The Believer’s Battle – Page 3

The Discipline In Discipleship – (I)

“Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me…”

Matthew 4:9

In my early youth, growing up under the wings of Nigerian believers was no easy habitation. Within this religious fold, I was forced to reconcile that there are indeed spirits of wickedness in high places who sought after the believer.

For a younger me, a believer had to live the life of battles. I didn’t know that the struggles we each face in our individual journey for the kingdom, has to do with the purpose of God to mold and polish us in preparation for the life of discipline we are called to live.

It is now that I understand that believing in God is only the first part. Thus many of us believe, but not enough of us believers actually follow.

When church scandals erupt from time to time, I am compelled to ask myself, how could a believer find themselves in such and such situation? How does it happen?

When I heed the call of God to come closer, HE first had to show me the errors of my own ways as a believer – I believed, but I did not follow. There was an evil inside me that gave me reason not to follow the word of God but still claim to be a believer that loves God and believes in His omnipotence.

I asked a close counterpart recently about the matter.

“Are you a believer?” He replied that he was.

I then asked if he was a follower. “I believe I am he said.”

I proceeded with asking him whether or not he thought both creeds fell under the same realm. I immediately observed the conflict arise through his disgruntled look.

For many believers, following the Word of God is equated to believing in God. But the clarity from a knowing Spirit says otherwise.

Friend, how true is our belief if we don’t follow the Word of the One we believe in?

It is here in a realm with the Lord like I’ve never been , that I am learning just what it means to know God and be a follower of Christ.

Friend, there is discipline in discipleship.

Think of an internship or a mentor-ship of any kind. In order to receive the full knowledge and understanding as an intern or mentee, one must follow closely in the steps of the one leading in the experience. It would not be enough to just hear the instruction or the knowledge offered. It is necessary to work in a hands-on environment to apply what is being learned.

It’s no different in this walk of faith with God. CONTINUE READING HERE.

Sight In The Storm

“And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.”

Matthew 7:25

Stormy and windy weather cause me to stop and glorify the Maker of heaven and earth for His Power and Majesty over all things. Even the might of natural disasters are a thing of wonder for me. God is so Great!

If you are anything like me, many storms have come and gone, and some even brewing right now alongside your path to destiny. Some are going to make their way right in front of you. Perhaps you feel as though you are yet to catch a breath from the last storm, or you are still rebuilding what is left from the ruins, I am here to remind you that there is sight in the storm.

There is something to see in the storm. There is a glory to behold in the storm. There is a testament to testify in the storm.

Friend, has the storm blinded you?

In Matthew 14 vs 22, there is an account of the disciples being blinded by a mighty storm while traveling in their boat. Amidst the storm, Jesus walked on water towards them. It was their Master walking toward them, yet they feared. They were afraid because of what they thought they saw. They thought Jesus was a ghost!

And even after Christ told them that it was HE who was walking on water, that it was HE who was performing a miracle in their sight, that it was HE appearing before them in this storm, they still needed more proof.

Peter, whose faith dared to test the power of God then asked Jesus if he also could walk on water. Christ called Peter and he did walk on water.

It was Peter who dared to behold the glory of God in the storm, realizing through faith that although the storm can be blinding, there is something greater happening amidst the storm.

Friend, God is the same as HE was back then.

If you are in a storm, know that there is something wonderful going on in the storm. There is a greater glory happening right in front of you and around you. God is trying to show you something, tell you something, and give you something.

So, what is the measure of your faith?

Can you dare to believe in the greater Hand of God while in the storm? Can you dare to see by faith and not by sight to behold the glory that IS?

The storm is not meant to break you, but to break you through the wall of limitation you have built around a limitless God. Your faith is being stretched by the storm(s) you are facing. Your sight in the storm is to see God. You are supposed to witness His wonder in a storm.

