Category Archives: Spirituality

Health and Lifestyle, Spirituality

Here’s why you must avoid Pride!

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If there’s one thing God hates so much, it’s pride.


So many great men have fallen down the ladder of success due to this. Pride is a disease that slowly eats one up without knowing.


Take Satan for example, He was once called Lucifer, one of the highest ranking angels then in God’s kingdom but then, pride set in.



Isaiah 14 vs 13;
For thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north”


Going to verse 15, we see what God did to him.
“Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit ”.


When pride sets in, God is moved to bring such a person down so as to make such person realize that he or she is actually nothing.



James 4 vs 6 says;

But he giveth more Grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grave unto the humble.



This shows us the extent to which God detests pride. People who are proud are hard to deal with. They feel above everyone and feel they are way too big to be corrected. They feel they know everything and therefore need not to learn from anyone, not even God.



Everyone has the tendency to be proud especially when something big happens in our life, like a major achievement or something. That proud instinct kicks and when such happens, that’s the Devil knocking on the doors of our heart.



The Bible says, resist the devil and he will flee. So as he keeps knocking, you keep resisting him but how do you resist him?



James 4 vs 7 says;

“ Submit yourself therefore to the Lord. Resist the devil and he will flee from you”.



God has given us a code there to fighting off pride.


To fight off pride, we must submit ourselves unto God, place your self, your ego, your will under him. Tell him to lead the easy while you follow.


Seeing this, God gives us the Grace needed to resist the devil until he flees.



Pride is a matter of the heart. Always place your heart on a constant check.
Only God knows the true intents of our hearts. Always ask him to look into your heart and if there be any wicked thoughts there, ask him to purge you of it.


Never allow pride to set in. No matter how big and influential you might be, always be humble.


Remember Nebuchadnezzar?

No matter how high you think you are, God is always capable of humbling you.



Pride goes before a fall.


Written by Tolu-Taiwo Victor

Spirituality

To every Nigerian out there…

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October 1st is the day every Nigerian, young or old, remembers the heroic efforts of their forefathers in securing the nation’s independence.


It is day in which Nigeria was officially declared a free nation. On this day in 1960, thousands of Nigerians flocked their streets, their voices rejoicing at the news that the colonial and slave masters were gone.

Smiles and songs of triumphs were heard on this day. Everyone, even the worse witch, prophesied great things about the newly decolonized nation.

Little did we know that freedom from the colonial masters would only be the first part of the battles we would fight.


For sixty-one years of our existence as an independent nation, we have been in different turmoil. From coups to inflation, to insecurity, to corruption, Nigeria has found herself in the very depths of hell.

In the midst of these, an average Nigerian like me is tempted to be disinterested towards the independence day celebration. Moreover, what independence are we actually celebrating? The ideology of Nigeria’s independence is only an irony. Till date, we are still dependent on imports from other countries.

The thought of this as well as other sad happenings in this nation makes one to really wonder if this was the kind of country our forefathers fought for. It has a way of turning an independence day celebration into a day of mourning.

However, the last thing Nigerians ought to do is to relent.

History has repeatedly shown us that the greatest nations have fought the toughest battles. It has shown us that the superpowers of today were once deserted lands in the past.


Dubai was once a deserted desert before it became a tourist attraction. Russia experienced several bloody revolutions before it gained economic stability and military supremacy; the same with France. America fought one of the most intense battles in history known as the cold war before it became the center of unity and love. The great Israeli nation was suffered what is known as ‘Holocaust’ – a mass execution of several millions of Jews.


There is no great nation today without a terrible yesterday. There is no powerful nation today that arose out of nowhere. The journey to power was intense. Blood was shed. Tears were shed. People were incarcerated. The economy suffered severely. However, in the midst of these, light shone. They survived! They recovered and now, they are doing well.



This is also going to be the story of Nigeria! We are in a season of travail! A season of pain, agony and suffering. We are groaning both spiritually and physically as a result of the terrible hardship of this nation. However, it is only for a season.


