Love beyond measure! Grace abounding!Mercy unlimited!Our Lord would equally give to all!

Permit me to share my story without revealing my name.

I have a Jewish root; I was born just like any other child. I grew up in the midst of Palestine. I had all manner of dreams like any other young female child.

Home wasn’t a very pleasant place for me because my parents wouldn’t understand my struggles. It all started sometimes in my childhood, by the time I was a teenager it was growing bad and at my early years in adulthood my life was something else.

I had suffered terrible experiences, ranging form abuse, rape and molestation, my life soon began tearing apart.

I’ve wanted even to commit suicide but somehow I just couldn’t end my life. There was no where turn to. No body would associate with me except for a few, but they had similar problems. I was an object of ridicule to those who knew me. Men in their numbers had taken advantage of me; I have run from one unsaved hand to another in my desperation. Unsaved hands have used me and rob me off my self esteem; they had left me depressed and insecure. Some guys thought, I was stubborn at first, others said I was difficult to persuade but my walls of resistance soon began crumbling, when there was no where to turn to for trust. I was looking for love in all the wrong places. I ended up being used and dumped form one man to another.

 

My greatest prayer

My greatest prayer has always been that I should never be caught, because the penalty for such an offense in my community is not how I would have loved to die. Death by stoning is the worst thing that could ever happen to any man; it’s a slow and painful death.

My prayers failed one fateful morning; The Pharisees and teachers of the law came to drag me away forcefully form under a man who was with me in bed. They wouldn’t even let the man pay me our bargain. I have been caught by the people of the law. The free service doesn’t matter now, like the shame and the painful death.

At this moment, all the thoughts of my past life started reoccurring to me, my heart was beating at the greatest speed. I knew I was wrong, but I dint know who to blame alongside with me. I knew I wasn’t entirely responsible for the whole stuff. I thought of my parent’s, their own failures, the guys that have spitefully used me. Everything seemed wrong from childhood till now. I do not know what to say to God but I thought He saw all that I went through. I can’t explain why He seemed to fold His arms in my entire dilemma; despite of the way He has been portrayed in our history. I used to think He was a nice God. Perhaps He’s not interested in me, or maybe He’s closed my own case and I’ve been written off.

 

My blood pressure is rising

Suddenly, my blood pressure began rising, I’d just seen some of the guys that had taken me to bed regularly, and they were among those who came to arrest me. I was mad within me but there was nothing I could do.

Women have no say in our culture; we were almost on the same level with ordinary properties. I’d always wish I was a man but God didn’t let me choose that. I’ve heard Jewish male wake up every morning and said these three lines of prayers of thanksgiving to God.

“Praise be to God he has not created me a Gentile;

Praise be to God he has not created me a woman;

Praise be to God he has not created me an ignorant man”

I wasn’t surprised the man who was in bed with me was let alone. I had no hope, by the time I realized how deep I was in my thoughts; I’ve been set in the midst of a multitude of people. I thought I had come to my place of execution but I didn’t know why they would bring me into the holy temple.

 

They had brought me to Jesus

Right there in the front of me was standing a man in his early thirties, he was handsome and cute, I know him, I’ve heard so much about him, and they call him the “Messiah”. Some loves him while others hated him but as for me I was about to call him “Lord”.

They tabled my case before him, explained my charge and the penalty it attracted, they had charged me to be stoned till death according to the laws of Moses. But Jesus wouldn’t say a word.

Jesus bent over, and wrote on the ground, I didn’t have the courage to move closer and read what he was writing, but I knew it must be about me. It was as if the whole world went silent in deep anticipation, waiting for what he would say.

My heart was burning within me; I had never faced such a crowd before. I was the subject of discussion; I thought the end had come. Jesus finally lifted up his hand when they wouldn’t stop pressing him for an answer and he gave them one

“Alright you may stone her” he said “but he who is without sin among you should cast the first stone at her”

My heart sunk within me, my tears kept flowing. That wasn’t what I expected. My accusers looked at one another in the eyes. I had thought the chief of them will stone me first, but that wasn’t the case, they all left, one after the other, from the oldest to the youngest, until I was left alone with Jesus, in the face of the crowd. I couldn’t raise my head. I didn’t know what to say to Jesus. He sure saved my life!

 

My First personal words from Jesus

The moment finally came, When I would hear my first personal word form Jesus, it was a question “where are your accusers” I couldn’t answer; I’ve never felt such a love coming from a voice in my entire life. Then he added “did any man condemn you” finally I had gathered a little courage form his voice, enough to answer his question “no man” I said “no man Lord” Wait a minute! Do you notice I just called him Lord? Yes, I called him Lord for the first time on that day; I called him Lord because I saw love in him He didn’t have to introduce himself. That love had taken care of that. He was truly the Lord. His love told me, His mercy showed me

 

So, God cared about someone like me!

For the first time I know God cares about me. God has reached me in a personal way. The Lord stood in front of me and the crowd paid attention. Some people began weeping; I knew some of them have a story similar to mine. The Lord’s eyes were like a great well, pouring forth the healing waters of love and my heart reached forth and drank from it. There was something about him that connects us. It wasn’t just his appearance, it was his heart. He looked upon me with such compassion, his eyes were very penetrating, as they went through my heart, I felt a heap of darkness left me, I crumbled completely before him, I felt so unworthy of him, yet I never wanted to leave his presence.

 

He touched me

Suddenly, there was a hand on my shoulder, it was lifting me up, and it’s the hand of Jesus, lifting me up to himself. I’d never felt such a touch before in my entire life. It was not like the touch of the Pharisees and the Scribes, not like that of any man who had touched me before. It was a healing touch. That touch went through me, it was like a million currents of electricity, only that it was so gentle and cool, I can’t fully described it ,a sort of a liquid love went through my entire being, I wish you were there to experience it, but even now, He’s there with you. He healed me completely of all the pains and traumas of my past. It released an inner peace like I’ve never imagined possible. The touch of Jesus is the touch of love!

 

“Neither do I condemn you…”

The whole crowd listened as he said to me “neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more”. Right there, he had restored my self esteem back to me. For the first time I was grateful I was caught, but more grateful they brought me to Jesus. I never believed that was an accident, to me it meant God did not fold his arms in my dilemma; He was only waiting for me to come to Him. When He saw I wouldn’t come, He let me get caught and got me brought to Him. I wasn’t expecting a second chance after all my horrible past. He didn’t ask me how many guys I’ve had. He forgave all my sins and gave me a new life.I never want to go back to my old life again,a power entered me when he said “go and sin no more”.I’m transformed forever.Things I used to do I do them no more…

 

In the grip of grace and mercy

My most sorrowful day became the most joyful day in my life. I have met life on my way to the grave. I had been condemned to death but now he said I may live. All I can say is that I’m grateful for the intervention of Jesus. His mercy wouldn’t let me perish, and His love wouldn’t let me go. Only love can make a miracle and He sure made my misery into a miracle. The law had condemned me but when they wanted to execute me they took me to the mercy seat and mercy prevailed over judgment.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a mercy seat by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance God passed over the sins that were previously committed to demonstrate at the present time his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus”. Romans 3:23-26.