So I praise God today for your storm. I thank Him for what HE is doing through you and for you in this stormy season, for it is good and prosperous. All that can be shaken will be shaken in the storm, but because you stand on the eternal Rock of Ages, you shall remain standing after the storm in Jesus name. Amen.

Are You Awake?

“How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?”

Proverbs 6:9

We all know that there is a danger to sleep-walking, but no one readily tells you that there is also a danger to spiritual slumber.

In this place of Promise, I am realizing more and more that I cannot afford to slumber spiritually even for a moment. Purpose requires me to be spiritually steadfast at all times. And it is no different for you.

There is indeed a shift in the atmosphere. God is shifting things for HIS glory and only those spiritually awakened can feel and see what is happening according to the will of the Almighty.

I wonder today if you are one of the chosen who has allowed your spirit to fall asleep.

I wonder today if you are one of the chosen who have become so distracted with the physical that you have ignored the existence of the supernatural realm of the greater things that are happening right now.

Friend, it is time to wake up!!! And it is time to move in your awakening!

How much conflict have you allowed to prosper while in your spiritual slumber? How much confusion have you allowed habitation in your heart? How much pollution have you given residence to while you ignored your slumbering Spirit?

Child of God, awake and arise in the Spirit of God! Awake your slumbering spirit and arise in the strength of the Spirit!

The battle for your mind, your joy, and your peace has waged long enough while you slumbered in spirit. The distractions and disputes within you and all around you ought to come to a halt now because the Spirit of the living God in you is rising back up.

The Spirit of fearlessness and faithfulness is rising again in you, aiming to do what the Creator intended for it to do through you.

It is in your awakening, that you are aware. It is in your awakening that the fruits of the Spirit begin to flourish and bloom. It is in your awakening, that discernment empowers your every thought, speech, and action. So arise you slumbering Spirit in Jesus name!

I pray for your awakening today. The God of wonders is calling forth your slumbering spirit right now. May it heed the Voice of God and arise obediently in Jesus name! Amen.

Battle Of The spirits

“Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 10:5

So many spirits, so many forces of darkness and evil, yet ONE HOLY SPIRIT is the armor against them all. I thank God almighty for His Holy Spirit.

I am in a state of awe as I continue to witness the many wonders of God through His sons and daughters in this place of destiny. The out-pour of revelations from the Most High about who I am and what I am assigned to do here has been nothing short of overwhelming.

Before, during, and after a week-long fasting, the Lord has ordered me once again to leave my place of employment and to walk fearlessly along destiny’s trail.

This time, there was no fear nor hesitance, just Yes. I give Him glory for clarity.

I dare not be pretentious about the many battles of the spirits that I have encountered in these past weeks. This has been the toughest and most challenging path into purpose. As the word of God continued to reach me and warn me against distractions, I began to see even clearer into the Higher realms of glory.

Friend, do you not know that any high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God surely must be cast down into the captivity of obedience?

There is no confusion in God nor the Holy Spirit.

Those spirits of commotion, disharmony, violence, jealousy, envy, hate, despair, sorrow, wickedness, lack of compassion, dishonesty, and so many others, are not of the Lord your GOD!

The Lord wants us to come in alignment with Him about everything so HE can bless our obedience bountifully. Meanwhile, other spirits rebel against the word of God in us because they are aligned with the flesh and its desires.

Ever wonder how your day suddenly turns upside down and you can’t really explain why? You woke up with the joy of the Lord but by midday, that gladness has waned? or you feel less energy to be happy and share a smile and a word of encouragement to another?

There are spirits that are battling one another to get close to the gates of your mind. All they need is the slightest opening – an offensive word, an offensive behavior from another, a misplaced plan that resulted in disappointment, the slightest dissatisfaction.

All they need is one way to make way into the crevices of your mind.

Thus you and I cannot waver on the armor of God every single day.

Friend, the Holy Spirit is your gatekeeper! The Spirit of God is the One who repels the power of ungodly things because it is a divine and impenetrable barrier that the Lord has placed inside of you.

