2ND PRINT 2013
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And Hebrews 12:1
2
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"....Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee
at THIS SET TIME IN THE NEXT YEAR "
(Gen 17:21)
P
romises and more promises. Hope upon
hope year in and year out. And it seems to
you that your year shall never come. But
thus says the Spirit of the LORD: This is that year!
That year that you've been waiting for. That year
that had tarried and delayed. That year you've
longed to see. The year of rich fulfillment. The year
of sweet arrivals. This is that year! The year your
enemy said will not come. The year held back by
the forces of wickedness. The year that had
suffered so many postponement. The year that had
been so strongly resisted from manifesting!
Now it has finally come! Yes. In spite of all odds, it
has come. In spite of enemies’ opposition, it has
come; they said it would never be, but now it has
been. They said you won't see it, but here you are,
right in that very year!
And what is in it for you? I'm sure you know
that! Such was the year Hannah conceived and
was delivered of Samuel. Yes, such was it too
when Joseph finally checked out of prison and
ascended the throne.
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This is that year! Isaac had sowed. Now he must
reap. David had been running from caves to
mountains. Now is time to reign in Zion.
This is that year. Uzziah is gone. Isaiah can now
see the LORD. Saul has ceased: At Last, David can
enter the city of peace. Portiphar's wife has had
her days, Joseph can now be vindicated by the
heavens. The night is spent, Daniel can now step
out of the Lion's den. Pharaoh's hold of bondage is
finally broken. It is liberty year! This is the year!
Sarah's laughter must become real. Hannah and
Eli have conversed. Heaven's set up has finally
showed forth.
This very one is that year. Your own sweet dawn.
Expectations of many years, piles of faith and
hope; Waiting and watching without number. Yes.
But it has not all been in vain. God has been
moving the years in succession to locate for you
your own very year. Now it has finally come! Had
He not said?
"... I will certainly return unto you
according to the time of life..." (Gen
18:10)
You think He forgot? No way! He is God of
memorial. This is that year. It is your time of Life.
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"And the LORD visited Sarah as
He had said, and the LORD did
unto Sarah as He had spoken"
(Gen 21:1)
This is that year! That very year. Every segment of
it bears your name. Within the moments that
make it up lies that miracle you've waited so long
to receive. Finally it is here. The year has been
prepared to put sweet smiles on your face. It is the
year of God's visitation in your case. This indeed
is that year!
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and
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T
ime was screaming at them. The neighbors
jeered. The shame was thick. The reproach
was strong. Everyone had given up on them.
Their life was a daily mockery of their names. Men
thought that their problems had driven them out of
their mind. Because without one single child, this
strange couple called themselves "Father of many"
and "Mother of many".
Twenty-five years of "waiting" for God's promise,
these two were constantly harassed by their
external environment: The sight of Sarah's
wrinkled womb, the dryness of her monthly flow,
the breasts that had flattened out! What basis for
hope?
Abraham remembered his friends and neighbors.
No one of his age was still thinking of babies. Most
of them had actually been blessed with grand
children.
Men called it impossible. Age called it irreversible.
The body labeled it unachievable. But wait a
minute! When Jehovah says yes, who dares say no?
"...... Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said,
Behold, in the tent. And he(Jehovah) said, I
will Certainly return unto thee according to
the time of life, and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall
have a son...” (Gen 18:9,10)
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What was that? It is called SEED! Jehovah works
by "WORDSEED". He threw one into Sarah's
dead womb and her bio-chemistry resurrected
from the dead.
“Sarah shall have a son…”
That was all! No devil on earth could stop that seed
from becoming a SON. No enemy anywhere could
prevent that seed from answering to Sarah's
desire.
Two points are very important here. (1) God giving
the seed [specific word for specific case], and (2)
Sarah receiving the seed into her heart, watering it
with her thought and nurturing it with her faith
confession.
“Through faith also Sarah herself
received strength
to conceive seed, and was delivered
of a child when she was past age, because
she Judged Himfaithful who had promised"
Hebrews 11:11
Today, there are cases resembling that of Abraham
and Sarah. Some are less serious, some are as
serious. But also today, GOD'S SEED of miracles
is still available to men on earth, whatever the
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case.
"The seed is the word of God..." Luke 8:11
Get it. Plant it towards your need. And reap the
harvest of God's faithfulness.
"I will hasten my WORDS to perform it...”
Jer. 1:12
Amen.
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The
OUR
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"And Esau said, I HAVE ENOUGH
"And Jacob said ... I HAVE ENOUGH"
(See Genesis 33:9-11)
A
t first it would seem to us that these two men
are equal in material strength. It would
appear that Jacob, with all his numerous
encounters with God, had not really fared better
than Esau who had no regard for any God
anywhere. You have enough, I have enough, then
your God-link has not added any advantage to you,
Esau may have reasoned.
But then, the issue is not just what we have, but
who or what our SOURCE is. It is the source that
determines the sustainability of what we now have.
We should understand that whatever we have
that cannot be sustained is NOT ENOUGH!
We may have one thousand channels, if the source
is not secure, the flows can cease at anytime. Yet,
with a sure source, even if the channels stop
working, the welling up of the source will break for
us new channels.
Who or What is your source? Until you have secured
a link with a true source, you cannot truly talk of
having enough. Every tree may look green during
rainy season. The test to know which tree has a link
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with 'source' comes during dry season. An 'enough'
that is seasonal is not enough. When a tree is
planted in a pot, its days are numbered. What
makes a tree evergreen is its link with earth's
water table.
Many today are living on borrowed time and
borrowed money. True, their accounts are not in
red. Infact, everything looks perfect now,
financially. The currencies answer to their call.
But there is no personal contact between them and
God that can ensure their continued fruitful
existence. They still look green now. And they
think they have enough. Everything physical
attests to their well-being. From the surface, they
appear self-made and self-sufficient. But
underneath, their roots are suffering drought, and
their apparent greenness is actually 'quarter-togo'.
The truth is, they don’t really have enough.
Every human reserve has expiry date.
Only the Ancient of Days lasts forever. Only
His provisions to us guarantee an enough
That is truly ENOUGH.
God opened my eyes and I saw the pride of men
crashing away. I saw the hopes of men washed
away. People who looked so formidable and
untouchable, people who appeared to have it all
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and lacking nothing. I saw the ashes of their
financial security swiftly swept under the carpet of
human history. I said to God, "why this?" And He
said, “check it up in Malachi" I knew exactly what
He meant:
"Ye have said, it is vain to serve God: and
what profit is it that we
have kept his ordinance .....
And now we call the proud happy;
yea, they that work wickedness are set
up.....
Then they that feared the LORD spake
often one to another: and the
LORD hearkened, and heard it,
and a book of remembrance was written
before him for them ..... they shall be mine,
saith the LORD of hosts, in that day
when I make up my jewel; and I will spare
them ..... Then shall ye return, and discern
between the righteous and the wicked,
between him that serveth God and him
that serveth him not. For, behold,
the day cometh, that shall burn as an
oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that
do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the
day that cometh shall burn them up,
saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave
them neither root nor branch. But unto
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you that fear my name shall the Sun of
Righteousness arise with healing in his
wings; and ye shall go forth
and grow up ….."
Malachi 3:14-18, 4:1, 2
Who is your source? Every 'enough' that is not
God-based is a false security. Without a vital
contact with the Eternal One, nothing you have
is safe! The towers are still crashing. Wall
street has lost its wits. It is time-up for
mankind.
"God has come"!
In the time period we have now entered, there is
only one way to stay on top and not sink. It is the
God-way. If he is not your source, you are finished,
no matter what you seem to have now. Like Esau,
you may parade your material sufficiency. But it
can't stand the coming HEAT. Hear Jacob:
"Because God hath dealt graciously
with me ...I have enough"
Genesis 33:11
Esau's 'enough' had no link with God. And that
made it 100% inferior to Jacob's 'enough'. You see,
it is only when God is your basis that you can talk of
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"enough" and rest secure.
“The Eternal God is thy refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting Arms”
(Deuteronomy 33:27) Amen.
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H
e left home empty handed. The journey
ahead of him was bleak. All around him
was darkness, confusion and uncertainty.
True, he possessed THE BLESSING, but he was
too confused to know what to do with it. His brother
sought his very life. His home was in bitter struggle
and strife.
