Gen 49:10
In service I will continue
Worship Him with reverence
In joy unto the Lord
Singing songs and prayer without ceasing
All the armour given unto you
Quench desires of the flesh
Me against the world
I will not give up to the usurper the devil
For the battle will continue
Contend for the faith
Until Shiloh comes
Unto him shall the gathering of the people be
– okenna igbokwe
One of the greatest mistakes the devil repeatedly makes from generation to generation is that he does not terminate the lives of many Christians while they are unbelievers. Let’s face it; before you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, the devil was the Commander-in-Chief of your life. You were totally under his spell. Ephesians 2:2 (CEV) puts it this way – “You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn’t obey God”.
Perhaps you didn’t feel it then, but that’s the truth. His remote control was fully operational in you. He could hit a “lie” button and the next minute you would be framing a very constructive lie. He could press the “lust” button and you would have no other option than to lust. At the extreme, he could press the “nightmare” and then the “die” button, like we do when we ‘fight’ Mortal Kombat on our computer games, and in a heartbeat, you would be ‘dead and gone’. But thank God it is already too late for the devil to have such power over your life as a believer.
Colossians 1:13 (KJVA) “Who (God) hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son”. This is one common trait of every believer. We (believers) have been delivered from the devil and his cohorts, even though many of us do not accept it. I will never forget a prayer meeting I attended about 11 years ago. The pastor leading the prayer session would read a verse from the bible and give us a “prayer point” in line with that verse. Then, he read Colossians 1:13 and said – “brethren, we will pray right now that God should deliver us from every power of darkness”. Whoa! I was angry at this grievous blunder, but that seemed to be the least I could express. When I looked at the zeal with which most believers in that congregation were praying about this, I could not help but weep. How come we had just read that God had delivered (past tense!) us and we are praying that he should deliver us from the power of darkness? Were we calling God a liar or, did ‘deliver’ and ‘delivered’ mean the same thing to us?
I understand some of us have issues with deliverance and I will attempt to discuss more about it in our subsequent messages. For instance, how much power can witches / wizards exercise over you? What if you practiced occultism before you got saved? Can the believer be possessed by the devil or his cohorts? Should Christians seek deliverance, and if yes, what type?
But before then, I want you to take note of one more thing. Colossians 1:13 does not give us the impression that we were delivered and left alone to sit on the fence, No! We were immediately transferred into the Kingdom of Christ. Even though your physical location remained the same when you got born again, you immediately switched locations in the realm of the Spirit. You now dwell in God’s kingdom. Think about it and its possible implications!
To be continued …
– tope aladenusi
Christians are the most powerful beings on earth. The same power that raised Christ from the dead dwells in every believer. In our previous message in this series, I emphasized that God’s power is not given in measure. You either have all of it or none of it. Today, I’d like to highlight one reason why many of us are not expressing God’s power.
Romans 8:11 GNB says “ If the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from death, lives in you, then he who raised Christ from death will also give life to your mortal bodies by the presence of his Spirit in you.”
This verse of scripture never ceases to amaze me and I’ll tell you why. The normal human mind would expect that giving life to our mortal body is a “lesser miracle” to raising Jesus from the dead. Therefore, we expect God to release just a small “amount of power” or “spirit” for this so called lesser miracle. But the bible says “the same Spirit” will perform both miracles.
That’s one big mistake we make that deters us from expressing God’s power. When we see a bigger problem, we think we need a bigger power from heaven to confront it. But that’s a lie! Therefore, if you have ever experienced a miracle in your life, then you can also experience any kind of miracle.
The same power that heals headache also heals HIV/AIDS. The same power that settles a minor couple’s dispute can restore a broken relationship. The same gospel that saves a life can deliver a million Souls. The same power that gave you $100 can help you to raise $100 million. It’s like using an ATM machine; it’s the same PIN that you used to withdraw a thousand bucks that you use when you want to withdraw five thousand bucks. You don’t run to your bank and ask for a longer PIN because you want to withdraw more money. No! So, stop limiting what God can do through you!
I remember about six years ago, I was involved in a ghastly motor accident and our vehicle somersaulted and I found myself in a bushy dish. The accident was so terrible that some passengers lost their lives instantly. My body was covered with bruises and my clothes were shredded. About 5 hours after the accident, I could not even move my hands or legs. Wow! I thought “What do I do?” I had a speaking engagement in 2 days time. “Would I send a message to them that the man of God was incapacitated?” Was there ever a time in Jesus ministry when people were waiting for him to come and preach and, news came that he could not stand up? How would that sound? As I was ruminating over this, I just remembered …that same power.
