RHEMA From Heaven

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

Peace is priceless. It is freedom from disturbance, hostility, and violence. In fact, it is one thing that has no substitute. As Christians God does not want us to only have peace but to also become agents of peace. 

Since 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.” 

1 Thessalonians 5:23 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”… 

You must be the 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 source 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, but the Bible also 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 will also not enjoy it. Every relationship you have with people must be upheld with this truth.

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

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

Prayer: Lord I pray that I will be an epitome of peace wherever I find myself. Amen

Just like spirits, words don’t die. This is why Christians must be cautious of the words they use when talking. The nature and power of “words” makes it an important factor in life. Thus, you can’t play with words and walk away freely.

One can best understand and describe words as follows:

First, words are vehicles. They transport or transmit faith or fear, love or hate, life or death. In Romans 10:17 the Bible says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Also Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue”. Thus, any time you talk, you transport something or set something in motion spiritually. Anytime you release words you transmit something. It may either be faith or fear, love or hate, life or death? 

Secondly, words are seeds (Luke 8). Thus, just like any other seed, words when spoken get sown. It is just a matter of time, and you will see the impact – whether negative or positive. Words because they are like seeds produce after their kind. 

Thirdly, words are amplifiers. They amplify and reveal your thoughts. Words also 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?

Well, no matter what you think, the spiritual nature of words can make your life bitter or better depending on what you say or don’t say. Choose your words carefully!

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: Lord, I pray for grace to choose my words carefully. Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. (Psalm 141:3)

Obedience simply means compliance with an order, instruction, request, or law. It also means submission to another’s authority or will. 

When it comes to obedience you must practice it irrespective of whether someone is watching over you or not. 

In as much as it is easy to obey people’s instruction when they are physically present, we must learn to obey them in their absence. Instances where you must obey an order or instruction of someone who is not physically present or directly going to oversee you is when your obedience is really tested. 

Most people may pass the first test of obedience where they must obey an instruction from a leader, master, or a supervisor who is physically present. The second situation where the instructions of an absentee leader must be obeyed is a challenge. Nonetheless, the Bible is admonishing us to be obedient in all situations. 

You see, you must not wait to be supervised before you live in obedience. That may equally be eye service. Nurture yourself beyond this level of attitude. 

As a Christian, you must be disciplined enough, responsible enough, and wise enough to take heed to instruction, orders, and commands irrespective of whether your instructor is present or not.

For instance, you don’t need your pastor to mount a surveillance on you before you live right or neither do you need your parents to monitor your going out and your coming in before you do what is right. 

Learn to be obedient. Irrespective of what the situation may be. That’s how to make progress in your endeavors.

Read: John 14:24, “Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”

Prayer: Heavenly father, I pray for the grace to be disciplined in my obedience whether supervised or unsupervised.

Man’s life on earth is transient. No one will be here forever. Some will sleep in the Lord and others too will die because they didn’t know the Lord.

After this world, everyone will be faced with two realities: heaven and hell. How you lived in this world, what you believed, what you gave your life to, will determine which of these two destinations will become your “home”.

On the other hand, going to heaven or making it to heaven is not by chance. It is something you must prepare for by accepting Jesus as Lord and saviour. The gospel of John calls it the born-again experience (John 3:3).

Preparing for heaven also involves living by the word or putting to death the activities of the flesh. Colossians 3:5-6 says “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience”

You see, you can’t live anyhow and expect to land in heaven. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says,“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

Thus, making it to heaven involves preparation. Prepare by being born again, prepare by living for the Lord, and prepare by working for the Lord.

Read: 1 John 3:2-3 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I confess you as my saviour, and I pray for grace to live by your word to the end of age.

One temptation that everyone is likely to face is to look back after we have made commitments that demands sacrifice and a restricted life. This cuts across accepting the Lord Jesus as your saviour, serving in the ministry, and marital commitment. 

You see, after making some important life choices that borders on your salvation, integrity, and dedication to the Lord, you must not look back with a desire to overturn your stand. 

