IT IS WELL

 

Most of us would have been familiar with the passage of scripture from 2 Kings 4:8-37 where we see the account of the Shunammite woman.  This woman was barren and without a son.  Because of the kindness that she and her husband showed to the servants of the Lord, Elisha saw it fit to declare a blessing by prophetically speaking into her barren situation.  He declared, "About this time next year you shall embrace a son" (Verse 16).  Indeed, this woman had experienced the blessing of the God whom the prophet Elisha served.  Her reproach had been taken away.

The word of the Lord pointed to the fact that one day, the son of the Shunammite woman died after crying out for a pain in the head. The shunammite woman did something very profound! She DID NOT lay the child upon his bed or her bed but, she took the child and laid him on the bed of the Prophet and shut the door behind her.  Now that is FAITH! This woman must have come to believe in the grace that the Prophet Elisha carried and she demonstrated it.  She saddled a donkey and was well on her way to see Elisha.  He husband tried to stop her by asking, "Why are you going to him today?" The woman replied, "IT IS WELL!" Upon meeting Gehazi and while he hurled many questions at her, the Shunammite again declared, "IT IS WELL!"

How many of us are still able to declare in the face of adversity, in the face of rejection, in the face of persecution, in the face of depression, in the face of ill health, in the face of the pressures of this life that, IT IS WELL? For some of us when we are faced with circumstances and situations that seem to rub us and squeeze us, we tend to shrink and revert in the background, complaining, quarrelling, or we allow the spirit of doubt and unbelief to tamper with the grace that is inside us.  It is in these moments that we question the power of God and also His ability to do what He said He would do.

I want to say to us that, it is in these situations that God desires to show us His infinite power and glory.  I dare us to start changing our speech.  Let the words that comes from our lips be the words that will start to change the very atmosphere around us.  Start creating the atmosphere that attracts miracles by prophetically speaking the right words into our atmosphere.  The Shunammite woman even in the face of great adversity and great loss, she found the strength to declare "IT IS WELL!"  She prophetically spoke those words into being and eventually, she saw them coming to pass.  Nothing about her situation at that moment looked well but, she held on to that last thread of hope in believing that Elisha through the power of God will be able to raise her son to life again.

What story do we have? What is it that has been troubling us? What is it that seems so impossible for us to do or to get through? I encourage us, our story is about to change for His glory.  Our victory is on the horizon.  Let us start declaring and believing, "IT IS WELL!" The songwriter declared, "When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll.  Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, It is well with my soul..."

God would have me to tell you....

IT IS WELL! YOU ARE COMING OUT OF YOUR SET BACKS! YOU ARE COMING OUT OF YOUR LODEBAR EXPERIENCE! YOU ARE COMING OUT OF YOUR STORMY SITUATIONS! YOU ARE COMING OUT BECAUSE THAT SPIRIT OF DELAY AND STAGNATION IS LEAVING YOU NOW!

Hallelujah! 

IT IS WELL! 

Signed,

GOD

Psalm 34:19 declares, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all." (KJV)

Proverbs 19:21 states, "There are man devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand."

 

The Anchor Holds

 If we for a minute take a look at an anchor, we will realize that it is a tool or an instrument made of metal that is used to hold a ship or boat in one place . For the anchor to serve its unique purpose, it must be strong, firm and able to endure or withstand dangerous or rigorous storms and or inclement weather.

As a Child of God, we are not exempted from hard times, perils, disasters and storms of life just to name a few.  When we are faced with these hard times rest assured that they don't come to take us out but to make us spiritually STRONG. When the storms of life are raging and we just seem to can't fathom or tunnel our way through, GOD SPECIALIZES IN THINGS THAT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE...

In our darkest moments we may feel as if we are sinking deep in our troubles and sorrows.  The tides and billows seem to be rising and disappointments, pain and frustration is at our heel but rest assured that JESUS CHRIST is our / your ANCHOR. The songwriter Lawrence Chewning in his song reminds us that, "The Anchor holds though the ship is battered, the Anchor holds though thee sails are torn. I have fallen on my knees as I faced the raging seas the Anchor holds in spite of the storm."  His promise to us as His Children is that He will leave us nor forsake us.   Jesus as our Anchor- He will ensure that the tides, the billows and waves do us NO harm! He will ensure that we remain unmoved and unshaken.  He will ensure that we remain secure so that no tempest will be able to destroy us. The songwriter of a well known hymn stated, " I have anchored my soul in the "Haven of Rest", I'll sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy deep, In Jesus I'm safe evermore."

