RHEMA From Heaven

Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it”. 

Your heart is key in all that you do. The opening text reveals that everything you do emanates from your heart, thus there is a need to mount guard on your heart.

Until you put your heart right, you will miss a lot in your walk with God. God observes the state of your heart in dealing with you. Psalms 33:14-15 says “From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth their works.” Beloved, the state of your heart determines whether you will be endorsed by God or not.

It is without doubt that you can deceive men with your actions, but God knows the true state of your heart. He knows your motive (why you are doing what you are doing or why you are not doing something). 

Never live a lie. Know the state of your heart. Don’t pretend in any way. When you see that your heart is pondering on evil or not perfected before God, simply put things right. But the best thing to do is to always guard your heart. 

Jesus once asked some people about the state of their heart. See Matthew 9:4: “And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore, think ye evil in your hearts?”. Never let the condition of your heart make you miss God’s best for your life. Please watch your heart.

Read: 1 Sam 16:7 “But the Lord said unto Samuel, look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seethnot as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart”.

 

Prayer: Lord, help me to guard my heart against anything that will cause me to be disqualified in your sight. I Jesus mighty name. Amen!

In our opening text, the word says we (believers) are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Thus, as salt, we preserve and as light, we bring illumination. This is what makes us a blessing.

You being a blessing to the world as a Christian involves you getting the unsaved ones saved by doing everything possible in your ability to preach the gospel to them. This is the only way we can preserve the lives of people or deliver people from eternal damnation. No other blessing can be compared to this. It is the main blessing that unlocks all others. This is the blessing that God wants every Christian to give to the unsaved. 

Secondly, you must also be a blessing to the body of Christ. You must stir up, and sharpen the other members of the body of Christ to walk worthy of the call. This is by walking in love, truth and in the fear of God daily. Proverbs 27:7 says “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”(NIV). Ephesians 4:1-3 also says “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (NKJV). 

You see, to be a blessing to the body of Christ, you must not do anything out of selfish ambition. You must know that God has a plan for everyone of His children, so you must not do anything to derail anyone already in the faith. Your actions and inactions must therefore bless and help others move from strength to strength in their walk with God. 

This is one important reason why you must be concerned about how you live as a Christian in the church and in the world. Your faith and piety must challenge someone in the positive direction. But if you become a source of a “wrong example” to other folks in the Church you are more of a curse than a blessing. 

You see, folks must see you and learn to respect the things of God and also treat them as sacred. The respect you give to God and your fear of him can be a great guide to help folks walk worthy of their call and make it to heaven. Be determined to let your life bless others.

 

 

Read: Matthew 5:13 “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men”.

 

Prayer: Lord, I pray that my life will be a blessing and not a curse to the world. I will be a solution to the world and never a problem. In the name of Jesus. Amen!

The mission of soul winning is God’s mandate to every believer. Charles Spurgeon, the old English preacher once said “If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for” 

Soul winning or evangelism is something every Christian must take to heart. Christians must do everything and anything in their power to get people saved. Jesus said we should go and make disciples of all nations. Soul winning is the duty of anybody that is saved and not a reserved ministry for pastors or a “man of God”. God expects every Christian to be on an errand with the gospel of salvation. 

You see, no matter your status or situation in life, because you are born again, you have a mission or a heavenly assignment to fulfil. God wants all men saved. 1 Timothy 2:4 says “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth”. If you neglect soul winning, you have neglected God’s main business for your life. In fact, you have neglected God’s heartbeat. 

Don’t remain unconcerned about the fate of sinners. Don’t keep the “truth” that can save a sinner from hell. Teach the gospel of salvation with all your heart and with all seriousness. Be on the move to bring others to Christ. Delays in obeying God’s call to preach can lead some folks to hell.

Make a solemn pledge to be part of the team of soul winners reaching out to people with the Gospel. That is a sure way to the fulfilment of life.

 

 

Read: Jude 23 “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh”.

 

Prayer: I pray heavenly father, that I will obey the mandate of going out to preach the gospel to the lost world. I pray for a compassionate heart to reach out to the unsaved In Jesus mighty name. Amen!

Hearing God’s word and doing nothing with it or about it makes the word not to profit you. The word of God is always for profit. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”.

Nonetheless, how profitable God’s word becomes is also dependent on how you relate to the word of God. Our opening text says “the word preached did not profit them (the hearers), not being mixed with faith in them that heard it”

You see, God’s word is the source of faith and every kind of blessing you need in life. Nonetheless, you must act on it to bring what it promises or the “profits”into manifestation.

When Moses the prophet of God, led the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, most of them did not believe the word of God concerning their deliverance. They rather gave in to murmuring, complaints and comparison till most of them were destroyed with exception of Joshua and Caleb.

See Numbers 14:29-30 “Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun”. You see, the word for their deliverance did not profit them.

Similarly, God’s word or the gospel that you hear today will only become profitable when you mix it with faith. In order words, until you believe and act on the word you will never be blessed. 

