THE SECRET OF GUARDING OUR HEARTS 

Pr. Geoffrey Kibombo

Revelations 3:20-21(NLT) 

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. 21 Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.

Every person’s heart has a door. The things we see and hear or the people we inhabit in lives affect our response to certain issues like love, forgiveness, hate, bitterness and anger. It's our responsibility to guard our hearts because out of them emanate issues of life (Proverbs 4:23 [NKJV] “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”). Nothing can hurt you unless you open up your heart to it.

Proverbs 4:20-23 (NLT)

“My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. 21 Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, 22 for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. 23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

When you understand this mystery, you can be able to make successful spiritual warfare, because always the devil will return to check if he still has a place in your heart but he will find his house closed up. Mathew 12:43-45(NLT) “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. 45 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.”

Learn to open up your heart to only music, movies, books, conversations, friends and other things that benefit and enrich you. Appraise your life and take out everything that is not beneficial to you, allocate your time to people that can only take you ahead in life.

God bless you as you guard your heart in this year of fruition!

UNDERSTANDING THE VISION OF YOUR CHURCH

AND THE CALLING UPON YOUR PASTOR

Winifred. L Kakumba

Miracle Christian Fellowship Ministries has a vision and a mission on which it is founded. It also has a vision bearer.  All activities carried out in the church are in support of the main vision and the vision bearer. As sons and daughters of the ministry, we have our own expectations of the ministry, but there certain things, character and services that are expected of us too, thus the need to understand the vision so that we know how we can feed into it.

Our vision as MCFM is to; “To train and equip an army in the body of Christ to make war in the later days” which is rooted in Psalms 18:34 – “He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.” And the vision bearer is Pr. James Victor Lubwama, so if you are a spiritual son or daughter of his, you should know the vision and statement of faith of this church by heart.

The calling upon the pastor is to train people in prayer and in spiritual warfare and every time he stands to speak, he describes how the children of his ministry should be. He says they;

·    - Are Shield bearers

·    - Bear the spirit of excellency

·   - Are always at the top wherever they go

·   - Are "Prayer warriors

·    - Don't delay at a stage, but move from one level to another in a short time

However, to partake of all the above and benefit from his calling and the anointing upon him that transforms people, you must understand what he was called to do!

Mathew 16:13-16 (NKJV)

"When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

In the scripture above, Jesus asked his disciples what people call him. He wanted to know what the general public thought who he was; and actually they had different perceptions. They could not tell who he was or what his mission was. He turned and asked his own disciples what they thought he was and all could not explain except Peter. This implies that it's possible to serve under a servant of God but never get to understand his calling and anointing; and in that case you can easily be corrupted by what other people say about him. We should therefore seek to discover and get a revelation of what our churches stand for, and what the vision of our pastors is. That is how we shall be able to overcome the lies of the devil.

Understanding the mission and vision of your church, and the calling upon your Pastor is very key in the lives of the people seated under that leadership because if  you  do so, the devil won’t be able to manipulate you nor will he be able to to weaken the faith of those around you.

We have to be able to explain and defend what we believe in to the people outside our faith. 1 Peter 3:15 (ASV) says; ”………….but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you……”

Do you know the vision and mission of your church? Do you know the calling upon your Pastor or vision bearer? Are you seeing the church and vision bearer through what others say to you or you can ably explain it to them? By understanding all the above you will be able to support the calling upon your pastors and also edify others. This implies that you can be trusted into leadership to guide others just like Peter, as Jesus later declared in Mathew 16:13 that; ”.... and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 

Isaiah 51:1-2 (NLT) “Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance—all who seek the Lord! Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined. 2 Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation. Abraham was only one man when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation.”

Which rock were you cut from? The rock stands for Jesus but in our life today, our Pastors represent Jesus. As Jesus said in Luke 10:16 (MSG) 16 “The one who listens to you, listens to me. The one who rejects you, rejects me. And rejecting me is the same as rejecting God, who sent me.” 
Do you know what rock (pastor) your life stands on? Pastor James Victor Lubwama is always telling his flock about the kind of people he wants to breed and nurture. He says under his ministry, there are no poor people, children of his house (ministry) will be job creators - have three or more jobs, will excel in all they do and they will not delay on levels because God will take them from one level to another quickly. You therefore should never be stressed about poverty or lack but just stand on the foundation of the rock under which you were cut and start claiming the things you need.

One thing you should know though is that before you get the above, you must be a child. You must understand, support and submit under the anointing. We come with our qualifications, knowledge, skills and experiences which we have to use to support the vision bearer and the vision so that we gain the promises attached to the ministry - that's what it means to understand the vision.

1 Peter 2:5-8 says; “And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 6 As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 7 Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone…………...”

Do you believe in the stone or do you reject it?

The place where our church is built is an ancestral place and has a history of satanic practices. As children of the ministry, we should know the historical background of our church and the place on which it was grounded if we are to prevail against the devil. We must learn and be equipped in the body of Christ to make war (be shield bearers). We must learn to pray in order to excel so that the gates of hell do not prevail against us. We have to know the word of God by heart and how to pray to fight spiritual warfare for us to prevail.

