powerjournals-blog

[powerjournals-blog]

Introduction to the Temperaments

The temperament is the basic template with which you are created. You are created by God with certain tendencies, natural strengths and weaknesses.1 There is a difference between temperament and character. In this chapter, you must understand this basic difference.

The temperament is God’s method of creating variety. Some people are born with natural tendencies for leadership or joviality. Others are born with a natural tendency to flow along and to be easy-going. This is the basic structure of your emotional make-up.

So what is the character of a person? The character is the personality which is affected by the influences of this life. The character of a person is therefore the product of his personality plus all external influences.2

Character = Personality + External Influence

External Influence = Parental Training + School and Education + Influence of friendships + The Church + The Pastor + The Bible + The Environment + The Community + Life’s Experiences + Maleness or Femaleness + Christian Commitment + Background

This means that everyone can have a good character because the character is a product of many controllable variables. When a person is influenced by the Word of God, the natural weaknesses of his personality will be stemmed. Also, the strengths of his or her personality will be augmented by the Word of God.3 The Word of God will encourage you, for instance, to improve your leadership skills to help the people of God even though you may not be a natural-born leader.

The Word of God will teach the sanguine personality for example, not to be unfaithful, which may be his natural tendency. As we study this topic, you will see how everyone is born with natural tendencies. Perhaps you will discover that you have a sanguine personality or a melancholic one. These are realities.

Some people don’t like to accept the truth about temperaments and the teachings on them. However, the reality of varied personalities cannot be avoided. It stares us in the face all the time. What we must do is to allow the Word of God to lift us higher in the strengths of our diagnosed personalities. We must also fear the reality that we have a tendency to walk in the weaknesses of our personalities. We must therefore be conscious of these realities and fight every negative tendency that is common to our personalities.

The most powerful single human influence on any person’s behaviour is his temperament, which is usually a combination of at least two temperaments––one primary and the other secondary. People are subconsciously attracted to another person’s strengths that correspond to their weaknesses.4

In Proverbs 30:11-14, the writer Agur, to whom many Bible scholars attribute the chapter, recognizes four specific kinds of people: melancholic, phlegmatic, sanguine and choleric. Unfortunately, Agur only viewed them in negative expressions because people are usually more easily diagnosed through their weaknesses than their strengths. He also describes man in the state that he is born––Proverbs 30:11-14 (New American Standard Bible).

There is a generation that curse their father, And bless not their mother. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, And (yet) are not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation whose teeth are (as) swords, and their jaw teeth (as) knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

Melancholic: There is a kind of man...who curses his father, And does not bless his mother (Proverbs 30:11).

Phlegmatic: There is a kind ...who is pure in his own eyes, yet is not washed from his filthiness (Proverbs 30:12).

Sanguine: There is a kind...oh how lofty are his eyes, And his eyelids are raised in arrogance (Proverbs 30:13).

Choleric: There is a kind of man...whose teeth are like swords, And his jaw teeth like knives, to devour the afflicted from the earth, And the needy from among men (Proverbs 30:14).

The combination of your parents’ or grandparents’ genes and chromosomes at the time of conception determines your basic temperament. This is what is responsible for your actions, reactions and emotional responses.

Six Reasons Why Every Christian Should Know about His/Her Temperament

(a) Knowing about your temperament will show you what kind of person you are naturally inclined to marry.

(b) Knowing about your temperament will make you aware of your natural strengths.

(c) Knowing about your temperament will make you aware of your natural weaknesses.

(d) Knowing about your temperament will help you to accept and to flow with your marriage partner.

(e) Knowing about your temperament will help you to accept and to flow with the people you work with or relate to.

(f) Knowing about your temperament will help you to forgive people who hurt you.

Notes

1. Tim LaHaye, I Love You but Why Are We So Different? ( Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House, 1991), 31, 36.

2. Tim LaHaye, Spirit-Controlled Temperament (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House, 1993), 3 - 4.

3. Beverly LaHaye, The Spirit- Controlled Woman (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1995), 195.

4. David and Claudia Arp, 10 Great Dates To Energize Your Marriage (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1997), 65 - 79.

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

Appointment of Pastors

1. OPENING PRAYER

2. ASK PASTORAL APPOINTEES TO STAND

3. DECLARATION OF PURPOSE

4. SCRIPTURE READING

John 15:15-16

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

5. SONG: When We Walk With the Lord

When we walk with the Lord Chorus

In the light of His word Trust and obey

What a glory He sheds on our way! For there’s no other way

While we do His good will To be happy in Jesus

He abides with us still Than to trust and obey

And with all who will trust and obey By John H. Sammis

6. PASTORAL APPOINTEES TO STEP FORWARD (If they are too many ask them to come to the altar)

7. OFFICIATING MINISTER PRAYS FOR THE CANDIDATES

8. A CHARGE TO THE CANDIDATES

9. PRESENTATION OF CROSSES AND CERTIFICATES TO THE CANDIDATES (by the officiating minister & assisting ministers)

10. OFFICIATING MINISTER LEADS CANDIDATES TO SAY THE PASTORS’ PLEDGE

PASTORS’ PLEDGE

1. According to Jeremiah 3:15 which says: “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” I WILL FEED my sheep with knowledge and understanding.

2. According to Hebrews 13:17 which says: “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” I WILL ACCOUNT FOR all my sheep to my pastors and to the Lord Jesus on the judgment day. May the Lord help me to do this with joy and not with grief.

3. According to 1 Corinthians 9:18 which says: “What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.” I SHALL MAKE THE GOSPEL WITHOUT CHARGE and not abuse my power in the gospel.

4. According to John 17:12 which says: “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfiled.” I WILL ENDEAVOUR TO BE HUMBLE AND CHILDLIKE throughout my life and ministry.

5. According to 2 Corinthians 4:1 which says: “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;” I WILL NOT FAINT nor be weary of the ministry because I have received mercy.

6. According to 2 Timothy 4:5 which says: “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” I WILL FULFIL my ministry.

7. According to 2 Timothy 4:8 which says: “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” I PROMISE TO BE WATCHFUL to endure all things and to lay hold, one day, on the crown of righteousness.

8. According to Titus 2:11 which says: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,” I SHALL ENDEAVOUR TO SHARE the grace that bringeth salvation until the last man has heard.

I make these promises in the presence of Almighty God and before His servants solemnly, freely and may God have mercy on my soul.

11. INTRODUCTION OF NEW PASTORS TO THE CONGREGATION

12. CLOSING PRAYER

13. RECESSION

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

Overcome in Marriage by Acceptance and Suffering

For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but ALSO TO SUFFER for his sake

Philippians 1:29

When thou passest through the waters, I WILL BE WITH THEE; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: WHEN THOU WALKEST THROUGH THE FIRE, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Isaiah 43:2

That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

Ecclesiastes 1:15

The ancient wisdom of Solomon is that you cannot straighten a crooked thing. How true that is! Many things will never change. You will find out for yourself. You will have to calm down and accept many ugly things that you cannot change.

Jacob never intended to marry two women. He never intended to have two relationships. Through no fault of his, he was forced into a second relationship that he had not bargained for. In the end, this second relationship with Leah, which he had never wanted, was used by God to fulfil the destiny of Israel.

We will not have perfect lives. We are often being deceived about many things in this life. When you discover you have been deceived as Jacob was, you must make the most of your situation and move on. Accept the fact that you have made mistakes and accept the fact that your life may work out in an imperfect way.

Like Jacob, Accept Your Spouse Even Though You Have Been Deceived

Jacob accepted that he would have two women, even though he had planned for one. He accepted that he would stay married to someone he did not really love. He accepted the fact that he could not set aside Leah after marrying her.

Many people want to set aside their partners when they realise they have been deceived. It is not right for you to set aside your marriage when you discover that you have made a mistake. Most people make mistakes about their marriages. Most people do not know much about marriage when they are entering into it. Most people regret marrying their partners at one point or the other. They may not admit it but it is the truth.

The wisdom of Jacob is to accept the lopsided, odd, unfortunate and inappropriate marriage you have found yourself in and limp with it through this life, so that you can please God.

You may, indeed find yourself marrying twice, or even three times. I am sure you never intended to. You are just like Jacob who never intended to have two wives in one lifetime. Do not allow your failure to prevent you from being fruitful. Sometimes, God chooses the point of failure to make you fruitful.

God chose Leah, the unfortunate and unloved mistake of Jacob’s life to bring forth His will. It was Leah, who bore most of Jacob’s twelve children. Rachel, the loved one, only had two children. God used Bathsheba, the mistake of David’s life, to bring forth Solomon the wise man. None of his legitimate wives could bring forth such a son. What a shock! You must trust God to right the wrongs of your life. You must trust God to help you weave your way forward.