 

Give it to Jesus

No matter how shattered your life may be, Jesus can do the same for you. I gave Him all the broken pieces of my life and He did not only fix it, He gave me a new life. What He did for me He can do for you even now, it’s simple, just give it to Him. Jesus is waiting, with the same love, the same compassion, the same mercy…the same acceptance, the same grace and He’s waiting for you…

THE STORY WAS TAKEN FROM JOHN CHAPTER EIGHT WITH EMPHASIS ADDED BY SAMSON AJILORE II. COPYRIGHT OCTOBER2009. SAMSON AJILORE WORLD OUTREACH.(SAWO)

by Tom Gilbert

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. (Matthew 9:9 NIV)

Come as you are, as you were,
As I want you to be
As a friend, as a friend, as an old enemy.
— Nirvana from “Come As You Are”

When Jesus walked the Earth he went about bringing Good News to others, especially for the downtrodden, the hurting, the sick and, of course, sinners.

He wasn’t going about condemning these people. His criticisms were mainly toward the religious leaders of the day and towards the self righteous.

This is an interesting thing. Christ came to call sinners, but he didn’t make it a requirement to get your life together first and be righteous. Instead he offered compassion and the invitation to follow him. He accepted them for who they were and he didn’t demand immediate change.

How very different from what people then, and now, expect of God. Most of us tend to think God won’t love us unless we are “good”. And since no one can measure up to the high standard of goodness we wallow in our unworthiness. We are insecure. We keep trying to get it right, but without realizing that God and Jesus are freely offering the help we so desperately need to live our lives. This is why grace is such an amazing thing. It is commonplace Christian theology that we are “saved by grace, not by righteousness” and yet we still attempt to live up to high moral standards without surrendering to this grace. Or worse, we simply compromise; believing that all will be forgiven without ever having a transformational change of heart.

I Can’t, He Can, I’ll Let Him

It seems to me that the transformation takes place by first admitting we can’t do it on our own, accepting God’s love and mercy (the grace), and then doing what Jesus taught.

In the Gospel of Matthew the religious leaders of the day ask Jesus why he was eating and hanging out with sinners (like tax collectors who were considered most unclean). Jesus answers the question by telling them that sick people are the ones who need a doctor. He quoted Old Testament prophets when he instructed the Pharisees to find out what the verse from Hosea 6:6 means:

“I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”

Who is more Christ like, the preacher who condemns or the person who spends time helping the poor, the hungry and the downtrodden?

Here Comes Everybody

Maybe one of the challenges we have with this “come as you are” teaching is that it means God’s invitation is for everyone. It is all inclusive, not exclusive. This means there will be people at the banquet table of the Lord that we would prefer not to sit with.

If it was good enough for Jesus to meet people where they were and offer compassion, forgiveness and love then it should be okay with us. How differently the message of the Gospel (which means “Good News”) sounds when we don’t demand that people accept it right away or tell them they are condemned to hell. People need to see our love in action and they need to know that God loves everyone in spite of their shortcomings. Making a decision to follow Christ might take some thought, but if we welcome others in Jesus’ name without demanding immediate conversion then we give people the opportunity to consider the message first.

Rules and regulations miss the point. Yes, we need order and good orderly direction and the kind that you find throughout the Bible is practical and proper. Maybe we could spend more time suggesting that seekers consider the message first and then share our own experience of God’s love in our lives. As I’ve heard a friend share, “I was once where you are now. Come find out where you can be.”

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 – NIV)

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of International Bible Society. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of International Bible Society.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189, USA. All rights reserved.

You have the anointing of God flowing through you if you are born again. The anointing of God is not the Holy Spirit, the anointing of God is the power of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is God, He’s not an influence emanating from God, but He’s God Almighty for the bible says ” Now the Lord is the Spirit…”2 Cor. 3; 17. The bible also calls Him God in Acts 5:3-4 “But peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost…. thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God”. Jesus Christ also chose the pronoun “He” while promising the Holy Spirit, not “it” “And I will pray the father, and he shall give you another comforter, that ‘he’ may abide with you forever…whom the world cannot receive because it seeth ‘him’ not…” John14; 16-17 The Lord said the world cannot receive the Holy Ghost because it seeth Him not. The reason is because the world is ruled and dominated by the senses. Over the centuries, humanity has trained the brain in the school of the five senses and so the un-renewed mind receives through the senses and found life miserable the moment it get a little beyond the senses. The world must see to believe but thank God we’re beyond the senses. Our own education proceeds within- from the Spirit. We know inwardly but the world sees outwardly to believe.

 

The Holy Spirit anoints you if you’re yielded to Him. It’s that anointing that cause you to live a Christian life. The Holy Spirit is in the ministry of making us more like Christ everyday as we fellowship with Him in obedience. In this understanding, the apostle Paul prayed “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen” 2 cor.13; 14

The anointing flows as a river of love, from the Spirit of grace, in the hearts of yielded believers. God anoints people that loves Him more than they love their own self and that love others as themselves. As we open our hearts to love others God’s anointing flows through us. When we close our hearts to others and grieve the Holy Spirit the flow stops in other to call us back into our love walk. (1 John 3:17 NKJV) But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? (Proverbs 4:23 NKJV) Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. The anointing of the Holy Spirit is given to people to demonstrate God’s love and power. The name Christ means the “the anointed One and His anointing”. Because Christ is in us the same anointing that He had on earth we also have NOW. (Luke 4:18-19 NKJV) “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; {19} To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”

The anointing is the burden removing, yoke destroying, power of God! It’s simply the supernatural power of God Almighty.

 Purpose of the anointing.

1. The anointing is given to preach the gospel to the poor. The anointing is not meant for sitting, it’s meant for going. When God anointed Jesus, He did not sit down-celebrating the unction but Acts 10:38 says He went about, doing good, healing all those who were oppressed of the devil.

2.The anointing is given to heal and restore people

3. The anointing is given to proclaim freedom to the captives

4. The anointing is given to open blind eyes

5. The anointing is given to set people free.

 The anointing flows in God’s timing and proclaims God’s timing.

The anointing is given to preach the gospel to the poor, to bring the revelation of God’s love to those who are seeking.

The anointed person must go to people that can receive it. (Matthew 13:57-58 NKJV) So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” {58} Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. (Matthew 10:13-14 NKJV) “If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. {14} “And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 2. The anointing is given to heal and restore people (Acts 10:36-38 NKJV) “The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ; He is Lord of all; {37} “that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: {38} “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 3. The anointing is given to proclaim freedom to the captives (2 Timothy 2:24-26 NKJV) And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, {25} in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, {26} and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. 4. The anointing is given to open blind eyes (2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NKJV) But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, {4} whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. (Revelation 3:18 NKJV) “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

The anointed person must go to people that can receive it. (Matthew 13:57-58 NKJV) So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” {58} Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. (Matthew 10:13-14 NKJV) “If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. {14} “And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 2. The anointing is given to heal and restore people (Acts 10:36-38 NKJV) “The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ; He is Lord of all; {37} “that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: {38} “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 3. The anointing is given to proclaim freedom to the captives (2 Timothy 2:24-26 NKJV) And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, {25} in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, {26} and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. 4. The anointing is given to open blind eyes (2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NKJV) But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, {4} whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. (Revelation 3:18 NKJV) “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

5. The anointing is given to set people free (Isaiah 10:27 NKJV) It shall come to pass in that day That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.(John 8:36 NKJV) “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

6. The anointing flows in God’s timing, and also proclaims God’s timing (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. As we walk in the anointing of God we go where God wills, do what God wills, and say what God wills. (John 8:28-29 NKJV) Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. {29} “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” The anointing of the Holy Spirit is a gift from God (John 4:10 NKJV) Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” (John 4:13-14 NKJV) Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, {14} “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 7:37-39 NKJV)

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. {38} “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” {39} But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (2 Corinthians 1:20-22 NKJV) For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. {21} Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, {22} who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. The anointing gives wisdom (1 John 2:20 NKJV) But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. (1 John 2:27 NKJV) But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. (Isaiah 11:2 NKJV) The seven fold works of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. (Daniel 12:3 NKJV) Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. (Proverbs 11:30 NKJV) The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise. (Psalms 90:12 NKJV) So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom

Samson Ajilore II

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the COMMUNION OF THE HOLY GHOST, be with you all Amen”

(2 Corinthians 13:14)

 The word “communion” here is the Greek word “Koinonia” which means partnership, participation, intercourse, fellowship among others.  

