoke to the woman and said, “Woman, did God really tell you that you must not eat from any tree in the garden?” Genesis 3:1 ERV

What did the devil do? He approached them and tried to cast a doubt on God’s word

While Eve could see the serpent directly then, we most likely can’t see him directly. So all that we can see is the tactics, the funny strategies. But know that the enemy is tricky so he doesn’t keep them in plain sight for you except you know him and his ways well

One thing the enemy does a lot is to cast doubt on what God has told you. I’ve been here before.

God tells you I’m doing xyz at this time. You heard Him clearly when He said this and you believed wholeheartedly. Then something starts happening and before you know it , you are wondering if God really said so. You are telling yourself maybe you heard wrongly or its the interpretation

I’ve experienced this a lot of times.

Only one person is responsible for this, the devil! The minute you start wondering “Did God really say?” Know that the devil is fighting and you are not standing against him well

He will twist what God said to you

He will try to make you “unbelieve” what you received

He cannot undo what God does

But the devil can make you change position with his tricks

He puts you in a place where you are not ready to receive what God has said with his lies

Anything that makes you re-examine what God has said to you is not from God and you need to clock immediately that it is battle time. Be alert!

Satan wants you to accept what God has not said about you. He cannot change what God has said so he tries to make you believe something else because he knows faith is a key ingredient to receiving

2. Worry and Anxiety

This looks like a normal thing but I found recently that it is a strong tool of the devil. The minute you notice you are getting too worried or anxious about something, know that the devil is at work. Worry and anxiety are huge signs of unbelief.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭1:7‬ ‭

Say this to the devil every time he tries to make you worry about those things. Worry and anxiety puts you in a wilderness position. You get stuck.

You geT stuck first in your mind (belief) then it happens in the physical. The Israelites stayed 40years in the wilderness cos they were stuck first in unbelief. They kept worrying about the seemingly unright things around them.

Stop worrying about the things that do not seem to be right. That is what the enemy wants you to see. 

These people had manna falling from heaven daily and somehow they didn’t see it. It’s very possible that things will be happening for you, like heavy moves of God and you won’t see it.

You will be seeing other things to worry about. This also is the devil

One thing that cancels anxiety and worry is thanksgiving. Find something to be thankful for, stay on it and your eyes will be opened to what God is doing and why you should never worry

3. Taking lightly the devil and his tactics

This one is a huge problem and it’s so rampant amongst believers. A lot of people have confused resist the devil with dismiss the devil. The enemy is not just theological myth

Passive neglect of the devil is a tool the enemy himself uses. He wants you to believe he doesn’t exist to you. What happens when you don’t show up to a battle? You lose!

You have an enemy, be alert.

Of course, some Christians overemphasize/amplify the power of the devil, but this should not lead to passive neglect of the devil

These teachings are becoming common. There is a balance. The devil exists. Though defeated, he is still here for a while and his major targets are believers. He is waging a war against us, which is not physical. We must stand against him, from the place of victory (because this is where we fight from)

We do not pretend that the enemy is not fighting against us

The devil stood against Jesus

He stood against God Himself

Do you think he didn’t know Jesus is God?

Do you think he didn’t know Christ was not his match?

Yet he stood

Don’t pretend as if he is not standing against you. Position appropriately. Recognize the devil for what he is exactly and treat accordingly

4. Love for unsound doctrine

If you hate truth, there is a problem. 

“When Christ Jesus comes as king, he will be the judge of everyone, whether they are living or dead. So with God and Christ as witnesses, I command you to preach God's message. Do it willingly, even if it isn't the popular thing to do. You must correct people and point out their sins. But also cheer them up, and when you instruct them, always be patient. The time is coming when people won't listen to good teaching. Instead, they will look for teachers who will please them by telling them only what they are itching to hear. They will turn from the truth and eagerly listen to senseless stories. But you must stay calm and be willing to suffer. You must work hard, telling the good news and to do your job well.” ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4:1-5‬ ‭CEV‬‬

The time is coming when people will have itchy ears. They will go to places where they are told what they wish to hear.

