“ You must be born again.” John 3:7

Righteous Father, we are delighted to continue on the train of thoughts You have graciously granted us in light of the last revelation. We thank You Jesus Christ for the solid foundation laid by the cross. We invite You Holy Spirit to fill us with the wisdom of God and strength of spirit to accomplish this mandate of sharing the perfect Truth of God to the people of God all over the earth. We earnestly pray for divine illumination of the minds of God’s people, and courage to press on in faith to receive all that You have graciously made available for us in Jesus mighty name. Amen.

It has been an exciting summer for me. What of you? For many, this is a time of the year when we take time off from work to get the well-deserved vacation from the grind of the job. It is also a time for families to spend quality time, especially the fact that the children are back home from school. All work and no play is not advisable for optimal functioning of body and soul. I also spent quality time with my family. We had movie times, thrilling outdoor water rides and of course, swimming practices.

However, the most fulfilling was another adventure into the unfamiliar. We travelled to Romania for about two weeks on an evangelism mission. My visit last year was not enough to prepare me for the wonderful experience of this year.  We went through different villages, churches and interacted with lots of people from all works of life. We faced all kinds of challenges, both in the streets and in our accommodation arrangements. The schedule was tight and intensive from early morning until late night. On occasion, we had to contend with an Orthodox priest who demanded we leave that particular community. He threatened us that he would call the police on us for spreading the gospel. That was his territory and the Good News of the Kingdom of God was unwelcome there, he insisted.

By the power of His Spirit we endured hardships and tiredness. We intensified in prayer with the expectation of the impossible. God delivered His grace. According to my friend, Pastor Mike, this journey trumps other ones in the past. So many hardened religious folks confessed Christ and stepped into the kingdom of God. Many young ministries were encouraged and strengthened. We had a radio broadcast arranged by some ministers from a Baptist Church. We witnessed the hand of God move mightily to heal intractable spine condition, eye trouble and deliver a teenager who was oppressed by satanic depression and suicidal ideation after she suffered gang rape. Hallelujah!!!

While ministering in Romania, the Holy Spirit revealed, in a vision of the night, a tragic motor vehicle accident involving a medical doctor in Phoenix, Arizona. It was a very graphic scene that terrified me. I promptly contacted this friend when we got back home and communicated this frightening vision to him. After a long defensive argument, he finally confessed that he had been experiencing uneasy premonitions in recent time. We prayed together for God’s mercy and protection. Within three days I got a call from him that he was involved in a terrible accident on the freeway. Later, I visited his home again and explained to him the ways of salvation and faith in Christ, not man-made religion. He repented and accepted Christ as his savior and Lord. Hallelujah!!!

Born of His Spirit

“…That He might bring us to God….1 Peter 3:18.

The encounter between Nicodemus and Jesus Christ as contained in John 3 is quite revealing. A fundamental and one of the critical aspects of God’s program of redemption of mankind is clarified. The Son of God became Man to rescue mankind from the kingdom of darkness and usher us back into the Kingdom of God. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that the Lord does not and will never change. God prophesied immediately after the Fall of mankind of His plan to repair what our archenemy, the Devil, destroyed; the perversion of holiness of man. The sin of rebellion must be punished and a redeemed and sanctified man recreated for God’s Spirit to dwell in and operate from. It is this spiritual rebirth that qualifies mankind to assume his or her original mandate in creation: the dominion mandate over other created things.

Reconnected with the Source of Life

“ …And behold, a ladder was set up on the earth…” Gen. 28:12

The necessity for a transformed heart and a renewed mindset was communicated to us, the children of promise, in the story of Jacob. He was a son of promise but chose to live in the flesh and was blinded by his selfish ambition. In his foolishness, he decided to appropriate God’s promise by his own wisdom and craftiness but paid dearly for his mistakes. In His unchanging faithfulness, God visited Jacob in a dream of the night with a promise of divine intervention to reconnect the fractured relationship.

Much later, we read of another encounter where a Man wrestled with Jacob the entire night. In the end Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, a prince with God. A change of name translates to a change of heart and purpose. It is a foolish thing to resist the will of the Holy Spirit. A transformed heart comes through genuine repentance and faith in Christ Jesus. Baptism in water is symbolic of your identifying with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As you pray to God, the Father, with your faith and focus in the accomplished work of Christ, the ultimate Promise of the Father is released; the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Luke 11:13.

Power to Reign in Righteousness

“…The manifold wisdom of God….” Ephesians 3:10

The eternal purpose of God, the Creator of all things, both the visible and invisible world has never changed. He wants to influence the physical world through mankind who was created in the similitude of God; wisdom and power of imagination and creativity. Though God’s plan suffered tremendous setback, His plan is still on course. The principalities and powers of darkness under Lucifer have had a great time. But their days are numbered. They are already judged and waiting for the final Day!

