THE POWER OF PRAISE – 4

Better than good greetings, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

I believe you’re not tired of praising our good heavenly Father & I’m sure He also isn’t tired of raising you higher, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

Today’s post is the message of our Holy Ghost service on Sunday, at KDCG.

THE POWER OF PRAISE – 4

In praise, the believer provokes the Voice of God.

Here are three more things that the Voice of God performs for the child of God:

1. Fruitfulness, good success, God’s speed comes by God’s Voice – Psalm 29.8(KJV):

“The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory”.

Our heavenly Father wants us to move at His pace – that’s divine speed, that’s good success, that’s fruitfulness, when you’re in step with the Lord!

Isaiah 48.17(KJV):

“Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

Our Father’s good mind for us in His great & gigantic family on the earth here is to have good success – Joshua 1.8(KJV):

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

As you follow His glorious Voice, everything will be answering like automatic, sweatless for you!

From this moment, failure in any good thing of life won’t be mentioned with you again, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

The last failure you had is the last you’ll record, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

2. God’s Voice gives His children direction – when the believer doesn’t know what to do, when there’s confusion, God’s Voice is the safest & surest way out!
The One Who is the Most High sees clearer & better & knows all things, you can totally trust Him with your whole life

A man of God shared a testimony some time ago, though funny but it’s relevant here.

He was going for a programme & suddenly he drove into a gridlock, which of course, will make him get late to his programme, so he decided to follow(thinking & believing that taxi drivers know short cuts) a taxi driver who pulled into a side road to escape the traffic jam, & he followed him till the taxi driver drove into his compound.

Beloved, the safest person to travel with in all of the journey of life is the Owner & Giver of life!

Isaiah 30.20-21,29-30(KJV):

[20]”And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers“:


[21]”And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left”.

[29]”Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD, to the mighty One of Israel.

[30]And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones”.

When our ministry was to commence, it was by His glorious Voice.

Even when I thought I had prepared & set, His Voice told me three times not to move yet!

When it was His time for me to move, His Voice sounded again, & as I obeyed, things happened like automatic.

His Voice told me who to accommodate me temporarily & the precise location of the assignment!

At the time, my finances was so much that after paying the transport fare, I can’t do anything much again but alas, a dear sister who hadn’t communicated for a while called & do you know, asked a very funny question, “where are you, sir”, to which I replied her that I was on my way for the commencement of the ministry, & immediately, she transferred some money into my account!

Psalm 29.8(KJV):”The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh”.

In the wilderness, anywhere you look is like the way & if you’re not conversant with the route, you’ll have gone off tangent too long, thinking you’re on your path.

I’m sure you’ve heard & read the Scriptures in the book of Proverbs that there’s a way that seems right… but it’s the way of destruction & death – you won’t die prematurely & you won’t be destroyed, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

When you read the accounts of Paul the Apostle & Barnabbas in the book of Acts, from chapter thirteen, it was God’s Voice Who gave them directions for a most fruitful missionary journey.

I pray for you that one step to miss your mark, God’s Voice will sound for you & you will obey Him, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

3. God’s Voice gives supernatural strength for supernatural victory – Isaiah 30.31(KJV):

“For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod.

It’s God’s Voice Who stops the activities of your oppressors & terminates the sufferings of your life!

In 2 Kings 3.15-16,18-26, there’s the account of how by praise, God’s Voice came to Elisha, God’s prophet & the message of the Voice strengthened God’s people unto the battle that was against them, where they got the victory & gathered much blessings!

By the Word of God, I declare you strong & victorious in any battle that may come against you, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

Give Him your praise & He’ll give you His Voice & your life won’t ever remain the same!

PEACE!

JESUS IS LORD!

THE POWER OF PRAISE – 3

Better than good greetings, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

This post is the message of our Glory To Glory Word Hour on Thursday, at KDCG.

