Words are creative tools. They have the ability to shape the life we want for ourselves. They make man’s realities. Depending on how they are used, they can destroy or repair, crush or build.
Success and failure are determined by the power of words. A wise man once said, ‘Whether you say you can or you say you can’t, you’re right.’ These words aren’t limited to the usual things we say to one another.
What we say to ourselves and within ourselves is also important. The little voice within us that either encourages or discourages us from doing things is a powerful force that we must learn to control for our own good.
Sometimes we can say something positive on the outside, but our inner voice contradicts what we say on the outside.
As a result, it is critical that we, as believers, learn to control this voice and speak only positive things in order to generate the energy and faith required to succeed.
Revelation 12:11: “And they triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives unto death.”
According to the above scripture, the secret of believers’ triumph is in the word of their testimony.
The word of testimony proclaims Christ’s victory over Satan’s works and that we are the recipients of His finished works.
This word of testimony is our weapon for triumphing over Satan’s works, such as poverty, sickness, and death.
OUR WORLDS ARE FRAME-WORKED BY WORDS.
Hebrews 11:3: “… the worlds were framed by the word of God”
Just unseen and visible realms were framed by God’s words, we too can frame our world with our words. We might not be able to change the world at large, but we can create positivity and yield productivity in our environment.
APPLICATION
Here are two things to do in order to experience this;
Make a list of what God’s word says about you.
Meditate daily on that list.
Declare it over your life daily.
This will necessitate regular Bible study in order for you to understand what God’s word says about you.
Conclusively, let this a daily habit for you. Speak from God’s word, not from negative experiences.
“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” – Matthew 12:24
Have you ever wondered why monks and sages are so wise? I have too. What makes them so wise? Don’t they have the same brain and eyes that we have? They do.
What makes monks, sages and wealthy men wise is a heart matter. Wisdom is not a mental condition, it is a heart condition. It is a state of the heart.
Wisdom can be received and enhanced in the heart. Thus we can describe the heart as the storage tank of wisdom. It stores up wisdom and insight for excellent living.
This is why Jesus spoke of ‘the abundance of the heart’. Even as the heart can store up wisdom, it can also store folly, or it can be empty and void of wisdom. It all depends on how much development you give to it.
Here are two ways to enhance inner wisdom;
1. Get connected with God.
God in us – The Holy Spirit is our source of wisdom. Any believer who is rooted in God will never run out of practical wisdom for daily living. Building a strong connection with God requires prayer, meditation, fasting etc. Find out more here.
Acknowledge God
Proverbs 3:6: “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (KJV)
Here’s what Matthew Henry says about this verse:
“…. We must not only in our judgment believe that there is an over-ruling hand of God ordering and disposing of us and all our affairs, but we must solemnly own it, and address ourselves to him accordingly. We must ask his leave, and not design anything but what we are sure is lawful. We must ask his advice and beg direction from him, not only when the case is difficult… but in every case, be it ever so plain, we must ask success of him, as those who know the race is not to the swift.
We must refer ourselves to him as one from whom our judgment proceeds, and patiently, and with a holy indifference, wait his award. In all our ways that prove direct, and fair, and pleasant, in which we gain our point to our satisfaction, we must acknowledge God with thankfulness. In all our ways that prove cross and uncomfortable, and that are hedged up with thorns, we must acknowledge God with submission.”
Although there are men with natural wisdom, a look at world history reveals that it takes more than natural wisdom to survive in this world. Furthermore, no matter how smart you are, you will never know what the person next to you is thinking. You can never see into the future, no matter how clever you are; you can never predict the next war, bomb blast, tension, etc.
C. Bridges explains this better,
‘Take one step at a time, every step under divine warrant and direction. Ever plan for yourself in simple dependence on God. It is nothing less than self-idolatry to conceive that we can carry on even the ordinary matters of the day without His counsel. He loves to be consulted. Therefore, take all thy difficulties to be resolved by Him. Be in the habit of going to Him in the first piece- before self-will… self-wisdom, human friends, convenience (and) expediency. Before any of these have been consulted, go to God at once!’
Here’s an exercise for this;
Consider a decision you must make soon. It could be a job, an admission, a course selection, a spouse, or something else. Remove your emotions and preferences from the decision and speak to God – who dwells in your heart. Ask Him to guide you in making the right decision. You can even ask Him for a sign, as Gideon did, and if your heart is sincere, God may work a sign to lead you. But the most important thing is that you acknowledge God before taking any action.
Read your Bible
The Bible is God’s letter to man; it is God’s eternal counsel written down. God is very interested in the Bible because it is His very own work, and how much attention we as His children pay to it. I remember writing my first story and giving it to a close friend to read. I sat there watching him read it with bated breath until he was finished. I did this because it was my book, and it made me very happy to see someone else reading what I had written. Similarly, God loves it when we pay attention to His word.
His word contains life-changing wisdom. We see deep mysteries hidden for us in the life stories of David, Abraham, and others, as well as the proverbs of Solomon, the psalms of David, the teachings of Jesus, and the doctrines of the Apostles.