We can find solace and comfort in the words of Psalm 62:5-8 that declares, "I am standing in absolute stillness, silent before the one I love, waiting as long as it takes for Him to rescue me. Only God is my Savior, and He will not fail me. For He alone is my safe place. His wraparound presence always protects me as my champion defender. There’s no risk of failure with God! So why would I let worry paralyze me, even when troubles multiply around me? God’s glory is all around me! His wraparound presence is all I need, for the Lord is my Savior, my Hero, and my Life-giving Strength." (The Passion Translation)

Oh Hallelujah! Glory to God!

I want to encourage our hearts by reminding us that although Satan tries to block us, distract us, weigh us down and tries to cause us to stumble; JESUS CHRIST REMAINS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER. HE REMAINS UNCHANGED! HE REMAINS UNSHAKEABLE! HE REMAINS AS OUR ANCHOR THAT WILL HOLD US AND KEEP US IN PLACE, IN HIS FIXED POSITION WHERE NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING CAN SHAKE OR DERAIL US. I want to ask us, who or what is your anchor? What have you allowed to anchor you in this time? Jesus Christ is all that we need.  He is our Rock and Shield of Defense. Luke 22:32a Jesus declared, "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail." Jesus Christ is pleading on your, my and our behalf.  He will not allow us to be tested or tempted beyond what we are able to bear.  Rest assured in knowing that The Anchor (JESUS CHRIST) Holds and grips the Solid Rock.  Be not dismayed, be not discouraged but be thou strengthened for the Lord your God is with you and will be with you always.

THE ANCHOR HOLDS AND I, WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED!

God bless you!

Shalom

Manifesting The Prophetic

 

AMOS 3:7 "Adonai, God, does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets." (CJV)

I know that many persons who've received prophecies in the past from a mouthpiece of God and have not seen it coming to pass as yet, may have some of the most daunting questions lingering in the mind.  Persons may very well wonder, whether or not the word was true, whether or not God had spoken, whether or not the prophet or vessel through whom the word came was false and the list goes on.  I want to help us in bringing some clarity to this situation.

I must say to us that if we are to accept a word of prophecy from anyone, we must be sure that this person is a vessel of the Lord and is living in right standing with God.  We must be very careful not to accept prophecies from sources of divination, the altar of sorcery, persons who work witchcraft etc.  If the medium is not of God even if the word is true, it is wise to discard that prophecy and not accept it lest we open a door to demonic attacks in our lives.  Many persons receive demonic attacks from opening these doors, listening and accepting "word" from these people.  IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN!

Now that I have addressed the above, let me shed some light on what to do in order for us to move from receiving the prophecy to its' manifestation.

Some of us often get discouraged and frustrated easily when a prophecy has been released and after awhile, we are still yet to see its' manifestation.  A pertinent question to ask ourselves is, "Was there a time frame given for the fulfilment of the prophecy when the word was released?"  There are times when a word may be given and a timeline was placed on it.  There are also times when the timeline given was passed and we are yet to see a manifestation.  When this happens we are tempted to doubt the word and stay in unbelief.  Some of the times because we get tired of waiting on the Lord, we make our beds in unbelief with the enemy taunting us that God will not come through and that the word was a lie.

For us to see a manifestation of the promises/ prophecies that the Lord has given unto us there are a few things to take into consideration:

1. When we receive a prophecy do so in a spirit of meekness and humility.  God chose to inform us of His plans concerning us not because He had to but out of His love for us.  

2. Treat each prophecy as a prayer point.  If we should be truthful to ourselves, we would realize that 99% of the times when we hear a word of prophecy we do not revisit it again.  A prophecy is a prayer point.  This is how we will be able to pull the prophecy out of the spirit realm and birth it into the natural.  Receiving a prophecy should be treated the same as when a woman goes to the doctor and the doctor reveals to her that she has conceived and a fetus is in the womb.  If this mother upon conception does not take the best care of herself and the fetus, it is highly possible that she will miscarry.  It is the same with us and a prophecy.  I have dealt with this more in-depth in my book Power of Agreement for Kingdom Citizens.  You can get your copy from Amazon.

