MYSTERIES OF OUR STRENGTH (II)

Pr. Geoffrey Kibombo

1 Corinthians 4:1 (NKJV)

“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God"

Many times the differences we see in those around us or those who have excelled in what they do is because of certain secrets; for instance if you are doing something that differentiates you from everyone else, then your uniqueness is attributed to a certain secret. A secret is defined as something studiously concealed and kept from general knowledge. For example the success of Fortune 500 companies like Toyota, shell, Apple, KFC etc is attributed to different marketing and innovation secrets. Likewise God has entrusted believers with his mysteries or secrets so that can we purposefully standout. 

Having a revelation of mysteries such as forgiveness, praise, love, worshiping, prayer, offering and fellowshipping, may cause some to question why you frequent church; but what they do not know is that those are some of the virtues that make you different from them – even believers are not equal spiritually, its the revelation and doing of these mysteries that distinguishes us from the ordinary.

God’s desire was to bring salvation, but in a way not known to the world. The plan was in existence before but God decided that it would manifest at a particular time. What makes those in salvation standstill this day is that they possess mysteries of which they have a revelation. The bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 (NLT) that; “…the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.”

In Mysteries of our strength – part1, we looked at five mysteries of our strength like; knowledge, word of God, right place, spiritual father and, prayer and below are some other mysteries.

6- Worship and Praise

If people knew the secret behind worship, then the burdens they face in life would not have power over them. In order for you to authentically worship God, you've got to take your eyes off the problem and the surrounding - interrupt preoccupation with self and attend to the presence of God. 
Praise is the joyful focus on God's splendid works; its closely intertwined with thanksgiving as we offer appreciation to God for his mighty works. The Psalmist sings in Psalm 89:5 (NLT) that; "All heaven will praise your great wonders, LORD; myriad of angels will praise you for your faithfulness."

Worship is not about your worthiness or about what is wrong with you; but instead, focus on what is right with your God. It’s easy to approach the throne in worship and praise when you are focusing on the character of God – He is good, kind and worthy of all our praise and honour and glory - worship is about Him and only Him.

When you worship, you allow His greatness to encounter and transform the situation. 2 Corinthians 10:4 (NKJV) says; “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God………” Praise and worship are some of the greatest of mysteries of our strength. Praise defeats our enemies. Psalms 8:2 (NIV) says; “From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” 

We always overcome when we realise our powerlessness and surrender to God. Whenever we praise and worship God, we are declaring who He is and acknowledging his great works: We are telling him that he is mighty and there is no one like him, and whenever we magnify God, we are rendering our problems powerless, thus we are no longer considering the problem, but only the greatness of our God. The cultivation of a praise and worshipful heart is a secret to the victory of a believer

7- Salvation

Many do not know this, but salvation is a mystery! Every perfection and fulfillment was put into salvation and that is why David cried out to God not to take away the joy of his salvation in Psalm 51:11-12 (NKJV) “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation……...”

When you believe and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour – become Born Again, you become a new creature. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (GNT) “Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come.” And this new covenant means that you have surrendered all the facets of your life unto Jesus, it’s no longer you in control but Christ. You might have failed in life but when you become Born Again, God restores you. It is according to God’s plan that in Salvation everything falls in place - once your name is registered in the book of life, you begin a new chapter of life – of an abundant victorious life. All good things you desire are available to you as long as you walk according to God’s ways and word! Salvation is a revelation and the devil will prevent you from getting to know the revelation behind following Christ because he knows that Salvation is the source of freedom, joy, blessings and abundant life, but the revelation of the mysteries of God has only been granted to those who believe in Christ. Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 13:11 (AMP) that; “………to you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.”

Your relationship with God is very significant in overcoming the devil and living a purposeful life. Entering into God’s family gives us access to myriad blessings; in Salvation, life is transformed and we become fruitful, purposeful, blessed, victorious, faithful and protected. Salvation is one of the key mysteries to a purposeful victorious life because it comes with authority, power and blessings. 
Revelation 12:10 (AMP) says; “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom (dominion, reign) of our God, and the authority of His Christ have come…..”

8- Joy

Nehemiah 8:10 (NLT)

“…….Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”

When we become born again, we receive joy – it is one of the hallmarks of God’s kingdom. Joy is more than being happy; unlike happiness that is strongly connected to our feelings, joy is not fleeting, it is permanent and is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit; so joy can be defined as; the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation. You’ll find nothing in that definition about happiness, because, as we all know, happiness is momentary and temporary.

