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!

BATTLING ADDICTIONS

You see this topic, it involves every single person here (myself inclusive). No one is spared.

As we proceed, we will understand better.

Like I said, the class is interactive. So first, we will all define Addiction according to our own knowledge of it.

I'm sure this is not the first time you are hearing the word Addiction.

Without using the dictionary, what is addiction to you? What comes to mind when you say/hear someone is addicted?

Ally - When I hear of an addiction, I think of something someone is dependent on. N can't do without, to the point of sometimes feeling physical hurt without that thing

Addiction is basically an enthusiastical devotion/dependence on a particular thing.
A habit we've come to a place of total dependence on
A habit that is out of our control
A habit that has now become master over us

As I put down these thoughts, one thing my kept screaming was BONDAGE

Addiction is Bondage

What do you think people can be addicted to?

Seun - Material to abstract things. A smell, an habit, a place, a person, a behavior, a meal, an event etc

Motunrayo - Themselves, a social media app

We can be addicted to literally anything.

Here is a list of some of the things we can be addicted to:
Admiration/Compliments, Excessive eating, Anger, being noticed, talking to much, not listening, sex, coffee, smoking, alcohol, drugs (illicit use), envy, exercise, fantasies, gossip, social media, lying, cursing, pornography, masturbation, stealing, self pity, power, sleep, sleeping pills, status, sports, work, TV, Netflix, gambling, impulse shopping, correcting others, criticism, finding faults etc.
Some of us are even addicted to our partners, our own company.


The list is endless.

There are some people that no matter how good they dress, if someone else hasn't complimented them they don't see themselves as beautiful. This is addiction, to admiration and compliments and it leads to low self esteem

When many of us think of addiction, it's the worst things that come to mind first. If pastor decides to preach on addiction, we quickly start to think Sex, fornication, pornography, masturbation, stealing etc

But if we check this list, we will see some of the things we counted under addiction are actually good things, things that are recommended and profitable

Exercise is good. Netflix is a perfect relaxation platform, sleeping is good for the body etc

This is because some times the action is not the problem but our addiction to it or dependence.

The control that action/activity has over us based on the level of devotion we've given to it

This is where the problem is

On devotion...

One thing the bible asks that we completely devote ourselves to is prayer and the ministry of the word.

Now, does this mean it is bad to devote to work or exercise? No! The kind of devotion we talk about is the type that gains control over us. Most of the things that we find harmless are usually the best things until they become the worst things.

It starts slowly and creeps in. Once read that the word Addiction is from the Latin word Addictus which means to surrender to the gods

The Latin word Addictus is also used to describe a debt slave, one who is bound to another

“I am allowed to do anything,” you say. My answer to this is that not all things are good. Even if it is true that “I am allowed to do anything,” I will not let anything control me like a slave.
1 Corinthians 6:12 ERV

Nothing should gain control over us. Nothing. Nothing should gain control over us. Nothing

Now, I want us to go back to the list we shared (and contributions from others), do you find anything you are addicted to? Yes or No?

Or is there something you think you are addicted to that we missed

As we all find the things we are addicted to, I want us to know that as harmless as they sound, we are in bondage to those things

So change I'm addicted to fanta to I'm a slave to fanta or Fanta has me in bondage

When people say I'm addicted to fanta to anything, it sounds innocent and normal. But when you switch it to its real meaning, we see the dangers in addiction. Over the years, the world has tried to water down addictions.

You are struggling with impulsive buying but we've given it a fancy name: OCD

No! Stop calling it obsessive compulsive disorder. You have a spending problem. Indiscipline actually. And people addicted to such usually remain poor. The fancy names do not take away the implications.

And here is the thing with addictions, they begin with a choice, a behavior you are fine with at first

Then they get out of hand/excessive. They are suddenly out of your control. You can't seem to stop them. You gave that power to them

You didn't just become addicted to pornography or masturbation.

No!

From let me just peep and see what they are doing small. I will pray for forgiveness. Till your data finishes that day

You try o and wait till another 2 weeks before you go again. Before you know it, daily visitor to porn sites. Before you know it, if you've not taken alcohol you are not sharp. Before you know it, gossip has become a habit

Everything is allowed!

Another thing with addiction: - Addiction is idolatry

Anything we've come to admire, want, trust/rely on, depend on or devote ourselves to excessively is idolatry. It is not until we carry Figurine with stone to our backyard and start Pouring palm oil on it that we are practising idolatry

Addiction is a scheme of the devil.

We already defined it as bondage and we all know there is only one person with an agenda of bondage. He wants us trapped, at the mercy of something other than God. And we don't just get trapped. Addiction has a process like I explained earlier.

Starts with:

Oh! I like the taste of Fanta

To
I want Fanta today

Before you know it..

I've been trying to do xyz  all day but to no avail. I think I need to take a bottle of fanta

The final stage is that of craving, now without reason

I'm craving cigarettes
I'm craving attention
I'm craving sleep (though I just slept all through the day?

They become Lust of the flesh

Now, most addicted people know they are addicted (especially for those of us that are addicted to the things we see as bad). But even this knowledge doesn't save us

We've become helpless

We just continue in it, wanting to stop but not knowing how to

Feeling guilty when we do it but still do it. Till we get to a place where there is no guilt. Our conscience is turned off to it

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
James 1:14‭-‬15 NKJV

Our addictions are products of our desires! Our desires are fueled by different things. From peer pressure, depression, youthful exuberance, pain/hurt, self deception, indulgence of the flesh etc

It is important that we know what we are addicted to and what is fueling it, in order to be able to overcome addiction. Find out the What and why. If it is depression that has led you to drinking, your problem is not really drinking but what is making you depressed.

If it is hurt/pain that made you start sleeping around till you got addicted to sex, it is important we go back to why you were hurt and you heal from that hurt before we come to you sleeping around

Now, how do we deal with addiction?

We should know this, God is aware of everything that you do. He knows everything you are struggling with. He sees all you do in secret even when you pretend to be something else outside. God sees and knows it all

And even in all of these, God loves you

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 NKJV

Do not let any form of addiction stop you from coming to God

You don't have to "clean up". God doesn't see you as dirty regardless of the dirty things you do

It is important that we know this in order to overcome that addiction.

God is not refusing to answer your prayers because you smoke.

God loves you even in this state, and it is out of this love that He has extended help to remove you from this state. Now that you know God's position on this, let's move to solution

Note that some of the solutions do not apply to all types of addictions.

1. Be filled

Emptiness is a tool for the enemy.

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 5:18‭-‬20 NKJV

How are we filled? We see it in the scripture above. The word of God, singing and making melody in our hearts to God always, a constant mood of thanksgiving and focus on the things of the spirit.

Our spirit is quickened in this manner. We should engage our mind positively with the things of the spirit.

I noticed some thing in 2018. Anytime I stop praying as I used to, I begin to feel lonely. I start thinking of how I'm single and need a man in my life. Spiritual idleness is a big gateway for so many things. It opens doors

We must occupy our minds with the things of the spirit. Since addictions are formed by unhealthy devotion to certain things, start by devoting to God. One cannot have 2 masters.

Before you know it the smaller master will bow and leave.

2. Be open and confront the problem

Sin thrives in secrecy. Do not lie about what you are going through. And when I say be open, don't go and tell someone that sees nothing wrong with your addiction. They will edge you on.

Speak with a believer. They will build you up in faith and pray for you.

You have a safe haven to talk about it and face that thing directly

Also for us believers, let's be support systems to others. If anyone is struggling, do not condemn rather help them out of it.

