War against Worry II

Text: Psa.30:1-12 

More Lessons: Jer.31:31-34

Worry is a deadly mindset but much more than just being a mindset, it is a spirit that transmits that evil mindset; a demonic force that can take hold of a person's mind and soul until it totally destroys the individual. The force of worry is very slow and subtle, devouring like a cancerous cell, as it tightens its grip by spreading quickly but quietly. It is usually found to operate in partnership with other deadly forces like sin, fear, guilt, unbelief, shame e.t.c. Only those who have risen to the realisation of their relationship with God can withstand and resist this force and its works.

The eyes and ears are the doorways to a man's mind, the devil knows this so he seeks to plant seeds of worry in your heart by the things you continuously see, hear and allow to dominate your mind. He releases evil suggestions into your mind to try to derail your trust and confidence in God. This was Job’s experience as captured in Job 3:25, For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. Job had nursed hidden seeds of fear and anxiety in his heart that almost clouded his judgment of the situations that overtook him. This is the same strategy the kingdom of darkness deploys today. But in Christ is all the power to live above the devices of the devil, Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you Jam.4:7. When you submit your mind and thoughts to God you instantly receive power to resist the devil and watch him take off in flight.

David says in Psa.23:1,The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. His confidence was in the Lord . He saturated his mind with thoughts of the Lord and he confessed it. Irrespective of the enemy’s suggestions of possible lack and poverty to him, he remained firm, grounded and rooted in the fact that his God was able to provide for his needs and wants. And it was evident in his life and rule that of a truth, God is a good shepherd to those who trust in Him. The worries of the past are history if you will trust God as your shepherd and provider always. I prophesy over your life today, on the audacity of God's Word that every seed, plant or tree of worry that my Father has not planted in your heart be uprooted and burnt in the consuming fire now, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action

*Destroy every seed of Satan in your conscious and sub- conscious mind by the shed blood of Christ.

* Resist every hidden work of demons in your heart and mind, in Jesus’ name.

* Ask the Lord to fulfill all your good desires and set ablaze every negativity in your mind, in Jesus’ name.

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War against Worry I

Text: Matt.6:25-32 

More Lessons: Phil.4:6-7

What you spend your thoughts and minds upon determines what dominates your life. Your thinking determines your experience, your mind is the control panel of your life because according to Pro. 23:7, For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.... So there is unquestionably incredible power in the kind of thoughts that you allow in your mind because it determines the direction of your will and ultimately the course of your actions.

Man is naturally programmed to worry about his needs and wants. The wants and needs of man are unending so that the more you have, the more you want to have. The things of this world cannot satisfy and this is why man is unsatiable. And as the needs, wants and desires continue to grow, the worry and anxiety for them also develop roots in man's heart leaving the soul drained and parched from the unsatisfied yearnings.

This force of unending worry becomes the god of man because he is motivated by his worries and not by God's Word. Behavioural scientist and psychologist Abraham Maslow who, after studying the motivations of human behavior (actions) concluded that all human behaviour is driven by the same basic "hierarchy of needs" such as food, drink, clothes, housing, protection, security etc.

Jesus is speaking emphatically in our text about these worries of mankind and how to overcome them. The key word in the passage is …take no thought…. The original Aramaic rendering of that phrase means “to think with anxious distracting solicitude over a matter”. Therefore, it will be a total misunderstanding of the context of the instruction of Jesus to say that we are not to be prudent, careful or even thoughtful in the matters of life and wellbeing. The point is that you must never let your desire distract you from the focus of the Christian life which is the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

God promised that if you re-arrange your priorities to align with God's Kingdom, all the things that people worry about will be yours on a platter of gold because God is able to provide for your needs. You can win the war against worry and anxiety if you will cast all your cares upon the Lord daily. Re-arrange your  priorities today, put God first and watch Him bless you beyond boundaries.

Prayer/Action

* Pray against the spirit of anxiety and worry plaguing your life and receive delieverance.

* Receive the spirit of boldness and courage for fruitful living, in Jesus’ name.

Personalise 1Peter 5:7 and recite it everyday for the next 15 days.

