I SHOT THE DEVIL, BUT HE SMILED AT ME.

 

"The head pastor is not his usual self today," I thought as he walked into the hall, looking like the last surviving troop member sent on a deadly mission. One of the young pastors was leading a prayer session. Still, the atmosphere wasn't jubilant enough because he was stressing the Believer's authority in Christ and the need to know who they are in Christ before embarking on the journey of warfare. Seeing the man of God approach his seat in such a mood, I thought he would walk away for us to have real warfare, knowing that the "spiritual bulldozer" was in the building, but this young man continued. Before he could raise the prayer point, the spiritual bulldozer had already climbed the altar with a microphone. To make the young Pastor aware, we stood on our feet to acknowledge the presence of absolute authority. I wondered why we didn't stand while the young Pastor was leading the prayers, but who was I to ask the older woman by me who was hissing and looking at the entrance since the young man took the microphone for his prayer session?

 

The prayer bulldozer tested his microphone with a strong statement: "The devil made a mistake when he attempted to attack me this evening, knowing very well that tonight is war night." To that statement, the older woman jumped to her feet like a fetish priestess that has been intoxicated with some chants. "Turn to your neighbour and tell him or her that we are not here to joke," the head pastor said. The minute I turned to that older woman, I knew the devil would be buried that night. I couldn't pinpoint whatever it was she was there to battle, but I knew the devil and his cohorts had touched the wrong daughter of Eve. For the young lady to my left, I knew she was there to find a husband because she had a white sheet with the names of four gentlemen. I could easily give her an answer to the prayer request because I realised that one of the names had a love symbol drawn with a red pen. "She is just here to cause useless heavenly traffic," I said.

 

"Take out your best weapon tonight because we will start by shooting the devil," he added after we turned to each other to make the previous comment. "Wait, did he say shoot the devil? How can we shoot the devil? I don't even know the types of weapons to think of the best. Why didn't they give this memo on their pamphlets when they planned this program? I only know AK47. My God! I can't win the battle I brought to the Lord," I said to myself as I began to look around, hoping to get some suggestions of the types of guns. My panic took a different turn when I saw the older woman take the poster stance of Rambo with a machine gun. It was then the image of a machine gun came to mind. Immediately, I took a similar stance, waiting for the commander-general to give the instruction. "Fire!!," he commanded. The auditorium echoed with all kinds of gun sounds. My goodness, for a second thought, I was at a playground. "Wait!" he said, and the church went quiet. "You are not taking this exercise seriously. Everybody should close their eyes. I want you to clear your mind and begin to imagine the devil in front of you. Now begin to fire all your bullets, and don't stop reloading," he added with an angry face.

 

With my eyes closed, I could see a disfigured face looking at me and smiling. I opened my eyes immediately, and it was as if the image was stuck in my mind. The annoying part was that the image was before me each time I looked either to my left or right. "This Pastor has put me in trouble. Asem b3n nie" was my immediate thought. Well, I either looked tough and got to work, or I knew this creature would make a mockery of me here. I began to spit out all kinds of gun sounds. I immediately saw the bullets bouncing off the beast as it kept smiling. I knew this was the end for me. But then, the young man's message rang in my spirit. I remember that he emphasised the importance of the blood of Jesus, our identity in Christ and where we are seated in Christ. The scripture he read, Colossians 2:15, began replaying in my mind.

 

Colossians 2:15 (NKJV)

Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Colossians 2:15 (NLT)

In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

 

Like a man drunk in the spirit, I smiled at it and boldly stated, "You are not worth my time. My Lord and Master made a mockery of you and your master years ago. I am in Christ and Christ in God. I am seated far above your realm. You are no one in my realm. You have no place in my realm. I rebuke you in the name of Jesus. I sit and swim in the blood of Jesus. Before I count one, get out of here." The smile on its face faded, and I immediately sat down to ignore it. "Eeeeiii! Where from this strength? Wow!" I said to myself. I have never felt much peace during an all-night like I felt that night. I felt satisfied for the first time in years before church service ended.

I came back from that imaginative thinking only to find out that the head Pastor was the grown version of an ignorant me, and the younger Pastor was me and what I needed to know currently to be a better version than that grown version I saw.

 

My brother and sister in the Lord, IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO KNOW THE STORY OF JESUS CHRIST. You must understand what His life and living on this earth and after means to your Christian walk.

If Jesus healed the sick, it should mean something to your Christian walk.