Communion with the Holy Spirit is like standing at the edge of a great sea and attempting to reach further. It’s a journey into the deep from the shallow to the deepest until deep calls unto deep.

 “Deep calls unto deep at the noise of your waterspouts: all your billows are gone over me.” (Psalm 42:7)

We begin with our feet in the water, and then we go even further. We reach where the water has taken up the knee, but we are not to stop there. We reach further and we are waist deep in the water, but that’s not our destination. We then reach further-we go deeper until we are lost in the sea- caught up in the midst of God. It’s the deepest experience of worship till we do not want to stop again. That’s the level where revelations flow freely. It’s a place where the supernatural becomes easy. It’s a level of intimacy with the Spirit that all are called to, but only very view has attained it. It’s a spirit to Spirit affair, it is not something that one does without another, the Spirit and the believer responsively and actively relate. It’s a love affair in the kingdom of our Lord. It’s the first calling of every believer to fellowship with the Lord. More than any thing we have to offer, more than all that we can do for the master. Above all that we consider of great importance is God’s craving for fellowship with us.

We are the true worshipers, but do we really worship?

We must increase the time we spend in fellowship, we must come out of our minds into the spirit, and we must disconnect from all distractions and be attracted to worship.

 Every addicted God lover is an addicted God worshiper. It’s an affair of the Spirit because we relate with God’s Holy Spirit with our spirit. As we advance in the relationship, as the communion becomes deeper we are just caught up into the supernatural and we loose every touch with the natural, this is true worship that the Master spoke of in the conversation of love with the woman from Samaria in John 4:23.

“But the hour cometh and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the father in Spirit and in truth; for the father seeks such to worship him”

 God is looking for worshipers and not just worshipers but them that will worship in the Holy Ghost and the Word of God that is truth

” sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth” (John 17; 17.)

 We are the true worshipers, not the Old Testament saints, we are the ones who have God as our Father and we know it. We are those that have received the Holy Ghost, the power to become sons has been given to us; we are the ones that are given the living Word – the Word of truth. God’s Spirit hungers for intimacy with the body of Christ. It’s high time we realized that several believers are not responding to the call of the Spirit to communion. Many of us have been carried away by distractions of the world and the things we so love down here. It’s time we respond to the cry of God’s Holy Spirit. Who is this Holy Ghost?

The Holy Ghost is the first to be revealed of the Godhead but the last we get acquainted with. Right there in the very first chapter of Genesis is the expression “in the beginning God created heaven and earth” The word “God” here is the Hebrew plural noun “Elohim” This word suggests more than one person and so it could have been rendered Gods but not gods. It is the revelation of the Trinity, It’s the Father plus the Son plus the Holy Ghost equals to One God united in diversity. It is three Persons but One God. We can see this from the plural pronouns that sometimes come with “God” for example:

 “And God (Elohim) said, let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness.” (Genesis 1:26,)

 The first person to be revealed in the Godhead is the Holy Ghost,

“…and the earth was without form, and void…and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters”. (Genesis1:2)

 The Holy Ghost is the creator of heaven and He also appears to be the one who not only create but formed the animals of the earth

 “By His Spirit He hath garnished the heaven; His hands hath formed the crooked serpent” (Job 26; 13)  

The Spirit is the dispenser of life and the maker of man.

“The Spirit of God has made me and the breath of the Almighty has given me life” (Job.33; 4)

 The bible also calls Him God:

“Why hath Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost….you have not lied unto men but unto God” (Acts 5; 3-4.)

The most misunderstood personality in the church today

The Holy Spirit is the most misunderstood Person in the body of Christ today. Certain people thought of Him as a dove, some say oil, water wind, seal, and many more. A Fellow in the theological college answered me emphatically the other day when I questioned him, “the Holy Spirit is not a Person.” The Bible said He descended gently on Jesus like a dove descends. The Bible calls Jesus the Lamb of God, but you see all these Biblical metaphors should not be taken that literal because careful study of the Word reveals that they are intended to describe the nature of ministry rather than the Person of Christ or the Holy Spirit. We do not expect to get to heaven and meet a Lion on the throne or a lamb, because the Bible calls Jesus both the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Lamb of God. Neither do we expect to meet a dove flying all over in heaven because the Bible use it to describe the descent of the Holy Sprit and His gentle nature.

When I got saved at five

When I got saved at five, I fell in love with the Lord Jesus and I was filled with love and affection for others. My dreams were soon marred when it became apparent to me that not all Christians love one another and in fact that the church was divided over many issues especially on the subject of the Holy Spirit.

I used to hear preachers make Him sound like a Christmas gift or a package when they talk of Him as a “gift” with no sense of personality. Others as I grew began to speak of Him as an influence, a sort of an impersonal force that emanates from God. As I began to preach in later years I realized that Jesus really presented the Holy Spirit as a Personality like Himself and I decided to go for the Word and agree with It in spite of the traditional teachings on the Holy Spirit.

“And I will pray the father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever” (John 14; 16)

The truth I’ve been able to draw has been that if the Holy Spirit is a power in our thinking, then we I’ll try to grab “it” take hold of “it” and use “it” for our purpose but if He is a divine Person, then it is He who makes the plans and carries them out and we have nothing to do except to surrender ourselves to Him in full, to be used for the Masters good will and purpose,  so it is God the Holy Ghost working in us both to will and to do according to His good pleasures ( Philippians 2:13). The Spirit is the Lord of liberty that brings freedom into the spirit of our minds to worship God in freedom and in truth.

“Now THE LORD IS THAT SPIRIT: and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Jesus’ introduction of the Holy Ghost

The Lord Jesus is the best Person Who introduced the Holy Spirit to humanity. He knows everything about Who the Spirit really Is and giving a careful thought to what Jesus has to say about Him will help clear a lot of confusion. It will lunch us into a deeper realm of communion with this divine Personality who is inexpressibly hungry for true fellowship with the blood bought church of Jesus Christ.

