“ When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch” Luke 5:4

Dictionary definition of ‘launch out‘ is;

…. “to make a start on a new and challenging enterprise, to throw or propel with force, to hurl, to set or thrust, a self-propelled craft or projectile”

Generally Deep means;

“extending far down from the top or surface, very intense, very extreme, far down in”

To quickly give a short background; Peter and his fellow fishermen had toiled all night without any catch of fish. They pulled their boats to shore in despair and disappointment. It was a difficult, tough, challenging and seemingly unproductive night of fishing without fish. Then Jesus says; … put the boat out a bit from land, move towards the deep end…

In this new season, if you hear the Lord saying to you; ‘launch out into the deep’, do not hesitate. Make a fresh start on that challenging enterprise, thrust forward against any resistance or opposition, propel yourself forward to reach well beyond the top or surface. Leave the simple things, take on the seemingly challenging or difficult ones.

Your net-breaking miracle could be in that challenging, seemingly difficult task. When you find yourself on the road less traveled, you’re unlikely to find many people there. Most people would prefer the shallow end, but you launch out a bit more into the deep. Hold on to the vision, do not lose passion. Reach deep and by faith press hard against all odds. Move beyond your feelings, your past experience, the strength of your natural knowledge, reach deeper into God. Pray a little more, just a little longer. Linger on the Word a little more, just a little longer. Go the extra mile as led by the Spirit of God.

Like Peter you can also say today; ‘nevertheless Lord, at thy word’. Inspite of what I see, feel or think, nevertheless, at Your Word Lord. Because Your Word says to launch out, I believe it and I launch out.

Sometimes, an experience of a heavy, weighty and overflowing miracle like Peter’s comes when you can look beyond apparent difficulties, challenges and oppositions. When you determine to reach deep, well beyond the top or surface.

When you have launched out into the deep, ‘let down your nets for a catch‘. Nets for a fisherman represents the tool of his trade. What is yours? What tools do you need for that God-given vision, business, trade or project. And how many do you need to use to become extremely and overwhelmingly successful? Are there new skills to acquire? New certifications? New walk of wisdom with the Holy Spirit?

As you launch out into the deep and aim to let down the nets, be certain that you heard Jesus clearly. He always gives specific instructions about the exact place to let down the net. Jesus knows exactly where your miracle lies, walk closely with Him.

When you can hear the Master say ‘launch out into the deep‘, be fearless, confident, trusting, believing and by faith, let down the nets. Great miracles follow when you hear and yield to the Master’s instructions and directions.

Praise God!

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Blessings & Love Always!

The special anointing/power you require to function in the 5-fold ministry gifts is given by the Holy Spirit; This Special anointing with the Holy Spirit is what prepares us for every good work/service.
Jesus gave authority to His disciples to function on earth. So we have both power and authority to act..

Be of good cheer, Jesus is in you

I have shared this testimony some years back on my online talk page and I promised someone who missed it I’d share it again this morning on the blog. Like David, this testimony (and the recent testimony of how God restored my health-which is narrated in my blog post “When the Doctor says No“), stand as my own ‘I have overcome the bear and the lion, this uncircumcised Philistine wouldn’t be different’.  God’s faithfulness is sure. We can depend absolutely on His faithfulness.

Many years back as an undergraduate, I had the priviledge of having my own private accommodation outside the school hostels. I didn’t really like the campus accommodation for more than one reason; shared rooms, dirty rest/shower rooms, shared and very small cooking areas, etc etc. A personal room was private and more suiting of my personality at the time I think. Not that I could afford to rent one myself, The Lord miraculously gave me a free room most of my university days through my Uncle (God bless him). So I wasn’t really born with a silver spoon. My Uncle practically trained me through school-tuition, books, allowances, etc etc. God bless him again.  But you see, sometimes, even as would happen with a rich child, my supplies ran out-toiletries, provisions, groceries, etc etc.

Like most Nigerians, I was brought up eating mostly a Nigerian staple food- garri (processed from cassava). Many Nigerian households survive on garri, it’s filling and you only require a bowl of soup to stay full and sustained for hours.

It was Saturday morning, I was in my room and there was drought; my supplies had ran out, totally out. My beverages, cereals, biscuits, everything was gone! But not my garri, I had a handful of garri somewhere in the room.

Not that this was the first time this would happen, but for some reason, I was greatly vexed in my spirit. I was angry, not with my parents, Uncle or anyone else, I was upset that God would constantly let my supply run out!  I prayed out loud and told God, He had to send me soup that day, as I was not going to try to ask anyone for food, visit anyone (hoping they feed me), or even go home (to my Uncle’s house). I needed a miracle, period!

So the whole day, I sat at my table studying my big medical books, occasionally reminding God that I was waiting for Him to show up with my soup. And it wasn’t a small wait! I was hungry, I was fagged out and I was tired. There was temptation to just discard this miracle/faith chase and simply ‘soak’ the garri and drink it. But I didn’t. I didn’t really also know how to speak ‘faith’ words at the time, or how to give so as to receive, but I’ve been enjoying a close intimate relationship with God and I was certain He existed.

