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Tag: Bible

Christian Living

By His Stripes (V)

Be Sensitive; Walk With The Holy Spirit

By His Stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:4-5).

God walks with us at the level of our faith. Whether our faith is little, great or exceedingly great, Jesus is available to walk with us. Yes God abhors ‘No faith’, however, a faith as little as a mustard seed can set things in motion for us (Luke 17:6).

So put your faith to work and be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Make Room for the Holy Spirit to HELP You

Sometimes we are struggling with health conditions that just an inspiration from the Holy Spirit can fix. I am personally becoming increasingly reliant on the Holy Spirit than anything else in deciphering what’s going in my body. And every time I follow His leading to operate in wisdom and make necessary changes or adjustments, my health improves. Sometimes He takes away the anxiety by whispering to me exactly what is going on; no need to panic because sometimes it’s just a physiological process going on in my body that will fade with time.

The Holy Spirit is our Helper and He is available to help us in all every area of life (John 14:16, 16:7).

Discern Demonic Oppressions with the Help of the Spirit

Some sicknesses are results of demonic oppression but we will never know which sickness to cast out the oppressing demon and which to command healing on, if we are not sensitive.

I remember one health challenge I had; I kept saying my healing confessions, breaking bread, etc, there was not much progress. One day as I prayed in the Spirit, I heard clearly in my spirit that “spirits don’t die“. Indeed, this was a new revelation to me. From then I remembered the day it felt as though another individual walked straight into my body, it was almost so real to me. I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t fully understand it. So in trying to overcome this particular health challenge, in addition to saying my healing confessions, I would also pray that any foreign spirit in my body would die.

From the day I got that revelation, the Holy Spirit started guiding me to scriptures where Jesus casted out demons from sick people and they got well. I commanded the oppressing spirit to leave my body. That was the end of that challenge. Just like that.

Follow the Spirit’s leading in your Word Study

The Holy Spirit is not just our teacher but also our guide (John 14:26, John 16:13, Psalm 143:10). We should let Him guide us into all truth of God’s Word as relevant for every season of our life.

I’ve found that many times before a health attack comes to me, God always sends a Word ahead. That Word comes to comfort and charge me up through it all. I believe that this is one way God stays with us through challenging periods, He sends a Word.

But I’ve also realized that I cannot hear or discern what God is saying when I am anxious or in panic mode. So I’ve learnt to relax and trust God. You will not easily hear God in a panic mode, you will struggle with understanding God’s leading in the flesh mode.

So walk in the Spirit as a lifestyle and know at times that by His stripes we are healed.

Allow the Spirit to Comfort and Charge you up

Health challenges or attacks can come to anyone, so don’t get weary or lose faith if they come. Resist them when they come. Do not think the Word is not working because yet another health challenge came. Neither lose faith nor make room to feel depressed.

Your adversary the enemy, roams around every day! (1 Peter 5:8). The good news is that Jesus already came and healed us by His stripes. Halleluyah!

You are a Believer, you are the Righteous. The Righteous lives (daily) by faith (Hebrews 10:38). Every day is a Faith Day! Every day is the day to walk in faith. Stand on the Word of God. Keep saying what the Word says and keep believing it.

Stay Conscious of the Ever-Abiding Presence of the Holy Spirit

Never give up, never give in. Jesus already won the victory.

The Holy Spirit was sent to Abide with us FOREVER. As you stay conscious of being healed by His stripes, never forget this too.

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever“— John 14:16 NKJV

You are not alone, God is Always with you. He is with you through the waters; therefore the rivers will not overflow you, the fire will not burn you, the flame will not scorch you (Isaiah 43:2). Just stay alive and alert in the spirit. Hang in there and keep the Word on your lips.

Halleluyah!!!

God Wants You Well and He Ensured it

God is interested in our spiritual and physical wellbeing (Isaiah 53;4-5, 3 John 1:2) and that is why Jesus carried our sicknesses, pains and sorrows on Himself; in His own body (Isaiah 53:4-5). He did it so that we do not have to bear, carry or suffer any of these things. We are delivered from sin and its consequences. Ignorance about the Word of God on healing or laziness will not stop us from practicing the Word by faith. We will make wise and healthy lifestyle choices and ensure to partake of the Lord’s Body in love.