3. Renew your hope in God.

For so many people, they have tried and tried to stop. They have prayed too, nothing worked.
So hope is lost. Every preaching goes to waste

No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.
Psalms 25:3 NIV

Don't be hopeless about the situation. You can stop. Believe it.

4 Pray to God and allow Him help you

This seems cliche but I tell you it works. God actually wants to help you. So speak with Him about it, tell Him about your problem and progress. If you love to write, you can get a journal and write to God about this addiction and how you are getting out of it.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV

God has provided a way out for so many. He will do same for you too

You cannot be disciplined to stop on your own. Allow God help you

IS GOD COMPLETELY PERFECT?

So we continue from where we stopped last week.

From you people's discussion 2 weeks ago on the character of God as regards Esau and Jacob

I'm going to pick out this statement then explain it (I think everyone should understand better from what we've been discussing since)

" I think most Christians are always trying hard to paint the perfect picture of God being a loving father"

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48 NIV

My first response will be these words of Christ. Like I said before, to understand the character of God, the person we look at is Christ. And this is because Christ is God Himself revealed to mankind as man.

When we read scripture, we have to look carefully.
Who said this?
Under what circumstances?. To whom was it said?
Why was it said?
Was it God speaking through the person?

It guides us better in know what is written to us and what is written for us.

What is the meaning of the word Perfect? It simply means to be without flaw.

God is completely, 100% flawless. And this is total truth.

No one is "painting" God as perfect. Even if God has to be painted perfect, it won't be an imperfect man that will be given the job to do

Even the old testament that we find difficult to understand when it comes to the character of God records this about Him:

He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

Deuteronomy 32:4 NIV

God does no wrong! Not one single wrong. If you read anywhere that God did something and it sounds wrong, read again. If that is what the writer truly intended then God be true and the writer be a liar

We will not hold the words of any man true over the true revelation of God of Himself by Himself to man

God is the standard of perfection, we should never doubt it.

If God who is the word perfect itself is declared imperfect, this would mean He has been judged by a higher standard that found Him not worthy.

Is there any standard higher than Jehovah?

Jehovah is the standard itself!

Now, is it that we are just taking the word that God is perfect? Are we examining it in any way?

Well, it's not just a thing of they said God is perfect so we just have to agree He is perfect even when we don't understand certain things. Nah. His perfection can be proved and seen.

Like I said earlier, we see it in His words. God is true to His words. Also His character, He is perfect in this. Constant also. So if I say that God lied yesterday but is true today then I will have to be the liar

God's character is perfect, never waivers. The Bible wasn't doing wordplay when it says God is the same yesterday, today and forever

His character also produces certain actions and I think this is where many people get it wrong. They can't reconcile the actions to God.

For most people I know, it is God being Just and the resulting actions from this character that causes confusion.

In February, by God's Grace, we will be discussing God being Just, the wrath of God and its complete satisfaction in Christ

Now, if we were to ever doubt that God is perfect or He changes (Old testament and new testament) then we will have to doubt our salvation to cos this means God is not true to His word and person

This whole eternal life we claim we are carrying up and down, it would be a charade too since we can't say where God is perfect, imperfect or saying the truth

Every time you come across something you don't understand, remember God is perfect. So read it again from the lens of who God is as revealed in Christ. There is this phrase in Yoruba, I actually had to stop saying it

O mu kan wo kan pa, o wo kan wo kan ye

It means God who kills one as He wishes and makes another to live just as He wishes. I used to say it a lot before while praying and one day the spirit stopped me.

Like how can you think such of me?

How can a just God be killing as He likes for pleasure?

Is that God?

I looked for the origin of this supposed praise of God and I found out it was from Job 🤦🏿‍♀

Jesus did not call Him this: the one who kills anyone as He likes (When it is not game we are playing)

Jesus did not also portray Him like this. Everywhere Christ went, He gave life. He healed, He brought the dead back.

It is also not true of what Christ said about Himself (Christ is God)

I have come to give LIFE and in abundance

So who are we going to listen to about God? Job or Jesus?

QUESTION: Ok pls in this context is Job truly wrong or he said it in a particular context

ANSWER: Job was wrong. Remember when we read Job, we went through it slowly for this reason. God did not kill Job's family. God did not take everything from Job. For Job to have said God kills as He wishes would mean He was accusing God of murder. Asides the fact that God cannot murder, His nature cannot. We read it clearly and saw where all of that came from. God's awareness of a particular situation doesn't mean He penetrated the deed Himself. God is actually aware of everything, both good and evil. God Did NOT murder Job's family [ANSWER ENDS]

QUESTION: Given that he is aware of both good and evil pls does it mean he permits the enemy to do us bad or the enemy just does it independently without God's concern

ANSWER: Now, God is good. He created all things and made man in His image. He also gave man dominion over everything created. Man fell and sin came into the world. This is where the problem begins. Every evil that happens to us, it's not because God permits, it is because man Chose

The moment man Chose to eat from that tree, man permitted sin into the world.
Sin is nature not deed now. And that nature is that of Satan

It is this sin that brings all manner of evil (Note that sin here doesn't mean lying or stealing but the nature itself. The state of being fallen). It is sin that Brought death and every calamity you can think of. God did not make man to live and die, or fall sick. The plan was way different but man Chose something contrary to God's plan. So the permission for sin and its allowance into our lives and certain situations was given by man himself

If I tell you don't eat an apple, if you eat the apple you will die. And you decide to eat the apple, then you get to see what this death truly entails, is it not the person that ate the apple that will take the blame? While I might be sovereign and know all the effects eating that apple might cost you, it is still you who ate the apple and brought the resulting effects. My knowledge of it doesn't make me culpable

So this is established, that man at the fall gave permission for sin to enter by eating that which was forbidden. Does this mean anything can just happen to us or the devil will do as he wishes with us?

This is where Christ comes in.

You see, we've been given dominion over EVERYTHING and sadly a lot of us believers do not walk in it. We do not even know it

We are not here trying to fight the devil or sin. No, someone already fought and this victory handed over to us to operate from

So to a large extent, we have control over the permission the first man handed to the devil by eating the forbidden

The first man also brought eternal death (this is the wage of the sinful nature). But God still found a way to slip in something for us, His original plan

That when we die and sleep, we will wake from this and be restored completely to the first order

He practically created a loophole to the grave and it's link to eternal death

He gave Himself as an antidote

How does God do all these things to save man and still be responsible for what He saves man from?

[ANSWER ENDS]

God is Good and He can only do Good

It's an aberration for God to do evil.

This is not consistent with who He is

ROMANS 9: IS GOD UNJUST AND UNFAIR

So we continue with the questions from Romans 9.  We stopped at verse 13 the last time so we continue from 14 today.

What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all!
Romans 9:14 NIV

What inference do we make from the explanations in Chapter 1 to 13. Do we say that God gives unequal privileges to people? Is He unjust in His dealings with men? Not at all!: This is untrue of God. He is Just!

For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
Romans 9:15 NIV

When we hear this statement, most times we take it as God will be good to whoever He chooses to and do bad as He pleases. This is wrong interpretation.

Remember, this verse is also a quote.

So let's go to the original text of this quote.

"God said to Moses"

Why did God say this to Moses?
What happened before He did?
What were the circumstances surrounding this statement?

The text is in Exodus 33:19.

Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
Exodus 33:19 NKJV

Here we see God tell Moses the statement quoted by Paul in Romans 9.

God did not just stand in the sky and tell this to Moses, there was a conversation and situation leading to it.

