Take Out The Giant.

1Samuel 17:33-49, Joshua 14:12
Nephelem means big giant evil man.
The men chosen to go and spy the land were experts with precision and leaders. This is seen in Numbers 13 - ¹ And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.”. ²⁸ Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. ²⁹ The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”.
Joshua and Caleb didn't disagree with the mens report but said they can defeat the people in the promise land.
God is territorial and we are more about 'self' which brings a conflict with God. Territory means space or area under jurisdiction. Nothing can happen in that territory without the permission of the land/goverment.

Caleb wasn't looking to take the mountain for himself but for the people. Most people are more about 'self' and if it's not beneficial to themselves, then they are not interested. Wherever there is 'destiny', there is a 'giant' waiting and standing between you and your destiny.

There are 6 things to recognise about you and your giant:-

1. There is power in your process that you tend to underestimate - Never underestimate your mundane tasks as they are building you up to help you in taking your giant. It is not our responsibility to connect our mundane activities to Gods elevation. You kill the giant with the skills that you have.
2. You need to have a 'real' relationship with God in order to be able to defeat your giant - There is a confidence in knowing that you have the backing of God which emanates from walking with him. Know the heart and mind of God, be territorial and guard what you have at your disposal. When you lift your hand in battle, there must be a territorial gain.
3. Never underestimate your gift - You need to know what you are good at and do it well.
4. Know your limitations - Don't overestimate you abilities as not every giant is easily taken down. Know your weapons, your abilities, and make assessments. Know what works for yourself, your battle requires your strategy.
5. Be a quick learner - Know the weapons that work. Educate yourself with the culture of the room in order to communicate. Even David used Goliaths sword to cut his head off.
6. Know how to engage the gifts of your network - Use the skills of the people around to finish the job. Recognise others gifts and take from them to increase your wisdom. Learn to network with others.

I conclusion:- God will make your enemy not to be prepared for you when you want to take on your giant. Goliath was expecting to see David dressed in his apparel of war. This gave Goliath a false sense of security and he felt relaxed that he was going to win. David gave him an element of surprise which Goliath wasn't expecting.

High Thoughts That Lead To High Ways!

Bible passage for sermon: Isaiah 55: 1-end, Jeremiah 29: 5-7, 10-14
Isaiah 55 - ¹ “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. ² Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. ³ Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live;  And I will make an everlasting covenant with you— The sure mercies of David. ⁴ Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, A leader and commander for the people. ⁵ Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, And nations who do not know you shall run to you, Because of the LORD your God, And the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you.” ⁶ Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. ⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. ⁸ “ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. ⁹ “ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. ¹⁰ “ For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, ¹¹ So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. ¹² “ For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace;  The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. ¹³ Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the LORD for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

God says in verse 1 that you should buy without money. This is because the price has been paid for already. The milk God is referring to is the sincere milk of the word, and the wine is the new wine of the new testament.
v3 - Incline your ear and come unto me. Your soul will live when you come unto him.
Isaiah 9: 6 - For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Jesus was given to us for 3 reasons as seen in verse 4:-
To be our Witness - meaning someone who has seen and experienced. Acts 1:8 Jesus had to show the things he had seen of the father.
To be our Leader - taking us by our hands and leading us to heaven.
To be our Commander - speaking the things of God with authority.

God is speaking to us through Jesus. God has already done all things and it is up to you to reach out and make it work as seen in verse 5.

In verse 8 he tells us about his 'thoughts' and his 'way'. Let us define the word thought - it means imagination, purposes, devices, contriving, machine, invention, fortify. The definition of way - walk, journey, way of life, worship. God wants us to change our thought and ways illustrates how his thoughts towards us brings good things. Your thought is influenced by the word of God, the more you hear the word, the more your thoughts are changed.

Jeremiah 29 - ¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. God has promised to give you a future and a hope, and all this is through his 'thought' towards you. The word 'think' is defined as - account, reckon, count, induce, impute, invent, weaver. God already has a good accout of you, God has a good reckoning of you, God has a good invention of you. All this he has done through his thoughts.

In conclusion: God wants us to walk in dominion wherever you are, and he has given you the ability to do that through your thoughts and your ways. Let your thoughts be changed daily by the word of God, and your way be influenced by your thoughts, so that you can have good seeds to sow and be a blessing everywhere you go.

Wait For It - Devotional

Bible passage for sermon - 1Kings 18: 41-46
1Kings 18 - ⁴¹ Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” ⁴² So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, ⁴³ and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” ⁴⁴ Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’” ⁴⁵ Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. ⁴⁶ Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

This passage is about when there was a drought in samaria, and Elijah, after showing the people of the land that the Lord is truly God, told Ahab that there is a sound of abundance of rain. He "heard" it first in his spirit and even reassured Ahab to "go up, eat and drink". He heard it and he believed that will certainly come to pass.

