TIMES AND SEASONS (PART 2).

So today we are talking on

What happens when you miss a season or get ahead of a season in life?

If you missed Sunday teaching on Times and seasons,please Click here to read

So you can flow with today's topic.

As we said yesterday,  every season has a purpose. If you miss a season,  you miss out on the purpose that season was supposed to play in your life. The end result is the purpose that season is playing.

If you get ahead of a season,  same thing.

There is a reason we have to go to primary school before secondary school. If you jump from Kindergarten to Secondary school,  you miss out on all that is to be taught in primary education and it affects you in secondary school.

What happens when it is the season to go to school and we miss it?

Then when we are 40, it dawns on us we have to go back to school. We will use a man for this case study, Man A.

So man A is 40, missed school season but wants to go back. He probably has kids and a wife, with a moderate paying job.

To go back to school he will have to stop working or reduce the hours,  this will affect his family and their standard of living (possibly for 4 years)

He will have to suffer for a while and be 100% dedicated to making it work this time around.

If he has a wife that is not supportive,  then this 4 years might be hard for him.
There will be no time for unnecessary chilling with friends,  he won't even have much time for himself.  His family will most likely also feel

The season man A missed that he is trying to make up for will become harder.

During the set season for him,  he had helpers,  people ready to pay school fees,  free time to study and be able to pass.
Everything in his life at that point aligned with that season

Now that he is trying to go back in time,  all the resources available for that season are not there anymore

When we miss a season,  it is usually hard to get the resources allocated for that season back in another season

We miss out on both the season and the resources that come with it.

If man A's wife is not able to assist with the family and he can't get a part time job to manage his home,  he might not be able to go back to that missed season. He will have to make do and move on.

Let's look at getting ahead of Seasons

I will use Sarah as an example,  God promised them a child at an appointed time but she didn't believe at a point.
She decided to cut corners and give Abraham Haggai to sleep with.


Now,  God's season and appointed time comes.  Sarah has a child,  Haggai has a child
Jealousy and regret sets in. The child will always be Abraham's offspring. The world is still going through the repercussion of this.

Seasons have a time frame.

You can't skip summer and jump to winter.

The Bible says these seasons and times will never cease

So when we miss or get ahead of seasons in our lives,  we miss out on allocated resources and the purpose of that season. We bring damage/pain/hurt to ourselves

Now what do we do if all these has happened?

1. Speak to God and confirm first if the door to that season has been shut.

It doesn't make sense trying to go back to a season with a shut door,  waste of more time and current season.  So Ask God.

We will use the story of Noah as an example.

Times and seasons were about to change,  God asked Noah to reach out to the people to be a part of the new time which was to come.
They all refused.

They didn't see nor believed in the change in time

Then it started raining.
They tried to join Noah so they can make it to this new time but the door was shut already.

Another person is Paul.

Paul wasted the early period of his life persecuting Christians

He spent the rest of his years doing more than those he persecuted when he converted.

He also faced persecution greatly (I see this as a repercussion not a punishment).

We need to know if the door has been shut first?

Is it possible to recover the lost season?

Am I passing through another season that will still bring me to where God wants?

Am I moving on with the season I am in?

These are the questions we ask God.

I've lost a season in my life.

I'm back on track but I paid for it with years,  precious time.

For some of us,  we might have to go back to exactly where we missed it.

Some of us might be allowed to move on or pass another route (probably longer).

But one thing I've realized in all of these is all of our actions have repercussions.

God is not punishing us for missing a season,  He is too loving for that.

The repercussions we face are results of the actions we took.

Here is my advice,  while praying to God to help you with what to do next,  own your mistakes and the repercussions that come with them.

Here is the sweet and glorious part.

Regardless of how long or how far we have missed it,  God is ever Gracious.  He is waiting for us to get back and continue with Him.


I remember playing some phone games while I was younger.  I will miss a turn and instead of the game ending,  I appear in another route in the game (probably longer)  or I go back a few stages

Who remembers this game?

Sometimes we miss and even get to continue from the same stage in the game.

This is how I see life,  when we miss seasons or opportunities.

God doesn't want us to stay suffering.  He is very much interested in our restoration and continuing with him.

All we need to do is go back to Him.

Things will not get sweet immediately we go back.
You will have to sow in a lot of things (time especially).

We will have to redirect our focus like man A.

You might not even have time for yourself while trying to get back.

But be rest assured,  God will lead you through.

So number 1 again.

1. Know what God is saying,  if you are going back or continuing.

2. Dedicate yourself to Him and allow Him lead you on what to do.

3. Because of lack of resources missed or time,  you will need to put in more effort.  Be ready.

4. Here is the cheat code.

When we play our parts in trying to get back,  and we play it diligently,  God can make it easier.

I will be applying this Scripture in John to this:

Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
John 4:35 NIV

We might think that we have 10 years to pay for the lost seasons and times but when we stay with God and surrender to Him this time around,  10 years could mean 2 years for us or even 2 months

God is in charge of all times and seasons.

What it will take us 10 years to recover,  divine instructions from the secret place will help us do it in even 10 days

So we are back to our watch word.

Stay in the Secret place

Follow the instructions you get from there.

Be ready to put in work
Be ready to cut off distractions
Be ready!

We will be teaching on How to hear God and know when He is speaking on Sunday.

Let us pray

Thank you for your word Lord.
For helping us bounce back regardless of how long/much we've missed or gone astray.
Thank you for your love that is ever sure
Help us to stay glued to the secret place in 2019

Amen.

WORD ALIVE 2019 THEME: SUPERNATURAL HARVEST

Today,  our topic is SUPERNATURAL HARVEST.

And this is the theme God gave us as a family to walk in this year.

I will be sharing all that has been revealed to me in the past one month concerning this and I pray God speaks to us all Himself as I do

What is Harvest?

The process of gathering ripe produce from the farm.

What does the word SUPERNATURAL mean to you?.

The supernatural is a manifestation/event attributed to something beyond human/scientific understanding or the laws of nature.

There is only one person that can go against the natural order of things,  He is the supernatural Himself 🙌

This same person is also in charge of all times and seasons,  which the Harvest Time is part of.

He is the Lord of the Harvest
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”_
Matthew 9:38 NIV

And He is here to speak with us.

Let's read Amos 9 vs 13-end

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord , that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.  And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.  And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.
Amos 9:13‭-‬15 KJV

We start with verse 13

13) The time will come when the grain and grapes will grow faster than they can be harvested

What does this mean?