It was not until about 16.00 hours that someone knocked at my door. I delayed in answering the door, upset that the response to my request was coming too late. But then, I told myself to check who’s at the door first 🙂  To my utter surprise one of my aunt’s was standing by the door with a big bowl in her hand. Her house was about 30 minute’s drive from my room. Sorry to say that at the time, I was not particularly close to this aunt. So you understand my surprise. What was she doing here? It was after I let her into the room and welcomed her warmly, that she explained that she felt in her spirit to bring me some soup as she cooked that afternoon. I thanked her immensely and she left. That was the last time she visited.

The Lord showed up with my soup!!!

There are so many things I do not know about God, so many things I am discovering about God as I walk with Him daily. But I know for sure; that God is faithful- it is His nature, He cannot be otherwise. He is faithful, He is merciful and He is a Covenant Keeper.

 “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.” Deuteronomy 7: 9  NKJV.

Many times, Christians speak about faith as if it’s some religious ceremony. What is faith?  Faith is the substance of our belief. Faith is Christian living. Faith is Evidence. Faith is Believing and Seeing. Faith is Now! (Hebrews 11:1). Faith was me fixing my eyes on my bowl of soup until it showed up (and oh! I need to take on many more faith projects to continue to enjoy the fullness of The Blessing).

You know, faith can be easy and yet difficult. It is easy to speak faith, but it can be challenging to patiently wait until the substance of it becomes evident. The beauty in it all though is that while you wait, your spiritual muscles are strengthened, you move some rungs in the ladder of your faith walk and more importantly for me, you build memorials of God’s faithfulness for your future walk as your the object of your faith becomes physical.

So I ask you today- Where is your focus? Who is your source? Where will the refill of your supply come from? If you answer “from a known man” to any of the above, then I say to you; ‘you are of all men most miserable‘. Man will fail and fade, but not God.

Mary is in her early 40’s.
Exactly 10 months ago, she had a terrible scare; her doctor told her she was hypertensive. Her blood pressure on repeated measurements was over 160/100.
She was admitted for a few days and monitored.

It would have been good news for Mary that her doctor was considering placing her on very low dose antihypertensives for a short time considering that she also recently received a course of steroids for another health condition. According to the doctor, steroids can raise blood pressure. 
But Mary was deeply concerned, her parents are hypertensive. Could this be familial?

As things turned out, Mary’s blood pressure normalized within one month. She was relieved and so was the doctor. And thinking it’s possibly the effects of the steroids had cleared, the doctor withdrew the antihypertensives.

Two months ago routine medical checkup revealed Mary’s blood pressure was about 170/110 again! 
Mary was distraught. What was she going to do now? She can’t possibly start taking antihypertensives from her 40s and for the rest of her life.

Tossing and turning over on her bed all night, sleep eluded her. What were her options? Drugs or God’s intervention? Can she give her professed faith a little push? Could God fix this for her? Mary prayed most of the night asking God to normalize her blood pressure. 
She remembered her covenant of healing with God and made a decision to believe God for a miraculous healing.

God honored Mary’s little faith. 
She heard in her spirit to make just one dietary change which she did. Within 3 days Mary’s blood pressure was back to normal as confirmed by another medical check. 
Result of Mary’s last BP check was 103/83. 
Praise God! 
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As a Child of God, resist the temptation to approach difficult and challenging situations with fear and trembling. God will Always give an answer of peace; sit back calmly and listen for the wisdom or strategy to your victory.

The people are watching
They’re looking, anxious, expecting a miracle
Your power and glory are in full display throughout the universe.  But they’re expecting a miracle

They cannot see the drug addict who was heading for destruction Who found Christ and his life story changed.

The young boy that was once a heartache to his parents but who gained direction, discovered purpose because of Your power and love. 

The young girl that was becoming wayward and increasing her mother’s pains but whose life You turned around for good by Your power. 

The woman who was bound by the devil but whom You liberated totally by Your power. 

The young man who got his head completely twisted by pornography but who You reached down to the pit and pulled out by Your power. 

The 50 year old spinster who got married to her dream man and is enjoying One Flesh as You ordained it. 

The young lady whose marriage became a troubling challenge, whose hopes of finding love and peace were dashed, who didn’t know which way to turn but who You visited and changed her life experience. 

The young man who needed to make a decision for marriage and couldn’t make up his mind which of his lady friends to tie the notch with, but who You visited, gave direction, wisdom and purpose.
The woman who through faith in You, picked up her sickness mat and walked, and is still walking in victory. 

The young lady with low self-esteem because she didn’t know true parental love but who You became a Father to and gave hope and peace. 

The young woman whose husband suddenly died leaving her with 3 children and no job but who You picked up, loved, sustained and have remained faithful to. Her children are graduates from the best schools in the world.