Elijah went to the top of carmel to pray by taking the position of bowing down on the ground and putting his head between his knees. This indicates that he was praying so much and didn't let anything distract him, but also he understood the importance of watching at the same time. So he got his servant to do the watching for him while he prayed. You need to learn to watch and pray at the same time...most believers either pray and pray without watching, while some just keep watching and hoping that thing will materialise because they have heard it.

Elijah sent his servant to go and look at the sea for any sign of rain while he prayed hard and held onto what he heard in his spirit. Even though he heard it, he still had to wait to see it materialise. The servant went back and forth 6 times bringing back news of no sign of the rain. This alone is enough to make you disappointed and probably lose faith at that which you have heard from God. The servant would probably have written off Elijah and doubted in his mind if he truly was a prophet from God. This happens to everyone of us when people will write you off because you are not where "they" think you should be. You have promised so much but you haven't delivered anything that "they" can see.

But on the 7th time the servant saw a rain cloud rising from the sea. This changed the whole complexity of things for both the servant and Elijah. The servant then realises that Elijah is once again the prophet of God that he has always been, and Elijah receives the confirmation of that which he had heard and believed in. Even though it is still not the rain which he expects, he knows that the cloud is the start of that which he heard. This applies to you in your daily life that that which you are expecting might not come immediately in the finished form you are expecting, but that which you see is a sign of the thing expected.

Once Elijah got the little confirmation, he acted upon it by sending message to Ahab to prepare the chariots so the rain will not stop him on his way to jezreel. At this time there was no rain yet when the message was sent, the clouds only became black with clouds and wind and thenwith heavy rain after the message was delivered. Elijah acted upon his faith that God will certainly bring to pass that which he had spoken to him in the spirit. Elijah started to put things in place in readiness for that which he knows will happen. You also need to start to put things in place and prepare yourself for the promises once you get little confirmations about them. Don't just spen all the time praying and praying, there is a time to pray and a time to get ready for when the prayers get answered. The keyword here is "prepare".

Ahab prepared his chariots and set off to jezreel but without Elijah, probably in his haste he forgot about him. But Elijah even though the rain had come, still waited behind until the hand of the Lord came upon him. Only then did Elijah gird up his loins and left on foot for jezreel and made it there, even before Ahab who was on the fast chariots. I said previously that the keyword is "prepare", even though Elijah saw the rain and could have gone with Ahab on the chariots, he intentionally waited upon the Lord to touch him, to confirm to him that all is well and that he can now go ahead. All this while Elijah was preparing himself for the appointed time when that which he heard would come to pass, and because he now saw the rain he didn't just jump without the full confirmation from God.

He chose Gods appointed time to embark on the trip to jezreel, and because he waited God accelerated his progress tremendously that he even got to the destination before the man on the fastest chariot. When your have waited upon the Lord for so long for a thing he has promised you, hold on to that till you get Gods full blessings to then go ahead.

In conclusion - When God gives you a word, you will not die waiting. The Lord will not break his word for you. He exalts his word over his priciples, therefore wait on the Lord and obey his instructions and he will elevate you at the appointed time.

They Thought It Was Over, But It's Only Just Begun.

Bible text Hebrews 11: 1-3, 6, 24-29. Habakkuk 2: 1-4
Hebrews 11 - ¹ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ² For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.³ By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
²⁴ By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, ²⁶ esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. ²⁷ By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. ²⁸ By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. ²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

Habakkuk 2 - ¹ I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected. ² Then the LORD answered me and said:
“ Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. ³ For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. ⁴ “ Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.

The just shall live by faith appears 4 times in the bible. God is trying to ensure this is pivotal in your life. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We can define substance as an 'underguarding', so your hope is your underguard.

Faith is a paradox to the natural unsaved mind, and Hope is an abstraction. When hope dies, decay sets in. The things that kill our hope are death, tragedy, disasters, delay, failure, greedy and selfish people, bad experiences, unfulfilled ambitions, to mention a few. Hope plays an important your life, and God says to start off with hope because without it, faith has nothing to anchor.

Why is Faith so important?
God created the universe by his word. The word made the things that weren't seen or visible, to become visible. In the realm of the spirit, what is not seen is superior than that which is seen. That which is not seen is what gives birth to that which is seen.
2Corinthians 4 - ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
It is because of their faith that Daniel was able to step into the Lions den and sleep till the morning, and for Jesus to sleep on the boat during the storm

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing from the word of God. And without faith it's impossible to please God. It is in God that your faith finds its substance.

There are 3 dimensions to your faith:-
The past, the present, the future. We can use bunches of bananas to describe these. A bunch of green banana represent the future. A bunch of ripe banana represent the present. A bunch of over-ripened banana represent the past.
Men would push aside the bunch of green bananas into the dark but not knowing that in the dark is where it will mature (it'll eventually blossom in its appointed time). Men would gobble up the bunch of ripe bananas as it is appealing (it is in its appointed time). Men will discard the over-ripened bunch of banana saying it has past its usage. (it's appointed time is over).