There will be a purgation of evil from the land. Nigeria will be great again and her greatness shall astonish many. So, don’t lose hope on this nation! Don’t speak bad about the nation! Keep hope alive. This country is destined for great things!

All over the world, Nigerians are doing mighty things. In Education, Military and Business, Nigerians are succeeding individually.

This is because every Nigerian is born for greatness! The instinct of greatness and impact is inherent in every one of us.

Though some might not seem like it due to our present leadership, it is only a matter of time before a mighty flood shall sweep this nation of its problems and usher in a new season of greatness!

Therefore, as we anticipate the birthing of a greener Nigeria, let us ensure we contribute our quota in Nigeria’s affairs. Vote when you have to. Contest when you have to. Protest when you have to. Pray when you have to. Give Nigeria your best!


Nigeria will surely be great again!


This article was written by The Reverend Nwodo Divine

Spirituality, STORIES

Be grateful for your gift!

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Clarissa had never felt as discouraged as she did on that particular Tuesday.


She went out for evangelism, which was supposed to be done in people’s homes. She stepped out with zeal and joy, accompanied by a man named Victor and a lady named Favour.


They prayed for guidance on where to go first in the village’s homes. Then Favour was led to take a specific path and minister to everyone who was present there.


Clarissa was the leader, but someone else gave them the direction, and they followed it without hesitation.


They were greeted warmly by the first family they approached. Clarissa told them about Jesus, and they joyfully accepted the Gospel. She brought them to Christ and prayed for them.


They were supposed to move to another family when Favour began to speak about what was going on in the family and how it should be handled, which was confirmed by the family.

And as she prayed for them, there was a visible manifestation of God’s power – one of them began to speak in tongues, and the other who was sick was instantly healed.



Clarissa became dissatisfied, wondering why she was the leader of the group and nothing was happening through her.

When they arrived at the next family. Clarissa became increasingly withdrawn. Victor had to do the preaching, and it was also a good time.



Clarissa didn’t wait for closing prayers after the ministrations and hurried up to go home, which surprised the other two. As a result, they had to pray on their own and then leave.


Yes, Clarissa did poorly, but before you throw stones at her, examine yourself as well. Let’s take a look at this verse.


Ephesians 4:16
“For his “body” has been formed in his image and is closely joined together and constantly connected as one. And every member has been given divine gifts to contribute to the growth of all; and as these gifts operate effectively throughout the whole body, we are built up and made perfect in love.”



Clarissa did not comprehend the preceding scripture, but you must comprehend it in order to avoid making the same error.




Clarissa possessed the gift of teaching/preaching; anyone who hears her words will be convicted, whereas Favour possessed the gift of healing/word of knowledge. They are both members of Christ’s body.





These gifts are given to each person based on their ability to contribute to the overall growth of the community.

Nothing says “I should be the head of all manifestations” like “I should be the head of all manifestations.” You will manifest your gift, and the other will manifest his or her gift, and progress will be made.

Anger, jealousy, and envy should not enter our hearts through ungodly thoughts. The body of Christ is analogous to the human body, which cannot function without the other.



Don’t be like Clarissa; instead, recognize your gift, stick to it, and be grateful for it. Be glad when others manifest theirs, and let the kingdom’s work prosper.

Spirituality, STORIES

A story of God’s salvation in an unusual way!

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At times it looks like God doesn’t answer us and leaves us to our own fate when we need His answer most. I once felt that way as well.


I went for a program in a place far away from home. I was to minister in songs and yes I did minister.



It was awesome. The spirits of many were lifted and the barriers in people’s heart were broken down. Many were totally broken and completely surrendered to God.



It was an evening program and the weather was looking bright and normal.



After the singing and praising, it was time for the word to be preached. There was so much being said to us. God was expressly speaking to us through the Pastor.



Closing prayers were about to be concluded when the weather suddenly changed and it began to rain heavily.




