Glodet Missions

AUGUST 2011 MY MONTH OF DIVINE VISITATION

2011-08-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

AUGUST 2011
MY MONTH OF DIVINE VISITATION (JOHN 5)
August is the last month of a prophetic order because September marks the beginning of another prophetic order. The year can be divided into 3 prophetic orders of 4 months each. The 1Kings 18’s, 3 times’ outpouring of 4 buckets of water by Elijah before the great revolutional conflagration is an example of strategic division of 12 in 3 places of 4 settings. 3 is the number of God and 4 is the number of divine intervention and 12 the covenant number of divine government. August, as I said, marks the end of the second order and launches into the scene of the 3rd order. This month, this year is prophetically marked as our month of Divine VISITATION. There is a transformational visitation you will experience this year that will reposition you, balance the equation of your deliverance and dominion.
John chapter five is where the clue is to fully receive the declaration and prophetic budget of the month. August carries an unusual grace and anointing that stand to change the order of things and defy the formular of man under which you have been subjected for so long time. Your story is about to change because the commander has come with a command to compose a song of victory for you in the midst of tragedy. Your complain will change and you will now start to command situation and event around you.
A visit to a scene at Bethesda fully unveils the divine intent for God’s people this month. The setting, the situation, and the restoration seen on the scene and the right interpretation of all will unpack this month’s prophetic package into you revolutionally.
1. POOL OF FIVE PORCHES
By the sheep market by the northeast side of Jerusalem was a pool with five porches. This is the setting of this great visitation. Several people awaiting God’s visitation were here. The pool is a sign of centrality of the source of grace and the five porches the diversification of the manifestation of this united grace. The church of Christ is exposed to the given ministry of grace through the effectual ministry working of the FIVEFOLD ministry of the church. There is a reality of “Bethesda” in the church; there is a need to connect with the ministry gifts available in the assembly of the people of God. Your worships in the church this month will directly connect you with Him in a transformational manner.
2. MULTITUDE IN NEED OF A MIRACLE (Vs.3)
The description of the crow at this Bethesda pool is unequal in the whole of the scripture. The impotent, blind, halt, withered, but waiting crowds. What kept many of them alive was the spirit of expectation. Their horrible situations qualified them as specimens for divine visitation and miracle. You must keep faith alive because you shall be divinely visited this month.
3. SENT AT A SEASON TO STIR Vs.4)
By tradition, an angel is normally sent seasonally on an errand to stir the water for the release of grace for just a specific, fast person to be liberated. There shall be angelic visitation this month that will bring transformation to some individual. The visitation of the angel has its season. I decree that your own season shall be now. In every visitation, there is a demand placed on the recipient (host). In this case of the stirred pool, the demand was quick stepping in. The man in this discourse was trying to meet this demand for 38 years!
5. A CERTAIN MAN WITH A CERTAIN CASE (Vs.5)
Around the pool were several people with diverse issues and problems, but this man was singled out. The Lord will single you out for outstanding miracle this month. It does not matter for how long you have been there. This man was there for 38 years with just single chance per year, but with this radical visitation, the equation of the pool side and the man’s situation changed just in a moment.
6. I HAVE NO MAN (Vs. 7)
The sick man must be a very good historian or at least an eloquent narrator. The man was prepared to write a thesis on all of his attempts the past 38 years. The issue is that the narration does not answer the question nor solve the problem. The conclusion of the whole thesis according to this man was “I have nobody”. Where do you want your help to come from? It is not that you don’t have anybody but that you are not looking up to God for a miracle. When you look down you go down and when you look up you will go up and soar high on wings like eagle.
7. RISE AND CARRY WHAT IS CARRIYNG YOU!
What a command! Jesus ordered the man to get up and carry what has been holding him down the past 38years. This month you will also arise and carry what is holding you down. You have a charge to now take full charge – an expected change that can only come after a divinely orchestrated encounter and visitation. May you receive this in Jesus name.

