THE HONOR OF SAINTS

It is time for Christians to recognize the honor due to them in the Kingdom. As Jesus told His disciples: “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” This statement indicates that those that are citizens of heaven have the honor of utilizing the powers Jesus utilizes, but the honor of using that power should not be their focus.

“Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”

The above passage again reminds us of what is more important; the kingdom and not the benefits. However, a lot of Christians have abandoned the idea of seeking the kingdom and are instead chasing after the honor due to those in the kingdom. These types of Christians draw near to God with their lips but their heart is far away from Him. They want the powers without the corresponding holiness and righteous expected of them. Perfection is not in their dictionary; even though Jesus made it clear we should be perfect like our father in heaven.

“Psalm 149:5-9, Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds, let the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword In their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgment-This honor have all His saints.”

As good as the above Psalm reads, it’s only for the saints; those who takes seriously their Christian journey, and seek perfection through Christ. Those that don’t turn away the needy, neither sit on the seat of the wicked. It is for those that delight themselves in the law of the Lord, those that obey every of His commandments. It is for those that seek first the kingdom and its righteousness.

All Christians wants the “two-edged sword” but most cannot handle the Word of God. How many of us can sell all their earthly possessions, give the proceeds to the poor and follow Christ if Christ were to asked us to do so today? If we cannot handle it when it concerns us, how can we deploy it against forces of darkness? That is why its important to be in the kingdom. Those in the kingdom understand that the earth is the Lords and its fullness thereof, they therefore can act even when it seems against their interest, knowing that their God is able to provide above even their imagination.

To glory and exercise the power of God as communicated to us in Psalm 149:5-9 above, we must do the following:

1. Repent of your sins and be baptized
2. Obey every God instructions whether or not it is convenient.
3. Be a joyful giver and plead the cause of the widow and the fatherless
4.  Put on the righteousness of Christ. Don’t be self righteous
5. Pray in season and out of season

When you give yourself totally to the Lord, He makes you His business, and you therefore, will rejoice in Him and be able to cast out demons, walk on waters, heal the sick, raise the dead, and shall be blessed and be a blessing to others. Ask God for the spirit of perfection today, that you might be counted among His saints that He continues to honor with power to the glory of His name.

ANOINTING TO PROCLAIM THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD

As we have discussed throughout this anointing series, all Christians have the anointing to preach the gospel, heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, restore sight sight to the blind, set the oppressed free and proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

Proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord has become more urgent than ever before, this so because the things Jesus asked us to look out for on the last days are now all around us:

“Matthew 24:7-9 …and there will be famines, pestilence, and earthquakes in various places…and they will kill you, and you be hated by all nations for my name’s sake”

A study of Matthew chapter 24 will convince you that the time to accept Christ and be in the Kingdom along with the saints is now. All Christ said was going to happen as a sign for the coming tribulation is already happening. From Pakistan where some simply wants to wipe out their brothers simply because they believe in the name of Jesus, to USA where freedom means to indulge in ungodliness and Nigeria where pastors collect offerings and tithes to buy private jets while their members wallow in poverty, and yet tells their congregation that they come in the name of Christ.

Boko Haram, ISIS, and others think they are doing God a favour by killing us. All these point to the fact that Jesus is on the way. We therefore must intensify our effort using the anointing that we have received to proclaim that today is the acceptable day, and indeed, this is the acceptable year of the Lord. He is willing to accept and welcome all into the Kingdom today, no matter your past sinful life, so long as you are willing to let go of that life and put on Christ-become a new creation.

“Isaiah 2:12 for the day of the Lord of hosts shall come upon everything proud and lofty, upon everything lifted up-And it shall be brought low”

Are you too proud and lifted up that you think evangelism is not your business? Evangelism is the core of your business on earth, you therefore must remove every obstacle that makes you feel evangelism is beneath you and immediately go out and tell someone about God and Jesus today.

If you are reading this article and you are wondering what we are talking about or don’t feel any urgent need for repentance, we would draw your attention to the following scriptures:

“Matthew 13:41 The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness.”