Anytime you look back during these moments, the only thing you are likely to see are the pleasures of sin which is but for a moment. Not only that, looking back to the world of sin can entice you, and make you fall for it and finally enslave you again. Galatians 5:1 says “In freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore and do not be entangled again in a yoke of slavery!” (Berean Literal Bible)

You must learn to put the world behind you and the Lord before you. Look up to Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith and not the world (Hebrews 12:2). 

Many Christians are confused today because they are walking forward but looking back. The call of God must let you let go of the past and journey into the new life. This is why 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 of focus or not looking back. 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 because of the challenges they had in the wilderness. 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.” 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. 

Challenges, and “seemingly good things” of the past can make you think that looking back and going back is rather the way forward. But that’s a journey of futility.

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”.

Prayer: Lord, I pray that I will remain focused on you and never look back to the world of sin. In Jesus name Amen.

A “will” is simply a desire or wish. As an individual you can pursue your own will, the will of God, the will of men or even the will of the devil. 

But as a Christian it is expedient that you pursue and do the will of God. 

The will of God is God’s ultimate desire and wish. It is what God expects and wants you to do or live for. As a Christian your greatest call and duty is to do God’s will. This is what pleases him. 

It is certain that, you can’t please God when you live and do things your own way. Your life must be in total sync to the will of God which is revealed in his word. This is what makes God’s blessings abound unto us. 

The bible teaches that it is the will of God is for us to be grateful (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Therefore, you must know that thanksgiving is one thing God expects from us as believers. Upon healing the ten lepers at the gate of samaria, Jesus asked of the nine that never returned to give thanks. “So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner” (Luke 17:17-18). 

Another will of God that the bible teaches is the sanctification of the believer. It is God’s will that as believer you must live a sanctified life and avoid the perverse and immoral standards of this world. (1Thessalonians 4:3). God does not expect you to conform to this world. He wants you to present yourself as a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable in his sight.

As a Christian you have no business to meddle with anything that will corrupt your moral life. You must be selective in what you watch, you must be selective in the kind of music you listen to. You must not be carried into surfing pornographic sites, and engaging in profane talks and having sexual relations with persons you are not married to. Homosexual activities, lesbianism, masturbation, lust, or any inordinate affection is not the will of God.

God does not want you to live with a dual standard or a worldly ambition as a Christian. He wants us to walk only in his perfect will. 

Yield to the Lord always and don’t let the flesh dominate you so that you can live to do God’s will. Make the will of God your reason for living.

Romans 12:2 says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will”.

Prayer: Lord, help me to live everyday knowing and doing your will. Amen

Prayer can secure your future. Life is not only physical or natural. It has spiritual dimension as well. There are many happenstances beyond the control of man. This is why it takes prayer to have a secured future and not by only plans and talks. 

You see, everyone anticipates a great future. In fact, some go the extreme by saying that since bible talks about God’s promise about the believer’s future it is a done deal irrespective of what they do. See Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” 

But this is far from the truth. The promises of God must be laid hold on in prayer and constant confession for it to manifest. 

Saying the future will be great without praying about it will only end you with no results. You need to pray about the future. This is how to have a great future. 

There is a God side and a man side to every promise. God’s side is a done deal. But as an individual you must take hold of all the promises of God and influence them with your prayer for them to materialize. 

Whether it is evil or good that is about to befall you in the future, your prayer is and will be the game changer. In Luke 22:31-32, we see how Jesus influenced Peter’s future by praying for him. Thus, the negative happening that was determined against Peter was averted. 

In the same vein, you must also pray to bring to pass the promises of God concerning your life. Daniel had to pray for the 70 years captivity of Isarel to end as promised. 

Although you are a victor in Christ your lack of prayer to change the events of life to your advantage will make you a victim. Remember that satan who is the god of this world, uses his agents and other cohorts to impede God’s plans for the believer.