Lets focus on the over-ripened bunch of bananas. Even though it might seem it has passed its appointed time and is written off. If these bananas are peeled and put inside a bowl, pour some flour in, some oil, some salt, and mashed and mixed together, we can get a delicious tasty treat when it is fried.

In conclusion:- Even though the over-ripened bananas might have been written of, it still is useful and serves a purpose. Your life can be like that of an over-ripened bunch of bananas, and people might have written you off, but if you keep your focus and remain faithful to God, all things will work together for the good of those that love the Lord.

Understanding Your Destiny - Devotional

Bible Passages: Psalms 139: 14-18, Ephesians 2: 10.
Psalms 139 - ¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. ¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, God!  How vast is the sum of them! ¹⁸ Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
Ephesians 2 - ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

What is Destiny?
This is your appointed or ordained future as determned by God. It is Gods will for your life. The greek word for destiny is 'Poema' which means your life is thought out by God.
All through the bible we can see different people whom God had destined and preordained their lives, but somehow missed it along the way. Lets look at the lives of a few of them.
Saul - 1Samuel 9 -¹⁷ When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.” God had already spoken to Samuel about Saul even before Samuel met Saul without Saul knowing anything. God had chosen Saul to lead his people, he was destined to be a deliverer just like Moses. We all know what happened to Saul eventually as he fell out of favor with God. He lost his focus and took his eye off his destiny. 

Samson - Angels spoke about him to his parents and gave them his blueprint. He went about doing exploits for about 20yrs, but he didn't work on his character and eventually gave in to his lusts. Even in his death he still didn't understand his destiny as he asked God to avenge him against the people who gouged his eyes out.

Solomon - The richest man that ever lived according to the bible. He was destined by God to restore Israels faith in God. Solomon had purposed in his heart to rid Israel of its idolatry and sodomism. As we all know Sheeba knew the glory he had and she ensured he got entangled with her. He also ended many women of whom were priestesses of idols and he himself started worshipping idols. The very thing he was against was what he ended up practicing.

Demas - Philemon 1: 24, Colossians 4: 14, 2Timothy 4: 10. Demas was an aposle that was focussed on God and was with Timothy all through their journeys. But in 2Timothy 4: 10 it is said that he was no more in the company of Timothy.

The truth is God has pre-destined us even before we were born. In the new dispensation God changed the rules and he has one destiny for all of us believers. We can see from the following scriptures what truly our destinies should be:-
Colossians 1: 15-18 - This in summary says you are created by God and for him alon. You consist of Christ and he is pre-eminent in your life.
Romans 14: 7 - We are of God
1Corinthians 6: 20 - You belong to God
Psalms 22: 9-10 - You were cast to God froyour mothers womb
Ephesians 1: 10 - Gathering all in Christ

To sum up what our true destinies are, lets look at Ephesians 1: 4-6, 11
⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
¹¹ In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.

Our destiny is to 'live blameless and to be to his praise and glory unto his name'. You need to realize that you are an adopted child of the most high God. Be a soul winner by reason of your conduct. Any other agenda that we might have like building a massive church, or gathering the best choir, or starting a big christian charity - these are the burden of the Lord, and he drops them in our laps as we go along in his will for our lives.

The Devil Is Not After You - Devotional

Bible passages for sermon: 2Kings 7: 1-8, Luke 17: 11-18
2Kings 7 - ¹ Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the LORD: ‘Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’” ² So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, “Look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” And he said, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.”

The Syrians Flee

³ Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die? ⁴ If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die.” ⁵ And they rose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians; and when they had come to the outskirts of the Syrian camp, to their surprise no one was there. ⁶ For the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses—the noise of a great army; so they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!” ⁷ Therefore they arose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact—their tents, their horses, and their donkeys—and they fled for their lives. ⁸ And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came back and entered another tent, and carried some from there also, and went and hid it.

The devil always looks for ways to hamper your relationship with God. The devil didn't like the fellowship Adam had with God and he did all he could to ensure the relationship was broken. After Adam fell, mankind resorted to the shedding of animal blood to reconnect man to God temporarily. Hebrews 9: 21.

From the passage above, the leaprous men had totally lost all their faith due to the famine in the land. Everyday they sit at the entrance of the gate and go through the motions, the devil probably keeps reminding them that they will eventually die and pretty soon too. The devil made them lose their faith and strong will. But suddenly, they realized that their sitting there at the gate entrance was not doing them any good. They finally tapped back into their faith, they reconnected with God once again. They made a conscious effort to go into the land of the syrians throwing all caution to the wind and hoping they might get some respite from the famine. And we read that God made a way for the men when they went into syria, God made the syrian army disperse leaving behind lots of food and loot. Their faith and reconnection to God caused God himself to bring the things their hearts desired to them.

