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I love to be on my own, do my thing, and mind my own business. Does that sound like one of your favorite sayings? While it is not a bad idea to be alone, God created human to long for fellowship and companionship.

No wonder God said during the process of creation that it’s not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him. Helper in this context can also be individual(s) that God has placed in our lives to positively influence us.

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken”. Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12.

I have come to realize that God places people in our lives at certain times to help us and He also places us to make a difference in the lives of others as well. But in order to achieve the purpose why God has placed us in each other’s life and bring out the best in each other, we need to be in agreement.

At creation, God had agreement in mind when the Almighty said, “Let US (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) make mankind in OUR image, after our likeness and let them have complete authority” Gen1:26A – AMPC.  The Trinity was involved in the creation of mankind.

Also, when the people were building a tower in the city of Babel (Genesis 11) and they wanted the top to reach heaven. God observed a strong connection between the people and He said in verse 6 “If as one people speaking the same language, they have begun to do this, then nothing will be impossible for them” (NIV) – How wonderful is the power of agreement.

During His ministry on earth, Jesus understood the power of agreement and stated that “if two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you” (Matt 18:19).

Agreement is a powerful weapon in the hands of believers. Being in agreement or praying in agreement with other believers helps us to be selfless and carry each other’s burden. It’s like a symphony orchestra. It creates an immovable force, an army that makes the enemy flee.

Acts 1:14 A says “the disciples all met together and were constantly united in prayer and in one accord”. This led to an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, great harvest of souls, the birth of church, and the spread of the gospel.

There is also such great power in agreement; it has a multiplied effect and produces unimaginable results, but in order to access the power, we need to work it out. To be in agreement with others requires patience, gentleness, and humility.

The enemy is targeting unity in all spheres of life: among believers, between couples, among family members, between co-workers etc. He is using the divide-and-conquer tactic. That’s why some couples wonder why they keep fighting over mundane or flimsy things. Also among believers, it is easy to find offense and not make allowances for each other’s faults.  The purpose of the enemy is to prevent us from achieving a common ground spiritually, physically, and financially.

If parents find rivalry among siblings detestable, how do you think God feels regarding disunity among His children?

Towards the end of His ministry on earth, Jesus prayed for all believers “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that ALL (not some) of them may be one; Father, just as You are in me and I am in You” (John 17:20-21).

Jesus understood the importance of unity in the spirit among His children, hence the prayers.

Some believers are struggling or fighting spiritual battles alone. Find another believer who can agree with you and experience results. However, as beautiful as alliance is, it is also important to watch who you agree with. Ensure you are of the same mind with a common goal.

“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding your selves together with peace, each individual working together to make the whole successful”.  Eph 4: 23(AMP).

Friends, in all your relationships, strive for excellence, strive to love one another, strive for unity, it’s the heartbeat of the Father!

Shalom@TheJoyofHisPresence

Have you ever felt as if things are working for everyone except you? Do you often find yourself wondering why your circumstances are uniquely different from others? Trust me, Hannah felt the same way.

1Samuel 1:1 says: There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. I’m sure it was not a coincidence that the Bible mentioned the lineage of Elkannah stating his father, grandfather and great grandfather. Nothing suggested barrenness in Elkannah’s lineage. He also had two wives: Peninnah had children and so Hannah was automatically expected to have children as well.

 Alas, the reverse was the case but her husband loved her. 1Sam1:5 further explained that the Lord had closed her womb. It was God’s plan. Even though Peninnah and Elkannah looked at Hannah’s outward circumstances, God was working on a plan through Hannah, to bring forth a priest and a judge for Israel.

During difficult times, we pray and expect God to show up in a particular way and at a particular time and we get anxious when our so called expectations fail.

We can only see what is before us: the daily challenges and the never ending worries and storms. These issues can leave us feeling disappointed at God for not showing up for us now like He’s doing for others. It can also lead to a place of envy. You see, the enemy’s target is to destroy your belief and trust in God.

