RHEMA From Heaven

Win souls for the Lord.

Proverbs 11:30 “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise”

A common misconception among Christians is that only ministers, specifically evangelists, are called to reach out to the lost. In Ephesians 5, the Bible teaches about the purpose of the ministry gifts that Jesus has set in the Church.

Ephesians 4:12 says “His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church)”

You see, the purpose of the five ministry gifts is to equip the saints to do the work of building the Body of Christ. When you receive from a minister who has been placed in his office by the Lord, you will become better equipped to minister yourself.

That’s why all Christians should consider themselves “full-time” ministers, for the Word declares that all that we do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Col. 3:17.) The responsibility is ours as Christians. Like the song writer puts it “a charge to keep I have “

In John 8:12, Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the light of the world.” But He also said in Matthew 5:14: “Ye are the light of the world.” We are now the light of the world because we carry His Word. It is His Word that brings light into a dark world (Ps. 119:130.) The wonderful privilege of carrying on the ministry of reconciliation has been entrusted to us.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Have faith and don’t doubt

Matthew 21:21 “Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done” (NIV)

Achieving great things in life comes by faith. The reason why many people have not come to the lime light in life is because of lack of faith or breeding doubt. For most Christians, doing great things in life or rising to the top in life whether in their finances, ministry, career or whatever they are doing is only a dream. In fact, some people don’t even bother to ponder on that because of the thoughts of doubt. Nonetheless, the word of God teaches that, faith in God- in his word makes all things possible.

You see, doubts will never make you a champion in life. It takes a heart of faith to be a hero in life. Faith will make you attempt and achieve great things in life. When Jesus spoke to the fig tree in Mathew 21:19, and what he said happened, he assured the believers that they can also do same and beyond. Matthew 21:21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.

Just to take people out of being overly religious to think that, the fig tree dried out because it was Jesus who spoke, the Bible made it clear the response of Jesus that when has faith, he can do the same and beyond.

As a Christian, you have to put your faith to work to get things done. Don’t live with doubts. Don’t live in the realm of “what if it doesn’t work”. Engage your faith and the impossible will happen.

Read: Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him : for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”

To be great, serve

Matthew 23:10-11 says “Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.”

It is everyone’s desire to be great. No man in the right state of mind wants to be irrelevant in life. But no one also becomes great by wishing to be great. To become great you must pay a price. The price is service.

Matthew 23:11 says “The more lowly your service to others, the greater you are. To be the greatest, be a servant” (Living Bible). Serving others is what paves the way for you to be great in life. A perfect example of how service or serving others elevates a person can be seen in the life of Joseph son of Jacob. The Bible teaches that after he was sold to Portiphar, Joseph was made an overseer in the house of his master.

Genesis 39:4-5 says “And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had…“

Joseph served fully. He was given to the task. In the course of his service, he also discharged his duty with integrity. When tempted by Portiphar’s wife he refused to yield. He regarded God and had respect for his master, Portiphar (Genesis 39:7-8).

Lastly, although his integrity landed him into a more difficult situation, he continued to serve. He served in prison (Genesis 40:4). Nonetheless, just as God’s word assures. His service paved way for him. He was called to serve the King also. Genesis 41:14 “Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh” This made him the next powerful person in his days aside Pharaoh.

You see, no matter where you find yourself- Church, work place, marriage, or even among your peers serve. Serve fully, serve with integrity and serve with high commitment despite the challenges you may encounter and you surely end up at the top.

Read: Luke 22:27 “For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth”

The danger of looking back

Luke 9:62 “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God“

Serving God and working for the Lord requires focus. Anyone who accepts the call to the new life, and to also do the work of ministry must be of a single heart despite the challenges that may come.

In Luke chapter 9, Jesus thought on the principle focus or not looking back when it comes to following the Lord. When people look back in their quest to follow the Lord, it shows that their interest or passion is not fully in the Lord. It also means that, they have other things that they prefer or give priority to.