NAVIGATING PRAYER
1 Thank you God for this gift of this month.
2 I connect myself with the release of grace in my church. I tap into all available anointing of the body ministry of my church.
3 Lord, let me be a target of divine visitation this month.
4 Step into my situation and affairs that I may experience transformation.
5 Single me out for special outstanding miracle this month.
6 This month, I will not complain but commend my situation.
7 I look up unto you and not any person, let help come to me from on high.
8 From today, I step up to take full charge and I refuse to be under any circumstance!

JULY 2011 MY MONTH OF EXPERIENCING JOY

2011-08-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

PROPHETIC VOICE: JULY, 2011
MY MONTH OF EXPERIENCING JOY
J
uly opens the prophetic curtain of the other half of the year 2011 and for the Saints, the month is marked with the manifestation of joyful celebrations. The people of God are destined to experience the unspeakable joy issued only by the Holy Spirit. Anything outside of the configuration of joy will never come near your dwelling. I have an assignment in this prophetic declaration as God’s servant to unleash on you, the gracious anointing that will make you continually flow in joy, jubilation and unequal celebrations. There are certain things you need to know so as to have and experience this joy I am talking about; joy that does not depend on the happenings.

Joy is an experience and expression of the soul. The “State” of your soul determines its situation and expression. If you have not encountered His salvation you cannot experience His joy. The experience of God is the basis for the experience of joy. You must therefore seek His salvation. This joy will also put you far ahead of those chasing you and it will deliver you from the plundering power of the enemies.

“And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD, it shall rejoice in His salvation. All my bones shall say LORD who is like You, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?” (Ps. 35: 9-10).

“You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hands are pleasures forevermore.” (Ps. 16:11) – Those who will enjoy joy must desperately seek His presence. Those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High are also those interested in following His direction. The only place to enjoy joy is God’s presence. The only pleasures that produce real joy is those that come from God’s hands. I decree that this month you will receive and enjoy divine pleasures all around.

“The humble also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel” (Isa. 29: 19 KJV).

“The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord…………………………….” (Isa.28:19 ESV).

One major prophetic key that will attach you with joy this month is humility or meekness. The heart of the humble will generate the oil of joy. Fresh joy is a progressive joy. Joy that increases is experienced only by those who live life humbly. May heaven connect you with the virtue of meekness so that the joy of the Lord may be your portion.

“Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him” (Ps. `16:5-6). This is a direct connection between “seeding/planting” and harvesting and between “sowing and joying”. The seasons of sowing provokes and enforces the experiencing of joy. This month, find a fertile soil to sow some seeds of help, gifts, counsel, encouragement, appreciation and support and watch to see the dividends as you reap the returns in over flowing joy. Those who want to experience joy must aggressively move through this month, sowing good seed in every available fertile land they can. God says I should tell you to sow into someone’s life this month and await the joyful harvest.

“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name” (Jeremiah 15: 16). This declaration of Jeremiah gives a powerful revelation about the concept of joy from the Lord. Jeremiah located God’s word. The word of the Lord must be seen as a treasure that must be sought for. When found, it must be consumed, digested, assimilated and properly used. God’s revelation contains divine joy and celebration. Provoke the release of joy into your life by becoming addicted to searching for the treasures of the word. Swallow the word so you can wallow in God’s given joy; the joy unspeakable. “And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them” (Neh. 8:`1). The understanding of every prophetic declaration will provoke into the full manifestation and outburst expression of unstoppable, contagious joy. Joy will cancel your sorrow this month, it will grip and strangulate to death all of your grief.

I see a cloud over, your head and the cloud will surely deliver its good contents. The down pour you are about to experience will give you reasons to continually celebrate. This month, you are destined to receive joy in its freshness and fullness. I say again that anything outside of the configuration of joy will never come near you. I release you into this month like Nehemiah to eat, drink, rejoice and send portions to others.

KEEP REJOICING AND JUBILATING!

