REJOICE THOU BARREN THAT BEAREST NOT

Text; Isaiah 54:1-17,53:5, Galatians 4:27, Habakkuk 3:17-19

In our text, God’s Word says to those who are experiencing barrenness in any area of their lives to rejoice and “sing O barren”. Why should God admonish the barren to rejoice when she or he is under a humiliating and frustrating situation in his or her life? For the avoidance of doubt , barrenness here covers all facets of our physical, soulish and spiritual life, where there is no fruit bearing. It could be in soul winning (Romans 1:13); in holiness (Romans 6:22); in righteousness (Hebrews 12:11); in love (Galatians 5:22-23); in our lips –giving continual thanks and praise to God and our Lord Jesus(Hebrews 13:15); in our mouth (Proverbs 18:20, 13:2, 12:14), in our body(Psalm 127:3,92:14);in our labor(1 Corinthians.15:58); in knowledge (Hosea 4:6); in our thoughts (Jeremiah 6:19), of our hands or the ground(Proverbs 12:14, Genesis 4:3) This is because in Isaiah 53:5 the Bible says “the chastisement for our peace (blessing, completeness, healing etc) was laid upon Jesus.

All these benefits and blessings are ours because Jesus was punished on the Cross of Calvary for our sins, transgression and iniquity of ourselves and our fore-fathers which gave rise to barrenness and sickness in our lives, and He paid with His precious blood on the Cross to redeem us from these curses so that we do not bear the yoke and burden of barrenness anymore as members of the body of Christ(Galatians 3:13-14, 1 John 2:2).

So The Lord wants us to look at our lives and in any area where there is barrenness for us ,to start rejoicing as if the fruit we desire to see was already with us. We should begin to think, speak and act as if the barrenness is no more. Faith calleth those things which are not as though they were, and declares the end from the beginning(Romans 4:17, Isaiah 46:10)

We should start planning what we would do when our desired blessings are manifested physically. God says, “Rejoice because you are prosperous in Christ.” In Christ, you are already blessed with every spiritual blessing, including prosperity etc. (Ephesians 1:3) “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)

If you are sick, start rejoicing now in your healing because Jesus has already borne your diseases and carried your pains, and by His stripes you have already been healed. (Isaiah 53:4–5, 1 Peter 2:24)

Whatever barren situation you are in, rejoice and tell God, “Father, because of the sacrifice of Your Son on the Cross of Calvary and the redemptive blood shared for my sake, I am blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. You have already given me everything. Therefore I am going to start to think, speak and act like it is so and rejoice!” until the manifestation of my blessing comes.

As you rejoice in the Lord you will be established in righteousness (Isaiah 54 vs.14) and even though the adversary may gather together against you, they will fall for your sake (Isaiah 54:15) and no weapon fashioned against you shall prosper and any mouth that rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.This is our heritage in Christ and our righteousness is of me saith the Lord (Isaiah 54:17).

God bless you as you rejoice in the Lord continually in this season of thanksgiving. Our God is good and worthy of our praises.

Abundant Life in Christ manifests through LOVE for God and Others

Text: John 3:16; 1 John 3:15, 4:7-8; Matthew 22:37-40; 1 Corinthians 2:9,13:2; John 14:15

God’s power flows towards and manifests in our lives when we think, say and do or walk in love with god and then with man. When we walk in love, it is a proof that we are genuinely connected to God. And when we are connected to the source of blessing, the blessings begin to flow.
Everyone who walks in hatred is disconnected from the source of life. That means he is like a branch that has been cut off from the vine. He has no life in him so everything around him is bond to wither and die off.(John 3:15, 4:7)

Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-40:…thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Everything in the kingdom: faith, grace, power, praise, healing, salvation, sanctification, Holy Spirit and gifts etc are predicated on love. That means nothing works without love, especially love for God and for your neighbor. Therefore we should let love for God by our first priority. Let it be the basis for everything we do. If we love God for who He is, He will abundantly bless us. If we are only seeking miracles from God and not seeking God Himself, we will remain stranded for a long time and our blessings will be delayed. The unmerited favor of God is reserved for believers who genuinely love God -1 Corinthians 2:9

The evidence that we love God and the true meaning of love for God is to obey Him in all things. Jesus said, If ye love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:15.
And what is His commandment: That we should believe on the Name of his Son, Jesus Christ and love one another as He gave us commandment.-1 John 3:23
Jesus said : By this shall men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another-John 13:35

Love is a commandment and the fulfillment of the whole law. If we love God and our neighbor, we have fulfilled the whole law and we will experience God’s manifest presence, grace, mercy and favor in our lives.