“Don’t be unequally yoked”. Pastor is judgmental so let’s change church to where they understand and allow her to grow spiritually/come to Christ.

“Don’t kiss before marriage”. Holier than thou attitude. So we move to where they allow kissing but just a lirru bit of it

The Bible expressly says something but it is feeling like an attack. So the people talking are “sin conscious”. They don’t understand Grace

If everything the Bible clearly states is becoming like an attack and you are now used to going to people that give a soft landing of that word or requote to make it acceptable, there might be an issue o. That’s where the devil starts from.

Sound doctrine sometimes can come off as harsh (mostly cos of the state of the heart)

Imagine the man Christ told to leave his family, “Let the dead bury the dead”. For a willing heart, it’s to jump up in joy and start following o. For someone that doesn’t want to hear the truth:

“Why will Jesus say that? Doesn’t he have family or feelings? Does he not know we are humans?”

Always looking for soft landing or sugar coated truths is a tactic the enemy uses. Know this and stand appropriately

5. Trivializing sin and exaggerating the pleasures of sin

One of the tactic of the enemy is to make sin look normal.

“oh! It’s just a flaw”

“Everyone has weak point”

“Nobody is without sin”

He makes you feel comfortable in sin.

“It’s just kissing/lies/sex. God is not counting sin. He forgives”

It’s not “Just”

Before you know it, that sin becomes to pleasurable . You begin to enjoy and look forward to it then you move to normalizing it as one of your flaws or who you are.

This is a tactic of the devil. Be aware

Never act on immediate pleasures. Stop to think immediately you are tempted, this helps.

Every time I’m tempted to do something wrongly, I notice I’m in a hurry to. I don’t want to think about it at that moment. I start thinking and regretting when the deed is done.

The reason the enemy wants that process rushed is because he knows if you think, you won’t go ahead. You are stronger than you actually think. So always pause before you do. It frustrates the devil

6. Emotions

“I’m a very emotional person”

Erhm... good o but please be careful that this is not your drive. You cannot be led by the spirit and your emotions at the same time. It’s pick 1

The enemy targets our emotions as an opening. He crawls in immediately. 

Feel your emotions 

Feel completely, but please don’t be led by how you feel

“I get angry easily”. It is an opening for the devil

7. Logic

I know those of us that are not very emotional people are already feeling exempted from the tactics of the devil. The person you are dealing with is cunning. Most people that are not 100% in touch with their emotions are usually logical.

Logic is very good o. But logic is also very dangerous.

The devil likes it when you think you can think well. You have plenty common sense.

He wants you to feel this way about yourself and assert it.

If you go to churches and people are making trouble, look well and you will find that it is us “logical people”. The devil wants you to think you think better than other believers or people around you. You have more common sense than everybody.

It’s a lie.

While God gave us this “common sense”, God wants us to be led by the spirit instead.

8. Refusing the diagnosis of God

“Write this to the angel of the church in Sardis: “Here is a message from the one who has the seven spirits and the seven stars. “I know what you do. People say that you are alive, but really you are dead. Wake up! Make yourselves stronger before what little strength you have left is completely gone. I find that what you do is not good enough for my God. So don’t forget what you have received and heard. Obey it. Change your hearts and lives! You must wake up, or I will come to you and surprise you like a thief. You will not know when I will come.  “But you have a few people in your group there in Sardis who have kept themselves clean. They will walk with me. They will wear white clothes, because they are worthy. Everyone who wins the victory will be dressed in white clothes like them. I will not remove their names from the book of life. I will say that they belong to me before my Father and before his angels. Everyone who hears this should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. Revelation 3:1‭-‬6 ERV

We will focus on verse 1

You have a name that you are alive but you are dead

We say that Jesus is the great physician. We come to Him for healing but one thing most of us miss is that this physician also diagnoses. Because He knows you well, He knows exactly who you are on the inside.