We can see from the scriptures that our faith is what God desires and it makes much things availeth much. Romans 1: 17 talks about living by faith in connecting with God.
Hebrews 11: 6 - There is no pleasing God without faith.
Ephesians 2: 8 - We are not saved only by Grace, but by Faith also.
Romans 10: 9 - We confess by faith to accept the Lord Jesus Christ.

In conclusion: Grace is made available by Christ but you need to activate your faith to receive all you are trusting for. The devil understands how powerful your faith is, and the principles behind having faith. The devil is not after you afterall, he is after your Faith!

It Was Always In His Plan - Devotional.

Scripture Passages - Numbers 27: 1-11, Luke 1: 30-38.
Numbers 27- ¹ Then came the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, from the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ² And they stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and all the congregation, by the doorway of the tabernacle of meeting, saying: ³ “Our father died in the wilderness; but he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the LORD, in company with Korah, but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons. ⁴ Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.” ⁵ So Moses brought their case before the LORD. ⁶ And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ⁷ “The daughters of Zelophehad speak what is right; you shall surely give them a possession of inheritance among their father’s brothers, and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. ⁸ And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. ⁹ If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. ¹⁰ If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. ¹¹ And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the relative closest to him in his family, and he shall possess it.’” And it shall be to the children of Israel a statute of judgment, just as the LORD commanded Moses.

Sometimes you feel you have been bypassed and forgotten by God. Events happen in your life that isn't in your favor, and you think "why me?". King David well before he was made king, but God had revealed to him he will be king, was almost killed 17 times by out of favor king saul. He must have been thinking 'how come i'm going through all this', but God was with him all along. Most times when God puts you in a position where it seems there is no breakthrough, it's God wanting you to trust in him alone to see you out of it.

From the main text, Zelophehad died leaving 5 daughters behind and no son. They had not yet entered into the promised land. Reading previous chapters we see that God made a promise through Moses that those that enter into the promised land will have land, treasures and inheritance shared among each family.
The girls had faith that what has been said regarding the land will come to pass, they believed. Their modesty in asking without murmuring was very evident. As we read there was no precedence for the thing they were asking for as inheritance was never given to women.
They took their case to the elders and people in authority and they cascaded it upwards as everyone of the elders rejected their case. They eventually requested Moses take their case to God as a last resort.

There are certain things God permits but doesn't back. 2Kings 1:14. Gods mind on this issue can be seen when Jesus' disciples came back to Jesus, asking him to rain down fire on the people who refused Jesus come to their city. Jesus' response was to reject their request stating that our God is now a God that saves souls (God of the new testament).

When Moses asked God regarding these 5 sisters issues, God spake to Moses commanding their possessions be given to them. And because of these 5 sisters, God commanded the rules be re-written.
3 answers that God will give when you ask:-

Yes - To bring glory unto his name. 2Corinthians 1:20
No - Not his will or plan for your life. Psalms 106: 14-15
Wait - Time has not come or you're not mature enough to handle the things. Galatians 4:1, Habakkuk 2:3
God has tied certain blessings to our Faith, you just need to ASK.

In conclusion:- God had the desire and placed it into the heart of the 5 sisters, that he may rewrite the rules for you and others. You need to have a relationship with the Father that he will give you his desire.

I Didn't Wait For Nothing.

Bible passages for the sermon Mark 11: 1-11, 2 Timothy 2: 20-21
Mark 11- ¹ Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; ² and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. ³ And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.” ⁴ So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. ⁵ But some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?” ⁶ And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. ⁷ Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. ⁸ And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
      “ Hosanna!
      ‘ Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
       ¹⁰ Blessed is the kingdom of our father David
      That comes in the name of the Lord!
      Hosanna in the highest!”
 ¹¹ And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.

This life is a cycle. There is a process that defines your purpose. The trainings you get determines what you will be used for. We are vessels, carriers of Gods word and works.
2 Tim 2 - ²⁰ But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. ²¹ Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

According to the text in Mark 11, the colt that Jesus asked the disciples to get had been tied at one spot for a long time. The colt was at a place where it couldn't go anywhere apart from round in circles. Other colts came and went by and this colt was always at the same spot. A colts normal lifespan is about 25yrs and this particular colt has not been used for anything or for what it's purpose is. This can be likened to our lives, our gifts sometimes need to be tamed in preparation for it's maturation, so as to fulfil it's full purpose.

Proverbs 22 - ²⁹ Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.
For Jesus who is the King of Kings to enter into Jerusalem, he had a enter in a unique way. He ordered the disciples to go and get the colt which everyone else had looked down upon as useless. Jesus stated the colts exact position, it's location, and it's exact coordinates.