To understand this verse, we take it in the context it was spoken in. In Exodus 32, the people tired of waiting for Moses who had gone up to the mountain to meet the Lord had made gods for themselves

When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”
Exodus 32:1 NIV

God had been really good to these people, bringing them out of Egypt, providing manna, etc. But despite all what God did for and in their midst, they committed idolatry

God was not supposed to show them any mercy. That was His cue to abandon them.

Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”
Exodus 33:3 NIV

Here we see the mercy of God at play. Though these people had sinned greatly, God was still willing to keep His promise to Isreal. As the conversation continued, Moses asked that God should still go with them. They couldn't go on their own

God actually agreed that He'd go with them even after all they did.

Then Moses says this:

Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
Exodus 33:18 NIV

Note that this is what Moses said that brought the reply we are examining

And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Exodus 33:19 NIV

Here is what God is saying,  you people have done the most terrible thing ever. You are not one bit deserving of my mercy but I the Lord will be making a display of my goodness before you._
_You will see it and know that this is true of my nature and name. Though you are unworthy, I'm about to let you know that my mercy (my benefits and blessings) are dispensed regardless of what you've done. It has never been based on human merit.

Let's note that Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Nah. Mercy is getting something we are undeserving of. Mercy is nobody's right, it is God's goodness displayed before us all.

Let's equate this in Romans 9.

Remember the Jews were angry and jealous of the Gentiles cos they also had received the gospel and they felt they were undeserving cos the promise was made to them alone.

Paul quoting this scripture is trying to respond to them that God will extend (and has already extended) His mercies towards anybody no matter how undeserving we feel they are. The Jews did not get the mercy of God because they were deserving. So the Gentiles will not be asked to deserve God's mercy to get it

He gives His mercies and compassion as He wills (regardless of what man has done)

Now, let's still go back to Moses' question.

Lord, show me Your Glory

Remember this statement: Christ in me, the Hope of Glory

God's response of Mercy and Grace, He satisfied in Christ. Though the world is undeserving, every single one of us, yet God still reveals His Glory to us, in Christ. His Mercy and Graciousness is Christ given to all men

So whenever we read or quote "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy upon and be gracious to whom I will be gracious too....", have it in mind that this is already satisfied in Christ. It is a case of some very special favor unmerited but it is not about one man as we love to think or unfairness by God, nah. This is God reaching out to man undeserving with Himself.

Again, let's stop quoting this verse to support God loving one person more.

God is not unjust or unfair. He loves everyone uniquely. Not one person more than the other

It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
Romans 9:16 NIV

After that quote, Paul concluded with this. We see we are on the same page with him now

For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”  Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
Romans 9:17‭-‬18 NIV

God raised Pharaoh just to harden his heart? No.

Pharaoh's heart was hard right from the beginning, we could see it in the way he treated the Israelites long before Moses was sent. All of this period, God watched. Pharaoh grew in hardness, wickedness, and power, God watched

God did not interfere in Pharaoh's rise to power. Looking at it sef, if God killed Pharaoh in His sleep another wicked Pharaoh will arise

Also, the Israelites would never have understood what was happening. They'd never have been reminded of the promise and would have preferred to stay in bondage if it happened another way

So God had to come in at such a time when Pharaoh had risen to power and save the way He did.
In so doing, the Israelites were reminded of their identity (who they meant to God) and His promise

He hardens who He wants to harden

Read as he allows the hardness of a man.

God didn't bring a kindhearted Pharaoh and changed his heart.

Pharaoh's heart was wicked, God did not interfere with it. He simply allowed his desires to come to play

One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ ”  Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?  What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?
Romans 9:19‭-‬22 NIV

Here we see Paul quote what might be on the mind of the Jews. If God saves whomever He wants and can add the Gentiles as He pleases, why then have we been saddled with certain responsibilities as the chosen ones.

Paul's response is that the question is disrespectful. God is the Potter, He made us and has power over us.

Though He has chosen to extend mercy to not just the Jews but also the Gentiles, this doesn't mean anyone is exempted from right living. We should not say we can live as we want since God extends His mercy as He wishes

Now here is what I see, the Jews had thought so highly of themselves, like so highly.

So appaz, was a really great shock to see that God can give what He gave them to others.

They believed it was by what they did that they were special in the sight of God

And God burst their bubbles. He reduced all of their works to nothing by offering the gift of salvation which they saw as a reward to the Gentiles

This is seen in the response above

Sebi God didn't choose us based on anything we did or do. All of the laws we've been observing, everything is meaningless. We can as well live as we want

His will will always come to play since it's this way.

It is the same way with what God has done. He wanted to show his anger and to let people see his power. But he patiently endured those he was angry with—people who were ready to be destroyed. He waited with patience so that he could make known the riches of his glory to the people he has chosen to receive his mercy. God has already prepared them to share his glory. We are those people, the ones God chose not only from the Jews but also from those who are not Jews.
Romans 9:22‭-‬24 ERV

On the question of God choosing people or some predestined to be saved, so no matter what you do if God did not choose you it is all effortless. Well, this is a lie.

The wrath of God is just and every man deserved it, both the Jews that taught God was sleeping and waking up by their side alone and the Gentiles that were seen as rejected by God. But we see that God waited patiently (still waiting patiently), to make known His glory to the people He has chosen to receive His mercy

Who has He chosen to receive His mercy?

(We explained this with the story of Jacob and Esau in part 1.)

The answer is those who accept His promise. And what is this Promise? Christ

And this is what Paul was trying to explain, that God has chosen both Jews and non-Jews, all men actually, to make known His glory. This is actualized in their belief in Christ. So if the Gentiles believed, then they were as much chosen as the Jews.

So the explanation that people have of the verses are wrong.

God is not mean, unjust or unfair.

If He has already chosen who He wants in His heaven in this manner you stated, then it is probably a waste of time for all of us.

That's not what Paul was saying

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.
Romans 9:30‭-‬32 NIV

Isreal believed that they were special and chosen but it is their works that made them special

The Gentiles, on the other hand, understood that they were undeserving of whatever God is giving and rested in the promise by belief in Christ.

Also, note that God told Isreal they were special and chosen (The messiah was to come from amongst them).

But Isreal didn't understand what it truly meant to be chosen. NIV said they stumbled over the stumbling block

Isreal had to stop thinking that they were chosen and are saved regardless or by works.

Like the Gentiles, everyone is chosen/saved through the same route: Belief in Christ

And this is made available to all men by God's mercy and Grace (not one person deserving of it)

HANDLING PROPHECIES IN RELIGIOUS BODIES

Guidelines for all leaders in charge

-Please do not despise prophecy. I understand that if the prophetic is not managed properly, it can destroy a lot of things but then let's not forget that is probably one of the most important gifts of the Lord for the building/growth of your church/body and the people the Lord has given to you.

Do not treat prophecies with contempt
1 Thessalonians 5:20 NIV

- As you accept the prophetic in anybody or gathering that you head, don't allow anything go within your congregation or the people you lead.

I'm the assistant to my pastor in church but I never give prophecies in Church even when I'm the one leading or preaching. I write it down and submit to the head pastor. I still got something for the church during service today, I wrote and gave to her. The pastor doesn't announce immediately also, I've noticed. She probably takes time to examine what was sent to her

Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:19‭-‬22

There has to be training and order within the body of Christ. If we do not guide the process of the prophetic carefully, things can get pretty flaky.

So yes, embrace the prophetic but make sure there is proper guidance, training and order put in place to avoid anyone being led by the flesh corrupting the church in the name of prophecy

- Create a friendly Prophetic environment for the people under you.
- Make sure to align your group/body and yourself with mature Prophetic voices to aid growth

They might not be your members but you should have mentors too. Same way we have Pastors we are accountable to, it's important to have people that have been walking in the Prophetic for long amongst us. They will help us in cases where we don't understand certain things. The Lord will also use them to correct us when we are going wrong.