            The Lord Jesus speaks of Him as of a Person; He was so much acquainted with Him. He uses a masculine pronoun for Him, which can only be used in reference to a person, although grammatically it ought to be a neuter pronoun because the word “Spirit” (pneuma) in Greek is neuter but Christ knows the Holy Ghost better than call Him an “it”. So He said the following words of Him:

 First He calls Him “another comforter” using the Greek word “allos” which means another of the same kind and quality rather than “heteros” which is another of different kind and quality. Jesus actually meant that the Holy Ghost is as much God as Himself and the Father. That’s why 1 John 5; 7 says:

 “For there are three that bear record in heaven the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” 

Then Jesus declared the time span of our relationship with the Sprit “That He may be with your for ever” The Holy Spirit is given to the church forever, not like He seldom falls on the Old Testament saints, then withdraws back to heaven; but to be with us forever.  Jesus went further to explain why the world cannot accept the Holy Spirit “because it does not see Him”. You see, the problem of the world is that it’s made up of natural men who cannot believe beyond their senses, those folks cannot receive the Holy Spirit because they cannot see Him, but we can because we have been born again – recreated in God’s Spirit with potentials to see beyond the natural.

 The Lord went further to declare the teaching ministry of the Holy Ghost “He shall teach you all things” (John 14:16, 17, and 26.) You see it only takes the One that knows all things to teach all things and that’s Who we have in the Holy Ghost. We will not lack the knowledge of anything if we allow Him to teach us all things as the Word says. He really craves to make the Word good.

From the introduction of Jesus we understand that the Holy Spirit is a divine personality just like Himself because Jesus called Him another comforter like Himself. Then, the question is that of a physical body.

Does He have a physical body?

 The Bible teaches that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit Who God gave to us. (1 Corinthians 6:19).

We are the physical temple of the Holy Spirit and the body of Christ. So the physical temple of the Holy Spirit is the Body of Jesus Christ. He takes His residence in us. This reality must be in our consciousness, more than anything else, we must understand that the secret to a life of victory as God intends is to realize, to become aware in the sense of knowing as in the knowledge of truth. If we want to do what Jesus did and fulfill our purpose on earth as the church, then we must know what Jesus knew while he walked this earth like we do today.

Not without the Holy Ghost

Jesus while on earth was unable to have any demonstration of divine power until He was united with the Spirit of power at Jordan after the baptism. I believe there was more than water baptism at Jordan for there was the Holy Spirit empowerment. The Spirit overshadowed Him and led Him to the wilderness – that was a start of communion. I believe in all those days in the wilderness it would have been impossible for Jesus to stay and live without the communion of a Comforter – the Holy Spirit. Without doubt this was the reason He was not sent to that wilderness from when he was born till he was filled with the Spirit at Jordan. He couldn’t have coped without the Spirit.

Jesus the Son of man

Someone may say but He was God? Yeah He sure was and He is but when He was on the earth He did not operate as God but as man. His most frequent expressions of Himself is ‘’The Son of man”. More than eighty times in the Gospels Jesus calls Himself “the Son of man”.

Examples: ”the Son of man” (Mathew 8:20, Mark 2:10, Luke 6:5 and John 1:51)

 He came to give us the true example of How to live the God life.  God never intended we do a thing without the Holy Spirit. Jesus operated on earth as the Son of man and needed the Spirit and power of God to function, and we are commanded to operate like Him.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”. (Philippians 2:5-8).

We derive that Christ is God who became man and as man He was conceived of the Holy Ghost.

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, SHE WAS FOUND WITH CHILD OF THE HOLY GHOST” (Mathew 1:18).

 Jesus was perfect and obedient unto death. We have no problem with the idea of a perfect God but the question we’ve nursed secretly, in our hearts, in the pulpit, among ministers and in the congregation of men is the same question the world have always demanded an answer to, it is “how can a man be obedient and perfect unto death”? The truth about this is Jesus became man to show us how God intended man to live and he has remained the best example of life all through ages past.   How did Jesus do it as a Son of man?

For us to have this question answered, we must turn to the Word of the living God.

We understand that Jesus did not do it by His human strength for God’s infallible Word declares.

         “He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness: FOR BY STRENGTH SHALL NO MAN PREVAIL” (I Samuel 2:9)

Jesus as a man could not have prevailed by strength so how did He do it? The answer is there in the Word.

“Then he answered and spoke unto me saying…… NOT BY MIGHT OR BY POWER, BUT MY SPIRIT SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS” (Zechariah 4:6.)

So Jesus as the Son of man offered Himself perfectly in absolute obedient not by His human strength but by the eternal, Holy Spirit of the living God. He maintained a good conscience and served God by the Spirit leaving us an example to follow.

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT OFFERED HIMSELF WITHOUT SPOT to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”  (Hebrews 9:14)

So, finally we have the answer, the answer is not something, not some head knowledge we acquire through our schools but the answer is Somebody – a Personality with divine power and purpose to help us – the very Person of God the Holy Spirit.

So Jesus was able to endure all He passed through by the help of the Holy Spirit. Jesus knew the Spirit and related with Him. I believe not even one of the Apostles – not even Paul with all his great revelations was able to attain the same degree of communion with the Spirit as Christ, but He enjoyed it to a degree that gave him experiences in the supernatural which words can’t completely describe so he desired that the communion of the Holy Spirit be with the church of Jesus Christ not just a part of the body but all – every member.

“….. And the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all, Amen.” (2 Corinthians 13:14)

There is no limit to the depth we can reach in the fellowship of the Spirit. It’s a conscious act of practicing the invisible presence of God. It’s a reality that the senses can’t comprehend, but a faith life that produces real result. It’s relating with the Spirit and the Word of God.

As the communion grows deeper, we are caught away in greater awareness of the indwelling and abiding presence of the Master which produces in us an awareness of togetherness that is beyond falling away into sin consciousness. It gives us a better consciousness of righteousness, the exercising of the love of God that is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. We become aware we’re always accepted in the beloved. The Spirit is given to us to remain with us forever as a comforter, help, standby, support, intercessor, friend, teacher, legal adviser, and Lord who works in us. We begin to finally understand the meaning of a surrendered life where we can truly say to the Master “all of you and none of me.” As the Spirit makes the Word of God alive to us, our interest and understanding of the Word is increased. We will want to worship more in quiet and soberness of mind. Only then can we be the church God intended to build in Christ, only then can we do greater works, only then can we influence the world to a degree that God calls “true revival”.

            When we get to the level where our hearts are hungry for nothing but God; when we reach the stage where we thirst for nothing but the living water; when we want God more than all that the world has to offer; when we are completely sold out to Love; more than our partners and family; more than our businesses and education, only then can we really live a life that is sold out totally to the Master. Then we can say in much truth than that of Peter before he was filled with the Spirit “You know I love You Lord.”

Only then can the Church of Jesus Christ as the bride come into a degree of unity and maturity where she’s ready to say with the Spirit “Come Lord Jesus”
“The (Holy) Spirit and the bride [the church, the true Christians] say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come And let everyone come who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported and strengthened]; and whoever [earnestly] desire to do it, let him come and take and appropriate(drink) the Water of Life without cost. (Rev 22:17 Amplified).

Samson Ajilore II

By Samson Ajilore II

During a thunderstorm a little girl threw herself into her mother’s arms crying, ”I’m afraid!”

 

The mother tried to quiet the child by reminding her of God’s loving and protecting care… But the little one clung the closer “I know God loves me, mummy,” she said, “but when it’s thundering and lightening, I want someone with skin to love me!”

