Study Scripture:

You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.

• Acts 8:21 (NIV)

 

The role of power in the life of a believer can never be ignored. The currency of the end-time church is power. If you are powerless, you will be oppressed by the devil. Power is not collected by proxy, it is collected intentionally in the place of prayers.

Two types of spiritual power are:

1. Spiritual power to live daily in Christ
2. Spiritual power to win and subdue the activities of satan in the world

Presently, there is a broad exhibition of powerlessness amongst believers.

LAW #1: A WRONG HEART FOR GOD AND HIS THINGS

A wrong heart for God is simply a heart that goes after God only for what the individual wishes to get from God. Some people use God as a spiritual insurance company. They attend church services in search of job, husband/wife, child, etc. This is the reason behind the powerlessness of many Christians.

The book of Acts 8 vs 1-21 tells the story of a Simon who understand the value of power. Before he met the apostle Philip, he was making money from the Samaritans from his wizardry. He followed Apostle Philip everywhere because of the signs and wonders that were performed by God through Philip. On seeing people receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by Apostles Peter and John; he offered them money to receive the same power. Apostle Peter rebuked him for trying to purchase the gift of God with his money.

Two things could be observed here; the first is that Simon repented and got baptized, yet his heart was not right with God. He was after signs and wonders. The second is that Apostle Philip did not discern that Simon’s heart was not right with God though he was following him everywhere.

This is the same thing we see in our churches today, many people want to buy God’s power with their money but that is not the perfect exchange. Power is accessed with a genuine heart for God. Power increases by reason of pursuit of God. Power increases at the desperate seeking and searching of God. Power leakage occurs by reason of pursuit after material things. Power is not bought with money but with a right heart.

Prayer Line: Oh LORD, purge my heart from lust after material things and give me a genuine heart for you in Jesus name. Amen!

Study Scripture:

For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.

• Hebrews 4:2 (NIV)

This month, we received God’s prophetic word thus: HIS POWER IS MY WINNING TICKET. THEREFORE, I SHALL ESCAPE ALL THE EMBARRASSMENTS OF THE DEVIL. You must understand that what makes you a winner is violent faith. You access your winning ticket with the instrument of faith. The prophetic instrument for the advancement of your life above satanic embarrassment is through the instrument of faith, and not just any kind of faith but violent faith.

Let’s look at some scriptural examples; individuals who won by violent faith:

1. The blind beggar who cried out to Jesus for help; ignoring the rebuke of the people around him. His violent faith yielded his healing (Luke 18:35-39).
2. The relatives of the paraplegic man who opened up the roof to lay him before Jesus. This violent action of faith brought about his wholeness. (Luke 5:18-24).
3. The widow of Zeraphath who had faith in the word of the prophet and acted accordingly. Her faith fetched her abundant food in the midst of famine (1 Kings 17:12-14).
4. Elisha who was desperate to receive a double portion of his master’s anointing. His violent faith granted him access to his desire (2 kings 2: 9-14).

Instruments That Makes Faith Work

1. Love for God (Galatians 5:6).

Faith is expressed in love. True lovers of God are violent faith activators. Once you are a genuine lover of God, you can easily give out whatever He demands of you and faith will always provide for you. True lovers are givers, sacrificial and responsible believers. The faith of a true lover will always work. Love driven faith oppresses the devil. Faith is impotent without love.

2. Praise (Psalms 100:4).

To access violent faith, you need to be a person of praise. Whenever you praise God, faith is released.

Further Scriptures: Psalms 63:2, Daniel 3:18, Genesis 12:1, 2 Chronicles 20:20

Prayer Line: Oh LORD, give me a heart that is full of love for you in Jesus name. Amen!

For some time now, we have been receiving teachings on how to access God’s presence and prosperity. Today, we will learn, as God helps us, the enemies of God’s presence and prosperity, and how to deal with them.

We have already established that, it is God’s will for His children to prosper and that; we can access God’s order of prosperity when we dwell in God’s presence. However, the devil does not want you to enjoy God’s will for you and as such, he will always try to stop you from accessing God’s presence and prosperity.

What are these enemies?

