RHEMA From Heaven

Many people live without doing much or fulfilling their dreams because they were either ignorant of how to handle their dreams or didn’t know how to execute it. This message will focus on the former, how to fulfill your dreams by learning how to handle it. 

One dictionary defines dream as a strongly desired goal or purpose. So, in simple words a dream is something you aspire to be, achieve, do or accomplish in life. As Christians, we don’t produce our own dreams. God inspires us from within by His Spirit, to dream or have desires to accomplish things in life. Philippians 2:13 says “For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure” (AMP).

You see, despite the fact that, dreams are God-given, if you don’t handle your dream with care through wisdom it will die off. Not only that, but your dream can also be delayed. 

In Genesis 37, we see how Joseph became a target for harm in his own family because of his dream. His dream pointed out to what he will achieve in the future and how God will raise him above others. But this didn’t sit well with his siblings.

The bible says when he shared his dream with the family, they hated him. Genesis 39:5-8 “Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”

You see, the hatred for him because of his dream made him suffer so many ordeals in life. He became a slave, suffered imprisonments, lost touch with his family, went through accusations, etc.

All these happened to him because he kept sharing the dream with the wrong audience. Beloved, learn to handle your dreams well. Never table your dreams before people who are not sincerely interested in your uprising. You see, you must not be deceived by the outward expressions people wear. Depend on the Holy Spirit, when dealing with people and when it comes to fulfilling God’s purpose for your life. The truth is that some people you allow access into your life’s dream can really make things very difficult. Some can even cause you to fail and remain a non-achiever in life.

Dreams are like babies. At the initial stage they are vulnerable and can’t defend themselves. With this wisdom, you must protect and guard your dreams with all seriousness. Don’t give your dream unnecessary exposure. Flow with the principle of “hide and flourish”. Seek counsel from right and genuine sources. Don’t for the sake of show off expose your dream just to anyone. Remember that, at that early stage of your dream, a wrong counsel, overconfidence or inexperience, can hinder you or derail you. 

Read: Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for imparting my spirit with purposes and dreams. I pray for wisdom and grace to handle them well and bring them to fruition.

The above opening text is about the butler and the baker of Pharoah and how the former forgot about Joseph after being helped. The butler was in charge of Pharaoh’s wine and the baker was in charge of Pharaoh’s food. They were imprisoned because they offended their lord, the king of Egypt. This landed them in the prison where Joseph was after being wrongly accused of an attempt to rape Potiphar’s wife. 

In the course of their stay in the Prison, the butler and the baker had a dream. Genesis 40:5 “Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation”. The dream put this two into a state of frustration and anxiety about what the dream could possibly mean. Their worry was shot lived as Joseph by the spirit of God interpreted the dreams. In short, he told the butler he will be restored back to his position and the baker, he told he will be killed. 

Nonetheless, the interpretation Joseph gave came with a request, for the butler to remember him when all is well with him. In Genesis 40:14 Joseph said “BUT REMEMBER ME WHEN IT IS WELL WITH YOU, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house”

You see, considering the hope the interpretation of the dream brought and the truth in it, because it manifested. One will think that, remembering Joseph would have been a top priority but that was not the case. The butler completely forgot about Joseph. Genesis 40:23 says “Yet THE CHIEF BUTLER DID NOT REMEMBER JOSEPH, BUT FORGOT HIM”. 

Today, most people are victims of “those who forget”. They use people to get what they want and dump them along the way. Some don’t even come back to say thank you for the good done to them. This phenomenon has gradually worsened over time and has produced many “ungrateful people”. 

You see, it is easy to read this message and think about other people other than yourself. But let the focus be yourself. How grateful are you? Don’t forget the benefits and endowments you have gotten from people. Keep saying it LOUD and never for one occasion be silent. Remain grateful and never be taken over by any status you attain in life to discredit those who have helped you in diverse ways.