And then I prayed to God … believing ‘that same power’ that delivered me from the accident could heal me from every bruise and pain. I wanted to keep up with my speaking appointment.” Beloved, within 6 hours, all the pain was gone and all the bruises dried up. I was able to embark on a 10-hour journey to preach the gospel. That same power did it!
What area of your life needs the touch of God’s power? Is there any loved one that is in dire need of you to express your nature? Please act using the mindset that it is ‘that same power’. Our generation is in dire need of the power of God, and that’s one reason why God has left you and I here. We have been preserved for greater things. Will you start acting today?
tope aladenusi
Colossians 3:22-24
When he is harsh
Do not reply with a hiss
Unnecessarily he may be angry
Soothe him with a sincere answer
He shouts like a tyrant
Act from a heart so tender
He treats you like a labourer
Follow like a meek lamb
Sometimes his face looks sour
Face him with a warm smile
When he denies your reward
God’s promises remember
Bear in mind your real boss is Christ
Not the man that signs your pay cheque
At last you’re answerable to Christ
Never can tell you may win him to Christ
– okenna igbokwe
Who do you think is the most powerful Christian on earth? Let’s assume his name is B.A. and that he is born again. The bible says the same power that is in B.A is also in you (if you are a believer). But you may say “B.A heals the sick, raises the dead and sees visions, but I have never experienced any of such things before”. This is understandable. But first you must realize that possession is different from expression; Identity is different from activity; and having power is different from acting based on the power you have.
The bible says in Romans 8:9 (GNB) “Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” In other words, as long as you are a believer, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. That is what makes you a Christian. The good news is that when the Holy Spirit comes into your life, he doesn’t come in bits. He comes with his ENTIRE person; he comes with all his attributes. You either have all of him or none of him. Please keep this in mind, it will help you understand this series of messages and also help you better understand your bible.
The Holy Spirit is not a fluid or a gas; he is a personality. Just as I cannot come into your house with only a part of my body, he cannot come into your spirit without coming in totality. No wonder John 3:34 says “God does not give his Spirit by measure”. I like the way The Message translation puts it – “Don’t think he (God) rations out the Spirit in bits and pieces”. Therefore, no born again person, no matter his/her title, has ‘more Holy Spirit’ than another.
The same thing applies to God’s power. Acts 1:8 (GW) says “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you.” Do you have the Holy Spirit? If yes, then you have His power. His power is also not given in measure. It is not measured in kilojoules or kilowatts. You either have all of it or none of it. Does B.A. do “powerful” things that you do not do? It is NOT because he has more power than you have; it is probably because he has learnt how to express that power. So instead of running to God all the time and claiming he has not given us power, we should start looking within – what we need to do is ACT!
Gal 6:7-8 (KJV) is clear on this – “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
Beloved, where have you been sowing recently? Perhaps when B.A. was praying you were watching Indian movies; or when B.A. was studying the word you were running from pillar to post for money; perhaps while you were sleeping, B.A. was having a tête-à-tête with God. Would you expect to see the same results? Impossible! You have been sowing different seeds, and God cannot be mocked. But, you can start sowing in the Spirit from today. God’s power is in you and you should start expressing it today. It is time you began to align your activity with your identity. Let everything you do show who you really are. Let the world know that the ‘most powerful’ believer on earth is … YOU!
– tope aladenusi
| One of the greatest problems facing most believers today is that they suffer from an identity crisis. They do not know who they really are. They do not stand for something (the right thing) and so they fall for anything. This has resulted in mismanaged potentials. A cat that does not know its identity will attempt to swim and an eagle that forgets its identity will scratch with the chickens! Are you scratching when you should be flying?
There was a time in my life when I used to wake up every night to pray to God to give me more power and grace to do exploits for him. Sometimes I would be so moved by my prayers that I would begin to cry. I did this for several months with no visible progress in my life. But glory to God, I later understood Ephesians 1:3 and immediately realized that I had been scratchingall the while. What do I mean?
Ephesians 1:3 says “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hathblessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”
I was scratching because I was telling him to bless me with more power but His word says he has blessed (past tense!) me. I was asking for power and grace, which are spiritual blessings, but His word says as far as spiritual blessings are concerned, then it has already been given to me. And then I wondered … but that man of God used to tell us to pray hard for these spiritual blessings, or I think I have seen it somewhere in the bible. Then these words echoed – whose report will you believe? Wow! I was wallowing in an identity quagmire. But why hadn’t somebody enlightened me all the while? It could be likened to me asking God to make me male, it does not make sense. Did that mean that all those nights of waking up to ask for what was already mine was a waste? Several questions kept running through my mind.