I find nowadays that believers in Christendom no longer want to PUSH. They no longer want to pray until something happens.  I challenge us today, start praying consistently over your prophecies and see if the results will not change.  1Thessalonians 5:17 "Be unceasing in prayer, [Pray Perseveringly]".

3. Do not entertain the spirit of unbelief or doubt.  The moment we begin to doubt the enemy starts to sow seeds of anger, frustration, rebellion, stubbornness etc. in our hearts that will hinder us from receiving of the Lord.

4. When a prophecy is given, comb it through the pages of scripture.  Ensure that it is backed with scripture.  This will give us a standpoint in prayer.  When we pray, a key in being victorious is to use scriptures that talks about what God has said concerning us.  A reason for this is because God wants us to remind Him of His promises.  Most times we become lazy Christians who refuse to read the Word of God.  The Bible should be our "go to" book.  Do not be afraid to engage the scriptures!

5. Be obedient.  Whatever instructions that were given for the fulfilment of the word, do it in the same way it was given.  This means that there should be no alterations to the instructions.  Obedience to divine instruction is an important key in manifestation.  As of today, refrain from the act of disobedience.  

6. I will repeat this one- PRAY over your prophecies.  Constant and consistent prayer is what birth prophecies! Keep praying until something happens.  Stop looking at how long it is taking to manifest.  Learn to still find joy in waiting!  If God has said it, He will do it! God does not change His mind.  

Psalm 31:24- "Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD."

Psalm 106:13- "They quickly forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel."

Philippians 4:6- "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

Micah 7:7- "But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation.  My God will hear me."

What we do with  our prophecies and how we treat them will determine whether or not we will see a manifestation of such even if the prophecy is true.

God bless you!

Shalom, shalom!

ARE YOU A DIAMOND?

 When we think of a diamond, the first thing that normally crosses our mind is the fact that it is a rare gem of beauty.  What we tend to forget most of all about this precious stone is the process that it has to go through to become what it is.

Diamond is a form of carbon that is extremely hard and is formed deep in the Earth's mantle.  A diamond has to go through immense pressure and is subject to very high temperatures.  This process often can take up to a billion year before a diamond reaches its full maturation.  How  diamonds reach to the Earth's surface is by means of asteroids or by volcanic eruptions that force or squirt magma through volcanic pipes and onto the Earth's surface.  It is important for us to know that a diamond is the hardest known mineral on the face of the earth.  Hence, it is like no other! A diamond can only be cut or scratched by another diamond.

I'd like to say to us that, beauty takes time. Ha, ha! (Let that soak in!)

Many times we are quick to complain and murmur about the tests, the trials, the struggles and the pressures this life brings not realizing that they are the constructive processes that will eventually make us who we are.  Time is always an issue for one who has been in waiting for long periods and thus; the thought, the feeling and the frustration tend to want to cause us to quit the construction process.  Whenever we get to this point it is quite important for us to reconsider what God is making out of us versus what we desire.  

There are times the enemy tries to trick us in order to get us to quit, he lies to us in various ways, he cause us to fall or stumble, he fills our minds with negativity, he causes chaos and confusion in our minds, he plants seeds of discord and disunity, hatred etc. in our hearts so as to turn us away from God and His love.  The word of God in John 10:10 reminds us, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

The enemy wants to mess with our structure! His ultimate aim is to devalue us- to cause us to lose our value and worth.  He intends to cause inclusion(s) [impurity or imperfections in a diamond] to our diamond.  The enemy intends to scale down what God intends to be great.  I encourage us today, James 1:2-4 states, " My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."  

God's desire is to make diamonds, lasting jewelry out of us.  This means that nothing will be able to shift us, break us or destroy us.  God intends for us to be so durable and strong that we last throughout the ages and nothing, absolutely nothing can shake us.  Hallelujah, glory!  The Greek word for diamond is "Adamas" which means UNCONQUERABLE & INDESTRUCTIBLE.  My friends, this is exactly what God wants to make us into but it takes time.  Will you stay true to the process?  After all, He calls us His jewels - Malachi 3:17 "“They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels.  And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.”  