It was under this condition that Jacob took his
journey, having nothing but THE LORD. He faced
a future that was without form and void. But help
was waiting above. His hungry soul linked-up to
divine height. He “let go and let God” He entered
into life by way of light. God took him from the
nothingness of men and got him to the fullness of
life.
“For the LORD'S portion is his people; Jacob
is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in
a desert Land, in the waste
howling(extreme) wilderness…”.
Then what happened?
“He LED him about, he INSTRUCTED him,
he KEPT him as the apple of his eye…”
And what was the Result?
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"He made him ride on the high places of the
earth, that he might eat the increase of
the fields..." (Please see Deut. 32:9-14)
Jacob's Faith journey was a journey into God. And
his life was transformed beyond human measures.
Hear His testimony from his own mouth:
“And Jacob said, O God of my Father
Abraham, and God of my Father Isaac... I
am not worthy of the least of all the mercies,
and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed
unto thy servant; for with
my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now
I am become two bands" (Gen. 32:9, 10)
Remember where Jacob started from; at the level of
having practically nothing, and with an uncertain
future. But when he put his hand into Jehovah's
hands, he was led into a life with meaning and full
of the good things that we all desire. This can also
happen to us, if we allow God to LEAD us. Amen
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T
he little band of twelve men looked down the
valley from their hiding in the mountain.
What they saw down the hills was
formidable. Tall, Huge, Strong, Untouchable and
unapproachable; The Anakims were a race of giants
that have terrorized every other tribe around.
These moving mountains were the limiting factors
to Israel's possession of what God had graciously
given them.
I wonder what your own limiting force is called?
That is important, you know! The men returned to
their camp. And it was time to give their report. And
this is where the key point lies: 10 of the spies said:
We saw Giants, We saw fenced cities. We saw
impossibilities! Therefore: "WE ARE NOT ABLE"!
And they told Him, and said, we came unto the
Land wither thou sentest us, and surely it
floweth with milk and honey; and this is the
fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong
that dwell in the land, and the cities are
walled, and very great; and moreover we saw
the children of Anak there. (Num.13:27-28)
This is the Evil report. The other two said: We saw
all these things too, But we also saw GOD, and
therefore: "WE ARE WELL ABLE"
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"And they spake unto all the company of the
children of Israel, saying, The land, which we
passed through to search it, is an exceeding
good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he
will bring us into this land, and give it us; a
land which floweth with milk and honey. Only
rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye
the people of the Land; for they are bread for
us: their defence is departed from them and
The LORD is with us: fear them not."
(Numbers 14:7-9)
This is the good report. And you know, even today,
when we talk about our situations, we are either on
the side of the 10 or on the side of the 2. And God's
response to us in our difficulties is determined by
our kind of report, evil or good. So, what do you call
your case: giant or bread?
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"Everyone that asketh receiveth" Matthew 7:8
"But let him ask in faith" James 1:6
I
t is by faith we receive from God. This is a law
of the Spirit. It cannot be pushed aside if we
want to operate in the spirit.
But I have observed, that as faith matures, it starts
to do more of giving with what it receives. So that
"self-maintenance" faith now becomes "otherscentered”. It graduates from "I want to receive it
for me" to “I want to get it for them" This is the
"faith that works by love" (Gal 5:6)
The Blessing of God that comes to us on the
platform of faith has its main focus not on us but on
the world. But we know that the pipe that takes
water to homes can itself never be dry as long as it
remains in operations. As long as we remain
channels of Blessing, we continue to be the
Blessed.
"I will bless you, and make your name great;
AND YOU SHALL BE A BLESSING" Gen 12:2
This is the ultimate of faith. Let's go for it! Amen
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"When the Scribes and Pharisees brought a
woman who had been caught in adultery.
They made her stand in the middle of the
court and put the case before Him. Teacher,
they said, this woman has been caught in the
very act of adultery. Now Moses in the law
commanded us that such (women-offenders)
shall be stoned to death. But what is your
sentence?”
John 8:3-5 (Amplified)
S
he was caught by a bunch of religious and
self- righteous folks who needed her as a bait.
They caught her "alone" in the very act of
adultery! The evidence and witnesses who were
willing to testify against her were enough to put her
away permanently. But fortunately for her, it was
to the Author of life, the Judge of the Universe that
her case was referred. The law says she must be
stoned to death, but what does Grace say? What is
the Divine sentence?
You did it and you know you did it. Satan knows too.
And the result is glaring: caught with guilt and
shame, caught with an incurable disease, caught
with an unwanted pregnancy, caught with a life of
misery and despondency, caught with failure,
caught with unfulfilled dreams and expectations,
caught with lack and wants!
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Beloved, whatever life has caught you with, bad as
it may be, turn your attention away from it. Let the
subject of your concern be what the God of finality
has to say about it! The Accuser is there to accuse.
But the sentence doesn’t come from the accuser,
but the judge!
All eyes were upon the Master. The Religious mob
was armed with stones ready to give the culprit
what she deserved. At the same time, they were
waiting for the bait to yield the long awaited result
of nailing the Master! What they were oblivious of
however was the fact that they were dealing with
the Wisdom of the ages. What came their way was
not what they bargained for! The Master's action
took them aback!
"But Jesus stooped down and wrote on
the ground with His finger" (vs 6)
What is He trying to do? They reasoned among
themselves. They were eagerly waiting to catch
Him by His words, but he stooped down! They
thought He would challenge their interpretation of
the law, but He stooped down. They thought He
would question the ground for their actions, but He
stooped down and wrote!
He stooped down from His glory into this woman's
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shame, He stooped down from His honour into her
dishonour, He stooped down from His abundance
into her destitution; He stooped down from His
wisdom into her confusion, He stooped down into
her pains and sorrows... The LORD of the universe
stooped down!
How wonderful to know that you have a Father
who identifies with you in all your struggles! What
a joy to know that you have not a High Priest
which cannot be touched by the feeling of
your infirmities! (Heb 4)
He stooped down and began to write; to right her
WRONGS with His finger of grace, He began to
right her WRONGS with His finger of mercy! What
did He write? Life for her on a clean slate! Life
for her on a new platform! A new life with
fulfilled expectations! A new life fixed into
God's eternal purpose! Life, life, life at His
best for you on this planet!
"However, when they persisted with their
question, He raised Himself up and said, let
him who is without Sin among you be the
first to throw a stone at her.
And they which heard it being convicted by
their own conscience, went out one by one
,beginning at the eldest even unto the last:
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and Jesus was left alone and the woman
standing in the midst" vs 7, 9
That was the bomb! One answer and all hell
became silent! One answer and the raging storm
was arrested! One answer and satan was totally
paralyzed! Beloved, whatever question satan is
bombarding your life with, there is a divine answer
to smash them into nothingness! The answer is
there in God's Holy WORD!
I see God silence all your enemies. I see your
problems diminish one after the other. I see your
problems vanish from the most to the least, from
the biggest to the smallest! In Jesus Mighty Name!
"When Jesus has lifted up Himself and saw
none but the woman. He said unto her,
Woman, where are those thine accusers?
Hath no man condemned thee? She said,
No man, Lord.
And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I
condemn thee: go and sin no more"
vs 10, 11
It is finished! Your case is settled! You have been
discharged and acquitted! The divine sentence
over your life is: RELEASE! Release from sins and
iniquity, release from guilt and shame, release
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from sickness and disease, release from poverty
and lack, release from confusion and misery! The
divine sentence over you is life on a new pedestal!
It is your season of Jubilee! Amen!
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S
he was very popular in the society. Her
profession marked her out. She did so well in
her trade that her name and her work
became one: Rahab THE HARLOT!
People shoot their lips to point to her in disdain. But
she had developed thick skin against their
ridicules. She carried herself with a brazen face:
This is Jericho, this is me and this is my job; I am
Rahab the harlot!
What will God do with such a fellow? What can God
possibly find in such a public dog? No man will give
her any chance for anything good……..
Then something happened. It started as rumours.
Strange news filtered into the bustling city of
Jericho. No-one knew or could imagine what was
about to take place; a permanent change of
unparalleled magnitude! The entire life and
civilization of that great city was coming to a
sudden destructive end!
Considering the odds, Rahab should definitely be
one of those to die first. Her life and name testified
against her! Surely, she should be among the first
to die! But wait! Wait………
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Far into the future, an adulterous woman would be
dragged to the feet of Jesus. She would be caught in
the very act. Denial would be out of the question!