Delight in the things that God has given you however small they seem; this is the mystery of our strength in salvation - the ability to be delightful in all situations; much as you are not where you want to be right now, you should delight in the place where you are now because life is a journey and that is not your final destination. Paul understood the joy of being content in Philippians 4:11-12 (NLT) when he declared that; “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.”

We don’t get a chance to hide or pretend when the bottom falls out of our lives. When we get bad news or a health scare, lose a loved one or our finances collapse; in such moments, all our comforting words are worthless, and what matters is what we do in those circumstances. The Bible says in James that during disconcerting times our faith is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So what should you do in such moments? James 1:2-4 (MSG) answers us;

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

9- Perception

Perception is a key attribute every Christian because it determines what you see (vision) and how far you can go in life irrespective of your purpose. That is why the devil always attacks the eyes of your understanding so that he can cut off your sight. Judges 16:21 (TLB) narrates “So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes and took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and made to grind grain in the prison.”

Perception is a very fundamental integral part of our life and we should be cautious so that were not blinded. The bible warns about the unbelievers in 2 Corinthians 4:4 (NKJV) that “whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” When the devil blinds, you do not see things as they are supposed to be - you lose your spiritual sight and thus no revelation

When you trust God with your life, he will open your eyes to see the solution to your problem, and that’s why those fully trust the Lord and don’t grumble when the storm roars are over-comers. That’s what happened in 2 Kings 6. Every time they would attack Israel, God would tell Elisha, a prophet of God in Israel, what the king of Aram’s war plans were and when Aram’s king learned that Elisha was the one who was giving away his plans, he sent an army to get him. 2 Kings 6:15-17 (NLT) narrates; 
“When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. 16 “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” 17 Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire."

We serve a God who opens our eyes shows us the solutions to our problems and challenges – that is why that even in the middle of the dessert, we see a opportunities and solutions to our problems because the one we believe in is Almighty
Irrespective of how negative or troubling the situation is, our perspective is not blinded but hopeful and oriented to the God Almighty

10- Purpose

Judges 16:4-5 (AMP)

“The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. 4 So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. 5 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.”

Samson is seen as the image of the church and from his example we see that everyone was born with a purpose. Samson was born to destroy the philistines and when he was born; his parents were given instructions for his upbringing.

For each of us who has a body, soul and spirit, this means that God created us to accomplish something, and whenever God purposes you, he equips you as well. The time God has given you to live on this earth is equivalent to the responsibility he has given you, and when the time comes for him to take you out of this life, your responsibility also comes to an end because life on earth is about service. That is why whenever satan attacks you, he targets to destroy your purpose like the way he did with Samson.  

Salvation is not by our own strength but its from God and its that divine induced strength that enables us to overcome the different barriers and challenges in life. In the Salvation journey there are certain things you must know and, knowing them and doing them makes you a different person. Your secret is what gives you an advantage over others and if you drop it, then you cease to have an advantage over others.

God bless you!

MYSTERIES OF OUR STRENGTH (I)

Pr. Geoffrey Kibombo

Judges 16:4-5 (NKJV)

“Afterward it happened that he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. 5 And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him………...”

There is a reason and purpose as to why we are on earth; the physical body signifies responsibility - serving God. God expects everyone with flesh and blood to do something in God's kingdom because we shall give accountability in the afterlife. We came into this world to do something for God - further His Kingdom, but there is a mystery behind our ability to serve Him fully and relentlessly.  

The bible says in Psalm 115:16 (ESV) that;
 “The heavens are the LORD’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man.” 
Things concerning the earth are in our hands, for God gave us authority over earth and we are supposed to just call upon him to lead and intervene, but if we don't, He wont; therefore, we should to know that our ability to reign on earth is in God and if the devil steals this secret from us, we can’t fulfill our mission.

Samson got strength from God to fight against Philistines, but there was a mystery behind the enormous power that made him triumph over. As he conquered, the devil plotted to tear him down by getting to know the mystery of his strength. The philistine leaders looked for the woman he loved and requested her to entice him so that he reveals the mystery of his strength, and thereafter afflict him. Delilah started persuading Samson continuously until he revealed the mystery of his strength.