1. The enemy of spiritual intimidation and low self-esteem (Numbers 13:30-33). Don’t be surprised to see ‘low self-esteem’ here, indeed, as it is applicable in the physical, so it is in the spiritual. Your access to God’s presence and prosperity answers to your spiritual, physical and mental self esteem. In order to stop you from accessing God’s benefits for you, the devil tries to intimidate you into thinking that you are not qualified to receive God’s blessings. On the other hand, when you fail to see your glorious destiny and continually belittle yourself, you will find yourself missing out on God’s plan. The devil harasses you easily when you look down on yourself and fail to build your spirit man.
2. The Spirit of spontaneous fear (2 Timothy 1:7, Luke 1:13, 30, 2:10). Fear has the capacity to enslave you and keep you stagnated. If you are afraid to climb spiritual heights, you might not enjoy the peak of God’s presence. If you are afraid to take risks needed to succeed in your career or business, you will not progress. If you are afraid to offer help to strangers or meet new people or you claim to be an introvert, you will miss so many wonderful opportunities. Fear is one tool the devil uses to cripple your destiny. Note also that the spirit of fear is associated with the spirit of death (Hebrews 2:14-15). You are delivered from fear in Jesus name. Amen!
3. Railing accusation and conspiracy of satan (Revelation 12:10, Job 1:9-11, Zechariah 3:1, 2Peter 2:11, Isaiah 54:17). This has been the business of satan from the onset. He will always try to make you look bad before God and unqualified for God’s blessings. Beyond that, he could influence individuals to black mail you and thereby stop you from receiving favour. These accusations though false, have the capacity to change the mind of a person who wishes to faour you. Every accuser of your soul is crushed forever in Jesus name. Amen!

How do you deal with these enemies?

You rebuke them (Jude 1:8-9, Zechariah 3:2). If you keep quiet and watch the devil ruin you, then you have yourself to blame. Your future is your tongue. Rise up now and call forth your glorious destiny.

Prayer Line:  Father in the name of Jesus, I rebuke every enemy of my advancement in life and destiny. Amen!

Study Scripture:

Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste ­­­­­­__ nothing escapes them. – Joel 2:3 (NIV)

I was in a luxurious bus one day en-route Lagos and while I was yet putting myself together to lead worship songs and minister to the passengers, a lady in the bus started preaching. Her ministration was so hot that everybody in the bus was tremendously blessed. A time came in the course of our journey when the lights in the bus were turned off and in the midst of the darkness, this same lady was making out with a guy (a stranger) in the bus. By the time the bus stopped at Benin, the two lovebirds located a hotel and lodged there. Very disappointing, not so? This lady fell victim of this immoral act because she was not on fire. She was a Christian but she lacked fire.

Why must you subscribe to fresh fire?

1. To fight against unprepared temptation (James 1:12, Luke 4:13, Psalms 95:8, Hebrews 3:8). As Christian, there are always times when you will find yourself in the wilderness (difficult situations) and it will seem as if you are not making progress. And it may be one wilderness after the other for you; nevertheless, God is still God, so, be encouraged. It is in the wilderness that the devil will come to minister to you and make suggestions that will not profit your Christian walk. This wilderness may come in the form of unanswered prayers, loss of loved ones, lack and want, delay in marriage, unemployment, misbehaviour of a spiritual authority etc. but whatever the case, don’t fall into the devil’s trap. It is in the wilderness that temptations come on a high scale, and if you are not fire, you will fall prey to the devil. Being on fire helps you to stand strong in the midst of temptations and come out victorious.
2. It is the purchasing power of oil in the midnight (Matthew 25:1-10). Don’t be like the foolish virgins who failed to buy extra oil and as a result, they couldn’t power their lanterns in the midnight; and eventually they missed the bridegroom. In the absence of light, you can’t see. In the absence of light, you will experience fear. Jesus baptized his disciples with fire but Simon Peter did not maintain the fire, and when he sought heat from a physical fire, he denied his master. You need to always be on fire so that you will always have access to the oil. You purchase this oil in the place of prayers (Matthew 26:41).

Further Scriptures: Luke 12:49, 1 Corinthians 7:32-34

Prayer Line: Father in the name of Jesus, I receive grace to remain on fire for you. Amen!