We ignored it thinking that it will soon stop. We finished the prayers and did other needed things but the heavy rain continued.


Those whose houses were close and or umbrellas with them left for home while I and a few persons were stuck.


“Pray and command the rain to stop,” one of them said to me. I just stared at the person and didn’t say anything. I had to pray because I had done something similar before and the night was already catching up with us. I did everything I could think of, but the rain didn’t stop.


At this point, we had to get our things inside a waterproof material and began to journey home under the rain since there was no transport close by.



We all felt bad and bitter. But we learnt later that God used the rain to save many of us who might have been victims from kidnappers that operated that evening.



When we knew about it, we thanked the Lord – fully understanding this scripture;



Romans 8:28
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

I learnt a vital lesson from this experience; that no matter how inconvenient the circumstances you find yourself in might be, God is using it to work out His will!

You might not see it – and you don’t need to, for we walk by faith and not by sight. Thus, all you have to do is keep believing that everything you’re going through – the heavy downpour, the tempestuous storm, will eventually work out God’s glorious plan in your life!

Amen!

Spirituality

Why should we value God’s instructions?

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Proverbs 4:13 “Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.”

Instructions are God’s tool for guiding us towards success and progress. They are directions from God to believers. 

There are over 1,050 commands in the New Testament for Christians to obey. They cover every phase of man’s life in his relationship to God and his fellowmen, now and hereafter. However, if neglected, dire consequences can ensue. 

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Psalms 32:8. 

The instructions of God cannot be overestimated in the life of a believer. If God does not instruct us and teach us the right way to live our lives as believers, we will end up following the wrong path, and as scriptures warn, ‘there is a way that seems right to a man but ends in destruction’.

Unfortunately, many Christians go about their daily lives without thinking about what God wants them to do. They speak and act without first seeking God’s approval. Though this may appear to be a cool thing to do, it is actually an act of rebellion in and of itself. Let us use the earthly family as an instance; when a child living in his father’s house lives as he wants without bothering to know the opinions of his father, such child cannot be considered as wise.

However, this is how many have been living! God has no say in their job; He has no say in their relationships; He has no say in their habits etc. As believers, we can’t afford to live outside God’s instruction. We are only safe in God’s instructions!

How can one receive and obey instructions from God? 

  1. Study and meditate on God’s word daily.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and training in righteousness.” – 1 Timothy 3:16.

Taking just a few minutes each day to read what is in the Word will give you insight into how to live as a believer. Thus, make studying God’s word your habit. It ought to be the first and last thing you read each day.

2. Obey the common instructions you know.

Until we obey the general instructions in scriptures such as praying, fasting, being honest etc. it will be difficult for us to receive unique instructions from God.

3. Be Attentive

“Apply your heart to instruction, And your ears to words of knowledge.” Proverbs 23:12. 

A wise man once said God is speaking, but few are listening. A lot of times, God doesn’t speak in the loud and forceful way one would expect from a ruler. Instead, He speaks gently. Hence, Solomon admonishes us to tune our ears to His words.

The question the believer must ask himself is not ‘Is God speaking’, but ‘Am I listening to what God is saying?’

Nwodo Divine

We must align the ears of our mind and eyes to what God is saying. This means in every situation, location or circumstance you find yourself, you have to be conscious that God is with you and He could have something to tell you.

4. Habitual prayer:

Prayer helps us our stay aligned to hear from God.

We must pray like David;

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.” Psalm 119:18-20. 

Folk, God won’t speak until we ask. Prayer makes God’s instructions more accessible and applicable. Moreover, It is on the strength of prayer we receive the ability to obey God’s instructions.

Bible Verses about Benefits of Instructions

 1. Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish. Proverbs 12:1. 

A man who doesn’t love instructions doesn’t love his life.

2. He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. Proverbs 10:17. 

 

Conclusively, God’s instructions are to profit us and are not a punishment to us. They are not chains that keep us bound, rather, they are guides that pushes us into the fullness of God’s purpose for our lives. Purpose in your heart to always ask God for His say in your life and decisions.