NAVIGATING PRAYERS

 Thank you God for launching me into this month
 I connect myself, family, land and Church with the prophetic provision for the month
 I reject every agenda of hell for this month
 Lord, deliver me from those who are stronger than me and insulate me against plundering attacks
 I connect myself, family, Church, nation perpetually with your direction and enjoy the multifold blessings of your holy presence.
 I will live my life in your pleasure and enjoy my days with your divine provisions.
 I receive the holy virtue of meekness and humility even as I constantly enjoy refreshing and ever increasing joyfully re
 As I continue to sow this month so I continue to joyfully reap according to your order.
 Let me find your word this month and let it be the rejoicing of my soul.

CITATION ON REVD. OLADELE OLUSOLA KOLADE

2011-08-11T06:49:00.000-07:00

CITATION ON REVD KOLADE OLADELE OLUSOLA
Oladele Olusola Kolade was born to the family of Pa. Samson and late Dns. Odunola Kolade about four decades ago. His academic journey is as follows:
 L.A. Primary School Idi-Ope Oyo 1979 - 1985
 Oranyan Grammar School Oyo 1985 - 1989
 St. Andrew’s College of Education Oyo
(Now Emmanuel Alayande College of Education) 1990 - 1994 (NCE)
 International School of Christ Accra 1999
 Ghana Baptist Theological Seminary Kumasi Ghana
(Now Ghana Baptist University College) 2000 – 2004 (B.Th)
 University of Ghana Legon (Accra Ghana) 2002–2004(Dip. Theology
 School of Post Graduate Studies
Nigerian Defence Academy 2011 till date (MIASS)
He completed his theological training as the best undergraduate student with first class results both for G.B.T.S and the University of Ghana’s Diploma program. He demonstrated transformational leadership skills as a student body leader during his theological training years.
His rich spiritual experience began so early while he was in secondary school. He was used by God along side with few others to bring about a great revival at his school’s Christian students fellowship that helped nurture many great people of God serving in several places today. He was nurtured and exposed to ministry works through the ministries of First Baptist church Oyo, the End Time Army Ministries (then a non denominational Christian ministry of gifted youth) the GLODET mission.
He was actively involved in the revival that swept his home church (FBC Oyo) in the 80s and 90s through the bible study group of the church (the group that produced the current President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention; Revd Dr. Supo Ayokunle). His deep spiritual experience began in December 1987 when he had personal encounter with Christ and totally surrendered his life to him. He began itinerary teaching and evangelistic ministries in 1989.
Following specific divine direction, he founded the Aggressive Christian Corps Ministries (now Global Deliverance Team GLODET), a non denominational ministry dedicated to spiritual warfare and missions. Through this mission he was in Kaduna between 1996 and 1997 training people for spiritual warfare. Around this time he helped trained members of the Nigeria Military Christian Fellowship of the Kalanpazin Artillery Barracks Kakuri. He proceeded to Ghana on this same mission 2nd of December 1997 where he trained very many people from various denominations on the subject of spiritual warfare.
In Ghana, he became actively involved with his denominational church, the Baptist denomination. He served the Ghana Baptist Convention in the area of church planting and growth. He worked with Bethany Baptist Church Senchi Ghana and then pioneered the First Baptist Church Akosombo Ghana where he was from 1999 till December 2006. He returned to Nigeria in December 2006. He joined the ministries of the Barnawa Baptist Church on 1st September 2008 as the Church Pastor, the ministry position he continue in till date.
He is a renown expositor of the scripture and well sought after teacher and preacher. He is a gifted and prolific writer. Some of his publications include:
Manual on Spiritual warfare.
Strategic prophetic prayers.
How to pray through.
Beyond the letter.
About a stone cast.
Prayer campaign Against Witchcraft.
Johanine Epistle.
Awon Episteli Johannu.
Didache.
Introduction to Spiritual Warfare (At advance stage of publication).
He is the writer of the popular monthly Baptist Prophetic Voice, a publication of the Barnawa Baptist Church Kaduna. Apart from this, he is a strong advocate for a transformed Nigeria where there will be equity, accountability and socio-economic fairness and justice. He is a strong Pan-Africanist, a social and economic advocate of justice and transformation. He has been writing in the dailies and the internet. Much of his writings and researches can be accessed on his blog – www.delekolade.blogspot.com.
He is happily married to Omolara Atinuke nee Amusan and the marriage is blessed with 3 Kids: Favor, Mercy, and Faith. By his calling he is a Pastor, teacher and a prophet. Combined with his ministry exploits, he is equally undergoing a post graduate program with the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna (Master of International Affairs and Strategic Studies). Given his vast experience on cross-cultural mission and Spiritual Warfare, he has become a force to reckon with in the Christian faith community. He enjoys writing, driving, and teaching. He is currently the senior pastor of the Barnawa Church Kaduna.