But while everyone would pick stone to perform
their religious responsibility of stoning the
sinner……
Back to Rahab! That evening looked like every
other, except that anxiety and fear permeated the
atmosphere in Jericho.
Two men casually strolled into Rahab's lodging
inn. For some strange reason, Rahab 'smelled a
rat'. Something was 'fishy' about these guys.
I thought Rahab would act in fear and raise an
alarm and get the men arrested and tortured for
information. But something else moved her. It was
the exact opposite of fear!
FAITH was what she had that none else had in
Jericho. The news that beclouded their spirits in
fear raised hers into Faith. The spies could have
been her death. But she made them her link to life.
The scarlet thread she bound to her window was
the token of her shift of lineage! By the exercise of
her faith in the news of God's people, Abraham
became her father and Sarah her mother.
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The Spirit of adoption worked on her and made
room for her in the Covenant! And why not? Has
she not received the spies as brothers? Her faith
made the difference!
FAITH! What force it generates. What change it
can cause. What respect it attracts from the
Almighty Himself!
By Faith Rahab distanced herself and her
household from death and destruction. She
separated herself from the pack of unbelievers. Her
faith worked Righteousness into her account. Faith
linked her to the Blood that paid her debt of sin.
Her past was crushed by her Faith, and her future
shines till date!
“By Faith the harlot, Rahab, perished not
with them that believed not, when she had
received the spies with peace” Hebrews11:31
(Please read Joshua 2:1-24)
The issue is not primarily your present state. Men
can be anything by the circumstances they have to
deal with. Whether you are a thief now or an
adulterer is not the major thing. The number of
your sins does not worry God. Men who were “more
murderer” than you have found grace in the past.
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You fornicate. You lie. You steal. In short, you are
BAD! Okay, that is what you are. But the issue is
really not what you are, BUT WHAT YOU CAN BE
BY FAITH IN GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE!
That is what is entirely up to you!
If you don’t become what you can BE by Faith in
Christ, you will suffer heavily for all the things
you have DONE!
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SCENE ONE
n the book of Joshua chapter 6, we have the
account of the destruction of the city of Jericho.
The mass of people perished under the rubbles.
WHY DID THEY DIE?
I
SCENE TWO
600,000 men came out of Egypt by the arm of the
LORD (Exodus 12:37) Out of this number, only 2
made it to the Promised Land. The remaining
599,998 perished in the wilderness. WHY DIDN'T
THEY MAKE IT TO CANAAN?
SCENE THREE
Moses the great man of God! A mighty deliverer
who led the host of Jehovah out of the captivity of
Pharaoh. But he was barred from the LAND of
promise. WHY?
Our answers to these WHYS may be many and
varied. Our basis for our answers may appear solid.
Yet the only one who can give us the real answer is
God. And in most cases, what we think is not what
God says.
LET'S CHECK IT OUT
Most time if you want to know why someone failed,
check out why some other person in the same
situation succeeded. Particularly in spiritual
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matters, God never leaves Himself without a
witness. And such witness becomes the key to
understanding why others failed.
Let's go to Jericho. Who was God's witness there?
" By FAITH the harlot Rahab perished not
with THEM THAT BELIEVED NOT"
Heb 11:31
If it were on the account of sin that the death
sentence came upon Jericho, then the harlot
Rahab should have died faster than many others in
that city.
So we ask: God, why did the people of Jericho
perish? He answers, They did not believe! And
that is all about it. It was a faith-problem!
What of the 599,998 souls whose carcases fell in
the wilderness? WHY?
"... They could not enter in BECAUSE
OF UNBELIEF" Heb 3:19
They had challenges. There were much trials on
the way. They faced hard situations and much
pressure. Yes. But God insists: It was not the
hardness of the way. It was the hardness of
the heart as per faith! That was why they
perished.
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Failure, defeat, death. They are all the result of
deficiency of FAITH. We cannot convince God
otherwise.
"I will therefore put you in remembrance
though you once knew this,
how that the Lord, having saved the people
out of the land of Egypt, afterward
destroyed THEM THAT BELIEVED NOT"
(Jude v 5)
He who delivered out of Egypt should be able to
take into Canaan. What it would have taken Him
to get them into Canaan couldn't have been bigger
than what it took Him to liberate them from
Pharaoh.
It was not the road, it was their unbelief.
It is not the situation, it is our faithproblem
So, what of Moses? Can we say he didn't have
faith? Well, hear what God said:
"And the LORD spake unto Moses and
Aaron, BECAUSE YOU BELIEVED
ME NOT, to sanctify me in the eyes of
the children of Israel, therefore ye shall
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not bring this congregation into the
land which I have given them " Num 20:12
See, we do not have the luxury of unbelief with God
even for a second. Many many times within a day
we need to quickly adjust our belief premise.
Because if Satan can get us into "doubt-act", he
wins, we lose! We must therefore constantly watch
our attitude, especially under pressure. Satan uses
all kind of means to get us out of our faith-mode
into acting outside of faith. He made Moses so
angry and frustrated that the man of faith acted in
unbelief before the God who never excuses
faithless acts, no matter the pressure provoking
such act. The gulf between God and unbelief can
never be filled. He is eternally a faith-GOD who
hasn't the wherewithal to put up with unbelief, no
matter the situation surrounding it.
To us, it is rather hash that one “flimsy” slip should
cost Moses so dearly. But understanding God's
stand on faith helps us to see why. You see, God
can't walk on unbelief ground. If faith is not the
ground, count God out! He just won't be there. He
won't be found. He won't be available.
Our failures, our sufferings, our many woes and
pains; ASK God why, and without a second
thought His answer will be:
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Because of your UNBELIEF
Can we make this kind of generalization? Yes!
There is no doubt about it. God's eternal
commitment to faith does not allow Him to
accommodate any attitude on our part that is
contrary to faith. We have to understand this with
God. There is no use asking God to do what He
can't do.
.
"And he COULD THERE DO NO
mighty work ... And he marveled
BECAUSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF ..."
Mark 6:5,6
To us, many of our problems are attributable to
many factors. But to God, all of our problems are
attributable to just one factor: UNBELIEF! Sinproblem, sickness-problem, poverty-problem,
disease-problem, social-problem, and on, and on to
uncountabl; On all these God put one single label:
Faith-problem.
Sometimes this kind of "over-simplification"
makes many people angry and become offended.
Yet God won't change this ground. Faith it or leave
it!
If you catch this, happy are ye; and I assure you,
life is bound to take a new turn for you, and it is in
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the direction of glory!
Now we can appreciate the emphatic appearances
of faith in:
Habakkuk 2:4
- Behold, his soul which is
lifted up is not upright in him: BUT THE JUST
SHALL LIVE BY HIS FAITH
Romans 1:17
- For therein is the
righteousness of God revealed from faith to
faith. As it is written THE JUST SHALL LIVE
BY FAITH.
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43
“And when I saw that ye delivered me not,
I put my life in my hands, and passed over
against the children of Ammon,
and the Lord delivered them into my hand…”
Judges 12:3
T
here comes a time in a man's life when He
has to PUT HIS LIFE IN HIS HANDS!
We are all dependent. We often need the inputs of
others in our destiny progress. But! There comes a
time when a man must just go it alone with his
Maker.
“And when I saw that ye delivered me not”
When those we depend on are not forthcoming with
help. When all the avenues we've explored seem to
be yielding nothing worthwhile; when common
places of solutions are giving us no hope, then it is
time for the unusual measure.
You see, there are issues of life in which you are on
your own! Men may sympathize with you, but they
really can't help you. Under such conditions, a man
needs to "turn to the wall”!
When the doctors are watching me dying, when the
44
different medical measures have failed to open my
womb, when the husband won't stop “carrying
women" and visiting ungodly places at ungodly
hours, when the Job refuses to come after several
applications, when the promotion remains
invisible despite hard work, THEN it is time to put
our lives in our hands.
Indeed solid faith closes its door against the
multitudes. The acts of faith are personal acts.
Many situations of our lives are begging for a
change. But most of the time, that which we desire
are on “the other side", and we need to pass over
to reach them. The risk in crossing a red sea on foot
is the test of your Faith-life. Are you ready?
45
The
Of My
46
T
he journey started down south. I needed to
come up north as instructed by the Spirit. I
boarded a vehicle that brought me to the
north. How much did I pay? Faith-hundred
naira.