If our bodies ever become challenged we know just what to do; we will resist sickness and disease by faith in the Word, take authority over them in the name of Jesus, we will remember and profess the sacrifice of Jesus for us and we will intentionally make healthy life decisions. And we will remain confident of the ever-abiding presence of the Holy Spirit- God is with us! We are not alone. By the Stripes of Jesus we are healed.

Glory be to Jesus, for By His Stripes we are healed!!!

Become more sensitive to the leading of the Spirit by becoming strengthened in the innerman.

……………………………………….

Thank you for joining me on this short study series.

Blessings & Love Always ❤

Christian Living

In The Name of Jesus

Therefore it is not just the mere addition of “in Jesus name” that delivers the goods to us. We should also ensure our ‘whatsoever‘ truly represents who and what Jesus is.

Christian Living

By His Stripes (III)

Why Christians Still Suffer Sickness and Disease

So far, we’ve said that God is interested in our spiritual and physical wellbeing (Isaiah 53;4-5, 3 John 1:2). We have also seen that Jesus carried our sicknesses, pains and sorrows on Himself (Isaiah 53:4-5). The reason Jesus did it all is so that we do not have to bear, carry or suffer any of these things. We are delivered from sin and its consequences.

Now, if Jesus did all this so that we can enjoy good health then why do Christians still fall ill?

Below, I share 4 possible reasons from scripture why this can be the case……

1. Ignorance about the Word of God on healing

In Hosea 4:6, God states that His people perish because of lack of knowledge.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Hosea 4:6 NKJV

The devil will always cash-in on anyone’s ignorance of their identity, rights and privileges in Christ to keep such a one in bondage (John 10:10, Luke 13:16). If we believe that Jesus already took away our sicknesses and diseases, then He intends for us to be free of them. So God derives no joy in having is ill. But guess who wants us bound and in chains by sickness and diseases? The enemy of our faith! As we see in Luke 13:16, sickness can be a form of bondage by Satan…..

So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?Luke 13:16 NKJV

The devil seeks to steal, kill and destroy, we should not let him succeed. However, we cannot appropriate and enjoy our benefits in Christ if we are unaware of what the Word says they are. In John 8;32, Jesus said it is the person who knows the truth that can be made free….

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 NKJV

Give time to the Word of God. Lack of knowledge about the Word of God in any area of life will keep you in bondage.

2. Laziness in Practicing the Word

James 1:22 is a short but very strong verse of scripture…..

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22 NKJV

If all we do as believers is; listen to the Word, listen to the Word and listen to the Word again but never act in accordance with what we hear from the Word, James 1:22 says we are DECEIVING ourselves. If we never bring ourselves to practicing what we hear from the Word of God, chances are that we may be lazy or we have not fully accepted the Word as true. So in a sense, not acting on the Word can sometimes be like dancing with unbelief.

God wants us living a life of faith and perpetual victory. And that is only possible when we learn to release our faith through our actions, starting with our words. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God in our mouths.

Today, align your words with God’s Word on healing in order to enjoy your healing benefits in Christ. Remain steadfast with your healing confessions and overtime, you will realize that the Word of God is health to all your flesh, the Word is living, powerful and sharp even as pertains to your health.

3. Making unwise and unhealthy lifestyle choices

Even though we are spirit beings, and dominate our world first in the spiritual realm, our bodies are the means through which we relate directly with our physical world. Our skin, eyes, ears, nose, tongue transmit signals from the world around us to our brains, thus helping us make sense of our world. However, our physical bodies are prone to wear and tear with each day. Therefore not making wise and healthy lifestyle choices can further cause more wear and tear on our bodies.

To fully enjoy our healing benefit in Christ, we must make healthy lifestyle decisions. Eat right (Daniel 1:12-16, Genesis 1:29, 2:16), Exercise right (1 Timothy 4:8), Get enough Sleep/Rest, Maintain good Godly relationships.

4. Not discerning the Lord’s Body

Speaking about the communion, First Corinthians 11:29-30 tells us to recognize that when we partake of the communion, we are actually partaking of the Lord’s Body. And we are that Body! So eating/drinking in a discriminating manner, with hatred and unforgiveness against one another, can make us weak, sick or to die.

For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.I Corinthians 11:29-30 NKJV.