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

What it Means to be Married to A Silent Beauty

…Will you keep SILENT AND PUNISH US beyond measure?

Isaiah 64:12 (NIV)

The “Silent Beauty” is a beautiful lady who comes into your life but has little to say or to offer in terms of conversation. Her beauty is her best asset because that is what attracts the unsuspecting young man to her. Most of the things that are in her heart are not said. She keeps many things within her. The silent beauty is someone who never had many real friends. She is not relational and may comment that no one ever proposed to her apart from her husband.

Throughout her relationship, her main and only friend is her husband. She waits for him and depends on him for all forms of human interaction.

1. People who are silent are carefully holding back themselves from relating to others.

For a long time I have kept silent, I have been QUIET AND HELD MYSELF BACK…

Isaiah 42:14 (NIV)

2. A person who does not speak when she should, punishes those who live around her. It is not a nice experience to live in the presence of a silent non-communicative beauty. The environment around a silent and moody person is a controlled and manipulated environment. When the person cheers up, everybody is allowed to cheer up too.

…Will you keep SILENT AND PUNISH US beyond measure?

Isaiah 64:12 (NIV)

3. Relating with a silent person is the same as relating with the dead. Your home can be called the realm of the dead when you are married to a silent beauty.

Let me not be put to shame Lord, for I have cried unto you; but let the wicked be put to shame and BE SILENT IN THE REALM OF THE DEAD.

Psalm 31:17 (NIV)

4. A person who speaks and chats creates a refreshing atmosphere around her. It is always nice to be in the presence of a friendly, chatty, conversation creator.

I will speak, THAT I MAY BE REFRESHED: I will open my lips and answer.

Job 32:20

5. A person who is silent has a heart full of things that she is not saying. It is unsettling to be with a person whose heart is full of things that she is not saying.

… for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Matthew 12:34

The Beast

After she is married, you will find that the silent beauty only relates to her husband. She does not make or have any friends in the church. Hardly any lady in the church can be called her friend. A lot of texts and mails may be sent to her but she does not respond to these texts or relate to many people.

When her husband comes home she has little to say to him. She claims that he is the one who talks. She is flat and bland in her speech with little to contribute and little to say. The pastor may be distressed because he wishes that his wife would engage the congregation and chat with the members.

Indeed, people who are acquainted with her may consider her to be a friendly person because she is a specialist at social pleasantries such as, “Hello”, “How are you?” “How are the children?”, “How is your wife?” Her conversations never run any deeper than these initial pleasantries. The compliments of the season are what you can expect because our silent beauty has very few deep relationships!

In the ministry, a silent beauty is of little value. She will not speak to the church members and she will not wait around in church. She has nothing to say to anyone. She does not engage the members in deep conversation and deep friendship. You could easily say to the silent beauty the same words that John Wesley said to his wife:

IF YOU WERE BURIED JUST NOW, OR IF YOU HAD NEVER LIVED, WHAT LOSS WOULD IT BE TO THE CAUSE OF GOD?

John Wesley

At home, our silent beauty is also unemotional and inexpressive. There is no emotion, no feeling and no sensation that flows out of her towards her husband. All feelings seem to be within her as she silently and unemotionally relates with him.

Sexual relations for our flat, bland and silent beauty consist mainly of allowing her body to be used as a receptacle of her husband’s male organ. She has nothing to say or do. She has nothing to offer and few feelings to express. She considers sex as something that he is doing to her. She simply waits for it to end!

After church she waits silently for her husband to finish talking to his numerous fans. She sits silently alone, waiting in the car, placing him under tremendous psychological pressure to finish his meetings quickly and come on home.

The Dangers

1. Flatness: The man of God complains about a lack of life and enthusiasm in his silent beauty. He looks out of his window and sees other vivacious, cheerful and friendly girls who relate with the congregation happily. Oh, how he wishes he had chosen one of those lively gems! What a difference it would have made in his life!

2. External friendships: Her husband may be driven to chat with and befriend other people who would meet his needs for fellowship, happiness and interaction.

3. Intimidation: Through her silent and psychological manipulation, she intimidates her husband all the time. She puts her husband under a lot of pressure by making him feel uneasy with her silence. She silently makes him cut down his interaction with others and limits his ministry.

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

Why Women Must Be Spiritual

The first component of the curse is the enmity between the woman and the devil. Most of us know that the serpent was Satan. In Revelation 12:9, Satan is described as “that old serpent which deceiveth the whole world”. Right here is the explanation to many of the conditions we see in the world.

Satan is the enemy of all men and of anybody who serves the Lord. However, the fact that the Lord God particularly mentioned that there would be enmity between the woman and the serpent is very significant. You will notice that this does not apply to men. If Satan is particularly against all women, this could explain why women have been targeted and destroyed all these years.

Although Satan is the enemy of all men, he is particularly the enemy of all women. This is what the Bible tells us. Satan’s attacks come in different forms. This should make every woman more alert.

If the devil is particularly against women, what must women do? Every woman must take God seriously. Women must be very spiritual people who know their God. Do you think that you can fight that old serpent with your own strength? Woman, please do not deceive yourself.

Women Must Be Spiritual for Their Own Good

Every woman with direction must rise up and employ the weapons of spiritual warfare that God has placed in her hands through Christ. What folly it is when women do not take God seriously. How unfortunate when they only look to their husbands and their marriages for hope and survival.

Dear woman, except the Lord helps you, you can never defeat the devil. But with the help of God and in the name of Jesus, you can give Satan a sound thrashing!

Perhaps this is the reason why the devil keeps many women from serving the Lord. Many ladies realize that their strength for survival comes from God. Because of this there are many women who are spiritual and gravitate towards the Lord.

Yet, through marriage and related issues many of these women are cut off from effectively serving the Lord. Through one excuse or the other, many women do not amount to much in the house of the Lord.

Daughters, remember that the devil knows that he will win the fight against you once he can keep you down spiritually. Daughters, you are special targets of the devil. I didn’t say it! God said it! It is his Word. But there is good news for every woman! Rise up and break through every barrier that keeps you from being the spiritual woman with direction that you were born to be.

And I will put enmity… between thy seed and her seed...

Genesis 3:15

Satan has his eye on the woman. He fears and does not understand what the seed of the woman will be and how it will affect him. Whatever that seed is, it is connected to the woman. If you were the devil, you would attack the woman so that that seed which is intended to bruise your head would never come forth. This is what is happening in the world.

There is a concerted attack by Satan on all types of women. That is why women must be spiritual. The attacks are multifaceted and multidimensional. Women almost seem to be at a disadvantage for being born into the body of a female. By the time you finish reading this book you will no longer be at a disadvantage. You will find yourself coming out of every negative situation by the wisdom of God. You will be a spiritual woman with direction!

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

Confessions for Travelling

I am blessed going and blessed coming! The chariots are prepared for battle, but safety is of the Lord! The angel of the Lord encamps around me as I travel today! I cannot die in a car accident in the name of Jesus. I am safe from drunken and reckless drivers! No evil shall befall me as I go out today! I am not a victim of careless driving and reckless disregard for human life! I am being guarded by angelic powers. I am safe on the land, on sea and in the air! I have arrived safely at my destination. I shall return home safely to my family! I abort and terminate every plot and device of Satan to kill me or hurt me on this journey! I bind every occultic power, enchantment or spell on any part of the road! There is no enchantment against Jacob and there is no divination against Israel! A 1000 cars and planes may crash at my left hand, and 10,000 at my right hand, but I declare that I shall not be on-board any of them! My plane or my car shall not be hijacked! I am safe from armed robbers, hijackers, serial killers, lunatics and rebels! This is a very prosperous journey. I am receiving favour at every corner. My pockets are full of blessings! My spiritual life is improved by this journey! Because of me, everyone is safe on this journey! Thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I am not afraid! My car is roadworthy. The police shall not arrest me on the way! I cover myself and all my loved ones with the blood of Jesus Christ. The blood of Jesus shall answer every demand and claim for my life today!