Behind us, there is power that causes to overcome, but always the devil attacks to weaken us by targeting the mystery or source of our strength. After Samson had overcome the Philistines and led Israel for twenty years, the devil did something that I want us to guard against. There are things that cause each one of us to soar . Let’s have an insight into the mysteries of our strength.

Knowledge 

Isaiah 5:13 (NKJV) 
“Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge” 

The dictionary defines knowledge as; acquaintance with facts, truths or principles, as from study or investigation; general erudition, or the fact or condition of being aware of something. Knowledge is power. If you want to defeat someone in certain things, just conceal knowledge from your opponent. One of the things that make God sorrowful is our ignorance about Him and His ways. Isaiah 1:3 (NLT) says;
“Even an ox knows its owner, and a donkey recognizes its master’s care—but Israel doesn’t know its master”

There are certain things God expects us to know. The bible says in Deuteronomy 29:29 that; “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” 
Ignorance gives the devil a foothold in our life to attack us. If we acquire the necessary knowledge, we shall be able to overcome lots of things. When you go deeper into knowing God, you start being a disciple of Jesus. Jesus said in John 8:31 that; “If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed.” 

When the devil takes away knowledge and understanding from you, he will have grabbed you of the mystery of your strength. And after stealing it, he goes ahead to bind and then afflict you. Many people don’t want to go deeper into knowing God and his ways. Hosea 4:6 says; 
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests” 

One of the mysteries that will enable us accomplish our mission on planet earth is knowledge. For you to serve God, you have to desire knowledge. They don’t pray for knowledge but it’s sought from those who are already informed and reading books. 

When you are informed you become confident, empowered, and rest assured that irrespective of any challenge or setback, God has a better plan for you. The devil cannot take advantage of those who are already informed about his tricks. 2 Corinthians 2:11 says; 
“lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

Many people oppose divine church principles because they are uninformed; They don’t believe that God can heal their diseases, or a Pastor can know what is in their life and foretell what will happen to them and, they don’t submit to leaders nor are they pastored. 
With knowledge comes understanding (comprehension of information), and application of understood knowledge produces wisdom. You cannot apply what you don't understand and you cant understand what you don't know. Some people have lots of problems because they are ignorant. If you go deeper into knowledge, you shall have prevented a myriad problems and poor decision making.    

Word of GOD

Psalm 119:98 (AMP) 
“Your commandments make wiser than my enemies, for Your Words are always with me.”  

One of the core mysteries that make us strong is the word of God and if the devil steals that, you are in big trouble. No wonder the devil has made us too busy to have time to read the word of God; a lot of time is spent watching TV and scrolling through online movie streaming apps, and chatting on social media, and no significant time is spared to read and be taught the word. Most people only read the bible in church during service but not at home or during their devotion time. People prefer being prayed for than being taught how to pray. Some people can’t even dedicate time to go for bible study or fellowship, which explains the little numbers in bible study services. We don’t desire to enhance what we minimally know because the devil has stolen the mystery of yearning to know God more. God himself has exalted his word above his name

The devil doesn’t look for everything from you but the source of your strength. Judges 16:5 says; “And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him…”  
Whenever you invest God’s word in your life, it makes you wiser than other people  as seen in Psalm 119:98 above. 

Right Place

2 Chronicles 7:16
“For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that my name be there forever; and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually“ 

You cannot be blessed from every place. Not every place is open heaven for you but every place is open heaven to those God has sent there. God never appeared to Jesus until he went to river Jordan. When the devil steals the mystery of your strength he will make you frustrated and tired by rotating you around, thus you end up wrongfully blaming God’s servants for yet its your vagabond spiritual lifestyle. You cannot meet God in every place or be blessed form any place but in the right place.

Prophetic wise, we are in a season of New Chapters and new beginnings but you cannot partake of this Rhema word except when you are under this covenant. 
When you grasp this, you get to know that you can go to all other places but your open heaven is in a specific place because our God is the God of right places. 

Spiritual Father

Hebrews 13:17 (AMP) 
“Obey your [spiritual] leaders and submit to them [recognizing their authority over you], for they are keeping watch over your souls and continually guarding your spiritual welfare as those who will give an account [of their stewardship of you]. Let them do this with joy and not with grief and groans, for this would be of no benefit to you.”  