One day Jesus healed someone, and when he wanted to follow him (Jesus), he was told to go and say the mighty things the Lord has done for him. See Luke 8:39 “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for wisdom and grace to always remain grateful. May I never forget the good things people have done for me”

“And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

The subject matter of loyalty is crucial in this life and especially in this end times when the bible clearly says it’s going to be one major happening we are going to see. 2 Timothy 3:1-4 says “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good, TREACHEROUS…

Being loyal to a course demands great love, great wisdom and great analysis. Although most people can be loyal when things or situations are fine, juts a few can be loyal when situations turn bizarre. Nonetheless one needs to be loyal in stable times before capacity can be built for loyalty in difficult times.

Looking at loyalty during difficult times, Joseph is one classic example. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. He finally ended up in the house of Potiphar an officer of pharaoh, who made him an overseer of his household.

“And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured”. 

This status of Joseph brought a situation for which his loyalty will be tested. The bible says that ‘it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me” (Genesis 39:7). You see, the wife of Potiphar wanted to have sexual relations with Joseph, but he refused to give in on the basis of his loyalty to God and to the man who has done him (Joseph) much good. 

Joseph recounts his reason for his loyalty in this simple way “Look, with me here, my master doesn’t give a second thought to anything that goes on here—he’s put me in charge of everything he owns. He treats me as an equal. The only thing he hasn’t turned over to me is you. You’re his wife, after all! HOW COULD I VIOLATE HIS TRUST and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:8-9, MSG). 

You see, although we have most often looked at this story from the perspective of avoiding sexual immorality, at the center is the ELEMENT OF LOYALTY. Someone doesn’t want to break trust. Joseph saw it as high treason to have sexual relations with the master’s wife after all the good done him. Not underscoring the personal challenges he was suffering, namely, separation from biological family, knowing he is a slave, and whatever privileges he forfeited due to that, he still upheld to the value of loyalty.

How is your loyalty in real life? Do pleasures of this life have the power to make you disloyal to God and the people who have helped you in diverse ways? Do you take decisions that will serve only your interest and disadvantage anyone who might have even given you such opportunity in the first place? 

Dare to be loyal! Nothing rewards like loyalty. You see, Joseph’s loyalty, and his determination not to reward evil for good, God lifted him up in the right season.

Proverbs 20:6 “Many a person proclaims his own loyalty, But who can find a trustworthy person?”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to be loyal to you and people you have made my agents of blessing. May I never be a disloyal person in life. Amen

The Bible describes the Christian life as a race that we must run and complete. Nonetheless, your success in this race is determined by your ability to be “weight free”. Where weight free means that, you must not be entangled or encumbered by sin. 

 

You see, such weights will only reduce your speed and finally affect your chances of doing well in the race. Hebrews 12:1 says:”… let us lay aside every weight and sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us”. 

Looking at the instruction by the word, until you lay down things that will distract you in the race that God has placed you, failure is inevitable. 

You see, laying aside weights, must be a conscious effort. You must know what really slows you down in your Christian race, and you must know the sin that just won’t let you go or wants to get you off track. That is how to get yourself ready to lay aside every unnecessary burden. For some it will be laziness, some arrogance, some pride, some immorality, some disloyalty, some wickedness. What is your weight? What is it that wants you down? Know it and deal with it.

Your race is time bound, and any delay may cost you dearly. Let nothing distract you, rather keep your gaze on Jesus and finish your race.

Read: James 1:12 “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” 

Prayer: Lord, grant me the grace to deal with anything that drags me in my life and ministry. In Jesus name, Amen!

Standing in the place of nobility or making it to stand before accomplished people in life is a matter of work. It involves being diligent in whatever task you are entrusted with. 

The attitude of diligence makes you add passion for excellence to your work. 

Thus, people who are diligent in what they do pay proper attention to the task, and they give the degree of care required to any aspect of the task they are engaged in. Diligent people also exercise persistence and determination in any endeavour to achieve a determined goal. 