But what I do now, I asked. I shared my experience with a friend and he said – “don’t confuse me, I have been doing this all the while and it has been working for me”. Many Christians make similar statements when their lifestyle is in contrast with God’s word. But if a 2 year old boy cries every time he is hungry, does that make crying for food a good thing, even though it “worked” in the past? Our God may overlook our time of ignorance as babes but he desires we grow up (Acts 17:30). He wants us to stop scratching when we should be flying. He wants us to stop crying when we should be teaching. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing and that makes us the best set of people living on earth. As we continue in this series, we will discuss how to express these blessings in our daily lives. Till then, keep basking in the euphoria that you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
– tope aladenusi
|
As a young boy, we reared ducks and chickens. Overtime, I realized that the eggs of the ducks were usually bigger than that of the chickens. So one day I said to myself, ‘if I could take some of the duck eggs and replace them with hen eggs during incubation, the hens would hatch bigger chicks (since the duck eggs were bigger)’. So I went ahead with my idea and swapped the hen’s eggs with that of a duck, while hoping my dad wouldn’t detect my experiment.
The eggs were hatched after a few weeks. I was expecting to see some giant chicks but alas, I saw small ducklings. I became confused; I thought to myself – ‘but this hen sat on these eggs all along, how come it hatched ducklings?’ But because I did not want anyone to know that I was experimenting with the poultry, I could not voice out my confusion. However, as I was reading my bible some years later, that experiment came alive to me again and it helped me understand our identity in Christ.
What made the difference in those ducklings’ lives was not the source of the heat that hatched the eggs but the source of the seed that brought them forth. The sperm/egg came from a duck. Wow! That reminds of I Peter 1:23 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God...” So how do you think this affects your new life in Christ?
The identity of those ducklings was not misplaced because they were hatched by a hen; I never called them chicks. Their origin affected their identity. No wonder the bible called us gods (Psalm 82:6), because we proceeded from Him. 1Cor. 15:47-48 sheds more light on this: “The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.”
Those ducklings never behaved like chickens; they could swim even though the hen could not dare do that. Likewise, we should make it a priority to ensure that all our lives activity is aligned with our identity. We should be found doing miraculous things unbelievers cannot dare to do. We should also not be found messing around with sin. I John 3:9 (MSG) says “People conceived and brought into life by God don’t make a practice of sin. How could they?God’s seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It’s not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin.” Hallelujah!
To be continued …
– tope aladenusi
| An average believer of today is unable to match his experiences with his wealth of knowledge …
He says he is the healed of God, but he is regularly bruised by sicknesses and diseases He says the love of God has been shed abroad in his heart, but his marriage is in shambles He says his Father has got the whole world in his hands, but he finds it difficult to pay his bills He says he is the righteousness of God in Christ, but wallows in sin He says the greater one lives in him, yet he is scared of evil oppositions from the devil and his cohorts He says … so many good things, but he has not been able to upgrade his lifestyle to match up with his words …
Should the blessings of redemption have a concomitant benefit in our lives while we are on earth? How do we outwardly display our riches in Christ?
We will be discussing this and many more in the 2010 World Outreach Convention (WoC).
You are cordially invited to … Equipping believers to impact their world
Theme: Enjoying the supernatural advantage Saturday, January 9, 2010 2pm
@Multipurpose Hall, Sarah-Sam Hotels, 115, Ogudu Ojota Road, Ogudu GRA, Lagos Host: Christ Lifeline – www.christlifeline.org ; +234-1-8726126 ; +234-8082462670
TESTIMONIES FROM WoC 2009 “I felt like I had never known God before and I knew I had to make an important decision about my life. I don’t know which part of the program to single out that made me have such an assertion, from the worship through to the message….everything was just great”. (Bro A – Abuja)
“I came for the convention with so much expectation … And guess what? God did not let me down. Of a truth, I was richly blessed.” (Bro O.A – Lagos)
“I was so blessed by the message. The message was so powerful that I wished it could be preached again in a very big stadium so more people can listen to it.” (Sis T.A –Benin)
“Thanks for being a channel for the blessings that came to me. I needed the message urgently.” (Bro T.O – Kaduna)
“I thank God I came for this convention. I was almost going to miss it but thank God I came. I have been greatly impacted.” Bro C.Y (Abuja)
One contact can give you the desired impact … … Plan to start 2010 on an excellent pedestal; Attend WoC 2010 |
This terrorist guru is well known for his fanatical tendencies and his unreserved resolution to wipe out people not of his religion from the face of the earth. Having successfully murdered over 2.5 million people in his lifetime, as communicated in one of last month’s breaking news; he has groomed other men that are ensnared by his beliefs and who now carry out his every whim. Governments of several countries have declared him wanted and are willing to pay a huge reward – in cash to anyone who can reveal his hiding place. On several occasions, you have seen this guy’s picture on TV and can recognize him when you see him.