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

Confessions for Obtaining a Mega Church

My church is growing. My church is growing in beauty and in excellence! My church is prosperous! We have no lack of members and souls. We are experiencing a continuous harvest of souls! We claim the anointing for soul winning, miracles and church growth for ourselves! Our churches everywhere are growing! There is growth everywhere. There is blessing everywhere! There is joy in this church. There is peace. There is harmony. There is unity! I see a fresh anointing coming. It is coming. It is coming like a cloud into the church! The enemies of the church are disappointed. They are disgraced. They have lost their jobs. All of those who expect our downfall will be disappointed! We see and declare a divine displacement and replacement of evil men in high places who fight against the church! We declare the judgment of God on people that fight against God! The enemies of the cross have come to nought! Signs and wonders are happening in the church. Notable miracles are occurring everyday! It is a great thing to be a part of the church. Many more people are coming to the church. They come from the North, South, East and West! Members of our church are not disgracing the Lord! I am a pillar in the church. I am a pillar in this ministry. I am a great support to this vision! I have a spirit of loyalty. I am consistent, faithful, dependable and constant! My pastor depends on me and I never disappoint him! My church is so large that thousands upon thousands of people belong to it. God has given us a Mega Church. We have become a nation within a nation! The church is respected and honored in the community. The love of God is breaking through! The power of prayer and the power of confession are working wonders in the life of the church! Rebels, tergiversators, anarchists, mutineers and breakaways cannot destroy what God is doing on a daily basis! Rebels will only experience continuous disgrace. I will not join a rebellious movement within the church! I love my pastor because he tells me the truth! I will not be angry with the pastor anymore! When I think that the pastor is preaching about me, I will resist the lie of the devil to be angry with my leaders! My pastors have a great vision and I will not leave this great ministry! They that are with us are more than they that are against us! Amazing miracles of healing regularly take place. Wheelchairs are emptied in our church! The blind see in our church. The deaf hear in our church. The cripples walk in our church. Cancer victims are healed in our church. The miraculous is a daily occurrence in our Mega Church! We have a Mega Church. God has promoted us. We have been lifted out of a classroom. We have our own church building! More and more people are coming to the church! Anybody who associates with our church is blessed. Anyone who comes to our church will come again. When they are returning, they will bring more people! I declare that people are rushing to church every Sunday. There is no space for people to sit anymore! I have a problem of space to contain the crowds that God has given me!

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

How Tithers Make God Build a House for Them

1. Tithing makes provision for the house of God.

The prophet Malachi asked for the tithes to be brought to the house of the Lord for one reason: that there may be meat (supplies, provision, materials, goods, food, equipment) in the house of the Lord. The house of the Lord needs to be built. The house of the Lord also has needs. Every time you pay your tithes and offerings, you make provision for the house of the Lord.

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be MEAT IN MINE HOUSE, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Malachi 3:10

2. Paying tithes is your way of investing in the house of God. Tithing is your great seed of investment into the house of God. Through your tithes you make your biggest investment into the affairs of the house of the Lord. Your tithe meets the great needs of the house of God. One of the greatest needs is for the house of God to be built, furnished and maintained.

Is it not marvellous that we can contribute to such a great and spiritual project? What is more amazing is the fact that building the house of the Lord activates the laws of sowing and reaping in a special way.

By investing in the house of the Lord, we open ourselves to reaping a harvest of God investing in our own houses. Tithers inadvertently invoke the blessings of God building a house for them because they build the house of God by tithing.

You will notice from the Scriptures that paying of tithes was the greatest way to invest in the house of the Lord. Not investing in the house of the Lord was the same as forsaking the house of the Lord. If God forsakes your house what will happen to you?

If you do not forsake God’s house God will not forsake your house.

And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law:

And to BRING THE FIRSTFRUITS OF OUR GROUND, and THE FIRSTFRUITS OF ALL FRUIT OF ALL TREES, year by year, unto the house of the LORD:

Also the FIRSTBORN OF OUR SONS, AND OF OUR CATTLE, as it is written in the law, and the FIRSTLINGS OF OUR HERDS AND OF OUR FLOCKS, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God:

And that we should bring THE FIRSTFRUITS OF OUR DOUGH, AND OUR OFFERINGS, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house.

For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: AND WE WILL NOT FORSAKE THE HOUSE OF OUR GOD.

Nehemiah 10:34-39

And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.

Then contended I with the rulers, and said, WHY IS THE HOUSE OF GOD FORSAKEN? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

THEN BROUGHT ALL JUDAH THE TITHE of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.

And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.

Nehemiah 13:10-14

3. You reap whatever you sow.

Many years ago, I attended the sod-cutting ceremony of a great church in our city. A great man of God performed the ceremony and made a statement which stayed with me. He said, “If you build a house for God, God will build a house for you.” As I pondered on this statement, I realized that he was rephrasing Galatians six verse seven.

… for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Galatians 6:7

If you invest in the house of the Lord, the Lord will invest in your house. If you plant a seed to build God’s house, God will build a house for you. This is why people who pay tithes open for themselves a door to owning property.

4. Unless God helps you, you will never own or build a house. In many African countries, about eighty percent of urban residents live in squatter settlements or shanty towns.

Very few people in this world are able to build or own their own homes. Many people are even unable to rent houses and just use properties which they have access to. A lot of people are simply perpetual squatters.

These are facts of life. It takes the grace of God to ever have something you can call your own. That is why I declare boldly that unless God helps you, you will never own or build a house in your lifetime.

Tithing gives you an opportunity to involve God in your situation. By investing in the house of the Lord, you have sown the seeds of a house and can expect to reap a good harvest from the Lord.

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Psalm 127:1

5. God objects to people living happily in their own houses when they have not made provision for the house of God. God will oppose you living comfortably in your house when you have not built His house.

Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, this people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built. Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

Haggai 1:2-5

6. God will be touched by your efforts to build a house for Him. David desired to build a house for the Lord. David touched God’s heart by his desire and interest in the house of the Lord. King David’s attempt to build a house for the Lord invoked an amazing blessing. Notice how the Scripture puts it. God said to David in response to his attempt to invest in the house of God, “… THINE HOUSE AND THY KINGDOM SHALL BE ESTABLISHED for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever (2 Samuel 7:16).

And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying, go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?

Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.

In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?

Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: and I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.

Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,

And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: but my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

And THINE HOUSE AND THY KINGDOM SHALL BE ESTABLISHED FOR EVER before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

2 Samuel 7:4-16

7. God will build a house for you as He did for Solomon. Solomon is famous for building the temple of the Lord. A little known fact is that Solomon was helped to build a mighty house for himself. Indeed, you cannot outdo God. He will bless you and build a house for you. What God did for Solomon is what He wants to do for you. Decide today to be a tither! You are deciding to build a house for God and therefore God will help you build a house for yourself.

And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that HE BEGAN TO BUILD THE HOUSE OF THE LORD… In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the Lord laid, in the month Zif: and in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

BUT SOLOMON WAS BUILDING HIS OWN HOUSE THIRTEEN YEARS, and he finished all his house.

1 Kings 6:1, 37-38

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

Why God Heals People Today

1. God heals so that His glory is revealed.

When Jesus heard that, he said, THIS SICKNESS IS NOT UNTO DEATH, BUT FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

John 11:4

This Scripture shows that God heals so that His glory is revealed.  When we have miracles in the church, it is because God wants us to get glimpses of His glory.   He wants us to see His power.   He wants to show us that He is the Almighty God and that there is no problem too big for Him to solve.

I remember a man who had had a stroke and was paralyzed on one side.  I did not even know that he was in the church service.  This man had actually lost his job because of his paralysis.  He was not even aware that the healing power of God was working in him.  He just realized that he could move his leg and arm again when he waved at someone on his way home.  The power of God had moved his body.

2.  God heals so that His works will be manifested.

Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: BUT THAT THE WORKS OF GOD SHOULD BE MADE MANIFEST IN HIM.

John 9:3

Sometimes the problems we have are going to lead to the greatest blessings in our lives.  God is going to use that thing to bring a great miracle into your life.

I love to tell the story of a 31-year-old lady who received a powerful miracle healing.

She got married in 1991, and had her first pregnancy in 1993 that turned out to be an ectopic pregnancy.  She was operated upon and her right fallopian tube was cut off on the 1st of August 1993.  She had a second pregnancy in 1994 and that was also an ectopic pregnancy but this time on the left side.  She was operated on and part of the left tube was cut off (the doctors tried to save a part of the tube).  In 1995, she had a third ectopic pregnancy!  She was operated on and the doctors still tried to save the tube.  In the first week of August 1996, she had a fourth ectopic pregnancy and this time the rest of the left tube was taken off.  Her doctor then told her that the only way she could have a child was by a test-tube baby or by adoption.

A year later, during a Miracle Service I held at the Grace Bible Church—Soweto, South Africa, God did a wonderful miracle for Patricia.  During the ministration, I asked all those who were sick to place their hands where their illnesses were.  Patricia placed her hand on her stomach.  Her husband was not sitting with her at that time so he ran to her to make sure she was praying.  He thought she would not pray about their situation because it looked so hopeless.