Even though it seemed that the colt was good for nothing and tied down for years, when it's purpose was at hand, the cycle it had been known to was broken. It was used to transfer the King of all Kings into Jerusalem. Whichever way you look at it, the colt was in the picture with Jesus. The colt was not tied there for nothing.


In conclusion, for God to place his glory upon you, you need to go through the process to achieve your purpose. Delays is not denial.

I Am Rewriting My History.

Bible Passage for Sermon Mark 4: 26-29, 1Corinthians 13:11
Mark 4
²⁶ And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, ²⁷ and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. ²⁸ For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. ²⁹ But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
Everything in life follows a growing process. They grow in stages just like the seed, which first sprouts out the blade, then the head, then the full grain in the head. When you see this happening then you immediately know that growth is taking place and what follows is the ripening and then the harvest (when it has fully come to maturity).

1Corinthians 13

¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Deuteronomy 2 - ³ ‘You have skirted this mountain long enough; turn northward.
You have aged enough, so it's time to now mature. Pursue your destiny, break the band of tradition, loose the strangle hold of routine. You should not yield to every desire but find the right balance, do what the Lord has put into your heart. Stagnation causes atrophy. God wants you to move forward, to progress, to advance in the things he has laid in your heart to do.

7 growth choices that you need to make as a Christian

1. Choose A Life Of Growth - Almost everyone have similar and equal chances and opportunities. The difference between successful and unsuccessful people is their desire to achieve much more and progress. It's never too late to make a change. You can't discover new territory until you are ready to loose sight of shore. Peter dared to do what the others wouldn't do by walking on water, and we all know he went on to become a great apostle
2. Choose To Start Growing Today - Someday is no day. Anytime means no time. Everyone who is someone started out in a day. Everything you do today, joins with yesterdays to become something tomorrow. Anything you can do for 1hr a day, for 5 days a week, in 5 yrs you'll be an expert at it.
3. Choose To Adopt The Posture Of A Learner - Don't be afraid to go through the learning process even when surrounded by experts. Learn something new every year. Isaiah 50 ⁴“ The Lord GOD has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned.
4. Choose A Few Areas Of Your Life And Focus On Changing Them - 1Corinthians 9- ²⁶ Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. Make a conscious effort to make changes in certain areas of your life and mature in them.
5. Choose The Price You're Willing To Pay For Growth - No price comes without pain. Nothing good comes cheap. Invest a little in yourself. Life is a trade-off. For everything you want to get you must be willing to invest something (time, moeny, focus). Everything in life requires an exchange. If you choose not to pay, you will fail.
6. Choose The Right Environment For Growth - Your environment affects your life. A goldfish can't grow bigger that the bowl it's in. Make room for growth. There is a saying that goes 'if the shoe fits, wear it', but i say 'if the shoe fits, don't wear it'. Make room for growth.
7. Choose To Relate With Growing People - Expose yourself to things that will help increase you. 1Corinthians 15-
   ³³ Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”. Proverbs 13- ²⁰ He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed. I say to you that your 3 closest friends will determine where you'll be in 5yrs time.

In conclusion, be adventurous and do some extreme things so that when God calls and speaks to you about what he wants you to do, you will not be phased as you are used to stepping outside the box. Then you will freely do his will for your life.

The Vision For Your Purpose.

There is a purpose for everything and it is up to you to find out what that real purpose is. Sometimes you need to ask for wisdom from God if you don't understand a purpose.


To understand the purpose of man, let's have a look at some scriptures.
Gen 1:26
²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
Rev 5: 9-10
⁹ And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. ¹⁰ You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
 
The passage in Genesis makes you understand that the sole purpose for God making us in his image and likeness is so that we can rule over all things that was created. The passage in Revelation makes you understand that you owe everything to Jesus as he died for your redemption and has made you kings and priests to reign on earth. In essense both scriptures talk about you and i having "Dominion" over all things here on earth. Jesus himself has placed us back to dominion by his death and resurrection.
 
Victory is here on earth for us, and we can take issues concerning the earth and present it to God. We are priests and the job of a priest is to hear from God and present the message to the people. As priests, every forest is a blessing waiting for you to discover.
 
You can notice that it is not made mention that we are "princes", and that is because princes don't carry as much power and dominion as kings and priests.
Galatians 4:1
¹ Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all
Ecclesiastes 10: 5-7
⁵ There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error proceeding from the ruler: ⁶ Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place. ⁷ I have seen servants on horses, While princes walk on the ground like servants.
As long as you are a prince, you are still operating and perceived to be in the same position as a slave or a servant.
 