This article was written by GreenHills Emmanuel.

GENERAL, Holiness and Grace, Spirituality

What does it mean to be the salt of the Earth?

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Frankly speaking, cooking is the last on the list of things I like doing. I don’t like cooking and for that reason, I’m can hardly be found in the kitchen.

However, things changed when I rented my own apartment and started living alone. I had to compel myself to cook my own lessons. One of the foods I quickly mastered is Beans and Plantain Porridge.


One day, I prepared it so delicately with the spices available. When the porridge was cooked, I was so pleased with its scent and outlook.


But the grin on my face quickly faded was I tasted the food. It tasted bland.

Then I recalled that I hadn’t put salt in the food. This realization struck me – the realization that in spite of all the spices I added to the food it remained bland until salt was added.


As soon as the salt was added, the taste was restored and it was edible again.


This invaluable significance of salt is the reason Jesus used it in describing believers.


When He described us as the Salt of the Earth, He meant we are the ones that will restore God’s original nature and flavour to humanity.


1. Salt adds taste


Just as salt is used to add taste to food, Jesus expects believers to add value to people’s lives.


Jesus expects us to be the source of hope and joy to troubled hearts. He expects us to be motivation to a depressed world. He expects us to be instruments of edification.


Believers ought to be fountains of hope for folks of different races to come and draw from. We are supposed to be so endowed with heavenly graces and fragrance, that no one spends time with us and remains depressed or down casted.

Instead, by conversing with us, men receive inspiration to pursue that which God has called them to do.



2. Salt gets rid of corruption


Salt is used to preserve food and prevent its corruption. Likewise, God expects believers to be instruments to get rid of the corruption prevalent in men through the preaching of the Gospel.



In Romans 12:1, we are admonished to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. This simply means that God desires for men to live for Him here on Earth. However, God will not accept the life sacrifices of men that are full of corruption.



Thus, in Mark 9:15, Jesus said, “every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.”


The only way we can make men presentable and acceptable to the Lord is salvation. We must make it our duty to bring the good news of Christ to people.



Paul described the Gospel of Christ as ‘the power of God’ unto salvation. This mighty power of God is the only antidote against sin and moral decay that exists in humanity.


It is through preaching God’s Word that we dispense our seasoning to the world.


CAN A SALT LOSE IT’S TASTE?



This is one of the strongest metaphors in scriptures. It seems quite difficult to understand because in literal sense, a salt can almost-never lose its taste, because it is the taste that makes it salt.



However, Jesus as a warning to believers for us to lead holy and God-fearing lives to avoid being like a salt that has lost its flavour.



A believer can lose the divine flavour and influences in him if such believer continually lives in sin. He can also lose it if he decides to live in carnality. Such believer is not useful to the Kingdom.

Jesus said such believer will be trampled upon – this means he/she will be a slave to the wishes of the world and Satanic agents.



Believers are meant to be rulers and folks with authority to trample over serpents and scorpions {representing satanic and his cohorts}.

However, if such believer casts off Divine influences and conforms to the world, he will lose his usefulness in the kingdom and become an easy prey.



Jesus’ metaphor further reveals that there are two kinds of salt,
– The useful one
– The worthless one


Which do you desire to belong to?


What differentiates a salt from every other spice is its flavour. When this flavour is gone, the salt will lose its uniqueness.

Thus, Jesus was also trying to teach believers to hold onto the lifestyles and beliefs that makes us unique and distinct from the world.

Paul reiterated this in Romans 12:2 when he instructed the Church to avoid conforming to the world’s pattern.


If we adopt the world’s morally debased system of living, we will lose the divine flavor that makes us separate and unique amongst them.

The conclusion of this is that the consciousness of our salt-like nature and responsibilities must never leave our minds. We must live with it and live by it.