I urge you today to FEED THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOU.

Don’t go another day without the awareness that your armor against the spirits of this world, must be sharpened each day to stay in alignment with the glorious word of God!

May the Lord of Hosts revive us yet again today with the renewal of mind, body, and spirit to walk this walk of faith faithfully in Jesus name. Amen.

An Unknown Road To A Known Destiny

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us…”

2 Peter 3:9

As expected, the trials of a new environment are surfacing one after another and I feel the weariness begin to form in the pits of my stomach. But I thank God for a kind and comforting Holy Spirit who reminds me once again that all that can be shaken will indeed be shaken, but the word of God stands.

In a sum, I am tired.

I am tired of many things, weary and doubtful of a few others. But in humble adoration, still I praise HIM. Still I worship, and thank God for how Far HE alone has brought me thus far in this walk of faith.

Inevitably, stress and uncertainty during this journey of purpose threatens to weigh me down.

Physically, I feel drained and immobile, having not done no heavy lifting or arduous work. Creatively, I feel as though my vision to be productive and to peek into a near future has somehow been suspended as I have surrendered to the Lord.

Spiritually, I feel aware but challenged in faith.

I remember the words and promises of my Father to me and my loved ones, but current waves seem to challenge what I believe is the truth. But in hope, my faith stands. God is able to do just what HE said HE would do.

Admittedly, I have never hoped so greatly in the Lord as I do now. My expectancy for an unimaginable wondrous and glorious work, is greater than I have ever expected and I am truly overwhelmed by it.

In this place, I need God’s power to fall like I’ve never seen and I need help in my unbelief.

So as I pray and press on towards what is ahead, please pray for me as I pray for you. If you are anything like me, you don’t know how God will do it, but you trust that it is already done. You don’t know how God will lead you there, but you know you will get there. God is certain.

And in HIM do we hope.

May our hope never be put to shame. And may our faith be continually anchored in the mercy and grace of an All-knowing God in Jesus name. Amen.

Instincts Vs. Instruction

“Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.”

Proverbs 4:13

I am grateful to serve a faithful God. HE gave me a word, made me a promise, and I so it is now.

I landed in California two days ago according to God’s instruction a few months back. The Lord told me not to worry about a place because He had already prepared a place for me.

I believed.

So as I press forward to heed the word of God and to seek His instructions yet again in this new place, I am compelled to share the importance of understanding the difference between instinct and instruction.

In December 2014, my instincts led me to consider moving up in Nordstrom, a company I had been with for a little over a year. Those instincts were justified by my eligibility for management training as prescribed by all three of my former managers in the company.

Instincts encouraged me to go for it, to begin preparation for it, to consider the many benefits of it…

God’s instruction said otherwise as Instruction directed me to leave the company entirely.

That was about eight months ago.

When I left Atlanta back in June for New York, God’s instruction said to call my former manager about working temporarily in my former position. I obeyed.

Consequently, in the span of my seven-week-stay in NY, I was positioned to walk with people placed in my path and to be a witness for all that God was doing in the lives of His children all around me.

As my departure to CA neared, instinct once again began to encourage me to consider moving up within the company as many other voices around me suggested and supported. Instruction again interrupted and reminded me of Purpose.

Friend, at times we are caught in a crossroad. At this place, it seems like instinct and Instruction are on opposing sides and we yearn for clarity. Sometimes, our instincts are puffed up and move out of alignment with Purpose. It is in this place, that you and I must remember the Word of God.

What was God’s word to you? What instruction came with that Word when you received it?

God is not man that HE should lie, nor is HE a God of confusion. So when confusion begins to take root, this is when you seek your heavenly Father the most. This is when you tap in to the Highest wisdom there is.

As compelled as we often feel to use what we know to make the ‘best decision,’ we must recall that the Proverbs chpt 3 vs 5 instruct us not to lean not on our own understanding but to trust the Lord.

