Be of good cheer, Jesus is in you

Do you believe God has called you to minister His Word but somehow you are not exactly sure if you are ready? Whether your call is as an Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and/or Teacher (Ephesians 4:11), I believe that after becoming aware that you have a call, the next important thing is to know when you are ready. To be ready, you have to have gone through a preparatory process.

Preparation for Your Call

God is the One who calls us, He is the One who assigns each of the 5 ministry gifts.

“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”
Ephesians 4:7‭-‬8 NKJV

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,“
Ephesians 4:11 NKJV

As we see in Ephesians 4:12-13, God gives these gifts for the good of the Body of Christ.

“for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;“
Ephesians 4:12‭-‬13 NKJV

These gifts are actually offices and roles. So God doesn’t just give us the gifts, He prepares us to function effectively and efficiently in the different offices. I believe though, that God chooses how best to accomplish this, depending on the assigned office. For example, Peter did not have the same preparatory experience as Paul.

Through the Gospels, we find that Jesus walked His disciples through a preparatory process. Teaching, Coaching, Mentoring, Field Work (sent them out 2/2), Faith Exploits, etc, then He Breathed on them before the actual baptism in Acts 1:8. So Jesus groomed the 12 disciples Himself, they went through stages of preparation. Paul had a different preparatory experience.

Preparation for ministry cannot be by-passed. We just have to be sensitive as to how God is leading us by working closely with and obeying the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes really, we may not know what stage of preparation we are in and whether it is Time. In this blogpost, drawing from Acts 10:38, I share 5 signs that indicate readiness to function in these offices. Note that these may not be the only indicators, but I believe they are key.

Acts 10:38….

“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38 NKJV

Sign #1

• You are anointed with the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is God’s SPECIAL Gift to the Church (the body of Christ).

“I am writing this letter about those who are trying to lead you into the wrong way. Christ gave you a special gift. You still have this gift in you. So you don’t need anyone to teach you. The gift he gave you teaches you about everything. It is a true gift, not a false one. So continue to live in Christ, as his gift taught you.”
1 John 2:26‭-‬27 ERV

The first evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit is Speaking in tongues.

“And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.”

Speaking in tongues is not the only job of the Holy Spirit in us.

The Holy Spirit is our;

Helper (John 14:16, 15:26), Teacher (John 14:26), Guide (John 16:13), Companion (John 14:16), Comforter (2 Corinthians 1:4), Intercessor (Romans 8:26). He Witnesses Christ (John 15:26).

The Holy Spirit manifests the Fruit of the Spirit in us (Galatians 5:22).

The diversity of Manifestations we see in the Body of Christ are from the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12: 8-11).

What Does it mean to be anointed?

In a recent blogpost “When God Anoints You” I shared some major things that happen when someone becomes anointed of God.

To be anointed, as used in Acts 10:38 is to become consecrated for an office or for a service. To consecrate, is to become formally dedicated or ordained for a purpose.

Notice from Acts 10:38 that this anointing is administered directly by God…..it says…..”how God anointed Jesus”

Traditionally, sometimes a priest, prophet or a dedicated vessel carries out the physical act of pouring oil on someone.

Acts 10:38 says God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit; the Special Gift we received from Jesus. This is the only form of anointing recorded of Jesus in the Bible. There is also no mention of the disciples being anointed with oil into service. They were simply prayed for by laying on of hands (Acts 13, Acts 6).

This Special anointing with the Holy Spirit is what prepares us for every good work/service.

“As for you, the anointing [the special gift, the preparation] which you received from Him remains [permanently] in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But just as His anointing teaches you [giving you insight through the presence of the Holy Spirit] about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as His anointing has taught you, you must remain in Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him].”
1 John 2:27 AMP

When anointed with the Holy Spirit, we operate fully in the Spirit of the Lord.

“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord .”
Isaiah 11:2 NKJV

Sign #2

• You are anointed with Power.

Power is inherent strength (ability) and expressed strength (might). Jesus’ power came from the Holy Spirit.

“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38 NKJV

And Jesus said that’s how his followers, disciples are to receive power.

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 NKJV

He relinquished His authority to His disciples.

“Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18‭-‬20 NLT

Power is therefore very necessary for fulfilling your call; …

To witness boldly.