The mental ability to solve a problem must be greater than the ability to create it. You must trust solely on God who is the one that gives us the wisdom we need.
1Kings 20: 3-4
³ ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your loveliest wives and children are mine.’” ⁴ And the king of Israel answered and said, “My lord, O king, just as you say, I and all that I have are yours.”
1Kings 20: 13
¹³ Suddenly a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel, saying, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’”
 
There is a huge difference between having an Ambition and having a Vision that you need to know about. A vision is a picture of a need for a desirable future not just for yourself but for a mass of other people. An ambition is a selfish need for yourself. Your vision must be big enough to ensure that it includes other people who will also be able to benefit from that which you birth. Jacobs vision saw him build a "city" of which his sons, poeple all around him, and the generations after them have enjoyed ever since.
 
In conclusion, you must have a vision, a picture of a better life not only for yourself but for others around yourself. You must set yourself values by which you abide by so that when confronted with various instances, you know which ones to pursue based on these values. Your vision defines your purpose.

Gleanings By The River.

Message passages. Ezekiel 1: 1-3, Psalms 137: 1-9.
Ezekiel 1
¹ In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. ² On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— ³ the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. There the hand of the LORD was on him.

verse1 - The heavens can open unto you no matter where you are and what situation you are in. Ezekiel was in exile and possibly under harsh conditions but still the heavens above him opened to him so that he can be used by God.


For God to use you, you need your mind and spirit to be right. You need to see the things you want in the spirit and then let your mind to start operating in that capacity. When you allow your spirit to be in the place of God, he will open the heaven above you and pour you out rivers of water. The river that comes from the presence of God is that which waters your soul and refreshens your life. There also is a river that comes from the enemy that causes you to desire unholy pleasures. This river is the ways of the world.


In the passage Ezekiel also mentions that "in his thirtieth year". 30 is the year of maturity, and in the Jewish tradition it is only when you attain that age that you are alowed to become a priest. So no matter what you might be facing in your life, when it is time for God to use you he will reach out to you where you are. When God is about to use you he will open your heart, your eyes and your ear unto him.

Psalms 137
¹ By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. ² There on the poplars we hung our harps, ³ for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” ⁴ How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land? ⁵ If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. ⁶ May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy. ⁷ Remember, LORD, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. “Tear it down,” they cried, “tear it down to its foundations!” ⁸ Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is the one who repays you according to what you have done to us. ⁹ Happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.

The desire of the enemy is that when you are in trouble that you do not open your mouth to praise God. As we can see from the above passage the tormentors of the israelites mocked them to sing them songs of zion knowing fully well that their spirits are already downcast. The israelites remembered all the Lord has done for them and vow to sing praises to him. That is what is required of you when you find yourself down and under, rejoice and sing praises to the good God for he is able to deliver you.

Paul and Silas praised God even in their captivity and their prison doors were opened unto them and they even received the favor of the guard.


In conclusion, you should understand that no matter the condition you are in, when God wants to use you he will cause open heavens above you, and your heart, eyes, and ear will be yielded unto him.

How To Define True Christianity.

To all created by God in his image, were created to have dominion over all things of the earth, just like God is the ruler and has dominion over the heavenly things.


What God wants us to do as true Christians.
Lets look at Mathew 5:-

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? ⁴⁸ Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

verse 44 says to love your enemies, bless those who curse you, to do good to those who hate you, and to pray for those who use and persecute you. It further goes on to say that our heavenly Father makes his sun rise on both the evil and the good. He also sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

God expects you as a Christian to be the absolute best you can to those who are against you and your ways. It seems a very difficult thing to do, but this is what the word commands you to do at every situation so that you may be son of your Father in heaven. Luke 6: 27-36 also further buttresses this point:-

²⁷“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. ²⁹ To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. ³¹ And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. ³² But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. ³⁶ Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

Instances of the God kind of mercy that has no parallel

1Kings 21: 19-29  - In this passage God had made judgement over Ahab because of his wicked way and how he sold himself to do evil. When Elijah told Ahab about Gods judgement over him, he humbled himself before God and God promised to avert the judgement to the days of his son. This passage how us that God only judges us only in the new dispensation after repentance.

Genesis 4: 1-16 - Cain brought an offering to God which was not accepted unlike Abels offering which was accepted. Cain became angry and ended up killing his brother Abel. God pronounced judgement on Cain but Cain asked that his punishment be reduced. Cain could have averted his punishment by confessing sin. Cain drew on the mercy of God but he didn't want to submit to his mercy way. God yet still reduced his punishment due to his merciful nature.

In conclusion, you should show mercy unto others even in all situations good or bad.

The World Is Waiting For You.

Main Passages for sermon. Acts3:1-10, 1Kings 18:30.