The quest for power and supremacy is as old as creation. The kingdom of darkness has been raging against the Kingdom of light. Mankind happened to be the victim of the age-old war. The strategies of the enemy include lies, deception, manipulation, intimidation and ultimately usurpation of authority. In a world largely ignorant of God’s righteous ways and under the sway of the influence of the dark world, abuses and misuse of power is sadly prevalent. Humans have been ravaged by sickness, poverty and cataclysmal disasters. However, the most heart-wrenching evil that has befallen mankind is the oppressive rule and control of humans by fellow humans for selfish gains. Man has misunderstood the purpose of power and leadership ability imbued on mankind by the Source of all life.

The Son of God came in the flesh and walked in the Power of the Holy Spirit. In Him the fullest revelation of God’s original intent and purpose for power was clearly demonstrated. The Bible declares that life power was in Christ and that life is the light for men. The power to remain holy to the Lord, the power to know His will, the power to overcome temptations, and the power to walk in obedience to His perfect truth are now yours through the indwelling Holy Spirit. What an awesome wisdom of God and abundant grace towards every believing soul!!!

Holiness to the Lord

“…He will convict the world of sin…” John 16:8

In the Book of Hosea 4, the Lord lamented on the ignorance of spiritual truth in the life of His people. A violation of divine laws comes with unavoidable harsh consequences. God is a God of order and principles. Everything in the visible and invisible world is under a law that governs its existence and smooth functionality. Any aberration of this divine wheel of operation results in faulty existence. It was never in God’s design for mankind to be a slave or servant of other created objects. In fact, the angels were created to serve the needs of mankind.

One of the most important functions of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Believer and Follower of Jesus Christ is Conviction. You must remove the plank in your own eyes in order to see clearly to carry the message of reconciliation to a lost brother or sister. When pride blinds you to this personal introspective power and function of the Holy Spirit, you grieve and ultimately quench the Spirit. It is interesting that the Bible is replete with examples to drive home a revelation of divine truth. Samson flouted the power of the Spirit to such an extent that God was grieved and finally left him. The Bible said he tried again to abuse the power of the Spirit granted for divine purposes but did not know the Holy Spirit had departed. Such is the sad and pathetic situation in many of our churches today!!!

You are under a heavenly Covenant

“ I will put My law in their minds, and ….” Jeremiah 31:33

The religion created by man is cumbersome, frustrating and utterly useless without the Spirit of Holiness. All the sacrifices of the Old Testament never pleased God but served a temporary purpose until the arrival of the Son of God. In His words, Jesus made it abundantly clear that flesh counts for nothing but it is the Spirit that gives life. Jesus Christ ushered in an everlasting Covenant of Peace through His perfect offering of a sinless body. Every contract or covenant involves two parties. God is one and mankind the second party in this divine agreement. In this covenant relationship, there are responsibilities, obligations and, of course, consequences upon its violation from both parties. God is accountable to His laws.

God will always fulfill His own part of the covenant relationship. Biblical account has revealed failures and violations on the part of man.  However, this everlasting Covenant of Peace was initiated, sustained and established by God Himself. Our part is simply to receive it in Faith. That is the power of His all-surpassing wisdom and unconditional love for the pinnacle of all creation—Man. God planned a complete new package for this revamped relationship. The Creator and Redeemer of mankind declared His zeal to make this relationship work for us. Hear Him:

“ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” Ezekiel 36:26-27.

The Business of the Father

“ … the King would suffer no loss.” Daniel 6:3

The life of Jesus Christ, as a Son of God, was consumed with the desire to know and passionately accomplish the will of God. Enoch walked with God. Abraham abandoned his personal ambition and riches to follow the leading of God. Elijah’s life was completely influenced by the Counsel of heaven against the affairs of the earth. Daniel understood the powers of the king and worked diligently to honor earthly kings, except when their will and purposes conflicted with the will of the King of kings!

In the same way, the man seen walking along the path of light shining from heaven in the illustration above embraces similar mindset. This man has been washed, sanctified and redeemed by the blood of Jesus. His life is under a new yoke, the light of truth in Jesus Christ. He has been empowered by the Spirit of Holiness to reject the patterns of the worldly kingdom but embrace the ways and principles of another government, the kingdom of heaven. His priorities, desires, ambition, passions are highly influenced by the Counsel of heaven as revealed in the Word of God and confirmed by the Spirit of the King. The King’s interest and Word is law and holds paramount importance. Hallelujah!!

It is in the same authority and command of a King that Jesus issued an order to apostle Paul after his conversion. That same authoritative command remains true today and calls on every son and daughter of the King to ‘ awake to righteousness’ in readiness to accomplish the Father’s business in bringing lost sons and daughters into the kingdom of God.

“ Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.” Acts 22:10.

God, in Christ, has elevated you to His original status and position:

A royal priest and an ambassador to the Kingdom of heaven!!!

Prayers

Heavenly Father, we bless and thank You for the abundant grace released in sharing this sweet message from heaven. Thank You for the solid foundation established by Your Son in bringing sons and daughters to glory. Thank You Holy Spirit for sustaining the glorious work of Jesus in our lives. We pray that the perfect will of the Father be diligently pursued on earth as it has been ordained and commanded from heaven, in Jesus mighty name. Amen.