Therefore, let us give attention to the reading of God’s word for our own profiting.
Read it.
Meditate on it.
Study it.
Pray with it
Practice it
Keep reading it
What if I can’t understand what is written in it?
1 Corinthians 2:9-11: “…Things never discovered or heard of before, things beyond our ability to imagine– these are the many things God has in store forthem that love Him.
10 But God now unveils these profound realities to us by the Spirit.[c] Yes, he has revealed to us his inmost heart and deepest mysteries through the Holy Spirit, who constantly explores all things.
11 After all, who can really see into a person’s heart and know his hidden impulses except for that person’s spirit? So it is with God. His thoughts and secrets are only fully understood by his Spirit, the Spirit of God.”
The Bible can never be fully comprehended by the human intellect; it requires the revelation of the Holy Spirit to fully comprehend the wisdom hidden in God’s word. As a result, before reading the Bible, we must pray to the Lord for understanding and insight into His word.
Read the Bible with an open heart in order to receive instruction from the Holy Spirit; as if God is speaking to you through it, read it. Don’t just skim through it. The butterfly can only get nectar from its flower by sucking it; similarly, we can only gain insight from God’s word by studying it meditatively.
2. INQUISITIVENESS
Wisdom is acquired through a combination of inquisitiveness for information and a desire to learn. This quality is common among the world’s renowned scientists and researchers. It is a heart matter and goes beyond being a mere over-thinker or curious person.
Inquisitiveness is the desire to learn, to know more about people, things. It is founded from the habit of observation. If you want to fill your heart with wisdom, observe and ask questions. Ask vital questions to yourself, God, elders around you and even to nature.
A wise man once said, “He who knows how to ask, will never get lost”. If you develop this inquisitive quality and you live by it, by the time you’re old your mind will be an accumulation of years of wisdom and answers to life’s toughest questions.
Here’s a practical for you;
Get a book and tag it ‘Wisdom Book’.
Write down the pivotal questions in your life that you need answers to.
Go to the Bible or get lessons from trusted counselors on those questions and write them down in your wisdom book.
Have a ‘learning goal’ each day. This goal should be the things you want to learn for that day. At the end of the day, write down the things you’ve learnt in your ‘Wisdom Book’.
Be observant and write down occurrences with significant meaning in your life.
BE CONSISTENT
Again, this must be done continuously in order to see the desired results.
Were you blessed by this post? We’ll love to hear from you in the comment section.
We have a physical heart as well as a spiritual heart. This is evident in the case of the tangible ears and the ears that exist within these ears, as well as our brain and mind. This intangible heart is the essence of man’s being. It is the center of our existence.
The heart is the link between the spiritual realm and the physical realm. Through the heart, we connect to/with people around us, as well as to God.
“…. discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12. The heart is the epicenter of our thoughts and our motives for whatever we do.
This spiritual force is the most powerful of all the structures that comprise man’s metaphysical realm. All inventions, innovations, and ideas originate in the heart. It is the inner proving ground for human innovation.
Throughout this series, we will learn how to train our hearts and increase their capacity to generate creative, superhuman ideas and innovations. But this post is about the most important thing we need to learn as Christians: how to engage God with our hearts.
James 4:8: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
When the Bible tells us to draw near to God, it does not mean that we should do so literally. This is due to the fact that none of us can be physically close to God.
God cannot be seen in our physical world unless He opens the spiritual eyes of men to see Him on rare occasions. God, on the other hand, is very close to us, even closer than we expect. James’ admonition to the Church to draw near to God is motivated by God’s proximity to us.
However, many of us are unaware of this, which explains why humans, including believers, frequently experience feelings of fear, abandonment, and despair.
The Heart is God’s House within us
We can reach out to God through our hearts. Nothing can frighten you when you develop this close heart-to-heart connection with God. You gain the courage of a lion. This intimacy with God is what gives hope for a better future even in difficult times.
This intimacy has an impact on our emotions as well; it causes us to rejoice and live in joy because we can feel God no matter where we go. Jesus had a heart-to-heart connection with God. It was so strong that it inspired and influenced everything He did.
He wept in grief when He lost this connection on the cross because it was His main source of strength and fortitude. There are three steps towards enjoying this strong, unbreakable connection with God;
1. Awareness:
The Church needs to go beyond looking for the Presence of God to being aware of the presence of God. The Presence of God is not locked up somewhere in Heaven as many think. His Presence is within us – our heart is the tabernacle of God’s glory and presence. But due to either ignorance or being busy, very few believers enjoy this presence.
Moreover, it is almost impossible to be aware of God’s presence almost twenty-four hours with the kind of turmoil we’re experiencing, but awareness of God is like an art that can be developed and mastered.
– See God both inside and outside of yourself.
Psalm 23:4: “….For You are with me…”
We pray because we are aware of God’s indwelling presence. It inspires us to worship. Furthermore, God is said to ‘fill the universe’ in the Bible (Ephesians 1:23). God, as the creator of the universe, has left His imprint on all of His creations.