Patricia said that she felt she was the only one being spoken to.  She testified that when she placed her hand on her abdomen, she felt the power of God coming all over her.  She said the sensation she felt was difficult to describe but she knew within herself at that moment, that God had touched her!  The best description she could give of the healing power was a feeling of “sweet pain”.

After this healing experience, she went to see her gynaecologist claiming that she was pregnant.  She was driven away by the doctor who told her that she needed to see a psychiatrist!  This doctor told her she was developing a mental problem because he knew it was not possible for her to get pregnant.  But Patricia was so sure that she was pregnant, and she went to see other doctors.  It was eventually proved that the impossible had happened:  she was actually pregnant!

There is no medical explanation for this miracle because a woman cannot conceive normally if she does not have fallopian tubes.

When I returned to South Africa on the 26th of September, 1998 to hold another miracle service in the same church, an excited and overjoyed Patricia came up stage with her miracle baby, to give this testimony of what God had done for her.  She named the child “Odirile”, which means—“He (God) has made it”!

You know, just like the woman with the issue of blood, Patricia felt something.  It is possible to feel the power of God and the unction of God.  Somebody might ask, “What is that feeling like?”  It is very much like a normal feeling because it is a feeling.

The supernatural and the natural are almost the same.  I was preaching about the supernatural power when Patricia felt the anointing.  When some people feel the anointing, they dismiss it as something natural.   Open yourself to the supernatural and you will experience the power of God.  

3.  God heals to confirm the preaching of His Word.

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.  So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.  And they went forth, and preached everywhere, THE LORD WORKING WITH THEM, AND CONFIRMING THE WORD WITH SIGNS FOLLOWING. AMEN.

Mark 16:17-20

God heals to confirm the Word of God that has been preached.  Miracles have a primary function of confirming the preaching of the Word of God.  This is not the same as eradicating all the diseases in a community.  Confirming and affirming a sermon preached by a pastor is quite different from eradicating polio, measles or small pox from a community.  God is not trying to eradicate diseases from the community.  God is in the business of confirming the messages that have been preached by His servants!

4. God heals in order to help people believe in Him.

Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

John 14:11

If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.  But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

John 10:37-38

Some people just want to see a miracle so that they can believe.  Such people just need a miracle to help them believe.  When they see the work of God, they are utterly and totally convinced about the truth of the Word.

5.  God does healing miracles in order to help people repent and change their ways.

Miracles are also given to help people repent and come to the Lord.  This is why Jesus rebuked the cities where He did His mighty works.  His mighty works were intended to help them repent from their evil ways.

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

Matthew 11:20

6.  God does miracles to show approval of His servants.

Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, A MAN APPROVED OF GOD AMONG YOU BY MIRACLES AND WONDERS AND SIGNS, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

Acts 2:22

Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.

John 10:25

God does miracles, signs and wonders to show his approval of the person who is preaching.  God is not trying to make pastors into doctors.   He is not trying to use the evangelist to eradicate malaria, sickle cell disease, hypertension, and diabetes from the community.  He does miracles to show His approval of His servants.  These miracles have specific purposes.  God is showing His approval of His servants through the miracles.

How did God approve of Jesus Christ of Nazareth?   He approved of Him by miracles, wonders and signs.  That is the way God approves of His servant.  This is what the Bible says.

I’ve been at places, where God approved of me with signs and wonders.   I remember when I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart.  He said to me, “Today, I will honour you.”  The Lord did such wonderful miracles at that place.  He did this because I was surrounded by people who did not really believe in me.

Jesus preached the Word.  He said He was the Bread of Life; The Way, The Truth and The Life.  God approved of Him and showed that He was speaking the truth by performing signs and wonders.  

This also explains why people fall under the power.  Falling under the power is a sign.   People love miracles.  People love a display of power.  The display of power shows God’s approval of the man of God.  They know that anyone can shout up a sermon but it is not that easy to conjure a miracle.

7.  God does miracles in order to destroy the works of the devil.

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 3:8

You need to understand that there is a devil that rules this world.  This is obvious when you look at the chaos in the world.  The dictators that are imposed on different nations, the wickedness in the world, the inequalities of our society, the starvation, the hunger, the sickness, the diseases and the sufferings of many people prove that the overall ruler is a very wicked person.  The Bible calls him the “god of this world”.

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

2 Corinthians 4:4

There is a song we used to sing:  He’s got the whole world in his hands, He’s got the whole wide world in his hands; He’s got the whole world in his hands, He’s got the whole world in his hands.

The words of this song cannot be true because the Bible clearly says that Satan is the god of this world.  The devil also claims that the kingdoms of this world had been handed over to him:

And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.  And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.  If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

Luke 4:5-7

Some of the kingdoms in this world are Ghana, England, America, Iran, Kosovo, Iraq, Sierra Leone, Israel, Nigeria, Liberia, Cameroon, Angola, and India.  The devil showed Jesus some of these kingdoms.  Jesus refused to bow to the devil and so He was not given the control of the nations of the world.  They stayed firmly in the clutches of the devil.

God is Almighty and reigns over all things.  However, the devil is the one that specifically controls this earthly world now.  He said He could give it to whomsoever He would.  This is why Germany for instance, may be developed but there is also a lot of unhappiness among the people.  That is why Switzerland may have a lot of money but with a lot of pain, sorrow and depression.

Of course we know that one day the kingdoms of this world will “…become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).

The devil is the one ruling the world today.  He causes the diseases and the sicknesses in this world.  Jesus cast out devils from many of the people that He healed.  So many problems are caused by the devil.  Until you get to the root of the problem you often do not get them solved.

This is why Jesus is in the healing business.  This is why we believe in healing.  We can never stop believing in healing.

I want to encourage you to believe in miracles because miracles are real.  Jesus is the Sun of righteousness with healing in His wings.

8. God does miracles to announce the arrival of the Kingdom of God.

And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Matthew 10:7-8

9.  God does miracles so that more people will attend church and follow the Word of God.

And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

John 6:2

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

Gideon Became a Judge by Thinking about “OTHERS”

And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with US, WHY THEN IS ALL THIS BEFALLEN US? And where be all his miracles which our fathers told US of, saying, did not the Lord bring US up from Egypt? But now the Lord hath forsaken US, and delivered US into the hands of the Midianites.

Judges 6:11-13

When the angel of the Lord came to Gideon, he complained about what had befallen everyone and not just what had befallen him personally.

Gideon is the most famous judge who ever lived. He judged Israel for forty years. How many judges do you know? Judges hardly make the headlines. Gideon rose to the heights of world fame by thinking about “others”. Thinking about others was Gideon’s key to having a fulfilled life. Your life will be far richer because you think about “others”. Almost everyone who became famous did so because he thought about “others”.

Gideon was no exception to this rule. Gideon became the famous warrior who delivered Israel from the Philistines. Many people today are named after him. Personally, I know a number of people called Gideon. Do you think anybody would have been named after Gideon if he had not thought of “others”? He would have passed away as another non-entity.

Today, the church is filled with many narrow-minded non-performers who only think about themselves. They say, “Why has this happened to me? Why don’t I have this? Why don’t I have that? When am I going to have this? When am I going to have that?” It’s all about “me”, “myself” and “I”. Gideon spoke about “US”. Gideon wanted “US” to be saved. Gideon wanted “US” to be healed.

When you think about “others” you will be famous in whatever profession you choose. Gideon was a judge and he became the most famous judge of all time because he thought about “others”!

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

The Struggles of Lay Pastors

1. Lay pastors struggle with the concept of full-time ministry.

Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

Hebrews 12:16

A lot of lay pastors struggle with the concept of full-time ministry. However, a good lay pastor should be able to preach about full-time ministry. To despise the concept of full dedication to the house of the Lord is a mistake of grandiose proportions. Esau profaned and despised sacred things and was rejected by God. Lay pastors must not despise the concept of full-time ministry. Indeed, there must be no struggle to acknowledge the importance and validity of full-time ministry.

2. Lay pastors struggle with independence.

Many lay pastors struggle with obedience and conformity. Obedience becomes difficult as pride increases in your heart. Through disobedience and non-conformity, the spirit of independence develops. But God did not design us to be independent beings. It is obvious that we have not recognised what being independent really is. When Satan tempted Adam and Eve, an offer for independence was made to them (which is the same offer made to each of us today). Satan offered independence when he said, “You will be like God; you will not need God.”