Acts 3 - Peter Heals a Lame Beggar
¹ One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. ² Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. ³ When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. ⁴ Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” ⁵ So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. ⁶ Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” ⁷ Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. ⁸ He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. ⁹ When all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Jesus said in the scriptures that "no man comes to the father except by me". Jesus practiced the principle of Prioritisation. To get ahead in daily life you need to stop wasting your resources on things that aren't necessary and important. The understanding of your purpose will determine your focus.


Knowing your purpose and what God says is a very crucial thing in your life. Jeremiah 1:7

⁷ But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you."

Jesus sent his disciples to the lost sheep of israel to preach the gospel. They brought redemption to the lost. So also you are a solution to a problem, don't let the solution walk past the problem.


From the text we saw that Peter and John went "together" to the temple. The emphasis here is the togetherness. They probably had been going to the temple individually in the past and walked past the lame begger who we know from verse 2 is always at the temple gate. But because they were together they connected and saw the problem, which is the lame man at the gate. There is power in togetherness. Acts 1:6, Acts 1:14, Acts 2:4, Acts 2:44, Acts 2:46.


Verse 1 says they went "Up" to the temple. This implies that they were now operating on a higher level with God, gone to the next level, to the next dimension. Only then could they be sensitive to the things around them. You need to go higher, rise above the vicissitudes of everyday life.
When you start to go higher you start to lose people and friends (i'm not talking about death), God starts to prune you of the unnecessary things holding you down.


Why should we go up higher i hear you say?

1. The further you go, the further you see. When you go to the place of God, you start to see the needs of others. God wants you to see more so that you can start to pursue things other than yourself.
2. The further you can see, the further you can reach. Mathew 9:25 ²⁵ After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.

When Peter and John came up higher, they could then feel the need of the lame man. When you see further, you start to feel empathy towards others. Don't get sucked into the details of your problems. David exalted God even when he faced Goliath.


Peter and John saw the lame man and said "look at us". They were able to say this because they have been spending time with God and looking to God. When you look to God, then people can look to you and see God because he lives in you. The man looked on them expectantly, they stirred up an excitement in him. They said to the man “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”. They were not complaining about their lack, but they were magnifying who they have. How awesome is that!


In conclusion, it is time to come together as there is power in corporate gatherings and also to move to the next level with God. When you do this you are able to go further, see further, and reach further to the people who desperately need to know God. The World Is Waiting For You.

Get Off The Circle Line - Pt 2

This is the continuation from pt 1 of the message.


The effects of change:-

1. Aging - This is about growing old
2. Maturation - Growing up, being fruitful, multiplying.

Proverbs 4:18
¹⁸ The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
You  change by vacating one position to occupy a new and higher position. Taking steps is the way to move to the next level. A step is a walk into something new and a new environment. As with climbing steps, releasing your standing leg is difficult because it is already on familiar ground and quite comfortable there. When you refuse to change, you result in irrelevance.

Basic things about maturation:-
Change - With maturation comes change. You get tested which results in being shown approved to move to the next stage. If you get promoted without a test you become a danger to yourself and others. The higher you go, the greater your influence.

With every test comes a temptation. Hebrews 12:1
¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us
John 15:2   
² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

Things to consider:-

1. How have i changed recently?
2. Can you be very specific about the things in your life over the last month, year?
3. Do i make daily adjustments?

Maturation or Growth is a choice. 1Corinthians 13:11

¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

Get Off The Circle Line - Pt 1

Message Bible Passage: Mark 4: 26-29

²⁶ He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. ²⁸ All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. ²⁹ As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

Jesus was talking to people of agrarian background. He uses the things that each person can easily relate to explain the word. Let us look into the verses as Jesus drives home his point regarding the kingdom of God.

v26 - Jesus explains that 'someone' must deliberately scatter the seed, because without the scattering there will be no harvest. So just sitting down and doing nothing will bring you no positive result what so ever.

v27-29 - The man has to continue with other things in life as 'time must pass by'. The passage of time allows the seed to sprout, grow, and increase. Without the mans interference with whats been sown in the soil it starts to bring forth the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel. All this happens with the progression of time. This indicates that there is a daily progression going on to that which is sown.

There are 2 wisdom keys from this passage:-

1. Everything in life starts in seed form and then grows into an experience
2. We live life on levels and experience it in stages. We can all never be the same

We need to change and encounter change. When change starts, you start to feel and smell it just like when the rain is about to fall. The wind changes and smells different and you will know that the atmosphere has changed. Change is a natural consequence of life. When things don't change then they become obsolete and irrelevant. Anything that is created is subject to change. An example of resistance to change is seen in a book written by Chinua Achebe called Things Fall Apart (if you get to opportunity to read this book, i promise you will enjoy it). In this book the main character refuses to change even as everything around him changes. This frustrates him so much to the point where he then commits suicide. This reflects what happens in our society nowadays.