You are the salt of the Earth ❤️

Spirituality, videos

Insightful counsel from Joshua Selman

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Apostle Joshua Selman is a Nigerian televangelist, instrumentalist, and chemical engineer. He is the founder and Senior Pastor of the Eternity Network International (ENI).

The (ENI) has a gospel fellowship called Koinonia, which meets regularly in Samaru, Zaria, Kaduna State, and Abuja, Nigeria.

Source: Salvation Hub
Spirituality

What to do with God’s Promises?

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Have you ever received a prophecy?


Have you ever been told of a miracle coming your way but after a long time, you saw no miracle?


Have you ever wondered why despite the fact that the preacher was genuine and inspired, the prophecy was never fulfilled?



“Or was he lying? ” you might have asked within yourself.



Well, he was not lying 😊


Romans 3 vs 4 says, “Let God be true but every man a liar ”.


Those prophecies were totally true. Why didn’t they happen? You ask.


Truth is, certain prophecies are not assurances that a certain thing will happen in your life! They are not.




What do I mean?



Take for example, a high ranking official in the government promises to give you a job, a well paying job.



Knowing how genuine this man is, you immediately become rest assured that the job is now yours.



Though he has promised you the job, you still have your part to play in getting it. You have to prepare and submit your CV and prove to be competent in an interview. The job will only be yours when these procedures have been followed.



Getting blissful prophecies to manifest in our lives is similar to this.


Prophecy has two major purposes,


1. Faith


2. Alignment


Prophecy strengthens our faith in God. It gives us the assurance of a better future in spite of the difficulties we may be experiencing.


Prophecy is also released to put us in alignment with God’s will.


However, that a good promise has been prophesied to us does not mean it will automatically come true.


It is not magic. You have a part to play in its fulfilment.


1 Timothy 1:18
“This charge I commit to you…. according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare”


In the aforementioned verse, Paul admonishes is that the prophecies and promises that God has made to us aren’t just released to make us feel good.


They are given to us to equip us for spiritual warfare. In the text, Paul charges us to wage a good warfare with the prophecies.

This is because there exist several powers and forces that will fight against us in our Christian journey.


This is further revealed in Ephesians 6:12;


“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”


These principalities and powers are working daily to bring obstacles and hindrances our way. Their mission is to ensure we do not achieve our God-given purpose.



It is with God’s revealed promises and prophecies that we pray and stop their activities. So when you see poverty in your life even when God has promised you great wealth, do not relax thinking it will come true.


The Prophecy did not come to make you relax, it came to equip you to fight for its fulfilment. Go to God in prayer and constantly remind Him of His Promise to you.

Keep declaring it in your life. Even when everything around you seems to contradict the promise, keep declaring it and praying for its fulfilment.


When we do this, we nurture the seed of Prophecy to germinate and become a reality in our lives.


What is that promise that God has given you? What positive prophecy have you received that has not come into manifestation yet?


Now is the time to go to God and remind Him of the promise and demand for its fulfilment!


Whether it is long life or business opportunities or a prosperous future, keep praying with it and expecting its fulfilment in your life.


WRITTEN BY TOLU-TAIWO VICTOR

Spirituality

Heart Matters: Can your dream withstand the falls?

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No one is ever born a winner. Winners are groomed and developed from average humans into who the winners they are.

In fact, the Bible says that the only thing in the mind of a child at birth is ‘foolishness’. No child is born wise, neither is any child is born a winner.

Every individual has the choice to be a winner or loser. This choice is seen and expressed in the kind of habits that dominate our life. The loser has a habit that causes him to lose repeatedly and the winner has certain habits that cause him to live in constant victory.

But it is imperative to iterate that no winner truly wins every time. Anyone can make mistakes, anyone can fall, but a winner will rise again no matter how many times he falls.

Anyone can fail an exam, but a winner will put in more effort to rewrite and get a better grade.

Winners are not people who never fail but who never quit.

Winners have certain qualities and habits that make them who they are.