All men have this inherent struggle with independence. The seed of Satan leads the drive to independence, even when it is self-destructive. Men have more of a drive for independence than women. Research has shown that women remain faithfully in their jobs once they are treated well. Women are not as likely to change jobs as men are. On the average, men change their jobs about seven times in their lifetime.

A great difference between human beings and the rest of creation is our desire to be independent from God. Unlike the rest of the creation, human beings are always struggling to be independent of God who created them. Similarly, people who were birthed into a ministry struggle to be independent of the person who birthed them.

The stars are not independent! God numbers the stars and calls them by name.

He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.

Psalm 147:4

The lions look to God for their food. The lions have never desired independence from God.

The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.

Psalm 104:21

The birds and beasts look to God for their food. They have never gone away from their creator. Human beings have forsaken God and put Him out of our minds.

He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.

Psalm 147:9

Jesus told us how the Father feeds the birds of the air:

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER FEEDETH THEM.

Matthew 6:26

Whilst all of creation looks to God for their food, we (human beings) rather become more independent of God. Human beings are alone in their desire and pursuit of independence.

O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

These wait ALL UPON THEE; that THOU MAYEST GIVE THEM THEIR MEAT in due season.

Psalm 104:24-27

Our struggle to be independent from God has always resulted in confusion. When you struggle to be independent from the ministry that gave birth to you, you may be motivated by Satan. Satan is the salesman of independence.

Beware! The desire for independence is not a new thing. Adam was offered this independence and he took it, landing the whole universe in utter confusion. A lay pastor must not become independent of the source of his authority.

Some lay pastors quickly become independent when they are appointed to the ministry. They feel they know everything and disconnect spiritually from the source of their spiritual existence. They no longer listen to messages or advice from their spiritual father. What a tragedy! The appointment to the pastoral office often destroys people.

3. Lay pastors struggle with keeping rank.

Lay pastors must stay in line and try not to move out of their position. The lay ministry is a layman’s ministry. It is not “real” ministry and people who are practising the lay ministry must acknowledge who they are and who they are not. That is what it means to keep rank! When I drive to any court of law, I am not acknowledged as a professional lawyer even though I have written a few contracts in my lifetime. I am a lay person as far as the law profession is concerned and I have to accept that. I must stay within my rank and not think of myself more highly than I ought to.

Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could KEEP RANK: they were not of double heart.

1 Chronicles 12:33

4. Lay pastors struggle with offences from transfers.

Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?

And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.

2 Samuel 14:31-32

Absalom was transferred to Geshur. On his return he wanted to live in the same house as the king. He reacted angrily when the king would not see him.

People who struggle with being transferred from place to place are often agitated by spirits of rebellion. Just like Absalom, they do not want to be where they are placed.

Lay pastors are support staff in ministry and ought not to struggle with any kind of transfers. Pride makes a lay pastor offended with a transfer. It is pride that makes a pastor resign because he has been transferred. A lay person must accept that he is a helper to those who are in full-time ministry. He cannot dictate what must be done and how the church must be run. I know several lay pastors who were greatly offended when they were asked to move and serve in another capacity.

5. Lay pastors struggle with corrections and rebukes.

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

Proverbs 9:8

A pastor must not be angry when he is rebuked. He must receive correction like a child who is humble and open. Unfortunately, some lay pastors are puffed up because of their long service. After some years in lay ministry, they consider themselves too big to be corrected or rebuked. Such "big" pastors must be shown the exit sign and made to leave. Their continued presence in the ministry will pollute younger ones and the leaven of pride and rebellion will spread. There is no place for these "big" men in the work of the Lord.

6. Lay pastors struggle with delegated authorities.

...He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

John 12:44

Lay pastors must receive delegated authorities with joy. As the church grows larger, people you do not know will be appointed and may have authority over you. The air hostess on a plane may not know who the pilot is but she has to respect his rank as the commander of the aircraft. It is the rank and the appointment that she must respect. In the same way, lay pastors must receive and accept people who are appointed over them. Failure to accept delegated authority is a recipe for anarchy and confusion in the ministry. How is it that a lay pastor can accept authority in his secular job but reject authority in the church world? Away with these rebels! Let them leave the house of the Lord for those who are humble enough to accept delegated authorities.

7. Lay pastors struggle with combining their secular life with ministry.

Lay pastors struggle to combine secular work with ministry. This is a struggle that will always be there. Indeed, it is not easy to handle two completely different jobs and be successful at both. It takes the grace of God. But that is what lay ministry is all about. There are many people who have successfully combined secular work with their spiritual work. God will bless them for the sacrifices they have made.

Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

2 Corinthians 11:28

8. Lay pastors struggle with the transition into full-time ministry.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

John 10:1

There is a proper way to enter full-time ministry. Without humility, lay pastors are unable to bow down and go through the entrance door to priesthood. To come into full-time ministry involves giving up everything and sacrificing yourself for the ministry. Transitioning into full-time ministry is not the same as getting an alternative job. The ministry is not an alternative to secular work. It is a calling that must be entered into soberly, advisedly and with lowliness of mind.

The transition to full-time ministry is not the grasping at an alternative source of income. Sadly, some lay pastors begin to see the church as a source of income. When these lay pastors were offered the opportunity to work for the Lord, they rejected it because they thought they would lose everything by working for God. When they began to see the possibility of earning money from the ministry, they suddenly changed their minds about lay ministry and grasped at full-time ministry with their greedy hands.

Why did they not give themselves to the ministry when they were young, fresh, energetic and intelligent? Why did they wait until they were having a midlife crisis and in need of additional income to pay their children’s university fees? Do they now look upon the church as a source of money which can cater for their needs? No, no, no! The ministry is not a business and the ministry must not be entered because of your need for money. That is not the legitimate door to ministry. You must enter into ministry in obedience to the call of God. You must enter into ministry because it is the will of God. You must enter into ministry because you love God and because you desire to please Him. Above all, you must enter full-time ministry because God has called you to do so.

9. Lay pastors struggle with closeness.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

James 4:8

Lay pastors struggle to stay close to the anointing which they need. It is important to draw near and stay near. Being close is both an art and an act of humility. Pride creates a gap and brings the aloofness that is so common in some lay pastors and volunteers. They stand at a distance and stare as though they are not welcome. Guilt keeps them away when indeed they should be close by, helping in the ministry.

Don’t stand far away! You are loved! You are wanted! You are needed! Come closer and be as involved as you can.

10. Lay pastors struggle with pride.

Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Romans 12:16

Pride comes from being around for a long time. Sometimes, pride grows in lay pastors when they pastor a successful church. Pride is also seen in pastors who have churches in rich cities. Pride also filters into the lives of lay pastors when they are successful at their secular work.

You must overcome the temptation of the pride that comes by being an opinion leader and a prominent person. Korah is a perfect example of a lay pastor who went berserk because of his position in society. Success in the secular world must not destroy a lay pastor! Korah’s outrageous demands to Moses are recorded in the Bible. Korah was a layman who challenged the holiness of Moses, telling him off and informing him that he was not the only holy person who could pray to God. Watch out Mr. Layman!

Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord? . . . .

And Moses said unto Korah, Hear now, ye sons of Levi: Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of Jehovah, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them; And that he hath brought thee near, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee? And seek ye the priesthood also?

Numbers 16: 1-2, 8-10

11. Lay pastors struggle with hypocrisy.

Hypocrisy involves appearing to be more committed and righteous than you really are. Ananias and Sapphira suffered from this. They pretended that they were giving more than they actually did. But there is no need to pretend to be more committed, more sacrificial and more spiritual that you really are.

Some lay pastors constantly pretend that they want to be in full-time ministry. All through their lives, they pledge, they promise and they affirm that full-time ministry is all that they want to do with their lives. Like Ananias and Sapphira, they make commitments they cannot keep.

They present themselves as being more zealous and more committed than they really are. Relax my brother and be yourself! Not everyone has been called to full-time ministry! It is not a sin to be a lay pastor! It is a privilege! It is an honour and it is a great thing that you are a lay pastor. Do not live your life pledging to be somebody you cannot be. Be happy with what God has made you and rejoice in your portion of the lay ministry. Do not live a life of unnecessary guilt! God is happy with your contribution to the ministry.

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles 'feet.

But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

Acts 5:1-4

12. Lay pastors struggle with deceptions and delusions.

And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

2 Thessalonians 2:10

Why Lay Pastors Struggle with Delusions

a. Lay pastors struggle with delusions because they use the same titles and uniforms as full-time ministers.

