THE WORDS IN OUR MOUTH

The words you speak determine the life you enjoy. Words are not cheap. Love and disunity begin with words. Your future is in your words. Words created the world and words create your world. This means that the words you speak determine the kind of world you will live in. The words you speak can create blessings or curses, for your words have no neutral force.

What has your usual conversation been like? Is it life-giving or destructive? Many of us do not realise that the words of our mouth either imprison or free us. You cannot rise above your words, for they are the standard of your faith. When you talk about failure, failure increases its grip on you. When you talk fear, fear increases its grip on you. Your words control and dominate you because they express your thoughts, which are the seeds of your life. Whether we realise it or not, we are sowing words.

We are to sow good seeds. Just as Jesus said in Luke 8:1, we can sow the Word of God. The Word of God shows you God’s way of thinking. It renews your mind and tears down the obstacles that prevent you from freely receiving all that Christ has already purchased for you. God’s promises become real and living as we confess them. If you are sick or poor, the answer is in confessing God’s Word. Speak God’s Word today and watch God take over.

DECLARATION: “God is who He says He is. I am who God says I am. God can do what He says He can do. I can do what He says I can do. God has what He says He has. I have what God says I have.” Emmanuel!

LIBERTY FROM ANXIETY!

Instead of being anxious about the events of tomorrow, we should learn to focus on serving the Lord wholeheartedly, doing our best and leaving the rest to Him. To do this, we are expected to run the straight race with Him – no distractions or diversions – with firm belief in His wisdom, power and goodness. To conquer anxiety and care, we should have absolute trust in Him that He is working out the answer. Anxiety about tomorrow is burdensome as much as it is sinful. Our personal cares for the present, the future, our family and others are capable of changing our focus from running the straight race with God, especially when they arise from unbelief and distrust.

Fear and anxiety distract our minds and hinder our interest in the service of God. Satan does not want us to run the straight race with God; it is his whole design to distract us from walking with God so that he can have access to our soul. He uses our situations as a bait to trap us to eternal ruin. I mean, satan uses our situations to distract us from running the straight race with God.

It is the fear of tomorrow that leads men to lay up treasures here on earth in complete neglect of eternity. A focus on materialism can divert our devotion from God Almighty to the god of wealth. We fail to realise that treasures on earth have a habit of disappointing their owners; they do not offer permanent security. Though money and wealth are a useful support, we should not put our trust in them. Only treasure stored up in Heaven can guarantee us permanent security, especially when they are accompanied by a generous attitude towards others.

MARCH ON!!!

Faith does not ask for possible things. For example, crossing the Red Sea on foot was an impossible thing in the natural (Exodus 14). In the natural, the Red Sea was against the free movement of the Israelites into their promised land. I mean, it was against their success, their victory, their freedom, their liberation. But Moses said to the people, “March on”. To the carnally minded, Moses was simply saying something impossible by telling them to be calm in the face of threats to their life.

People of faith, hear this – God speaks strength and courage through our troubles and problems. Moses acted faith and the Red Sea which was supposed to be against the people of the Israel, began to work for them. You can only be bold in your Christian life when you know that you are a faith man, a faith woman. Look at what happened to Moses as he was trapped between the Red Sea and the pursuing Egyptian armies, until his eyes of faith were opened. The opening of our eyes of faith is the silencing of our fears. In the dark, we are bound to be frightened. The clearer sight we have of the power of Heaven, the less we fear the calamities of the earth. In other words, the more we see those who are with us, protecting us, fighting for us, the less we fear those who are against us. This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4) for we are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:20).

What is your situation? What are you going through, as a man of faith? Do not forget that you have a place in the believer’s authority. Whenever you are faced with a trying situation which tends to challenge your faith, remember to take your place in the believer’s authority. As for me, I am taking my place in the believer’s authority. What is my place? I can contact the Father in the name of Jesus. Jesus loves me as much as He does any of His children. Because of this, whatever I say here shall be said in Heaven. Whatever I do here shall be done in Heaven. Every mountain shall be levelled for my sake. Every hill shall become plain for my sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil.

GOD’S TIME IS THE BEST!

Today, our hearts are so taken up by worldly considerations that we are impatient to recognise the fact that there is an appointed time for everything. This is why we try to move the hands of the clock forward by hook and crook. In order to beat the gun, we kill, join cults, steal and destroy.

