Receiving your Healing

READ: Mk. 2:3-12, MORE LESSONS: Mk. 11:22-31

All the miracles of Jesus have lessons for us and make our situations easier to respond to His healing power. In our text today, Jesus encountered a terrible case in Capernaum, which was like His operational headquarters. Expectedly, much crowd followed Him, looking for one miracle or the other.

The case of the paralysed man and his faithful helpers brought tremendous lessons in trusting God for a near impossible healing. 1) The helpers were not discouraged by the barrier (the crowd). Don't quit. Trust God for what next. 2) They removed the roof in order to have a way. Where there is a will, there is a way. Be determined that God the healer will make a way for your healing. 3) They broke the ceiling and let down the man in front of Jesus. Break your hindrances and take a step of faith to come to God's presence. No one who is determined to receive anything while in the presence of God ever gets disappointed. 4) Jesus saw their faith. God must see your faith; when you trust Him, He is excited to prove His ability and power on your behalf. 5) Jesus forgave the sick man's sins. Christ cleanses totally so that Satan will not have any reason to return affliction to a person that receives healing. 6) The man received his healing despite the unbelieving Pharisees around. God is depending on your faith in Him for your healing, And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all.… Mk.2:12. You too will go forth today with your miracles no matter the hindrances and difficulties, in Jesus' mighty name. You will win over whatever has kept you down. And you will not lack faithful and committed friends at the hour of need.

The absence of friends who can go an extra mile like the friends of this sick man is responsible for the untimely death and affliction of many today. As you believe God for such helpers, pray also that God will use you to be a dependable hand for somebody needing help to come out of an affliction. Be a healing hand today, heal and be healed! Whoever carries whatever you need for a healing, you will not miss him/her. And whatever obstacle you need to overcome to reach your miracle you will overcome. I prophesy today is a healing day!

PRAYER/ACTION

* Rebuke every force of paralysis, physical, financial and otherwise.

* Refuse to be helpless in life.

* Renounce and destroy the power of sin that could be responsible for your affliction and receive forgiveness and healing.

Anoint yourself and everyone around you for healing.

Give thanks for answered prayer. Take a step of faith and do what you couldn’t do before. I see healing of any sickness. Receive it, it's a healing day!

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Enduring Works

TEXT: I Cor. 3:6-15, MORE LESSONS: Jn. 4:34-38.

From today's reading we can see that every believer has an assignment in the Kingdom of God as no one is saved to be redundant or idle. There is a part in God's vineyard that you were created to tend. It could be to plant, to water or to build; everyone is called to labour together with God. However, it is not every work that will get to the point of reward, every man's work shall be tested I Cor. 3:13; some works will burn but the works that endure will be rewarded.

In order to have works that will earn rewards at the end, it is vital to consider factors that can help you.

1. The work must be by the Lord and to the Lord, not with eye service, but with singleness of heart -Col. 3:22-23.

2. It must be done to serve the Lord-Col. 3:24.

3. It must be done without murmuring -Phil. 2:14.

4. It must be done without strife, selfish motive or vain glory-Phil. 2:3.

5. It must be done faithfully -I Cor. 4:2.

6. It must be done in humility-Phil. 2:8.

Check the work you are doing in the Lord's house. Does it have these characteristics? In order for your work to abide, you must ask God for the right attitude to the work. Doing anything presumptuously may bring no reward, so check yourself today so that you will be bountifully rewarded after your labour here on earth. The works that will be rewarded must be those that are done according to the will of the Father ...My meat is to do the will of him that sent me…. Ananias and Sapphira did the work of God but not according to the will of God, they had instant judgment instead of speedy reward (Acts 5:1-10). The Pharisees did their praying, fasting and alms giving for public applause and praise, ...They have their reward Matt. 6:2-4 which is the praise of men.

However, men like Paul worked and testified, Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.... II Tim. 4:8-10. In the name of Jesus, you will not work in vain. Your labour in the Kingdom will not be a waste. Every of your contributions as usher, cleaner, giver, helper, Sunday School teacher, security, singer, counsellor, driver, protocol, physical planning etc, shall be blessed, in Jesus' name. But work as unto the Lord, no murmuring, no complaint, no eye service, no praise of men. Work unconditionally.

PRAYER/SECTION

* Ask the Holy Spirit to check your work now and help you offer an acceptable service to the Lord from today.

* Ask the Lord to purge you of wrong and unacceptable works.

* Ask God to forgive you every past murmuring and complaint in His service, right or wrong.

* Ask the Lord to bring to manifestation His blessings upon your service.