On arrival, shelter, feeding and clothing were the
immediate needs on ground. But these needs were
also met. How much did it cost? Faith-thousand
naira.
With time, the need to get a car of our own arose.
Soon we got a good one. The price? Faith-hundred
thousand naira.
As we settled in grace, we faced our first major
project. Much resources were needed to meet the
need. Happily, we got it done. At how much? Again,
it cost us Faith-hundred thousand naira only
It has been like this all through. We discovered that
even though money is scarce, Faith is not. And we
made the link between the scarce and the
available. We saw that the faith we have readily
pulls out the money we don't have. The difference
between one hundred and one billion is the number
of zeros at the back of one. And zeros are called
naught (or nothing), no matter how many they are.
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As at now, higher calling needs bigger fund. But
we are not afraid. Faith is not scarce, and there is
nothing we will ever need that we can't get, even if
it costs billions. It will still be just Faith-billion
naira!
"The WORD is Nigh Thee" (Rom 10)
48
49
H
is life was surrounded with miseries. He
was a symbol of pain and suffering, an
embodiment of the unwanted. The very
mention of his name evoked bitterness and
anguish. Nobody wanted to associate with him.
They called him Jabez, meaning sorrow.
What really happened? No one knows the details.
But his mother gave us some hints: "And his
mother called his name Jabez, saying,
Because I bare him with sorrow" (I chronicles
4:9).
Jabez came from a long list of people whose lives
lacked comment. Nothing special to say except to
just mention their names in passing. "The sons of
Judah: Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur,
and Shobal. And Reaiah the Son of Shobal
begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai,
and Lahad...." (I Chronicles 4:1,2)
On and on the list continued. And to that long list of
lack-lustre lives, Jabez's name was added. Infact
he came as the crowning of generations of nonentities, people whose names were mentioned
without any special regard or clause; People whose
names could be written in small letters without
queries.
50
But something dramatic happened as Jabez grew.
He embarked on a Faith-search that turned his
life around. He did not accept his satan-given lot in
life. He rebelled against generally accepted
weaknesses. He took his own life into his own hand
and dug into his past. He traced himself to “the
beginning”. Please note that first Chronicles 4
opened with the lineage of Judah, meaning that
Jabez came from Judah. I guess none of his
brothers really bothered to "trace up" to find their
origin and locate their divine bearing. It is the Law
of life that when a man begins to search for his
origin, liberating truths begin to unfold.
I firmly believe that Jabez dug into his lineage. He
was not convinced that his situation was heavensent. He did not accept it as "destiny". He
"searched the scriptures" (John 5:39) and
discovered his true identity and recovered his real
life. Jabez located Deuteronomy 33:7 and keyed
into it undetachably!
"And this is the blessing (not cursing) of
Judah (Jabez's lineage): Hear, LORD, the
voice of Judah and bring him to his people,
let his hands be sufficient for him; and be
thou an help to him from his enemies" (Deut
33:7)
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Please notice how Jabez prayed. His prayer in first
Chronicles 4:10 reflected the revelations of Deut
33:7 which he got.
"And Jabez called on the God of Israel, (Hear,
LORD, the Voice of Judah - Deut 33) saying, oh
that thou would bless me indeed (And this is the
blessing of Judah - Deut 33) and enlarge my
coast (Bring him to his people - Deut 33) and that
thine hand might be with me (Let his hand be
sufficient for him - Deut 33), and that thou would
keep me from evil (be thou an help for him from
his enemy - Deut 33)"
Jabez's faith-search took him to "the beginning",
and it was his discovery of "Thus says the LORD"
that released him from all that satan had said
concerning him. And you? May be you never know
that you have a beginning that you can appeal to;
you have in your true lineage a history of Blessing.
Your current condition of sorrow and toil and lack
is not the intention of your maker. Check the
family Album in Gen. 1 and 2!
52
And Give
Shape To Your
53
"….whosoever shall say unto this mountain,
Be thou removed…. and shall not doubt in
his heart, but shall believe that what he
saith shall come to pass; he shall have
whatsoever he saith " Mark 11:23
"/ believed, therefore have I spoken..."
Psalm 116: 10a
If you are a Christian, your confession is your
profession. Until you confess, you don't possess.
What you say is what you see. At the realm of
confession, there is nothing God cannot do. God
spoke the world into existence, you can speak your
world into existence with His WORD in your
mouth. God upholds all things by the Word of his
power, you can uphold your life with the word of His
power.
Words are seeds, when you sow God’s word-seeds
into your life consistently and persistently, you can
relax and watch your life blossom. Greatness is
reserved for men of WORD.
But note this: Your confession works only when
there is an agreement between what is in your
heart and what is coming out of your mouth. The
heart is the seat of Faith; every confession that is
not borne out of faith is mere boasting, it won't
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work.
Spiritual battles are essentially word battles.
Whether you win or lose in life is determined by
how you engage your mouth. You can program your
life by what you say. Words are Irresistible! They
have the power to make or break. Word report will
do us more good than world report. Let's go for it! It
is time to start speaking! It is time to tell off the
mountain and quit describing it. Are you ready?
Say These Out Loud:
I am the prophet of my own life.
God’s Word in my life determines my
future.
God’s WORD in my heart and my mouth
determines my health, my wealth and
my place in eternity.
My faith filled words are alive and
full of power from His WORD
They are enriched and backed by
the anointing of God, the very power
that created the universe!
I am what the WORD says I am
I can do what the WORD says
I can do
I can have what the WORD says
I can have.
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Out of the abundance of my
WORD-filled heart, my WORD-filled
mouth speaks.
I arise and shine! It is a new dawn
It's the Season of Grace to perform
Wonders.
Not a sick day! Not a broke day!
Not a sad day! But every day, a joy-full
day!
56
The
Is
57
Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding
put forth her voice? Proverbs 8:1
Y
ou know, the world is speaking. But the
WORD is also speaking! And I am glad it is
not the world's voice that is the only voice
around. So depressing, so helpless, so bleak and
blank. Indeed the world's voice has been reduced to
a babble, an uncertain sound with uncertain
meaning. But as the noise of the world fills the air
with fear and news that offers no comfort, the clear
voice of the Eternal WORD rings with
unmistakable certainty!
I am glad I can hear God! He is the first and the last
I really want to hear! That is the only SOURCE of
hope and confidence these last days.
If you allow it, the world will weaken and depress
you with its bleak outlook and hopeless
expectations. If you are open to it, the world will fill
your heart with its analysis of woes and statistics of
approaching doom. And before you know it, you
won't see anything good around. And if you can't
see anything good around you won't taste of the
good thing of God! For it is what you see that you
eventually get. What you can't see you can't get.
The world says we are doomed, but the WORD says
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we are destined! The world is screaming terror per
second per second, but the WORD is whispering
peace and meaning, even in the midst of the world’s
chatters.
Which voice are you hearing? The world says there
is embargo on employment, but the WORD says,
“When I open no man can shut” What did you hear?
The world is talking of economic recession, but the
WORD offers us a covenant progression. Which do
you believe?
Beloved, the report of the world is red all through,
but the WORD writes in GOLD! Your credential
may be red, your bank statement may be red, and
the world's voice is screaming, "RED" into your ear.
But the God of finalities has not pronounced you're
finished! He can rewrite your reds with His pen of
Gold!
Where the world has offered you no chance, the
WORD is offering you a place. The world says,
"don't bother to make a move". But the WORD says
"GO FORWARD"! The establishment is against
you, and you are also against yourself, but thus
said the WORD: “There is a way, even in the midst
of the raging sea of life".
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The world can see nothing but decadence and
failure. And what the world sees is what it says.
Every point of its hope is sinking sand. But the
WORD is ever SOLID and settled! What do you
hear? Are you seeing with the world's eye or with
the WORDS eye? To the eyes of the world, man has
failed, God has failed, the church is finished, man
is done and even the world itself is doomed!
Nothing is working and nothing can work; God is
over, life is hopeless!
But hear the WORD: "….I will build my church;
and the gates of hell shall not withstand its
FORCE…..” For there is HOPE for a tree, if it
be cut down, that it will sprout again; and
that its tender shoots will not cease. Though
its root may grow old in the ground...... yet at
the scent of water it will bud and bring forth
branches like a plant"
(Matthew 16:18, Job 14:7-9)
Beloved, it is not time to sit and mourn. It is time to
arise and rebuild your confidence in the WORD.
