A Life Of Purpose (3) – If You Can’t Be Distracted, You Can’t Be Defeated

“But is came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. So built we the wall and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof for the people had a mind to work.” Nehemiah 4:1, 6

It is amazing how many people expect to accomplish great things with little or no opposition. Because they are not expecting opposition, they usually overact or blow it completely out of proportion when they encounter opposition. Nobody talks about a nonentity. No one opposes a nobody, There is no opposition as long as you are not doing something substantial with your life. But decide to do something with your life and you will see all hell breaks loose. Your relatives become your adversaries. In places where approval was taken for granted, it will no longer be there.

Do not become preoccupied with the opposition. Master your opposition and do not let your opposition master you. Whatever you allow to dominate your thoughts and mind is what will eventually begin to manifest in your life. It is so easy to magnify the obstacle. Obstacles will move away when you refuse to give in to it. The worst possible way to treat your adversaries is to take them too seriously.

The greatest tribute you can give to your adversaries is to allow them to distract you. It is important to recognize that the important reason for opposition to an idea or a vision is to distract you. When you are distracted, the purpose of the opposition has been served.

You can’t be defeated until you are distracted. This is a powerful tool of the enemy. The enemy knows he can’t defeat you all by himself. That is why he uses ‘devices.’ Distraction is one of his strongest and most powerful devices to defeat the believer. You need to see through the enemy so that you can be victorious. We can see this truth illustrated in the life of Nehemiah.

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A WORD TO THE AITHEST

 By Deacon wamuo 

We encounter all manner of people, in our life’s journey, and this makes us to think earnestly why some of these people take the stand they take. I used to know a professor, well-educated and well endowed with blessings of God, who blatantly held the view, that there is no God. I used to pity him. I was told that he suffered a terminal illness that crippled him financially and that as he was passing on he eventually, at that mid-night hour of life publicly acknowledged that indeed, there is God.

In my study, I have come to realize that there are three kinds of atheists, maybe you may know more than me.

The first are deep thinkers who in the course of studying the philosophical systems of ancient and modern times, have been turned aside and alas missed God. I don’t know if such studies have brought you to this point?

The second kind are those who, without any judgement and in parrot fashion, repeat what they hear from others.

The third kind consists of those whose past life holds some evil deed, so that they cannot help but wish that there is no God of holiness and righteousness. They take comfort in the claim that there is no God, and so go on sinning to their hearts desire.

Unfortunately there is no fourth kind. Let me assume you are not an atheist out of stupidity, or on account of a bad conscience, but that you are one of those who on the grounds of your own -as you say- ,well founded considerations have come to the conclusion that there is no God. Let us go to the bible and see what it says in Genesis 1:1, the bible says that

” In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth”.

How can a mortal dispute this simple factual statement? When we look at creation, we are indeed amazed at how everything is ordered. The sun has never risen from the west, look at the earth we walk on, it has withstood all pressures to cave in under constant load that is ferried on it daily, under countless earthquakes that have occurred, even under numerous bombs detonated on it. Take a look at the faces of fellow humans, you can’t find any two persons that are the same, even identical twins.

There must be a master architect who has arranged it all. Friends, as we access the year 2016, I encourage you, if you are the one I have been addressing, kindly surrender to the one God who created you in your mother’s womb and who has given you life up to this time. Know this, Jesus Christ, the one whose birth we have just commemorated loves you so much and wants you both now and in eternity. You wont miss heaven. Amen!

PENTECOSTAL MOVEMENT IS LOSING RELEVANCE GLOBALLY

- LADI THOMPSON

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Rev Ladi Thompson is the General Overseer of Living Waters Unlimited based in Anthony Village, Lagos, Nigeria. He is an activist within the church promoting the cause of the kingdom. He founded Macedonia Initiative, a body committed to promoting love in the Body of Christ and giving succor to those who have been affected by persecution in the country. Today, he is leading another revolution in the church asking church leaders to come back to the gospel of the kingdom. He reasons that many churches have been satisfied with preaching part of the kingdom message and not the entire message of the kingdom. In this interview with Gbenga Osinaike, Thompson gives an insight into the Pentecostal Church and the need for a shift to the gospel of the kingdom.

At what point did you encounter the Pentecostal movement?

It was in the 80s. But we should not forget that Pentecostal movement in Nigeria started in the 1920s, and its influence went round Nigeria. It did not really rise to prominence until the 70s. That coincided with the austerity measures in the early 80s. As hardship increased in Nigeria, it forced a lot of people to do a rethink. There was an army of unemployed people and people who had been retired prematurely around that time.

So, it became necessary for people to seek God. At that time the orthodox representation of the church was not singing any new song. But the Pentecostals were saying water could still come out of the rock. Such hope message was the mainstay of many people. That was when the orthodox began to call the Pentecostal churches mushroom churches but they did not realize that God had moved on. People started trooping to the Pentecostal churches because the Pentecostals made it a point for people to adhere to the word of God more than tradition and cultural celebration which orthodoxy was still holding to. So, naturally the kingdom of God had to move forward. We were a part of those who were in the early movement. There was the Christ Chapel in Lagos which gave birth to so many Pentecostal preachers. It made a lot of sense for us then because what the Pentecostals were saying had corroboration with the scriptures.

Are you saying in essence that the Pentecostal movement was a product of the downturn in the economy of Nigeria?

Not really. It started in the 20s as I said. So the downturn in the economy did not really give birth to it.