When instinct fails to bring clarity, remember God’s instruction and seek HIS wisdom before taking another step.

I pray for us both today, that the Most High God grants us the heavenly clarity to move at the sound of His Voice and may HIS Word continue to give light to our steps in Jesus name. Amen.

“Don’t Look Back!” – II

“But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”

Genesis 19:26

I remember I would run after him frantically trying to protect him.

How ironic is it that even as young adults until old age and even death, we too have a heavenly Guide running behind, beside, and in front of us, as a shield, in the aim of protecting is from harm as we run recklessly forward but refusing to keep our eyes forward!

The story of Lot’s wife in the scriptures is evident of how sudden the terror of looking back can be. As everyone ran forward to safety and away from the destructing that was their past, she dared to look back while running forward!

And she instantly became a pillar of salt!

I recently heard a word about how rarely we note that pillar of salt or not, Lot’s wife was made a pillar nonetheless.

She was a pillar. She was solid, strong, un-moving, impenetrable. She was a pillar.

This was God’s Hand. This was God’s Word.

Friend, did you know that you are a pillar? Are you aware that the power of God in you proclaims that you have the genes of a Mighty God coursing through you? Making you unshakeable by evil? Making you stand strong and undefeated in the name of Jesus?

But what good is a pillar that cannot move through the world and show the magnificence of a Wonderful God?!

I am here to tell you, to remind you, that you too, cannot look back!

Your heart may be racing as mighty walls of man’s hands are coming down in destruction behind you. Your mind might be reeling from the trauma of watching great works of man falling to pieces and causing chaos all around you, but you still cannot look back!

Keep looking forward. Keep moving forward. Keep praying forward. Keep ‘faithing it’ forward. Keep growing forward in purpose and in God’s truth.

The enemy knows that as long as you are able to keep one foot in front of another, with your eyes looking to the Hills of the Lord where your help comes from, you are winning.

Take a moment to imagine the danger of looking back to what was and missing the path, the victory, the amazement on the way to what is to be.

I’m afraid you can no longer look back to that place you used to be, the you that used to be. You can no longer look back to stretch a hand to that ‘friend’ that keeps making you backslide on your walk with God. You can no longer look back to the evils of your childhood or youths. You can no longer look back to the ruins that was necessary to become an amazing beauty in the eyes of your Father in heaven!

Overflow is in front of you. An immeasurable anointing and favor of God is ahead of you. A glory that has not been seen nor heard before is in front of you!

“Don’t look back!”

Friend, let your past go! Let your sorrows of yesterday go! Let your disappointments of before go! Let what is behind you, remain behind you!

I urge you to get out of your own way and watch God work!

Let God move you as a pillar from glory to glory. Refuse to be the pillar that is unable to move because you keep looking back!

I pray today that your past no longer claim residence in your present. May the Lord shift your spirit today to bring your eyes to Him who alone knows your tomorrow in Jesus name. Amen!

“Don’t Look Back!” – I

“But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”

Genesis 19:26

What or who is back there that you keep looking back to and stumbling on your way forward to Glory?!

Oh how we have a tendency to look back, to try to fix, mend, and redesign what the Lord in His infinite wisdom, broke to get us through and show Himself worthy of our praise.

Friend, The past is only as daunting as You allow the devil make it to be! But that devil is a liar in Jesus name!

See the beauty of a mercy and Love so in-explainable is that even if we don’t often understand it, God’s Love for His children, knows all that was done and will be done, and still chooses to forgive and bring us into the fulfillment of His divine plan. To God be the Glory!

When my now 3-year-old nephew first started walking two years ago, he would always walk as fast as his little legs would carry him. When he learned to run and discovered the liberation of running free, he would put as much energy into his body, running forward with a free spirit.

It was joyous to watch, but frightening at the same time!

See my little nephew ran forward with abandon but all the while he would be looking back at me! If it was not me holding his attention, he would be looking back at anything else to make sure something or someone was witnessing his ability to run!