In fact, everything God created is intended to bear witness to Him and reflect His attributes.
Therefore, let us see God’s glory in the brightness of the sun; let us see God’s grace in the raindrops, His beauty in the lilies, and His creativity in the mountains.
It is very simple and practical to accomplish this feat. Prepare your daily schedule and set aside an hour, thirty minutes, or even fifteen minutes to focus all of your heart energies on being conscious of God’s presence.
When you’re in trouble or confused, instead of trying to mask your feelings by drinking or having a good time, be still and know that God is with you. Although this state will not solve the problem, it will bring peace and joy to your soul.
You’ll have a strong sense that God is working out something good for you. You’ll even get the strength and faith you need to bring the issue to God in prayer.
This is something I do a lot when I’m too tired to continue my studies due to financial constraints. It works!
Worship creates awareness
I don’t think there’s anything that awakens the awareness of God’s presence like music. Playing cool worship songs and meditating on the song lyrics can help you feel God’s presence both inside and outside your home.
Allow the lyrics to reach the depths of your soul. Don’t just listen with your ears; listen with your heart as well. Connect to the music’s words; they are the wings that carry the soul to God and the antenna that connects the heart to God.
Being aware of God is one level of engagement; being able to relate to Him as God is an entirely different level, and it is one that every Saint must achieve. Why not talk to God while He is with you?
Being aware of God without attempting to engage Him in conversation is akin to knowing your mother is sitting next to you but ignoring her as if she were a stranger. You will never benefit from God’s wisdom if you do not communicate with Him.
Unfortunately, many believers wait to hear God’s voice before responding to God; however, this is not how it works.
Remember how James stated that when we draw near to God (through our hearts), God draws near to us. Thus, we will begin to recognize God’s voice when we choose to converse with Him as our Father and Friend.
How do I start?
This is the question that many Christians ask when they are told to pray to God. There is no definite way to communicate with God. But it is best to begin by praising Him, thanking Him, and admiring His glorious works.
Here’s an exercise for you:
Visualize God sitting beside you. This requires a lot of inner effort, but it strengthens the heart’s spiritual muscles. After that, begin to thank Him in the same way you would thank a sponsor or a helper who has done something good for you.
Remember to keep your mind on the fact that God is present with you. After thanking Him, go ahead and pour out your heart to Him. Talk to Him about everything you can think of.
This is one of the most effective ways to pray; however, communicating with God can also be done informally, particularly by those who have mastered the art. Here’s one more:
– Begin practicing whatever you see here as you read this post on your device. Simply tell God how much you appreciate Him.
This is one of the most effective ways to pray; however, communicating with God can also be done informally, particularly for those who have mastered the art.
Here’s another exercise: while reading this post on your device, start practicing whatever you see here. Simply tell God how much you love Him, how much you want to be close to Him, and so on. Keep doing this; it will strengthen your flow with God.
3. DO WHAT HE SAYS
Our relationship with God is harmed by disobedience. It is the highest type of dishonor, though ignorant defiance is far more dangerous. The majority of us are unconsciously disobedient. When you ignore a leading to preach to others, enter a trade, make friends with someone, or do something else, you are simply disobeying the Holy Spirit’s leading.
Probably you’ve been feeling an inner pull leading you towards a certain decision, and you are fully convinced that this is not your mere emotions playing a trick on you.
You can seek counsel from spiritual leaders in your Church, and if you remain convinced that it is God’s leading, go ahead and do it!
The more we do what God says, the more we know what God says. Likewise, the more we do what God wants, the more we know what God wants.
Every morning, we’ve been taught to tell God how we want our day to go, but we’ve never been taught to ask God how HE wants our day to go.
The latter is the way of absolute surrender. It is the highest form of worship, and it is what makes God to take abode in everything we do.
It takes more than a trial to develop heart-heart relationship with God. These activities must be done intentionally and must become an integral part of our daily lives. If you practice them daily, you will be in awe at how real your fellowship with God will become.
We have numerous definitions for prayer. Whatever the case may be, God requires us to be more devoted than at any other time in recent memory. We pray to know the Will of God. We pray to know how to carry out the will of God.
We also pray to surrender ourselves to the desires of the kingdom for us. There are several definitions of prayer. Some see it as petitioning, while others see it as communing with God, and so on.. Prayer is what the Church really needs at this point.
When God’s move begins, it begins with His children’s prayers. This intercession ensures that God’s work is carried out precisely and without interference from the forces of darkness. Why do we have to pray? This is because we can only gain insight and understanding into what God is going to do through prayer.
According to Colossians 2:3, “all treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ,” and it is through prayer that these treasures are revealed to us.
THE HEART MATTERS
This is a photograph of possessive
James 4:3 (New International Version)
“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
Any prayer prayed for the wrong reasons will be rendered ineffective. Prayer is a sacred duty that must be carried out with the purest of intentions. In the Church, selfishness is the slayer of prayer. It causes God to stifle the much-needed answer.
