RHEMA From Heaven

Obey your pastor or spiritual fathers.

Hebrews 13:17 says “Obey your [spiritual] leaders and submit to them [recognizing their authority over you], for they are keeping watch over your souls and continually guarding your spiritual welfare as those who will give an account [of their stewardship of you]. Let them do this with joy and not with grief and groans, for this would be of no benefit to you”

One best way to relate with your pastor or spiritual father is by obedience.
Obeying them simply involves living by the word of God they teach and submitting to the training they give you in the faith.

Also, when you obey your pastor you willingly comply with an order, request or an instruction they give to build you up in the faith.

Anytime you live in obedience to what you are taught or instructed in, you get the best in life.
Isaiah 1:19 teaches that, people who are obedient will eat or enjoy the good of the land.

Let your obedience to your pastor or spiritual father be prompt, and let it come from a willing heart. Don’t forget that postponing what you have to obey or delayed obedience is disobedience.

Read: Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your [spiritual] leaders and submit to them [recognizing their authority over you], for they are keeping watch over your souls and continually guarding your spiritual welfare as those who will give an account [of their stewardship of you]. Let them do this with joy and not with grief and groans, for this would be of no benefit to you”

Study: Jeremiah 3:15

Put off the old man and put on the new man

Ephesians 4:22, 24 says
“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness

One of the greatest miracles in life is being born again. It is an encounter that brings life to your dead spirit and makes you alive.
Not only that, it also imparts the nature and the virtues of God into you. This is what makes a person new.

Therefore to successfully live out the new life, you must put off the old man by not letting your carnal or natural desires rule your life.

By knowledge of the word, you must live out the new identity or the new life you have in Christ.
This is how you put on the new man.

Anytime you put on the new man you deny the flesh access to control you.
Ephesians 4:25-27 teaches some things to put off and what to put on. It says “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. [26] Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: [27] Neither give place to the devil.”

Read: Ephesians 4:22 “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts”

Study: Galatians 2:20

Faith believes before it sees

Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”.

Anytime you are walking in faith, you believe in the reality of God’s promises for your life before they even manifest.
That’s to tell you that when you operate in faith, you don’t see before you believe. No, not at all! You first and foremost believe before you see.

This is the very reason why folks who are governed solely by their senses can’t make any progress in the faith walk.

Anytime you hear God’s word regarding a promise or put a request before the Lord, all you have to do is to believe that it’s done and start thanking God. Don’t ask “Lord when?” or say things like “why me?” because believing that God has done something for you must put joy and gratitude in your heart.

Remember, faith looks “not at the things which are seen” (2 Corinthians 4:18).
Many people who are struggling today in their walk with God want to see before they believe. But don’t forget that faith only accepts as real and true what God’s word says. Once God’s word has said it, it’s settled.

Believe! BELIEVE!! BELIEVE!!! and don’t wait for any physical manifestation.

Read: John 20:29 “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed”

Study: Hebrews 11:1

Don’t imitate what is evil

3 John 1:11 says “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but [imitate] what is good. The one who practices good [exhibiting godly character, moral courage and personal integrity] is of God; the one who practices [or permits or tolerates] evil has not seen God [he has no personal experience with Him and does not know Him at all].”.
What you imitate or copy can either make or unmake you. As Christians, the Lord enjoins us to imitate only what is good.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 11, the bible gives the standard for what we must imitate or copy.
The verse eleven says “Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ”. Thus, anything you imitate, copy, or follow must be “Christ centered” or in sync with what the Lord prescribes in his word.

You see, just imitating everything or anything without checking whether it is in line with God’s word can ruin your life. Whether in the area of spirituality, fashion, relationship, marriage, career, money matters, etc., don’t just copy what people do.
Imitate only the good that is consistent with the Lord’s will and save yourself from any unbearable consequences.

Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:22 “Abstain from every form of evil [withdraw and keep away from it].”

Study: Psalm 1

Contend for the Faith

Jude 1:3 says “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people”.

Contending for the faith is fighting to preserve the faith for what it truly means and stands for.
You see, your faith in God or your salvation is worth fighting for. It needs to be preserved until it brings you and others into the “final reward” of stepping into the eternal home of the saints.

You see, many God-debasing things have entered into our world today and if nothing is done to maintain the “faith” that we carry, generations after us stand no chance of making it.

Real faith in God or salvation must make us God and more eternity conscious. This faith which is an act of God’s grace must not be stretched unnecessarily. It is not cheap. Many have been deceived to take the faith as a cheap thing on the tenets of grace. Nonetheless, Grace is not cheap.

This understanding must make you stand up and contend for the faith. It is worth fighting for. Timothy was admonished to fight the good fight of faith and to lay hold on eternal life (1Timothy 6:12).

Never compromise the values and virtues that the Christian faith demands. You may be odd in your stand because of the times we are living in. But God will be “proud” of you for standing for the faith when all the tides were against you.