Lay pastors struggle with deception. It is easy to believe you are something that you are not. The roots of the deception of lay pastors lies in their using the same titles and sometimes wearing the same uniforms as full-time ministers. There are lay pastors of small churches who use the title "General Overseer" whilst some founders of huge denominations are also called General Overseers. Such use of similar titles leads to deceptions about who a lay pastor really is. Many laymen wear a collar whilst full-time priests also wear a similar collar. Of course, they are deceived into thinking that they are priests of the same rank. But this is not the case!

A lay person wearing a collar has been given the privilege to share in the ministry that the few full-time pastors can never fulfil on their own.

b. Lay pastors struggle with delusions because they engage in the same activities as full-time ministers.

Delusions also come to lay pastors because they engage in the same activities as full-time ministers. Lay pastors often preach as much as full-time ministers. The ability of laymen to officiate weddings and funerals leaves them with the delusion that they are equal to full-time priests and pastors. What they do not realise is that they are simply helping the full-time pastors to carry out some of their many tasks.

c. Lay pastors struggle with delusions because they receive appreciation and offerings from church members.

Delusions abound even more when lay pastors receive offerings from church members. When lay pastors receive letters of love and appreciation from their church members, they feel appreciated for their ministry efforts. At their secular work place, no one writes letters of love to the lay pastor and no one gives him love offerings. All these offerings can establish delusions in a lay pastor until he thinks he is as good as a full-time priest. It is important that a lay pastor continually affirms that he is simply a helper of a full-time priest.

d. Lay pastors struggle with delusions because they minister under the covering, good name and calling of a large ministry.

Deceptions and delusions come when people minister under the momentum and good name of a large ministry. Usually, the covering of an apostle’s call provides the momentum for lay pastors to function. It is unfortunate that these lay pastors would begin to think that they themselves are apostles. Lay pastors, guard yourselves from delusions! I have seen many lay pastors fall flat on their faces as they dived out of their God-given covering.

13. Lay pastors struggle with endurance.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Lay pastors struggle with endurance. A lay pastor must be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Many lay pastors give up ministry in their midlife. But you must survive the tests of a lay pastor and persist in the lay ministry. A lay pastor must continue ministering through his middle age, through the midlife crisis zone and into retirement.

Midlife crisis is a syndrome which many people go through. In their midlife beginning from the age of forty, people begin to experience certain well-known symptoms. These are:

1) A search for an undefined dream or goal.

2) A deep sense of regret for goals not accomplished.

3) A fear of humiliation among more successful colleagues.

Indeed, this problem peaks at about the age of forty-six. Many people in this age group experience these symptoms and struggle with the desire to do something new and different. But what new and different thing can you do apart from serving the Lord faithfully? A spiritual person cannot be led by midlife crises. You must overcome the midlife crisis. You must endure to the end. Endurance is a key characteristic of a true spiritual pilgrim. 

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

Examples of Demon-Animal Hybrids

These demon-animal hybrids are well known idols in history, art and culture.  This is why you must be careful about bringing images and artefacts which you do not really understand into your home.  Many of these myths are pictures of demon-animal hybrids that actually existed and were worshipped.  Satan’s aim is always to be worshipped instead of God.  He wants to replace God and be worshipped.  In creating these grotesque creatures and beings, it gives human beings something to look up to and something to worship.  

Moloch

Moloch was half-human, half-goat and one of the false gods that Israel would worship during its periods of apostasy. One of the practices of the worshippers of Moloch was to sacrifice their children.

Minotaur

The Minotaur was half-man, half-bull and is often depicted with a man's body and bull's head. This was said to be the product of Queen Pasiphae's strange lust for a Bull.  The result of this union was the Minotaur.

Leda

This picture shows a swan seducing Queen Leda.  Leda was the mother of Hellen of Troy to produce an abomination.

Achilles

This picture shows Achilles who was said to be a brave handsome warrior who was the product of Peleus and a sea nymph.

Echidna

This picture shows Echidna, who was a half woman, half-serpent monster. She ate men raw.

Greek mythology has it that Echidna was the daughter of Phorcys and Ceto, she coupled with another half-snake, Typhon, and gave birth to Hydra, Cerberus, and Chimaera.

Medusa

The picture shows Medusa, described as a woman with living venomous snakes in place of hair.

Sphinx

Sphinx is the half-bird, half-woman creature.

It was known to have dwelt at the mountain entrance.  It would ask travellers a riddle, and if they failed, she would eat them. 

Centaur

The Centaur was a race of creatures which are part human and part horse.

Amun

Anum is an Egyptian god portrayed as a man with a ram head.

Anubis

Anubis is the Egyptian name for a jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in Egyptian mythology.

Bastet

The goddess Bastet was usually represented as a woman with the head of a domesticated cat. 

Chimaera

The Chimaera was a fire-breathing beast with a lion's head and body, a serpent for a tail, and a goat's head in the midsection.

The chimaera ravaged Mount Chimaera and was eventually killed by the hero Bellerophon, who shot lead into its mouth.  The lead melted in its fiery breath and burnt its insides.

Horus

Horus is a god with the head of a falcon and the body of a human. The kings of Egypt associated themselves with Horus. Horus was among the most important gods of Egypt, particularly because the Pharaoh was supposed to be his earthly embodiment.

And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man.

Matthew 24:37 (NIV)

We are in the last days! Perhaps we are in the last hours of the last days! As it was in the days of Noah, so shall the coming of the Son of man be.  The conditions that were prevailing in the days of Noah will be the conditions we will experience when the Son of man returns.  The world will have gone full cycle and returned to the state that Noah found it in.  

What did Noah experience?  What were the conditions prevailing at the time of Noah?  Jesus told us that in Noah’s time, men were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, completely oblivious to God’s will.  

For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man.

Matthew 24:38-39

But there is much more to the days of Noah than what is mentioned in the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew. The reason for the flood was the wickedness of human beings.  There was great evil in the world. Great wickedness was established in the human race.  In the days before Noah, men had abnormal sex and gave birth to human-animal hybrids. Today, people are seeking for licences to marry animals.  

I recently asked my mother if the world was more evil today than when she was a young girl in the 1940s.  She answered and said, “The world is far more evil today than when I was a young girl.”

Actually, it is quite easy to see that the world is more evil today than it used to be. If you take a look at films that were made thirty years ago, you will see a clear difference in the level of wickedness in the films. Movies are always a reflection of real life and real things that happen in this world. The style, the frequency and the extent of killing that is depicted in movies today are on a completely different scale to movies that were made thirty years ago.  Indeed, the movies of today reveal the huge advances that have been made in human wickedness.  Higher dimensions of fornication, prostitution, adultery, homosexuality, murder, rape, robberies, betrayal, genocide, fighting, brutality, wickedness and all forms of war are portrayed clearly in our movies today.  Sixty per cent of all internet traffic is pornography and about seventy per cent of all men watch pornography regularly.

And Jehovah saw that THE WICKEDNESS OF MAN WAS GREAT IN THE EARTH, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Genesis 6:5

As it was in the days of Noah, we can expect the wickedness of men to increase greatly. We can expect murder, immorality and homosexuality to multiply a thousand-fold.  The days of Noah are the days of the maturity of evil.

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

The Anointing Creates Your Room

....ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38 The greatest gift ever given to men is the gift of the Holy Ghost. Your great gift is the anointing of the Spirit. Your whole life will be defined by the gift that God pours upon you. Are you not appreciative that when God wanted to give you a gift He gave you Himself – the mighty Spirit of God? What an unspeakable gift! What a precious gift! The four great implications of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit and the gift of the anointing are outlined in the following marvelous Scriptures.

1.The anointing creates the room of ministry that you will operate in.

A MAN’S GIFT MAKETH ROOM FOR HIM, and bringeth him before great men. Proverbs 18:16

The anointing that you have will define your room on this earth. The anointing defines what kind of room you will live in. The anointing defines the quality of the room, the riches of the room, the size of the room of your life and ministry. Andrae Crouch, whose funeral is being held as I write these words, received a great room of ministry in this world. The world was his parish and his music and ministry spanned across the whole world. There is hardly any Christian today who does not know or sing an Andrae Crouch song. His life could have been confined to a small black community in Los Angeles. But the gift of God made a much bigger room for him.

Andrae Crouch is not famous across the world because of his education. He was dyslexic and therefore not very educated. It was not his colour that made room for him in the whole world. He was a black man and by all standards he should have been rejected by many. It is the gift that made room for him. If the room of your life is defined by your gift, should it not be your earnest desire and quest to seek for the gift of God? Is it not surprising to you that people spend little time discussing or even seeking the gift of the Holy Spirit? Does it not surprise you that ministers of the gospel rarely ever teach or preach about the gift of the anointing of the Holy Ghost?