Another mystery of our strength is being pastored - having a spiritual father. Just like earthly fathers, you cannot have more than one spiritual father. Very few people know what it means to have a spiritual father. When you are pastored, you have a covering upon you i.e. problems and afflictions don’t hit you directly because you are under a someone's spiritual protection. But when you are not pastored, problems attack you directly. Most people are spiritual vagabonds. They never have a spiritual father and spiritual home thus no covering because they drift from church to church. 

There is always one Spiritual parent who holds your blessing so endeavour to have a healthy relationship with him or her.  Remember that the person who can be mentioned in prayer is one who has a good and personal relationship with their pastor. Philemon 1:4 (NIV) says; “I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers." 

Prayer

Jeremiah 33:3 (EXB) says;

“Pray [call] to me, and I will answer you. I will tell you important secrets [greater and hidden things] you have never heard before." 

Prayer is an appeal or request of the things you need unto God; It is a mode of communication by which we speak to God, that is to say, dialogue between man and God. In salvation, if a person cannot pray to God, he or she is spiritually weak and cannot receive anything. 
Anyone who doesn't pray is food for the devil. A prayerless Christian is limited in achievement in any of his or her ventures; his or her education is stifled, business is a strain, there is no breakthrough and everything just drags with a lot of struggles. A family that doesn't pray together disintegrates but a family that prays together stays together.

Most people when faced with problems run to friends or relatives; but many times when you run to fellow men, the probability of being disappointed is quite high. Why? The person you are running to for rescue may not be available or not be in position to help you, and that is why we believers always run to the Lord in prayer.

One of the mysteries of our strength and victory is the church is that we face throne-ward first to God in prayer and encounter or strategise later. God will then be your shield and go ahead of you, because when problems or terror see God, they will scatter. The reason we seek God in prayer is because our redemption comes from neither east nor west but from the creator of heaven and earth. Prayer is very vital in every Christian’s life; it’s the gun we use to destroy the works of the enemy. 

What will make us unique, successful and strong? Reading the bible, praying acquiring knowledge from informed people and, having a spiritual father and local church

ABUNDANT LIFE

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

John 10:7-10 (AMPC)

“So Jesus said again, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that I Myself am the Door for the sheep. 8 All others who came [as such] before Me are thieves and robbers, but the [true] sheep did not listen to and obey them. 9 I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture. 10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”

Where there is life, there is growth. A church that is full of life does not remain the same, and this applies to other areas of our lives as well because increase is a symbol of life

In a world contaminated by challenges, diseases, sorrow and death in different areas of our lives, there is fulfillment and we thank God who gives us life in abundance. For it is written in John 11:25 (TLB) that; “….….I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again.” With that scripture in your heart, know that whatever dead situation you are in or experiencing in any facet of your life, it will have life again - for God breathes life into the dead things

Jesus came so that every part of your life can live; when you bring Christ into your life, it changes and whatever was stunted begins to grow and flourish; the word of God is powerful enough to reach into every lifeless part of your life and breathe life into it again.

There are areas in your life that the devil might have killed, for example, joy, friendship, acumen, career, health etc. but Jesus restores all the above because He is the resurrection and the life and revives whatever is dead in your life. If he resurrected Lazarus, then he can resurrect your joy and all your dead situations; this is because every dead person or situation can hear the voice of the Son of God. Jesus said in John 5:25 (GNT) “I am telling you the truth: the time is coming-the time has already come-when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear it will come to life.” However, many misinterpret this scripture and refer the resurrection to that of the end of days.

A lesson from Lazarus

John 11:1-4 (NLT)

“A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. 2 This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick.  3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” 4 But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”

Lazarus’ sister Mary was a prostitute before she met Jesus, but when she met him, she chose to pour all her wealth at his feet and wipe them with her hair – glory, she placed everything at his feet. She placed her riches in the church (to be used of God), and when she did this, she found favour with God, her sins were been forgiven and her whole family came to love Jesus. Her sins were forgiven because she humbled herself and submitted to Jesus, loved Him and even offered generously. Favour comes when you dedicate and devote yourself to Jesus; and in gaining favour before Christ, even her brother who was not present as she was being forgiven, became a friend of Jesus to the extent that when Lazarus was sick, Jesus was informed and therefore planned to come and see him

We learn two things from Mary; 1 - a person who submits to the servant of God and his ministry wins favour. 2 - All who confess their sins to God, find favour with Him. So when you acknowledge and confess your sins, God forgives you and thus find favor as well.

