RHEMA From Heaven

The Christian life is a public proclamation of one’s faith. In other words, your life becomes a story you are telling the world. Hence, there is nothing like private faith or private Christianity. Your faith and beliefs must be evident for all to see.

Jesus, on teaching his disciples on this same truth said that;
“You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. *Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence*, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven”. (Matthew 5:14-16)

You see, as you receive Christ to dwell in your heart by faith, you also have a mandate to live out Christ to the world.

God wants you to proclaim and confess him before all men with your life. In other words, when all is said and done, the summation of your life must bring Glory to God. That your life would become a direct image of God’s love and Glory.
Just like Jesus, who was an express image of God whilst he was on earth.( Hebrews 1:3)

Not only that, you must also talk out your faith in the Lord. You can’t believe in God and not talk about Him with others.

The open confession on your faith also demand that, your actions and inactions also speaks of your faith in God. The things you do outwardly is a direct manifestation of the things in your heart. You can’t show forth good deeds if your heart is not good. Hence if you claim to have Christ, let it show in your works.

Child of God, it’s time to stand for something. Let every aspects of your life be an open confession of your faith.

Read:1 Timothy 6:12
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

Study: Matthew 10:32-33

Man’s walk with God has gone through many phases or dispensations.
The Bible talks about how God related with his own as a father and also how he was manifested in the flesh to deal with humanity as Jesus.
All these seasons have their own unique experiences and blessings.

All these dispensations come with a special covenant that God establishes with his people. For instance we had the old covenant that came with laws and instructions pertaining to worship and sacrifices.

Also, one main experience with the law and the old covenant was death, and condemnation. Yet, it didn’t come with glory.

Nonetheless, it is important to know that, after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, we were ushered into a new dispensation. This is the dispensation of the ministration of the Spirit. It is a season where God’s very presence comes to reside in us, with us and by us.
Not only that, this era comes with freedom from guilt and any form of condemnation.

The Bible calls this era, a “greater glory” era(2 Corinthians 3:8). Meaning you can enjoy God to the fullest, your life can be glorious and beautiful.

Don’t settle for anything below standard in this Spirit filled and Spirit led era. With the ministration of the Spirit, you have power over every works of darkenness.
Keep meditating on the truth of God’s word and you will move from glory to glory.

Read: 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Study: Hebrews 10:1-18

Life is sometimes not a straight line. There may be ups and downs. Things will sometimes not make sense. Your faith will be tested to its elastic point, and you may feel like giving up, but hold on, because it is not over yet.

You must know that life will sometimes show you ugly and awkward circumstances. You will be tempted by the devil to think that your faith is worthless, Church is just there to soothe you and not to offer any true solution. And above all, you will be tempted to think that “The God of miracles” is not real. But hold on,God is not dead and it is not over yet.

You see, there are times when the doors of failure, disappointment and rejection will stare at you in the face as though you are not a Christian or the blessed one of God. But remember, it’s not over, for all things will work together for your good (Romans 8:28).

Even for a tree that has been cut down there is hope. Job 17:4 says, “For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root may grow old”.

You see, though your roots may be old, though conditions may show that you can’t bounce back or make it again, the bible says “YOU WILL MAKE IT”. Something new and good will come up from you, by you, with you and in you.

Remember the people of old, and consider how God turned away thier captivity. (Psalm 126). He will show up to help you. Don’t quit, don’t stagger in your faith and never become bitter.

Read: 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
“We are pressured in every way [hedged in], but not crushed; perplexed [unsure of finding a way out], but not driven to despair; hunted down and persecuted, but not deserted [to stand alone]; struck down, but never destroyed”

Study: 1 Corinthians 2:9

It is important to note that one of the divine mandates we have as Christians is to be humble. God has not only called us to exercise power, preach and to reign in life. He has also called us to travel on the road of humility.

Jesus taught on this important truth just before the Passover feast after which he would be crucified.
The Bible talks about how Jesus poured water into a basin and began washing the disciples’ feet and wiping them with the towel which was tied around His waist.
After which he told them to follow in his example of humility.

See the instruction from the Lord in John 13:14-15 “So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet as well. For I gave you [this as] an example, so that you should do [in turn] as I did to you”

Although Jesus is not literally telling us to go wash the feet of people, he is telling us to follow in the act of humility displayed.

This is to tell you that, leadership and influence is about service, and until you are HUMBLE you can’t serve genuinely.
Although there are many people who “are big in their own eyes” and would hardly do menial jobs in life; whether in Church, home or at the office, dare to be different.

You have a call to be humble. Don’t be taken by your ego to miss the blessings that comes with humility.

Read: Psalm 37:11″But the humble will [at last] inherit the land And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity and peace.”

Study: Proverbs 16:19

The preaching of the Gospel has not been designated for a particular few people as many think. On the contrary, it is the business of every single born again person.

When Jesus was about departing the corridors of this earth, He commanded all Christians to be “preachers” of the word.
See Matthew 28:18-20;
” And Jesus came and spake unto them , saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
This is a command with the full backing and authority of God.

Paul, the apostle also reiterates the importance of preaching the gospel in his letter to Timothy.
See 2Timothy 4:2: “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction”

You see, irrespective of who you are, so long as you are born again, you have a duty to preach the word.
This is one reason why you must study the word and also live by it. Because your duty as a Christian is to influence people for the Lord by teaching, preaching, correcting and encouragement.