As you read, you’ll be changed from glory to glory, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

POWER OF PRAISE – 3

Acceptable Praise provokes the Voice of God, the Holy Spirit, Who does the following for the saints of God:

1. Breaks & scatters every hard thing that the powers of darkness want to use to introduce hardships against the saints – Psalm 29.5-6(KJV):

[5]”The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breakeththe cedars of Lebanon”.

[6]He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.

At the sound of the Voice of God, hardships turn to ease – Matthew 11.28-30(KJV):

[28]”Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”.

[29]”Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

[30]”For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light“.

Our Lord Jesus came to give ease where there is hardship & suffering!

2. Scatters every flames of fire that the powers of darkness have made against us for life to be unbearable – Psalm 29.7(KJV):

The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire“.

Our Father, by His Voice, the Holy Spirit, turns off every heat against us & makes us to enjoy sweatless triumphs all through.

I’m sure you still remember the story of Shedrach, Meshach & Abednego in the fiery furnace?

Our Lord Jesus was already waiting for them in the fire of the fiery furnace that was heated seven times more than normal & He divided, scattered the flames, such that not even the hair on their bodies was consumed, (& that should have been the first thing to burn) & no smell of fire was on them!

Glory! Halleluyah!

You may use your wild life science to explain that the lions were over fed at the time of Daniel but what physics do you want to suggest about the fire of the fiery furnace?

Haven’t you known that our Father dwells in an unapproachable light, & that He’s a consuming fire?

1 Timothy 6.16; Malachi 3.6.

He’s the consuming fire Who consumes every other fire set against us, so that we’re not consumed & do not suffer!

Beloved, fire pass fire!

Sometime ago, while still a federal civil officer in our dear nation, Nigeria, a colleague of mine in another city complained so bitterly about his Commanding Officer, to the point that he desired we swap stations, when I told him that no one can make life unbearable for me, rather there’ll be productivity & happiness, without compromise, by God’s grace!

As the Lord would have it, not too long, his boss was transferred to my station, & beloved, you know what, we had the best of times, both officially & personally, even when I resigned, he refused to send my letter to the headquarters for about six times, making appeals to me to get back!

Another time, still as a federal officer, there was the case of mistaken identity over an issue that took a national & international dimension, in which I was involved.

While in detention at the state police headquarters with some of my colleagues in a cell with alleged hardened criminals, the favour of our heavenly Father was so much on me that those alleged hardened criminals gave me alone special treatment.

Even the police officers too gave me preferential treatment by our heavenly Father’s favours, as they’ll not allow me to spend the night in the cell but with them at the counter.

On one of such nights, one of their superior officers came around & on demand, I was introduced as an officer from another department to which I promptly corrected.

Can you imagine that!

Just keep celebrating your heavenly Father & see how He turns every issue around in your favour, while Satan & his agents are biting their fingers, you’ll be just be laughing & enjoying promotions with blessings!

Or haven’t you read Psalm 128.1-2, about yourself?

[1]”(A Song of degrees.) Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways”.

[2]”For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

It’s time to hear His Voice, so that you’ll be happy & it’ll be well with you & be settled with heavenly difference!

Your mockers will either bow to celebrate you from now or they go into hiding at your appearance, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

Keep enjoying your better than good life, in Jesus’

most colourful name!

PEACE!

JESUS IS LORD!

Your Blessing Today…

Better than good greetings, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

I bring you the better than good news of the Kingdom today, in the conclusion of Thursday’s Your Blessing Today…

Why Do People, particularly Christians, Suffer?

From Scriptural expositions, it is clear that people suffer because of four main factors:

1. Sin, its consequences & unrepented sin – Proverbs 13.15(KJV):

That was the access Satan had against the children of Job, even though their dad was always sacrificing on their behalf but you see, people grow to the age when they are expected to accept responsibility.

Nevertheless, in our Lord Jesus, our good & wonderful heavenly Father has given us the room for repentance, so that we can obtain mercy & prosper in life, & also escape the sufferings & shame the enemy has programmed against us – 1 John 1.9; Proverbs 28.13.

Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.

Sin is transgressing, going against the law, set rules & constituted authority.

It is act of lawlessness, disorderliness, & as you know, pain, suffering is the natural consequence of disorder – 1 John 3.4(KJV):

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

1 John 3.4(Amplified version):

Everyone who commits (practices) sin is guilty of lawlessness; for [that is what] sin is, lawlessness (the breaking, violating of God ‘s law by transgression or neglect – being unrestrained and unregulated by His commands and His will)”.

1 Peter 2.20(Amplified version):

“[After all] what kind of glory [is there in it] if, when you do wrong and are punished for it, you take it patiently? But if you bear patiently with suffering [which results] when you do right and that is undeserved, it is acceptable and pleasing to God”.

2. Ignorance – Hosea 4.6(KJV):

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Hosea 4.6(New Living Translation):

My people are being destroyed

    because they don’t know me.

Since you priests refuse to know me,

    I refuse to recognize you as my priests.

Since you have forgotten the laws of your God,

    I will forget to bless your children.

Hosea 4.6(Message Bible):

My people are ruined

because they don’t know what’s right or true.

Because you’ve turned your back on knowledge,

I’ve turned my back on you priests.

Because you refuse to recognize the revelation of God,

I’m no longer recognizing your children”.

Job’s case was that of ignorance, thinking all the while that God was the source of his afflictions, not knowing that God was actually making His boast in Job to Satan.

If he had known that Satan was the author of that harassment, he would have revolted against him.

Blessed be our Father God, Who in His faithfulness restored him twice!

I heard someone say that if you think knowledge is expensive, then try ignorance.

You can’t use what you don’t know to your advantage!

John 8.32,36(KJV):

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

[36]”If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Time alone doesn’t get things better, it takes time working harmoniously with truth for things to get better!

3. Choice – Hebrews 11.35-38(KJV):

[35]”Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection”:

[36]”And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment”:

[37]”They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

[38](Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Some Christians chose to suffer, either for the sake of the choice & suffering, like Paul the Apostle, who believes that the balance of the sufferings of Christ must show in his life particularly to the Gentiles, to whom he was sent – Colossians 1.24; or they didn’t have adequate & sufficient faith to handle the situations.

4. When they’re punished wrongly – 1 Peter 2.20(KJV):

“For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

However, in spite of all the factors stated earlier, Christians aren’t to suffer in life!

For instance, Daniel, Shedrach, Meshach & Abednego are good & worthy references as noted in Daniel 3; & 6.

Nevertheless, in whatever state of suffering a christian may find himself/herself, there’s always the way out!

I love the way Apostle Peter puts it in 1 Peter 5.10(KJV):

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Beloved, did you see & read that?

“…after that ye have suffered a while,

The suffering isn’t meant to continue!

Every drug has export date set by the manufacturer.

The believer is permitted to determine when the suffering expires.

Scriptures say it is for “a while”.

The believer determines that “a while”!

In the case of Shedrach, Meshach & Abednego, it was instantly!

Our Lord Jesus was already waiting for them as they had rightly declared!

In the case of Daniel, it was just overnight!

I’m these two cases, no hurt was found on their bodies!

The manifest Presence of God in Christ Jesus & the angels were actually manifesting!

If it so happened to them in the old covenant, how much more those of us in the new covenant?

Our Lord Jesus, the Mediator of this new covenant gave us a perfect example to follow.

Until He had to go to the cross & be humiliated for Our sins & the consequences which He carried in His body & ultimately made Him to give up His spirit, He was unassailable always to Satan, his powers of darkness, their agents & evil works!

Well, of course, He suffered also through the mental agony of being rejected by His own.

Apart from these two aspects, there was no account of suffering against Him.

He never lacked, rather was providing for people.

He was never sick, rather was healing the sick.

He was never involved in any form of accident, rather He was always showing up to give deliverance.