As you grow, a time will come when you will start getting messages for your mentors.

All of my mentors in the Prophetic (both active and passive), in the past one year, I've seen God actually pass very important messages to them through me. Another thing I noticed is, recently, they've all started allowing my gifts and this is because they've watched it grow. Though they still watch and check what I'm doing but I'm more free to deliver messages to people.

Infact, they bring names of people for me to pray for or direct anyone that comes to them for prayers to me. This is funny because, I had to run everything by them as at a time.

For those of us that are in a hurry to give words, I know the spirit is speaking to you but please do not despise the leading of those in charge.

Don't go and be doing your own thing

The time will come when they will leave you to speak directly to the congregation without telling them first, until then go through them.

Do not be quick to give private messages to members of your body also or church without running with the pastor.

Because in the past people have given wrong messages for various reasons that shook the body of Christ and this is one of the reasons most churches stay away from the prophetic.

Now that we see it is building up slowly around us, don't spoil it by not being accountable. Especially for corrective and directive messages. You should NEVER reach out to your church member on your own for this.

Prophetic Protocols in The Church and any Spiritual Gathering

Protocol simply means a guideline of how things should occur. There are rules as far as prophecy is concerned in the body of Christ. Majority of the rules will be determined by the leaders of course but I think they are mostly same in most bodies.

So from all we have learnt, we will all be answering concerning the rules.

1. Should words be given during a service or first be judged by leadership

2. Should we have a Prophetic free for all or all words should pass through trained leaders?

3. What types of words do you think should be given in a service?

4. Should corrective words for an individual in the church be given before the congregation?

5. How about Directive?

6. What is your reaction as a member when Prophetic words are given?

7. Should everyone be allowed to prophesy in the main services?


Things to note as you develop a Prophetic Lifestyle

Basic Life Character

1. Have integrity as a person. How people see you largely determines how they process the message you give.

2. Be kind and let love be the order for you.
It's hard for someone that knows you don't like them to take you serious when you deliver a message.
Also, it is hard for you to hear clearly about someone when you are having hateful thoughts towards them.

3. Don't be spooky.
You can operate in the Prophetic and act normal.
Don't let people feel uneasy around you.


Authority and Accountability
- You must submit to authority. This is a must. If you don't want to, leave the prophetic alone. The church doesn't need more chaos

- As you grow and your leaders allow you to express more freely, accountability is still not removed.

-Help others to grow in their Prophetic giftings also

You can pick a Prophetic partner or partners. Pray with them regularly over other people. Write down the things you receive and share with those you are accountable to

The word

The word is your go to, you must be grounded in it.
A large percentage of prophecy comes directly from scripture.
The remaining percentage that is not explicitly stated can be traced here also.
The word of God is our map in this journey

Be a clean Prophetic Vessel
Our lives and backgrounds are the filters the word must go through usually. Insecurity, bitterness, rejection, pride, control, selfish ambitions etc are dangerous filters for a direct word from God. It is easy to misinterpret the message or share our own view as God's view.

We can't afford to be defiled Prophetic voices. There are a whole lot of these out there.
People who are defiled by the lack of right living (they can't even share certain things cos of the state of their lives or they pervert God's words to make themselves feel good), wrong motives, greed (some people will lie to you that God said and collect money), desire for personal gains (God said we should marry 🙄), recognition or power

All of these things taint and defile our voices. We need to be watchful with them

Also, a whole lot of us are tingled by prophets. We like looking for prophets up and down. Please be careful, be very careful. I have numerous bad experiences that I have seen. Stop looking for what is not missing up and down

Someone traveled all the way from a city to another to visit a prophet, when she got there, she lost her memory and became Prophet's wife for years. She had children and husband. She was visiting the prophet concerning her husband.

Test all spirits and put your bumbum in one place. The end is here already. There are a whole lot of false prophets. If you don't know what you are doing, you will become casualty data for the evil they do.

I know this prophet, e do miracle, e raise the dead

The person that is giving you the gist, who are they? Are they grounded I the spirit? Can they discern if the prophet is false or not?

Don't follow anybody to anywhere without praying about it please. What you want to hear, God can use people around you to tell you. He can tell you directly.

My very close friend was charmed by a prophet shortly before her marriage. They canceled wedding and everything just scattered. He saw her on the road and gave an accurate description of her life and happenings. She believed only the spirit of God could reveal to him. He sha told her she needed to do some things. She visited him for counseling in his house. We don't know what happened there but when she got back, she and her husband to be started fighting over everything.

I was home in 2017 and met her, I practically came home for wedding now you say it's not happening again. I knew something was wrong the way she was talking. I started praying with her and linked her with my aunt to also pray for her.

During the prayers, she confessed the pastor abi prophet gave her something to put in the house so that God will reveal. That was when trouble started. In fact the week we were praying with her, she still visited the prophet, he asked her to go naked so he could pray for her but thank God she was getting sane small small

My point in all of these, if she could discern herself, she'd have known something was wrong. If she had been exercising her hearing ears and spiritual eyes, she'd have gotten something sha

This is one of the greatest lessons I learned from my late spiritual mom

First, you are your own prophet.

You need to take charge of your life. Don't be a victim of evil circumstances.
God will send people to you but God will also speak to you to. He will let you know who He sent and who He didn't sent

Lovers of God have been given eyes to see with spiritual discernment and ears to hear from God.
Proverbs 20:12 TPT

If you forget anything you learn in this group, don't forget this scripture. Don't!

You can hear! You can see!

Ears that hear and eyes that see— we get our basic equipment from God !
Proverbs 20:12 MSG

Seeeeeeee. Basic equipment for spiritual living. Hold on to it.

Intimacy with Jesus is the Highest Key to the prophetic

Remember we took the intimacy series before this, that wasn't coincidental

“You show that you are my intimate friends when you obey all that I command you.  I have never called you ‘servants,’ because a master doesn’t confide in his servants, and servants don’t always understand what the master is doing. But I call you my most intimate friends, for I reveal to you everything that I’ve heard from my Father.
John 15:14‭-‬15 TPT

Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives
Galatians 5:25‭MSG

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit!

I pray we all live as we've been called, that we put these things into practice and we enter a new life of living in the Prophetic, that we subject ourselves to the leading of the Spirit at all times. And when the times when we need to put in use something from this teaching, the spirit brings it to our remembrance.

Amen

Thank you so much everyone.

We've come to an end of the Divine Communication Series

THE PROPHETIC 2: Types of Prophecy

The first thing we will be doing today is examine words of the old testament describing Prophetic giftings.

These Hebrew words used for Prophets show us how different people receive from the Lord. We see the different ways God may use Prophetic ministry.

1. NABI:
This means to bubble up. God's word just seem to bubble up out of the inner part of this this gift. The word NABI describes one who is stirred up in spirit.
Like it just simply comes up within you out of your heart, into your mind.


2. ROEH:
This means to see or perceive. The seer sees things more than he hears prophetic words. Could be pictures, visions, illustrations etc.

For seers, usually we have to break down or interpret what is seen. Another Hebrew word used close to ROEH is Hozeh. It also means seer but dynamics are a bit different. We can check 1 Chronicles 29:29 for the usage of these words.

3. HAZON:
This means watchman.
I believe this gift is that of a Prophetic intercessor. One who stands before the Lord, sees and hears for the purpose of praying powerful Prophetic prayers to be a watchman of the Flock.