Lo and behold, while you were having Holy Communion service with Pastor last Sunday, one of your church’s missionaries walked in with this ‘most wanted guy’ and declared that he is now born-again. Can you imagine the reaction in the church that day? I won’t be surprised if you had tried locating the closest exit route. I may not also be surprised if the pastor ran for his dear life. Believers are quick to admit that “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation”, but they find it difficult to detach themselves and others from ‘their’ old dead lives. Many of my old friends who knew me before I became born-again still find it difficult to believe that I could experience such remarkable transformation in a short time, and some of them claimed they prayed for me to repent!
If we truly understand redemption, then ‘that’ terrorist that killed 2.5 million people is dead. He doesn’t exist anymore. The man that came to church last Sunday is someone who never existed before (2 Cor. 5:17). How can you charge a “new born” for murder? Colossians 3:3 (MSG) says “Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life–even though invisible to spectators–is with Christ in God.” I agree that the world may find it difficult coming to terms with this and may want to charge that righteous man to court, but you should never think like that.
Saul of Tarsus would excel as a terrorist by all ratings. He had supervised the murder of some people who were not part of his religion and was on a similar mission when he got born-again. However, the new man that emerged – Apostle Paul, once told the Corinthian church in 2 Cor. 7:2 (CEV) “Make a place for us in your hearts! We haven’t mistreated or hurtanyone…” But how could he claim he never hurt anyone even though Saul’s atrocities were done openly? Simple! He understood the blueprint in 2Cor 5:16-17 (ALT) – “Therefore, from now on we know no one according to the flesh; … if anyone is in Christ, he is a newcreation”
Beloved, in the last message of this series, I emphasized that God gave birth to a new spirit within us when we got born-again. Today, I want to remind you to stop referring to the dead man in your life. Stop relating with other believers as though they are still dead. Embrace the new life. Cherish it! Live it! It’s real!
– tope aladenusi
Have you ever tried quizzing other believers about their new birth experience or have you been questioned by anyone in this regard? I have done so on many occasions and the responses I got were usually baffling. A typical one goes like this:
Bros, are you born again? Yes! When? Well, I gave my life to Christ in 1997. So how did you “give your life” to Christ? Well, (he starts muttering at this point). So I try to help him out by asking– how do you know you are now born again? He replies – I used to be a very bad guy those days; but right now, the bad things I used to do, I do them no more. If I want to complicate the matter, I would ask him – does that mean that anyone who stopped doing bad things is born again? Such quizzing has helped me kick start a mentoring program with other believers. If I were to have a similar conversation with you, what would your responses be?
The bible says in 2Corinthians 5:17 (LITV) – “So that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new!” This verse is common to most believers, but I think it has an uncommon meaning. Most times when believers refer to it, they talk about “the bad things I used to do, I do them no more”. Inasmuch as it is expected that we exhibit good actions as believers, we should not lose sight of the meaning of this verse. The verse does not say if you are in Christ, you have a new operation. Rather, you are a new creation. Our being and configuration was emphasized over our doings and actions. A new nature and life that never existed in the world was created in the believer. Hallelujah!
In Genesis 2:17, we understand that the first man that was created by God (Adam) disobeyed Him and this led to his death. Death as implied in this verse does not mean annihilation (stopped from complete existence) but it means alienation (separated from God). All men that proceeded from Adam were born as aliens from the life of God. But Jesus Christ came and changed the situation. God has given birth to a new life in everyone who has accepted the salvation from Jesus Christ.
But as many as received Him (Jesus Christ), to them He gave authority to become children of God, … who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, butwere born of God. John 1:12-13
Since God is a spirit and spirit gives birth to spirit (John 3:6), it therefore means that God recreated our spirits when we got born-again. It is thus logical and scriptural (II Peter 1:4, I John 4:17) to conclude that we possess the same nature like the one who gave birth to us – God. Just as we came into this world through birth by our earthly parents, every believer came to being by a spiritual birth from God.
“Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself!” (I Pet 1:23 – MSG)
The life of the believer originated from God! This knowledge should call for constant celebration. This knowledge requires a new mode of operation in our lives. We came from God and we should always behave like Him.
“Do as God does. After all, you are his dear children.” Ephesians 5:1 (CEV)
To be continued …
– tope aladenusi