Prayer for the sake of one’s own selfish interests is a waste of time. According to Proverbs 21, God weighs a man’s heart. He weighs His saints’ hearts; He measures the quality of prayer by the quality of the heart rather than the quantity of words.
If a saint’s motives are not pure, he may say thousands of words before God and leave empty-handed; however, another saint may speak only a few words and leave with the Grace he seeks as a result of pure motives.
Proverbs 15:11: “Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord, How much more the hearts of men!”
We deceive ourselves when we believe God is unaware of the true reason for some of our petitions. God sees our hearts; He hears our thoughts as well as our words. Therefore, before we pray, we must examine our hearts and ensure that our motives are pure. In our prayer, there must be no trace of self or carnality.
FOR HIS GLORY
When we pray, whether in public or privately, the only thing that matters is that God receives the glory. In the place of prayer, His glory and will must be at the center of our desires. In the Kingdom, we are only rewarded for actions that bring glory to God.
HIS BATTLE-AXE
The pure saint must see himself as a battle-axe in the master’s hands, or as a pencil in the creator’s hands. When he prays or fasts, he must remember that it is God who is doing the work through him.
Conclusively, ministers, intercessors, and all members of the Body must keep this in mind. We must not allow the spirit of competition to infiltrate our organization. We must be wary of praying for the sake of showing off.
Insecurity has become the order of the day in Nigeria, this is undeniable. Years ago, it was mainly a North-eastern problem, but it has recently become a nationwide problem. Students have been abducted during school hours, police stations have been demolished, and so on. The situation has highlighted the fact that no one in Nigeria is currently secure.
Can’t we pray for it to end?
According to Jeremiah 29:7, the fervency of our prayers determines our nation’s peace and prosperity. However, prayer is not a game-changer in national affairs. Prayer flows in accordance with the will of the people. Nigerians, including many believers, elected the current leader as president about seven years ago.
THERE’S AN APPOINTED TIME
This is not to say that we should stop praying. We must continue to pray for Nigeria’s peace and prosperity at all hours of the day and night. Though the answers to our prayers may appear to be delayed, the light for which we are praying will surely come.
In Matthew 14, Jesus’ disciples were sailing in their boat by themselves. Jesus did not reveal Himself until a massive storm threatened the safety of His disciples. That story teaches us that God usually waits until the storm is raging before intervening. The fact that Nigeria is on the verge of collapse indicates that God is about to do something amazing in that country.
WE ARE THE GOSHEN CITY
In Exodus 7-11, God struck Egypt with a series of plagues. Amazingly, it did not affect His people, the Israelites. The same way God preserved the Israelites in Exodus 11, God has promised to secure His Saints even in the midst of the nation’s insecurity. God has promised in His word that not a single strand of your hair will be consumed by fire. Here are some scriptural things to do to stay safe in times like these;
1. Listen to the voice of your spirit:
I have a friend who was saved from a bandit attack by listening to the voice of his spirit. I recently interviewed him, and this is what he told me:
“I couldn’t make sense of it, but I knew God was showing my spirit something that my physical eyes couldn’t see. Although rebooking a bus seat would have cost me money, I did not board the bus. I went to the airport and rescheduled my trip. We found out two hours later that the bus I refused to board had been hijacked by bandits, and several passengers had been killed. The news traumatized me – the thought that if I had boarded that bus, I would have been among those killed. That experience has taught me to always listen to the voice of my spirit”.
Depending on what God shows or speaks to our spirit, it can be grieved, excited, or both. As Christians, we must learn to be led by the Holy Spirit. Do not go to a place where your spirit will not be accepted.
Psalm 143:10: “… May Your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground.” (HCSB)
If we submit to the leading of the precious Spirit of God, we will be preserved.
2. Prayer
Prayer is entrusting our souls to God’s care. It expresses our faith in God and acknowledges Him in everything we do. Before you begin your daily activities in the morning, place your entire day in God’s hands. Before making a critical decision, make sure you consult with God. Furthermore, as Christians, we must not only pray for ourselves, but also others. Pray for your children, friends, and family.
3. Live in assurance of God’s security
Doubt and fear are two ways Satan can expose us to harm. The only way to avoid living in doubt is to remain convinced of God’s ever-present presence in your life.
Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God.”
Be assured that God will be with you as you go out and come in. Let it be your declaration, like David’s in Psalm 23 that “the Lord is with me.” “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God,” says Psalm 20:7. In a society where even the police cannot secure themselves, let alone others, the people’s only hope is God.
Every day, police stations are destroyed, and soldiers are killed. You cannot afford to put your safety in the hands of the government or security agencies as a believer. Do not be like those who put their trust in chariots and horses; instead, put your trust in God’s promise to protect you from the wicked’s plot.
4. Avoid carelessness!
The fact that God will save us does not imply that we should live recklessly, as God’s promises are not intended to promote irrational living and rash decision-making. Follow security protocols as much as possible. Don’t go out at night by yourself. Avoid going to areas where bandits are a common occurrence.
Finally, we believe that God will intervene in the Nigerian crisis before it escalates; however, while we wait for God to act, let us trust in God and follow security protocols to ensure our safety and the safety of our loved ones.