We all sometimes feel angry, offended, betrayed etc, but we must learn to let go of them, we must learn to quickly forgive. We must commit to ourselves to Be More– more in faith, patience, longsuffering, kindness, peace, love (2 Peter 1:5).
And the more we yield to the leading and workings of the Spirit the easier it is to resist the impulses of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). Be led by the Spirit, walk in walk.

Love fulfills all of God’s law (Galatians 5:14‭-‬15). We are born of God, God is love and so we are love. Let us learn to exercise our love nature by making demands on it every time we are tempted to hate or not forgive (Matthew 22:37-39, 1 Corinthians 13:13, Matthew 5:24).

Friends, don’t let the enemy keep you oppressed and depressed. Christ has delivered us from sin, the curse of the law and from the devil’s dominion. He took our pains and sicknesses on Himself and By His Stripes we are healed. So, be knowledgeable about your identity, rights and benefits in Christ, make wise and healthy lifestyle choices and put on the garment of love at all times.

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Blessings & Love Always!

Christian Living

There Is Healing in Your Hands

If believers are to lay hands on the sick to recover, then there is healing power in a believers hand (when used with the authority in the name of Jesus). But how best to prove this except by acting on it.

Christian Living

I Am The Lord that Healeth Thee

Yes, God will send His Word to shine the light into our hearts, bringing illumination and understanding to help us take advantage of all Christ has done, and to help us see that He already healed us (I Peter 2:24). And the Holy Spirit helps us see that God already sent His Word and healed us. So do not let the enemy keep you in bondage with an expectation that your healing is coming from God, no, the Word (Jesus) already came and healed all your diseases.

Bible Study

The Rest Place

And we still have the promise that God gave those people. That promise is that we can enter his place of rest. So we should be very careful that none of you fails to get that promise.”
Hebrews 4:1 ERV

The above verse of scripture, speaks of a promise made by God to a set of people- the Israelites. A promise that according to the writer, can be inherited and experienced today by every believer in Christ Jesus- the promise of A Place of Rest. And one intrinsic attribute of God is that He keeps His promises. Indeed, all of God’s promises in Christ are Yes and Amen!

Hebrews Chapter 3 provides a background to Hebrews chapter 4. The writer briefly recounts the not-so-nice experience of the Israelites in the wilderness over a period of 40 years. According to God, these people were rebellious, they tested and tried Him regularly, and they generally exuded deep and annoying unbelief (Hebrews 3: 7-10). As a result of their choice and way of life, God swore that they will not enter into His rest.

Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘they shall not enter My rest.Hebrews 3:10-11 NKJV

What is The Rest Place of God?

The Rest Place of God is Not a Physical location

Generally speaking, a place is a location, a point or an area. A place is also a position- which can mean someone’s current location or situation. The Rest Place of God is none of these things.

The Rest Place of God is not the Day of Rest

Is The Sabbath the Rest Day?

The word ‘Sabbath’ might mean different days of the week for different people, yet for all Christians, it communicates the idea of a day of rest. For the Jews, the Sabbath day starts at nightfall on Friday and ends on nightfall of Saturday. And while some ‘Christian sects’ try to follow the Jewish Sabbath day routine, others have chosen Sunday as their Sabbath day. It would appear then that the whole concept of recognizing a specific day as the day of rest cannot be applied universally across the Christendom. Maybe what needs to be understood is what exactly the Sabbath stands for.

Understanding the Sabbath

Starting from Genesis 2:2-3, it is recorded that God observed the 7th day as a day of rest after the creation. So God Himself started the Sabbath Day tradition. The Bible records that God rested and was refreshed. So there is a refreshing associated with rest (selah).

Why did God Rest ?

Genesis Chapters 1 and 2 tells us that God created the whole world in 6 days! Everything, Made from Words!! And on the 7th day, God rested. Even though we read that God rested and was refreshed post creation, we are not told that He rested because He was tired. I believe that God rested because He thought to Himself; ‘My work is done, everything is complete and perfect, everything is good!’

God had faith in His Word. He trusted His Word. He knew everything was as good as it should be.

In Exodus Chapter 31:12-18, God gave a very strong command to the Israelites concerning the Sabbath; it was to be observed as a day of rest, a holy day to the Lord. The penalty for speaking ill of the Sabbath was death, anyone who refuses to observe the Sabbath was to be ostracized or killed. So the Sabbath was a big deal to God Almighty. However the Lord Jesus seemed to have neglected this great command of the Sabbath during his ministry.