These things are innate and intrinsic within them. They have a deep-seated dream, desire and passion for victory and conquest in every of their endeavours. This dream must be more than mere wish; it must be a driving force founded upon a just and selfless cause.


CAN YOUR DREAM WITHSTAND THE FALLS?

Genesis 39:20: “And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners [were] bound: and he was there in the prison.” (KJV)


Joseph had the dream to be a ruler. This dream was deep-seated in his heart that he couldn’t help but tell his brothers and his father about it.

Joseph eventually became a ruler in Egypt, but not without having to withstand some of the toughest upsets a person can ever face in life. Joseph was sold into slavery by his very own brothers!



Genesis 39:18-20: “When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. 19 “Here comes the dreamer!” they said. 20 “Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”


“We’ll see what happens with his dreams,” they said. What fascinates me about this statement is that it was made by Joseph’s own brothers, not by a stranger or a sworn enemy of Jacob’s family.

Isn’t it amazing how the people who don’t want you to achieve the big goals God has given you aren’t always distant enemies, but people you call your friends and family?

Those you look up to for support, but instead of encouraging you, they discourage you and send you to an uncomfortable place to be groomed in something you never dreamed of.

This was Joseph’s situation. He was sold into slavery by his own brothers – what a paradox that the prophesied ruler would be sold as a slave.

That could be described as a fall, a transition from greatness to something less than what you expected. But Joseph was tenacious!

Despite the fact that he appeared to have fallen out of favour and would never rise again, he kept the dream alive within himself.

Joseph did not give up his dream despite the fact that he had lost his family, his coat of many colours, and the comfort of his father. He held it close to his heart. His dream withstood his fall.

Because Joseph believed in his dream, he excelled in Potiphar’s house. I imagine Joseph brought into the house and thinking within himself, ‘This could be the place where my dreams will be fulfilled’.

So he worked doggedly with all diligence knowing Potiphar’s house could be the place where his dreams become reality. Indeed, his diligence paid off.


Genesis 35:4: “Joseph found favour in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.”


Joseph became the chief administrator of Potiphar’s household. That was an elevation and a promotion. Potiphar was a very wealthy man and had lots of servants; for Joseph to be in charge of Potiphar’s household means that Joseph was the leader of all the servants and staff of Potiphar’s house.

What other honour could one ask for?

But while this was happening, Joseph had no idea that soon his dream might be put to test with another fall. Potiphar’s wife suddenly began to develop feelings for the young lad.

Genesis 39:7: “And after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” (NIV)

The young man refused to heed to the temptation! Let’s pause here for a while! The temptation to become his master’s favourite was very luring and attractive, but Joseph stayed faithful to his faith in God.

If Joseph had slept with his master’s wife, there might have been no immediate consequences, but it would have led to a diversion from Joseph’s journey to success – he would never have been able to achieve his purpose.

In this event, we learn the importance of making right decisions. There are certain decisions you make now as a teenager that will give you temporal pleasure but lead to a permanent diversion from your calling.

You must be disciplined enough to say no to these things. Do not make decisions based on how they appear, appearances can be very deceiving.

Instead, look within at what the Spirit of God is saying in regards to it. If He is against such decision, you should yield to His counsel to you.

Joseph’s decision to remain chaste even in Egypt led to him being taken to prison (Genesis 39:20). He was not imprisoned for lying or for being dishonest; he was imprisoned for choosing the path of chastity.

From being the ruler of Potiphar’s household, he fell to become an inmate in a king’s prison. Again, Joseph experienced another fall. But in the prison, instead of being depressed, Joseph chose to be happy.

He chose to care for the other inmates – it wasn’t a choice made on impulse, it was the voice of his dream speaking – the voice of a dream that had withstand a fall. He kept his dream of being a leader alive and eventually became the leader of other inmates in the prison.


We know the rest of the story – Joseph was called up to Pharaoh’s palace one day, and he became the governor of Egypt. He is a living proof that dreams come true.