The world says the WORD doesn't work. But the
WORD says the world will soon end! I know who is
right. When the WORD speaks, I hear!
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61
"...And they laughed him to scorn" Matt.9:24
H
e wanted to walk in Faith. He believed the
impossible. But they laughed him to
scorn. Laughter of discouragement.
Laughter that can quench zeal and dampen
enthusiasm. Laughter that has stopped thousands
from their miracles, laughter that has cut many
short from attaining greatness: The laughter of the
unbelieving crowd.
Do you believe in God? Do you believe in miracles?
Do you believe God for the impossible? Do you have
great dreams? Do you have visions of a better
tomorrow? Then prepare for the peoples laughter.
"They laughed him to scorn", they made jest of
him. They looked down on his vision and dream.
They frightened him with their laughter. They
intimidated him by the look on their faces. Their
side-discussions were a heavyweight of
discouragement.
You are talking of faith, they are talking of the
doubtful outcome. You are talking of the
possibilities, they are pointing to the
impossibilities. You are seeing God, but they want
you to see yourself and your weakness. You are
seeing what can be, they are drawing your
attention to why it can't be.
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So what are you going to do? How are you going to
go forward? How are you going to go past the
unbelief of the people and walk in your own faith in
spirit-possibilities? How are you going to pocket
their laughter of scorn and make progress with
God? "He said unto them, give place; for the
girl is not dead, but sleeping. AND THEY
LAUGHED HIM TO SCORN" (Matt 9:24)
So what did He do? He set the people aside. He
pushed them out of His way and proceeded to do
what He believed. He did not take their laughter to
heart. He refused to be discouraged. He was fully
persuaded of what God can do with man's faith.
“But when the people were put forth,
He went in... (Matt 9:25)
Do you want to enter into your destiny-glory? Then
push the people off the road! Which people? The
doubters, the Scorners, the mockers who are
saying 'It can't be done' Separate yourself from
them. Go into God. Go into Spirit possibilities. Let
God be God, no matter what the doubters say.
(But when he had pushed the people out of
His way) He went in, and took her by the
hand, and the girl arose.
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To raise the dead, push out the scorners. Dead
businesses, dead hopes, dead dreams, dead bodies,
dead organs, dead homes, dead jobs, dead
ambitions, dead aspirations, dead relationships,
dead ministries, dead careers, dead professions,
dead love, dead life... Whatever it is, whatever they
are that are dead, this is what you need to do: fix
your gaze on God, pin your faith on Him, push
through the laughing crowd, go into God!
And you will see His glory!
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CONTRAST:
AND
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F
ear binds. Faith Liberates.
Fear has torment. Faith has boldness and Peace.
Fear is the arrow of Hell against you. Faith is the
missile of Heaven in your hand.
Filled with Fear, Satan programs you for captivity,
but filled with Faith, Heaven programs you for
liberty and greatness.
The Law of Sin and of Death is activated against
you by Fear. But the Law of the Spirit of Life is
activated for you by Faith.
Faith in you will suppress the Forces of
wickedness. Fear liberates them and makes them
active against you.
Fear in you will suppress the Forces of God's
goodness. But Faith liberates them and makes
them operative for you.
Without Fear in you Satan can't work on you. And
without Faith in you God can't work on you.
Faith doesn't enter into you until Fear has been
cast out. And Fear can't come into you as long as
Faith abides in you.
Faith opens you to God and closes you against
Satan.
Fear opens you to Satan and closes you against
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God.
With Fear, your life becomes God-Resistant. With
Faith, your life is Satan-proofed.
Without Faith you can't please God, so you don't
get blessed by God.
Without Fear you cannot please Satan, and so you
don't get cursed with his curses.
Without Faith your prayers annoy Heaven.
Without Fear your prayers disturbs Satan.
With Fear your prayers progress towards nothing.
But with Faith your petition attracts Heaven's
response.
FAITH OR FEAR, THE CHOICE IS YOURS!
And which one you choose determins your
overall experience on earth: LIFE or
DEATH!
What do you say?
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SHALL BE YOUR
AND
68
B
ird flu, swine flu, rat flu, elephant flu, frog
flu, cockroach flu, crocodile flu.... when will
the flues end? Is it untill all the animals in
the animal kingdom have paraded our streets?! But
hear the WORD:
“He shall deliver you from the noisome
pestilence” THAT IS HIS TRUTH!
“I will bless your water and your food and
take away sickness from your life” THAT IS
HIS TRUTH
“I will put none of the diseases of the
Egyptians on you” THAT IS HIS TRUTH
“Himself bore our sickness in His own Body”
THAT IS HIS TRUTH
“Jesus Christ our saviour has abolished
death and has brought life and immortality to
light”
THAT IS HIS TRUTH
“In righteousness shall you be establish, and
you shall be farrrr from oppression”
THAT IS HIS TRUTH
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“The enemy shall not exact upon you, nor the
son of wickedness afflict you”
THAT IS HIS TRUTH. And that is YOUR
SHIELD and BUCKLER!
Get this clear, many more flues will still visit
Egypt! You understand what I mean, don't you!
From bird flu, we came to animal flu. Fish flu is on
the way.
What is happening? Satan is killing his
victims, not with the flues but with The Fears!
Few die from flues, many die from fear! “Don't
travel, don't go to school, don't go to market,
don't stay at home, don't go out of the house...”
World Health Organisation will soon carry us all to
the moon to escape the flues. And I hope “Apollo”
will not drive us back from the moon!
Beloved, the times are perilous. Satan is active.
His weapon of fear must be matched with
strong Faith! There is no pestilence that
Calvary did not address. When you come to
the cross of Calvary you Passover from
darkness into light and from Egypt into the
Zion of God! And No devil of hell can come to
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you in Zion (Psalm 48).
The question then is, “where are you” If you stay
in Egypt, you will be treated like the Egyptians. If
you remain in darkness, you will be mistaken by
demons. A life of righteousness in God is critical to
your continued safety. Things are happening out
There in the world. If you are of the world, then you
are qualified for death by flues, accidents, strayed
or strange bullets!
But if you are OF Zion AND IN Zion, satan
knows he must count you out! For a thousand
may fall by your side and ten thousand by
your right hand, IT SHALL NOT COME
NEAR YOU! THAT IS HIS TRUTH! And that is
your SHIELD and BUCKLER. Amen.
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72
I
t was a long and hard night of toil. Each of the
men had tried all the common principles of
'successful fishing', yet there were no fish. In
frustration they packed their equipment and
abandoned their venture. They accepted defeat
and headed home. Human wisdom and technical
abilities had not produced what they so much
desired. Peter and his crew of fishers decided to
accept their fate, as the saying goes.
It was at this point that the Man of Galilee showed
up. He took a look at the pitiable condition of
human helplessness. His heart reached out to
Peter and his fellows in holy compassion. He set
His heart to reverse their case. He pressed the
eternal button, and emptiness became abundance,
loss became gain, tears became smiles, defeat
turned to victory.
Not human methods. Not the technicalities of the
learned, nor yet the natural ability of natural men.
JUST ONE WORD FROM HIS HEART to Peter's
discouraged heart. "Launch out into the deep
and let down your nets for a great catch...”
Luke 5.
That didn't make meaning to Peter at first. He
remembered the all night suffering at "catching
nothing". But the Master had spoken. And wisdom
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demands obedience. So Peter obeyed and got a
miracle-shock. The WORD proved itself.
It was just like that too at the Marriage in Cana of
Galilee. They faced the disgrace of scarcity. But
ONE WORD from Him made the difference: FILL
THE POTS WITH WATER (Jn. 2). Their
obedience to the WORD delivered to them wine
from water.
And you know, it is still so today. The WORD still
works wonder every time it is believed and acted
upon! If Peter hadn't launched his net, the fishes
wouldn't have been caught. If the Pots had not been
filled as the WORD said, they wouldn't have gotten
wine.
Healing, financial release, debt relief,
breakthrough in life, academic success, whatever it
is, you need only three (3) steps to have your
answer to them:
(A) GET THE WORD
(B) BELIEVE THE WORD
(C) ACT THE WORD.
Your miracle is the next. Amen.
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THE
I LEARNT
75
I
am most fortunate in life that God opened His
WORD to me. This is my greatest asset in life.