If the presence of Jesus made demons uncomfortable, it should mean something to you, who now carries Him wherever you go. How are demons comfortable in your presence, and you are not questioning it?

If Jesus brought the dead to life, how are you comfortable with things dying in and around you?

If Jesus taught all to bring them out of darkness, why are you comfortable with the people around you being in darkness with all the knowledge and insight you have in the Word of God?

If Jesus died to bring salvation to all, including you, why are you refusing to go to the very place He is asking you to go and spread His word to the lost?

 

Why have you abandoned your authority in Christ so that the devil and his cohorts can make a mockery of your Lord and Master? We are to perpetually mock the kingdom of darkness and keep them in that state until we go home. Don't be deceived; that isn't the definition of humility.

You are not doing the Kingdom of Light a favour by being silent when you need to speak to cast out demons and frustrate the enemy's operations. What light is in you if it tolerates darkness? Our Father sent us on earth to frustrate the works of the kingdom of darkness. Don't be silent now when your spirit makes you uncomfortable with what is happening.

 

DAILY CONFESSION: In the name of Jesus, I frustrate the works of the enemy in and around me today. I am soaked in the blood of Jesus. I carry the Holy Spirit of God. I am a terror to the kingdom of darkness wherever I find myself. I cannot and will not be a specimen for demonic arrows. My organs are responding perfectly because I carry the life of Christ. My body cannot carry sickness because there is no sickness in Christ. I live and walk according to the dictates of the Holy Spirit. I have the wisdom of God, and I cherish and uphold that above the carnal ways of men. I am forgiven and free. I will not be imprisoned by my guilts. I am favoured. I am blessed. I carry God, so wherever I find myself, I have introduced God. No man can bring me down. I cannot be cursed. I am the definition of every good thing the Lord want to make available in a territory. Thank you, Father. Thank you, Holy Spirit.

 

Remain in the blessings of God as you remain in Christ.

MD.

HIS LOVE BENCH

I claimed to have found a LOVING GOD in my darkest and lowest.
Sooner than I could think, my feelings began to question that LOVE.
Sooner than I could think, my mind wandered into useless thoughts.
Sooner than I could think, I began to backslide.


ME:
Did I really meet God?
Am I sure God loves me?
Am I doing enough to keep myself in His good books?
Is my name even in His Book of Life?
Does He still love me as He did?
Why don't I feel His love any longer?
Did the blood of Jesus really cleanse all my sins?
Am I clean enough?
Is my fasting sufficient?
Is my praying sufficient?
Is my worshipping and praising enough?
Is my reading of the bible enough?
Can I still call you Father?
Are you still my LORD?
I feel lost.
Help me!
Speak to me!


HOLY SPIRIT:
We find love, and quickly, we let go of the very thing that made us long for each other—US!
The love began with a YOU and an I, not place, time or activities.
The venue was everything because YOU and I were there.
The time was everything because YOU and I were there.
The activities were fun because YOU and I were there.
YOU and I made the venue memorable.
YOU and I made the time worth it.
YOU and I are the memory.
The love journey all began with YOU and I.
To feel lost is to lose sight of the (YOU and I) equation.
To question my existence is to lose sight of the (YOU and I) equation.
To doubt my love is to lose sight of the (YOU and I) equation.
Love is because WE (YOU and I) are.
We (YOU and I) are all we need to make everything worth it.
The focus is YOU and I, not places and activities.
Keep your eye on ME!


GOD STILL LOVES YOU!
Remain in the blessings of God as you remain in Christ.

WHY HAVE YOU ABANDONED YOUR POST?

While on campus during my days in Bible school, I asked a question in class about a sensitive topic in the body of Christ. Without hesitation, the reverend began his answer by saying, 'You are not thinking right.' Although we trashed that opening statement out after the lecture, it has always stuck with me because it made me aware of the need to find the source of every thought process each time I communicate or discuss a topic with anybody or listen to anybody on a matter. I have come to understand that everything we think, say or do is based on an understanding gathered from the few or many years one has lived on earth, whether being a Christian or not. It is, therefore, imperative for the Christian to choose to live based on the daily instructions of the Holy Spirit. A Christian who fails to commit to a life locked in a secret place with their maker will indeed follow the guidance provided by family spirits, eventually leading them into generational paths that have nothing to do with their destiny in Christ. Their lack of attention to the secret place has made that available in their life. The absence of one authority automatically makes the other available. It is like an automatic plant that takes over when the lights go out. Until Christians consciously choose to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit daily, they are prone to all demonic influences, no matter the abundance of knowledge about their heritage in Christ. (Anyway, I have veered off the main reason for this article.)