Jesus walked into grainfields on a Sabbath, His disciples took of the grains of the fields on a Sabbath, Jesus performed miracles on the Sabbath, He taught God’s Word on the Sabbath (Matthew 12: 1-6, 9-14, Luke 13:10-17, Luke 6:5). So in summary, Jesus did not rest on the Sabbath day! And as you can imagine, the religious leaders of His time rebuked Him for not observing the traditions, commands and laws passed down from the fathers. In response to this, Jesus dismissed their allegations as simply hypocritical because they themselves do not commit totally to observing the Sabbath as a day of rest. It would seem that they didn’t even understand what the Sabbath meant. I find it very instructive how Jesus always puts compassion and doing good above keeping laws and offering sacrifices.

So the Rest Place of God is not a location, situation, physical position or a rest day.

So what is The Rest Place of God?

Let’s see Deuteronomy 5:12-15……

‘‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.”
Deuteronomy 5:12‭-‬15 NKJV

Again, we see another mention of the Sabbath and its sacredness here. But see what God says in verse 15; “remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm“…..

So God is saying 2 things here: 1. Do not work on the Sabbath. 2. Remember how you were slaves in Egypt until My mighty hand and outstretched arm brought you out. You were in bondage and helpless until I saved you!

What do these mean?

I believe God was saying; ‘remember when you were so powerless and couldn’t help yourself until I intervened to deliver you; remember this and do not be anxious about working on the Sabbath; remember this and trust that I can take care of you; remember this and trust in My ability to take care of you whether you work or you do not work.’

So indeed, the law about the Sabbath wasn’t necessarily about working or not working but a test of obedience, faith and trust in God. And as far as Jesus could see, the religious leaders of His time, knew the laws but lacked understanding and revelation of their true intent.

If we go back to Hebrews 4:1‭-‬3 ERV, we see the primary reason the Israelites could not enter God’s place of rest…..

For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said” NKJV

They heard the gospel, but did not mix the Word they heard with faith. And because they refused to mix God’s Word with faith, the Word was not profitable or beneficial to them. So it seemed their prayers were not answered, it appeared God never heard their outcry. The resultant effect of this was that they were always anxious, worried, agitated, panicky. They were never at rest. They did not enter God’s place of rest. They could have experienced ‘Sabbath’ everyday but yet they couldn’t.

Sounds familiar doesn’t it? How we can sometimes get all worked up over something we cannot change only to start trying to calm ourselves down so that we don’t fall ill from anxiety.

Worrying is like seating on a rocking chair that takes you no where. Sometimes we’re struggling with not worrying… Oh! if only we would enter His rest….the place where God wants us to be at all times and concerning all things.

In the Rest Place of God, the Word of God is mixed with Faith. It is a place of knowing, believing and speaking what the Word says irrespective of the circumstances. It is a place of being fully persuaded. A place of confidence and peace. It is a place of faith and trust. It is a spiritual state that translates into a physical experience. So the believer can actually have Sabbath every time and every day.

How do we enter his rest?

1. Mix the Word with faith: Confess the Word and stay steadfast with your confession.

Say what the Word says in every situation.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 NKJV

2. Believe in the efficacy of the Word: the Word is not dead, but living, powerful and sharp….

Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:11‭-‬12 NKJV

We can enter His Rest Place for (because) the Word of God is not dead or powerless, but living, powerful and sharp. Halleluyah!

Shalom!

Christian Living

6 Intrinsic Attributes of God

The 6 Attributes of God I share in this blogpost are intrinsic to Him. They are His nature. And these attributes of God do not change irrespective of circumstances. They remain constant.

Bible Study

3 Essential Elements of Victorious Christian Living (XV)

Contrary to hope, Abraham believed in hope; that is,  when there was nothing to hope for, Abraham had hope God’s promise would come through. Abraham had absolutely no reason to hope; he was old, his body was weak, his sexuality and sexual drive was as good as gone. Sarah was also weak, have you imagined how the womb of an 89year old woman could hold a baby?

Christian Living

The Keys of the Kingdom

Decrees are made through words, Judgements are passed through words.

Christian Living

Made From Words

Two forces worked together to bring about the world we now live in; the Spirit and the Word.