2. The anointing promotes you and brings you before greatness. A man’s gift maketh room for him, and BRINGETH HIM BEFORE GREAT MEN. Proverbs 18:16

Don’t you want to go before great men? Have you ever been invited to speak before great men? It is a tragedy to be giftless. When you are giftless you will be roomless. Today will be the last day you will be found giftless in the name of Jesus!

I have stood before people in many different nations in the world not because of my education. I have spoken to Asians, South Americans, Africans and Americans in different nations of the world. It was my gift that carried me to these places. It was my gift that opened the door for me to stand where I stood. Only a gift can carry you to stand before great men. On the occasion that I have stood before presidents it has not been because of my education, my background or may schooling. It has been because of the gift that God placed on my life.

3. The anointing has been given to profit you. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given TO EVERY MAN TO PROFIT withal. 1 Corinthian 12:7

The anointing is designed for the body of Christ to profit or benefit from. All necessary benefits of your life are connected to the anointing. It is designed for the people to profit and benefit. An entire congregation can benefit and profit from it.

One of the great manifestations of the Spirit is the gift of being a pastor, an apostle, a teacher and an evangelist. Today, the gift of being a pastor, a teacher and an apostle has been manifested in my life and many others too. It was given also for our profiting. That is why we have profited in the ministry.

Your profiting will also be experienced as the manifestation of the Spirit is poured out on you. God wants you to profit and to be blessed. That is why He pours out His Spirit and His power on you. Do not miss this outstanding blessing – the blessing of the manifestation of the anointing of the Holy Spirit on you! If you have no time to receive the anointing do not be jealous of those who are benefitting from it.

4. The anointing has been given to establish you.

For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; Romans 1:11

The anointing is designed to establish you in whatever you are doing. The anointing is what establishes you in life. Establishment is by the gift that has been given to you. Parents earnestly try to establish their children by giving them gifts of property riches and wealth. When you are established, you cannot be tipped into a crisis by a landlord. When you are established, the events in this life will not move you or destabilize you. Your establishment is caused by the power of God and the gift of God.

Today, you are moving higher! You are moving from being a beginner into being established! You are moving from living on the edge to living in the midst of establishment! Today, you are moving from being on the border of poverty into the level of super abundance and establishment through the gift of God! Paul said, “I long to see you.” I want to impart to you my gift because I know it will establish you. Your great establishment is here because the gift of God is here. Instability comes to an end today because of the gift and the anointing of the Holy Spirit!

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

The Sweet Influences of the Holy Spirit on Your Charisma

Charisma means gracefulness and beauty.  Through the influence of the Holy Spirit you become charismatic.  That means you become graceful and beautiful.  Do you want to be graceful?  Do you want to be beautiful?  Do you want to attract the people God has called?  Then you must come under the influence of the Holy Spirit and become charismatic.  

Charis means grace.   Charisma means manifestation of grace. Charismata means multiple manifestations of grace.

A charismatic person is a gifted and inspired person.  He receives multiple manifestations of gracefulness and beauty.  This makes him have a magnetic appeal.  It is this magnetic appeal that draws people to listen to him.  The Holy Spirit causes people to be drawn to help and support a charismatic person.

When you are a servant of the Lord, it is the influence of the spirit that makes you attractive.  It is not your looks, your dressing, your education or how tall you are that draws people to you. It is the influence of the Holy Spirit that makes you attractive and makes people want to listen to you.

In the ministry, it is your giftedness that attracts the masses.  Most people are not gifted and have nothing to offer. The Holy Spirit is the bringer of gifts.  Several gifts come to you when you are under the influence of the Spirit.  They are sometimes called manifestations.  It is these different multiple manifestations of the Holy Spirit that make you graceful and beautiful.  

1. When a minister comes under the sweet influence of the Holy Spirit he has various manifestations of gifts in his life.

But the MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT is given to every man to profit withal. For TO ONE IS GIVEN BY THE SPIRIT the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

2. When a minister comes under the sweet influence of the Holy Spirit he has supernatural wisdom.

The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. John 7:46

3. When a minister comes under the sweet influence of the Holy Spirit he has supernatural knowledge.

Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. John 4:16-19

4. When a minister comes under the sweet influence of the Holy Spirit he has a supernatural ability to discern spirits.  

But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. Mark 8:33

5. When a minister comes under the sweet influence of the Holy Spirit he has a supernatural ability to exercise faith.

But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. Luke 8:23-24

6. When a minister comes under the sweet influence of the Holy Spirit he has a supernatural gift of healing.

Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. Luke 7:12-15

7. When a minister comes under the sweet influence of the Holy Spirit he has supernatural ability to speak in tongues and to interpret tongues.

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

What it Means to Be the Lord’s Anointed

To be the Lord's anointed is one of the greatest blessings a human being could ever have.

King David was anointed as a youth. He had absolutely nothing that would qualify him for the great position he came to occupy.

The new thing in his life was the anointing by Samuel. Going forward, he therefore attributed everything to the anointing he had received.

He virtually changed his name and called himself “the Lord's anointed”. In his psalms and songs he always refers to himself as “the Lord's anointed”.

The Benefits of Being the Lord's Anointed

1. “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?…against the LORD, and against his anointed…” (Psalms 2:1-2).

One day, I heard somebody praying an interesting prayer. He said, “I cancel all decisions that are taken against me.”

I realized then that people meet and take decisions against the Lord's anointed. Their wicked schemes and ideas against your life will amount to nothing because of the anointing. That is why David asked why people even imagine such futile things.

What a blessing it is to be anointed! All meetings that are held to plan and to take decisions against your life will amount to nothing in Jesus’ name.

2. “...and sheweth mercy to his anointed...” (Psalms 18:50).

A man of God is still a man. No matter how God uses you, you will need His mercy. Because of the precious ointment on your life, you can expect the mercy of God when you fall into sin.

David was a human being and he fell into sin many times. But he knew that the Lord would show mercy to his anointed. What a blessing it is to be anointed.

3. “Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed...” (Psalm 20:6).

King David fought many battles. Perhaps he had almost lost his life on many occasions and he knew how easy it was to get killed. He himself said that there is just a step between life and death.

And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

1 Samuel 20:3

David believed that it was the anointing that had kept him from dying. Because you are the Lord's anointed, He will save you from sin and temptation. He will give you the upper hand in the day of your crisis. He will save you from falling into the hands of those that hate you. The anointed psalmist said, “Now know I that the Lord saveth His anointed.”

4. “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows” (Psalms 45:7).

The Lord's anointed is a happy person. The anointing makes you glad. All your sadness will be taken away because of the anointing. What a joy it is to serve the Lord. The futility and emptiness of this life is taken away by the anointing. Any reason for depression is taken away. The anointing is the oil of gladness.

5. “But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil” (Psalms 92:10).

Your horn being exalted speaks of God establishing you as a man of authority. The anointing is what gives you spiritual authority. Men will obey you even unto death because of the authority God has given you. Without the anointing, your words will carry no power and no one will listen to you. With the anointing even little instructions will be obeyed.

6. “Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies...” (Psalms 92:11).

Your wishes for your enemies will come to pass because of the anointing. Those that torment you will be destroyed. You will see the end of those that hate you. You will hear of their funerals and burial services but you will live long and do the works of God.

7. “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon” (Psalms 92:12).

The anointing will make you increase and prosper in whatever you do. It is indeed the grace of God that causes a man to flourish when others just deteriorate. The flourishing of a palm tree is unusual because a palm tree can survive almost anywhere.

When the anointing is on you, your ministry will flourish everywhere. You may be in a small town but God will cause you to thrive. You may be in a poor city but because of the anointing, you will flourish and prosper.

You may have been sent to a place of no earthly significance but because of the palm tree anointing you will still succeed and become a fruitful ministry.

Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

Psalms 92:13

Remember that you will flourish in the courts of God. If you move out of your calling, do not expect to flourish. When you leave the ministry, do not expect to flourish. God's promise is for you to flourish within His courts.

8. “They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing”

Psalms 92:14

When you are the Lord's anointed, you will bring forth fruit even in your old age. God has designed all His creation to have a short season of fruitfulness. But even when the youthful season of fruitfulness is gone, the anointing will cause you to thrive.

Many ministers experience great success at the beginning of ministry but end in tragedy, misery and smallness. When you are the Lord's anointed, your ministry will extend beyond a few youthful years of fruitfulness.

9. “...Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm” (Psalms 105:15).