I believe this is without doubt the reason why God put on human skin and became human being .He intended that we respond not by work, since humanity has become too weak to live up to God’s standard as a result of the infection of the sin virus that got into her system from the fall, back in Eden.

Until Christ the “Antivirus” came, we could not come up with any tangible work from our efforts.

Now, we are to respond only by faith in His finished work-believing in what He has done for our sake. He did it all!

Divinity put on humanity to show the love He is and to reproduce Himself into us in love and righteousness.

He wanted to touch us with His love in a human way. That was the only language humanity could understand.

“And the Word became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacle-fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile-among us: and we (actually saw His glory-His honor, His majesty: such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving kindness) and truth. John 1; 14.Amplified Bible

 

 

How amazing!

 

The incredible love story we now share of the divine romance-God speaking in our own language!

 

The greatest love story of all time still remains. God, the president of creation and the author of the universe, putting on the human flesh and becoming like man, the purpose of all His creation, all for His love

God reached out and touched humanity with the loving solution our souls so desire-eternal salvation through faith in His finished work.

God is love! He came to let us know of this great love. No matter how much He has done, it would not affect us until we respond and we cannot respond to the truth we do not know.

“For with the heart man believes unto righteousness but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” Romans 10; 10.

God Himself put on human flesh and came to the earth. He was born of a virgin in the little town of Bethlehem in Judea. He spread the news of His love to everyone that would listen.

However, God in the human flesh had the same limitation like everyman, He could not be everywhere at the same time in the flesh, but He wanted this message to be taken all over the World. He had a plan. It wasn’t to recruit some angels and make them preach to humans but to equip some men. Reaching the world through them, by the help of His Holy Spirit

 

 

God found Ordinary men…

He found ordinary men who yielded willingly to Him,even ordinary fishermen. They were not perfect but had limitations, like men we meet in our day to day live. He was not after their human perfections, but willingness. He Himself is the perfection of anyone who believes in Him.

 

 

He told them they would become His body, when He’s no longer on earth. They would continue His ministry. He would reach the world through them, speaking through their lips and talking through their vocal cords. He would heal through their hands and think through their yielded minds- renewed with His word. “For we are members of his flesh and of his bones” Ephesians 5; 30

They would be channels through which the love He is and will always be would be extended to all humanity. He told them they would receive the same power He has to do the same thing He did after the Holy Spirit- the same one who empowered Him and remained with Him through out is earthly days has come upon them.

He gave them the best personality and power to do exactly like Himself. “And you shall receive power-ability, efficiency and might-when the Holy Spirit has come upon you: and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the very bound-of the earth” Acts 1; 8 Amplified Bible

Most of us are excited by the first statement “You shall receive power after…” but then we miss the best part of it-the purpose of that power “And you shall be my witnesses…” He gave us the power not to sit down and celebrate but to go about and preach with it. When Jesus got the anointing, He did not sit down celebrating the unction but He went about doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the devil Acts 10:38. The same anointing He had we have, for we have received of His fullness.

The anointing is not meant for sitting, it’s meant for going! We’re the custodians of the anointing and we’re accountable unto God. What have you done with the oil so far?

 

 

They went about preaching the gospel, just like Him.

 

He was too much in them to be unnoticed; men saw Him in them and called them “Christians” meaning they were just like Christ.

 

By the end of the second Century, those men had reached the whole of the then known World. They had no print media and technological system to support them,there was no Internet.

They were drawn and driven by the same authority that controlled Christ-the Holy Spirit. They obeyed His inward witness and every impression to reach the lost.

They exercised the Lord’s compassion from their recreated spirits.

Their method was the Master’s method ”Each One reaches one”. They did it and they made it.

The truth they understood is that every New Testament believer is a soul winner .This they fulfilled even in their businesses. They knew they were first soul winners before Tent makers, Medical doctors, Fishermen, Goldsmiths, and many more.

They understood God’s priority and He was pleased with them because they never attempted to change it but instead they performed it. They carried out God’s will and He met their every needs.

 

 

Their hearts was with God.

 

Heart is everything with God, and in great love He calls out to us today;

 

“My son give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways” Proverbs 23:26.

It’s only after our hearts are channeled towards Him that we can observe His ways. I believe John the beloved rests his head on the Lord’s bosom so as to know His heart beat. If your head is on his bosom now, I know you will hear His heart beat Souls! Souls! Souls!

Those early saints reached their World and rescued men from hell in great numbers because their hearts were channeled towards Him and they followed His heart beat. He who is joined to the Lord has the same heartbeat with Him because he is one with Him. Our work is obedience, it’s to follow our hearts and do the Master’s will.

God’s will is soul winning!

He gave up His life for His will. What will you give up? Your time or what? There’s nothing we have to give compared to what He gave!

 

 

The devil was mad at them

 

The devil was mad at the number of men that were rescued from hell between the first and the second Century. He has tried endlessly to prevent the church from fulfilling her purpose by several strategies. He has re-defined a soul winner deceitfully to be only those that are called into the ministry offices of the Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Evangelist and Teacher. He has overtaken several believers’ mind with this thought so much that they ignore words that appears to compel them to preach.” They dislike those stuffs” Satan and his device of ignorance has kept the church back, within the bricks over the Centuries, while souls endlessly troop down to hell in the doom of unrepentant, Because they never hear.

 

The divine circle of soul winning

 

“How then shall they call on Him whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10; 14

 

The preacher makes ‘them’ hear

Hearing makes ‘them’ believe

Faith makes ‘them’ confess

Confession makes ‘them’ saved

Salvation makes ‘them’ called

Calling makes ‘them’ preach

That is the divine circle of soul winning; every believer is in the final stage-called to preach.

God is so sad that the believers have sat back in the church walls over the Centuries, while the souls his blood purchased waste in hell in their millions. Because they were not told

It’s said that currently, half of the World’s population have not heard the name Jesus once in a lifetime, not to talk of whether they will accept Him or not. That amounts to about 3 billion souls.

 

 

A pathetic case-A story that changed my life

 

I once heard an evangelist told a story of an experience he had. I never remained the same after the story. Driving me from tears to repentance, it revived deep within me a passionate Zeal for souls. It’s a true story that is almost unbelievable.

 

The evangelist went on a mission outreach with another minister far into North America. After several miles of traveling, they arrived into a little hamlet. Tired from the journey and needing rest they noticed a Coca –cola cool spot.

They were surprised, upon arrival at the spot both of them were served with coke.

The evangelist then asked the attendant ‘do you know Jesus?’

The man’s response was heartbreaking and breathtaking

‘Is that a new soft drink in America?’

He thought ‘Jesus’ was the name of a soft drink just as coke is one.

The evangelist broke into tears, so surprised that coke was more popular than Christ in such a place with all the Christians in America

Those men knew Coke but nothing of the name “Jesus” just because they were never told.

So sad is the truth that most Christians believe they are not called to take the responsibility of soul winning. Most of us do not think it’s as important as providing for our families. We‘ve sat back behind thick walls of our great ecclesiastical buildings, we’ve admire its beauty over the years and watch millions as they perish for the lack of the saving knowledge of the Lord. We have books in their numbers on being effective fathers, mothers, and preachers. We have great number of Bibles but yet very little attention is given to soul winning today. We’ve attended to the study of the bible build great libraries of Christian literatures, but the heart cry of the lord is still unattended. Who will tap your shoulders when you get home in heaven and say “thank you for telling me?”