This is a hard-hitting question that many seem to ignore. In a busy world like this, the first thing that comes to the mind of many the moment they’re awake is preparing for business, taking care of the kids or checking for updates on their social media page. This explains the reason why many believers complain of having a terrible day, and live life in emotional stress.
Fortunately, as soon as you’re doing reading this, the stress and depression syndrome will end.
START YOUR DAY IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD
There’s no greater way to begin the day than to begin it in God’s presence. Spending time worshiping and praying in the morning has a lot of impact on our inner stability throughout the day. This is the reason why even the Saints of the Bible days were known for early morning devotion.
Jesus prayed in the morning {Mark 1:35}. David prayed in the morning as well. Here are some incredible benefits gained in habitual morning devotional life.
1. It is a sign of gratitude: Psalm 3:5: “I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the LORD sustains me.” (HCSB) Having fellowship with God as your first activity in the morning, expresses your thankfulness for His preserving power. It shows you acknowledge Him as the one who sustained you and your family throughout the night.
Psalm 91:5 talks of the ‘arrow that flies at night’; these are spiritual attacks sent from the enemy’s gathering while we sleep to harm us or our families. The fact that in spite of arrows sent by the enemy we wake up hale and hearty shows that it is God who preserves us. Thus, as grateful saints, we must express our gratitude to the creator and life-preserver of the universe.
2. We seek and receive the guidance of God for the day: Though natural wisdom demands one makes logical, sequential and organized plans for one’s day, the truth remains that life is very unpredictable. Anything can come up during the day – a tough decision to make, a temptation very hard to resist, an accident or unexpected incident etc; spending time praying in God’s presence equips us for these things. The Holy Spirit can forewarn us of certain dangers in the day if we’d spend time in His presence. Through praying in the spirit, we can even be inspired to pray against certain traps which the enemy has set for us as we go on our daily endeavors.
3. It helps build a strong spirit: The reason people wish the day would never break is that they lack the fortitude and enthusiastic strength to face the day and its challenges. Praying and meditating on God’s word in the morning has the same effect on our spirit as charging your phone has on its battery. When you pray in the morning, your spirit is charged up and strengthened to be able to bear all that the day will bring.
A Christian with a strong spirit will always experience inner stability. Such Christian can fight even the toughest of battles and stay joyful; because he derives his joy from his fortified spirit. If you want to have a mature spirit, have devotional time with God every morning. A Christian, who keeps spending time only on his secular engagements without spending time with God, will wear out terribly.
Isaiah 40:31: “But those who wait upon GOD get fresh strength.” (MSG) We receive strength when we dwell in God’s presence.
4. We experience the peace of God:
Meditating on God’s word eases our stress levels and calms our soul. The Bible says that when we pray, ‘the peace of God that passes all understanding will flood our soul; this divine peace is the supreme antidepressant.
It is the antidote for high blood pressure, the cure for migraine and the klopin for stress. It is a conviction of God’s faithfulness that settles all the doubts in our minds.
Meditating on God’s word puts our soul at rest. The Psalms are full of inspiring verses for meditation; feed on them every morning – you will find peace and incomprehensible tranquility in them.
5. Inspiration:
Job 32:8: “But [there is] a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.” (KJV)
Inspiration is an inner stimulation to do something creative. It is a feeling of enthusiasm which prompts creative ideas and innovation. Inspiration is what gives us reason to keep succeeding. In spite of the lockdown, pandemic and economic crisis, if believers can stay inspired, there’s no limit to what they can achieve.
But we won’t be able to receive inspiration for creative living if we are too busy to have a devotional time with God. Inspiration is best received in solitude – when we spend time in God’s divine presence. Spending the morning in God’s presence inspires our hope and creativity for the whole day.
We hope you have been blessed by this post. We want to hear from you; do drop a like and comment for us. God bless you. Stay safe!
Diligence to the service of the kingdom is necessary for anyone who wants to win the heart of God. A diligent person is someone who patient, persevering, and steady. He is one who is absolutely devoted to the work of the Kingdom.
The diligent saint need not be a preacher to be an effective kingdom worker. He might not be into the pastoral ministry 24/7 like the pastor, but he incorporates the preaching of the Gospel into his engagements.
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:20.
It is unfortunate that in modern day Christianity, we find believers who want to enjoy the benefits of the kingdom without seeking the kingdom with their heart. The Kingdom we belong to operates with a reward-based system. In His teaching on the principles of the Kingdom, Jesus repeatedly explained that only those who are faithful to the tasks God has assigned to me them that will enjoy the bountiful benefits of the kingdom.
DILIGENT DAVID
One of the secrets to David’s success was his diligence to the cause of God. He was diligent both in his service to his father, his service to Saul and to the Israelites.
David was so diligent in His service to God, that even when he became king, he didn’t stop thinking about what to do for God. Amidst the tranquility and glory of the palace, David’s heart was restless because God did not have a Temple.
