What sets a Christian apart to enjoy a life of perpetual victory in a world where everyone is striving to thrive against odds? How is it possible to enjoy a victorious christian life in our current world? This is what this study series is about.
Faith perceives things which are not tangible to the human senses as real. This means that with faith, believing comes before seeing.
In Mark 11:24, Jesus says we are to believe that we have received whatever we are praying for, at the time of prayer, not when we see the answers to our prayers with our physical eyes, and not after we’ve expereinced them.
In this bible study video, I briefly explore the concept of biblical Hope, showing the relationship between Hope and Faith, and the link between these two and our divine healing experience.
Faith is the confidence, conviction and assurance that we have received the things we are believing from God, without having a physical evidence of these things . This definition of faith is better appreciated when we read Hebrews 11:1 from the Amplified Classic Version…
“NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].” Hebrews 11:1 AMPC
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 NKJV
“And our hope for you [our joyful and confident expectation of good for you] is ever unwavering (assured and unshaken); for we know that just as you share and are partners in [our] sufferings and calamities, you also share and are partners in [our] comfort (consolation and encouragement).” 2 Corinthians 1:7
“Remember the word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope.” Psalms 119:49
Without faith there will be no hope, because faith receives from God, by hearing and believing His Word (Romans 10:17) and Hope holds on to what Faith has received.
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 NKJV
“But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” Romans 8:24-25 NKJV
4. Hope needs evidence because it is based on what is not seen physically.
“For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” Romans 8:24-25 NKJV
The healing process starts once faith has received healing by faith. However, if it happens that healing doesn’t manifest immediately, Hope holds on to what faith has received until it shows up.
Faith says I am healed.
Hope says ‘It will surely manifest’. Hope does not disappoint.
God loves us and wants us healed, so our healing will surely show if we hold on to God’s Word.
“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5 NKJV
Shalom!
Blessings & Love Always..
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Are you a leader? Do you want to be influential? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then this study series ‘Wisdom for Influence’ should interest you. Join me, let’s learn together.
“Influence is the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something” -Oxford Dictionary.
A person of influence is someone with leadership in a given sphere, someone whose words, presence or actions motivates and drives people to act or respond in a particular way.
According to John C. Maxwell; “the true measure of leadership is influence nothing more, nothing less“.
The webster unabridged dictionary defines wisdom as the capacity to make due use of knowledge.
From the Bible, we learn that the preeminent and choice part of wisdom comes from a reverent fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10), and insights into the workings of life come from the knowledge of God. The bible remains the truest, purest and most reliable source of the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:6).
The topic ‘Wisdom for Influence’ aims to explore biblical insights and approaches to leadership for wider application to everyday life. So if you are you occupy any leadership position or seeks to be influential, then you need wisdom for influence.
Like we see with the shrewd manager in Luke 16:1-8, influence can be bought. Influence can also be gotten through philanthropy and generosity (Acts 9:36-43). However as we read throught the bible, we find that widespread and overwhelming influence is orchestrated by God.
Abraham is celebrated across different religions as a great patriarch. How did Abraham become so influential?
God’s promise to Abraham in Ur before he departed for the promise land was a promise to make him influential…
“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bleoss those wh bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Abraham accumulated great wealth through his sojourn from Ur to Canaan, and although Abraham was a hardworking farmer and herdsman, in Genesis 12:2-3 God states clearly that He is the One who would make Abraham influential. Indeed, God repeats and emphasizes the word “I” at least 4 times in that portion of scripture.
In 2 Chronicles 1:11-12, Solomon asks God for wisdom to lead and govern His people, in response, God promises to give Solomon great wealth, riches, honor and glory. Solomon’s influence came from God.
True influence comes from God. He is the One who exalts and promotes (Psalms 75:6-7).
Abraham trusted God, obeyed God and walked by faith in God’s Word. He left his comfort zone at Ur to an unknown land. Can you imagine relocating from where you currently reside to an unknown destination because a voice told you so?