To teach

To make disciples

To perform miracles, signs and wonders.

You will never know how much power that is at work in you until you put your faith to work (selah).

Sign #3

• You know Your Office.

Having a job title/description appropriately identifies you and also clarifies your role. It gives you focus. Jesus came as Saviour/Messiah of all and He went about doing good and healing all.

“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38 NKJV

“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:11 NKJV

Paul was an apostle, there is no doubt about that. His various letters to different Churches/groups attests to this (Colossians, Thessalonians, Ephesians, Hebrews, etc).

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,“
I Timothy 1:1 NKJV

One of Jesus’s admonitions to Peter was to ‘feed my sheep‘ (John 21:17). That wasn’t about physical food, but the Spiritual food of the Word. Peter’s office was to teach about Christ-The Word.

Which of the 5 Ministry Gifts is yours? Have you located your office? Be a good steward of the gifts and talents entrusted to your care (Luke 19:11-26). Trust God enough to launch out. Don’t bury your talents.

Sign #4

• You know your Target Population and your message. Jesus’s target population was ALL who are oppressed/bound/limited by the devil.

“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38 NKJV

Paul was sent to the Gentiles.

“For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,”
Romans 11:13 NKJV

You may be sent to a local Church, to a nation, tribe, people or on a global mission. Who is your target audience?

Secondly, what area of grace are you primarily appointed to operate in?; faith, love, hope, prosperity, leadership, etc. (I think this kind of connects with who you are).

Thirdly, each of these 5 Ministry Gifts is a leadership role. Have you ever thought about that? Are you ready to lead? If you want followers then you have to be ready to lead. Are you ready for influence and responsibility?

Sign #5

• You recognize the central role God plays in your calling.

Jesus having come on earth as man, could only accomplish His work because “God was with Him”

“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38 NKJV

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
John 15:5 NKJV

As for you, the anointing [the special gift, the preparation] which you received from Him remains [permanently] in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But just as His anointing teaches you [giving you insight through the presence of the Holy Spirit] about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as His anointing has taught you, you must remain in Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him].”
1 John 2:27 AMP

Without the Vine, the branch can do nothing.

So, what stage of preparation are you in right now? ?.

That is the same question I am asking myself? ?

May The Lord Bless and Keep you ❤

When people ask; “how are you going to make it?”

Tell them; “The Lord God will do it“.

“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.”
Genesis 12:2 NKJV

“I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water.”
Isaiah 41:18 NKJV

“Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:19 NKJV

I, The Lord God Almighty, will do it.

What Is Prayer?

Prayer is conversation, communication and fellowship with God borne out of love and with a consciousness of what God has already done in the sacrifice of His son Jesus.

It is important we understand that the effectiveness or efficacy of prayer doesn’t have much to do with it’s length, how often we pray, or the intensity of our shout but rather it is our faith in God and His word that matters (Hebrews 11:6). Importantly effective prayers must be in line with God’s will, plan and purpose for us.

Talking about length of Prayer, Jesus was a bit disappointed that Peter, and the other 2 disciples couldn’t pray with Him for at least an hour(Matthew 26:40). While this doesn’t in anyway mean that God doesn’t have ears for shorter prayers, it might guide minimum time spent in prayer.

And ofcourse we remember Jesus’ story of the widow who wearied a king with repeated request for same thing (Luke 18:5). So praying about one thing over and over may not guarantee it will receive the expected response, but praying without ceasing is an admonition from scripture we don’t want to forget in a hurry (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Below are five guides for effective prayer.

Prayer Guide #1

• Pray and ask in faith.
  Praying in faith means our expectations are based on God’s Word and trust that we will have them. It involves making request to God and speaking to circumstances in order to make them conform to our desires, without doubts in our heart (Mark11: 22-23). A prayer of faith is backed up by actions (works) and also followed with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving here is an affirmation that we believe we’ve received answers to our prayers.

Prayer Guide #2

• Ask according to the will of God.
  I John 5:14-15 gives us the exclusive privilege that God hears us always when we pray according to His will (His written word). It also means He answers us if we pray according to His stipulated pattern. For example James 5:16b talks about an effectual fervent (heartfelt, specific in purpose, filled with zeal (energy) and fervency, continuous) prayer. Isaiah 43:26 says bring forth your strong reasons. Some prayers require a petition, an agreement, a command or an intercession etc.