4. PROPHETS:
This is a Greek word that simply means One who speaks for God. (Pronounced Profaytace)

Basic description of the prophetes :
Foretell: tells things in the future. Gives directives on upcoming events or workings of God with men.

ForthTell: gives the wisdom, counsel and understanding of God into a life or situation or group.

5. NATAPH
This simply means to Preach, to drop from heaven

FOUR LEVELS OF PROPHETIC MINISTRY

As we all start Horning our Prophetic gifts, it is important we learn how prophecy exists on different levels and how we grow into consistent Prophetic ministry.

Everyone tends to begin with a general hearing of God's voice, as the year goes by, the prophetic gifts deepen.

So here is a generalisation of our growth process in the Prophetic. It is broken down into 4

1. The Spirit of Prophecy:
This depicts a revelational life in God; that is revelation in the word and prayer.
Basically, a general sense of hearing from God and seeing what He is doing. Could be for yourself, friends or family members.
Every believer/child of God is actually expected to operate on this level. We should be living in fellowship with Christ and hearing His voice.

Amplified Bible. Revelation 19:10
[10]Then I fell prostrate at his feet to worship (to pay divine honors) to him, but he [restrained me] and said, Refrain! [You must not do that!] I am [only] another servant with you and your brethren who have [accepted and hold] the testimony borne by Jesus. Worship God! For the substance (essence) of the truth revealed by Jesus is the spirit of all prophecy [the vital breath, the inspiration of all inspired preaching and interpretation of the divine will and purpose, including both mine and yours].


The essence of the truth revealed is the spirit of Prophecy. My version says the testimony of Christ is the spirit of Prophecy. Here, we see Christ; His divine will and purpose, unveiled to us

2. The Gift Of Prophecy
This involves getting a specific message for someone and relaying it to them.
If you find yourself occasionally seeing things about people (in any way mentioned earlier), it is most likely you have the gift of Prophecy and it needs to be developed.

Of course, you start praying and desire to walk in the fullness of this. It is not a bad thing to desire to prophesy, Paul made this clear in 1 Cor 14. Most important thing is to make sure our desire of it is not about us. One thing about gifts is this, they are not about us, they are majorly about others, the body of Christ.

So whatever gift we desire, it is simply us desiring to serve. To serve others in the body of Christ

If you find yourself in this second level, it is best to stick to Edification, exhortation and comfort (as explained in the last teaching). Stay away from corrective/directive prophecy.

If you get any of those, meet those you submit to their leadership and tell them first before telling the person. This is because at this stage your gifts are not well developed and it allows for error.
Corrective and directive prophecies do not give error allowances. It's either you are right or you are right.

3. The ministry of Prophecy:
This is for those that find themselves being used often by God to give Prophetic utterances or messages to people.

Here are signs to look out for to know if you have a ministry in the Prophetic :
* You find yourself developing a clear giftedness and consistency in this path.

* You find that this is one of the dominant ways God uses you.

* People can testify that they've been blessed through you and built

* This gift you have is bearing fruit in others, visible fruits.

If every of this sign is present and full, it is most likely you've been called to the prophetic ministry (Same way some are called as teachers, evangelists etc)

4. The Office of A Prophet:

The person who holds this office has years of consistent and accurate Prophetic ministry where not just this person but many others (especially leaders around) can testify and recognize that this is your office in the work of God. There is a long, proven track record here. An accurate one.

Submission to the place of prayer and discipline is one thing we will see about such person.

So this is basically all the four levels of the prophetic that I know of.

Let me use a simple illustration to sum it up.

Everyone should be able to explain when they read (How are you going to help your kids with assignments 😂?)

But not everyone will be very good with explanation.
Some will be good with explanation but will need to read more to become better.

Some can actually teach well but they are not teachers yet (Because teaching is not all that is to teachers)

Then the last level is for the teachers themselves. They've been accredited to teach, this is from years of Learning or taking exams to certify them as qualified enough to teach.

So we see that knowing how to teach does not equal being a teacher

Seeing things about people does not automatically make us prophets. There is a whole lot of in betweens to get there. And all of it requires discipline/commitment to the secret place.

All of these processes I laid down also makes it easier to ensure accuracy of prophecies.

This way, people get less weary of prophets. We have less people saying I don't believe in prophets xyz bla bla.

I have questions for us

1. From the Old testament words describing Prophecy, which ones do you find yourself operating in?

2. From the Four levels of Prophecy, what level do you think you are on? Or you are yet to start any level?

Sumi - 1 an gradually growing In 2

Tebs - For the levels of the Prophetic I think I operate in 1&2


We all should pay attention to ourselves also and patterns. It is important. This will help us grow

Remi - 1. I experience all 5. I'm trying to see which one is more dominant but I can't categorically say which yet. I'm still taking notes sha.
Will also check my book again (I write down when I get anything from God), will use this to track which way I hear more

2. Growing in Level 3.

DEVELOPING EARS THAT HEAR

So far in this series, we've learnt that God speaks and we can hear.

Lovers of God have been given eyes to see with spiritual discernment and ears to hear from God.
Proverbs 20:12 TPT

As long as you are a part of the body of Christ, the bride He is coming for, you've been inbuilt with eyes that see beyond the physical. You discern things spiritually

You've been built with ears that hear not only what people around you are saying but what God is saying to you

And I keep hammering on us believing this part first.

If you doubt that it is not for you, you will not be able to function in that area

Your sight is hindered by your belief

God speaks to us ✅✅✅

Now that we know and are certain we have a hearing ear, how do we develop it?

First, let's see How God speaks to us

We've talked about this a lot of times but for the sake of this teaching, I will list all briefly

Ways God speaks in the bible

1. The scriptures
This is the first, primary and safest hearing of God for our lives. We find God speaking in the bible through scriptures written before then. God's word is true always, it stands forever. Even after looking at other ways God speaks, we must come back to that which is written.

2. Impulses and Urges

The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness,
Mark 1:12 NLT

Jesus was compelled, He had a strong urge/impulse to go to the wilderness.

God communicates with us this way. We just feel a strong urge to do something. Recently I was in a down phase. I couldn't pray that week and I was just begging the Holy Spirit, please give me strength to pray. Help me

That same week, a couple of people reached out to me. "Hi Remi, good evening. I just wanted to let you know I'm praying for you"

"Hello mama. How are you doing? I've been feeling this strong urge to pray for you"

"Fine girl. Hope you know I'm praying for you?"


"Good morning ma. God has been impressing it on my heart to pray for you since this week began. I also felt a strong urge to reach out and let you know that an altar of prayer is being raised on your behalf"

Note that I did not speak to any of these people about anything. In fact one of them, last time I spoke to her was last year.

This was God communicating with them by laying Urges upon these people to pray.

Sometimes, certain people/things just keep popping up in our hearts and we just feel the urge to pray for them. It is important that we do not neglect this urge.

Usually, it is God speaking to us and using us to meet a need.

Also God communicating with these people on my behalf was Him communicating with me too.
After they all reached out, I suddenly found strength and started praying.

My personal prayer usually has nothing personal in it except my alone moment with God, it's filled with intercession. When I was down, I felt bad that I am always praying for people and now I can't pray for myself.

But God reaching out to these people was a reminder to me that as I'm interceding on behalf of others, even people I don't know are interceding on my behalf.

Immediately, I picked up and was strengthened.

If we get Urges and we are not sure what to do, ask God.

" Lord, I keep feeling this strong impulse concerning this person/thing. I'm not sure what I'm being asked to do. Lord please, help me hear you clearly concerning this"

He will reveal further surely. Never neglect the urge.