Mary poured her precious oil at Jesus’ feet. The valuable precious things should begin with God - invest the good things in the house of God; no stingy person can find favor before God, but when you love God with all your heart, his favor will rest upon you.

John 11:11-44 (NLT)

Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up. 12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” 13 They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died. 14 So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe…………......21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.” 25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from Go……………..….39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” 40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head-cloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”

Even if your situation is “sleeping” do not be quick to burry it. Poverty is a curse, but bankruptcy does not mean you are poor; it’s just a temporary state of lack. When the cedar tree loses its leaves it does not signify that its dead, it is simply gathering strength to grow new leaves and blossom once again - there is a season when the world will see that you are retrogressing yet you are in your season of renewal and ascending to a new level.

Irrespective of afflicting or dead situation you are in, do not kill your miracles by speaking negatively or losing hope; just change your confession – speak life and confess victory. The bible warns in Proverbs 18:20-21 (GNT) that; “You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say. 21 What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words”

Be encouraged. Jesus is saying to you that the situation you see as dead is just sleeping but will come to life, and if you believe it, most assuredly you will see the glory of the Lord. Everlasting life begins on earth; if something has life within it, by default it has the ability to grow and bear fruit.

Whatever is dead in your life will live again provided you hand it to Jesus, and when you do so, it won’t only be alive, but will grow abundantly.

2017 - A YEAR OF PERFECTION!

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

Psalm 138:8 (NKJV)

"The Lord will perfect that which concerns me......"

The spirit of the Lord is the one that governs the body of Christ and this is the Lord’s message for the church this year:

1.   God is going to perfect what he started; He is going to finish what He spoke in all areas of your life. Sometimes we get discouraged because of the promises we haven’t yet received, but take heart: God is a builder and he works in phases; he lays the foundation first, goes on to erect the retaining walls, proceeds to roof and finalizes with the finishing. This year all those who have never been finished, their time has arrived – for every believer is going to be perfected,  and this perfection will make you attractive thus drawing unbelievers to the church to acknowledge God. He is going to make you happy and shine for the glory of his name.

2.   The poor are going to be made wealthy not for their own glory but to attract those who are going to shrines and smite worldly wickedness as well. All evil is going to be crashed down. The bible says in Haggai 2:7-9 (NLT) that; “I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 9 The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”

The bible says in Isaiah 45:2-3 (NKJV) that "I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. 3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel.”

God is preparing to give us the wealth that is in the land. Most people do not know this, but God has permitted poverty to strike for a reason; that there may be a distinction between those who fear the Lord and those who do not fear him.  Amidst poverty, when God lifts the poor and gives them wealth, it will vividly be known; even the wealthy who thought that they would never seek God are going to seek and praise Him having seen the poor transformed and lifted.

This scripture from Haggai will be so profound this year and multitudes are going to flock churches where the presence of the Lord dwells. God is going to get a response and place it into his house, but that response will be tested on you - we are going to be a display of Gods glory. We all have a network of people whom we have to draw back into the Kingdom of God.

3.   God is going to uphold the lowly and make them excel. Jesus said in John 12:26 (KJV) “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” Jesus is in glory and his servant here on earth is going to be clothed in glory. Therefore in addition to perfection, you are going to be dignified.

4.   This year we are going to witness believers employing people. Believers are going to own big businesses and people will wonder how this has come to be. People had ignorantly been attributing some believers and pastors’ success to sorcery or manipulation, however God is going to raise the church and hurl the devil down while we excel and advance. The wealth Jesus provides is not like that of the satanic world where they need to make blood sacrifices to succeed. Jesus was slain on the cross in order to give us wealth that has no sorrow added; as we are reminded in Proverbs 10:22 (AMP) that; “The blessing of the Lord brings [true] riches, and He adds no sorrow to it [for it comes as a blessing from God].”

Your transformation, God’s benefit

In salvation there is a transformation, and once you are transformed to the likeness of Christ’s character, you experience abundant purposeful life. Let the people see how the anointing has transformed you so that they will draw near to you and thereafter come to Christ such that heaven expands and hell diminishes.