“Revelation 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

The above scriptures talks about sins and their consequences, but the good news is that you can talk with God even right now, as He says in Isaiah 1:18-20:

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Don’t get devoured by the sword of the enemy such as ISIS, BOKO HARAM, Corrupt politicians, wicked men and women. Turn to Christ today and be saved and proclaim the good news to others.

ANOINTING TO SET THE OPPRESSED FREE

There are a lot of people that are being oppressed especially in the name of religion throughout the world. The painful aspect of this is that some are even doing it in the name of Christ. Recently we read how some churches would deny their followers basic needs while the “Pharisee” in the church feast and enjoy themselves. Jesus said, not all that called me LORD, LORD shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, we therefore know what is prepared and waiting for those.

Our focus today is on the elect who are anointed to set the oppressed free. There are two types of oppression namely; spiritual oppression and physical oppression. We are called to set our brothers free from both types of oppression.

Acts 10:38: How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

This anointing Jesus passed over to us as well before His departure from the earth. In order for us to set free those that are tormented by demons. This demon could manifest in several many forms, such as alcoholism and drunkenness, barrenness, unfruitfulness, ill health etc. It is our duty to ensure our brother receives the healing and are set free from all these types of oppression of the enemy.

Matthew 23:14: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Jesus led the way in the above passage by showing how we should behave in the face of oppression. Some Churches and political leaders as so greedy, they would take all and leave the masses to suffer. Most of the time, what they steal they cannot spent in their life time, neither can their children. Yet the saints keep quite? No. it is time to speak out and ensure your voice is heard.

In Africa, the story is worse, while the established churches and elders look the other way, money voted for roads, hospitals, housing, portable water etc are all stolen. The thieves thereafter turn around and use the same common wealth stolen from the people to hire police and other law enforcement agents to harass the poor into submission. The more worrisome aspect is the fact that church pastors that should be at the forefront condemning the thieves are busy collect 10% of the loot as tithes and donations.

We must remember that Jesus has passed the anointing to us to set free, we there must not keep quite while many die of hunger because of corruption, and the wealth of the nations are stolen by few, and our roads becomes dead traps, while the hospitals are simply mega mortuaries.  The time for you standup for your brother is now, set them free from oppression of all kinds within your reach power.

The following are ways you could be of help:

1.    Prayers for those in oppression especially in places like Syria, Nigeria, Pakistan etc

2.    Donate to help those in oppression. Identify organizations that genuinely help set brothers and sisters free from oppression and donate to the cause. You may check some of the these and donate through any that you are confortable with.Christian Aid,ActionAid

3.    Speak out against oppression of your fellow workers in the vineyard of the Lord

4.    Condemn those that practice iniquity and refuse to be associated with them even in your local church.

As you help set the oppressed free, God will set you free from every oppression is Jesus name. Amen!

ANOINTING TO RESTORE SIGHT TO THE BLIND

One of the anointing that we have through Christ Jesus is the anointing to restore sight to the blind, to help those that cannot see to clearly be able to see. There are two types of blindness; physical and spiritual blindness. Of this two, spiritual blindness is more severe as it would lead to eternal damnation. We therefore will focus our attention on it, knowing however, that we have been empowered and anointed to heal the physical loss of sight as Jesus did on several occasions as well.

To be spiritually blind is to be disconnected from your source. Reconnection became very difficult before the coming of Christ Jesus, but Christ opens the doors of grace unto us that we may restore sights to the spiritually blind.

“I will bring distress upon men, and they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord…” Zephaniah 1:17

Sin brings about separation from God and ultimately, Spiritual blindness. This is one of the ills we Christians are called and anointed to correct in the name of Jesus.  Have you wondered why what is very plain to you as day, are so very difficult for the world to understand? You believe that Jesus is the Son of God; you believe that one can be healed in His name; you believe that demons tremble at the mention of His name; you believe that a mountain would move by faith, you lay your hands on the sick by faith and they are healed, you command witchcraft to be destroyed and they are destroyed, you could communicated with a birth and a tree and have a conversation with your heavenly Father. But the spiritually blinded thinks you are a fool and should probably get something reasonable to do. Yet, we are called to help them see.