Attempts were made to kill Him earlier than scheduled but they were all futile.

He was just in perfect control of life & He told us that as the Father has sent Him, so also has He sent us into this world – John 17.18; 20.21.

In fact, He specifically prayed that the Father shouldn’t take us out of this world but He should keep us from the evil in the world – John 17.15-16,20 – so that we can adequately & appropriately represent Him!

You’ll truly fulfil the Word of God & also your workmanship in Jesus, apace, with peace & ease, in a very grand style & colours, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

Beloved, you & I in Jesus don’t belong to this world, so we’re not to suffer what the world suffers rather as ambassadors of Christ, we’re to be inhibited & unhindered with our limitless ability in making this world a better place – 2 Corinthians 5.20; John 3.8;

Isaiah 9.7; & Acts 13.36.

Any area of life that the wicked one & his agents are attempting to force suffering on you, rise up in the Word by the helps of the Holy Spirit & search out the truth for the way out – 1 Corinthians 2.9-10; 2 Timothy 2.15.

Look at how Jesus did it – Hebrews 12.2, & follow His example.

Look at how Daniel, Shedrach, Meshach & Abednego did it & follow suit – Hebrews 6.12.

Pray in tongues over your discoveries & allow the Holy Spirit move you through & over those seemingly impossible circumstances – Habakkuk 3.17; 1 Corinthians 12.7-10.

As you pray for grace to take Scriptural steps out of those prisons of life, plead the blood of Jesus for your deliverance into the better than good life which Jesus came, suffered, died, rose up & went to the Father’s right side for you to enjoy – Hebrews 12.24; Revelation 12.11; Hebrews 6.9; Romans 8.32; Revelation 5.12; Hebrews 12.28.

Our God, our Lord Jesus, our Lord Holy Spirit have not changed but They change terrible situations to fantastic & glorious stories – Malachi 3.6; Hebrews 13.8; 9.14.

Don’t be complacent about it & be unwavering in your hot love & pursuit of our Father God & our LORD Jesus – Romans 8.37-39; Revelation 2.4-5.

Rise up & go out every day, focused on Jesus & your assignment in faith, love & hope, full of joy & gladness, knowing that the whole of heaven has mobilised on your behalf, already – Revelation 6.2; Psalm 27.1-3; Hebrews 13.5-6.

Don’t let your faith fail, build & strengthen it in the Word of God, praying in the Holy Ghost, getting testimonies of those who have Scriptural proofs – both in the Word & our contemporary days – Luke 22.31-32; Jude 1.20; Romans 8.26-29;

Keep your spirit & soul high in God’s love & your body & life will keep going up – Jude 1.20-21; Revelation 2.4-5; Matthew 22.37-40; John 14.21,23.

Oh, beloved, I’ve made up my mind, as I’ve seen in Scriptures & in the lives of those who have gone ahead of me, & as the Holy Spirit is lifting me on, that by His grace, I’m going to become who He has ordained me to be in Jesus without hurts Joel 2.7-11(KJV); Ephesians 2.10(Amplified version):

[7]”They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks”:

[8]”Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded”.

[9]”They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief”.

[10]”The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining”:

[11]”And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it”?

Ephesians 2.10(Amplified version):

“For we are God ‘s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]”.

The above is for each & every one of us in His body – Colossians 2.19(Amplified version):

“And not holding fast to the Head, from Whom the entire body, supplied and knit together by means of its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God”.

Beloved, you’ll grow with the growth that’s from God, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

Be BLESSED with better than good testimonies, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

PEACE!

JESUS IS LORD!

Your Blessing Today…

Better than good greetings, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

I believe you’re giving ALL your praise to our heavenly Father & I’m sure He’s raising you & changing your story into His glory, like never before, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

Today, I bring you the better than good news of the Kingdom.