Really, I am not a smart person. I am not
clever. I lost all that when I got hold of the SURE
WORD OF PROPHECY (2 Peter1:19)
The turning point was when I discovered that I
WAS WORD-BORN! You may need to see John
1:13 to understand that:
“…Born, not of blood, nor of the will of
the flesh, nor of the will of man, BUT
(intentionally, purposefully, deliberately) of
God…”
And James 1:17 caps it up neatly:
“Of His own will begat He us WITH THE
WORD of truth…”
Now, that opened up to me a whole new vista. It
dawned on me that if I am WORD-BORN, then
living must be strongly WORD-related. Then I saw
Deuteronomy 32:46, 47
“Set your heart on all the WORDS…
for it is not a VAIN THING FOR YOU,
BECAUSE IT IS YOUR LIFE; and
THROUGH THIS YOU SHALL…
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That turned me on unquenchably! I got hooked on
the WORD! Then I started noticing that:
My Attitude to God's WORD dictates life’s
attitude to me
I made the powerful connection between what I do
with the WORD and what life does with me. I saw
that the respect I extend to God's WORD comes
back to me from the entities around me. Life
answers to me as I answer to the WORD. It was so
glaring to me that life entities such as wealth,
wellbeing, influence and dominion flow freely
towards me when I move freely towards God's
direction and instructions.
Oh, I desire you to know that the issues of our life
are word-dependent. Situations of life are wordresponsive. Conditions are create-able with word.
Life is word-moldable!
Wanted situations are word-creatable. Unwanted
conditions are word-destroyable. Word can “make
be” and “make not to be”! This is the reality.
But how is that so? The secret lies in the
beginning! Hebrews 11 tells us that the whole
scheme of things in this world were “framed by
the word of God” (see verse 3). Because all
77
things were word-made, they are very sensitive to
word. And because I was WORD-born, I am
equipped with word.
Life is word-sensitive because life was word-made;
I am WORD-equipped because I was WORD-born.
Life is waiting for me to speak in order for it to take
direction.
All this brings us to this unavoidable conclusion:
How life goes depends on us; and, how my
life goes depends on ME!
Ultimately, it all boils down to my
Estimate Of THE WORD.
This was the secret I learnt! And it has made all the
difference for me!
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Mary
79
T
o some Christians, Jesus is a social figure,
Christianity is a social status, and the Bible
is a dress code! Martha in Luke 10 was more
or less such a person.
"Now it came to pass, as they went, that he
(JESUS) entered into a certain village; and
a certain woman named Martha received
him into her House"
Luke 10:38
Jesus was in her house. But that to her was no big
deal. To her it was more or less a social visit.
"And she had a sister called Mary, which
also sat at Jesus feet, and HEARD HIS
WORD"(Vs 39)
Jesus is in your house, in your church, in your
office.... What does that mean to you? Is it a social
OR religious issue?
"Mary ....Sat at Jesus' feet, and HEARD HIS
WORD. But Martha was cumbered
(Distracted, busy, filled, tossed, worried,
concerned, taken up) with much serving...."
(Vs 39 & 40).
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To Mary, Jesus in the house was an opportunity of
a life time to lay hold on Eternal Life. Our
distraction from God is our attraction to failure.
Our distraction from his WORD is our contact with
weakness. And guess what? Your attitude to your
Bible (God's Word) tells me whether you are in
Martha or Mary's class. Martha's class is the social
class. Mary's class is the life class. One is artificial
and collapsible, the other substantial, solid and
unshakable. Where do you belong?
The "quiet" matter in Luke 10:38-42 suddenly
became a matter of life and death in John 11! Don't
be surprised. Those who cannot seat at his feet to
receive His WORD cannot move his feet to the
place of their needed miracles. Lazarus was the
brother of both Martha and Mary. He became sick,
and eventually died. Jesus was some distant away.
He needed to be brought to the scene of the sorrow
of death, to turn the darkness into light. Martha
couldn't move him. Mary easily moved him. Where
lies the difference? It lies in Luke 10:39, 40.
Those who have the WORD of the Master are the
ones entitled to the might of the Master. All the
others are like dogs fighting under the table for
crumbs fallen from the children's plate. Where do
you belong?
81
THE
OF THE
82
Day by day, we are getting closer to the end
of the race
The adventure is getting tougher
Only the strong will stand and continue
The challenges are becoming stronger and
stronger
Who will stand and endure to the end?
Only the Just, the Just that is living by Faith.
Some are losing focus on the race
They are turning back, the mountains
becoming
Too high to climb,
The storms of life threatening
But, who shall continue and press on?
Only the Just, the Just that is living by Faith
Business empires are failing and crumbling
Homes are breaking up
Internal and external pressures and conflicts,
Sicknesses, diseases and afflictions every where
Famine and poverty
Who shall subdue these works of hell?
Who shall say no and stop satan?
Only the Just
The Just that is living by Faith
Who shall breast the tape and wear the
crown of life?
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Who is the soldier marching on triumphantly?
It's only the just
The just that is living by faith
Keep fighting the good fight of Faith
Keep speaking Faith, keep living by Faith
“….for now is our salvation nearer than when we
believed”
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The
85
T
he situation at home was critical. Satan was
waging a major assault against that simple
family. The little girl in the house was under
the wicked attack of the wicked devil. Everything
was upside down. And there was no help. The case
was hopeless. And because Satan knew that
human beings have no power against spirit beings,
he went on torturing that little girl with systematic
cruelty,
Suddenly, the mother of this girl heard that Jesus
had come to their area. She rushed out in a
desperate urge. This was her chance. It must not be
missed!
"Then Jesus went thence, and departed into
the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold a
woman of Canaan came out of the same
coasts, and cried unto him, saying, have
mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my
daughter is grievously vexed with a devil"
(Matt 15:21-22)
Right prayer to the right person at the right time.
So we would expect a right answer! But hear the
first shock:
"But Jesus answered her not a word" (Vs23)
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But she pressed on. She didn't give up. She wanted
no alternative. The answer must come! And
temporarily she became a woman disciple,
following Jesus and crying for help. Then she met
her second obstacle:
"The disciples came and begged Jesus,
saying, send her away; for she crieth after
us" (Vs 23.)
Thank God for perseverance. Thank God for
courage to receive. Thank God for women who
wouldn't give up easily. So, the drama continued.
Jesus turned to the woman and said:
"I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the
house of Israel" (Vs 24)
If you were this woman what will you do? But hear
her:
"Then came she and WORSHIPED him,
saying. Lord help me" (Vs 35).
Now here comes the bomb! This woman had come
out, cried, begged, pleaded and worshiped. Yet,
Jehovah seemed unmoved. Once again, I want to
thank God for women and men who have the
strength of Faith that cannot be denied. Thank
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God for the Hannahs, the Sarahs, the Bartimeus,
the Marys and the Canaanite women of this world.
They are our eternal consolation that delay is not
denial.
The shocking answer from Jesus to this woman
was enough to provoke anger. But the woman
wanted what she wanted, and she was bent on
receiving what she had asked! Jesus said to her:
"It is not fit to take the children's bread and
cast it to dogs". (Vs 26).
But hear this, Hear this woman of Faith:
"And she said, truth, Lord; YET the dogs eat
the crumbs which fall from their master's
table"
Then! Then!! Then!!! JESUS answered and said
unto her, "Woman, great is your faith. Be it
unto you even as you will…" (vs 28)
“And her daughter was made whole…”
Amen! And Amen!
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THE
89
W
e cannot escape this divine TRUTH, no
matter how uncomfortable we are with
it, that by God's own operational design,
God's Love is half the answer to man's need being
met. Man's Faith must supply the other half.
When our Faith meets with His Love, miracles are
birthed. When His Love does not find its Faith half
from us, miracles are short-circuited! We cannot
separate these divine twins.
Now learn this, the Love God operates is Love as a
nature, Love as His nature, not just Love as act.
And that is why the Faith that registers in the
realm of the spirit is Faith as a nature, Faith as
our nature, Faith as our life, and not just Faith as
act.
God doesn't Love as an act, He Loves as a nature.
God is Love. His Love actions spring from His Love
nature. That is what makes it so forceful and
redeeming. Faith too must become a nature to us.
Acts of Faith are not enough; the Love of God
demands of us a life of Faith! When Faith actions
arise from a Faith life laying hold on the provisions
of Love, miracles become unstoppable.