3. Our Conscience

The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.
1 Timothy 1:5 NLT


Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.
1 Timothy 1:19 NLT

Sometimes, we make certain decisions and our conscience starts telling us it is wrong or how better we should do it.

Now, while God might speak this way, it is tricky. Our Conscience must constantly be renewed by the spirit and the word.

That's why when people do certain things, we say they don't have conscience.

They actually do have. Conscience is a person's moral sense of right and wrong.
sense of right and wrong vary according to individuals and the morals they uphold.

So it is important that the morals upheld is in accordance with the word and guidance by the spirit

Question - Remii oo what if after asking u get an answer "No " and the urge still what should we do?

God will not give you an urge to pray for someone and give a NO as an answer.

If you get a no, probably the direction of your question.
Maybe you are asking what to pray for the person and God is saying give the person money 😊.


All still points back to a hearing problem in communication. Ask God


4. The voice of the Holy Spirit

Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men have come looking for you.
Acts of the Apostles 10:19 NLT

The spirit is so often the voice of God to us. He speaks and it comes into our soul where we discern what is said.

5. Your natural thought Process.
Sometimes the voice of the spirit doesn't come as a voice unto our thoughts, it comes as part of our thoughts. Like we just think something and we know this is not from us

6. Other People
God speaks to us through other people. We need to be open, listening and spiritually alert at all times.
He uses prophecy to speak to us through other people.

Sometimes it's in the messages we listen to, the movies we watch. Don't know if we've ever seen a movie and it feels like God is addressing you directly

Sometimes I'm just on YouTube and a random message pops us and I know it is God that made that message pop up

Sometimes it is on social media. Someone posts something on their own o, without attaching any meaning to it but you see it and know it is you God is speaking to.

Sometimes it's in passing conversations. You are walking or doing your thing and people are gisting their own, but the message is for you.

7. Visions, Dreams, Pictures
God speaks prophetically through all of these. Some people go into a trance while some of us have these experiences with God while awake, very consciously. The latter takes a lot of spiritual alertness usually, from my experience.

8. Angelic Visitations
God speaks to us through angels. We can see this in the book of acts. I personally have had this experience a couple times. Infact, I rushed to write everything down that day.
I slept off and it continued as a dream. His angels are ministering spirits

9. Nature, Animals, Object
All of creation constantly declare the glory of God and His works. This means one thing, they speak. God speaks to us through them. He used a donkey to speak to Balaam and objects to bring messages to others. To see and hear God in all of these things and ways, our spirits must be awake and listening

10. Situations
Certain things happen around us or in our lives but they come with a message from God.
When things happen (good or bad in the physical), it is important to ask God.
"Are you saying something to me Lord?"
"Is there a message in this for me?"

11. Peace
Let your heart be always guided by the peace of the Anointed One, who called you to peace as part of his one body. And always be thankful.
Colossians 3:15 TPT

God's peace is a guide, it directs us in the way we should go.

I believe this is also like our conscience. We must first subject our minds to renewal by the word and spirit.

Some wicked people have peace 😭

God will speak through whatever He wishes, the sick, the poor, the rich, the hale and hearty. He can use anyone.

Before we move on, can we share other ways we hear God that have not been mentioned

Sumi - Through songs,one on one,through someone,scripture ,situations (good and bad)
The night before I cut ma fingers in the grinding machine. That evening I had a strong urge to worship an pray. I remember I told God to use me as a way of showing his glory wherever I find myself and that may  his goodness an love be seen through me always

The next day bam I cut ma fingers and in normal situations pples fingers never come out as a whole and in other circumstances their hand or arm is cut off. BT he showed his glory through me once again. I was in awe

Uju - Through relationship
You may have thought you have found the right person,then something happens..you lose the person you thought you love,you ask for forgiveness... Then you remember this is how you are to GOD ,you claim you love HIM yet you fall astray to sin and you get back up and ask HIM for forgiveness,HE is trying to tell us we can do better,Amen

Remi - I should share mine

While I have experienced all the ways listed above, not all of them are constant or primary.

It's not everyday I have angels visiting and talking.
I hardly get messages through animals, I don't even look at animals for long.
I run when I see dogs 😂😂
So if God tries to speak through a dog, ah trouble.

God knows I won't hear anything if He speaks through animals directly
(except in a vision, pictures or as objects)

If they have to open their mouth to speak, I doubt my hearing ears will be in close proximity to hear anything. Cos I'd have ran since

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Because God wants us to really hear Him, He is mindful of us too.
He reaches out to us through ways He is certain we can hear and know it is Him.

If the way we hear is limiting, He starts from there still. As we continue to listen to Him, He strengthens us and sharpens our ears to hear through other means too.

Imagine that it is only dream God can speak through. If you don't sleep, you won't hear anything

How do we know it is God and not other voices?

We spoke about the other voices that we might hear along the way.

Now we talk on how to discern and know when it is God speaking

1. Scripture
Like I keep saying, this is number one guide.
God's word is His honor, character and integrity. He cannot speak against His word.
If what you hear is not in accordance with His word, then it is not Him. Discard.

2. Nature of the voice we hear

But the wisdom from above is always pure, filled with peace, considerate and teachable. It is filled with love and never displays prejudice or hypocrisy in any form
James (Jacob) 3:17 TPT

It is pure, has no mischief to it. Attest to the character of God.

Peace: when God speaks He calms our soul. He doesn't compound our problems. We are at peace on the inside.

The nature of the voice of God is conderate, gentle.
He is not harsh towards us.

His voice comes to us teachable. It doesn't manipulate us. His voice is full of mercy. It doesn't condemn or Judge. It never displays prejudice. It is unwavering, the same always. Consistent in character. No hypocrisy in it.

Finally His voice is full of good fruit.
God will never ask us to do anything that is of the flesh.
Check the fruit that will be brought forth from what you hear or receive, does it align with the character of God?

If your spirit abi mind keeps telling you to quarrel with someone, you know that's not of God.
If you dreamt that you saw money in your office, took it and became the richest man in africa, then the next day you actually see that exact amount of money

It is Not God.

You don't take the money

Don't carry office money home and say God already told you in the dream o. It is stealing. That is not a fruit of the spirit.

3. Surround yourself with trusted people
It is important that we have men who are devoted to God around us. In learning to discern, we should surround ourselves with such people.
If we are finding it difficult to ascertain or discern what is being said, we should reach out to them.

Eli knew it was God speaking cos He was used to hearing so He could direct Samuel

Also note that sometimes these people might not see anything concerning that situation when you meet them.
Doesn't mean they are bad or less spiritual.

So go back to God and listen

Developing Hearing ears

Now that we know how He speaks and ways to know it is Him, how do we develop a lifestyle of Hearing Him often and coming to a knowledge of His voice

1. Believe that you can hear
I've been hammering on this cos it is important.
All that we are in Christ is edged on belief.
If we do not believe that we can, then we won't.
It doesn't matter if you've tried listening before and you did not.
We walk by faith not by sight.
Put whatever your experience is away.
Scripture already says you can hear, is your experience greater than the word of God?

2. Value Hearing God
 We see during the transfiguration, God's voice instructing the 3 (Peter, James and John) and in extension us, this is my beloved son, Listen to Him, Hear Him. We must take this word as it is for us.
We are to yearn for God's voice and be eager to hear what He has to say

To develop our ears, we must be intentional. It doesn't happen by mistake

Knowing God's voice is something we should be deliberate about and this will mean us taking necessary steps and being more attentive spiritually

Make room. Away from the business, set a time ti just listen to God daily.

Do it even if it doesn't work the first time or it didn't before. Keep going

Value God's voice.