People were harvesting,  they actually did have material abundance in the days of Prophet Amos.
They sowed and they reaped in due season.

But the prophet saw something that was about to happen in the future (our own present)

Something that would go against the natural order.

Men are planting seeds,  they expect to sit home for probably six months but boom 1 month,  the crops are ripe. Harvest is here earlier than expected

The KJV translation for vs 13 says

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord , that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.*
Amos 9:13 KJV

Who is a plowman?

Who is a reaper?

The reaper is the one that collects the crops,  basically harvest.

The plowman is the one that prepares the soil for the next harvest.

Now the prophecy is this,
While the person collecting the crops that came out too fast and sudden is doing this,  another is coming to quickly send him away so he can prepare for another planting.

The harvest is so plenty that the reaper is taking time to pack.

The next planting cannot wait,  so much that the plowman is ready to overtake the reaper and start his work

It says the sower/planter will be overtaken by the one who tread grapes.

The treader's duty is to take the grapes,  smash it and bring forth wine.

The planter is the one that plants/sows.

The treader is coming to overtake the planter.

While we are yet still planting,  harvest comes

This is a total disruption of order.

We probably have one harvest and one seed time season for Every year.
But for this supernatural harvest,  every day will be sowing,  everyday will be for harvesting

And it will all be happening so fast

For God's supernatural harvest,  we have more harvest than a season can ever contain*

Still on the verse 13, it says the mountains shall drop sweet wine

Please who has seen grapevines grow on mountains or high hills?

But you see this season of supernatural harvest,  fruit will drop from unexpected places.

Where we do not expect from,  the most unusual place,  we will see fruit drop from there.

And all of this is happening so fast,  faster than we can contain

Let me move away from crops and give relatable examples.

Let's say an idea pops into your head to start a company.

As it is popping, before it lands completely,  someone is coming to you to ask about something similar if you know anyone that does such

You decide to team up with them.  Just as you guys are working on production,  another company is coming to order way more than you produced

Everything is happening so fast.

Maybe before,  all these time you use to execute the idea,  you are still using it to think and understand it.
Like,  it would have still been an idea

But now,  everything will be happening very fast.

Something beyond the natural

It says the mountains shall drop sweet wine

Quality wine from the most unexpected place.

Things of great quality from in an unusual manner.

: I see life changing ideas being birthed
Things that even you would never have thought you could come up with

And they won't just be anything,  sweet wine,  of great

And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.*
Amos 9:14 KJV

Those of you that have missed seasons,  time to rebuild 😁😁😁😁😁.

This is also happening fast. You will not have to labor for sooooo long.  You will rebuild quickly and plant almost immediately,  you will plant and also drink of the sweet wine.

The lost seasons will not hold you back this season you are entering.

And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.*
Amos 9:15 KJV

Then the Lord Himself will establish you in such a way that as you've entered this supernatural harvest,  it does not end with 2019, it is forever

I'm sure we've all met people that everything they do,  it always work.

They just have to think it.

Like say na only them dey this world

Well,  you've entered that place too and it is not on and off,  it is a forever establishment

Now,  do we just sit in this season of supernatural Harvest and do nothing?


NO!

The plowman, the reaper, the treader, they are all labourers, they all *WORK*

This is what we should all be ready for;  *WORK*

Under this new dispensation, the work is nothing compared to the harvest.
People will accuse you if you are not careful, this is because your work will not tally with the blessings

Deuteronomy 11:14 then he will send the rains in their proper seasons—the early and late rains—so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil.

God is sending rain when we need it,  the early (former)  and latter rains.

The early rain comes usually in autumn and it is to establish the seeds to be planted.

I believe this is the word of God coming to us,  and it is here in due time and season

The latter rain comes in spring,  just before the harvest. It helps the crop grow well for harvest

The outpour of the Holy spirit has happened for us already

To make certain these crops being planted grow well (fast as intended by God),  we must stay working with/in the Spirit.

We must work hand in hand with Him.
Wait for instructions,  follow them closely and allow Him lead us

We must be open to accept the rains coming in due seasons for it is only then we can bring in a harvest of grains,  new wine and olive oil from unusual and unexpected places

: But the river itself, on both banks, will grow fruit trees of all kinds. Their leaves won’t wither, the fruit won’t fail. Every month they’ll bear fresh fruit because the river from the Sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”*
Ezekiel 47:12 MSG


This is what happens with the one who stays close to God,  allowing the Holy Spirit do the watering.
You will not only be productive in the business/career world,  your leaves will have healing.

You will do exploits even for God

You see some Christians (church goer),  it's either you are "very spiritual" and being productive in the church or you are very rich in the business world.

It's like a pick one thing

Not for us in this dispensation.

As they are calling richest man in the world to come and give speech,  you are stopping in the middle of the speech to give sight to a blind man around.


Whoooooooosh

Just stay and work with/in the spirit.

Today, I bring the word of God to you.
One spoken by The Prophet Amos of a time to come and I tell you that time has come,  it is NOW.

And here is what God says I should tell you,  we are not just entering a season of supernatural harvest.  This is the beigining of a lifestyle of Supernatural Harvest

: Stay,  WORK with and in the spirit

Welcome to the beginning of your supernatural Harvest.

I don't know what you will be harvesting personally but I see a large harvest of souls for the church at large.

We are in the days of God's power

The Lord is raising a great Army

And the Lord of the Harvest wants to work with you for this also

Please let's all yield and surrender to Him completely.

The end is not near,  it is here.

Thank you so much for your time.

TIMES AND SEASONS

Genesis:8.22
 As long as the world exists, there will be a time for planting and a time for harvest. There will always be cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night."

Ecclesiastes:3.1
 Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses.
Ecclesiastes:3.2
 He sets the time for birth and the time for death, the time for planting and the time for pulling up,
Ecclesiastes:3.3
 the time for killing and the time for healing, the time for tearing down and the time for building.
Ecclesiastes:3.4
 He sets the time for sorrow and the time for joy, the time for mourning and the time for dancing,
Ecclesiastes:3.5
 the time for making love and the time for not making love, the time for kissing and the time for not kissing.
Ecclesiastes:3.6
 He sets the time for finding and the time for losing, the time for saving and the time for throwing away,
Ecclesiastes:3.7
 the time for tearing and the time for mending, the time for silence and the time for talk.
Ecclesiastes:3.8
 He sets the time for love and the time for hate, the time for war and the time for peace.

Growing up,  the verse above is the first I remember reciting in church (during harvest).  I was very young then but I never forgot it

And though I knew this Scripture well,  (I was always reading it in my sleep then before the harvest day) I didn't fully understand it.