“Isaiah 29:18 in that the day…the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness”

That day is today. The acceptable year of the Lord, when the blind receives sight by the power in the name of Jesus through you, and the sinner abandons his sinful ways and reconnects to His maker. When we allow the world to lead, we are more or less allowing the blind to lead the blind and will both fall into the ditch-Matthew 15:14. We therefore must intensify our reach to the unsaved and tell them about the saving grace of Jesus and power that He has given those that believed on His name.

“Job 29:15 I was eyes to the blind and I was feet to the lame”

Like Job, we must become the eyes through which those that are blind could see. As salts of the earth, the blind must see the goodness and kindness of God through us, and the signs that would make them believe that indeed we serve the living God. We must therefore marry the word with action tailored toward helping the blind to see and save them from eternal death.

ANOINTING TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES

There two types of captives; lawful and unlawful captives. While the world may be proud in keeping lawful captives, Christians are not to hold others captive, rather, when are to proclaim their liberty throughout the land. 

In the Old Testament era, specific period was set aside to proclaim liberty to all captives:

“Leviticus 25:10 And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants…”

Freeing captives is very important, so much so that the heavenly father deemed it necessary to institute a law to set free all captives on each jubilee. We are meant to show empathy, to write off debts, forgive those that may have wronged us, and generally give each other a clean slate to start over. This very important commandment was further broadened when Jesus came, announcing that He has come to “proclaim liberty to the captive”, Which He carried excellently to the admiration and astonishment of all. This assignment, like others, He passed to us to continue in His name.

What does it therefore mean to set captive free?

1. Tell them about the salvation that is available in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, get them to believe and be baptized into the kingdom as citizens.
2. Provide for the needy and genuinely care for the poor, giving a helping hand to the widow and the fatherless
3. Supporting those in prison emotionally and materially to help them work out their salvation
4. Standing in the gap spiritually to deliver those held captive by the devil, conducting deliverance where necessary through prayers and fasten.
5. Show kindness and love to all manner of men irrespective of colour, race or religion.

Doing the above make you son/daughter of your heavenly father.  A story is told recently of two teenage girls that left a service where their pastor had preached that they have the anointing to set the captive free. Few minutes away from the church as they were going home, they saw a mad man. They both turned to each, and one of the girls said, 'this is an opportunity to see whether what the pastor said is possible.' And so she looked directly at the mad man and told him, be healed in the name of Jesus. Instantly, the man regains his senses and began to ask where he was and who took him there.

It may seem impossible but remember “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” Believe and act on your anointing; proclaim liberty to both lawful and unlawful captives today.

ANOINTING TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED

Mark 16: 18b says “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Are you a kingdom citizen, do you believe in Jesus, and have you been baptized of water and of the Holy Ghost? The word of God says, if you believe, you shall lay your hands on the sick and they shall recover.

Today, we are focusing on the brokenhearted. A lot of our brothers and sisters are brokenhearted as result of our actions, inaction, and or their own actions. Whichever is the case, we are supposed to heal them of whatever is it that breaks their hearts by giving a helping hand, that hand that heals.

“Acts 4:32& 35b Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul; neither did any say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common…and they distributed to each as anyone had need.”

A lot of our brothers are in genuine need of our help and eagerly look forward to it believing that we would obey the Word of our heavenly Father concerning them, but are daily been disappointed because it is now obvious to them that we do not care about them neither do we care about the Word. We pick and choose which to obey and disobey, making the Word of God of no effect.

Now the bible clearly says that faith without action is dead. But a lot of us are so concerned about ourselves and immediate family that we have forgotten others and in the process disappointed them in ways that leaves them heartbroken. We simply do not care about others, and their pains. How is it that in parts of the world, children are in prison with their mothers? Did the child commit a crime as well? Yet we go to church to sing sweet melodies, pay tithes and give offerings.