If you do not see a need to hear God, you will not see a need to wait when you don't hear at first

3. Consistent Time in God's Presence
Make sure to spend uninterrupted time with God. Not one today then next time is next year.
As we consistently stay in His presence, we become more sensitive to His voice.
If you do not hear today, continue tomorrow, don't stop.
It will get to a point, your mind will quiet.
It will get used to you being still and stop roaming.

4. Spend time Feeding in the word
As we focus on the word more and more, we give Him more room to speak. We open our ears more.
I'm not talking about you reading what we post on Word Alive while watching Big brother at the same time.

We taking time to meditate on the word. Alone with the word, alone with God

As you read, don't be fast or in a hurry.

Learn to quiet your soul and listen inwardly.

Take note of where His presence is resting as you read.

Are you being led to focus on a particular word?

Pray as you read, ponder and listen.

Also know that alone with the word is alone with God.
in The beginning was the word...... And the word was God

Know that you are with God. Be conscious of this fact. This is not novel or story book you are reading.

4. Learn to listen through the day
God doesn't just speak when we open the bible. He speaks while we are at work and during other activities. Stay connected inwardly. He will speak to us outside of church and prayer time, in different ways and about different things

This is what Brother Paul called the fellowship of the Holy Spirit

The grace (favor and spiritual blessing) of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the presence and fellowship (the communion and sharing together, and participation) in the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen (so be it).
2 Corinthians 13:14 AMPC

What are you sharing together with the spirit? The thoughts of God

He speaks God's thoughts to us actively.
He shares ancient mysteries.
He reveals secrets

First, we listen

5. Obedience

Don’t just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let his Word become like poetry written and fulfilled by your life!
James (Jacob) 1:22 TPT

When all we set to do is hear for hearing sake, we deceive ourselves. We might as well not listen.
To obey is first to listen but with full/total submission and proceed to do.

Those who really love me are the ones who not only know my commands but also obey them. My Father will love such people, and I will love them. I will make myself known to them.”
John 14:21 ERV


It doesn't just stop at hearing, we should obey. Obedience produces greater intimacy.

It also works vice versa. The more we fellowship (truly), the more obedient we become.

The more we are obedient to what we hear, increase in fellowship occurs

We also hear Him more clearly

We will see that most people discard the voice of God through prophets or even prophecy because the people who bring it do not walk in accordance with God's commandment.

Also, if we want to continue living a certain lifestyle and God's word that we hear speaks against it, we might unconsciously shut our ears from hearing since it's not saying what we want

Let us pray

Thank you Father for your word and all we've learnt tonight.

Help us to pay attention to you as we step into this week. Open our ears to hear all you have to say.
We are spiritually alert and we obey all we hear.
This week, We hear you even in ways we did not know you could speak before.
We pray that we are obedient to you Lord, we do not crave the benefits of living with you while discarding the commitments that produce these benefits/fruit.


Amen

GOD'S PLAN ARE BLESSED

1. When God guides, He provides
What God directs, He protects.
Blessings untold are waiting for you,
As God guides and directs the things that you do.

2. Trust in the Lord with your heart, I say,
You will hear His voice, "This is the way."
Desires from Him, they will come,
Your heart bears witness, this is the one.


3. Vision accomplished, desire achieved,
Results of a heart, willing to believe.
God's plans unfolding as a dream in the night
Your acceptance guarantees His power and might.

4. The struggle is over, the battle is done,
When you've waited in prayer, to hear from the son.
His voice is clear, the captain has spoken,
'Go forward now! - the enemy's power is broken!'

5. Rest - for you a way of life.
Gone are the days of worry and strife
You've come to the place of knowing His way,
God's plans are blessed, for you to believe and obey

Today, with this confession as a guide (it was actually shared as a poem or so, not as a confession but it became by confession), we will be talking on God's plan with the reminder that His plans are indeed blessed

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord , thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Jeremiah 29:11 KJV

Sometimes we are in doubt of the plans of God for us, but here is a reassurance from God. He is very sure of the plans He has for us, He knows definitely that they've not changed.

They are of Good and not evil. They are blessed and aimed towards a future filled with Hope

 We all know that truly God's plans are blessed. We know our papa loves us so much. This is so easy to agree with when things are going well and visible in accordance with what we know about God's plans for us individually

But what happens when everything is not looking like the plan and it is repeatedly so.

The vision we've been given and our current realities are so much far apart.

We are even beginning to question if we are truly running with the right vision or we missed something along the line

you've just been diagnosed of this life threatening disease and it's changing your whole life

You got to work last week only to meet a dismissal letter

Your parents' health just went from 100-0. You might need to crowd fund to take care of them. Chances of survival are still slim

You've been searching for a job tirelessly, yet nothing

So much debt hanging on your neck but inside the plan that you've been told God has for you, you are the one lending to nations

Your friends have progressed in life/left you behind  and it seems like everyone is deserting you

You and rejection mails have been 5 and 6 for a while

The partner you've been praying with for years just worked out on your relationship

For someone, the Lord has said do xyz. You've been so faithful to it but it looks like nothing is coming from it.

You wrote down the vision. You are sure you heard it clearly.

You've been running by it but things keep going wrong.

You take 1 step forward and it feels like a win only for something to happen and drag you 10 steps backwards

Any spiritually minded person sees you and immediately they tell you: you are such a great person. God's plans for you are amazing. He will use you so much for His glory

It's sweet to hear but you've heard it so many times, it is becoming tiring. For decades, messages like this have come but nothing has come out of it.

Truly, life has a way of throwing challenges, so much that we are trusting o but we are not really trusting.

We are "frustratedly trusting"

Don't know if anyone can picture this or understand what I mean

I can relate to these things.

I've been here a lot of times

I get really tired and I'm wondering, when exactly will this thing happen

Especially when it feels like I'm close to something and everything scatters. I look at the vision and I wonder again, did I miss anything?

Because at this point, local man is tired.

I don't know where you fall in all of these. I don't know what is going on in your life. But the Lord has sent me to you, He has sent me to me. He says His plans are blessed, they truly are, even with all of these plenty challenges.

I'm reminded of Joseph. At 17, he dreamt of becoming king. He was sure of the vision, so sure that He even told it to his brothers. It took 22 years for this dream to come to pass (His brothers coming to bow before him).

First, he had to be a slave then next a prisoner.

This was not in the outline he received.

All he saw was his family  bowing before him.

I wonder if Joseph ever thought of his dream  while in prison. How did it make him feel? How much of an irony that'd have been.

Some things happen to me and I'm just there like, God we didn't discuss this part. Is this one supposed to be part of the t & c too cos I'm tired.

God's plans are blessed

Let's look at the story of Daniel briefly. The King had gathered young men in the city to learn the language of the Chaldeans. Daniel and his friends were part of these young men.

(Daniel 1:17).

If we read the chapter fully, we see that God gave Daniel and his friends special ability that others learning did not have.

In the second year of the King's reign, he started having dreams.

None of the Chaldeans and wise men the king was training people to be like could tell him his dream or interpret.

But Daniel and his friends prayed to God who revealed to them.

This led to Daniel becoming the Chief Magi. He was to train all magis in the reading of stars, interpretations, dreams, vision etc since the wise men and Chaldeans were not up to the task

Daniel began a new "school" sort of for training magis (of course he'd have done it as God wished)

600 years before Christ but all of these was a setup towards the acknowledgement of Christ as king and the visitation of the magis. Magis trained in the ways Daniel had laid down would someday see a star in the sky and know exactly what it means.

They'd leave all and come in fulfillment of scripture to bow before the one born king.