What we think of our lives is not what matters but what God thinks.  He is the Creator of our vessel.  This means, it is He Who has the blueprint of our lives.  Trust that He is making diamond out of YOU.  Ephesians 2:10 reminds us, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."  

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus Christ and not on our present circumstances.  Although we are being held under pressure, it is to birth something of value and something great.  Psalm 66:10-12 Living Bible " You have purified us with fire, O Lord, like silver in a crucible.  You captured us in your net and laid great burdens on our backs.  You sent troops to ride across our broken bodies.  We went through fire and flood. But in the end, you brought us into wealth and great abundance."  

Shine, sparkle, glisten, glow and continue to radiate light - THE DIAMOND YOU!  Ezekiel 3:9 " I will make you as firm as a rock, as hard as a diamond; don't be afraid of those rebels.”

God bless you

Shalom, shalom!

A Desperate Cry

Habakuk 1:2 (KJV) declares, "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!"  Here, the Prophet Habakkuk has been seeking the Lord earnestly in prayer and supplication for Him to intervene in the social ills of his present time.  Habakkuk saw before him  a lawless generation, filled with violence and injustice and prayed, that God would do something about it.  The nation of Judah became stiff-necked, refusing to turn.  

Here we are like Habakkuk, we have been faced with the social ills of our present reality, having to grapple with the grave uncertainty of a pandemic that hit our shores with woes on top of woes.  Some are just trying to pick up the pieces while some are still in denial, frustration, saddened, heartbroken and depressed; loosing job, friends, family, health deteriorating and some still recovering from the gruesome virus "Covid-19".

Yet still, there are others who for quite some time have been faced with immense trials, persecution, rejection, battling depression and anxiety.  As a result of such, they have become weary, weak and restless trying to fathom when will God respond to their cries.  If you have been at that place where you have been praying, fasting and seeking the face of God and you are yet to see the hand of God concerning you, then you are able to identify with the Prophet Habakkuk.

In these times of desperation our faith may become shaken to the point where the enemy "The Devil" begins to whisper in our ears telling us, "It makes no sense!", "Why don't you quit?", "Nothing will ever work out!", "Don't you see that you are wasting your time?" We all at some point in time have been there.

I want to say to us that in these times it is important to keep trusting in God by faith.  Therefore, even though we may not  see it yet, we can still trust His knowledge.  Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) reminds us, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

Psalm 56:3-4 (Passion Translation) declares, "But in the day that I’m afraid, I lay all my fears before You and trust in You with all my heart.  What harm could a man bring to me? With God on my side, I will not be afraid of what comes.  The roaring praises of God fill my heart as I trust His promises."  Hallelujah!  When God is on our side, He'll make it alright!  

It's a time to be completely honest with God about what we are going through and how we feel about it.  Often times, we pray but still haven't uncover our situation before the Lord.  It's ok to tell Him what troubles us and what we are faced with.  A desperate cry requires, desperate measures.  It is time to let our cry come up before the Lord and then wait on His timing.  Psalm 107:6 (KJV) "Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses."  If we cry sincerely from our hearts and touch Him, He will deliver us.  The songwriter stated, "Touching Jesus is all that really matters, and our lives will NEVER be the same.  There's only one way to touch Him, just BELIEVE when you call on His Name."

Continue to trust and believe in God.  Be thou strengthened today and be encouraged that light will break-forth out of our tunnel!

Shalom, shalom!

ENCHANTED Waters!

 From the very first time hearing these words being put together, somehow they resonated with me, "Enchanted waters".  The word enchanted has to do with something or someone being changed by magical powers or to be placed under some sort of charm/ spell.  Other words that can be used in place of enchanted are; possessed, bewitched, hypnotized and beguiled.

If we take a careful look at the story in Genesis 3:1-13, we would have realized that the serpent deceived Eve and caused her to eat of the tree that God commanded both Adam and Eve not to touch.  Eve partake of the fruit and also gave it to her husband.  The word "beguiled" in verse 13, "And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat"  can be well interpreted to mean deceive, enchanted or to lead astray. 

Eve was led astray because she listened to the voice of the serpent.  One thing I know about serpents/ snakes is that they are very subtle and sly.  The serpent used its prowess nature to enchant Eve, so much as to appear as if she had become charmed by it, to do the very thing that was against the will of her Creator.  The serpent enchanted Eve to become disobedient to the Lord and thereby, allowing the same spirit of disobedience to rub off on Adam.  They became enchanted!  The spirit that enchants is a very catchy one!