At a point in my life, everything was falling apart. I prayed, believed, continued to serve and there was no improvement. Disappointment in God silently crept in. Another storm arose which became the last straw that broke the camel’s back and I found myself looking up to heaven and saying “Seriously God, when I thought it can’t get any worse, then this”. I felt so hopeless and just wanted to give up.

But praise to the One who leaves ninety sheep to find one lost sheep, through constant devotion to God’s word, I found my encouragement in God again and things started to fall in place. Looking back at those times, I can’t but ask for God’s forgiveness for not trusting Him all the way.  I realized that all the events were part of His plan to help me attain spiritual maturity and total confidence in Him, although I could not see it at that time.

Focus that energy on trusting God and His ways even when you don’t understand them, knowing that God causes everything (and not some) to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. Romans 8:28NLT. Rejoice in the truth that God has plans for peace and well-being for you and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jer.29:11

Just like Hannah had every good reason to be bitter and discouraged. She was not like other women; she shared her husband with a woman who ridiculed her. Her loving husband could not solve her problem. But instead of retaliating and giving up hope, Hannah gave her burdens to the Lord and she realized that her prayers paved the way for her miracle.

Had Hannah not gone through the waiting stage; she would not have been desperate to make a promise to give the child back to the Lord in service. Her son, Samuel may have been raised together with his brothers and sisters whose names we never heard again throughout the Bible.

However, Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child wearing a linen ephod (1Sam 2:18). Although he was not born in the lineage of priests and conferred with the title automatically like Eli and his sons (1Sam 1: 27-28), God orchestrated Samuel’s life in a way that he trained as a priest and became a faithful priest and judge till the end.

May be you are at your wits’ end and about to give up hope or look for an alternative, I plead with you to hang on. He is not an unjust God. He has a plan and whatever you are going through now is a part of that plan; He’s working it out.

Ignore the ridicule, choose to see beyond the judging looks, get on your knees in desperation like Hannah and experience the GOD WHO IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE CAN ASK OR IMAGINE.

Identity theft is a serious and growing concern in the world today. It occurs when someone steals your personal information for fraudulent purposes. That is, the impostor acts in your name. From a spiritual and positive perspective, as believers we act and declare in God’s name. We do so because we belong to Him, He lives in us and we have the authority to do so. We did not steal His identity; we are His identity because God created us (human beings) in His own image (identity). That was why Peter said, “Once, you had no identity as a people; but now you are God’s people”. 1Peter 2:10a.

Having established that we can act and declare in His name, are we walking in the authority and revelation of that name? The value we place on material things is often directly proportional to its degree of relevance or importance. Prophet Isaiah gave a tip of the iceberg regarding that name when he declared that: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6.   Now when Jesus offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for us, the authority to use that name was delivered to us. Apostle Paul said “He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth”. Philippians 2:8-10.This verse clearly expresses the superiority of the name of Jesus over every other named thing on earth, under the earth and also in heaven. Friends, this feels to me like a blank check. When we don’t exercise our authority using His name, it’s like having a huge cash deposit in your name without knowing about it while living in abject poverty.

Often, we get religiously accustomed to things such that the values we attach to them begin to diminish. I’m sure you are familiar with that wonder working name, but please do not get so used to the name to the point that it becomes mundane to you. It was obtained in the place of sacrifice and it’s full of power and revelation so it is time to start calling that name with reverence, awe, and out of a place of authority and not out of fear because the enemy can smell fear. We are not to pray FOR victory but pray FROM a place of victory. During Jesus farewell speech to his disciples, He affirmed, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth’. Friends, because we are in Christ, we have that authority as well. Furthermore, Jesus said : And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name, they will drive out demons, they will speak in new tongues, they will pick up snakes with their hands, and when they drink deadly poison it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people , and they will get well. Deliverance is available in that name, immunity from deadly diseases is in that name, miracles can be found in that name, healing, prosperity, protection and most important of all salvation. That was why Peter spoke boldly that “there is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name by which we must be saved.”Acts 4:12

Can you pause and imagine what the world will look like if all believers start operating from the place of authority in the name JESUS? The results will be amazing, unimaginable, dominating, the possibilities are endless! Only our faith in God will unlock these endless possibilities of living a life of dominion here on earth. I am learning to exercise my authority with the name I’ve been given and I invite you to join me in this journey.