Times and seasons involves transition from a phase to another.

Times and season basically bring change in our lives. So it's like a movement sort of.

There was a time the world was empty and without shape,  then God spoke and things were created. There was a time I had to collect money from my parents for everything but now I don't anymore. There was a time I could lie with a straight face but now I can't

Time and season began since the creation.

From darkness to light

From void to full

There was a time man was just dust

Then a time for man to live

And a time for man to die

Every aspect of our lives is divided into times and seasons.

It differs for us individually.

We all did not start crawling or walking at the same time/age

Some people stopped receiving breast milk earlier than others

Some started talking later than others.

Some start school earlier than others

Though our times and seasons in life differ generally,  it is very possible to meet people at a certain point in your life in the same season as yours.

This doesn't mean your times and seasons will tally and be exactly same forever.

Who Ordains times and seasons?

God does. 

Ecc. 3:1 says Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses. 
He chooses when what season starts/end.  He is in charge of it all

Let's look at natural seasons.

In nature, every season has a purpose.  Summer is not just there to give us sunkissed selfies.
Winter does not last forever.  God has set a time for it.

So is every season in our life. We leave and enter seasons.

Summer and fall is usually for harvesting crops

Winter is usually a time of preparation and sowing.

I love winter very much cos it makes my face fresh. But that's not the purpose of winter. I get lighter during winter (up to 3 shades sometimes)  but this is also not the purpose of winter

This brings us to purpose.

There is a reason/purpose for every season we enter in life.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV

A season is a time that has been allotted for something to happen.  Seasons are purposeful.

And as children of God who are ready to make the most of all seasons,  we should be in the know of when the season starts and it's purpose.

There as to be an understanding of the times we are in

Why do we need have a full understanding of Times and seasons

1. For us to know what to do and how to react to every season

When we know that it is rainy season,  what comes to mind?
Everybody starts buying umbrella.  People go out with one in their bag even when it is not raining,  just in case.

When summer comes,  the farmer doesn't sit and start taking sunkissed selfies like Remi,  he knows it is time to start checking and harvesting all that was planted.

When you graduate from school,  you know it's not just time to sit,  rejoice and start shouting up and down that I'm a graduate.

It is time to think of what next. Am I furthering my education? Am I looking for a job or starting my own business?

When it's winter,  there is an appropriate dress code. I can't be wearing short skirt and tops up and down. That's not the time for me to expose my body (cos of cold)

There is an appropriate reaction to every time and season. We are able to react appropriately if we know the purpose of that season.

2. To help us not miss out on what God is doing in our lives

When the farmer hears it is winter (time to plant)  and he sleeps,  he will have nothing to harvest and end up having nothing to feed on for that season.  He will have to wait till another season of planting

If the graduates decides to sleep in his house and tweet I'm now a graduate all day without looking for a job,  he will die of hunger. He will miss out on whatever Jobs that have been ordained to come his way cos he didn't do anything to get them. If you refuse to buy Jamb form the season it comes out,  you will have to wait till the next year to buy.  That's one whole year missed.

3. So as not to harm ourselves

When we hear there is a storm,  some places are barred. During winter,  you have to drive more cautiously cos the roads are slippery.

If you don't know it is stormy in a place and you drive roughly,  you might end up being dead

Not understanding times and seasons can put us in harms way

How do we discern times and change in seasons?

To discern various times and seasons,  we have to meet the person in charge of the times and seasons.

You want to know what will happen in Word Alive next week? Then you ask the domestic head of Word Alive - Remi

Now this is where it gets hard because not everybody knows when God is speaking or how He speaks with them. Not everybody understands or walks in the prophetic. Not every Christian has trained themselves to hear God.

Amos 3:7
Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

The message translation says:
The fact is,  God the master does nothing without first telling His prophets the whole story

Not half,  not part. The whole story

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Jeremiah 33:3 KJV


It's really this simple.

You want to know what time and season you are in and necessary steps to take?  Ask God


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 15:15 TPT

Maybe we don't understand this but when we refuse to know the times and seasons of our lives,  we act like Servants,  orphans and bastards.

Jesus said,  For I reveal to you everything

When Christ left,  he sent the Holy Spirit in His place to reveal to us Everything

As intimate friends and legitimate children of God,  we have access to know everything.

There is a quote that says:

We don't pray Our Father then go right ahead to live as Orphans or bastards

We have access to all secrets because the one who knows all things hidden is in us and the Bible says He reveals it

He even reveals God's secret

I know it sounds hard. I won't even lie to you people,  it's not very very easy like that as it requires discipline.

It took a while for me to get here also

The Key is staying in the secret place

We've over hammered this sentence in 2018. Just stay there a little while longer than usual
 I experienced another level of this this year.

Sometimes I will sit and see a vision of what someone is about to tell me or what is about to happen.
Sometimes I watch it like movie,  then when it happens I just start laughing. Most of the things that happen around me,  I see it before it does. Sometimes I know exactly what people are coming to tell me Word for word.  I was hardly taken by surprise this year

All of these knowledge is from only one person,  the one who knows all things hidden;  GOD

And through the revelation of the Anointed One, he unveiled his secret desires to us—the hidden mystery of his long-range plan, which he was delighted to implement from the very beginning of time.
Ephesians 1:9 TPT

The Lord reveals even His secret desires to us. He tells us hidden things of long-range plan

I cannot reveal my secret to someone that is not my friend.

Sometimes God is revealing but we are not listening or paying attention.

He reveals long-range plan. Do we know what that means?

Ah

There is a weather forecast to announce when seasons change. There were towncriers back then to announce if harvesting came early

Another thing that helps is change in weather or atmosphere. When breeze starts blowing very much,  we know it might be raining soon.  Everyone packs their clothes inside. If you are on the road,  you find a way to get home early

Same for us

When it is time to enter a new season or leave one,  the atmosphere around us changes. Usually we become unsatisfied and uncomfortable in the present season

 Things usually get very hard when seasons are about to change in our lives.

Before winter starts,  there is usually a hard storm to introduce it, But for those that listen to God and understand,  the hardship becomes easier. We walk through it.

We stay closely to God and transition to the next phase safely. Just as we can observe and know when seasons change naturally,  so we can spiritually.

We do not just start knowing and understanding seasons (naturally)  in a day. It is same spiritually, you have to adjust and adapt

After I left Nigeria,  it took me a long while to learn how to dress appropriately in winter. I was usually deceived by the look of the weather (I paid for this). The people that adapted quickly around me weren't affected by the weather much cos they were always dressed for the season.