Being diligent in your endeavours is what will open the door of opportunities for you in life. The bible says that “until you become diligent in your business or what you do, you will not stand before kings”. Although standing in the place of recognition or significance is the desire of many, it will only be given to people who are diligent or those who excel in their work.

You see, not only will diligence bring you before great people, but it will also give you results in life. Diligence is that quality that will make you overcome mediocrity, disorderliness, and mismanagement. The truth is that, whether you are into ministry,business, marriage or in handling your finances, if you are not diligent you will never do well. Success is not for lazy people! 

Always be diligent in all your affairs and the Lord will bring you before great people and cause you to succeed.

Read: Romans 12:11 “never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord”.

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to be diligent in all my dealings.Lord Give me the wisdom and the strength to deliver with excellence any task engaged in. Amen!

Patience is a great virtue in life. When it is practiced it makes you a winner in the end. The nature or the practice of patience is not for the faint hearted or the hasty in spirit. It is for those who have the capacity to tarry. No wonder the bible calls it long suffering. 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith…” (Galatians 5:22). 

You see, the subject of patience is a great one because it is a great requirement in your walk with God. It sometimes involves waiting, doing one thing for a long time, and even learning all over again before you continue with an assignment. Not only that, but patience is also required of believers in the face of adversities. James 5:11 says “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy”

Patience makes you tolerant and care-free when in testing moments. Know that there will be moments when your faith will be tested. But when you are patient, your faith will prevail. Without patience you will miss it when tested. Although God wants you to prosper, you must have the patience for that. The same principle applies to having a great ministry, good marriage, and any gift from God.

You see, if you throw away patience you will miss the best God has for you. You need great patience to come into your “promised land” like the Israelites.

Read: Hebrews 10:36 “For you have need of patient endurance [to bear up under difficult circumstances without compromising], so that when you have carried out the will of God, you may receive and enjoy to the full what is promised” (AMP)

Prayer: Father, I pray for grace to walk in patience. In Jesus name, Amen!

Small things matter in life. 

James 3:4 says “Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go” 

So as big as ship is, it is controlled by a small rudder. 

One reality of life is that most people don’t have respect for or value little things. They only appreciate and respect BIG things. Nonetheless, truth, fact and wisdom show that little things matter greatly in life. For instance, the occurrence of any great thing is embedded in something little. All humans are born small, but they grow up to become adults and some even become giants. Trees are sown as seeds, and they later turn upgreat to make a forest. These two examples, clearly tells why little things can’t be despised. 

You see, the nature of “little things” makes people overlook them in life. This is why some little things, especially wrong things, when left unchecked has the power to destroy big things in life. This is why you don’t have to do something big or “great” to destroy something awesome in life. All you must do is just something “small”.

Life experience will teach you that, sometimes you just need one act of carelessness, one idle word, one negative comment and one wrong act to destroy something big and good in life. 

Meaningful relationships, like marriages, ministry alliances, business associations, that has been built over years can go down in just a second because of “small things”.  In fact, small things have brought ministries, marriages, friendships to a “surprise” end. Solomon puts it this way “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards…” (Song of Solomon 2:15). 

You must know that it is not the supposedly big things that you have in mind that might be destroying something in your life, ministry, marriage, or education. It may be something “small” left unchecked. 

What is the little thing that is destroying your life? Don’t be deceived that because it is not something big it is not a problem. Give it time, and you will see its devastating effect. Don’t wait for something little to destroy something big, deal with it. 

Is it about not being punctual, too much talking, overspending, anger, being quick tempered, pride, disloyal tendencies, or disrespect? Deal with it

Read: Ecclesiastes 10:1, “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for the wisdom to detect any little thing that can ruin my life and my achievements. In Jesus name, Amen!

Words are spirit. Just as spirits don’t die so do words. You can’t release words from your mouth and expect it to vanish. It is never so. Anytime you say something, or release words, it carries power and stays on. 