Beloved, you & I now belong to our heavenly Father’s Kingdom in the power of His Christ – Revelation 12.10(Amplified version):

“Then I heard a strong (loud) voice in heaven, saying, Now it has come – the salvation and the power and the kingdom (the dominion, the reign) of our God, and the power (the sovereignty, the authority) of His Christ (the Messiah); for the accuser of our brethren, he who keeps bringing before our God charges against them day and night, has been cast out”!

Revelation 12.10(Living Bible):

10 “Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has happened at last! God’s salvation and the power and the rule, and the authority of his Christ are finally here; for the Accuser of our brothers has been thrown down from heaven onto earth–he accused them day and night before our God”.

Revelation 12.10(New Living Translation):

“Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God day and night”.

Revelation 12.10(New International version):

“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down”.

Revelation 12.10(Weymouth’s New Testament):

“Then I heard a loud voice speaking in Heaven. It said, “The salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God have now come, and the sovereignty of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren has been hurled down–he who, day after day and night after night, was wont to accuse them in the presence of God”.

Revelation 12.10(Wycliffe New Testament):

“And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is made health, and virtue, and kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before the sight of our God day and night”.

Just as you know, we are the beloved of the Father because we’re now in Him by Jesus – Ephesians 1.6(KJV):

“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Colossians 1.13(Weymouth’s New Testament):

“It is God who has delivered us out of the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us into the Kingdom of His dearly-loved Son”,…

In our Lord Jesus, we’re now individually who Jesus is to the Father, sons & daughters of LOVE…! Romans 8.29(KJV):

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Hebrews 2.10(KJV):

“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings”.

By reason of this new identity & citizenship, therefore Ephesians 2.19(KJV):

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;…, we are excluded from sufferings in life!

For a Christian to be suffering, experiencing pain in any area of life & to be proud of it or take it as what should happen makes the sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension & the mediatory role of Christ, now, on the Father’s right hand, to be in vain!

God forbid!

Salvation in Christ Jesus is to give us straight, inhibited access to our heavenly home after a very successful voyage here on the earth – John 3.8,16(KJV).

However, our goodly successful voyage here on the earth– suffering free, sorrow free, tears free, shame free, lack free, delays free, fear free, trouble free, hardship free, struggle free, sweat free, discouragement free is dependent wholly on how the Christian takes due advantage of the better things that salvation make available – Hebrews 6.9(KJV):

“But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak”.

Actually, the word “and” should have been translated “even” – Hebrews 6.9(NIV):


Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case–things that accompany salvation.

Hebrews 6.9(New Living Translation):

Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation.

Better things are to make life better here on the earth!

Better things are to replace in the believer’s life all the sufferings, shame, sorrow, struggles, sweat sin & sin’s effects that our Lord Jesus took away from us!

Now, these are not my words, as olusegun ONI, but the Words of our good & wonderful heavenly Father, as authored by His amazing & excelling Holy Spirit, our Comforter & Helper, individually & corporately, in the Body of Christ!

Now, look at this scenario, as captured by Scriptures, in 1 Peter 5.10(Amplified version):

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you“.

1 Peter 5.10(NLT):

“In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation”.

1 Peter 5.10(Message Bible):

The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good”.

1 Peter 5.10-11(Living Bible):

10 “After you have suffered a little while, our God, who is full of kindness through Christ, will give you his eternal glory. He personally will come and pick you up, and set you firmly in place, and make you stronger than ever”.

11 To him be all power over all things, forever and ever. Amen.

Beloved, that issue isn’t supposed to be there in the first place & even now that it’s there, it shouldn’t be for more than a while…!

By God’s grace, tomorrow, we’ll look at why the issue of suffering has stayed so & too long, & how to get it off your life…!

Be blessed with better than good testimonies, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

PEACE!

JESUS IS LORD!

THE POWER OF PRAISE – 2

Better than good greetings, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

I’m sure you’re happy to see the first Sunday of this new month of May.

May the blessings of May 2019 from our heavenly Father show in your entire life in multiplied forms, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

At KDCG, it was a most glorious time in the Lord’s Presence as we continued in our teaching series – The Power Of Praise!