There’s something about the name of Jesus; it’s inexplicable. You can call on that name ANYTIME! You can call on the name when filled with joy; you can also call when your world seems to be crashing. It’s a great NAME, applicable in all situations. Call the name with excitement, call with great expectations, call with great authority, HE IS WAITING TO ANSWER.

                                                                                                Shalom@thejoyofhispresence

Have you ever gotten so familiar with a story that no matter how eloquent the orator is, you don’t get thrilled by the story anymore? It happens to all of us at one point or the other. Newsflash, the word of God is different. Always new! Let us journey through the book of Ezekiel 37: 1-16(NLT) as we reiterate the importance of our spoken words.

We often become what we speak. No wonder King Solomon said “the tongue has the power of life and death. Prov. 18:21. One of my favorite quotes says: Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words,they become your actions; watch your actions,they become your habit; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny – Lao Tzu.

Friends, what are you speaking into existence? Our Father has a plan for us, a designed process and an expected end product; let’s picture Ezekiel at the valley of dry bones.

God’s plan was to make the dead bones at the valley to live again and create an army out of them so He had a designed process in place, but Ezekiel had a part to play for the end product to materialize. His sole job function was the PROCESS which was to speak the plan into manifestation. God instructed Ezekiel to speak and the specific words to say. As he spoke, there was a rattling noise and the formation began.

God’s promises are readily accessible but we have a duty to SPEAK them into existence. Ezekiel did not speak once; he spoke again for breath to come into the bodies that have been formed. He spoke until the end product was achieved. Don’t be tired of speaking! Speak until that trial becomes a testimony. Speak until that dream becomes a reality. Speak until there is a financial breakthrough. Speak until you see changes in that situation. God spoke this whole earth into existence. Throughout the account of creation in Genesis 1:3-31, at each point all God had to do was to say the word and the creation came to being.

 Let your confessions align with your prayers and keep speaking until your joy becomes full.

WHAT ARE YOU SPEAKING????

Shalom

#TheJoyofHisPresence#

‘Tomorrow is Thursday’, he argued. ‘No, it’ll be Friday’, I responded. ‘Oh! I’m sorry. I got the days mixed up’, he resigned. The conversation ended and I realized how easy it is to forget which day of the week it is when you have been home for weeks trying to stay safe. The regular church services are now online, non essential businesses are temporarily closed, not to forget the Virtual Easter, one of a kind!

The effect of the partial lock down amazes me: the quietness, reduced traffic, long queues at the grocery stores, and the sight of most people in masks and gloves. My heart longed for everything to be back to normal again. I prayed again silently in my heart asking God to calm this raging storm, but even in the quietness I feel the Holy Spirit saying, ‘Make the moments count’. I remembered a poster I once read at a pediatrician’s office, it says: “Don’t count the hours. Make the hours count”.

Friends, in times like this, God is calling you and me to make this partial lock down moment count. If you are off work, working remotely from home or a front line worker, overwhelmed with online classes, lonely and getting anxious, getting bored despite watching most of the movies on Netflix, Pureflix, Youtube, AppleTV etc, getting addicted to TikTok or games or whatever the case may be: Please make good use of this moment. When this is all over, we will long for that quietness again, a time to just pause and relax without rushing out through the door to start the day. Remember, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” – Ecclesiastes 3:1- NIV.