I mean the loudness of the movement?

Oh! You are now introducing another dynamics to it. Well initially, as long as the movement stayed on the word of God, things went well. In those days if you wanted people of integrity you go to the Pentecostals. If you wanted an accountant that will not steal your money you look for Pentecostals. Foursquare Church for instance had excellent foundation course for believers. However, from orthodoxy there had come the idea that started about 1800 whereby piety was equated with poverty. So many fathers of faith started research into that, and soon discovered that God has his own welfare package which talks about living well and good. The Pentecostal body then championed that cry that abundance was not a sin. The only challenge again is that there was a swing from abject poverty or poverty being associated with piety to a swing to another end of the pendulum where the indices were such that one could equate gain with righteousness. This swing coincided with the years of deep corruption coming from the high places.

In the history of the church there has been confusion on the issue of handling wealth. The world at a point began to see that there seemed to be no difference between it and the Christian. They began to see that the measure whereby they were measured and that of Christians were the same. But my position is that any gospel that you cannot preach in Dubai to a Sheik and have him consider cannot be authentic gospel.

>>> Read on. Link FULL INTERVIEW

@ http://bit.ly/1PbkNJN

THE ROUTE TO A NEW BEGINNING.

Isaiah 43:18-21

The prophet first attempted to kill the old order of the past in the mind of the Israelites.

The past can always butcher even the strongest of all men.

The wilderness church were consumed because they held on to the experience in Egypt, its beauty, springs, pyramids, gold and food. They kept complaining and accusing their leaders, the tragedy humor was that none of them escaped the dagger of their unprofitable root.

New beginning is forgetting those experience that have held you back, those who have offended you, what you have lost and how you have lost them (locust Effect).

It is believing the word that have been issued in God's oracle.

The new beginning  is a new mindset, attitude, orientation towards God, your career and your immediate environment,  Romans 12:1-3.

It is an immediate thing, procrastination is dangerous,  God does not have time to waste, pushing your luck or waving opportunity is a banana skin you shouldn't dare, the key to life's fulfilment is the balance of this equation, godly opportunity + man's proactivity,  Ecclesiastes 9:10, Colosians 3:23.

The next key to the new  beginning is INFORMATION,  note this word...shall you not know it, Isaiah 43:19c in every facet of life, we need knowledge,  people who are loaded will always be needed. The scripture equally noted that the gift of a man will make way for him. It is therefore important for us to search the Scripture daily like the church in Berea. The promise of God are not without do's and don'ts. The fulfilment of every promise is attached to fulfilling your part, Hosea 4:6.

The way in the wilderness is understanding, accessing and recognizing opportunity when you see one. God does not bless a man void of understanding of the kingdom dynamics. The key here is to exploit every information God releases  to us through his word,  spirit and ministers. You must understand that every in-road leads to a destination, please not this.

The water in the desert is the thorough exploitation and ability to discover where others kept complaining. Water are not found on the mere surface of the desert. People who waits for opportunity are not remembered as a man who creates opportunities.  Role up your sleeves to start working, Romans 12:11.

Shalom 

This message was delivered as sermon on Sunday 6th December, 2015.

The wailing Prophet.

IN NEED OF A BODYGUARD?

In Need Of Bodyguards?
Have you ever doubted the power of prayer? Allow me to reshape that doubt, Mr. Thomas. (Ms. Doubtfire...?)
As we often like to begin in fantasy and folklore, 'Once upon a time...'
A missionary on furlough told this story while visiting his home church in Michigan. "While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was usually a two-day trip, which required camping overnight at the halfway point...
On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital. Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about God...
I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident...
Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said to me, "Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards."
...At this I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone in that jungle campsite.
But the young man pressed the point, however, and said, "No sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone."
At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary, asking if he could tell him the exact day this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and time of day, and the man who had interrupted recounted this story: "On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?" The men who had met together to pray that day all stood up.
The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were, he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were 26 men standing!
If you think this is fantasy, folklore, or, as we say in these parts, 'fabu,' that decision is entirely yours. If however you have faith in the power of making the seemingly incredible to become magically possible, and this story speaks to you from within, all I ask for is that the Spirit of the Lord moves in such mysterious ways to guide and protect you, your loved ones and all who pray with, and for you.
Perhaps you have a friend who needs a prayer at this very moment. Are you willing to be his/her bodyguard? Remember the ultimate words of faith: 'With God all things are possible."
God's guidance, blessings and protection, always.
(Adapted from a story inspired by Doyin Olukoya)

4 REASONS WE FIND IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO FORGIVE

There are several reasons why people refuse to release others who have trespassed.

1.  We believe we are in the right and they are in the wrong, and we wait for the other person to get the revelation of the error of their ways, humbling himself or herself before us and confessing he or she was in the wrong. If you wait for the other person, you may go to your grave disappointed.

The second reason we hold back iisthe idea that the other person is so wrong in his attitude that God will judge him fofor his actions,  and thus we leave him alone in hope that God will smite him in some manner to teach him a lesson and bring him crawling back to say, 'I AM SORRY'

THE third reason is we do not understand the importance of forgiveness, that it is not just to release the other person, but forgiving others is actually for us, to prevent our blessings from being restrained and hindered through unforgiveness. 

The fourth reason is a five lettered word called P-R-I-D-E. Our love for self and our personal ego are stronger than our common sense and spiritual motivation. If I am commanded in the word, then I must choose to agree with and follow the command to release the blessings of the covenant. 

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