Seek and be hungry for the presence of God

Text: Proverbs 27:7, Leviticis 9:6, 2 Chronicles 12:14

Our text says if we are hungry for God(focus our attention on God and His Word and look away friom our challenges), bitter things in our lives will be turned to sweet.When we obey God's command , the glory of God will appear to us(Leviticus 9:6)
Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 12:14 did evil because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord. Until we make up our minds and consciously , moment by moment prepare our heart to seek the Lord, we will fall into sinful habits.(Amos 4:12)

Therefore God requests us to give him our hearts.(Proverbs 23:26).God is the preparer of our hearts(Proverbs 16:1), but it is our responsibility to voluntarily and willingly give God our hearts so that He can prepare it to be a good ground ready for harvest of blessings.

One of the principal ways of doing this is by singing psalms and praises, worshipping God and giving thanks and making melody in our hearts. The gates of heaven and the court of heaven require singing songs of thanksgiving and praises to open them.(Psalm 100:1-4)

God bless you as you engage your heart in this season of thanksgiving-Jeremiah 30:19a harvest of blessings will be your portion by the power in the blood of Jesus in Jesus Name, Amen.

Giving thanks to Jesus Christ releases the power of God through Faith

Text: Hebrews 13:15-16, 1 Peter 1:5, Romans 4:20

The central truth of the Bible which sets man free is that JESUS IS OUR SUBSTITUTE.HE TOOK VICARIOUS LIABILITY FOR ALL OUR WRONG DOING.WE NO LONGER HAVE TO WORK RIGHTEOUSNESS BUT WE ARE JUSTIFIED OR DECLARED RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE JESUS PAID THE PRICE FOR ALL OUR WRONG DOING AND ACCEPT HIM AS LORD OVER OUR LIVES. AS WE FOCUS ON AND FOLLOW JESUS AS OUR SHEPHERD BY THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WE WALK UPRIGHTLY AND PRODUCE THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS HOLY LIVING, AND THEREFORE ENJOY GOD'S DIVINE PRESENCE AND WHAT ACCOMPANIES IT: POWER, SOUND MIND, LOVE,JOY,PEACE,WISDOM,HONOR,GLORY,STRENGTH, RICHES, BLESSING.
THE STRONGER OUR FAITH IS, THE STRONGER AND MORE ACCESS WE HAVE TO THIS GRACE OF GOD TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE AND SERVE GOD ACCEPTABLY(Romans 4:20,5:2, Hebrews 12:28)

The natural response to the supply of unconditional favor or grace to us is THANK YOU JESUS. Our text in the Amplified version says we are offering sacrifices to God like the burnt offerings of bullocks offered to GOD by King Solomon in 1 Kings 3:3-14 and Prophet Samuel in 1 Samuel 7:7-10 which provoked God's immediate response to bless and to deliver Israel respectively and as advised by Prophet Hosea in Hosea 14:2 to engender the outpouring of God's blessings as a way out of iniquity which made Israel to fall and suffer shame.

Therefore CONTINUALLY say THANK YOU JESUS FOR ALL HE DID FOR US ON THE CROSS; AND COMMUNICATE THE GRACE OF GOD IN CHRIST TO OTHERS THROUGH THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS
(1 CORINTHIANS 1:18)ESPECIALLY THE UNSAVED AND YOUR FAITH WILL BE EMPOWERED TO QUENCH THE FIERY DARTS OF THE DEVIL, ATTRACT GOD'S DIVINE PRESENCE AND RECEIVE BLESSINGS FROM GOD. GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU PRACTISE GOD'S DIVINE PRESENCE AND RELEASE GOD'S POWER THROUGH CONTINUAL THANKSGIVING.