Prayer Guide #3

• Pray in the name of Jesus. In John 16:23-24 Jesus said ‘whatever you ask the Father in my name He will give you’. We can alter circumstances, cast out demons and demand for something due us by the authority we have in the name of Jesus.

Prayer Guide #4

• Pray prophetic prayers.
  This refers to the prayer in which you speak the will (mind) and purpose of God into being by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. An example is Jonah’s prayer to God when he was in the belly of the fish. (Jonah 2:1-4). As the Bible says; you shall decree a thing and it shall be established.

Prayer Guide #5

• Offer praise and thanksgiving.
  We activate the power of God at work in us when we praise God and offer thanksgiving to Him. For example, King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:14-19, Paul and Silas in Acts 16:22-26.

“praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints”
Ephesians 6:18 NKJV

Summarily, we have a Father who is willing and able to meet all our requests. This is our confidence.

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
I John 5:14 NKJV

…….

Thank you so much Ada for your article. Indeed, prayer is a life saving skill every Christian should learn. As you rightly pointed out effective prayers are those prayed in the Spirit and according to the Word offered with thanksgiving and in the name of Jesus.

God bless you Ada.

Friends, a few years ago, someone wrote us on Talk With Grace Obomanu, my online Christian Counseling platform on Facebook asking why God hasn’t answered his prayers. Our response to him is shared here …….Why Hasn’t God Answered Me? Be blessed.

Remember you can now publish on Grace Obomanu Blog (under the Christian Life Saving Skills Category). Simply email your articles to graceobomanu@gmail.com. Together we are making known the Beauty and Benefits of our Belief, thereby giving others the opportunity to believe too. That is what the Father’s Business is all about.

Love Always

Grace Obomanu. 

There is always a temptation to hurriedly get to the top, become the recognized owner of a building or an enterprise, to establish a presence, make a name, become known. Nothing wrong with that really, if we are moving at God’s speed and if we have a solid foundation (in God).

when God (not man) establishes our financial integrity, He will entrust us with True Riches to enable us manage whatever Project and Resources (human, material, financial) He (already) planned and designed us for.

He doesn’t just have the answer to What Is My Purpose In Life?, He knew about every stage, every day and every moment of my life.

Going forward, please expect to read highlights of all published articles for the previous month, praise reports and a preview of upcoming events for the next month from this site.

My prayer, my heart cry. My honest desire and hope. All of YOU in me, Jesus.

Every self erased. No hurt harboured, no bitterness, resentment, anger, pain, envy, jealousy. No place in me for the expression of self and carnality. All of YOU Jesus.

All of Your love. All of Your faith. All of your passion and commitment to the Father’s Business. All of Your grace.

All of Your peace. All of the healing You bought for me. All of Your manifest provision and abundance, to accomplish the job You have entrusted to my care. That Your people may know You Jesus. And that they may know the Father. That they may appreciate the dept of Your great love with which You loved them. That they may find hope, love and peace in You. All of You Jesus. Until my job is done.

Done, dusted and delivered fully. Nothing left undone. Done in good health and strength, because the number of my days have been set by You; nothing and no one can change it. I am kept safe in the Father through You Jesus. You renew my youth like the eagle’s. My Lord and Saviour.

Gold, gold, pure gold, that’s how I am coming out. Pure gold, refined by the Master Himself. Fit for purpose. Built to last. Unrestrained, unstoppable, undeterred, undaunted and yet meek and lowly.

All of YOU in me Jesus. All of YOU❤

Praise the Lord ! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.

The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.

He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.

Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.

The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground.

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God,

Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains. He gives to the beast its food, And to the young ravens that cry.

He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.

Praise the Lord , O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!

For He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed your children within you. He makes peace in your borders, And fills you with the finest wheat.

He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly. He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes; He casts out His hail like morsels;

Who can stand before His cold? He sends out His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.

He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any nation; And as for His judgments, they have not known them.

Praise the Lord !

Psalms 147:1‭-‬20 NKJV

Halleluyah