Winners do not lose hope no matter what they face. They believe in their dreams – they have a strong conviction that the vision that God has given them will come true.

Do you have this kind of dream? Do you have a vision that propels you to pray, fast and study your Bible? Do you have a vision that drives you to stay awake at night studying your books? Do you have a vision that propels you to work at the best level possible in whatever work you’re learning?

Can your dream withstand the loss of your mother? Can it withstand the loss of your father? Can your dream withstand the COVID and economic crisis?


Before that dream can come true, there will be lots of obstacles that will try to deter you from purpose. You will encounter a lot of ups and downs, rise and falls. But in the midst of this, keep your dream alive within. Be strong!

Let your dream withstand the fall! Turn your mistakes into miracles, your graves into gardens and your falls into an elevation towards greatness!

Written by Nwodo Divine

Spirituality

The Holy Spirit: Our Helper

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John 14:16: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;” (NASB)

While on Earth, Jesus was the most powerful man. He lived His whole life full of wisdom and mighty demonstrations of God’s power. It earned the awe and respect of His 12 disciples. Imagine being the personal assistant to the most influential man on Earth today – this is the status Jesus’ disciples occupied in the thousands of years ago.

Then out-of-the-blues, Jesus brought a very sad news to them.

John 13:36: “Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”(NASB)

He was getting ready to leave. The mention of this broke His disciples’ hearts. How could the One in charge of their upkeep abandon them? Throughout Jesus’ time with His disciples, there was never a shortage of good things.

They got money from the mouth of a fish when they needed it to pay taxes. When they needed bread to feed the masses, they raided a child’s lunchbox. Everything they required was presented to them on a gold platter. And now, the man who had done these favors was about to leave the planet.

What’s more heartbreaking than that? What would life be like without Jesus? Who would they turn to for assistance?

These were the thoughts that raged in their hearts, Jesus knew. “I will send you another Helper,” he said as he looked at them.

To put it another way, “I will send you someone who will be to you what I was to you.” Someone who will assist and guide you in the same way that I did.’ Jesus revealed in John 14:26 that this “someone” was none other than The Holy Spirit.

In this turbulent world, the Holy Spirit was given to us to be our guide, comforter, and helper. The Holy Spirit is present in every believer. The theory that the dispensation of the Holy Spirit has ended is completely false as without the Holy Spirit, there can be no conviction of sin, no repentance and no regeneration. John 3:6, NLT: “Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.”

It is the Holy Spirit that gives us spiritual life.

Romans 8:16: “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God” (NASB)

If you are a God’s child, you have the Holy Spirit living within you. But it takes more than just knowing the Holy Spirit lives in us to share in His blessings. We must grow in our understanding and friendship with the Holy Spirit.

He must be more than a fact to us; he must be more real to us than even our next-door neighbour.

Here are four important facts about The Holy Spirit

1. He speaks (Acts 13:2)

2. He hears (Psalm 65:24)

3. He can be pleased, grieved or stirred up (Eph. 4:30)

4. He loves us (2 Thess. 3:5)

5. He lives in us (1 Cor. 3:16)

The Holy Spirit’s primary role in our lives is to lead and guide us into the fullness of God’s will. We can never know God’s will by speculating or gambling. We’re going to make a lot of mistakes.

  • He knows God’s will better than us (1 Cor. 2:11): The only person who can accurately know God’s thoughts in any situation is the Holy Spirit. As a result, if we can learn to walk with Him and listen to His instructions, we will never be in a quandary or lack wisdom in deciding what to do.

The Holy Spirit helps us in prayer (Rom. 8:26):

Source: GettyImages

If we do not walk with the Holy Spirit, we will pray amiss a lot and our prayers will not get answered. When we allow the Holy Spirit to lead our lives, He ensures our prayers are aligned with God’s will. He helps us know the right prayers to pray; sometimes, while praying, He might even drop prayer points into our hearts. He also inspires us to pray by giving us burdens. The Holy Spirit helps us to pray and He helps us while we pray. Thus, with Him, prayer becomes easier and more accurate.