Abraham exhibited great faith walking into the unknown simply at God’s command.
God’s response to Solomon followed Solomon’s request for God’s help in governance.
Solomon was grateful for God’s kindness and goodness towards his father David. He was grateful for the kingdom God gave him to be king over; ‘a nation as full of people as the earth is full of dust‘ (2 Chronicles 1:9). And a grateful Solomon wanted so desperately to boast of The Lord’s goodness and to display God’s magnanimity towards him and his household. Therefore he assembled all the army officers and judges of Gibeon and all political/religious leaders of Israel at the Old Tabernacle for a showdown. After 1000 burnt offerings, God responded to Solomon’s gratitude by issuing him a blank cheque-he can ask for whatever he wants. Solomon asked for wisdom to lead God’s people. In otherwords, Solomon asked for Wisdom for Influence
“Then God said to Solomon: “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life—but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king— wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like.” II Chronicles 1:11-12 NKJV
Just reading a bit of Abraham’s and Solomon’s journey to influence we see that total dependence on God is necessary for enjoying Godly influence. We must trust, believe and have faith in God and His Word and also be ready to obey and follow His leading, living in total submission to His will.
Please join me in the next part as we consider another wisdom nugget for influence.
A grateful Solomon wanted so desperately to boast of The Lord’s goodness and display His magnanimous doings towards him and his household. Therefore he assembled all the army officers and judges of Gibeon and all political/religious leaders of Israel at the Old Tabernacle for a showdown!
God wants us healthy, well and enjoying life (3 John 1:2). He wants us to enjoy life and life more abundantly (John 10:10). So, the scripture is replete with admonitions on ways to live, life choices to make in order to enjoy long life. Below I share a few of them..
A kingdom is a territory, domain or realm ruled by a king or queen who is the highest authority and who may choose to delegate same as he/she wishes. The day you made Jesus Lord and Saviour of your life, you were translated from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of God and of His dear son Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:13). You are a member of the Kingdom of God. You are royalty (1 Peter 2:9).Kings reign and rule kingdoms through words. Their decrees become established and they govern their domains through words. Kings issue commands and processes are immediately set in motion for actualization of such commands. Jesus spoke extensively about the Kingdom of God, making reference to it many times in His teachings and parables. In Matthew 16:19, Jesus reveals the Keys of the Kingdom of God to His disciples…
“And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19
Words have power. Words are seeds. Decrees and Judgements are passed through words.
Little wonder Jesus marvelled at the Centurion’s words in Luke 7:7-9. This man understood Ecclesiastes 8:4-5 all too well….there is power in the Words of a king (Ecclesiastes 8:4-5).
The keys to unlocking every blessing in the Kingdom of God is in our words/decrees, and the keys to condemning/refuting every consequence of the curse is in our words/judgement.
Wisdom and discernment help proper use and application of decrees or judgment (Ecclesiastes 8:5). Thi is how an empty and voidless space became home to plants, animals, man (Genesis chapter 1). And how a seed of words becomes a big company/organisation offering employment and source of livelihood to many (Luke 13:18-19).
The keys of the Kingdom of God …..decrees…..judgements…. communicated through words. Loose/unlock your blessings, judge/bind every curse or a semblance of the curse.
You are royalty; your words have power. Your words are the keys to unlocking every blessing in the Kingdom of God. And words are the keys to condemning/refuting everything with semblance to the curse.
Shalom!
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Jesus is with you always; God is with you.
And when God is with you, His power and might is evident in your life.
When God is with you, His blessing is present in your life.
When God is with you, prosperity is inevitable in your life.
When God is with you, you succeed in all you do.
When God is with you, favor surrounds you as a shield.
When God is with you, your promotion is inevitable.
When a young man wants to propose to a young lady, he might choose to package the engagement ring in a beautiful attractive and alluring box. The box, inspire of how beautiful it looks, is not the main gift, his target is to deliver the contents of the box to the lady he loves.