God’s word has what it takes to deliver on whatever it says, but you must believe in it and engage its principles to be blessed. 

Never be casual with God’s word. Take it seriously. Meditate on it daily, let it be your confession and practice. That is how to connect to the power in the word for it to produce awesome results in your life.

 

Read: Hebrews 4:1-3 “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world”.​

 

Prayer: Lord, I pray that as I have encounters with you through the word I will mix it with faith. I pray that as I attach faith to your word, my profiting will be axiomatic. In Jesus mighty name. Amen!

Getting things done in life requires some power. That’s the dynamic ability to cause a change or work at something. 

Having power also connotes having strength and courage. These are two dominant forces which plays a critical role in life. They enable you to work in this world of uncertainty.

You see, you need these to persevere in a course you take in life. Without courage, you will not be able to move on to do exploits. Being courageous simply means being fearless, daring, or audacious. This is the attitude we need to exercise to carry out our divine mandate.

Most often than not, the circumstances that sometimes surround us in the pursuit of our purpose demands that we remain courageous. It is by courage that you can pursue a vision despite any opposition.

It is important to know that pursuing any God-given agenda sometimes exposes you to “denials” and “betrayals”. Joseph, the son of Jacob had to deal with rejection and denials from his own brothers on his way to the top. The fact that he didn’t give in or even commit suicide in those trying times reveals the inner courage he carried.

Learn not to faint in the day of adversity. Proverbs 24:10 says, “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small”. You must always build your faith by consistently feeding on God’s word. Your faith in God will give you divine strength and courage to always do the impossible.

Don’t run away or give up on your God-given purpose because you are faced with a challenge. Be strong and move forward. Like David, move through the troop and run over the wall (Psalm 18:29).

Read: 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”.

 

Prayer: Father, I pray that the spirit of boldness that dwells in me will always be activated against the spirit of fear that will raise its head against me. I will walk in divine boldness and courage. In Jesus name. Amen!

Freedom is one priceless thing that God has blessed the believer with. For instance, the born again believer has been set free from sin, sickness (which is incipient death), and any satanic bondage. The Bible also teaches that we are free from any condemnation or guilt that our previous life of sin might have birthed. Romans 8:1 says “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”.

Your freedom as a Christian started the day you got born again. John 8:36 says “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed”. 

Nonetheless, now that you have been set free from the power of darkness, it is also dependent on you to “keep this freedom”. Being freed is different from staying free. That’s why the bible is admonishing you to stay free. In other words, you must not allow the elements of this world to hold you captive again- the pride of life, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes. 

Remember that the devil still wants to extend his influence over your life, but until you submit, he can’t overpower you. Stand your ground and always resist the devil from putting you under bondage (1 Peter 5:9). Walk in this new life and fight off any attempt of the enemy to influence your life and future and always remember that freedom in Christ does not mean freedom to transgress. 

Read: Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage”.

 

Prayer: Father, I pray and come against any element that will cause me to compromise my freedom in Christ Jesus. I pray for wisdom and grace to guard my freedom in Christ. In Jesus mighty name. Amen!

Job 36:11 also says “If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.” 

Many things crave for our attention as Christians. But we must never hesitate to put things in the rightful place in our life. First things first must be the rule.

This means that as Christians we must give God his rightful place. God is second to none. We must never relent to put him first in all we do. Putting God first tells how much value we put on God. Not only that, but it also reveals our love and respect for the Lord. 

When you put God first you will spend your days in prosperity and your years in pleasures. The prosperity that brings peace and unending joy in your heart only comes from God. Proverb 10:22 says “The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. 

It is in seeking God and putting him first that makes things go in your favour. God causes all grace to abound to you any time you put Him first. Seeking God first means that you give him the first place in all that you do. This includes your life, your work, your marriage, and your pursuit of success and all that concerns you. 

Where have you placed God and His kingdom on your scale of preference? In fact, putting God second means all things shall be subtracted from you. Anything other than seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness first will fail. Place God and His kingdom first and you will be first in all your endeavours. 

If you seek the purposes and the plans of God’s kingdom, you will never go on a wild goose chase trying to find riches, wealth and honour. Don’t forget that, looking for prosperity must not lead you to forget God’s kingdom and your quest to walk in His righteousness. People who pursue riches and wealth without God turn to make money as their “god”.

Read: Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”.

 

Prayer: Father, I pray that my life will always be tailored on seeking you. I declare as I seek you, prosperity and abundance will always be my portion. In the name of Jesus. Amen!

Acts 17:11 says “These (the Berean) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily…”

There is nothing precious and refreshing in the world except the word of God. That’s why it matters the time you spend with the word. 

The bible teaches that the believers in Berea placed a premium on God’s word in that they searched the word daily. God’s word to them was a “daily bread” and not a “cake” for special occasions. 

You see, how often you get into the scriptures reveals the value you give to the word of God. That’s the truth I believe the Bereans that Apostle Paul preached knew. They constantly received the word of God with a ready mind and always searched the scriptures. 