He is the Wisdom Spirit (Acts 6:8):

The Holy Spirit illuminates our understanding.

The fullness of the Spirit provides us with practical wisdom, insight, and understanding for daily living. Daniel possessed the Spirit of Wisdom, which enabled him to interpret a dream that all the wise men in Babylon found difficult to interpret. Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit, and when He spoke, men were astounded by the profundity and wisdom of His message.

The Holy Spirit’s work is numerous, but these three are the most important ones that should compel us to seek guidance from the Blessed Spirit of God. He serves as a conduit between us and God. Our prayers reach God through Him, and God’s thoughts reach us through Him. /p>

But the Holy Spirit can’t do it without our co-operation. He will not speak unless we acknowledge Him; He will not hear us unless we pray, and He will not give us wisdom unless we seek His advice in everything we do.

Therefore, let us make our walk with The Holy Spirit a priority. Here are three ways one can do this;

  • Spend time each day worshiping Him. Every morning, it should be the first thing you do. The Holy Spirit should be the first person we speak to in the morning and the last person we speak to in the evening. In His presence, we must sleep and awaken.

  • Be aware of His indwelling presence: Do not lose this awareness. Ask yourself, “Will the Holy Spirit be pleased?” before doing anything.
  • Do not be afraid to ask for His help.

Will you do this? Will you allow the Holy Spirit to lead your life? Say this prayer;

You, Holy Spirit, are the third Person of the Blessed Trinity. You are the Spirit of truth, love, and holiness, descended from and equal in every way to the Father and the Son. I adore You and will devote the rest of my life to You. Teach me to recognize and seek God, who made me for and with Him. Fill my heart with both a holy dread of Him and a deep love for Him. Give me patience and restraint, and keep me from succumbing to temptation. Amen.

Spirituality

The Significance of Fasting

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The word Fasting in Greek is nesteia which means to suspend the craving for food.

It equally means to deny yourself of all forms of bodily nourishment.

Furthermore, it entails avoiding all forms of distraction and focusing your mind and body on spiritual thoughts and concepts. Joel 2:12-13


The Advantages of Fasting


Fasting has both spiritual and physical benefits. It is important that we understand the spiritual benefits of fasting in order to avoid doing it in ignorance.


1. Fasting strengthens prayer:

The goal of fasting is to draw you closer to God. Its purpose is to add vitality to prayer.

It does this by first conditioning the heart to pray effectively, and proceeding to condition our prayers to be aligned with God’s will.

The fast in itself is not responsible for this, it is the activities done during the fast that does this.

During a fast, the heart is fixed on the revelation of God, this revelation gives us the faith and insight required to have effectual prayer.




2. Fasting helps us access God’s thoughts:


The human mind is constantly a beehive of activities. With thoughts from different sources flooding it frequently, it is difficult to know when God is speaking to us. We silence these thoughts in fasting.

Meditation, which goes along with fasting, enables our heart to receive God’s thoughts seamlessly.



3. Fasting Gives You Access To Power:

The Apostles stayed in Jerusalem, fasted, and were given power. Many people want power but do not want to fast.

Paul had fasted for 14 days just to declare that there would be no loss of life. Jesus spent 40 days fasting before he got into ministry and the Bible tells us that He returned in the fullness of God’s power.


4. Fasting feeds your spirit:


“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Jeremiah 33:13.


Your spirit is the center of your being, the Holy Spirit came to tabernacle in your spirit to write God’s law in your heart.

Fasting allows the Holy Spirit to freely express himself in your Spirit. It equally makes you experience his divinity through your soul.

A true fast subdues the desires of our flesh and engulfs our soul with passion for the things of God.







Don’t fast until a crisis happens, Fast because you want to have an intimate relationship with Christ.




Green-Hills Emmanuel Amarayahweh