Remember that, you have a charge to keep. And it is about preaching the word of God to everyone.

Read: Romans 1:16
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek”.

Study: Romans 10:13-16

Prayer can do many things but not all things. In fact when it comes to building up of your faith, it has very little to do with prayer. As a matter of fact it rather takes faith to pray. That is why you must not pray for faith, instead, pray in faith.

You see, every believer has faith. It is up to you to use or exercise the faith you have.
The more you use or exercise your faith, the more it grows.
Romans 12:3 says that;
“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, *according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith* “.
One thing you must understand is that, God gives everyone a measure of faith. This means that every born again believer has faith.

This is why the believer who says he or she does not have faith, is simply saying that he or she is not saved since it takes faith to be saved (Ephesians 2:8).

So if prayer does not bring faith, where then does faith comes from?
See the answer in Romans 10:17;
” So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God .”
You see, you get faith by hearing and hearing the word. In fact, the word of God is also called the word of faith.
That’s why it is important for you to read or study the word of God.

Not only that, you need to be in a ministry where the word is taught in the right context.
You must understand that, when what you hear does not build faith, or get you saved then you are in for trouble. Because you will have to use your faith in the day of trouble. See 1 John 5:4 “For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world-our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God].”

Read: Romans 10:17
“So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ”.

Study: Mark 11:22-24

Faith is very important to every child of God. Faith forms the basis for our convictions and all that we do in life. Nonetheless, your faith can either be wrong or right. The right kind of faith is important because having faith in the wrong thing will deny you of results.

First and foremost, for faith to work, you must make sure your faith is in the right person; that is God.
Mark 11:22 reads “Jesus replied, Have faith in God [constantly]”
When your faith is not in God, you have missed it, right from the word go.
Don’t put your faith in the wisdom of men. It will fail. 1 Corinthians 2:5
“So that your faith would not rest on the wisdom and rhetoric of men
…”. Thus, there is no point in putting your faith, either for healing, salvation or deliverance or what have you in man.

Secondly for you to have the right kind of faith, your faith must be in the word of God and not man’s wisdom or man’s wishes. The Bible is God’s word, hence having faith in God’s word means accepting what the Bible says, whether you read it directly or it’s preached to you by a pastor.
You must have faith that God is able to do all that he says he will do. You must therefore conclude on every situation that “the Bible has said it, I believe it and that settles it”

Finally, you must rest your faith on God’s power. It is shocking how people can believe in the power of the devil as the source of their problems, yet cannot believe in the power of God to do undo the works of the devil.
Having faith in the power of God means that you are fully persuaded that God can and will do what he says.

Engage these three principles and your faith will always work.

Read: Hebrews 6:12
“That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

Study: Hebrews 11:1-6

Most often than not, people look down on small things, especially small beginnings.
Nonetheless, life reveals how great things were birthed from small or insignificant beginnings.
For instance by just planting a corn, one can get an undeniable harvest of lots of maize.

Starting small in life does not mean you can’t arrive at a glorious end. It will just be a matter of time and process. But at the end, God will show himself mighty if you remain faithful and focused on what you are doing.

You see, any promise of God for your life will see the days of little beginnings. It may seem like you are not getting any positive results. But that is far from the truth. For when the clouds be full of rain, (after gathering little by little), it shall empty itself on the earth (Ecclesiastes 11:3).

God says you are prosperous, but you won’t start from a million dollar account. God says he will bless your ministry, but you won’t start from a thousand member church. All will be little by little. Don’t depise these small beginnings, because the word of God will surely speak at the end.

Whatever God has said about you will surely come to pass without fail. Hold on to your small beginnings, greatness is on the way.

Read: Job 8:7
“Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase”.

Study: Isaiah 60:22

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:9

The first thing to know about fear is it’s source. Fear is from the devil and not from God.
The devil, our chief adversary, uses fear as a snare to keep people out of God’s purpose for their lives.

You must understand that fear is not your portion as a child of God. Romans 8:15 says: “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father”.

Although the Bible talks about a godly fear that must fill the heart of the believer, this kind of fear is nothing more than a deep reverence and love towards God.
Hebrews 12:28 says;
‘Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear”.

You see, fear that comes from the devil has one basic assignment, that is to torment your soul.
See 1 John 4:18;
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment…”

Fear has brought people many sorrows and hurts in life. Not only that, it has crippled many God given visions and assignments.

But as you read this message, it’s time to rise from the ashes of fear into God’s power and love that is inherent in you.

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”.

Study: Isaiah 43:1-7

Mark 11:25 says “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses”.

Although prayer is important and it always produces tremendous results, you can make your prayers unfruitful by unforgiveness.
You see, you have no business praying when you hold things against people in your heart.

If you want to pray and to see results you must learn to walk in love, and never keep offenses. Unforgiveness will not put your heart right before God.
Mark 11:25 says “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses”.

Don’t keep hurts and offenses if you want your prayers to be heard. There are many people today who have missed it in this area. They pray, spin and whine and whey results are not forth coming they blame God.
But you can’t be disobedient to God’s word and still demand God to work on your behalf.

Your prayers can bring awesome things, but first put your heart right before God by forgiving one another.

Love one another, forgive one another and never hinder your prayers.

Read: Mark 11:25 “Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him [drop the issue, let it go], so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions and wrongdoings [against Him and others].”

Study: Mathew 6:12