“Isaiah 1:17 learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow”

Obeying the Word of God in Isaiah 1:17 above, qualify you as someone with anointing to heal the brokenhearted, and lift them to their ordained position in life. The widow, the fatherless and the poor has no one to fight their cause. When you choose to stand against those that may oppress them, you make yourself an extension of God right hand, with the ability to heal in ways the world would not be able to comprehend.

Choosing to fight on the side of the wick and making yourself available as battle axe of the Lord makes your invisible. The enemy will not know how you are doing it, but will marvel that you are always getting the desired results. This is because it’s the Lord that is fighting through you. The battle is His, you only need to make yourself available and He will sanctify and use you in ways beyond your imagination.

Do not keep quite as from today, stand your grand against those that bully the wick, the poor, widows and the fatherless. Doing so fulfills your divine call and anointing to heal the brokenhearted.

ANOINTING TO PREACH THE WORD

Every child of God that has been Baptist received the anointing to preach the Word of God. The anointing received at baptism gives you the boldness and power even in a face of danger to profess Christ. Acts 1: 8 says:

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to me …to the end of the earth”

This power you receive when Baptist by the Holy Ghost enables you to witness without fear or favor and without worrying about political correctness. It doesn’t matter the language or grammar. What is important to you is the salvation of the soul of the persons been preached to and for the sinner to turn away from his sinful ways and accept Christ.

In Acts 2:1-47, Peter who had previously denied Jesus out of fear for his life, delivered a sermon so powerful, the church of Christ instantly began to grow. After this, signs and wonders followed them wherever they went. There are numerous examples of authority and boldness received by God’s children to preach the Words of God upon receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. However, a lot of Christians are now so focused on their selfish benefits of the Kingdom, that they have left this very important assignment to those with the title of priest, pastor or evangelist.

The question now is; do you love Jesus? He said, “if you love me, obey my commandments”. You cannot claim to love Jesus but refuses to obey Him. The bible says ‘obedience is better than sacrifice.’ It’s time to activate the dormant anointing, before it’s retrieved and given to another kingdom citizen.  In Revelation 3:15 & 16 Jesus says:

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish that you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth.”

Don’t get spewed. For those that may say ‘I am not good at preaching’, please note that you do not need to be an orator, you only need to allow the Holy Spirit speak through you. Once you open you mount to speak, the Holy Spirit will fill it with Heavenly messages to His children that you probably would be shocked when you watch the recorded sermon. Our prayers today is that the anointing to preach and make disciples of all nations deposited during baptism in you will be activated today in Jesus name.

KINGDOM ANOINTING FOR DIVINE ASSIGNMENTS-INTRODUCTION 2

Once you have been Baptist, the anointing you receive works a number of things in you. One of such is to preach the good news of the kingdom. This task is one of the most important tasks for all Christians. However, many have left it to pastors and evangelists. Jesus charged us in Matthew 28:19-20 to go into the world and make disciples of nations and to teach them to observe all things He commanded.

There are a numbers of things that must be followed through in order for the assignment to be considered achieved in line with the guideline provided by Christ:

1. The people preached to may accept Jesus and be Baptist in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: Most churches are so eager to grow membership of their church that they seem to forget or de-emphasis the importance of baptism. The new convert don’t get to hear about baptism until its too late. He or she begins to backslide because the person never received the Holy Ghost in the first place; who would have made him or her invisible to the power of the enemy.

Baptism grants a person a status of an ambassador. Just as we have in earthly kingdoms and countries. Infact, the idea for ambassadorial positions is actually copied from the Kingdom government and systems.

As an ambassador on earth, you represent the government of Heaven on earth but not a citizen of earth. Secondly, you are not subject to the earthly laws and rules. In the physical realm, you will try and respect your host country the same way Jesus respected the ruler of the day and paid His taxes, and asked that we give unto authority what belongs to an authority.