Did Daniel know this? No!

Was it part of God's plan? Yes

We see that truly God's plans are blessed and even they span over time.

When God guides, He provides

 What God directs, He protects.

Blessings untold are waiting for you,

As God guides and directs the things that you do.

When God guides, He provides

We see the story of Abraham. God asked him to satisfy his only son, Isaac. Abraham didn't question, not because he was not sad but he had been in God's plan for a while. He had walked in it and he understood that there were blessings in it no matter how absurd the instruction is. No matter what the next step took from him. He knew that regardless, God had a plan and whatever it was it'd be to his advantage.

Then Abraham noticed a ram whose horns were caught in a bush. So Abraham went and took the ram. He offered it, instead of his son, as a sacrifice to God. So Abraham gave that place a name, “The Lord Provides.” Even today people say, “On the mountain of the Lord, he will give us what we need.”

Genesis 22:13‭-‬14 ERV

The ram was not provided at the point where Abraham got the instruction. He was already on the move when the ram came.

He did not know who was bringing it before time. Abraham was not busy trying to figure it out. He went out with the instruction.

Also, I believe the ram had been there before Abraham got to the place.

He just did not see it. The bible says "Then Abraham noticed a ram.. "

I don't know what God has asked you to do and probably it is looking like there is no resources.

God has told you xyz but no provision to accomplish

Know this: On the mountain of the Lord (Inside the plan of the Lord), there will SURELY be provisions

The Lord will give all that you need, when you need it

(not one minute late)

When God directs, He protects.

We see that Elisha was following God's direction. Even the people benefited from the protection that came from following God's directions

But the man of God sent a message to the king of Israel. Elisha said, “Be careful! Don’t go by that place, because the Aramean soldiers are hiding there!”  The king of Israel sent a message to his men at the place that the man of God warned him about. And the king of Israel saved quite a few men.

2 Kings 6:9‭-‬10 ERV

Because of the directions God gave Elisha, the king of Haram sent an army to surround and kill him.

But God protected Elisha still

Elisha’s servant got up early that morning. When he went outside, he saw an army with horses and chariots all around the city. The servant said to Elisha, “Oh, my master, what can we do?”  Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid. The army that fights for us is larger than the army that fights for Aram.”  Then Elisha prayed and said, “Lord, I ask you, open my servant’s eyes so that he can see.” The Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and the servant saw the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire. They were all around Elisha.

2 Kings 6:15‭-‬17 ERV

Sometimes, we are like these servants, crying : "Lord, what shall we do"

But the Lord is telling us to look around, we are protected

For the remaining days of this year, our eyes are opened to God's protection that is always around us.

Amen

Trust in the Lord with your heart, I say,

You will hear His voice, "This is the way."

Desires from Him, they will come,

Your heart bears witness, this is the one.

Like Abraham, put all your trust in God. Knowing that He will provide, that He will lead, guide and direct

Knowing that truly the vision is for an appointed time. Though it tarries, surely it will come to pass.

Though everything happening is not looking like the vision, trust that God's plans are truly blessed

March 2018, the Holy spirit showed me something.

I was sitting on a stool, no handle or place to rest my back.

The stool was placed at the edge of a cliff.

The Cliff was very high, like really high and tiny.

All around it, deep waters.

Then the Spirit told me to rest my back.

Me: on what?

He told me to lean backwards

On what?

I'm already so scared sitting on that cliff, now I should lean completely as if there was a chair I'm relaxing on?

I'm going to fall inside the deep waters, that was certain.

I couldn't even look down properly cos I was scared. Now I should lean.

Then the Spirit told me, that this is what it is to depend on God, trust in His word and know that His love will not let me fall inside that water waiting to swallow

This is what it means to trust.

You know that leaning is the end of you but you also know that the one you lean on will not allow such end

It is very difficult to allow ourselves fall back with hope that someone will come and hold us.

From personal experience, I've come to know our trusting in God is our last resort

Like we've tried other cards that didn't work and it's just the God option left. Just like the woman with the issue of blood, she had exhausted all resources before Jesus. 12 years of carrying that problem.

Sometimes, we prolong some phases inside of this blessed plan of God for our lives, because we refuse to trust completely.

Our realities, natural senses, situations etc tilt us to walk by sight.

But you see God's plan, as blessed as it is, human sight cannot catch a glimpse of the process..

It takes trusting the one that gave the plan

Ignore your reality

Ignore the doctor's report

Forget the economy and absence of "provision"

Leave yourself at the complete mercy of God.

It's sweet to talk about o but very difficult. I know this because the decision to trust is daily. Even I sometimes forget to.

I know I'm to trust God but a problem comes up and I'm worried. I'm springing into action trying to fix or work it out.

Hmmm. God's plans are blessed but you need to trust Him to work it out. And you will hear Him when you do. He will show you the way. You will be certain of the steps to take.

I will leave verse 3 & 4 for us and jump to the last.

This is the most beautiful part of this confession for me. 

Rest - for you a way of life.

I changed the you on the paper at some point to "me".

When we learn to believe that truly the plans of God for us are blessed, that He will provide, protect and all we need do is trust, we experience peace.

We come to a place of rest.

Gone are the days of worry and strife

We are not worrying or struggling, not because there is nothing to worry about but because we are at the complete mercy of God.

The plan does not belong to me. If it looks like it is not working? The owner of the plan should do the worrying 😁

You've come to the place of knowing His way,

And when we stay here, we already have expo. It becomes easier. Struggles are no longer struggles. We are almost cruising through it all.

People will look at you and wonder how you have it all together but you know you don't have it all together, only God does.

God's plans are blessed, for you to believe and obey

Hmmmm..

Indeed, God has plans for you. God has plans for me.

And they are really blessed plans

Regardless of circumstances, please believe this. Never ever doubt it

Life will tell you otherwise o. Things will not make sense but don't ever doubt

God's plans are blessed, first for you to believe then obey the instructions He gives.

If you do not believe and obey, you can't walk with the plan talk less of enjoying the blessings from it.

I will like us to google William Cowper. This man had life deal with him seriously. He was heavily depressed. Nothing made sense to him. He had experience a whole lot of pain, a whole  lot. Life had no meaning. He became a believer through John Newton (author of amazing Grace) and it was John who encouraged him to write poems to be Sung by the church.

God moves in mysterious ways was written by William Cowper. He didn't write this song when everything became rosy.

If we look at this hymn from the pain Cowper was going through, just maybe we will understand the hymn better.

(funny enough, my dad sent same hymn to me 2 days ago)

“God Moves in a Mysterious Way” by William Cowper

God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform; he plants his footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines, of never-failing skill; he fashions up his bright designs, and works his sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints fresh courage take, the clouds that you much dread, are big with mercy and will break in blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust him for his grace; behind a frowning providence, he hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour; the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan his work in vain; God is his own interpreter, and he will make it plain.

The verse 4 says to judge not the Lord by feeble sense

The Lord says, “My thoughts are not like yours. Your ways are not like mine.  Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8‭-‬9 ERV

Whatever is going on in your life, God's purposes will ripen very fast. Don't forget to trust God's plan and His wisdom to see it through.

God's plans are blessed. He is the interpreter of His plans and He will make it plain.

Let us Pray

Spirit of the Living God, we thank you for teaching us so much in such little time. 

Lord, we thank you for your blessed plans concerning our lives.

We thank you because we know that despite all that might be going on, we are safe inside of your plans.

Help us to always knows this

Help us to trust in you be at your complete mercy.

Help us to follow your lead and rest in your promises.

Help is to never forget that truly we are inside of your blessed plan

Amen