If you don't change willingly, you will be forced to. The only thing that does not change is God himself, and this is because he is not 'created'. Psalms 90:2
² Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

When you were created by God, you are expected to increase, improve, expand, and grow. Your situations are all created and hence they are subject to change. As all these things created exists within the realm of time, they are all subject to change. Your possessions are susceptible to change once time elapses, they serve their purpose for a period.
Genesis 8:22
²² “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

Change does not ask anyone for their permission.

Time To Wake Up

Message Bible Passages: Isaiah 52:1-2, Isaiah 56:10, Romans 13:11-14.

Isaiah 52 (NIV)
¹ Awake, awake, Zion, clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendor, Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again.
² Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck,
   Daughter Zion, now a captive.

God wants us as his true followers to operate in our optimal ability and capacity. To do this we need to be sharp and alert, and not allowing anything to impair our state of mind. Hence that's one of the main reasons we as Christians should not be given to wine. We are not expected to be drunk on wine but instead filled with the holy spirit. Drowsiness robs you of the capacity to make correct judgements. Also there are times when a drunk person can look as if they are ok, but just because they have their eyes open doesn't mean that their spirit is not slumbering.


The text in Isaiah 52:1-2 was written to the 'saints', meaning prophet Isaiah was talking to Christians, the followers of Christ. So in other words he was saying that those in the world are held down captive by the chains on their necks, but you as a christian need to start operating on a higher level by being 'awake'.

Ephesians 5 (NIV)
¹³ But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. ¹⁴ This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
 
From the above verses it is imperative that we must be awake as Christians so that Christ can shine on and in us. For Christ to shine in us we must be aware that everything about us becomes visible for all to see. Our character, our attitude, our intentions, the lot. So do not allow anything in your flesh make you asleep to the light of Christ.


The following are 9 functions of an awakened spirit:-


1. Enables you to enter into a corporate worship with other Christians, and to fill the environment with Gods presence. Your worship begins in the spirit and flows to the soul. A slumbering spirit is not awake to usher in the presence of God as the spirit itself is not alert.


2. Enables you to have personal devotion with God. You are able to freely experience Gods love which is ever present for us.


3. Enables you to listen to God. You become someone who is able to hearken onto Gods words in the form of dreams, visions, and getting revelation through reading the scriptures.


4. Enables you to receive inspiration. An awakened spirit is able to be still to be inspired by God, and these inspirations can come in the form of songs, poems, new ideas, teachings of the word.


5. Enables you to transcend time. You are able to be in Gods presence without ever taking notice of time. You are engrossed in the awesome presence of God and time is of no significance.


6. Enable true communication. As the awakened spirit is aware and conscious of its maker, it is in one accord with Gods voice and Gods with yours. You are then able to tell God as it is, pouring yourself out so he can fill you up again.


7. Enables you to enjoy the pleasures of marital sex. This can be explained by Proverbs 5:15-20 (NIV):-

¹⁵ Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. ¹⁶ Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? ¹⁷ Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. ¹⁸ May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. ¹⁹ A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love. ²⁰ Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife? Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?

Your awakened spirit helps to keep you with your husband/wife and ensures that the pleasures that are to be benefited in marriage are kept alive. It helps you to understand that you will receive everything from your partner and not from anyone else that's not married to yourself.

8. Enables you to maintain good health. Proverbs 18 (NIV)

¹⁴ The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?

Proverbs 17 (NIV)

²² A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. 

A spirit that is slumbering, that is crushed, that is not alive and active is susceptible to being sick.

9.  Enables you to have a true good working conscience. We have 2 types of conscience - 

a remorseful conscience and a good conscience.

A remorseful conscience is one that acts without thinking of the consequences. Then once the act has been done, it becomes sad and remorseful at whats been done.

A good conscience is one that is alert to the speakings of the holy and is led by it to do the right thing at all times.

How to heal a slumbering spirit: -

1. Open your eyes and see it. Most times we are aware of the fact that our spirits are in a slumbering state, and all we have to do is make a conscious effort to return to the presence of God. Then it becomes a matter of choice whether you want to awaken your spirit or leave it in its slumbering state. We all know what the choice should be.

2. Check your history in your family. Sometimes just checking the background of family members can reveal the reasons why a person has a slumbering spirit. If the family members you were used to growing up all have slumbering spirits, it's quite possible that you take after what they do hence why you also have a slumbering spirit. You now need to know God for yourself, and believe in Jesus Christ as your personal savior. In the process of knowing God more and more, your spirit will become awakened.

3. Begin again to read children's fantasy books, go to places that incite excitement. This is because when we were in the womb and even when we were born, we came with an awakened spirit. So doing these activities will help to rediscover the child in you. Laugh more and more and become sensitive.

This message was preached by my pastor who is more than a pastor, but a teacher. The above is what i got from the message. Thank-you Pastor O.

House On The Rock London