Assuming Jesus had been impatient when his brothers urged Him to show off in public before the appointed time, He may have been killed by His enemies who were looking for Him at all costs (John 7:3-8). The same thing happens to us today. When we are impatient, we tend to disregard the fact that there is a time for everything.

Assuming Jesus was impatient to perform publicly, He may have failed to turn the water into wine. Assuming Jesus was impatient when His mother urged Him to turn water into wine, He may have failed altogether. But He simply said, “My time has not yet come”, knowing that there is an appointed time for everything (John 2:1-10). When it was time to die, He told his disciples, “The hour is near” (Matthew 26:45).

We all know that when it is time to start a race, everybody waits for the blast of the gun or the sound of the whistle; but in our daily lives, the opposite is the case. In an attempt to beat the gun, we discover that we are the worse for it; we pay dearly for it.

If any person beats the gun, that person would be called back to begin afresh, while others are still waiting patiently for the sound of the gun. This is what we mean by the saying, “More haste, less speed”, meaning that if you are in a haste to achieve something, you are likely to make costly mistakes that would pull you back, if not down. This is exactly what is happening today. Always remember – God’s time is the best!

RELATIONSHIPS APPROVED BY GOD!

Only those who fear God can appreciate what it takes to maintain true friendship. It does not consist in eye service, selfishness and greed but in mutual sharing of understanding, love and interests. Each party should be prepared to suffer some pain if that is what is required to keep the relationship on course. If it is your money, wisdom, comfort, knowledge or talent – sacrifice it. This is the symbiotic relationship which is approved by God.

The kind of person you are determines the kind of people that fellowship with you. Remember, you are what you are by virtue of the company you keep. There are four classes of people in life: those that add to your life, those that multiply, those that subtract and those that divide your life. Each relationship has a way of affecting you either positively or negatively, depending on the company you keep. It takes the grace of God to know who to turn to.

Never come around people just because of what you stand to gain but come around people, first and foremost because of what you have to add to others’ lives, knowing that when we give, we receive more of whatever we give (Acts 20:35; Luke. 6:38). There can be no true friendship without love and there can be no love without giving – I mean, giving for Christ’s sake. There are friends in need and there are friends indeed.

You cannot do it without others because your life depends on other people. I mean, you are what you are by reason of the company you keep. If your relationship with others is based on the principle of sharing, you would find yourself among people who are eager to add to and multiply your life. If what you are doing is according to God’s Word, you would be covered by His grace. It is His grace that covers our weakness.

NEVER DOUBT GOD’S GOODNESS!

David, John the Baptist and Peter, along with many other Biblical heroes, struggled with various doubts about God and His ability or desire to help. God does not mind doubt as long as you are seeking answers from Him in the midst of it. Doubt can become sin if it leads you away from God to scepticism, to cynicism, then to hard-heartedness.

As you move closer to God, you will find the strength to trust Him and your faith will grow even stronger. I mean, the closer you are to God, the more you receive Heavenly resources and the stronger your faith grows. One of satan’s tactics is to get you to doubt God’s goodness. He tries to get you to forget all God has given you and to focus on what you do not have. If you are spending much of your time thinking about what you do not have, you may be slipping into unhealthy doubt.

God has given everyone plenty of evidence to believe in Him. Doubt comes when you fail to stop long enough to observe all the evidence. Once in a while, you should create time to reflect over God’s track record in your life. As you recall God’s track record, you will grow confident that He will work in your present situation as well.

A CONSCIOUS SINNER – T.B. Joshua

Time for prayer, is time to see ourselves as God sees us. Today, we no longer see ourselves as God sees us. We are no longer conscious of our sin and that is why we dare Jesus Christ’s purity and holiness and come to His presence only to ask for His blessings. We must believe that God knows us, even as we come with our petitions, requests and complaints. In whichever way you come to His presence, you must believe that God knows who you were, who you are and who you shall be. He knows where you are coming from, where you are and where you intend to go.

In Luke 5:8, when Peter saw Jesus, he acknowledged his position as a sinner in need of redemption that was why he cried out, saying, “…‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man’ ”. The evidence of our genuine repentance is to demonstrate our loyalty by doing those things God asks us to do and refraining from every act that displeases Him. Remember, no one is too good or too bad to qualify for salvation.

Isaiah 59:1-2 says, “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”

SPEAK WHAT YOU BELIEVE!