The devil likes us to live a lie. The devil wants the church in Sardis to believe the “alive reputation” when they were actually dead

A lot of Christians refuse the diagnosis of Christ (it comes as conviction most times)

When the Spirit brings something that you do to your notice or send people to tell you, be ready to accept.

Don’t be in a hurry to defend your self to God. He sees you completely. Take the diagnosis, accept it and use the prescribed medications

Even earthly doctors give diagnosis and prescribe medications

How much more God? When God tells you what is wrong with you, a solution follows. Don’t let pride hold you back. The enemy is counting on this. Even the church in Sardis had a way out

9. Twisting scripture

The enemy wants us to twist scripture to suit us. When the devil wanted to tempt Jesus, he brought scripture and twisted it subtly just a little. When the enemy wants to twist God’s word, he is not as obvious as we expect. Be alert in the spirit

10. Disobedience

This is a tactic of the enemy.

On the other end of obedience is a huge price we always have to pay. When God says do xyz, He is not talking for talking sake, there is something He is trying to shield you from. There is always something sacrificed on the altar of disobedience, something costly. The devil wants us to lose that something so he is looking forward to us disobeying. He entices us with by the fruit of disobedience

Be alert!

There are so many other tactics in the devil’s play book, we will probably never finish if we sit on his lying ass.

But I want us to know one thing, the devil is a liar. The Bible says he is the father of lies.

There is only one thing that cancels lie and it is Truth. Jesus Christ is Truth

Let the teaching of Christ live inside you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16 ERV

Let the teaching of Christ dwell in you richly

The enemy is banking on lying and twisting the truth. There is only one counter, the truth Christ says

Let it dwell inside of you Richly

Confess daily if you have to. Make it your truth

May God help us all to stand against the wiles of the devil

Amen

WHAT COMES NEXT AFTER A REVIVAL?

We've spoken a lot on Revivals and gotten prophecies about a Revival being at hand all over the world. We've all been praying and expecting, some of us already experiencing the fire That has begun.

But what happens after the "Revival"

First, I'd like to say that after the revival, the revival continues. It really doesn't end in that sense.

The "Revival event" is just an ushering into the Revival. This is what people call the revival normally but it is an ushering.

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.  And all that believed were together, and had all things common;  And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Acts 2:42‭-‬47 KJV

This scripture was after the Pentecost event. A revival had happened on the day of Pentecost.

Let's rewind a bit

On the day Pentecost was being fulfilled, all the disciples were gathered in one place. Acts 2:1 TPT

All the disciples were gathered in one place. When God is about to pour out His fire of revival upon a generation, one pattern I've noticed is that people begin to gather together. The disciples first were gathered and soon people joined them.

Remember the Azusa street revival (i  sent a book on it here last week). Men gathered and something began. I tell you that what God did with that revival, we benefit today.

Pentecostal ministries were born through this revival. The baptism in the Holy Ghost has now become a norm today, thanks to what God did.

To acts, the church began after this Revival on Pentecost. The gentiles who were normally considered impure by the Jews got to know that there was no segregation in Christ and found their being in Him. They received all that the disciples shared and no, they refused to go back home

They continued to gather. Same as the Azusa street revival. For 3 years, the gatherings did not stop. They stayed together.

What next after a Revival?

1. Don't go back home!

You see, there is really no normal to return to. Something changed and it's meant to be permanent.

When you experience things like this, don't see it as a one off experience and look forward to the next event. Stick together. Form relationships with those you've experienced this with.

Have close fellowships with them. Get more involved in the lives of other believers. Live life together

God really doesn't work with people in isolation. He might train you for some time alone, but He does a whole lot of joint work. Embrace your new normal and walk in it

Every believer was faithfully devoted to following the teachings of the apostles. Their hearts were mutually linked to one another, sharing communion and coming together regularly for prayer. Acts 2:42 TPT

I like the way TPT puts it, it says their hearts were mutually linked!

2. Remain exposed to the word of God

More than ever, you need this exposure. Even if it is personal revival you are experiencing, these things are a must.