In the book of Numbers, we see this looking back syndrome amongst those who left Egypt to the promise land. The challenges they had in the wilderness made them look back to the so called “good moments they had whiles in Egypt”. In Numbers 11:5-6 some of them said “We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.“

Again in Numbers 14:4 “they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt” Their looking back, or having the past in mind never brought some of them to the promised land. They missed the greatest privilege to get into the promised land.

As Christians, we are no different from being tempted to look back. Challenges, and “seemingly good things” of the past can make you think that, looking back or going back is rather the way forward.

Don’t retreat when it comes to following the Lord and serving in the ministry.

Read: Hebrews 10:39 “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul”

Pursue peace

Hebrews 12:14 “Continually pursue peace with everyone, and the sanctification without which no one will [ever] see the Lord”

There is nothing comparable to peace. In fact, it is one thing that has no substitute. Its either you have peace or you don’t have it. There’s no middle ground. God is a God of peace and He wants us to be no different. Hebrews 13:20 says “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant”

In 1 Thessalonians 5:23, the again says “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”

Ephesians 2:14 says “he is our peace“…

As a Christian you must be an epitome of peace wherever you find yourself. To be a person of peace means that, you don’t create situations that leads to conflict, misunderstanding, fights, and disharmony. It also involves being a unifier and not a sower of troubles amongst people.

Hebrews 12:14 says “continually pursue peace with everyone…”. Meaning that, you must make it an everyday and every time activity to walk and live in peace with people.

For instance, your dealings with people must not be characterized by quarrels, resentments and grudges. Not only that, the Bible enjoins Christians to pursue peace. That’s making peace a priority. You must do everything and anything in your means to let it happen.

You see, until you make peace a priority you can’t enjoy it. Every relationship you have with people must be upheld with this truth.

Never do anything to jeopardise the peace you have. Allow the love of God and the wisdom of God to guide you as you go about your endeavours and peace will definitely manifest.

Read: Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God”

Anointing to do good

Acts 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him“

Doing good is nothing but a matter of anointing. God wants you to do good but that cannot be done independent of the anointing.

Matthew 5:16 says “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven“

Ephesians 2:10 also says “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”

When it comes to doing good, God’s word is very clear and prescriptive. Nonetheless, until you allow the Holy Spirit’s influence and the grace of God to enable you, doing good in this sin doomed world will remain a mirage.

It is also important to know that, most of the good things God would require you to do on behalf of people require great unction. This is so because, the good you must do has to deal with either breaking demonic influence and happenings in people’s lives.

Don’t only see doing good as showering material or physical gifts on people. Also preach to the unsaved it is doing good, heal the sick, it is doing good, strengthen the discouraged, it is doing good.

Pray that you will always abound with grace and unction to do good.

Read: Hebrews 10:24 “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works”

Faith and Familiarity…

Mark 6:1,5-6 “Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village” (NIV).

Familiarity can hinder your faith from functioning effectively. Most people have lost great moments of encounter because of this happening.

God at any point in time will anoint a man and use him to accomplish great things in his kingdom. Such folks are graced, sometimes not because of their own doing but by the sovereign act of God. That’s why God can mightily use someone you may consider low in status when measuring him with the standards of men.

1 Corinthians 1:26-27 says “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called : But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty”. Nonetheless, how you receive and deal with these anointed vessels or people will determine whether the grace they carry can help you or not.

During his earthly ministry, Jesus’s anointing could not solve the problems of his own townsfolk. They were so “familiar” with him that they doubted him and never believed God’s grace was on him. When Jesus got to his hometown the Bible said He could not do any miracles there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people.

You see, this same Jesus has healed a mad man from Gadara, raised Jarius’s daughter from death and made whole the woman with the issue of blood. On the contrary, this grace on him didn’t work for his own people because of familiarity. The familiarity- knowing someone so much that, you lose respect and sense of honor – cost the people in his hometown.

As you journey in the Christian faith, never give room to familiarity because whether you like it or not God will anoint and use people you may sometimes know or even have very personal relationships with. Some may be siblings, close friends, husbands, and children. No matter how and who God uses, never make familiarity sink your faith. Those who live with familiarity will definitely live with many y problems since they will always despise the anointed people that God may use to bless them.