In this season of grave uncertainty when we are in a position where we are seeking answers it is important that we rely upon the Lord for His leading.  You might be in a position where you are eager to see the desires of your heart being met or you are at an uncomfortable place trying to make the best of life.  It is in these times that the enemy tends to prowl around because he knows that there is much vulnerability.  These are the seasons when he tries to show up with various types of temptations, various types of things that he thinks resembles what God has promised us.  Theses are the times the enemy tends to falsify or cast a tainted picture before our eyes to enchant or deceive us.  We must be alert to the schemes of the enemy! Whenever we get to a season as questionable as such, it is important to seek divine intervention.  Ask the Lord to unravel, open and uncover what is presented before our eyes.  Perhaps we should ask ourselves; Is it the real deal? Is this what God promised? Is this the will of God for my life? Is this in alignment with what God says about me or where I'm going? If you cannot answer those questions clearly, then it is important to pray again, seek again! you might just be swimming in enchanted waters that can only lead you away from the divine will of God.

Oftentimes we may look for a physical battle with the enemy, or for him to come by the usual way of plaguing the mind but I want us to realize that he never runs out of strategies.  The enemy may use our friends, our families, our advisors, doctors, mentors and just about any available vessel he find to use to attack us.  His main aim is to get us off track and away from the will of God.  The enemy wants to change the course of your life.  He wants to abort purpose. His ultimate plan is to get you to live a life of unbelief, defeat and disgust so that you will never live out your purpose.  He wants to keep you swimming in his enchanted waters.  Won't you get out!

It is time to run to Jesus.  Let Him lead you and pilot your ship.  Without Him, failure is inevitable.  Won't you let Him today! Quit helping God to bring you out.  God has never lost course or has never forgotten His next move.  He is always sure.  Let go and let GOD!

Shalom, shalom! 

God bless you!

S.O.A.R

 The eagle is seen as the most strongest, fastest and longest living bird in all species of the bird family.  The eagle  when it's attacked by predators, will soar to the sun with the wind beneath its' wings pushing and propelling it higher.  In such an atmosphere, it's predators are more to be suffocated and suffer death or be killed by the sun's heat.

The Christian believer can very well be likened to an eagle.  There are different life stages that the eagle will go through but one specific one is that of weathering/ transition.  This is where the eagle goes to a high mountainous rage and positions itself on a rock and then beats its' beak against the rock.  The old beak then falls out.  The eagle also looses its' feathers and so prepares for transition.   It is in this phase that the eagle is often battered by the elements but the strength of the eagle will determine its' ability to bounce back.  

Every Christian believer often goes through periods like these when we will encounter the beating, the pressing, the pushing, the discomfort, the frustration, the uneasiness, the uncertainty, the heat and the rain.  It is in these seasons, we are tempted to question the Lord and also our faith in Him may very well be shaken or tried.  I want to encourage somebody today who might be going through a season of weathering.  It can get all uncomfortable and uneasy.  There may be little or no reassurance and no outside help.  Our support systems may be taken away from us and we are left to "paddle the canoe" by ourselves.  We may seek for a word that may grant us a little peace but no word may not be in sight.  We may be looking for the support of loved ones, friends or associates just to reassure us that everything will be ok but our efforts have proven futile.

 I want to say to us, hold on! You may be in your season of weathering but your transition is just around the corner.  After the weathering then comes the transitioning!  The eagle is about to put on new feathers.  These feathers that are about to grow will be stronger than the ones you had before.  These will grant you the tenacity to push and SOAR to new and greater heights that you've never soared before.  A new beak will emerge! This time even your very speech will change to accommodate where you are going- your new/ next territory.  I want to encourage you that your season of transitioning is about to hit the surface and when that comes CHANGE IS INEVITABLE! God has to rewire you, rejuvenate you, restore you and rebrand you!  The OLD YOU has got to go! 

Change is coming! SOAR eagle SOAR!

Isaiah 40:31 declares, "But those who wait for Yahweh's grace will experience divine strength.  They will rise up on soaring wings and fly like eagles, run their race without growing weary, and walk through life without giving up." (Passion Translation)

Shalom, shalom! God bless you!