ACHIEVING NIGERIA VISION 20 -20 -20, A NEED FOR A NEW ECONOMIC POLICY ORDER

2011-08-11T06:41:00.000-07:00

ACHIEVING NIGERIA’S VISION 20-2020, A NEED FOR A NEW ECONOMIC POLICY ORDER
By Rev. Kolade Oladele Olusola
Senior Pastor, Barnawa Baptist Church Kaduna
{postgraduate student of NDA Kaduna MIASS}

As a clergyman who is very much interested in the total “well being” and “being well” of my parishioners and my nation where God strategically positioned me, I watch with keen interest the very many “acrobatic economic policies” of the Nigerian government and the many oratory definitions of our economic challenges by the political and economic elites of my country. Sometimes I feel we are trying to profer answers to the questions we have not taken time to really understand. If Nigeria will truly become a major force to reckon with in terms of economic, social and political development in Africa, then we must go back to our drawing board to recheck the many economic and political issues we are trying to deal with. We need to be sincere and serious as we seek to solve our many economic woes and worries.
We need a radical shift from the rhetorical policy formulation to a more pragmatic policy order specifically designed to solve our economic problems and not the western tele-guided policy that will continue to make us junior partner in the global economic arrangement. We need to re-read our history using the African google, and then we can come up with African and Nigerian solution that will favour and address our economic needs and agenda. We need to learn some radical rudiments of economic growth that will localize globalization from emerging economies like Malaysia, India, China, South Korea, Singapore and the other emerging, fast developing nations.
When Obasanjo’s regime came up with the well articulated National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) in 2004, many people thought it was a brilliant policy idea to address economic, political and institutional issues. The plan was to create wealth, 7 million new jobs, alleviate poverty and eliminate corruption. By the end of his tenure it became crystal clear that the policy failed terribly in achieving its most basic objectives. Yar’Adua’s 7 point agenda which was anchored on vision 20:20:20 – the idea that Nigeria will be catapulted to become one of the top 20 economies of the world by 2020 – has failed. By the close of Yar’Adua’s era, it has also become crystal clear that the 7 point agenda was a mere rhetoric.
Nigeria urgently needs a comprehensive economic program with a very clear strategic focus and road map that will not blindly follow any ready made, westernly formed almighty formula that may further worsen the fragile economic situation we find ourselves now. There is a need for a new policy thrust. Whatsoever will be the policy idea and road map must also be properly co-ordinated and implemented.
We need a clear departure from the imperialist agenda we have been pursuing since independence. We must look within in developing the grassroot economy. We must sincerely target development of human and physical capital. Nigerian economy is largely one commodity export economy, a rentier approach to development that can never produce any lasting economic gain. The only thriving business in Nigeria as at today is “politics”. The capital flow direction is a “trickle down” system from the oil revenue instead of a “bubbling up” system that will empower the grassroot to generated wealth. We must define and adopt economic priorities and strategies in a manner that works for the majority of our citizens.
Those in charge of policy formulation and implementation must come to term with the reality and gravity of Nigeria’s problem so that they will take issues of economic emancipation of Nigeria serious. It is a known fact that:
1. About 60% of Nigerians live below $1 (N150) a day. This is the main reason for the many criminalities in the system. Some few people are eating to the point of vomiting while the larger majority is starving to death.
2. More than 6.9 million Nigerian children of primary school age are not in school. An uneducated mind is a potential danger to the society.
3. An estimated 800 Nigerian women die for every 100,000 live births.
4. About 200 out of every 1,000 Nigerian babies die before they are 5 years old.
5. Nigeria is losing about 350sq km to desert encroachment annually. With our gas reserve, no household in Nigeria should be using firewood or charcoal for cooking. The gas sector reform is tilted toward rhetoric and abysmal corruption. We also refuse to practically explore the technology of bio-gas.
We urgently need a policy shift that will increase social expenditure, inclusion of the poor in public budgeting, macroeconomic balance, effective resource utilization, strengthening of the public policy instruments that promote development and equality, radical reduction of recurrent expenditure, determined efforts at reviving non-oil sectors of the economy and accelerated industrialization. Infrastructures in Nigeria are in a serious state of decay. Investment and industry can not grow in an environment where basic infrastructures are not guaranteed. A nation of about 140 million people with the erratic power generation of less than 3,500 megawatt is only joking when talking of serious industrial revolution. Vision 20:20:20 can only be taken serious if government is practically serious about restoring infrastructures. We must equally create investment friendly climate through a combination of legal, tax and other measures that will encourage genuine investors especially the indigenous ones. Unless the current resource looting is stopped, and our resources are properly rechanneled towards real practical, evenly, distributed development, Nigerian economic situation may remain in that same coma. We must arise and together build a better Nigeria we can all be proud of! God is watching President Goodluck Jonathan to see if he will truly do what he was called by God to do. I pray he will be a true Goodluck to the drowning Nigeria Economic situation.