THE POWER OF PRAISE – 2

Praise wards off evil spirits(that torment with fear of death & make people to do bad things that aren’t convenient – Hebrews 2.15[NLT]:

Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.

Romans 1.28[Weymouth’s New Testament translation]:

And just as they had refused to continue to have a full knowledge of God, so it was to utterly worthless minds that God gave them up, for them to do things which should not be done“).

When the child of God is in the habit of praising God acceptably, he or she doesn’t only carry divine Presence but also the Holy Spirit Who makes life comfortably blessed for the believer moves in to stop the activities of impostor evil spirits set to make life unbearable for the saints.

Scriptures in 1 Samuel 16.14-23, give us the account of how Saul, the first king of Israel was tormented by an evil spirit when he stopped following the Lord & the Spirit of God departed from him.

When his lieutenants noticed his incoherent & unusual behaviour, they advised him to allow them get someone who can skillfully play music for His refreshing, to which He consented & David was brought on the scene.

Each time the evil spirit begins to oppress Saul, moving him to misbehave, David will sing & play skillfully to the Lord & the evil spirit of course can’t stand successfully in God’s Presence just as our God Himself is too pure in His eyes to behold evil, & the evil spirit will leave Saul & he’ll be refreshed – Habakkuk 1.13(KJV):

Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he”?

Beloved, don’t think it’s normal, usual or okay when you notice some untoward behaviour about yourself or your spouse, children or someone else close to you – sexual orgies, masturbatuon, same sex feelings or acts, adultery, foul language, separation & divorce, indecent dressing & hairstyle, murder, thoughts of bad things happening, consumption of alcoholic & tobacco beverages & narcotics, stealing, street gang, even suicide attempts, etc –  it may be the activities of an unclean spirit trying to oppress such.

Don’t watch such behaviour, switch immediately into the Word of God, prophecies & high praise warfare!

There are some people, including christians, who’ll take a walk when there are issues with their spouses, coworkers & neighbours.

That may not be too bad, particularly if such step will avert violence but it’s not enough to separate in time, such time must be used wisely to engage in prayers, prophesying & praises, so that the impostor evil spirit will not take undue advantage to manipulate its unsuspecting victim, as the Spirit of God will raise a standard against the enemy! – Isaiah 59.19(KJV):

“So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him“.

Beloved, when you render acceptable praise to your heavenly Father, His Holy Spirit will check mate the powers of darkness & render their activities ineffective against you!

How Do You Render Acceptable Praise?

It’s good to understand that our lives are to be acceptable unto our heavenly Father in order to partake of the blessings & better things that accompany salvation – Hebrews 12.28(Good News Bible):

“Let us be thankful, then, because we receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let us be grateful and worship God in a way that will please him, with reverence and awe”;

Hebrews 12.28(Living Bible):

Since we have a Kingdom nothing can destroy, let us please God by serving him with thankful hearts and with holy fear and awe“.

Hebrews 12.28(KJV):

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear”:

1. Acceptable Praise must be in God’s Word – Psalm 56.4,10(KJV):

[4]In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

[10]In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.

In acceptable praise, you don’t sing about what is happening rather, you sing of your expectations according to His Word!

That’s the divine prescription to escape the programmed suffering of hell against you.

Look for & sing songs of praise loaded with faith & love – that’s praise warfare, the good fight of faith with the weapon of praise!

You’re not singing to Satan, you’re not singing against your neighbour who offended you, you’re not singing about the circumstances – to do those is to be beating the air, misplacing your priorities & fighting spiritual battles in the energy of the flesh, you’ll simply weary yourself & allow the powers of darkness to have the upper hand against you.

Acceptable  praise must be in the Word of God & His promises & the covenant!

This week, the Holy Spirit will usher you into realms of comforts you’ve not experienced before, with refreshing & happiness, in Jesus’ most colourful name!

PEACE!

JESUS IS LORD!