The anointing will direct you to where your wealth is; God is going to transfer you to where you shall see his saving hand. Ensure you have a personal vision which is line with God’s overall vision. God is going to perfect that which concerns this year, however, everything comes with a price - heavenly things are not for free; be obedient and faithful.

Wishing you the best of this year!!!

DECIDING TO COMPLETELY TRUST GOD 

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

Psalms 125:1 (AMP)

“Those who trust in and rely on the LORD [with confident expectation] Are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but remains forever.”

As Christians, we should learn to trust God and to let go of things and situations that we have entrusted with Him; trusting and believing that He will work it out for us. Just like a child trusts and relies on his father’s promise without minding how the father will have to strive to make it happen, we God’s children should also learn to trust our heavenly father. The bible clarifies our status as children in Galatians 3:26 (TLB) says; “For now we are all children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.”

God can never fail to make His purpose and plan for your life come to pass. Isaiah 14:24 (NIV) affirms; “…Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.” God is in control of our destinies and when He says yes, no one can say no and vice versa.

Believe God for divine provision and intervention. If we believe in the rapture and the power that lifted prophet Elijah without meeting physical death, if we believe in the resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead, our faith should be lifted and believe that God will breathe life into your dead situation. When you trust God, you rest; if He has spoken, he will also bring it to pass; even if it seems so impossible like in the case of Lazarus coming back to life, let your hope be anchored in Him regardless of the storm or terrifying situation. God asks in Jeremiah 32:27 (TLB); “I am  the Lord, the God of all mankind; is there anything too hard for me?”  Of course nothing is too hard for the God of heaven and earth, with Him all are possible.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (AMPC) says; “[Most] blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit.”

Why People Struggle

Many Christians struggle in marriage, work, business and ministry because they never seek counsel of the Lord to Know His will and plan towards their life. Its true God blesses the works of your hands but it does not mean that you will profit from anything – God is a God of purpose and He is specific. There is something that God ordained and purposed just for you. There is a right partner; job, career, ministry and business for you and with God’s blessing you will succeed.

What should a believer do?

          Before you start any project, seek God's counsel and direction. You will then know if that project or decision has God’s hand in it.

•    Maintain your line of specialty e.g. business, service provision etc. and develop that to maturity. You cannot be a jack of all trades. Do not try to do too many projects at once because you will fail, but only diversify in something related to what you are doing.
•      Have a functional relationship with God and your pastors for quick consultations, guidance and spiritual covering.
•          Don’t be quick to accept defeat or failure but always seek guidance from spiritual superiors.
•      Listen to the word through sermons, prophecies & read the bible. The word comes with 3 things; Faith, anointing & creating power.

We were called to be kings; to be heads not tails we succeed at what we do because of God, let us trust him and be confident in him, that’s how we shall be able to make it.

Trust God, let go and let Him take control

SALVATION PLAN II

Pr. Geoffrey Kibombo

Revelation 12:10 (TLB)

“It has happened at last! God’s salvation and the power and the rule, and the authority of his Christ are finally here……..”

We certainly know that every good thing is perfected in salvation. There are a multitude of things that can cause one to be happy, however many people are not as happy as one would expect them to be; their happiness is contaminated by many sorrows, but we who are Born Again need to thank God for giving us the joy of Salvation because even amidst challenges we know that the almighty God is on our side.

Right from the beginning we see that God put up avenues to save mankind - this was his plan from the Genesis and that is why even amidst challenges beyond your control, God already has a plan in place for you. In the previous post (SALVATION PLAN part1), we looked at God’s Salvation Plan in the Old Testament which included;

     i.        The bronze snakes - Numbers 21:5-9

    ii.        The six cities of refugee - Numbers 35:9-14

   iii.        Goshen - Exodus 9:13-26  

  iv.        Noah’s Ark - Genesis 6 and Genesis 7:17-24

God’s Salvation Plan from the beginning

When God created man in the beginning, he made all things good and desired for man to have dominion over everything. There was also a beginning in heaven. It was so peaceful without any chaos, however chaos begun in the heavens and because God always has a plan to solve all problems, he had a plan to put the heavens at peace. We read in Revelation 12:7-9 (AMP) that;

“And war broke out in heaven, Michael [the archangel] and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they were not strong enough and did not prevail, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the age-old serpent who is called the devil and Satan, he who continually deceives and seduces the entire inhabited world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”

When the devil was cast on earth, God already had a plan to save mankind; He had created everything and put it before man and yet now satan had been cast to the earth and could easily disrupt what God had planned for man. The scripture continues to say in Revelation 12:10 (AMP) “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom (dominion, reign) of our God, and the authority of His Christ have come; for the accuser of our [believing] brothers and sisters has been thrown down [at last], he who accuses them and keeps bringing charges [of sinful behavior] against them before our God day and night.”