Who will cry down in hell and say “I wish I had someone to tell me?” will it be someone you’ve met before?

The world will not be saved while we sit back in our great church and homes, real sinners will not come to church, we must reach them out where they are!

 

 

A new definition for ministry

We have re-define ministry to mean something which is directly the opposite of the Lord’s mind. We’ve gradually replaced our own ideas with the lord’s design.

We have become so beclouded by the deception of this vain World that we have almost totally forgotten we don’t even belong here.

How terrible is the truth that the church has almost become a part of the system we were born to change-this antichrist system called the World. Many hearts of God’s children now craves survival through the World system and have forgotten the kingdom’s divine providence. We have become so fixed to the material gains that we careless about the dying world and eternal rewards. “And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” Daniel 12:3

A wise Christian is a soul winning Christian “The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life; and he that wins souls is wise” Proverbs 11:30. The world needs salvation and the answer is in the church. We need true witnesses not just in the pulpit but in the streets out where the sinners walk. They must be rescued. “A true witness delivers souls” Proverbs 14; 25

The enemy has gradually quenched the compassion for the lost away from our hearts replacing it with preoccupation with our personal businesses. In some hearts he has not recorded much success yet, except that they are left with only desires to reach the lost to which they do nothing. If the desire is not responded to by active evangelism, then it will gradually die away until they are completely taken over by distractions in different manners.

 

 

The final challenge

 

 

 

How come the case has become so pathetic within 19 Centuries? Those early believers followed the truth we neglect today. Without the ample advantages of technology, they reached their world. With all we have today and all the knowledge in which we now abound in these last days, just as the prophet Daniel had foreseen it by the Holy Ghost. The very priority of God’s heart is still ignored. Even several of us who claim to be doing something in this area appear before the master to be too slack. We should not hold with levity, the message He shed His blood to share.

I could imagine the look on the Lord’s face and the condition of His heart about the singular fact that the church of the 21st Century has derailed so much from the message of the first Century church-the kingdom of God. We have developed several concepts over the years, most of which have drawn us farther from the truth. The message of this truth is scarce in the pulpit today, since several preachers have chosen to tell the people what they want to hear rather than the truth of God’s word

Beloved friend, God is waiting and watching to see your response to the message you have just read!

 

Creflo A. Dollar

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People may doubt the existence of angels, but the Word is clear about the truth. There are heavenly beings assigned to Believers and they are waiting for us to give them assignments daily. Hebrews 1:14 says angels are “ministering” spirits sent to minister to the heirs of salvation. Who are the heirs of salvation? You and me! Angels are part of God’s covenant promise of divine protection for those who believe in Him; however, it takes faith to activate angelic power in your life.

Psalm 103:20 says, “Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.” One of the keys to releasing angels in your life is to speak the Word of God. These powerful beings don’t just move because you want them to. The Word says they hearken unto the voice of God’s Word. That means until you speak the Word of God, they will not go to work on your behalf.

Many people don’t believe angels are real, but I am a living witness that they do exist. Had it not been for angels, I wouldn’t be here today. Six years ago, I was in a car accident so bad that when the police showed up they called the coroner. They thought everyone involved was dead. I was riding in a truck with other ministers to a finance convention in Sacramento, California, when someone ran a red light and struck the car we were in. When the car hit us, I saw my angels. I am confident it is because of them that my life was redeemed from destruction that day.

The Bible says in Psalm 91:11, 12, “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” Isn’t it comforting to know God has made provision for your divine protection? It is part of your covenant right as a Christian. All you have to do is receive it by faith and begin commanding your angels on a daily basis.

In Daniel 3, God sent angels to rescue three young men from a fiery furnace—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—because they trusted God and refused to bow down to another god. As a result of their faith in God and His protection, the eyes of their persecutors were opened, and Daniel 3:28 says the king of the land had no choice but to acknowledge the God of Israel. Now that’s power!

God sends angels to protect His servants. Here are some keys for you to activate angelic protection in your life:

1. Trust

Trust is a force of commitment. When you trust God no matter what is going on around you, you demonstrate your commitment to Him, even in the midst of challenging times. Trust will enable you to release your angels with confidence (Psalm 34:7).

2. Believe

God is committed to those who believe His Word (Luke 1:45, Matthew 18:10). You have to believe God will protect you and angels will carry out this aspect of your salvation at your command.

3. Serve God

Your service to God and His Kingdom provokes angelic protection (Psalm 91:11, AMP).

4. Pray

Jesus said God would have sent twelve legions of angels to His rescue had He prayed for them. Prayer will release angels on your behalf (Matthew 26:51—53).

5. The name of Jesus

Calling on the name of Jesus will secure the attention of all the angels of God. They will come to your rescue (Hebrews 1:6).

6. Command your angels

You have to command your angels and assign them before they can work for you. You command the assistance of angels when you speak the Word of God (Psalm 103:20).

Isn’t it good to know you don’t have to depend solely on your own ability to protect yourself? Get your angels involved in your protection and walk free from fear every day!

Scripture References:

Hebrews 1:14

Psalm 103:20

Psalm 91:11,12

Daniel 3:28

Psalm 34:7

Hebrews 1:6

  Creflo A. Dollar is The dynamic founder of World Changers Church International (WCCI)—a global ministry organization anchored by its world-renowned church in College Park, Georgia, with nearly 30,000 members

by Tommy Barnett

To dream, we must overcome both our own excuses and the barriers that confront us as we move toward our destiny. Some people get stuck on the way because of events in their past or obstacles that seem immovable. Other people are afraid of following their dreams, so they employ avoidance techniques, busy schedules and willful ignorance to try to drown out the voice in their heart that whispers, “You should be following your dream.”
I have identified several obstacles that can keep you from following your dream. See if any of them apply to you.

Your past. A person without a future will always return to his or her past. He or she will go back to old friends, old hangouts or old habits, trying to find meaning. But when you are drawn to your past, it is because your dream has stopped drawing you to your future.

Only a dream can give you the booster rockets to escape the gravity of the past. Only a dream gives you daily motivation to go forward, to keep your priorities straight, to help you distinguish between what belongs in the past and what belongs in the future.

Did you know we have God’s permission to forget the past? He gives us the option of leaving yesterday behind. To reach our dreams we must learn to practice selective memory–regarding even the good parts of our pasts.

When I was a young man, I left my hometown of Kansas City, Kansas, to pastor a church in Davenport, Iowa. That was a tough assignment. The elders were grumpy and the finances nonexistent.

To keep myself encouraged, I nurtured a strong affection for my old stomping ground, Kansas City. I put my Kansas City Chiefs pennant on the wall. I ate Kansas City steaks.

I always ran home to Kansas City when I had a chance, and I would talk about Kansas City at every opportunity. As a consequence, I was always homesick for Kansas City.

One day God spoke to me and said: “Burn the pennant, quit eating Kansas City steaks, and don’t go back and visit anymore. That’s all in the past.” I obeyed, and that day I began to learn the value of selective memory.

You see, some people never let go of their pasts, so they live in yesterday’s memories. These people get their scrapbooks out and take you down memory lane whenever you visit them. It’s as if they are in a former era in their minds.