The place in which the church structures were establishment previously had a gypsy (omusambwa) called 'nababirye', so ladies in this ministry struggle to serve, pray, minister(stumble a lot), get married, get jobs, to do business etc. but if you are well conversant with this, then you ably fight in prayer and when negative situations arise, you don't faint or give up but press on.

Our God is stronger. The anointing upon our Pastor is working under that power and we will win but you have to know that the devil is fighting and every time you feel discouraged to come to church, to pray, or read the bible that’s when you should start doing exactly what you are discouraged from doing because that’s an area the devil is at work in you.

When you get an understanding or revelation about your church's vision and the calling upon your pastor, then the devil cannot outwit you and you will be able to strengthen those around you.

God bless you!

WATCHING OVER YOUR DREAMS

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

Dreams are formed from promises, prophesies, admiration, or status we envisage to obtain. The dictionary defines a dream or vision as a cherished aspiration, ambition or ideal.
People have dreams which have not yet come to pass, but God promises to grant us our dreams - for he gives us our hearts’ desires. Psalm 37:4 (NKJV) says; "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” 

How to Keep Focus of Your Dreams or Vision

• You have to plainly state your dreams and keep track of them. Habakkuk 2:2-3 (NLT) says; ‘And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. 3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.’ People will identify with and support you if they realise you are focused on your vision 
•  You should be specific. Know what you want to become, where you want to be and how to get there, and slowly, the dream will mould into shape. God told Abraham to identify the land he wanted, likewise you will receive what you see and believe is yours. God will do unto you according to your perception and measure of faith. Genesis 13:14-15(NKJV) “And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.” 
• Disconnect yourself from incompatible friends. That's how you will overcome and last. When you come to God, you become a new creature, the old is no more. Get identical friends who think, believe and do alike.
•  Know your weaknesses and work on them. Don’t just talk about them, be about them until you have eradicated them from your life
• Accept help from those who have achieved, overcome and experienced what you are going through 
• Be yourself everyone else is taken. Don’t compromise, don’t live under false pretense.
• Live within your means lest you eat up your future. Don't give in to pride 
• Learn from yours and other people’s mistakes and faults

Reasons Why Dreams Don't Come To Pass

• Not being consistent in prayer. Changing goal posts or prayer lines and never being sure or doubting what you envision. Many times situations bombard and you drift from your dreams. Don’t drift compromise or contradict. Be specific and above all, have faith. Matthew 9:29 (NIV) "According to your faith, will it be done to you."
• Refusing to obey the conviction of the Holy Spirit in his instructions to; give or pray. 1 Samuel 18:26(NLT) “…………Since you have rejected the Lord’s command, he has rejected you as king of Israel.”
• Prayerlessness. We have to keep mentioning your dreams to God. Pray your dream! Persistence and repetition will get you there. Isaiah 62:6-7(NLT) “O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray day and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord. 7 Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work.”
• Backsliding & forsaking God. When you turn away from God, you lose everything including the progress made towards your dreams and prophesies, and when you turn back to Christ again, you go back to square one. When you became born again, God started afresh on you and made all things new. When you have a dream, don't dare backslide.
• Quarrelsomeness and Anger. Ask God to create in you a clean heart (Psalms 51:10). Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV) says; “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
• The motive behind your dreams. People are so intrigant; they do things with wrong motives specifically to trap others. James 4:3 (NIV) says; “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives….….”
• Deceitfulness. Many people operate in lies
• Pride. Proud people never speak the truth. Pride puffs up people. They brag and become boastful. Proverbs 16:5 (NIV) says; “The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.”
• Not having a spiritual home or local church. Having a spiritual home and father who speaks in your life is crucial to seeing your dream come to reality. Being a spiritual vagabond will not lead you anywhere.

Three Major Dream Destroyers You Must Guard Against

             i.        Desire for honour

            ii.        Adultery and fornication 

           iii.        Avarice

THINGS YOU SHOULD DO TO GET INTO YOUR HARVEST

Pr. Geoffrey Kibombo

At the beginning of every year, God sends His Rhema or Prophetic word through His servants. Some people get hold of that word, believe it and see it come to pass in their lives, others just hear and act not, while others fail to harvest when their season comes. However, when God sends His word, you don't help Him by praying more about it, but rather by believing it, praying in it and attacking the devil that might hinder it. 
It is only you with flesh and blood that has the power to combat the devil because God gave you dominion. Genesis 1:28 [NLT] declares; “Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

Therefore in order for you to enter into your harvest or realise your prophesy, you have got to play your part. God will send His word, but its you to water it so that it can germinate and bear fruit. Below are some of the things you need to do in order to enter into your harvest and realise God's word in your life.

1) Fast

There are some things that can’t get done or achieved without fasting. That is why at the beginning of every year we fast throughout the whole month of January and even set up a prayer altar (because fasting without prayer is hunger strike). The disciples loved God, followed Jesus and believed His teaching but when they ran into a demon possessed boy, they couldn't cast it out (Mark 9:14-29). There are some things we want God to do and we have got to pay the price. Some believers don't take the Christian life serious enough; they have been overcome by the power of food; but if you can't overcome the belly you control, how will you overcome the devil? Some things can't change without putting food aside for a while. We live in a spiritual world and fasting increases our spiritual power - it flashes out all distractions and contaminations making us solely completely open and close to the Almighty God; that is why the first act Jesus performed before beginning his ministry was fasting (Mathew 4). Jesus expects us to fast - it’s a command not a negotiation. Make a decision to start this year with fasting and you will see God at work in your life.