This is the more reason Christians must be more cautious of the words they release when they talk. The nature and power of “words” makes it an important factor in life. This means that one can’t play with words and walk away free. It will in the end work for you or work against you. 

There are three important things with which one can describe and understand words. 

First, words are vehicles. They transport or transmit things. For instance, whether it is faith or fear, love or hate, life or death they need the medium of words to move and function.

Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue”. Meaning, any time you talk, you transport something or set something in motion spiritually. What has been transporting you all these years of your life? Is it faith or fear, love or hate, life or death? 

Mathew 12:36 says, “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgement” 

Secondly, words are seeds (Luke 8). Words when spoken get sown and grow later or in the course of time. Whether you say negative or positive words they will manifest.

The third thing to note is that words are amplifiers. They amplify and reveal your thoughts. Words amplify and reveal your character. Matthew 12:34 says “You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”. This is the more reason why you must not take for granted what people say. 

Are you careless in talking? Do you make the wrong confessions about your life? Do you release words of doubt and hate? No matter what you think, because words are spiritual and powerful, they can either make your life bitter or better. TALK Well!

Read: Proverbs 18:20-21 “A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; from the produce of his lips he shall be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit”.

Prayer: Father, I pray that my togue will be guided so that I make pronouncements that will bless and promote the cause of my life In Jesus name, Amen!

The importance of words can’t be overemphasized. Proverbs 6:2 says “Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth”. 

The words you speak conveys thoughts. They also direct the course of your life as in whether you will go up or come down. The power of words or the power in words must make us conscious whenever we want to say something. 

In Mathew 12:37, the bible teaches that words can either bring condemnation or release one from guilt or trouble. In Proverbs 6:2, the bible teaches that, your words can “trap” or become a snare for your own life.

These truths revealed by the Bible shows that words are serious and must not be toyed with. As Christians we have the power to influence our lives positively by the words we speak or destroy things by the words we speak. 

Words are used for creation (Genesis 1:3), communication and expression. 

Jesus used words in healing the sick, raising the dead, and changing circumstance. He multiplied fish and bread and opened blind eyes with words. Jesus spoke to the winds and waves, and they were calm (Mark 4:39); He talked to a tree and it heard him(Mark 11:13, 20).

When we come to salvation, the Bible shows us the importance of words: Romans 10:9-10, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation”; how important words are. 

As Christians we must be guided by wisdom when talking. In fact, you need the tongue of the learned to talk well. Isaiah 50:4 says “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak…”

Speak words that will bring life, hope, and stir up your faith. Never let any wrong word proceed out of your mouth as you may live to bear the weight of it.

Read: Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one”.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the ability to cause changes with my words. I pray for the grace to use words rightly In Jesus name, Amen!

If people don’t live after death, they can’t be judged. So for judgement to be carried out after death means that life goes beyond the grave. 

One forgotten truth in today’s busy world is “life after death”. Many people scarcely think about this reality that is so close to everyone. 

You see, if all you are concerned about is making money, travelling abroad, marrying, getting a good job, earning a degree, and becoming a celebrity, then you will surprise yourself when the next world opens to you.

One important thing that must always ring in your heart is the subject of where and how you will spend eternity. To some it will be hell and to others it will be heaven. This is not a treat. Rather to be forewarned is to be forearmed. 

Whether you like it or not, death is certain. Whether it comes now or later. But the worst thing that can happen to a man is not death but dying without being a born again Christian. 

You can have victory over death. Prioritise God and eternity. Never waste time on earthly pursuits only.  For instance, having money without God is a real waste of time. Trust me no one can buy an apartment in heaven with physical cash. “Wealth won’t help in the time of judgment, but righteousness will deliver from death” (Proverbs 11:4). 

Let the bells of eternity ring in your heart. You are only here on earth for a season. Decide to travel with the Lord to the end.

Read: Revelation 20:11-15  “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace and wisdom to be conscious of the life after this world. Help me to live out my best for you. In Jesus name, Amen!