Faith-life is the issue here. Do we have it? Most of
us switch to Faith as an emergency button. We
want a Faith we have never really cultivated as a
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nature to work for us on the instant. No wonder we
are often disappointed. The Faith that Love
honours is the one that springs from a pool, not the
one hurriedly put together with empty
“confessions" coming from empty heart.
When I eat food, I build into my system energy
pool. And when challenges call for it, my system
answers with minimal effort. Why? I have a pool of
energy, created from regular feeding.
Most of us have no Faith-energy deposit. We have
not been feeding on God's WORD. We have no
Faith life. And when challenges come we don't
meet up. That is normal. If we have made no
deposit how can we come for withdrawal, unless
we want to go into debt, which is the worst thing
that can happen in the spirit realm.
There is no need of man that Love has not provided
for. There are no challenges that we face that
Love's provisions of strength have not covered.
Where we have failed, it wasn't that God's Love
Provisions weren't available. It was because there
was no Faith to form the link between the problem
and the solution.
Our Faith is important to the success of God's
Love. There are many on earth today going around
with divine judgment hanging over their heads.
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Why? God's Redeeming Love freely given to them
has not been received by them. No Faith from them
has welcomed the Love from God. And so the
benefits of Love's redemption have been with-held
from them.
"By God's grace (Love) ye are saved
through
(Your) Faith" Eph. 2:8
Not only Salvation, but every other gift of Love
demands from man his Faith input. What we have
not received from God is not because God's Love
hasn't provided them, it may well be because our
Faith has not reached for them.
Have you been using Faith? Which Faith? Is it
Faith as your nature or Faith as a prayer tool? If it
is not Faith rising from the core of your life, Faith
built solid on God's WORD over the time, then it is
fake. And it won't function with God.
"Ask, and it shall be given unto you"
"But let him ask in faith..."
He gives in Love when I ask in Faith. His Love
provides and gives it; My Faith asks and receives
it.
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"The human is the asking (in faith),
the Divine is the giving (in Love)
These are the two halves
That make a whole" -Andrew Murray.
93
The
On The
94
H
e lived rough, totally separated from
everything good. He caused tears for
many. He would not work, yet craved the
good life, specializing in forcefully reaping where
he didn't sow. He was a hard criminal dedicated to
inflicting pains on society.
And as it always happens, the day broke upon the
workers of iniquity! He was caught in his violence.
The long arm of the law grabbed him and put him
up for trial. His whole life testified against him. His
deeds condemned him. He was sentenced to die the
slow, painful and agonizing death of crucifixion.
Life was paying Him back in His own coin. His
violent life had come to a violent terminus. On his
death-day, he came silently to that point men call
the twist of fate.
He deserved to die, sure. Yet grace and mercy
offered him a last chance. He came face to face with
the Author of the Life he had wasted.
"And with him (Jesus) they crucify two
thieves, the one on his right hand, and the
other on his left” Mark 15:27
He was one of the two. And to all human eyes and
mind, he was finished. Hopelessly finished! But as
people usually say: "never say never". Every man
has his last straw that makes or breaks him. In the
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dark hour of death, as the thick clouds rolled over
the soul of this helpless member of the human
race, something was going on in his mind.
He thought over his Life. He remembered the
many chances to amend his ways which he
messed. He knew the end had finally come.
But his dying thought was rudely interrupted by
the hash voice of his fellow companion in violence.
The other thief. His heart hard as ever. His mind
rocky and unrepentant.
"And one of the malefactors which were
hanged railed on Jesus, saying,
If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us.
But the other answering rebuked him,
saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou
art in the same condemnation?
And we indeed justly; for we receive
the due reward of our deeds:
but, this man hath done nothing amiss"
Luke 23:39-41
When the road of life turns, man must also turn, or
end in the wilderness of no return. It is called
repentance. There is nothing God would not do for
a man who repents.
The road ended. One thief changed, the other
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entered into eternal darkness. The hour of faithturn came to both. One turned, the other did not.
One immeasurable moment of decision came. One
decided to live forever, the other went the way of
eternal death. At the very point of death, life was
offered, yet... in the darkest night, a glorious dawn
was waiting, yet...
Opportunities for life abound. But only faith-hand
takes them. What we get or don't get, we should
ask our faith not our God! Two thieves in the jaw of
death; two thieves on the last step into eternal
doom; two thieves hopelessly lost and doomed; two
thieves just about to slip into hell; then LIFE
appeared. Grace showed up, asking only for faith.
And one thief said: "if thou be Christ...", but the
other said: "Lord, remember me when thou
come into thy Kingdom..." (Luke23:39-42).
"And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto
you, today shall thou be with me in
paradise" Amen.
Pride or folly, or a combination of the two, makes
men miss their destiny-appointment. Those who
can’t repent can’t believe; and those who can’t
believe will not enter into Life!
“Lord, remember me...”
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HOW BIG IS
98
T
hat is actually my first question. There is a
second one. And I want to relate the two:
How Big Is God? And How Big Is Our Need?
Bigness may be in terms of (1)Size
( 2 ) P o w e r / R u l e o r C o n t r o l
(3)Resources/Substance or Means. And looking
at all these, how Big is God?
We talk of the height and weight of a man. But how
heavy and how tall is God? We know big men in our
society when it comes to resources or means. Men of
Substance we call them. Mighty men of wealth. But
how wealthy is God? What resources are at His
disposal? Or, how big is God as per His Power and
Control? How big is He in His ruling force?
I am sure you are already thinking of answers to
these questions. The answers seem obvious
enough. In what way can we qualify the bigness of
God? The size of God, the Power of God and the
Resources of God; how are we going to measure
these? What instruments can we employ? What
thermometer can measure the temperature of the
sun? What is the last number on our numbering
system? How many fruits are inside one seed?
When will a man finish using all the waters in the
ocean? How many stars are there in the sky? What
is the number of sands by the sea shore? To God:
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“… the nations are as a drop of a bucket,
and are counted as the small
dust of the balance; all nations before
him are as nothing; and they
are counted to him less than nothing…
to whom will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare to him? …
It is he that sitteth
upon the circle of the earth, and
the inhabitants thereof are
as grasshoppers … to whom then will
you liken me, or shall I be equal?
Saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes
on high, and behold who hath created
these things; he calls them
all by names by the greatness of his might,
and because he is strong in power,
not one of them fails”
(Isaiah 40:15- 26)
To every man on the street (except some fools), God
is really, really big! We all agree on that. He is big in
size, in power and in resources. There is no doubt
about that. We sing it. We pray it. We talk it. BUT
WE DON'T LIVE IT! And that is where I am
going!
Theoretical Bigness is useless! It is Practical
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Bigness that matters. If the Spiritual is practically
big, then the natural should be practically small! If
God is practically big to me, then my Needs are
practically small. When God's Practical Bigness is
applied to my Needs, they should automatically
shrink to no size!
How Big Is Our Need? Feeding, shelter, materials,
emotional, social ….. all of our needs; How Big?
The debilitating health problem; the crushing
financial state; the material and physical
challenges that refuse to go! How Big are they
really? How Big are they when squared with God's
Bigness?
Most of us have Needs that are bigger than us. But
we have a God that is Bigger than them. Instead of
applying my small size to my big Needs, I get out of
the way for my Big God to take on my Needs! God's
size on human Needs crushes the Needs and
makes them no-needs!
We must move from our theoretical knowledge of
God's Bigness into a practical revelation of it. We
must move from our religious understanding of
God's Bigness into an applicable revelation of
God's Bigness.
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Our Needs are real. Our knowledge of God must be
practical. Our Needs can be nasty, overwhelming,
disgracing, devastating, life-threatening and even
life-taking. That is why we can’t afford to lean on
mere religious or theoretical knowledge of God's
Bigness. It is useless. We need to know God's
Bigness in its applicable form.
How Big Is God? How Big Is Our Need? To the
individual of us, invariably, God is as big as our
mind-set makes Him. He is as big as our functional
prayer-life makes Him. And our Needs are as big
as our ignorance of How Big God is. Our Needs are
as big as our misunderstanding of God's heart
towards us. When our revelation of God's Bigness
becomes correct, the Bigness of our Needs will
become diminished! The Bigness of God in my
heart and consciousness determines the smallness
of the Needs of my life. When God becomes truly
Big in my heart, my needs will truly shrink to noneeds.
So, How Big Is God?