2)  Fight the enemy 
The Midianites and Amalekites are some of the nations that attacked and oppressed the Israelites; they robbed and destroyed their harvest. They would harvest what the Israelites had planted and give the remainder to their dogs. 
Judges 6:3-4 [ESV] - “For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. 4 They would encamp against them and devour the produce of the land, as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel and no sheep or ox or donkey.”
God has given us His word but that doesn't mean its all flawless. We have got to fight the enemy and inhibit him from our harvest

3)  Fight what is attacking your breakthrough
The devil has exalted some things to fight against the word of God; he doesn't want you to get into your harvest or get your miracle; but God has given us the power and weapons to fight the devil and any spirits that might hinder us from getting into our harvest. Songs of Songs 2:15 (ESV) says; “Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.”   
Fight the devil before he afflicts your harvest. The enemy waits for your time of fruition so as to rob you of your harvest. During Solomon's time, they might have focused on big things and ignored the foxes which ended up spoiling the vineyards. Examine your self and get rid of any habit and deed that might hinder your harvest or breakthrough.

Daniel 10:12-13 (TLB) says;

“Then he said, “Don’t be frightened, Daniel, for your request has been heard in heaven and was answered the very first day you began to fast before the Lord and pray for understanding; that very day I was sent here to meet you. 13 But for twenty-one days the mighty Evil Spirit who overrules the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the top officers of the heavenly army, came to help me, so that I was able to break through these spirit rulers of Persia.”

God hears our prayers but at times our miracles and breakthrough are delayed by the rulers of the darkness of this world; a believer's battle is not against flesh and blood but rather against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms hence the need to wage war. The Bible teaches in Ephesians 6:12 (TLB) that; “For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.” The world has always been a wicked place, that is why very Christian is commanded in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV) to; pray without ceasing. We ought to always pray and fight the principalities that block our breakthrough and miracles.

4) Resist things that oppose your harvest. 

Be prepared for the harvest, both spiritually and physically. Matthew 9:37-38 (NKJV) says; ‘Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
You must fight the ancestral powers and pessimistic thoughts that hinder you from getting into your harvest. There is a generational curse or hindrance from the past that must be destroyed in order to see the harvest God has prepared for you. 

5) Believe God and His Word
In this line you must transform your mind according to what God has spoken about you. Be optimistic, stop doubting God and confessing negatively. Believe and cling unto the Word of God; have faith in His word and you will see Salvation. 
Judges 6:13-15 (MSG) says; 
"Gideon replied, “With me, my master? If God is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all the miracle-wonders our parents and grandparents told us about, telling us, ‘Didn’t God deliver us from Egypt?’ The fact is, God has nothing to do with us—he has turned us over to Midian.” 14 But God faced him directly: “Go in this strength that is yours. Save Israel from Midian. Haven’t I just sent you?” 15 Gideon said to him, “Me, my master? How and with what could I ever save Israel? Look at me. My clan’s the weakest in Manasseh and I’m the runt of the litter.” 16 God said to him, “I’ll be with you. Believe me, you’ll defeat Midian as one man.”

6) Rise up 
The time is now to act upon what God has declared upon you. Confess what God has spoken upon your life and frustrate the weeds of the enemy that try to prevent God's word from coming to fruition. Faith and confession are some of the growth elements you need to water God's word in order for it to sprout. 
Proverbs 6:4-11(NLT) teaches: “Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do. 5 Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter, like a bird fleeing from a net……..….9 But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? 10 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest - 11 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.”

May God bless you as you decide to work with Him this year.

YOU WILL NOT DIE IN THE DESERT

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

A desert to a Christian signifies a place of lack, and a time of testing and trials. However God promised to provide for us: He promised in Isaiah 54:13; “our children will be taught of the Lord” and in Psalms 37:4, “to give us the desires of our hearts.” We will not to be affected or swallowed by the situations around us like lack, diseases and trials. God will always make away out for us. For instance, if you don’t have food, you will be fed by ravens like Elijah, so that you realise that it's not by your own strength but by only God's provision.

Deuteronomy 8:2-4 “God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord"

The situations around us will not harm us. It is written in Psalms 91:7 “A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you”. 

When the children of Israel went through the desert God provided a covering for them during day and night. He will do the same for us if we believe and have faith in him. Exodus 13:21-22 says; "And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.”

At night he went ahead as a pillar of fire so that they would see the way which they were leading and also chase away the wild animals that would attack them in the night and during the day God went ahead in form of a cloud to provide a shelter to them so that they are not scotched or consumed by the sun or the hard situations they are going through. He was their protection, shelter and a place of refuge where they could abide.

The Bible says in Psalm 34:7 that; "The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.”

Let us trust God more and believe that He who started the good work in us will also accomplish it