Personal devotions must be constant. Group devotions should never be neglected (this is not the time to start stabbing church). Those who fail in Christ fail first in the word. If you don't like studying the word and you let this stay, you are setting yourself up for failure o.

8 So all the Israelites met together in the seventh month of the year. They were united and in complete agreement. They all met together in the open place in front of the Water Gate. All the people asked Ezra the teacher to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given to the Israelites. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the law before those who had met together. This was on the first day of the month.[a] It was the seventh month of the year. Men, women, and anyone old enough to listen and understand were at the meeting. 3 Ezra read in a loud voice from the Book of the Law from early morning until noon. He was facing the open place that was in front of the Water Gate. He read to all the men and women, and to everyone old enough to listen and understand. All the people listened carefully and paid attention to the Book of the Law. 4 Ezra stood on a high wooden stage. It had been built just for this special time. On his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. And on his left side stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 So Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them on the high stage. As he opened the Book of the Law, all the people stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and all the people held up their hands and said, “Amen! Amen!” Then all the people bowed down and put their faces low to the ground and they worshiped the Lord. 7 These men from the tribe of Levi taught the people about the law as they were all standing there. The Levites were Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah. 8 They read the Book of the Law of God. They made it easy to understand, and explained what it meant. They did this so that the people could understand what was being read. Nehemiah 6:1-8 ERV

Even in the old testament after the people came back from captivity, they understood that a new had began. And this was their response in Nehemiah 8.

They gathered together in unity. In fact, it was them who asked Ezra to teach. They demanded the word.

Now, this is for us on Word Alive. I noticed we've been praying more than studying the word.

Some of us attend prayers and ignore the schedule.

Of course, the excuse is we are busy but we know the truth that we are not that busy. It is a lie we've been telling ourselves

This goes for all of us (myself included), God is saying to remind us not to neglect the word and move in isolation.

Failure awaits.  

3. Save yourselves from this crooked generation

40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” Acts 2:40 (NLT)

In verse 37, the people had asked Peter "what shall we do?" Peter had responded that they repented and be saved. To accept Christ.

But we see that Peter did not stop here.

For the revival they had just experienced, something bad to be done

They had to detach themselves from the values of the world. They had to log out

They had a new normal so they abandoned what they were used to. It was a fresh start. A revival is a fresh start. Especially for those of us that are "spiritually grown", a lot of us miss out on revivals cos we "know"

We experience the ushering o, something that we have seen in vision tey tey. But we do not move with the revival cos of all we know

Log out and log in afresh.

It is a new life, even for you. Don't just see it from afar, experience it!

4. Pray

This one, there is no 2 ways to it. Pray. Communicate with God. Don't get too full from the ushering that you refuse to sit and eat the main course.

5. Allow those who lead.  Don't be an insider opposition

This part is especially for those of us that have seen this revival coming. Reading God's generals, I noticed one thing, for most of them major opposition came from believers and even generals themselves.

The Israelites in Nehemiah knew Ezra's place and the Levites, they allowed them do their job. In fact, they invited them to. Sometimes, it will look like this person is not running the exact template I got

This is not the exact thing God showed me so they have to be wrong.

For what God is about to do, we can't afford to stand against each other.

This revival is breaking out everywhere. Trust that God who brought the revival will lead every key person aright. Don't be the first to pull down. If it is difficult to understand what they are doing and the manner with which they execute, pray!

Don't interfere or condemn. (Except God specifically tells you to)

6. Note down the experiences at the revival ushering

Write everything down. Write it o! E get why. 

7. Finally, be LED

There is no Revival without a massive outpour/move of the spirit. The spirit is the revival Himself.

You cannot say this is the move of the spirit and you move without Him. Them no dey barb person hair for hin back. If you move outside of the spirit, you will move inside bush laslas

This is really the most important part. Be led in all sense of that word.

It's the spirit's move not yours, don't get too forward. Allow Him be lead. He is not staying and asking us to go and do. No! He moves then we move with Him in that direction.

Be led!