Prophet T.B. Joshua

“Imagine what would have happened if David had not spoken the Word of faith in his encounter with Goliath (1 Samuel 17:45-50). Imagine the destruction he would have invited to himself and the people of Israel.

1) God would not have heard him.

2) He would have been destroyed in the hands of Goliath.

3) The people of Israel would have been routed.

“If he had not spoken the Word of faith, his word would not only have been idle, it would have been very destructive. If David were not to speak the Word of faith, he would have considered the size of the giant. I mean, he would have been intimidated by the size and armour of his adversary. Remember, the giant was better armed than David in the physical. Apart from his size, he had a spear, javelin, machete and a shield, as against small David, barely with a simple catapult.

“His people looked on to see what would become of the small David after his encounter with Goliath. Among them were his relations, his friends, his enemies, those who believed in him and those who did not – they were all watching to see the outcome of his faith. Now at the battlefield, if what David spoke with his mouth were not what he believed in his heart, imagine what would have become of him, now that he was face to face with the giant. His word would have been idle, meaningless and at that point destructive.

“Imagine what will become of you hereafter if you are speaking with your mouth what you do not believe in your heart – your words will be idle, meaningless and destructive. Speak what you believe. If you are not heard by God, you would be heard by satan. That is, if you cannot deliver, you will be delivered.”

– T.B. Joshua

CHRIST AND THE WORD ARE ONE!

Prophet TB Joshua

“Faith is not imitation; it cannot be imitated. It must arise in each person’s heart based on the Word of God. Faith is not imitating someone else’s actions. Because I say, “Show your excitement”, you begin to show your excitement when you are not excited. You cannot expect answer to prayer based on the testimony of others, what other people said or did. God will not meet you because you imitate what someone else did. God will meet you when you obey what He told you by His Spirit based on His Word. If you take action in obedience to God, you will prosper.

“Christ and the Word are one. I quote, John 15:7 – “If you abide in me and my Word abides in you, whatever you ask shall be done for you.” The Word here is dwelling in us. ‘Whatever you ask for shall be done for you’ – this means producing prayer fruits (whatever you ask or desire).

“Remember Ephesians 3:17 – “…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…” It is not only committing the Word to memory which is valuable but it is letting that Word become an integral part of your being. It lives in us. When it becomes an integral part of our being, faith forms. It is the Word bringing forth its own kind in the believer’s life. He sends forth His Word – He delivers, saves and blesses.”

– T.B. Joshua

A CONSCIOUSNESS OF LITTLE FAITH – TB JOSHUA

Prophet T.B. Joshua

The father of the demon-possessed boy, realising the weakness of his faith, cried to Jesus, “Lord I believe – help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) This means, ‘I believe in my own way. Help me to believe in Your own way’. He realised that his belief was equal to unbelief before God. That was why his belief could not meet the condition for the healing of his son. This means, his belief could not see beyond the healing, whereas Jesus’ standard of belief sees beyond the healing.

Now, you have to realise the weakness of your faith and cry to Jesus for help. How do we do this? We do this as someone who wants to receive of Jesus, not as someone who wants to be seen or noticed. The father of the demon-possessed boy did not just cry, he cried a cry of faith. I mean, a cry born of faith.

This teaches us that a consciousness of little faith – far from being a reason why we should not ask, should be an encouragement, an inspiration and a motivation. A consciousness of little faith should be the reason why you should pray the more. A consciousness of little faith, far from being a reason why we should not pray, ought, on the contrary, to be an incentive to us to go to God, acknowledging our need, and take from Him the faith which He is prepared to give.

It is like someone who says, “I have no money. I don’t want to work anymore”. Your poverty should be the more reason why you should work harder. Jesus is ready to help, but you must realise and admit your weakness before you can be helped. The father of the demon-possessed boy realised and admitted his own weakness before he was helped by Jesus.

For Jesus to say, “You unbelieving generation”, He knows that we are undeserving of His grace and He is ready to help our weakness, limitation and shortcoming.

The knowledge that I have little faith should be the reason why I should draw closer to Him. Knowing that I have little faith is the reason why I should draw closer to God because He came so that I might have faith. Instead of my little faith to discourage me from praying, it should be an incentive. Instead of my weakness to discourage me from praying, it should be an incentive:

o Something that attracts.

o Something that encourages.

o Something that motivates.

A consciousness of little faith, instead of being a reason why we should not pray, should be a reason why we should pray.