Someone asked me one time if he could see my scrapbook. I told him, “I don’t have a scrapbook because I’m too busy making scrap.”

Are you stuck in memories of the past? If so, it’s time to sit down and identify which ones are holding you back and then selectively “forget” them. Simply refuse to bring them up.

The apostle Paul said, “Forgetting those things which are behind” (Phil. 3:13, NKJV). He was talking about the bad things and the good things in his past. He selectively forgot them because his dream mattered more to him.

Unfinished business. Some people feel incomplete in spite of the many wonderful things in their lives–friends, family, wealth, vacations and retirement security. They have a nagging sense of unfinished business because they have not reached their full capacity by achieving their dreams.

Some people reading these words will feel like crying and might even become desperate, and they won’t know exactly why. Such weeping often comes unannounced and for no apparent reason.

Oh, sure, we all get tired at times, but this is something more significant. It springs up from hidden wells of disappointment within you.

Perhaps the tears flow because there is unfinished business in your life. Perhaps in the depths of your soul you know that you are neglecting your dream, missing your moment, putting your purpose in a drawer for a later time that never comes.

The Bible calls this “double-mindedness” and says it will make you unstable in all your ways (see James 1:8). You won’t really accomplish anything lasting.

Even though your life may look stable, there is a deep fissure between who you are and who you know you ought to be, and it creates below-the-surface instability. How much disunity do we create in our families and in our own minds because of the untended dreams lying dormant at the bottom of our souls?

If you have a constant, aching sense of unfinished business, you are probably avoiding your dream.

Boredom and self-destruction. When you lose sight of your dream, boredom sets in–deep, pervasive boredom and unsettledness–and in the midst of apparent success it drives you to the hollow pursuit of pleasure and leisure. People begin to drink, have illicit affairs, gamble money away, wrap their lives up in sports and do drugs because they become bored. They have lost touch with their dreams and their future.

Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint.” Where there is no God-given dream, people cast off restraint.

In their boredom, they go anywhere and do anything for a thrill. There’s nothing to hold them back. Why not have extramarital affairs or spend foolishly?

One time I picked up a young hitchhiker. I don’t normally do that, but it was pouring rain, and I felt that maybe this young man needed help, so I pulled over and invited him into the warm car. He seemed bored, directionless and depressed.

I asked where he was going, and he said, “No place in particular.” I probed further and asked what his goals in life were. He looked at me and said: “Mister, you don’t get it. I’m not going anywhere.” He asked to be let out, and away he walked in the rain.

That young man is symbolic of how some live their lives. They walk along the highway with their thumb out, waiting to catch a ride with anyone who will stop. They are bored. They will go anywhere. They don’t care.

We all need a sense that we exist for a reason. We need the clarity that a dream brings. Where there is no dream, there is no order to life, no reason to live. We perish by confusion and disorder; we make a mess of everything.

If you are bored and beginning to experiment with behavior you know will harm you, or even just cultivating pastimes you know are a waste of time, you have lost sight of your dream.

Disappointment. Sometimes you have a dream, and that dream is shattered. The experience creates a deep wound in your heart that gets filled with disappointment, like a bitter well. You approach each new opportunity with melancholy and doubt stored up inside you.

The waters from the well blur your vision and obscure your dream, and the disappointment grows more potent the longer you hang on to it. It stops being a well and becomes a wide river separating you from your dream.

Moses endured one of the greatest disappointments in the Bible. He spent 40 years leading the children of Israel through the desert, doing everything well, obeying God when the others were worshiping a golden calf. He didn’t grumble as they did or doubt God, but because he disobeyed God on one occasion when his anger got the better of him, the Lord forbade him from going into the Promised Land.

The Lord took him to a mountaintop where He allowed Moses to see the magnificent reality of the Promised Land (see Deut. 34:1). But He consigned him to living with the stunning reality that he would never set foot in it.

Nothing hurts quite like disappointment. The word implies that we believed we had an appointment, but when we got there, things didn’t happen the way we wanted them to. We were “dis-appointed.”

Our momentary assessment of a situation is always affected by human limitations. We cannot always see what God sees, and much more may be happening than we are aware of.

The Bible says we see through a veil; our knowledge is imperfect. At some point, you have to give your disappointment to God and trust His judgment, which is perfect.

What seems like a disappointment may have been the best thing to happen in your life. That relationship that ended, that business opportunity you passed by, that investment you didn’t make–God may have been sparing you.

Even if you believe you have good reason to be disappointed, you should have a better reason for letting disappointment go. That reason is your dreams.

You will experience bitter disappointments in life. People will drop the ball, lead you astray, abandon you and worse. You will be disappointed with God. But if you want to reach your dreams, you must become an expert at releasing disappointment when it comes.

Oversatisfaction. Satisfaction is also the enemy of a dream. Some people look at their lives and pronounce them good enough. They hit the cruise control button and lean back instead of forging ahead. They become satisfied with slow, incremental progress.

Instead of being drawn by a dream, they are drawn to enjoy the abundance God gave them. They spend time planning vacations, buying recreational equipment and turning a blind eye to their higher calling. They trade their dreams for the pleasantness of present circumstances. Some ride this satisfaction to the very end of their lives.

Fear of the battles. Some people fear the battle so much that they abandon their dreams before they ever reach the battlefield. They never even try, or they give up quickly.

I’ll be the first one to say that following your dream is agonizing, especially in the beginning. But fear of the battle causes some people to stay stuck at the starting gate forever. They are waiting for some mystical wave of emotional energy to propel them effortlessly through difficulties, problems and crises.

But that approach just doesn’t square with reality. Life is full of battles, no matter which course we take. It is no different when we follow our dreams.

The battle itself is always less frightening than the days leading up to it. Anticipation will kill you quicker than the fighting!

When I face battles, I feel weakest before the battle starts. I know God will see me through the battle, but sometimes I wonder if He will see me to the battle.

I rarely have peace beforehand. Rather, I feel overwhelmed, powerless and ineffective.

Maybe you know what I mean. You have gone through surgery and were afraid up until the moment they wheeled you into the operating room. Or you competed in a contest and dreaded every second until you stepped up to take your turn. Or perhaps you started a business and laid yourself on the line, wondering if it would pay off.

What does this tell us about pursuing our dreams? We will seldom have a moment of absolute conviction of victory as we embark on the dream path. If we wait for people to toss flowers at our feet and wish us success, we will be waiting a long time.

Yet we cannot let fear of the battle stop us in our tracks, keeping us frozen to the spot as our opportunities slip away. We have to have courage to pursue our dreams.

Courage isn’t just for comic book heroes and movie stars. It’s for anyone who will go after his or her dream. Life is going to be full of battles, no matter what. But when you dream, the battles are taking you somewhere.

The Bible spurs me on when it talks about courageous people “who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword” (Heb. 11:33-34, NASB). I love those action words: conquered, obtained, escaped. Those are words of courage and reward.

Promises must be obtained, kingdoms must be conquered, the lions’ mouths must be shut. And the best part, I believe, is that these people became powerful in the battle, not before it. Courage gets you to the battle. God’s power sees you through.

I have noticed that God never supplies power until I need it. He always provides power along the way, after I have decided to go in the direction of a dream. You have to take steps toward your dream before you will receive power to fulfill it.