The Name of Jesus is the Answer to Our Needs

Text: Acts 3:4-6,12,16, Collosians 3:17
Many believers are seeking for power to live a holy life and power to serve God, to work miracles , signs and wonders.
However in our text, Apostle Peter in Acts 3:12 was explaining the secret behind the miracle of healing the lame at the gate called Beautiful. He said the power that healed the lame did not come from him or was due to his holiness: but rather due to his faith in the Name of Jesus. In Acts 3:6, Peter said I do not have silver and gold, but such as I have give I thee ; and all that I have including but not limited to power to heal is loaded in the Name of Jesus.The Name of Jesus which Peter possessed did the miracle, not Peter; because Peter placed his faith in the name of Jesus(that is trust and unwavering confidence in the authority and power loaded in the name of Jesus).
Until the believer understands his relationship with the Name of Jesus, He cannot operate in victory. For example, the scriptures tell us in 2 Timothy 2:19 " they that name the name of Lord must depart from iniquity". The Bible also tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:11 " that ye are washed, ye are sanctified and ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.The Bible also says in James 5:14 that as the elders of the Church anoint the sick with oil in the name of the Lord, the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Spirit of God will raise him up and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.We see the name of Jesus has the combo action of forgiving sins, washing, sanctifying, justifying and also performing the miracle of healing. God says in Genesis 15:1, He is our shield and our exceeding great reward.So Jesus is our exceeding great reward and our shield.Therefore the believer has the right and priviledge to use the Name of Jesus because:
1.The Name belongs to the family of God and the birthright of believers.
2.The believer is baptized into the Name of Jesus
3.The believer has the Power of Attorney to use the Name from Our Lord Jesus Christ
4.The believer is commissioned to herald the Name of Jesus to the world
Our help (mercy and grace) is in the Name of Jesus(Psalm 124:8). The mercy from the Name of Jesus ensures that we do not receive the purnishment we deserve for the wrong we have done; and grace ensures that we receive benefits and favor that we do not deserve, all because of what Jesus hath done for us on The Cross.
There are wonders in the Name of Jesus. Begin right now to enjoy the blessings and provisions in the Name of Jesus. God bless you.

YOU WERE CHOSEN IN CHRIST BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN

Text:Ephesians 1:5, Romans 8:29, John 17:24

You were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world , not by your merit, but because you accepted Christ as personal Lord and received Him as Saviour and Redeemer through the foreknowledge and predestination of God.

Christ was chosen by God as His only begotten Son and all those who are "in Christ" partake of His being chosen by His Father. Just as we are the beneficiaries of the covenant between God the Father and His Son Jesus, so we are chosen because we chose Christ as Lord and Savior.The Father would no more reject us than He would reject Jesus because we are accepted by the Father through Christ.Rejection only comes when we approach Abba Father in any other way apart from Jesus Christ because He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.There is no other way or name by which man can be saved except through Christ.

No man can claim that he is without blame in the sight of men because man looks on the outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7) because man judges wholly by what we do and all of us have sinned (Romans 3:23). But the Lord looks on our born-again spirit which has been regenerated in Christ and He sees us holy and without blame.He judges by whether we believe in His Son or not, to justify us as righteous.To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly,his faith is counted for righteousness.(Romans 4:5)

God looks at us through Christ and everything in our life becomes covered by the blood of Jesus. We are holy and without blame before Him because of His love expressed through His Son.(Romans 11:16, 2 Corinthians 5:17,21)

When our faith is in Christ and His finished work on the Cross, then it becomes easy to work righteously before Him bearing the fruit of holiness, because the strength of sin is the law or condemnation(1 Corinthians 15:56).In Christ we have all the nercies and graces we need for our daily living.
Call unto God today in the Name of Jesus and receive your blessing.