Why do people miss out on Times and seasons
Have you missed out on any season in your life?

If yes,  why do you think you did?

It could be Lack of connectivity with the Holy spirit, Procrastination, Ignorance, Insensitivity, Spiritual Immaturity, disobedience, lack of knowledge etc.

Another thing people really don't pay attention to is Fear

A lot of us are scared of the change

Seasons bring change. Change in friends/company,  way of life,  devotions, commitments, location etc. Some of us are scared of what that change will take away from us .(Some even unconsciously)

Then for some of us,  it is attachment to the old season

We get too comfortable and refuse to leave. I used to be here

We are scared of what the new is bringing,  what the future holds.

Then for others,  it is fear of that storm that comes before the winter.

We will rather stay in summer forever

Times and seasons involves transition from a phase to another,  therefore it involves change.

Don't be scared of change

Don't be scared of the unknown.  We have a God that is in charge of all things known and unknown


What do you do after recognizing a season?

1. Prepare for it

When it's time to harvest,  farmers start getting laborers or their family ready for this.
When it's time to look for jobs,  you start preparing your CV,  make research about the companies you are applying to etc.

2. Surrender and stay in agreement with God
Times and seasons belong to God,  He is in charge.  He knows how it's going to end so just surrender and allow Him. Let Him know you are in for what He is doing even if you don't fully understand it or it is hard.  Just stay with Him.

3. Walk in the Time/Season

Act in accordance with that time. Don't try to act the way you did in previous seasons. Due to differences in purpose of  these seasons, different approaches might be needed. So, walk in that time/Season.

Do your part. Some people get prophecies (even with a set time)  and somehow it doesn't come to pass. Does it mean God did not speak? No,  it doesn't.

Imagine if Joseph and the people didn't save and act towards the famine that was revealed.  It would have been their fault. Some of us get revelations and prophecies but we do nothing about it.

When someone tells me: God says you will be xyz.  He will dash you all the money in the world

I receive it and go back to God,  What do I do to make sure I don't miss this xyz.  Which country should I position myself to collect the money you are dashing me?

We have a part to play for every season in our lives,  know your part and play it.  God will play His also.

Bad/Tough Seasons

Nobody likes this part. This is the first year that I walked through a tough season willingly,  without complains.  No "God take this away please.  Why is this happening to me"

Here is the hack.  Tough seasons are not bad as we assume. They usually usher in a new and better season,  depending on how handled. Remember Fire doesn't just burn,  it refines

God says,  when you WALK through the fire,  you shall not be burned (Isaiah 43:2)

We are not supposed to run away from fire or the tough seasons.

If you don't walk inside that fire,  you will not know that you are khaleesi. You can't be burned.

The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
Genesis 8:21 NIV

This verse came before God declared that there will be times and seasons in vs 22 and they will never cease.

Never again will I, God destroy all living creatures.

But for as long as the earth remains,  I will make times and seasons and they will not end

There will be a time for the tough ones,  then a time for the smooth and sweet ones.

But God will not destroy you through all or allow them destroy you

 Another sweet part,  if a tough time ends today. Another tough season is coming 😊

We cannot run away from it

 Summer has ended but summer will come again

So yes,  times and seasons are very important.

David when it was time to fight a battle,  he took along with him men that had an understanding of the times.
 And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.
1 Chronicles 12:32 KJV

200 of them were in that battle cos they understood the time.

Who is with you in this journey of life?

Not all your friends will make it for every season. Some will have to be away for a particular season
These 200 men were taken for just this specific battle. Surround yourself with people that are in line with your time and season.


(Some friends will be there for all seasons also)
Friendships are strategic.  Pray to God to reveal all to you.

Jonathan loved David and was his friend for a day such as the one he helped him escape death.
There is a reason everyone is in your life.

A new year is upon us (usually ushering a new season) and most people are already doing,  "I will cut off this and that". "Bad energy stay far away"

I'm not saying you people should not cut off o.  But what is most important and I want us all to reflect and answer these questions to ourselves:

What season am I entering in 2019. Is it a continuation of a season from 2018 or a new one?
This particular question might be hard to ask yourself. If you don't know where you are coming from,  you can't know where you are going to.

So this question is also important.
What season am I leaving. Am I done with this season ?

These are questions you need God to answer

As we leave this night,  please go to God and ask Him. Cry,  beg,  plead,  open up to Him and pay attention.

It could come as a Scripture or even a word you hear in your spirit. Or someone might say something about it to you (without knowing) Just make sure you are attentive and ready to receive these answers

Let us pray

Our dear Lord,  you who is in charge of all times and seasons,  thank you for your word today and all you've taught us. 

Help us to know where we've gone wrong,  the times we've missed and how to remedy them. 
Help us to recognize the times we are entering and how to position properly in them. 
Help us to live this word that you have taught us today. 
We will not miss out on any season but walk through all graciously 
We will testify about this in 2019 in Jesus name. 

Amen

MEDITATION

MEDITATION

As defined by the Dictionary: focus one's mind for a period of time, in silence or with the aid of chanting, for religious or spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation.  To think deeply about something

What exactly are we meditating on and why?

Let's read Joshua 1 vs 8. Five different translations

Joshua 1:8 And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed. (Message)

This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.

Joshua 1:8 AMPC

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful. (Amplified)

Yes, keep this book of the Torah on your lips, and meditate on it day and night, so that you will take care to act according to everything written in it. Then your undertakings will prosper, and you will succeed.
Y'hoshua (Jos) 1:8 CJB

The scroll of this law will not depart from your mouth; you will meditate on it day and night so that you may observe diligently all that is written in it. For then you will succeed in your ways and prosper.
Joshua 1:8 LEB

First,  the word should not depart from our mouths,  we should meditate on it day and night.
The message translation says we should not even for a minute let this Book of revelation be out of our mind.

Why?
The reason to meditate on the word every minute,  day and night,  every moment is so that we nay be able to observe all that is written in the word.  All of it,  not some or the convenient words,  All.

The LEB translation says so that you may diligently observe it

Meditation is a key to the word of God coming alive in us

To meditate is to stop reading,  focus and contemplate on every word,  sentence,  phrase,  searching deeply for deeper and Fuller meaning. Weighing each word with scripture

When you search on Google for the definition of a word in the dictionary,  it doesn't just bring the meaning.