 

The Holy Spirit has drawn my attention to a dangerous thought pattern currently running in the kingdom of God – the belief that the success of every individual is solely dependent on the actions or influence of another individual. This belief, which is not in line with the teachings of the Bible, is a form of pride. It is wrong for such a thought to run in the kingdom of Light, where we know that the source and ability to do all things is from God, not mere men. It is a demonic thought that has infiltrated our camp, and yet we have meditated on it for too long that it has caused a viral infection that is slowly killing the kingdom army. I know what I am saying because I have thought about and acted on this for several years, and it took several teachings by the Holy Spirit to snap out of it.

It is sad to see commanders in the kingdom of God put down their armour and leave their post because the men they claimed to have made 'somebodies' have disappointed or betrayed them, and so they are no longer going to be a help to any other person the Lord brings on their path. Men have buried their gifts and operations of the spirit because another man failed to show gratitude to them for the effects of the gifts or operations that had nothing to do with them but God.

I am not encouraging ungratefulness towards men; I am only fighting the viral infection. Suppose the so-called men we have made 'somebodies' are still connected to God and are always eternally grateful to God for what God has done for them.

 

Why are we offended that they never said thank you or are refusing or forgetting to acknowledge our efforts in public as they interact with great men or women? The fact that 'we' helped a fellow human to find or open the books concerning their lives should instead be held as a privilege in the sight of God, not a badge of honour we hope to carry on our heads wherever we find ourselves in the space of men. When did honour before men become more valuable than honour before God in the kingdom of Light? The Holy Spirit clearly stated in the first three chapters of the book of Luke that John and Jesus found favour in the sight of God before men. In other words, they were first honoured by God before men. They were more concerned with God's words than men's. They were appreciative of the blessings of God before the blessings of men. Isn't John the Baptist, the man who would later say that 'no man can receive a thing in the realm of men unless it has been given freely from God?' How, then, is a man or woman who came to this world naked and will eventually return naked, thinking that he or she has the power to make and unmake a fellow human without thinking there is a greater power in play in his or her life?

 

Every person comes into this world with a complete book already written about their life. Many die without opening a page of that book because they failed to interact with their genuine Maker and Master. In contrast, some are fortunate to meet others who lead them to the King of Light, such as pastors, mentors, or friends who guide them along a path obscured by the darkness in the world. Some of these men or women who have helped others by leading them to the King of Light have failed to understand that it is an honour to be selected by God to be the man or woman through whom another encounters the kingdom of Light. We only help that person by leading them to the King of Light so they can get the Light needed to manoeuvre the darkness in this world while carefully opening the pages of their eternal book. If Christ is our Light, why do we take credit for His actions through us? Why do we think we need to share in the glory of God if the work was entirely orchestrated and performed by God?

 

It is a divine honour to help others recognize what God has destined them to be.

It is a divine honour to lead others to that ever-flowing river that is sustaining us.

So, why have you allowed the offence to take you away from your post?

Why does a sense of self-entitlement lead us to underestimate the immense responsibility we have received from God?

Why have we become so gratitude-thirsty that we have hindered a gift we have freely received from the Lord to help others boldly come before the throne of Grace to encounter the Grace of God from freely operating?

Why are you offended that all the people God has enabled you to raise in His kingdom by His Grace and guidance are ungrateful to you and not to God?

Weren't we ungrateful when we ignored the blood of Jesus and went about doing as the enemy led us?

Weren't we ungrateful when we refused to thank God for the numerous things He had done and was doing for us?

 

Man of God, Woman of God, Boy of God, Girl of God, Spiritual father/mother, Senior Usher/Protocol Officer, Sunday School Teacher, let go of that self-entitlement and return to your post immediately. How you feel has nothing to do with the will of God concerning a generation. Your ego is killing millions in the kingdom of Light. Your ego is making your gift a dangerous weapon against the kingdom of Light instead of darkness. Offense because of the lack of gratitude is burying many in the kingdom of God. We are losing a great army to the kingdom of darkness because of the offence you have buried in your heart. Your Light has become darkness because of that offence, which we can notice in your so-called 'spiritual nuggets/quotes.' You have been teaching us with your pain, not the words of Christ.

 

Cleanse your heart, and let us move on with the Kingdom assignment!

Remain in the blessings of God as you remain in Christ.

A BRIEF CONVERSATION: "TRY TO OPEN THE TAP!"