This is the attitude that can make you fruitful in your walk with God. Don’t just hear the word that’s preached from the pulpit and go. Search the scriptures daily for yourself as well. As a Christian, you must be “word conscious”. The word of God must be part and parcel of your life. The Psalmist talks about meditating on the word day and night. Psalm 1:2 says, “…whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night”. 

Engaging God’s word daily or examining the scriptures daily is the only way to get the truth into your heart. It will help you have a meaningful walk with God and it will also make you “deception proof”. You see, people who study the word can’t easily be taken by the falsity people proclaim. 

As you walk with the Lord, many things will try to get your attention but never be distracted when it comes to daily studying and meditating on the word. The word is your life, it is the source of your health, healing, prosperity, promotion and deliverance. In fact, it is the SURE WORD of prophecy that you have today (2Peter 1:19).

Read: Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”.

 

Prayer: Lord, I speak into my life that I will forever search your word daily for my advantage. In the name of Jesus. Amen!

Isaiah 29:13 “Then the Lord said, “because the nations approaches [Me only] with their words and honors Me [only] with their lip service but they remove their heart far from Me, and their reverence for me is a tradition that is learned by rote [without any regard for its meaning]”

God considers the kind of worship or reverence we give to Him. Sometimes what we call worship or “serving the Lord” is actually not one. From our opening scripture, true or genuine worship must emanate from your heart. Your words and the state of your heart must agree with what you are saying about the Lord. Because it is possible to say you love the Lord, but you don’t at all.

Jesus in the book of John said worship must be in spirit and in truth. See John 4:23-24: “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Thus, what characterizes true worship is the spirit and truth. God can’t be worshipped in the flesh. It is by our spirit that we can contact God and not with our senses. There are many things people do in the flesh today when it comes to worship. When it comes to worship we adore and exalt the name of God, but this must be from the heart (spirit). Don’t dance and just sing in the flesh. Let it be under the inspiration of the spirit.

Also, for our serving God to be genuine, it must also be within the context of God’s word. Thus, if you don’t know the word you are much likely to just do anything in the name of serving God.

When worship or serving God is genuine, it is inspired by the love for God and faith in God rather than the want for things. One hard truth is that God sees your heart and He knows the very motivation behind every action of yours. In fact, he sees it when you are living a lie or pretending to be serving or worshipping him. So if for the want of things you “falsify” worship or you are serving God, He knows it. Isaiah prophesied of such false worshippers. See Isaiah 29:13: The Lord says, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me…”

For you not to walk in deception, know what is really behind your “worshipping or serving the Lord”. True worship is by the spirit. It is from a heart of love and faith. So only folks who are born again or have fully surrendered their lives to the Lord, are the ones who can genuinely serve or worship the Lord. Attending church does not necessarily mean that you are serving or worshipping God.

Be sure you are born again and living by the word. That’s the starting point of true worship. 

Read: Isaiah 29:13” Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men”.

 Prayer: Lord, I pray that I will serve you without any form of hypocrisy. I declare that from a genuine heart I will serve and worship all the days of my life. In Jesus mighty name. Amen!

1 Corinthians 9:27 “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away.”

To control something is to influence or direct someone or something. It also means to order, limit, or rule something. As Christians we must learn to control our body – fleshly desires. This will include our desire for things, our desires to talk, our desires to go to certain places, and our emotions.

Keeping your flesh or body under control is one of the greatest things you must do to get to your glorious destination in your walk with God. The Bible teaches that man is a spirit, has a soul and lives in a body. The bible calls the body as our earthly suit, jacket or tent that we live in (2 Corinthians 5:1). Thus, the real you is your spirit. One author calls it “the you in you”. You must understand that being born again only makes your spirit anew. This does not change your body in any way.

It is important to know that salvation does not and will not change your body, i.e., your skin colour, the shape of your body, the desires and the feelings in your body. What it does is to make your spirit man new and alive in God that it can lead the flesh to live in sync with the will of God.

Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:27 that, “…I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away”. Notice the word “I” referring to his spirit which he distinguished from his body. Meaning that living the life of the spirit involves bringing your body under subjection to the will of God. In other words, you must let your spirit master power over or dominate your flesh. Do just do anything because you feel like.

When you allow your body or flesh to do as it pleases, you will “self -destruct”, you will be a castaway, disqualified and rejected. You have to know this truth that since the flesh is not redeemed yet it will always want anything that gives it pleasure whether that is the will of God or not. Allowing yourself to be carried away into “pleasure-seeking ventures” of the flesh will let you miss the mark.

You see, after born again, you have to battle with the flesh to let it follow the ways of God. Know that bringing your body under control is a fight. Your spirit is one side and the flesh or the body also on the other side. But you have only one option that is to fight and win. This is a daily war that you must fight until the redemption of the body (Romans 8:23). Every one of us is into this battle so fight and win.

Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27” Now ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway”.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray and declare that my body will always be in obedience to the biddings of your word. I declare every member of my body an instrument of righteousness. In Jesus name, Amen!