Sometimes it gives you 3-4 meanings,  with synonyms for each meaning

It comes up with sentences for the usage of that word. It gives full context and meaning to that word

When we start meditating,  what we are doing is typing a word in our dictionary. 

Then the Holy Spirit (the search engine)  is the one that brings us the results or definitions.

 In meditation,  we unlock the riches of the word. All of the hidden riches of the word of God is unlocked in meditation.

The word of God has an unending depth. We could search and search,  dig deeper and deeper but there will be no end.

Just one word,  but we can dig for the rest of our lives and keep uncovering layers of understanding,  revelation,  truth and life.

I don't think any man has discovered all the depth and significance to not even one verse in the Bible.
I don't think any man has. This is why I implore us,  whenever you are to read to verse especially a common one you know very well,  don't just rush through it.

I used to do that,  sometimes I will even rush it out from my head. Don't do that. That revelation you've gotten from that verse is not all

with my heart I meditate and my spirit searches diligently:
Psalm 77:6b AMPC

This is what happens. We meditate and the spirit searches diligently. To do something diligently is to be constant in effort to accomplish it. To be attentive and persistent

For the spirit to make due diligent search,  we must stay on the word long enough.

If I search a word on an online dictionary and I close the tab immediately. I abort the work of the search engine

So it is for us.  We should not be in a hurry to leave that word. When we meditate, we are reaching out to the Holy spirit to speak to us. Without the Holy spirit we cannot uncover or unlock any riches in the word.

We will only be faced with surface knowledge. Knowledge that can be reached by anyone because it is not covered or locked. We have to rely on Him to reveal when we meditate

Now while meditating,  because the human mind is very inquisitive,  questions pop up. As usual,  the Holy spirit is waiting for those questions to pop up so he can answer them

So here are possible general questions our mind asked.

- Who is the writer and who was he speaking to?
(Remember those secondary school comprehension question.  "Who said this and to whom?". This format sticks when we study the word also)

- why is the author or verse saying that? 
(Eg Why did Jesus tell Peter "feed my sheep"?
Why did God order people to be killed?)

- What does the verse mean?
(Meaning of feed the Lamb?)

- Does the verse contain a spiritual principle? 
(Paul advice not to marry of you can.  Personal opinion or spiritual principle?)

- How does this truth or verse apply to my life?


These questions are constant for me and many more. Some of us might share same or even beyond this shared here. According to Bob Sorge,  there are 5 things to look out for when studying the word


Context
You cannot understand a verse unless you know the context to which it is spoken.

Word Meanings
Look up meanings of the word if you don't understand or as the spirit leads. Original translations help a lot.  So you can also find the Greek/Hebrew word.

Cross references
Where else does the word occur in the Bible (for this search the original Hebrew word,  see how many times it occur and how it has been translated in each verse.  Some words have more than one meaning)

Repetition
If a word a repeated a lot in the Bible,  there is a need to pay attention.

Symbolism
Some words are symbolic and do not have direct meaning.
(Eg the Holy spirit as a dove.  This doesn't mean the holy spirit is a dove)

These 5 things have helped me a lot in understanding and interpreting Scripture correctly.


Luke 6 vs 45.

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (Luke 6:45) KJV

“Good people do good things because of the good in their hearts, but bad people do bad things because of the evil in their hearts. Your words show what is in your heart.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:45‬ ‭CEVDC‬‬

When we meditate,  we deposit good treasures in our hearts.
And it doesn't stop there
The more we meditate,  the more we deposit.
The more we deposit,  the more we produce outward fruit and our speech and conduct is being change.

We become Christlike

Usually,  we see Christians that know the word very much,  they can quote anything but the fruit they produce is rotten. You even wonder how it happens.

It's because they memorize the word and know it but they don't meditate on it always! It is during meditation that the renewal of our mind happens.

And when our minds stay renewed constantly,  our lives are are transformed.
Meditation is not just your normal general Bible study meetings or word alive teachings,  it is Jesus feeding us directly through the Holy Spirit. In the place of meditation,  the word is customized personally for you and your situation.

 And it's not just a one time thing. 
When we stay meditating for a long while,  there is an appetite and hunger for more.

Appetite is an incentive to work; hunger makes you work all the harder.
Proverbs 16:26 MSG

The more you meditate,  the hungrier you get. You are filled,  the tasted uncovered layer is soooo sweet.  You hold it dear but you still want more

There is a mistake we Christians make. When the Holy spirit uncovers a layer,  we start jumping up and sometimes close the Bible. We are in a hurry to share on our whatsapo stories or social media out of excitement

There was a day I got a revelation in the word.  I had never seen that Scripture that way,  I started jumping in my room and shouting Hallelujah. The Holy spirit asked me after a while if I can sit down so we continue. If he had not,  the excitement of that day would have made me close my Bible as usual

That layer that excites you is not all that is to that word.  There is more food for your soul where that came from.

Revel in the revelation received but don't close up your heart. Continue the meditation.

You think you are full already? The one feeding you will enlarge your insides to have more space for more food to enter

Don't stop Him because you think you are full. Don't be in a hurry to run off with little or leave.

Meditation is gazing upon Jesus in His word,  stay there. Fix your gaze upon Him. Even when doing other things (work,  play,  on your way back home) , keep gazing on Jesus through His word

See,  when you gaze upon Jesus,  you see yourself. You see all His finished works have made you to be. If any part of your life is not aligned to it yet,  you are forced to adjust

Imagine me like this getting to know that Dangote is my father and I have all his wealth as inheritance,  the way my life will change ehn. From change of wardrobe to the way I talk sef

That is what it is like to gaze upon Jesus (through the word).  We see our true identity in Him and this causes a chance in our lives.

The Bible says in Him we have our being. Our identity is in Christ.  Gaze upon Him and see yours

This teaching today is an action point for all of us,  myself included.

I want us to take it serious. I didn't plan to teach this.  Never even thought of teaching it before but I believe the Holy Spirit has a reason for keeping me awake this midnight

ACTION POINTS

1. I need you to write down things you are struggling with as a Christian.  Search Scriptures concerning this struggle and what  Christ has made you to be which opposes the struggle.
Then meditate on the Scripture every time. While bathing,  cooking,  washing even before you sleep.
Do it every time till there is a change. Please make sure you write it down.  When you notice the change,  go back and mark it off that list. Pick the next struggle

2. 2. As we study daily here,  even if it is just one word,  let it stay in your heart all day. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you about it. To teach you till it causes a change in you.