 

I live in a community where every house has a water reservoir (PolyTank) because of some water situation that has been in existence for God knows how long. We mostly expect water on Wednesdays and Thursdays, then we have to wait patiently until the following week for water to flow through our taps again. Until the following week, it is a must or wise to use the water stored in the reservoir proportionally. If not, you would have to spend extra money to buy water. In other words, it is understanding that makes one cultivate the act of water rationing for the five to six days of no water.

For the days that the water runs through my tap, I shower at the slightest sight or thought of sweat on my body (I waste water like a newborn baby awaiting mummy while left alone in the bathing tub). Then, for days without water, I am wise to only bathe twice a day—in the morning and before bedtime. One Sunday I got home from church very tired and in need of a cold shower, but knowing very well that the tap was not flowing, I ignored the thought of an afternoon shower and continued with whatever I had to do. All I could do was wait until it was dark to take a shower before going to bed. While I stood in the kitchen fetching water from the bucket I keep in the kitchen for cooking to wash some dishes, my friend walked in and opened the tap to fill the water kettle with water so he could heat some water to take his bath. Out of shock and feeling stupid, I questioned him like a thief under interrogation. "Why didn’t you tell me that the tap is flowing with water? Didn’t you know that I wanted to bathe?" I asked. He gave an answer that became the foundation for my discussion with the Holy Spirit that night. "I noticed it was flowing when I tried to open the tap in the bathroom," he said.

 While praying that evening, I decided to use the washroom, and the Holy Spirit brought up that scenario with my friend. He then asked, "Can you imagine the number of blessings or gifts you haven’t allowed to flow into and through your vessel only because you have refused to try to open the tap? How would you know a gift or blessing you have consistently prayed for or have been gifted with hasn’t been given to you or doesn’t work if you haven’t tried to use it? If you haven’t tried to pray for the sick, hoping for healing, how would you know that you have the gift of healing? If you haven’t tried to tell that friend or stranger what you are sensing about him or her while with him or her, how would you know that you have the gift of prophecy, a word of knowledge, or a word of wisdom? If you haven’t prayed over a matter without ceasing while hoping for an answer, how would you know that God answers prayers? If you haven’t tried to teach the word of God, how would you know that you have the gift of teaching? How would you know if you haven’t tried it?"

"In Matthew chapter ten, didn't the Lord give the disciples power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and disease? Wasn't it in their doing that the disciples knew that whatever Jesus had said they had received was exactly so? This story is even clearer in Luke chapter 10, in which we see them return happy because the devils obeyed them. If they hadn’t tried it, they wouldn’t have found out the unique power resting on and in their lives because of Jesus Christ. Try to open your tap! I am not asking you to fake it until you make it. I am asking you to put into practice whatever you are praying for, have been praying for, or have been gifted with, because when you ask the Father what He has placed on your heart, He has already answered. Try to open your tap and let whatever must flow into and out of the vessel freely do so," He added.

My fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord, as you begin this week, I pray that the Lord of Grace will grant you the needed grace to try to open whatever tap must be opened in your life in whatever season you find yourself in now, in Jesus’ name.

Remain in the blessings of God as you remain in His Son, Jesus Christ.

MD.

 

 

WHAT IS YOUR REALITY/TRUTH?

John 18:38 (TLB)

“WHAT IS TRUTH?” Pilate exclaimed. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime.”

Growing up as a Christian, one thing I have had to battle with constantly is “faith statements” or “prophetic declarations.” Then, each time I stood my grounds to make such assertions, I always hear an annoyingly loud voice in my head commanding me to stop joking and be realistic like every other normal human being walking the earth. And each time I try to make a case for the declarations, the voice begins to present facts both in audio and visual forms.

For example, the pastor leads us to declare: “I am not poor; I am rich. I will not die untimely; I will live long. I am not a failure; I am a success. I am not cursed; I am blessed beyond measure in Christ. etc.” The minute we take our seats after those powerful declarations, I will hear that annoyingly loud voice saying, “You are rich yet you are hungry and don’t have a job. You will live long yet you are sick and that sickness according to statistics is killing people faster than you think. You are a success yet everything you touch fails. You are blessed beyond measure yet people can’t stand your presence because of the bad luck you carry.” And each statement is backed with a good picture of a current or past situation in my life that makes me eventually accept the reality/truth presented.

And this happens to be the current situation/challenge many Christians are facing in their Christian walk today. 