Remember the Parable of the Talents – ¹⁴For it is just like a man who was about to take a journey, and he called his servants together and entrusted them with his possessions. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ The one who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made a profit and gained five more. ¹⁷ Likewise, the one who had two made a profit and gained two more. ¹⁸ But the one who had received the one went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. Matt. 25:14-17 AMP.  The talents in this passage represent any kind of resources that God has given us such as our gifts, abilities, and time inclusive; we are to invest these resources wisely until Christ returns. The servant in the passage also went at once (without delay) to trade with the talent and alas, he made a profit, and so did the second servant with two talents. The talent business is not how much, but how well we are investing the talents. Beloved, do not be like the unprofitable servant, “make the very most of your time on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence, because the days are filled with evil”. Eph 5:16 AMP

Here are some few tips on how to make great use of our time:

• Make it a time to study a book of the Bible (YouVersion bible app is a great tool)
• Spend some quality time with God.
• Spend more time with your family if applicable.
• Help your children to improve spiritually and academically; make time to connect with them.
• Clear the clutters in your home.
• Engage in a family project.
• Stay active physically.
• Improve your skills and talents(You will be amazed at the amount of information on the internet).
• Try out new recipes.
• Discover and focus on your purpose.

Please feel free to add to the list depending on your circumstances, availability, accessibility and affordability. You can make a flexible schedule as well and be accountable to someone or yourself as the case may be. But after all this is said and done, I want you to be able to look back at this period and say I achieved all these during the lock down;what the enemy meant for evil, God turned it to good.

God is calling us to some quietness, to see the vanity of this world and how meaningless it can be, please take time to focus on eternity.  Jesus Christ, our example said “I must work the works of Him that sent me while it is day, the night cometh, when no man can work” – John 9:4 (KJV)

Stay strong and stay covered by the precious blood of Jesus.

Shalom

      The Joy of His Presence

      Ps.16:11(NLT)

The thoughts run in your head over and over; you desperately wish for a change. You wish for better and closer family relationships, nicer cooperative team mates at work, calmer work environment, more friendly neighbors, better community, less critical church members, and a more profitable business. Yet you silence the thoughts that challenges you to make the difference, I’m too small to make a difference, just an individual. Sounds familiar???

Our desperation often helps to stretch us beyond our limits. Once upon a time, I was tired of looking forward to a chaotic day at work, fearful of making errors, astounded by the way team members are so critical and judgmental of each other, at loss for words at lingering bitterness, really longed for peace in that environment although I loved the job. But just like you, I felt too small to make a difference. I was blinded by what was going on around me that I forgot my identity. God has placed me there to make a difference especially through my prayers. I began to declare peace into the atmosphere, sometimes I go to work early to declare God’s peace over every team member, every client, phone call, email and so on. Alas, I began to see changes, calm work environment, peaceful days, even changes in the attitude of team members towards each other.

Friends, wherever you are, God has placed you there for a purpose; the purpose to reign as kings and queens on this earth. Remember Elijah was as human as we are and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops. James 5:17-18 NLT(New Living Translation version).

It is time to stop being invisible in the spirit. Be the light over your family, congregation, organization, school, church, community or wherever you are right now. Begin to speak the changes into reality. Now tell them this: “As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say” Numbers 14:28.NLT.

I dare you to begin to declare the changes you want to see around you. Is your organization running at loss and the joy of being gainfully employed seems to fade away, begin to declare that God will cause the business to prosper for your sake (I’m a living testimony of this), and if you are a diligent worker, God will open doors for you to be an employer also. Learn from the story of Jacob. Begin to declare safety over your children’s school(s) for their sake, wisdom for directors in your organizations, love between family members, unity and love between church members, and God’s intervention over that situation at work, home or church that no one knows how to approach. Remember to ask in faith because “anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6b NLT.  Also your prayers can make all the difference: the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16B NLT. Declare, be expectant, and watch God move.

God has placed us in strategic places to be the DIFFERENCE because HIS PRESENCE MAKES THE DIFFERENCE and YOU ARE A CARRIER OF GOD’S PRESENCE.

Beloved, be the difference that God has created you for.

Shalom.

            The Joy Of His Presence

            Ps.16:11(NLT)