3. Whenever you are teaching here or anywhere about a Scripture,  don't search online for meanings.  Don't collect second hand feeding.  Don't be quick to eat digested food elsewhere. Stay still and meditate.  Tell the Holy Spirit to speak to you Himself,  even if it is just one word.  You want Him to do the search and give you something. And you are not leaving till He does (Note that it is not bad to read and listen to other preachers.  Just a part of our action points)

If we are able to do all of these action points and take it serious,  I'm very certain you will see a change. Please let's write all the action points down now and make a commitment to this. Let's watch our lives change before our very eyes

I leave you with these:

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
Philippians 4:8‭-‬9 MSG


For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.
Philippians 4:8‭-‬9 AMPC

So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always. Follow the example of all that we have imparted to you and the God of peace will be with you in all things.
Philippians 4:8‭-‬9 TPT

Put into practice all we have talked about tonight,  and watch things change

ETERNAL SALVATION

So to our discussion from the week.

Those that are still waiting for a Messiah are not saved.

Those that no longer believe He is Messiah are not saved

Those that have never believed at all are not saved

So to start with, the answer to the 3 statements above is a BIG YES

This issue as actually been one the church has been going round on for years

Way before we were born

There are 2 extremes to it and I am not on either side.

Once Saved always saved Or If you say a lie and due right after,  you are definitely going to hell

I've been a recipient of these 2 teachings. I've leaned on both sides for some period. Both for very short periods actually. Even during those times,  I had my reservation.

The bone of contention was the second statement:

Those that no longer believe He is Messiah are not saved

Some of us were (are)  of the opinion that if a Christian goes on to become an atheist,  He is still saved because He was once a Christian

 Like I said during the week,  I get am before no be property

Who is an atheist? 

An atheist is one who doesn't believe in the existence of God.


Who is a Christian? 
A Christian is one who is Christlike. One who basically follows Christ


How does one become a Christian?

What makes us Christians, born again,  is our acceptance of Christ as our Savior.
Now,  an atheist is one who doesn't believe there is a God, talk more of coming to Him through Christ.

Now,  let's go back.

Can a Christian say they are not doing again? Does this mean they were never Christians?

Let's look at a couple for example.

Myself and Samson have been married for 20 years.  Today,  I wake up and demand for a divorce
Does this mean we were never in love? Or I was never truly married to Samson?

No.  It simply means I have made a conscious decision to end my marriage/relationship with Samson.

Samson wants to stay married to me.

He never wants to take away my position as his wife but what he cannot do is stop me from walking away

Cos it is by freewill I accepted to be his wife. I was not forced into the relationship so I cannot be forced to stay

Samson will beg me to stay. Even after I get the divorce papers,  because he loves me,  he will keep trying to reach me.

Because of his strong love for me,  the only time he will give up is when I'm dead. He will keep trying

Now let's go back to my marriage to Samson.

There are families in Nigeria that when you are married to them,  you get some privileges.

You are carrying the surname. It opens doors for you. But the minute you walk out,  those privileges end

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
1 Timothy 4:1 KJV

If it is not possible to lose faith,  Scripture will not tell you and I to hold fast to our faith

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

2 Peter 2:20‭-‬22 KJV

These Scriptures here speaks of people that knew Christ.  They had a true relationship not mere head knowledge. Yet they went back

There are some, you know, who by relaxing their grip and thinking anything goes have made a thorough mess of their faith. Hymenaeus and Alexander are two of them. I let them wander off to Satan to be taught a lesson or two about not blaspheming.

1 Timothy 1:19‭-‬20 MSG

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Hebrews 3:12 KJV

This was directed at Christians,  believers. He wasn't writing to those yet to accept Christ

And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.   And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.   And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.   But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Matthew 24:10‭-‬13 KJV

This is directly from Christ

A lot of believers will be led astray.  Many will fall away.
Jesus mentioned these things

So yes,  it is very possible for someone to be once a Christian

For someone to say they are not doing again with the same mouth they used to accept Christ.

Very very possible

Let's go back to our atheist friend,  right back to when he accepted Christ.  What exactly was he accepting?

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8:1 KJV

This is one of the things our then Christian,  Atheist friend received when He accepted Christ.

No more condemnation....Eternal Life

“Martha,” Jesus said, “ You don’t have to wait until then.  I am the Resurrection, and I am Life Eternal. Anyone who clings to me in faith, even though he dies, will live forever.  And the one who lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25‭-‬26 TPT


One of the things our friend received was Eternal life.

He had life before but then according to Biology , every living thing must die

It is a cycle.. You don't stay alive forever.

A sacrifice had to be paid for eternal life to be available for all. It was paid by Jesus. He is the source of the eternal life. He is the eternal life himself.

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Acts 17:28 KJV

This eternal life our friend had is not  just given by Christ but it is IN Christ.

What happens when our friend decided that He didn't want Christ anymore?

The presence of Christ was the Eternal life itself.  Rejecting Him is also rejecting Eternal life

What happens if he dies in this rejection?  

We read that there is no condemnation for they that are IN Christ.  Not they that Christ gave eternal life (Christ is the Eternal life)

Now that he is no longer in Christ,  He will face condemnation as everyone in the world. But till the very minute that he dies,  The love of God will keep trying to pull him out and reach out to him. It will never force him into acceptance.

If God could force us into acceptance of Him,  then the whole world is going to Heaven
Or you think God delights in people going to hell?

Definitely no.

So yes,  if an atheist regardless of his former belief or stance dies,  he is not going to heaven.

There is no sugarcoating it (except there is another way outside Christ)

If as Christians we sin or do wrong things then die,  are we going to hell?
No

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:8 KJV

Christians do sin,  it is actually very possible to. But as Christians we are not characterized or identified by a life of sin. No matter how many times we make mistakes and sin,  we are forgiven

But it gets tricky.  Our lives are not to be controlled by sin.

And it is either we are controlled by the flesh or by the spirit.

Now here is my take.
If we continually choose to reject the work of the spirit in our lives and cling to the flesh,  our hearts harden.
It is very possible that we derail from here. It is very possible that stop holding honour belief from here.

The life we've received is in Christ and the Holy Spirit is the maintenance of this life.  If we constantly reject him and his works,  we reject Christ and his work too.

Let's look at John 15.

It says Abide in me, and I in you

He didn't say now that this branch is part of the tree,  that is all. Here Christ notes our choices and decisions to stay continually. To stay in continued fellowship with him. (Note that fellowship is not same as relationship.  Though fellowship  affects relationship)

He is asking us to do thongs which exposes us to Him more and more. To make the decision to stay always

Now what happens to those that do not abide in Him,  that choose to branch out

If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
John 15:6 KJV

Let's note here that he didn't say "if anyone refuses to bear fruit, I will cast them out"

He says if they refuse to abide. A branch has no life unless it is on the tree. The tree is the source of life for it.