He could have run into something or he could have stumbled and fallen violently at any given time but of course he had me running faster to keep up and make sure that I protected him against possible harm.

My little loved one did not know then that there was a great danger to looking back while running forward. FINISH READING HERE

Abort That Lying Seed!!! (2)

“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”

1 Peter 2

As seen above, there is work to be done. We have got some ‘ridding’ to do!

The Word tells you and I in Galatians chpt 5 vs 22-23, that,

the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Friend, any voice inside you or around you that produces anything outside what is listed above, is a lying seed of the enemy!

That lying voice that tells you that you are not forgiven, that you are not good enough, that you will never be all that God wants you to be, that you are weak, that you are dumb or stupid, that you are your past, that your brokenness is forever, that you will always lack, that you will never win, IS A LYING SEED!

“ABORT THAT LYING SEED!”

Do you know that these voices are slanderous to the child of God?!

That friend that often encourage you to satisfy your flesh against the warning of your inward spirit, that family member that makes you feel uncomfortable because you choose to live in God’s truth and not theirs, that partner that tells you to be disobedient in the name of ‘love,’ that job that tries to rob you of your happiness and joy, ARE ALL LYING SEEDS!

“ABORT THAT LYING SEED!”

The enemy knows that if he can plant these seeds and leave you to water them in your distraction or state of disillusion, that they will bear the fruits that oppose that of the living Spirit of God. But the faithful God that we serve told me to tell you, “ABORT THAT LYING SEED!”

You’d be surprised how hard the enemy works to confuse you with the lying seeds all around you. But you and I have been called by our name by God. We are friends of God. God’s favor for you and I permit us to see past the veil of this world, and into the powerful spiritual realm of victory.

But I must tell you, the abortions of these lying seeds will hurt. You will feel the pain and discomfort of having to separate yourself from things and people that have forcefully attached themselves to your spiritual womb.

But I promise you, God is working it all for your good and His glory. Discarding these lying seeds will shake what can be shaken in your life but God in His infinite mercy and overflowing anointing will renew and restore you to now begin nurturing the seeds of righteousness and truth.

Please remember that HE said HE will never leave nor forsake you. So I urge you today to lay yourself on God’s operating table and let Him abort those lying seeds. Surrender your will and let HIS be done.

May the comfort of God walk you to the throne of grace. May the strength of God keep you in the vulnerability of this season, and may you be encouraged today to abort the lying seeds of the enemy in Jesus mighty name. Amen.

Abort That Lying Seed!!! (1)

“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”

1 Peter 2

I heard a great message from Bishop T.D. Jakes last week. During the message, he referenced the many seeds that become planted inside us on our way to destiny and in a thunderous command, he shouted, “ABORT THAT LYING SEED!”

That message stayed in my spirit for a day or so before the Lord poured more into me to share.

Just last night, I was compelled to have a much-needed talk with a sister in Christ in the wee hours of the night because she was struggling with the voices of doubt and insecurities in her mind as she is transitioning from a season of being still, into a new season of movement.

I felt the Lord stir up this message yet again.

As believers and followers of Christ, in this walk with God to receive our divine crown, there has been, there are, and there will be many battles to pass through, ALL of which take place in the spiritual realm.

In case you’ve forgotten friend, “we do not fight against flesh, but against principalities of wickedness in high places!”

That devil is after you because he has gotten a peek into the glory that you will soon inherit as an obedient child of the Most High God.

So he will continue to throw every dart and arrow he can find to try and distract or deceive you, but NEVER TO DEFEAT YOU, for victory is already yours in Jesus name!

See he has lined up seeds of deceit and distraction all around you and admittedly, some of them have managed to attach themselves to your spiritual womb.

Some of those seeds are disguised as friends, a demanding job, a family member, an intellectual mentor, or even the you that you used to be, but won’t let you forget.

But the devil is a liar! FINISH READING HERE.