So after God had created everything in the beginning, He did not rest because He had to plan for the well-being of humanity - the plan was such that even though the devil disturbs this earth but whoever calls upon His name would be saved (Acts 2:21).

Today you may have some hereditary shortcomings and afflictions running in your bloodline; the devil is seeking out your generation, but Salvation came to free you from that which has been pursuing your family. In Numbers 35,whoever had done wrong unknowingly would run to the cities of refuge; this shows how God can help an innocent person! There are some things tormenting you as a result of your parents’ actions, however, even though you did or didn’t participate in their actions, God has a plan to save you so that this scripture can be fulfilled. Romans 8:1 (AMP) - “Therefore there is now no condemnation (no guilty verdict, no punishment) for those who are in Christ Jesus (who believe in Him as personal Lord and Saviour).” Once you accept Christ as your Lord and Saviour, the old you ceases and you become a new being - Born Again. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) says; “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

God has a response to every problem you have. Right from the beginning throughout the Old Testament to the New Testament, God already had a plan to save you

Salvation Plan at the Cross

In the New Testament, we see God’s plan again at Golgotha. He knew all the tribulations that we were going to be faced with and He solved them all with one sacrifice - at the cross he paid everything and therefore there is no need for any other sacrifice. Your problems, sickness, or anything on the face of the earth be it witchcraft is not bigger than the sacrifice that was made by God. Everything you see exalting itself in your life be it debt, illness or powers of darkness, they are all under Christ; all of them are under the sacrifice that was made at the cross.

The death of Jesus meant transformed us. He is the Lamb of God offered to take away our sins. The sacrifice of the Lamb was to give sinners a second chance to be become children of God. We didn't have a chance to live in eternity or become acceptable to God because of our sinful backgrounds but his blood washed away our sins, we became acceptable before God and through him, we became God’s children. John 1:29 (TLB) asserts; “Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the world’s sin!"

The bible says in Philippians 2:9-11(NKJV) that; “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

We should therefore have the mindset of Christ and know that the power that sat Him above all authorities is the same power that works through us according to Ephesians 1:19-22 (NLT)

“I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.”

Under the power that works – God’s power, all the dead things are brought to life; the lost are found; the captives are set and sin has no hold unto us. Ephesian 2:5-6 (NLT) explains; “even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus”

After Jesus had been lifted above, he raised us up with him, so that every problem be it poverty or sickness is defeated and under Him; so while we were still dead in our trespasses, Jesus raised us together with Him and sat us together with Him in the heavenly places and anything that can be named on this earth is therefore below his feet; that is the hope we have that there is an answer to every situation challenging us, and because of the sacrifice made by God we are above all situations in our lives! According to Luke 10:19 (KJV), we have been given power to; “tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy….” In every generation right from the beginning, God painted images to show us that he is above every situation, therefore there is no problem or challenge that you are facing today which has no answer; for everything was fixed at the cross.

One of the problems we have is that unlike Jesus, we have never discovered ourselves. Very few people know who they are, but we see in Luke 4:18-19 (NIV) that Jesus discovered himself; “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” This reminds us believers to know our position and stand. We need to discover ourselves in the scriptures and know who we are - Christ sat us together with Him above everything on earth - that is our place; we reign together with Him and everything else is below our feet.

For one to be above does not mean that the enemy will not try to exalt himself in your life. David said in Psalms 13:2 (GNT) “…how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?” For he saw evil prevailing over him but after a while it was no more. If you see that the devil is trying to jumble your life, just give him a short while because since you reign together with Christ, he will scatter. So for every problem, every debt or every illness you have in your life, God has a way out - Christ. Everything that we need is in Christ. He was slain to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength glory and honour on our behalf

Revelation 5:12 (NKJV) says;

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and the strength and the honour and the glory and blessing!”