Lack of prayer about the future will frustrate many things around you.

Pray into your ministry, family, career, education, marriage, and all that pertains to you.

Read: John 16:24 “Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”

Prayer: Lord, I ask for grace to stand in prayer to contend for my destiny. Amen

Life is not all about having fun. It is certainly not a game as well. Life is business! Life is about purpose, destiny and results. Life is about impact and life is about significance. 

One truth that must always be understood by everyone is that “life is a serious engagement”.  

Nonetheless, to make the most out of life depends on how you invest into it. You see, although “investment” is a term that is most often used in finance, the term “investment” cuts across every aspect of one’s life. 

To the financial analyst or economist, investment will be limited to putting money into financial schemes, shares, property, or a commercial venture with the expectation of achieving a profit. This is what drives people to sacrifice present consumption for future benefits.  

This same principle applies generally to life. To see results, or gains in your life you must invest. With this investment, we are looking at devoting one’s time, effort, or energy, etc., to a particular undertaking with the expectation of getting a particular result. 

Until you understand life from this perspective you are bound to fail. This is because you will leave out key principles or some vital elements that will ensure your success and greatness. 

One fact of life that can’t be denied is that your level of investment in life will determine your level of ultimate attainment. This truth cuts across the two realms of life, that is, the natural and the spiritual. For instance, people who devote their time to study in their academics or career end up doing well in the natural world. Likewise, people who spend time praying, fasting, and studying the word of God, also become stalwarts in spiritual things. Where your investment goes determines where you will shine!

You see, investment is sacrificial and involves great discipline but has a reward. Therefore, you must not take it lightly when investing into your life. Constant study, determination, perseverance, and self-control are but a few virtues that would enable an individual who wants to invest into his life.

Jesus said in John 12:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it dies, it bringeth forth much fruit.”  This verse gives us the principle of investment. It teaches that, to have something you must be willing to sow something. In other words, if you don’t give out something, you will not receive anything. You must invest- that is your corn of grain falling into the ground.

You must invest into your spiritual life and the things that also concern you naturally before you can have a place of prominence.

Don’t take life for a joke. Take actions that will lift you from one level to another.

Read: John 12:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it dies, it bringeth forth much fruit.”  

Prayer: Heavenly father I pray for the wisdom to know the right investments and actions to make for my life. In Jesus Name

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:25)
Waiting plays a significant role in our hope towards God. Your ability to wait patiently on God in dire seasons of life shows great hope.
Unfortunately, many believers are not patient enough to wait.

Bible says “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” ( Isaiah 40:31)
You see anytime you wait on God your strength is renewed.

Waiting period doesn’t mean a period of inactivity, on the contrary, waiting demands that you engage in a lot of spiritual activities.

For instance, when a sower puts a seed in the ground, he must wait for it to germinate. During that period of waiting, he must apply manure, water the soil, give adequate sunlight,etc. He does all these while waiting for germination to begin.

Similarly, as a believer, your waiting period must be full of spiritual exercise. You must keep on praising the Lord, you must worship and keep a positive confession, knowing that in the right time God will show up.

Dont loose your hope while waiting. Waiting period is a period of renewal. It builds in you tenacity and strength.

Dont quickly exit the doors of waiting on the lord .

Read: Isaiah 64:4
For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

Prayer: Lord, I pray that you will give me the grace to wait upon you all the seasons of my life.

God has never ceased to prove to humanity how willing He is to provide for us. He is not only willing but able to also do whatever we may ask of him according to his will.

Just think about it, if God didn’t spare his only son but willingly gave him up for us, can he not give us the healing, prosperity and any other thing we may need?
“He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

Don’t be limited in your asking. God is willing and God is able.

Look at how Jesus responded to a man who questioned his willingness.
“And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed(Matthew 8:2-3).

Today take courage in this truth: God is ever Willing and Capable to handle your situation. He will always hasten to perform.

Read: Jeremiah 32:27
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your willingness to handle every situation of mine for my good.