Folks, desiring to be great in the kingdom is not enough – the path to greatness is beyond mere desire. There must be an inner drive that pushes you to unquestionable diligence in God’s work.
Only lazy people desire blessings they didn’t work for. Only the slothful does nothing and expect rewards.
God’s blessing is tied to diligence. We will never fulfill the fullness of God’s plan for us if we are always lazy towards the interests of God. It is only a diligent man that will do business with kings. In the business of the kingdom, God wants us to reach the level where we can speak to kings and deliver God’s counsel to rulers of nations.
Daniel was diligent in the things of God and because of diligence, he became excellent and industrious that even kings couldn’t resist his wisdom.
BENEFITS OF DILIGENCE
God prospers the diligent:
Proverbs 13:4: “Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.” Lazy saints desire the promises of the gospel, but they get only the crumbs of providence because they are unwilling to work for it. But the devoted saints will always find miracles of divine provision in their lives; because a saint who works for the kingdom, is a saint who has his name enlisted in heaven’s payroll.
2. God promotes the diligent
“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” Proverbs 22:29. God has always promoted saints who were unique and exemplary in their service to the Kingdom. The likes of Joseph, Daniel, Mordecai etc all went extra-mile in their efforts to uphold the cause of God.
HIS FAVOUR IS FOR THE DILIGENT
The average human believes that greatness comes by hardwork, thus he remains average.
Ecclesiastics reveals to us that, ‘the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill‘.
In life, there must be a God-factor. Christians who do not understand this will always claim to be too busy to serve God.
Lastly, incorporate Kingdom Service into whatever engagement you’re doing. If you’re a student, preach to your colleagues. If you’re a trader, share Gospel trats and magazines along with goods to your customers.
The issue of praying for long hours has always been a trending topic among Christians. Prayer is often likened unto exercise.
There are times all one needs is light warmups, pushups and a few jogs; but there are times a standard athlete must spend quality time training himself and exercising his muscles in the gym.
This is also applicable for prayer.
There are times when all one needs is a light thirty minutes prayer; whereas there are situations that a quality Christian must spend time praying and declaring the Word of The Lord.
Thus, the importance that believers are taught not only how to pray, but also how to persevere in the place of prayer.
The athlete is trained on how to jog round a standard football pitch for more than thirty minutes nonstop; the Saint must also be trained on how to exercise his spirit for hours nonstop!
THE POWER IS IN QUALITY NOT QUANTITY
The essence of this lesson is not to spur you to begin to long duration the purpose and target of your prayer.
That’s the greatest mistake many-a-praying saint makes;it’s also the first step towards losing prayer stamina.
For effective prayer, you must have faith, knowledge of God’s Word as well as a heart aligned with the will of God.
Yet, this post is to train you on how you can engage God with both quality of heart and quantity of time.
1. THE WORSHIPPER
Prayer is a form of worship, thus, in order to pray well and pray long, one must be in the posture of worship before God’s presence.
The essence of spending time singing songs of worship to God cannot be argued.
Many a times, when a Saint desires to pray and goes on his knees, the burdens, pressures and concerns of the day will seem to be laid on his head.
Sometimes, it is like the consequence of the vigorous body exertions surface in the body all of a sudden; other times it could be sleepiness. When this happens, do not try to coerce yourself to pray.
Instead, lift your hands to God and sing songs of worship from your heart.
The Psalmist referred to worship as ‘Magnifying the Lord’, when the Lord is magnified and revealed in the room where your worship is being released, prayer becomes easy.
The more you worship God, the more you become aware of his presence. I once heard someone say, ‘I don’t worship much before praying, because I came to pray not to worship’.
This is the mindset of some saints, and its very wrong. Sometimes, all we actually need to do in God’s presence is not even to pray in loud tongues, but to worship and adore His majesty.
Worship awakens even our spirit and enable it to be able to receive from God. Before you present your requests to God, make sure you attend to His own request – that you worship Him in spirit and in truth.
2. YOU AIN’T GOING ANYWHERE
You must be aware that you’re praying for long. Cast away all thoughts that will make you be in a haste, and be conscious of the fact that you’re going to spend time in God’s presence.
3. PRAY WITH DIRECTION
Do not pray randomly for the sake of covering time. Let your mind be focused on a particular goal.
1 Corinthians 9:26 “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:”
The Saint must be careful not to be like a boxer that only punches the air – exerting energy but making no impact.
His mind and spirit must be on the wall which he intends to crush, the barrier to break and the mountain to move.
4. GO BEYOND YOUR STRENGTH!
When the sprinters in a marathon become tired, they do not stop running entirely – because they know they have a destination that they must reach. Instead, they reduce their speed.
Having set a time target for yourself, you should keep praying until you’re able to reach it. If you do not have a time target, you should keep praying until you’re internally satisfied that you’ve done enough.
When you do this, you’re stretching yourself like the elastic runner, to go beyond your normal size. When you seem to be physically tired, you can rest, and if it’s not convenient for your health, stop the prayers and continue next time; otherwise, keep going.
Reduce the loudness of your voice; reduce your physical exertion, but ensure you’re praying.