At what point of continually rejecting the Vine (tree)  is the branch cast out?

I wish I had the answer to this one but I do not as the Bible does not give a specific time.
5years,  10years?

But one thing I know for sure is that God doesn't want anyone casted out. His love is all up in our face always.  He'd prefer we have life than death

People will come on that great day and say, I casted demons in your name but the Lord will tell them I do not know you. Of course,  they accepted Christ but something happened along the line.
Remember the parable of the sower. The ones that believed but temptation came.

I think only Christ knows at one point anyone stops being truly in Him.

But one thing we all know is the road that leads to that place,  which is continual rejection of Christ nd the works of the Spirit.

When someone becomes so controlled by sin,  we say the person's conscience is dying or is dead
In our case,  what the person is killing is the spirit of God in Him

For those of us here,  I don't think we plan to reject Christ.

And if we've been living a life characterized by sin,  now is the right time to stop.
This is why we have the Holy spirit. Allow Him help you.  You can't fight the flesh on your own.

Finally,  we have Christ so we have Eternal life.  We actually have already started living it

God loves us so much He couldn't wait for us to come join Him,  He brought Heaven here (right inside our little hearts). Enjoy Him. If His presence is boring to us now,  then why do we look forward to Heaven?

What makes Heaven is not the streets of Gold, the precious stones or pearls,  it is the Presence of God and it is now in you and I.

Let us pray.

Lord,  we thank you for your word and all we've learnt today.
Help us to abide in you forever.  Let us not seek a life outside you.

For those of us that do not understand or agree with some things,  speak to us directly.  Teach us your truth now and always.

Amen

SPIRITUAL VIOLENCE

SPIRITUAL VIOLENCE

First of all,  what is the meaning of violence?

Violence is a behavior involving physical/brutal force to hurt,  damage or kill something.

Violence is synonymous to intensity,  fierceness,  pitilessness,  attack etc.

Now does this mean we should try to kill or damage people spiritually?
Well,  no (not in this context)..

Let's go to our text for today so we understand clearly where we are coming from.

 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Matthew 11:12 KJV

From the time of John the Baptist until now, violent people have been trying to take over the kingdom of heaven by force.
Matthew 11:12 CEV

I think I've had this Scripture in my head for as long as I could memorize anything,  so many Christians have also.  It has taken me years to understand the concept of Spiritual Violence as described in this verse. So many people even use the Scripture wrongly to justify anger or some violent behavior.

What exactly does the Scripture mean by "the kingdom of heaven suffers violence"?
Who is attacking our precious Heaven? 😧😧
The violent ones take heaven by force;  does there have to be a forced entry into this heaven ?
Are we not supposed to be sweet and gentle as our darling Jesus? 🤷🏼‍♀

So many questions but we will try to break it down one after the other. 

Back to our scripture, Matt 11 vs 12, what led to this reply from Jesus?

Let's scroll up a bit.

From verse 1 ,we see John the Baptist who was in prison at that time sending his disciples to find out if Jesus was the Messiah. At that same time also,  multitudes were with Jesus listening to Him keenly.

One thing is evident here,  the people in this time were searching for something,  a prophecy given by the prophets of old,  the Messiah.  Even John was (He had to send His disciples to confirm if Jesus was the Messiah and Jesus sent them back with a prophecy concerning Him that was now evident which He was sure they knew)

The people sitting in the crowd listening to Jesus had also gone to visit John before.  One would wonder what exactly they were looking for.

As they were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. “What kind of man did you see when you went out into the wilderness? Did you expect to see a man who would be easily intimidated?

what did you really go out to see? Was he a prophet? He certainly was. I tell you that he was more than a prophet 
Matthew 11:7-9 CEV

This same crowd listening at Jesus' feet had also been to the wilderness to see John before Jesus came.  To get to the wilderness where John was at that time according to old manuscript was a 5day journey,  one way.  So 5 days going,  another 5 days coming back (note that they were walking)
These people wanted something and nothing was going to stand in their way.  They were ready to risk it all,  they didn't mind leaving their homes for the kingdom even though they didn't fully understand at that point.

Jesus cries out to them in verse 12 saying: From the days of John the Baptist...  This means from the day John's ministry started.  John had been preaching for over a year at that time: "Repent,  for the kingdom of Heaven has come near" 
Matt 3:2 (NIV)

Now Jesus is saying from the day John started preaching that men repent as the kingdom of Heaven is near, many have been in pursuit of this kingdom.

They've been trying to get a hold of it. John had people coming from far and near, risking all just to know about this Kingdom that is near.

This kingdom of God now suffers violence

Those who heard the teaching and were touched by it seized it,  they would not let it go,  their response to it is whatever it takes,  we will find ourself inside this Kingdom.  They didn't care how forcefully they have to get there,  they will literally seize and take things by force.

 The law of Moses and the revelation of the prophets have prepared you for the arrival of the kingdom realm announced by John. And now, when this wonderful news of God’s kingdom realm is preached, people’s hearts burn with extreme passion to press in and receive it.
Luke 16:16 TPT

John was the last of the old prophets and also the one to usher in the new by being a forerunner of the Messiah.  John came to announce the arrival of the Kingdom realm. And anytime John preached about this Kingdom realm,  people's hearts begin to burn,  they are stirred,  there is a certain fierceness and intensity with which they use to pursue this realm they've heard of. They become violent spiritually.

What exactly is spiritual Violence?

To be Violent Spiritually is to pursue God intensely,  to seek Him with one's entire being.  To say enough is enough and deny self while throwing off all entangling sin.

It means to run the race with passion,  purity and perseverance.

To seek God with Violent abandonment of whatever is holding us back

And this is not starting today,  we are not the first, this started in the days of John.  Men have been reaching and violently seeking All of Heaven with intense zeal.

To be spiritually violent,  we do not care about what we lose in the process.  No! the gain of this Kingdom of Heaven is more precious than all we can ever lose.

Just as it is in this generation where people say they are chasing the kingdom and running the heavenly race but refusing to let go of their old ways,  so it has always been.

We see Jesus addressing this same crowd in Matthew about it:

 “We played the flute, but you would not dance! We sang a funeral song, but you would not mourn!”
Matthew 11:17 CEV

We see Jesus here rebuking the crowd that (some of them)  they were not dancing to the flute being played and they were not mourning even with the funeral song.  What does this mean?