In the Spirit, you are fully in charge. In John 3:8 Jesus said:

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

You are so powerful that witchcraft and ocultic powers cannot summon you to their altar. You have the power as ambassador to build and to destroy as led, by merely making a pronouncement, or acting in confidence and obedience. Consider the examples of Moses in the Exodus story, how by simply saying or acting in obedience, what he has in mind manifested. Also, consider the instruction of Joshua to the sun to stand still until he completed his kingdom assignment. Elijah, by his word, was able to destroy military men who had wanted to arrest him. The miraculous escape from prison by the disciples etc. all point to the fact that those born of the Spirit are indeed invisible and protected from the works of the enemy as they go about their kingdom assignments.

2. Teach them to Obey God’s Commands: Those that accept Christ as a result of your preaching must be taught to observe and obey every commandment of the Lord.

While some might think that it’s impossible to obey every commandment of the Lord, it is not. Jesus made us understand that nothing is impossible for them that believe. As the anointing is received through baptism, the recipient is automatically empowered to act with the authority of God through Christ Jesus. The anointing and the works that it performs through you would form the basis of our further discussions in this series.

KINGDOM ANOINTING FOR DIVINE ASSIGNMENTS-INTRODUCTION

As we deal on the divine anointing series, it’s our prayers that God will transform you and bestows on you an everlasting anointing that will change your world. Now the purpose of these series is to show us how, by connecting to our source, we are enabled by the same anointing that Jesus had when He walked the earth and the purpose for the anointing.

The anointing of God upon our lives is to achieve the same things and produce similar results achieved by Jesus. Jesus Himself left us this anointing when He went to be at the right Hand of His Father. In John 17:18, Jesus clearly spoke to His Father that we have been sanctified by His Word through Him and sent. Just as the Father sanctified and sent Him, we are also sanctified and sent.

Jesus speaking in John 14:12-14 says;

“Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works  that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to my Father, and whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the son. If you ask any thing in my name I will do it.”

In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus expressly transferred the authority He received from His Father to us. We are to use it and teach others to observe and use it as well:

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The guidelines for carrying out the assignment, using the authority can be found in Luke 10:2-12.

We mentioned earlier that Jesus sanctified and sent you on assignment, this sanctification works the following in you:

Ø  It makes you a Kingdom citizen, who is simply an ambassador on earth.

Ø  It makes you invisible. Invisibility here connotes the ability to operate unhindered and in any environment on earth and unstoppable by forces of evil

Ø  The sanctification is a proof that the Holy Spirit works in you

Once you are able to recognize the above sanctification in your life, then you have been anointed to carryout special duties for God on earth. We are going to be discussing the special duties enabled by the anointing in the series.

ARE YOU SHOWING LOVE?

God so love the world that He came down in himself to redeem us to His kingdom. He dedicated His life throughout His physical stay with us to 'doing good' wherever he went: He healed the sick, feed the poor, and share the good news of the Kingdom to all and sundry.

His love for mankind endeared Him to all except, the lovers of the world who allowed themselves to be used of the devil to actualize God's divine plans for us. No wonder the bible says that all things work for our good. Before His departure to be at the right hand of His Father, He commanded us to obey His commandments. There is no coercion in the commandment; rather, the requirement for His commandment is to love. For He said;' If you love me, keep my commandments'. 

The question we are asking ourselves today is; do we really love Christ? To truthfully answer this question, you will need to ask yourself another question; are you in obedience to the word of God? Below are ways to know whether or not you are obeying the word of God, which ultimately shows whether or not you love your neighbors and your God:

John 15:12 says; "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." To love one another is to:

A. Feed the hungry

B. Provide drink to the thirsty

C. Provide shelter for the stranger

D. Provide clothing for the naked

E. Visit the sick and those in prison

Are you engaged in some or all of the above right now? If not, you need to begin to show love by adhering to all of the above. The consequence of ignoring this acts of love is made clear by Jesus Himself in Matthew 7:26 "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on a sand" Please read the Blessing of the obedience to the words of Christ in the same Matthew 7: 24-25.

As you show obedience to the words of Christ in this period that men celebrate lust instead of love, God will bless you richly above and beyond your imaginations in Jesus name.