When the subject of truth comes to play in the life of a Christian, there is but One (John 1:17/14:6); He came in the form of a man, walked on this earth, was crucified, died, was buried, but He resurrected on the third day and is now seated at the right hand of God, the Father. His name is JESUS! He is the Living Word of God. He is the Light of the World. He is the Living Bread. He is the Living Water. Until a Christian fully accepts Him, that is, grants Him access into his/her life, his/her reality/truth will remain distorted for life. He/she will continue to walk in this world’s reality/truth instead of the reality/truth He came on this earth to present.

In His short life on this earth, He presented a snippet of the reality/truth the world would benefit from if it would only accept Him as the Son of God and believe in the only true God who sent Him.
He came to a world with various incurable sicknesses and diseases, yet He showed another where every sickness and disease has a cure (Matthew 4:23). He came to a world where demonic possession was a lifestyle; yet He showed another where demons trembled at His presence (Mark 1:23-26). He came to a world where fear was the only reaction when the elements of nature act up; yet He showed another where the elements of nature listen to its creator (Matthew 8:23-27). He came to a world where it was never possible to walk on water; yet He showed another where at His word and concentration on Him it was easy to do the same (Matthew 14:25-29). He came to a world where death was the end of life; yet He showed another where the dead could be brought back to life at His word (Matthew 9:23-25). He came to a world where one needed a year’s income to feed over five thousand people; yet He showed another where five loaves and two fishes were enough to overfeed over five thousand people (Matthew 14:15-21).

He lived in the same world, we live in today, yet walked in a different reality/truth. He listened to the facts, but He didn’t accept them as His reality/truth. He only believed in the reality/truth presented by His Heavenly Father.

Again, I ask, what is your reality/truth? What is real/factual to you? What the world is presenting as truth or what the Lord is presenting as truth according to His Living Word?

Yes, I heard you when you said you are sick or feeling pains. Yes, I have seen the doctor’s report. Yes, I have seen the X-ray of that cancer. Yes, I have seen the test results. Yes, I saw you hungry and helpless. Yes, I can see that the women in the family are barren. Yes, I can see the business going down the drain. Yes, I can see the landlady/landlord giving you the final eviction notice. Yes, I can see you in the wheelchair. Yes, I can see that the men in the family die at age 50. Yes, I can see that the arm is broken. Yes! I can see that you are addicted to that hard substance. Yes, I can see all of that.

What I am refusing to do is to accept the reality/truth you are presenting. All I see is the reality/truth Jesus keeps presenting to me through His Living Word. In His reality/truth, I can choose never to be sick. I can choose to live long. I can choose to have my body parts replaced if the need arises. I can choose to have my provision daily. I can choose to have every problem bow to its knee at the mention of His name. Those are His promises to me. And that is my reality as a child of God. I walk not by what I see, feel, taste, smell, or touch; I walk by what He says.

Yes, sometimes I felt I was stupid for saying things that were not as though they were. And truth be told, most times, that annoyingly loud voice made so much sense to me as compared to the other which kept encouraging me to keep speaking and trusting in those assertions. But each time I kept at those declarations, I felt that strong sense of painting a picture on a black canvas with black paint. I may not see what I am painting, but it doesn’t also mean I am not painting a picture. If a strong light should be provided, the painting would be visible. 

Blessed as we are, our Savior and Master is the Light of the World. Keep painting on the black canvas with the black paint you have, His Light will make it visible at the right time.

Remain in the blessings of the Lord as you remain in Christ.

MD.

PICTURE THIS:

In the Gospel of John chapter eighteen verse twenty-eight downwards, we see Jesus being escorted to Pilate’s palace for His trial. After Pilate questions His accusers, Pilate takes Jesus aside to have a tete-a-tete. During that short conversation which was to ascertain the veracity of Him being the “King of the Jews,” Pilate ends the conversation with a rhetorical question – WHAT IS TRUTH? And this was after Jesus had said this to him, “Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.”

From that statement, Pilate found his truth. It, therefore, came as no surprise to me when he boldly posted a sign over Jesus reading, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” When asked by the chief priests to change it, Pilate made this bold statement, “WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN, I HAVE WRITTEN. IT STAYS EXACTLY AS IT IS.” (John 19:19-22)

Learn from Pilate. Learn to stick to the realities/truths you find after interacting with the Living Word.

PRAYER:

My Heavenly Father, grant me the grace to stand my grounds when it comes to what you have declared as my realities/truths in your Living Word in Jesus' name.