“And I saw a great white throne, and
Him that sat on it, from whose face the
earth and the heaven fled away…”
(Rev. 20:11)
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And How Big is My Need?
God is able to make all grace abound
towards me,
so that I am always having all sufficiency in
all things, and abounding in every good
work
(2Cor. 9:8)
Let's learn from David. Goliath may be a giant
among men, he was a grasshopper before God.
“Size pass size”! You might as well let your
problem know that truth. Yes, yes, “Height
pass height”! And the one we are talking about
here is The Most High! I can’t see anything
higher!
103
104
“And the night following the Lord stood by
Him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as
thou has testified of me in Jerusalem, so
must thou bear witness also at Rome”
Acts 23:11
The LORD told Paul, You are going to Rome. You
are going there to represent me and bear witness to
me. That was his assignment. But while Paul was
packing his bag to move at the bidding of the
LORD:
"….Certain of the Jew banded together, and
bound themselves under a curse, saying
that they would neither eat nor drink till
they had killed Paul. And they were more
than forty which had made this conspiracy"
Acts 23:12, 13
In verse 11 God said, Paul I am sending you to
Rome. In verse 12 Satan said, Paul, I am sending
you out of earth. Who wins? That would be
determined by the disposition of Paul. It is not a
secret that Satan has evil intentions against you.
And it shouldn't be a gamble what God said
concerning you.
God said, Let's go over to the other side. Satan said,
Enter the sea and end in your grave. So, what are
you going to do? God said, Get out of Egypt, come
105
over to the Promised Land. Satan said, You can't
leave Egypt, you are Pharaoh's slaves forever. So,
what are you going to do?
As soon as Paul received God's line of thought,
what satan was planning was not Paul's headache!
Whoever had vowed to kill Paul or die was actually
going to die, because Paul had made Himself
“unkillable” by his Faith-link to Life!
But see what happened! As soon as Paul entered
the ship that would take him to Rome, Satan
struck!
“And when it was determined that we
shouldsail into Italy, they delivered Paul
and certain other prisoners unto one named
Julius,… and entering into a ship of
adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail
by the coast of Asia…” Acts 27:1-2
“But not long after there arose against
(the ship) a tempestuous wind,
called Euroclydon” vs. 14
“And we being exceedingly tossed with a
tempest … And when neither sun nor stars
in many days appeared, and no small
tempest lay on us, all hope that we should
106
be saved was then
taken away” vs 18, 20
Paul was on his way to Rome. Satan was on his
way to stop Paul. And God was on his throne
watching them. But the man of Faith held the
WORD of faith. It was the life-line that no devil
could break. As long as a man holds to faith-link,
all the storms in hell can't sink him! When we are
hooked to ‘the above’, we can’t sink to ‘the beneath’.
Paul knew that the storm was all about him. It was
Paul Satan wanted. But you know Satan, he
doesn't care to destroy one million people just to
get one man. But even here in the storm, it was
Paul that was in charge, not Satan. Faith was at
work, not fear. God's Word was enthroned above
Satan's lying wonders of destructive storm.
“….Paul stood forth in the midst of them,
and said,.… be of good cheer: for there shall
be no loss of any
man's life among you…” vs 21, 22
Amen! You heard him? In verse 25, Paul added: "I
BELIEVE GOD" Do you believe God or Satan?
God said, Paul, get to Rome. Satan said, Paul, die
on the way. Paul said "I believe God". The one you
believe is the one that will win!
107
What has God told you? What has Satan said to
that? And what do you believe? God told Adam and
Eve, “If you eat that, you will surely die” Satan
said, “You shall not surely die” What did they
believe? What was the outcome? The outcome of
our challenges in life reflects the WORD we
believe: God's or Satan's.
Let's go back to Paul. I believe that when Paul
stood forth and made that strong declaration of
faith in the midst of Satan's most terrible assault,
Satan must have gone really crazy!
You know what happened next, don't you? The
ship was broken with the violence of the storm (vs
41). Everyone was thrown into the sea. But the
Life-link of Faith that Paul cast on everyone took
each one to safety. But Satan had not finished. The
people got on shore, wet and cold. A fire was lit to
warm everyone.
“And when Paul had gathered a bundle of
sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came
a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his
hand” (see Acts 28:3)
God had said, Paul you are getting to Rome.
But Satan said, I will not allow him to get
there. So, what will happen? Will Paul get to
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Rome or will Satan stop him? See what Paul did in
Vs 5:
“….he shook off the beast into the fire,
And felt no harm”
And that was the end of Satan in that case. Paul
reached Rome. It was by faith in God's WORD! You
can reach your destiny. It is by this same pathway.
“ I Believe God”!
109
COME TAKE A
M
iracles are not accidental. Definite steps
produce definite divine intervention in
the affairs of men. Let's take a miracle
trip!
"Now faith is the (substantiality) of things
HOPED for..." Hebrew 11:1
"...Faith working through LOVE"
Galatians5:6
"Be not slothful, but followers of them who
through faith and PATIENCE inherit
The promises ". Hebrews 6:12
Let's see, what do we have here? In these verses of
scripture God is showing us the unfailing principle
that guarantees our every miracle. Here is the
pathway to unstoppable delivery of earth's request
by heaven.
THE IMPORTER
Hope is the importer that goes into the future to
procure what our needs are. Without Hope we have
no substance in the future. Without Hope our
futures are empty. Without Hope the future holds
nothing for us. So, the first step to your miracle is to
Hope! Hope for what your needs are. Hope, don’t
despair. Hope, don’t get discouraged and give up!
THE VEHICLE
Faith is the vehicle that goes into the future to
bring home the goods that Hope has procured. The
vehicle of Faith moves in the direction of Hope.
When Hope is dead, Faith may go into the future,
but it will return home empty. The cargoes that
Faith brings home are those that Hope puts on
ground in the future.
Every vehicle is made of some material. Faith
vehicle is manufactured from God's Word. The
stronger your Word material, the more efficient
your Faith vehicle. For a powerful, strong Faith
vehicle, lay hold on solid Word material in your
Bible.
THE FUEL
Your Faith vehicle needs fuel. This is called
Patience. If your patience runs out, your vehicle
will stop working. High grade Faith fuel ensures
perfect motion for quick delivery. When you are
ready to wait for God, God will be ready to keep you
from waiting long.
THE ROAD
But remember, Faith vehicle must have a road to
move on. This road is called LOVE. And when this
is faulty, accidents are common in miracle
delivery. Some of us have our roads filled with
potholes. Some have damaged bridges. These must
be repaired if we expect to take delivery of our
cargo.
Mend every broken godly relationship. Seek
forgiveness when you are wrong. Be quick to
forgive when people wrong you. It keeps your road
in perfect condition! It makes Faith go smoothly, it
prevents loss of goods to accidents.
When is your next miracle due home? Are the
cargoes set in place by Hope? Is Faith vehicle in
good condition? Have you fueled it with Patience?
What of the road of Love, have you made it a
highway? Then congratulations! Your miracle is
just around the corner!
N.B
Don't forget to add anti knock to your engine. I am
talking of Righteousness! Think of a vehicle
without Engine Oil! God forbid bad thing!
"Holding Faith and a good conscience...
“(1 Tim 1:19)
That is how we go WELL!
Encounter with
LIGHT
SOURCE GOSPEL MINISTRY
Sokoto, Nigeria
I
believe you have been touched by the Spirit through
this book. I will like to introduce to you the great
ministry that God has committed into my hands, with
my partners and associates. It is the Ministry of the WORD.
SOURCE GOSPEL MINISTRY is called and
commissioned by His Majesty, the Father of Lights (James
1:17) to BLAST OUT OF LIVES THE DARKNESS OF
HELL AND PUT IN ITS PLACE THE SHINE OF
HEAVEN, by the agency of God's Mighty WORD.
In our few years of operations here in the core North, we
have seen God backing us up with unusual Grace. For with
the Commission God has also given us the Voice to shake
this wilderness and turn it into a fruitful land. We have seen
the prevailing WORD taking grounds and occupying
thrones; subduing kingdoms, stopping the mouths of lions
and putting to flight satan's army of wickedness.
Would you like to get in touch with us? Then mail us or call
our lines:
SOURCE GOSPEL MINISTRY
New Airport Highway
P.O. Box 2199
Sokoto – Nigeria
Website: www.sourcegospel.net
E-mail: [email protected]
Cell lines: 234 8035043651, 234 8035042238