The flute being played and dancing signifies celebration of God's presence and their reaction to it.
God has brought down His presence,  now He lives in us but so many of us do not dance to this new tune.  We do not walk in this new dispensation.

The funeral song being played and them refusing to mourn represents the death of sin in our lives but we as Christians still refuse to accept that we are now dead to sin.

We refuse to mourn sin and now live in this new kingdom realm.

We want to enjoy the kingdom realm but yet still have one of our feet in the world.

We consciously choose to live in sin even though we claim we are a new creature.

It doesn't work this way!

I once read somewhere : True Faith is revealed by how we chase God and earnestly seek Him

How exactly are you chasing God?
How are you seeking Him?
Is it passively or aggressively?

This thing is do or die.

It's a practical example of we die here,  if that is what it will take.

Spiritual Violence for every Christian begins in the secret place.  John spent time in the wilderness seeking God. 

The disciples locked themselves up for days in the upper room praying and fellowshipping before receiving the Holy Spirit (and they moved immediately with great power after this).

If you do not fellowship with God,  do you really seek this Kingdom realm?
Do you really wish to know Him more?

The excuse these days is we are all busy.  Know this,  if you truly want God you have to create time for Him.  You have to be ready to leave your comfort zone.

I used to have roommates when I took the decision to improve my prayer life.  I had to pray under my breath most times,  sometimes I'm in the toilet praying,  other times I'm taking a prayer walk at night during winter. 

I'd tell myself then,  "Remi,  you will die if you don't pray". I'd repeat this over and over.  It was in my notes back then.

Of a truth,  you'd die spiritually if you don't pray or fellowship with God.

And fellowshiping with God doesn't come easy,  you have to sacrifice. You have to be aggressive and violent about creating time for it. 

When God calls any man,  He first calls you to unusual dedication to fellowshiping with Him.  This is where it all flows from.

Another mistake people make is confusing Natural zeal for the things of God with fellowshiping with Him and violently seeking Him. They are very different.

Going to church always,  helping with church works,  Bible studies,  preaching etc, all these things are very good and should not be kept aside but you see,  doing these things only do not outlast watching eyes.

When you are alone,  you can't pray for 2 hours straight but you can do it in church where people are.  These things are natural zeal and it is a good start. Take it up by seeking God violently,  laying all that has been holding you back aside.

If you pray at night and you sleep off,  then start praying earlier when you are very much active.  If you start the day and get busy immediately leaving no time to commune with God,  then please starve yourself some sleep by waking up earlier to pray.

You must be ready to make any sacrifice in seeking God!
Whatever it takes,  you should be ready to give!
Radically pursue God,  without fear and without restraint.
Proverbs 2 vs 4 says we should search for wisdom (God)  as though it were a hidden treasure.

Do you know what it means to search for something that is hidden?

Who remembers Gulder Ultimate search ?  The last task is to find the hidden treasure to become the winner.  Do we see how those guys used to search like their lives depended on it? 
The money/prize was more than enough motivation.

Till someone shouts "I found it", everyone is digging sands,  scattering forests hoping they find this hidden treasure first. 

Sometimes,  it takes hours but they do not stop to rest.

The prize was the motivation.

Is this kingdom realm prize enough for you?

When the Bible said "Narrow is the way", this is what it meant,  that the path to this new life of enjoying Heaven even here on earth is difficult.  A lot of things dear to you will stand in the way,  you have to take them away yourself.

This is why Jesus said except you leave all behind,  you cannot follow me.  We must be ready to leave ALL.

As for us, we have all of these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds. So we must let go of every wound that has pierced us and the sin we so easily fall into. Then we will be able to run life’s marathon race with passion and determination, for the path has been already marked out before us.
Hebrews 12:1 TPT

ACTION POINTS
As we end the teaching tonight,  I will share some Action points with you

- Get a book and write down everything that is holding you back in your fellowship with God.

- Search yourself sincerely and also write down why each of these things have been a stumbling block

-Deliberately place your communion and fellowship with God above all those things.

- Maybe just like me,  write it down everywhere you can easily see it,  make it your prayer alarm name :

"I,  xyz,  will die if I don't pray/fellowship with God"
- Earnestly pursue God.


I pray for you that as you take these steps in your pursuit of God,  the Holy Spirit who is our helper will be with you and make the walk easier for you. 

God bless you!

THE GRACE OF GOD

We've talked about Grace before so today's lesson would be a brief discussion on our understanding of grace

Grace means undeserved or unmerited favour. It's basically extending kindness to the unworthy.

Mercy is forgiving others for what they've done or God not punishing us for our sins

Grace is God blessing us despite the fact that we do not deserve it

For example Now, someone has an accident and he didn't die. Then the person says "God had mercy on me that's why i didn't die" or something like that

To be saved by Grace is means that, from the begining to the end, it's all God.  Everything we do or get, it's all God. We get this thing we've been expecting, it's grace. This poisoned food didn't kill me, it's grace.

It's not that because we are nice to people thats why bad things don't happen to us. Or if we do many good things, God's grace will continue to be upon us

It's not a bargain. We don't do 40 percent and God does 60. To be saved by grace is recognizing that we are unworthy and we have nothing what so ever to contribute to this life we are living.

Relating to this, let me tell you people what happened one time in church. There's this Anglican church I attend sometimes at home cos well, I'm an Anglican. An evangelist was invited to preach. That's how after her sermon she said "see the grace on your vicars head, if you want this kind of grace to be on your life come and drop 800k"

That's how she started till she got to 1000 naira. People were rushing out. To buy grace

Like i said before, it's not a bargain. You don't drop 100 naira to get 100 naira worth of grace. I know we know better

Ephesians 2: 8-13

The Message Ephesians 2:7-13 Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing. But don't take any of this for granted. It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God's ways had no idea of any of this, didn't know the first thing about the way God works, hadn't the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God's covenants and promises in Israel, hadn't a clue about what God was doing in the world at large. Now because of Christ—dying that death, shedding that blood—you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything.

Lastly, what do we understand by growing in grace? Or to grow in grace?

To grow in grace means to mature as a Christian. It takes only grace to do that. It takes God's grace to constantly fellowship with him. To stay longer praying without distractions. It's grace. Grace that helps us to overcome that bad habit

We grow in grace by reading God's Word, by fellowshiping with him and by praying.

In all of this, we shouldn't take his grace for granted and always learn to be thankful. Always.