Fight to preserve the faith, keep the Christian values alive and let posterity benefit from you.

Read: 1 Corinthians 16:13 “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong”

Study: Jude 1:1-5

Honour God with your words and actions

“Then the Lord said, “Because this nation approaches [Me only] with their words And honors Me [only] with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me is a tradition that is learned by rote [without any regard for its meaning]” (Isaiah 29:13).

Your relationship with God must be guided by both your words and actions that come from your heart. Limiting your relationship with God to only “what you say” and don’t live by it, makes it nothing than a mere lip service.

One truth you must know is that, God is not moved by lip service and neither does he promote anyone into lip service.
You can’t have God’s best for your life when you don’t go beyond words into doing what you confess.

Luke 6:46 says
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Thus, saying you are a Christian makes no difference to God until you live the new life you have received from him. Move away from all the “talk show” and start living out the virtues of the Christian faith.

Never forget, God is not moved by empty words. Add sincere heart and actions to your worship and relationship with God.

Read: Luke 6:46 “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things” which I say?

Study: Matthew 15:7-9

Love causes your faith to work

Galatians 5:6 says “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.“
Love drives your faith to work. Love emboldens your faith to produce results. Without love your faith will be inoperative.

You see, your faith will only work when your love is intact. Love is a faith propellant. Your faith can’t give you any spectacular results when you are out of love.

If you want to master faith, master love. They are supposed to work together.
This is the more reason why some Christians never go far in the exercise of their faith. You have and must walk in love to go far in your faith.

People who don’t walk in love are limited. So you see, whether faith for healing, faith for finances, and faith for overcoming the storms of life, it all comes from love. Trying to exercise faith without love is like trying to drive a car without an engine. It can’t get you anywhere irrespective of how hard you try.

Read: Galatians 5:13 “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love”

Study: Romans 5:5

How dwells the love of God in you ?

1John 3:17 says “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother have need, and shuts up his heart of compassion from him, how dwells the love of God in him?”.
The love of God in our hearts must make us respond to the needs of others.

There is no way you can walk in love without expressing it by giving to others in need. Love is a giver. Love looks at the interest of others. 1Corinthians 13:5 says that love does not seek its own. You see, you can’t walk in love and be selfish.

To have something and to withhold it from a brother or sister in need is not love.
You must never close your heart against a brother or sister that is in need.
You see, the blessings of God in your life must also help other people in the body of Christ.

When it is in your power to help someone, do it generously. That is the demonstration of the love of God. Don’t harden your heart when it comes to helping others because of some bad experiences you might had. Let go.
Be a stream that others can benefit from.

Read: John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Study: Proverbs 3:27

Spiritual exercise vrs Physical exercise

1Timothy 4:8 “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come”.
The Bible teaches that exercise is important. Nonetheless, it places great premium on spiritual exercise over physical exercise.

The importance or benefit associated with spiritual exercise calls for seriousness on the side of the Christian.
Thus the efforts you put in your spiritual exercise must outweigh that of the bodily exercise.

Today, we have many who strigently and diligently adhere to strict schedule when it comes to physical exercise but the same people dowmplay on spiritual exercise.

1 Timothy 4:8 says “For physical training is of some value, but godliness (spiritual training) is of value in everything and in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and for the life to come”
You see, physical exercise will only help your “body”, but spiritual exercise which is “godliness” will help both your spirit and soul. Meaning that if you master physical exercise to the neglect of godliness you will still be hopeless at the end of the day. Making efforts to keep your body in shape and to be fit without any spiritual exercise is vanity.

Learn to exercise yourself spiritually, by emphasizing spiritual things constantly and consistently.
You must be constant in prayer (Romans 12:12), active in soul winning (Mark 16:15) and in studying of God’s word (Joshua 1:8). These things will follow you into eternity.
Increase your spiritual exercise now.

Read: 1 Timothy 4:8 “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come”

Study: Romans 12:11

Love does no harm

Love does no harm
Romans 13:10 says “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law”.
Love the Bible says works or does no evil to another.

When love is at work or when we walk in love we will hardly harm or hurt people. That’s to say that, we will not devise schemes to destroy one another.

You see, the deeds or fruits of love is always good. It promotes an atmosphere of peace and joy. When love is at work it leaves no room for evil to operate.

As a Christian you have a command from the Lord to walk in love (John 13:34). They way people treat you must not let evil spring out of you towards them. Doing evil to people because of what they did to you is not love .

In walking in love you must not take advantage of people or use their weakness to destroy them. Not only that, so as not to harm people in life, watch what you say about them and to them, watch what you do to people and watch you tell others about them.

Use this golden rule when it comes to love: ” I will not let my actions and inactions harm or destroy another person”.

Read: Romans 13:10 “Love does no wrong to a neighbor [it never hurts anyone]. Therefore [unselfish] love is the fulfillment of the Law”

Study: John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you”