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Overcoming the Flesh in Prayer II

TEXT: Matt. 14:13-23, MORE LESSONS: Col. 3:1-6

The need for us to battle the enemy of prayer is crucial. All men who conquered in the place of prayer had to first deal with the enemy within. Even Jesus had to. The flesh loves comfort, pleasure and cannot tolerate stress or pain for any reason. On the other hand, so much of self-demand and deliberate consecration is needed to make effective prayers like Jesus, When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart.... Matt. 14:13. The people followed Jesus to the desert but after providing dinner for them, He sent the people (including His disciples) away and instead of going to rest, He went up to a mountain to pray till night. Though the flesh must have desired otherwise, the need to pray prevailed over the flesh. When it comes to prayer, you must ensure that the flesh is disciplined enough to respond to the higher call.

The news of the brutal death of John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin and a covenant brother, was enough to create an atmosphere of sorrow around Jesus but He quickly left the location of the news. Any man who desires to pray must ensure that the atmosphere around him is conducive for the good work. Just like

 Jesus, if the atmosphere around you is not good for prayer, change it, any how. A negative atmosphere is all that your flesh needs to stop you from praying, therefore work it out so that you don't help the flesh to hinder you.

The extent to which you allow the flesh in your life will determine how far you go in prayer and spiritual things generally. I have concentrated on the area of the flesh and prayer not because the flesh does not affect other areas of life but because victory in the place of prayer is essentially victory all round. A sinning man’s prayer is not acceptable to God and a praying man cannot sin.

Prayer is a tool to overcome the flesh and victory over the flesh is a prerequisite for answered prayers. Don't treat your falling and rising Christian life with kid gloves, it's a manifestation of a winning flesh and is capable of paralysing every area of your Christian life, including prayer. Deal with it by confessing God's Word and promises; feed more on the sincere milk of the Word, exercise your faith in the Word and pray in the spirit often. Winning over the flesh is a victory for answered prayers. Believe you cannot be defeated. If you have fallen, get up now and keep up the faith, Jesus died for your victory.

PRAYER/ACTION

* Ask God to deliver you from every form of fleshly living and weakness.

* Ask for God's help to be able to renew your mind daily by His Word and thus give no room for the flesh.

* Identify specific areas of weakness in your life and ask God's Spirit to deliver you.

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Overcoming the Flesh in Prayer I

READ: Matt. 26:37-46, MORE LESSONS: Rom.12:1-2

The flesh is scripturally defined as the human nature and desire; it is a great enemy of God (Rom.8:8). The flesh is one great enemy of prayer and a man who has not conquered his flesh cannot enjoy a consistent prayer life.

The force of the flesh is at work when the mind wanders in prayer, and it is difficult to concentrate, or sleep takes over or you just can’t pray for a long time. Serious self discipline is required and sometimes deliverance may be sought. Discipline may include taking uncomfortable positions like Jesus had to until His sweat became like blood. Elijah put his head in between his legs (I Kings 18:42).

At another time Jesus moved into the wilderness without food and water for forty days and nights. Often He got up a great while before day (Mk.1:35), and trekked sometimes far to a mountain top to pray. In today's reading we see Jesus battling with the flesh. Spiritually He came for the purpose of redemption but physically it was too much to accomplish. Although He knew that the solution was to pray, He was too downcast to pray. He therefore had to fight the flesh by perseverance (Matt.26:39).

The lesson here is that the flesh resists prayer but you must not give in to the flesh, the more you feel like not praying the more you should pray. This may take discipline but it is not impossible. Obviously, the flesh is an enemy of the Spirit and until the flesh, which consists of the mind (the thinking faculty), feelings and emotions is conquered by a believer, godly, spiritual activities remain a struggle.

Apostle Peter was one disciple who had to battle with the flesh all through Jesus' ministry. Although a disciple, his flesh almost sent him out of the Kingdom like Judas. When at work the flesh is not a respecter of title or position.

The Word of God and a daily refilling with the Holy Ghost is the antidote to the flesh crisis. When the Holy Ghost came upon Peter at Pentecost, all loose and thoughtless speaking ended, the same tongue that landed him in trouble became a tool for preaching, bringing thousands into the Kingdom. When Apostle Paul began to renew his mind (thinking life) with the Word of God he prevailed over the flesh. For victory in the place of prayer and in life generally, give yourself to reading the Word more often and to praying in the spirit constantly. Paul and Peter won, you will win.

PRAYER/ACTION

* Rebuke every manifestation of the flesh against your spiritual life.

* Ask God for strength against your fleshly desires.

* Command the power that helped Jesus in Gethsemane to come upon you now

* Ask that everything that strengthens the flesh be destroyed in your life to its roots.

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