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Don't Give Up on God IV

Text: Psa.30:1-12 

More Lessons: Jer.31:31-34

In our Christian race, there are several instances that by our behaviour, we make God really angry. Sometimes it is so bad you almost conclude that God can never listen to you again. Whenever you feel God is so angry with you for your misbehaviour, remember David' s testimony in Psalm30:5, For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life…, weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. I want you to know that if you don't give up, joy will be the end of your pain. In this scripture the Bible says God's anger does not endure forever.

So, even if your affliction or pain came as a result of your sin and God is not happy with you, know this that His anger does not endure forever! So your pain cannot endure forever if you can choose to endure. Anytime the people of God choose to endure pain, the pain doesn't last. I am so excited about verse 5 of our first passage, For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night.... No matter the depth of your weeping, I am excited to tell you that it will endure for a night. It simply means that even your pain is tired and is only enduring. The pain is not even sure of continuing, the Bible says “it may”. So, it is not even all the time that pain has enough strength to stay on. The more strength you attain in the place of faith by refusing to give up, the weaker the satanic forces become in pursuing you. The moment you embrace this truth, in the days of your weakness, God will strengthen you to keep going.

There is this proverb in my place that if a masquerade is pursuing, you don't stop running. Don't even get tired or give up for whatever reason because the way you are running and getting tired the masquerade is also going to get tired. It doesn't matter the intensity and the strength of your affliction, you can win over your affliction. The Bible says it cannot stay forever. Be encouraged never to give up on God because your pain cannot be forever. The Bible says that weeping, which is the consequence of pain and the manifestation of sorrow, may endure only for a night. I want you to accept that all the time you have been under one pain or trouble or affliction is just for a night. Arise in celebration because joy comes in the morning. I see joy coming; I see a new day coming for you. I see a new morning coming your way. If that morning must meet you then you must stay connected to God.

Prayer/Action

* Thank God that no matter the pain, your joy must come in the morning.

* Ask for God's grace to stay connected with Him in your period of pain.

*Pray to focus on the joy that comes in the morning than the pain that endures for a night.

* Decide never to give up on God over that pain till it expires.

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Don't Give Up on God III

Text: Lk.18:1-8

 More Lessons: Gen.32:24-26

Prayer is a solid communion with God through which we give adoration, confession of sin, thanksgiving and supplication. When we put requests before God, it is a wonderful thing to tarry and never give up until we get the answers from Him. We are looking at the example of the woman who tarried in the place of prayer and eventually got an answer.

In our first passage Jesus Himself was teaching about a parable that encourages us to keep praying, And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint v 1. Jesus knew that situations will come our way that will discourage us, that will give us an impression that God is not answering or will never answer us. Jesus knew that there could be hindrances to prayer that could make us feel as if we are not getting what we are looking for, so we look for another way to get what we want. Jesus is mindful of our weaknesses and that is why He teaches us never to give up.

Peradventure you are discouraged and downcast about a matter primarily because you have worked at it several times but it didn't work, don't give up. If you did not see the physical manifestation of your answered prayer while you are praying, is it when you stop praying that you expect the answer? It could be that you have tried praying about it, given all that you know to give, cried, fasted and the answer still didn't come. That's not strange to Heaven, thus Jesus said, …men ought always to pray and not to faint v1, which means it is known to Heaven that men can faint. So when it happens to you it is not a reason why Heaven will not answer you, you only need to stay on. Refuse to faint, it is possible to be discouraged but you must rise beyond the discouragement.

 I trust God will avenge for you today. He will rise up and speak on your behalf. He will answer for you where you cannot enter. The Bible says that this woman came begging the judge, pleading, avenge me of my enemy…and he would not for a while vs 3-4 which means your setbacks are for a while, they won't last forever. Barrenness, lack of job and failure are for a while and none will ever be forever. Refuse to heed the silent or loud voice of Satan that your matter before God is closed or that God will not answer you. Don't give up on God. He will do it.

Prayer/ Action

* Pray for more strength to tarry in the place of prayer.

* Ask God to avenge you of your enemies.

* Promise God that you will never give up until He answers you.

* More than ever before, begin to see the challenges of life as temporary.

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