5. PRAY-READ THE SCRIPTURES
There’s no greater source of strength than God’s Word.
Daniel 9:2 “During the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, was studying the writings of the prophets. I learned from the word of the Lord, as recorded by Jeremiah the prophet, that Jerusalem must lie desolate for seventy years.”
Daniel 9:3 “So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting.”
Daniel’s discovery of God’s prophecy about the nation of Israel spurred him to pray. A Saint who gains ground in long term prayer is a Saint who prays with his Bible open.
He constantly checks here and there, to see what God’s Word says about his business, family, kids etc, and the more he discovers it, the more he prays with it.
If you do not know what to pray, pray with God’s Word. Turn Bible verses into prayer points.
Finally;
CONSISTENCY IS KEY! An understanding of this will prevent you from setting unrealistic goals for yourself in prayer. Don’t expect to pray for five straight hours on your first attempt. Begin from an hour and keep advancing at weekly intervals.
Some see this prized asset as a mere collection of scripts and scrolls written by men; but the Bible is more than a collection of scripts, it is a collection of divine mysteries. It is a treasury of vast heavenly wisdom.
Though it was written through the hands of men, the Bible was written by God Himself. It is an outflow of God’s divine wisdom and power.
One of my favorite verses about the Bible remains;
‘Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever.’ – Psalms 119:160.
God’s Word is eternally true and relevant. The Bible remains the same. It doesn’t improve; neither is it progressive! What the Bible called sin thousands of years ago, remains sin till date – including homosexuality and fornication.
Some Facts about the Bible
1. It is the Book of God’s Kingdom:
Every kingdom or state has a book(s) called a constitution. The Constitution contains not only the rules and regulations guiding the state, but the rights of the citizens in that state. The Bible tells us that our conversation is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), and that we have been translated from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of God (Colossians 1:13).
The Bible is the constitution of our Kingdom. It reveals to us who we are in Christ, our responsibilities as well as our rights in Christ. The Bible reveals to us our identity as sons of God.
It is in God’s word that we discover that by the stripes of Jesus, we are healed (Isaiah 53). It is in His Word that we discover that we through the redemptive work of Christ, we have been made a royal priesthood, holy and acceptable unto God (1 Peter 2:9).
2. The Book of the Supernatural
The Bible is not a mere storybook! It is a book which presents to us the workings of God’s power in the days of men of old. Any Saint who devotes his time to studying this book with an open heart, will surely walk in the supernatural.
There is a measure of faith that is released into our spirits each time we read of the incredible acts of God. God did not record those acts so that we can read them for leisure or mere knowledge. He wrote them so we would read and be strengthened and ‘faithened’ to command the same.
WHY IS THE BIBLE VERY IMPORTANT?
The importance and significance of God’s word in living a life of victory can never be overemphasized. Here are a few reasons why God’s word must be treated with sacredness and studied with fervency and devotion;
1) All Scriptures are Profitable:
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” – 2 Timothy 3: 16-17.
There is profit in studying the scriptures. Profit means gain, benefits, income etc; in other words, we get great gain when we devote our time and concentration to studying the Bible. We gain spiritual knowledge; we gain faith; we gain hope and inspiration to keep moving in the quest for greatness.
Until a believer begins to profit from God’s word, He can never be a profitable and productive servant of God. God’s word is also profitable for reproof, correction and instruction.
In God’s Word, we are instructed on how to conduct our lives on Earth as Christians. How then can a believer live in confusion when such an all-encompassing treasure as the Bible exists?
2) The Foundation of Our Faith:
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15:4.
Solid faith grows by steady intake of God’s word. One of my mentors Nwodo Divine would always say, “Just as when we eat rice, it becomes carbohydrate in our body, and when we eat beans, it becomes protein in our body; when we eat the word, it becomes faith in our spirits”. Our faith can only stand strong when it is founded on God’s word.
So the scriptures were written to build and grow our faith. For faith to grow, there must learning and unlearning. A believer can’t grow in faith if he chooses to stick to the superstitious and mythical beliefs he had as an unbeliever or Christian infant.
Look at the word whatsoever that was written in the scripture was to form our faith, it is written to show us the pattern of living in God’s kingdom. It is only those who stay with scripture that will always produce what is in the scriptures.
The Scripture discloses the norms, ethics, habits and behavior of believers. It is because many do not know the scriptures that they conform easily to the world.
Until we go back to intense study of the scripture, we will always err and give the wrong counsel and direction to our young ones.
3)The Revelation of His Will:
And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? Luke 24:32.
Until the scriptures are opened to our understanding through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, our eyes will continually be blind to the things that God is trying to show us.
The scripture uncovers God’s will and counsel for our life. The Scripture is very important because it captures God’s purpose for individual, Family, nation and generations to come.
BIBLE OVER DARWIN
The scripture also shows our root. We may be created with material bodies, yet, God’s word reveals to us that man in his true form, is a spirit (Job 32:8). In God’s Word, we discover that man came from God (Genesis 1:27) and not from apes – a frivolous assertion made by a scientist whose mind had been darkened by Satan.