Read: Acts 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.“

Dwell together in unity

Psalm 133:1-2 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments“

Dwelling together with people in unity is a good and a pleasant thing. As Christians God does not expect us to bring divisions or create situations that don’t promote unity wherever we find ourselves. Not living together peacefully and with a sincere heart with people around you in Church, home or wherever you find yourself as a Christian is nothing but a display of carnality.

1 Corinthians 3:3 says “You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans” (NIV)

You see, living together with people in unity means that you must walk in love. You can’t live in harmony with people when you don’t walk in love. Allowing petty things and insignificant matters to destroy the bond of peace that must exist between you and people especially those in the body of Christ is just equal to yielding yourself for demons to use you. In fact, when all is said and done, you will bring confusion, quarrels that can’t be settled and destroy lasting relationships or even an entire ministry.

The bible says, dwelling together with the brethren – people in God’s house is a good and pleasant thing. So when you make yourself difficult in these matters means that, you don’t want anything good and pleasant. Throw off everything that hinders you from being at peace with people. Let go of offense, let go of quarrels, let go of pride and let go of contention.

Ephesians 4:2-3 says that “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace”. As a Christian you have a duty to discharge to everyone in the body of Christ. You must not allow the devil and demons to influence you to bring havoc and chaos into your church and family.

Read: Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God”

Be quick to understand

Daniel 1:4 “young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians”

How quick or fast you understand things determine how fast and well you do things in life. Being of quick understanding or being quick to understand means that you are quick in discerning things, or quick to figure out something and to also grasp something.

You see, when you are quick to understand things, it distinguishes you from the masses. It brings you quickly before great people. We see this in our opening text that after king Nebuchadnezzar had captured Jerusalem, he ordered for only young men who are of quick understanding to be brought into the service of his palace.

In life people who are quick to understand easily emerge to the top. It takes great discipline, humility and constant study to be a person of understanding.

People who are slow to understand are very different in their approach to life. They don’t do things as and when expected. Their movement and the sense of urgency to life is very shallow. These are persons you must keep correcting on one error over and over with no positive outcome. You see, if you are quick to understand it manifests in your actions. Because someone who is quick to understand will always look at his or her actions independently. Such people don’t play the blame game. They personally hold themselves responsible and accountable for how they do things, and respond to situations in life.

When you are slow to understanding things, you will never help yourself neither will you also be able to help people around you. 1 Corinthians 14:20 says “Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature”

Read: Isaiah 11:3 “And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears”

Catch the anointing

Hebrews 1:9 “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy“

It is important to desire the anointing or to desire to be anointed. Having the anointing is one way to do exploits in the ministry and in life. In fact, without the anointing there are many things you can’t accomplish. In Acts 10:38 we see the significance of the anointing in the life and ministry of Jesus. “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him”.

Catching an anointing does not come only by desire. There is more to that. You have to play an active role in your quest to be anointed. Any believer that wants to be anointed and to stay anointed must learn to continually yield him/herself to the Lord first. The anointing you want has a source. It is from God. Without that, you can never be anointed in your life.

Despite the truth that, the anointing ultimately comes from God, he may allow the anointing to come to you in different ways- by a direct impartation from the Holy Spirit and by transference through an anointed person.

Giving all these truths on the anointing, you cannot catch this precious gift from God with sin and evil lurking in your heart. That is suicidal. Isn’t it? When a man with wrong intentions and heart carry power, what will be the outcome?

That’s why God expects people who desire the anointing to live sanctified lives. The Bible teaches clearly how by loving righteousness and hating wickedness Jesus caught the anointing. Thus your separation from worldliness, carnality and any form of evil doing is the basic requirement for you catching the anointing. You can’t live in unforgiveness, immorality, pride, arrogance, disobedience, ungratefulness, etc. and expect to be greatly anointed of the Lord.

It is undeniable that God wants an army of Christians that will speak his word to this generation and anoint us for that but we must pay the price of separating ourselves from any fleshly agenda and be devoted to God.

Read: Psalm 89:20 “I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him”