GOD MEETS MAN'S GREATEST NEEDS BY CHRIST JESUS

Text:3 John 2, John 10:10, Philipians 4:19, 1 corinthians 3:23
Everything we see was created from the spiritual realm by God.Man's physical lack has it's roots in spiritual poverty. Any blessing outside God through Jesus Christ will ultimately destroy because the origin is darkness.The prosperity of fools(those who do not believe God or rely on self effort shall destroy them(Proverbs 1:23).
Our text tells us that man can prosper and be in good health in proportion to the prosperity of his soul.The prosperity of our soul is hinged on the fruit of righteousness we produce-holy living. Man that is born into this world is born into trouble according to Job.In fact man is in captivity and needs deliverance.That is no matter how educated or knowledgeable, rich or wealthy a man may be, he finds himself inextricably tied to some vices. Man desires and is in dire need of freedom of his spirit and soul , and needs help and power to remain in that freedom.
God saw the needs of man to be free and the need for [power to keep his freedom against the wiles of the enemy.
Man can therefore be said to have two great spiritual needs that will answer all other pecuniary needs of man.
1.One is Love through forgiveness.
After man fell from grace, it became difficult to be restored into his original glory. Man was bound by cords of sin (Proverbs 5:22), cords of affliction (Job 36:8-10), cords of wickedness of Satan and evil spirits (Psalm 129:4-5, Ephesians 6:12), cords of vanity through which iniquities are drawn (Isaiah 5:18, Acts 14:15). No matter what education, resources, ability, riches, and endowment a man has, he finds himself inexplicably bound to some vices. His inner being consciously or unconsciously longs for freedom from these vices. The soul of man is crying desperately for help to be free from sin; from sickness or affliction, poverty; from wickedness of evil spirits and Satan; from diverse vanities. The result of these bondages is that the former and latter rain of blessings reserved for mankind by the loving Almighty God and our Father in heaven are turned away and good things are withheld from man.(Jeremiah 5:25) The only way out of these bondages is for God to love us so much by taking away these burdens and breaking the cords, which holds us down through unforgiveness for our sins and we not forgiving others who have hurt us.
God heard this first cry for help, that cry for forgiveness and answered it at the Cross of Calvary through a Savior (Acts 13:22-23, 26, 38). God sent His only Son into the world to die for our sins, so that we might be forgiven. This is a gift for us-Gods’ gift of salvation. This gift is available for everyone who truly admits he has fallen short of Gods’ original glory for man and sinned; ask for forgiveness and repents (makes a choice and a decision to turn way from his sins) and puts his faith in the crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary as representing his old sinful self crucified with Christ, died and buried with Christ, and the new man rising with Christ and by faith is seated in Christ Jesus at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty. It is for everyone who reaches out and accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.Paul called it Gods’ indescribable gift (2Corinthians 9: 15)
2.Power to remain free and attain and enjoy God's goodness:
The second need of man is for goodness and blessings of good attitude, character, conduct, and manifestation of abundant life of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faith, meekness and self control; provision-material (food, material, shelter, money), physical (good health, food, family) and spiritual, and protection from evil and wickedness in this world and finally for us to secure a place to LIVE with Him in eternity. All effort by man to attain this goodness and blessings failed, and met with hard labor and untold suffering yet with the inner longing of the soul remaining unsatisfied.
God heard our second cry for help, to attain goodness and blessings and answered it at Pentecost. At Pentecost God gave us another gift-the great gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2: 38). Our Father in heaven does not want us after receiving forgiveness for our sins to remain and live a life of defeat, discouragement and denial, but rather that we fulfill all our desires for goodness and the work of faith in Christ Jesus with power so that the name of our lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in us and we in Him according to the grace of God and our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12). The Holy Spirit meets our needs to overcome our weaknesses to be really good and overcome our human frailties and live according to the Will of God as stated in the Scriptures in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives.
Any man that makes the choice and decides to appropriate these two gifts including the work of the Son of God for us; and the work of the Spirit of God in us would live a life pleasing to God here on earth and would be assured of a place in heaven with our Father. Such a person will not only be blessed, but also be a blessing to other families on the earth as God originally planned it to be.