The Bible shows us that man didn’t evolve from any pre-existing being, but we were rather created from God.
Folks, it’s time we start paying attention to the Word as it is the manual that God has given us to guide us unto success.
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Love was one of the most powerful weapons God used in redeeming Mankind back to himself; and that weapon is still very much active today.
The Bible says in John 3 vs 16;
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his ONLY begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”.
Jesus was the only Son God ever had, yet, God was willing to sacrifice Him for the salvation of the world.
God gave Jesus out into the cold hands of death just because of you and I and in doing this, put both Heaven and Earth in Great danger.
Great danger?
Yes! Because the fate of both Heaven and earth depended on whether Jesus would fulfil or fail in His mission.
Jesus faced several temptations, yet, He overcame them all. He refused to be distracted in His mission to save mankind. Scriptures tell us that He prayed with so much fervency – not for Himself, but for you and I. (Hebrews 5 vs 7)
He had the power to disappear before even when the soldiers came to arrest Him at Gethsemane.
But He said, “Not my will Lord, but thy will be done”.
His great love for us made Him willing to sacrifice His freedom and dignity.
He even bore our curse;
Galatians 3:13 – “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:”
Folks, God’s display of love on calvary remains the highest display of love for eternity.
St. John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Even when we fall, He picks us up and wipe the stains of sin and guilt away with His Blood.
This is the incomprehensible love of Christ – the love that passes understanding.
If you ever feel like anyone hates you, remember that two thousand years ago, a Divine Being named ‘Jesus’ made the greatest love sacrifice on the cross.
Are you feeling hopeless or in despair? Look unto the cross and be strengthened.
If you ever feel like an outcast, Remember you have been adopted by God through Christ and you are now a part of God’s Household {Ephesians 2:12-13}
It is no secret that the world which we live in is full of perversion, immorality and ungodliness. It was designed by Satan to be hostile to believers. If a Saint must succeed in this world, he must be deep rooted in Christ.
Unfortunately, even in the Church, the love of Christ is waxing cold. It makes me wonder the next generation has what it takes to pioneer the move of God. The absence of foundational teachings on godliness, righteousness and faith further worsens the situation.
“The teachings of the godly ones are like pure silver, bringing words of redemption to others, but the heart of the wicked is corrupt” – Proverbs 10:20.
These times call for preachers to return to the teaching of the foundational doctrine of God’s word. We need to preach the Gospel of Christ and not some sort of motivational gospel that only breeds weak and emotional believers!
The foundation of the bold is laid through accurate knowledge of God’s will concerning how we are to live on earth.
The responsibility for the laying of this foundation does not belong to our preachers. Parents must also take responsibility of laying this foundation in the lives of their children.
We must understand that it is the responsibility of believers to set the foundations of godliness and righteous living upon which their next generation will live.
Recently, the state of California called for the introduction of teachings on the grotesque Aztec god into their school’s curriculum and even frowned at the sales of materials that condemn homosexuality.
If Christian parents do not take responsibility for the godly upbringing of their kids, Satan will do it on their behalf.
How is the foundation of the godly laid
1. The fear of the Lord:
Image Credit: Arise Ambassadors Ministries
“The Lord shows favour to those who fear him, to his godly lovers who wait for his tender embrace.” – Psalms 147:11 {The Passion Translation}
What this generation lacks is the fear of God. We no longer fear God. We even do things that even angels wouldn’t dare imagine.
Even in our Churches, we lack reverence of the sacredness of God’s presence. We allow comedians to flood our pulpits and bring defiling jokes on God’s altar.
The children of Eli died because they didn’t have the fear of the Lord. You can’t offer strange fire to God and expect God’s approval; what you will get is death!
We must teach our children as well as ourselves, to remain conscious of the ever abiding presence of God. Only a consciousness of God’s presence and eyes watching us will instil the reverence needed.
2. The Knowledge of His Will:
Image Credit: Patrick Oben Ministries
The Foundation of the Godly is bent on the knowledge of the will of God.
One of the things that Christ has blessed us with is access to the knowledge of God.
No man can live accurately if he does not know the kingdom. It is the full revelation of Christ and his kingdom that makes us perfect in our walk with Christ.
“The teachings of hypocrites can destroy you, but revelation knowledge will rescue the righteous.” – Proverbs 11:9.
God’s Will must be taught relentlessly!
3. Purity and Virtue:
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The path of the Saint is a pilgrimage of holiness and godly virtues. Christianity is founded upon certain unquestionable virtues. Without the practice of these virtues, the Christian institution will collapse!
There are believers who consider themselves ‘progressive’ and do not believe in Biblical holiness and godly living. They lower their standards and conform to worldly civilizations all in the name of being ‘progressive’. The Church must be purged of these folks before they deceive other true Saints!
Genesis 18:19: “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”
God here spoke fondly of Abraham. He was confident that Abraham would train up his children in the path of holiness.
May we learn how to command our children and his household after the way of God!
KOINONIA ART 