God promises that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (see Phil. 4:13). That should give you courage.

You may see the battle rising, the clouds gathering and the enemies arrayed before you. Instead of abandoning your post or going back to a life defined by other people’s opinions, dig in and get ready to fight for your dream. Walk with courage in the direction of your calling. God will supply power along the way.

God has called you to dream great dreams. He has called you to be creative, like our Master. He has made you to be an explorer, an adventurer.

As you begin the journey toward your dream, God will give you power along the way. With courage and God’s help, you will overcome all obstacles and launch out of the starting gate into your destiny.

by Gloria Copeland

“For God so loved the WORLD” is a wonderful phrase. If God didn’t love us unconditionally, we would have no hope.
John 3:16 gives us a picture of God’s love: “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life” (The Amplified Bible).

“Whoever” means anybody! The most vicious and vile person you can imagine is a “whoever.”

I am so grateful for the day I believed in Jesus, the only begotten Son of God. The day we each believe in Him is the day everything changes for us. We switch tracks. We get off the road of death and destruction and get on the road to abundant life.

First we believe in Jesus. And as we get to know Him through spending time with Him in prayer and in His Word, each day we begin to see that we can trust in, cling to and rely on Him as the source for every aspect of life.

Every abominable thing in us is exchanged for every wonderful thing heaven has to offer. We begin to look at and handle the situations in our lives from Jesus’ perspective. We realize that living every day by the principles and power of God’s Word is the only way to exist.

I have learned God wants things to go well with us. He has taught me how His love works in my life, how His Word and the laws of the Spirit work for the good of His children. Everything He has provided in this abundant life is a product of His love.

Our Father loves us with perfect love. It’s unqualified and incomparable. Even if we get off track here and there, He loves us right back onto the right path. He puts us right back into the stream of His will. Isn’t it wonderful to be God’s children?

He not only made provision for us to be born again into His family but also adopted us as dear children. You are greatly loved and dearly prized.

Just like a parent loves a child regardless of the child’s actions, so God loves us. He has taken on the responsibility to feed and clothe us, give us the desires of our hearts, keep us healthy and whole, deliver us from trouble, teach us in all wisdom, knowledge and understanding, and guide us throughout our lives. His love covers everything!

What glorious love the Father has bestowed upon you and me. He intends for every person to receive and experience this love.

I see from the first words of blessing the Father spoke to Adam in the Garden of Eden to the last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before He ascended to heaven, the message has been based on God’s love.

Words such as “be fruitful,” “multiply,” “replenish,” “have dominion” (Gen. 1:28, KJV) communicate God’s love for the world. And, “‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them’” (Matt. 28:19, NKJV), says to take the Father’s love to the world!

Every word Christ spoke and action He performed had something to do with the Father’s love for us. And that love always changed people’s lives.

That’s how each of us received God’s love, salvation and everlasting life. We heard and accepted the good news of Jesus Christ.

For most of us something changed immediately. And for all of us our lives have changed for eternity.

Now, because His love dwells in us it can come through us to people we encounter. And when it does, they too are changed!

“For God so loved the world” —from before the foundation of the earth until this very day—is indeed a wonderful phrase. His love changes everything!

Gloria Copeland is the co founder of the Eagles Mountain Chrch A.K.A keneth Copeland Ministries. (KCM) Her insights into spiritual truths is so amazing and her love for God and His kingdom has driven her into intimate walk with the father. You can learn more about her by visiting www.Kcm.org

When Jesus visited the woman at the well in Samaria, He opened a fountain of healing that still flows today.

Thousands of years ago, the beautiful daughter of a biblical patriarch wandered into Canaanite territory without any clue that she was stepping into a nightmare. The Bible says that Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, was raped that day by Shechem, a local prince (see Gen. 34:1-2).

We never hear Dinah’s screams or muffled sobs. In fact we never hear the voice of Dinah in Scripture. Shechem tried to bargain for her hand in marriage after he stole her virginity, but Jacob’s sons deceitfully plotted to kill him and his brothers for his act of defilement. One rape resulted in wholesale slaughter.

But the bloody act of revenge did not bring healing or restoration to Dinah. She was most likely shut away for the rest of her life, since women who had been raped in those days were considered unclean and unmarriageable. The rape was not her fault—but she bore the guilt.

“The world—and often the church—is not willing to visit the place of abuse. But we have a Savior who broke cultural and religious rules to bring His miraculous healing there.”

Dinah’s silence is deafening. She represents the tragic loss of innocence endured by all those who have been sexually abused. She became the prototype of all women who have been violated—and then blamed and shamed as if it were their fault.

What is most interesting about Dinah’s story is the setting—a dusty plot of ground in Israel that would later be part of Samaria. The site of Dinah’s rape was near the piece of land that Jacob had previously purchased from Shechem’s father, Hamor (see Gen. 33:18-20). We don’t read much more in the Bible about that awful place—until the Son of God arrives on the scene in the New Testament.

It is truly amazing that Jesus was willing to visit that unholy site. During His ministry, no rabbi in Israel would dare go near it. Rabbis took the long road around Samaria to avoid mixing with its people.

Yet the Bible says Jesus marched right into Samaria and sat down at a well, located on the plot of ground that Jacob had purchased centuries earlier (see John 4:4-6). There, Jesus broke every religious rule in Jewish rabbinical tradition by speaking with a divorced woman about theological issues in a public place.

We don’t know the Samaritan woman’s name, but I am sure she was familiar with what had happened so long ago in that land. All women in that region probably whispered to each other within their tents about Dinah’s tragic legacy as they shared their own stories of abandonment, abuse and mistreatment.

But something miraculous began to unfold when the Son of God set foot on that defiled ground.
After He spoke tenderly to the Samaritan woman, telling her of the water of life that comes from the true Messiah, He looked into her tormented soul and drained out the pain she had endured from men who had misused her.

“Go, call your husband and come here,” Jesus told her. She threw up her defenses and protested, saying that she did not have a husband.

Jesus lovingly replied: “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband” (John 4:16-18, NASB).

Jesus was not wagging His finger in the woman’s face or shaming her desperate behavior. He understood her anguish. Most likely she had been abused and abandoned by five men in a row, and by the time the last man threw her out of the house she had no self-esteem left. The sixth man did not even have the decency to marry her.

But on that day in Samaria, the dark clouds that had cast a heavy pall over all women in that region parted. The seventh man had arrived! Jesus was willing to go to that forsaken place, and He identified fully with the pain of abused women. He offered the Samaritan woman not only total freedom from her guilt—but also the boldness to share her story of redemption with an entire village at a time when women did not speak in public.

Do you see the amazing grace and mercy of God at work here? Jesus answered Dinah’s cry.

The world—and often the church—is not willing to visit the place of abuse. We sweep the pain under a rug and ignore the victims. But we have a Savior who broke cultural and religious rules to bring His miraculous healing there.

If you have suffered any form of abuse, or if you still struggle with its shame, then go to Jacob’s well. Jesus is waiting there to give you pure, living water that will cleanse your past, restore lost purity and satisfy your deepest thirst.

By J.Lee Grady, Wednesday, August 27, 2008.

J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma. He preached this message last week in meetings in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and Bogota, Colombia, where the abuse of woman is rampant.