The anointing creates an invisible covering and shield of protection. Many people hate the Lord's anointed and criticize him. When you are anointed, people will discuss you and invent stories about you! You will hear all kinds of things about yourself.

Perhaps it is a natural temptation to criticize the Lord's anointed, but God gives a very stern warning to all and sundry: “Do not touch my anointed!”

Many there are who have discovered how dangerous it is to touch the Lord's anointed.

How sad it is that aspiring ministers engage in much criticism about people whom the Lord has anointed. Perhaps this is the one seed which undermines their entire life and ministry - the fact that they have touched the Lord's anointed.

10. “...I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed” (Psalms 132:17).

God has provided a special lamp which directs His anointed. This lamp will guide the anointed person in the darkness of his life.

Expect illumination! Expect visions! Expect dreams! Expect special insight to the Word of God because of the anointing that is on your life. Often I feel the very presence of the Spirit when I read the Bible.

May you become an anointed servant of the Lord and may somebody call you “the Lord's anointed”.

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

The Sins of a Devil: TRICKS, TRAPS AND DECEPTION

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called THE DEVIL, AND SATAN, which DECEIVETH the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12:9

“One of you is a devil!”

How can you know when someone is a devil? When somebody is a devil, he behaves exactly like the devil and deceives God’s servants just as the devil did! One of the most wicked sins of the devil is the sin of deception. The sin of lying to God’s servants is one of the most destructive activities of demons. People get into the ministry and into certain jobs by deception. Until you have encountered a trickster you may not know how dangerous deception can be. You may even get married because you are deceived. This will not happen to you! 

A young man got married to a supposed virgin. He married this lady because he had the impression that she was a virgin. Some months after the honeymoon, he confided in me and said, “I always wondered if my wife was a virgin.” “Why?” I asked. He said, “There was something strange about our first night together. It was just too easy.”

He continued, “I had heard testimonies about how people struggled to have sex on their first night. In our case, there was very little struggle.” He went on, “Also, there were various things that she did to me that surprised me. I thought to myself, ‘This is a very experienced person. She knows too many fantastic and amazing things to be a beginner’.”

The brother was soon to discover that his wife was very far from being a virgin when he married her. Indeed, she had even been pregnant once before getting married. Wow! 

The devil was thrown out of heaven because of his tricks, traps and deception. Satan has inspired countless numbers of people to follow his example and walk in the sin of deceiving men. People are walking in the sins of Satan when they walk in tricks and deception. A deceiver is a dangerous person to have around you. If you have a liar around you, you have a devil around you! Deceivers must be thrown out! 

One of the great crimes of Satan was his attempt to deceive the Son of God. He tried to make Jesus fall into sin by deceiving Him with clever and difficult traps. Even up till today, scholars struggle to understand the temptation of Jesus Christ. The temptation of Jesus Christ was a cleverly disguised deception.

Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and saith unto him, ALL THESE THINGS WILL I GIVE THEE, IF THOU WILT FALL DOWN AND WORSHIP ME. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Matthew 4:8-10

Satan tried to turn the Son of God into a sinner. Satan wanted to trap Jesus Christ. Satan wanted Jesus to fall low so that He would not be able to stand upright before the Father in holiness. Watch out for those who will try to turn you into a sinner. That is Satan at work again to trick you.

Satan tried to deceive Jesus Christ. Watch out for those who try to deceive you. Satan attempted to embarrass, disgrace and humiliate Jesus Christ by deceiving him. Through temptation, Satan attempted to cause the Son of God to fall. Watch out for those who try to deceive, embarrass, disgrace and humiliate you. Be careful of those who try to make you fall by deceiving you. Satan wanted to trick Jesus Christ to be an ordinary person and not to be a holy person any more. Watch out for those who want to turn you into an ordinary person.

Any time you see someone trying to deceive, intimidate, harass and embarrass God’s servant, you must discern the presence of Satan. You do not need a special word of knowledge to confirm this. This is exactly what Satan attempted to do to the Son of God. This is why he will be punished in eternal fire. Look at what happened to Ananias and Sapphira who tried to deceive Peter. 

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, Ananias, WHY HATH SATAN FILLED THINE HEART to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Acts 5:1-3

They were clearly filled with the spirit of Satan as they tried to deceive the man of God. Whenever you walk in deception, you are walking and working as a devil. Are there deceivers around you? If there are tricksters and deceivers around you, there are devils around you. You are delivered from every form of deception by the power of God!

by Dag Heward-Mills

[powerjournals-blog]

Demons Operate from a Spiritual Distance and Not a Physical Distance

The confusion over the apparent compatibility of the Holy Spirit and the forces of darkness can be explained by this principle.

When something is physically close it does not mean that it is spiritually close by. In other words, one thousand miles of distance in the natural does not mean one thousand miles in the spirit. Something may be next door in the natural but thousands of spiritual miles away.

This is why someone can be close to a spiritual person but not be affected by the anointing on his life. He is physically close but spiritually far away! Someone else may be thousands of miles away and receive a greater blessing than someone nearby.

Jesus said, "A prophet is not accepted in his own home." This means that the gifts of the prophets are unable to spiritually affect people who are nearby. The prophet's gift and anointing seems to work on people who are physically further from him. Somehow familiarity increases the spiritual distance between the anointed and the one who has to receive the anointing. And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

Matthew 13:57

I find that the anointing of the Lord flows more easily from my life into the lives of people who are further away from me physically. Many who are near in the natural are far in the spirit. This proves the theory that spiritual distance and natural distance are different things.

Spiritual Distance

There is something like distance within the realm of the spirit. Jesus once said to a man who came to Him, "You are not far from the Kingdom."

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, THOU ART NOT FAR FROM THE KINGDOM OF GOD...

Mark 12:34

This saying proves that you can be far or near to the Kingdom. Other Scriptures speak of drawing near to God. Drawing near to God is not a physical thing. God is a spirit, and cannot be approached by any physical or natural manoeuver. Sitting next to the man of God does not make you near to him spiritually. In fact, someone sitting six thousand miles away may be closer than you sitting at his feet.

Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

Psalm 65:4

This Scripture speaks of the blessing of a man who is allowed to approach God. God chooses those He will allow to come near. Some people are nearer to God than others! We may all be physically located in New York City, but God's close friends and servants may be only five spiritual metres away from the presence of God. Whereas another Christian, also in New York City may be five thousand miles from the presence of God.

Being physically near to a shrine or a witch's house does not mean you are near to these evil things in the spirit. You are spiritually far from them unless you open yourself up to them. Give no place to the devil!

The same person can be filled with the spirit of God and within a few minutes be controlled by evil spirits. This happens because within a few minutes, this same person may move very far spiritually although he is physically in the same position. This is what happened to Peter and it explains how Jesus called him "the rock" and a few minutes later called him "Satan".

I remember reading a story about a minister of God switching between two spirits, from a book by Kenneth Hagin. Kenneth Hagin said that he was holding a meeting in a certain city and staying in the home of a wealthy businessman who was a member of the church where he was ministering. This man owned a shopping centre and was extremely successful in business.

The businessman asked Kenneth Hagin whether he knew a certain brother who was also a minister. Kenneth Hagin said that he knew about the man and was convinced that he was called of God and walked uprightly before God in the ministry, until he began yielding to wrong spirits.

The businessman told Kenneth Hagin that their church had helped sponsor this minister in a meeting in their town and that nearly everyday, this minister would come into his office and they would talk or go out to lunch.

This businessman had an heirloom--a seven-carat diamond ring, that he had inherited from his father, which he seldom ever wore. He had wrapped it in a handkerchief in the back right corner of the chest of drawers in his bedroom.

This minister of God went into the businessman's office and told him about this heirloom given to the businessman by his father. He described in detail to the businessman where the heirloom was kept and told him that God wanted the heirloom given to him.. The businessman had naturally thought it was from God because it was supernatural knowledge, and consequently he had given the heirloom to the minister.

But this businessman had been worried about the fact that this minister of God had started cursing when someone had made him cross in his office. Moreover shortly after he had left town, two men had approached him that while the minister was in town, he had been involved in homosexuality.

He had been angry with himself for giving his heirloom to someone he thought was not even walking with God.

Reverend Hagin said in his book that the spirit of God had whispered to him that this man of God was operating in occult powers and familiar spirits when he later met him at a meeting. This minister had in the past had a marvellous healing ministry with some of his supernatural healings attested to by medical doctors. He had however yielded to the flesh and opened himself up to the devil.

As you can see from this story, the man of God was operating by the Holy Spirit and then by familiar spirits.

Furthermore, by these few pages, my son, be admonished because of making many books there is no end.

by Dag Heward-Mills