NIGERIA'S ECONOMIC EMANCIPATION, THE WAY FORWARD

2011-08-11T06:36:00.000-07:00

NIGERIA’S ECONOMIC EMANCIPATION, THE WAY FORWARD
That Nigeria is very strategic in God’s prophetic agenda for Africa and the World at large is a clear fact. Nigeria is a nation of destiny with the highest concentration of blacks. God has equally deposited enormous resources in Nigeria, an investment that must bring corresponding dividends. It is however, a tale of woes as we refuse to fully fulfill this great destiny. The economic situation of the country is a sorry case and this has produced very many other serious problems. I believe strongly that God has brought President Goodluck Jonathan on scene to fix the problems and set a new leadership paradigm that will reposition Nigeria in the new global order. I continue to see my President as the modern day Moses to lead the long awaited emancipation of this country as the nation is reformed and her history re-written. If President Goodluck Jonathan will not disappoint God like Saul, then he must be prepared to align himself with God as he assiduously work to tackle the following menace and change the current socio-political and economic equation of Nigeria.

1. Wealth Distribution: We do not need a seer to predict the danger inherent in a society that has the gap between the rich and the poor so vastly wide. The dangerous situation in Nigeria now is the gradual elimination of the social and economic middle class. It is either you are highly rich or you are poor. The situation keeps degenerating and the attendant frustration of the inability of the government to arrest the trend is the increase in criminality in the society. The economic situation of Nigeria now is “murdering”. The cost of a normal plate of food is averagely N200 and to eat three (3) square meal a day means an average person will spend N18, 000 a month on food alone. If government is struggling to pay N18, 000 minimum wages and it can afford to pay some few selected individuals more than 400 million naira per head in the same economic situation, then you can understand why it will be very difficult to curb criminality in our country. It is the contradictions in the system that is producing criminality. We need a new political and economic order that can expose the in-equities, unequal power relations, inequalities and hegemonic class relations that underpin conflict in the country. National wealth must be redistributed. Government cannot afford to pay terribly fat salaries to political officers when it cannot pay N18, 000 minimum wages which is even grossly inadequate. When we bridge the gap between the rich and the poor we will be addressing many other issues. President Jonathan must be sincere to work toward wealth re-distribution then he will have peace in governance.
2. Absurdity of one commodity Export economy: One other major distortion of our economy is the failure of the government to diversify the economy stay. After more than fifty (50) years of existence as a nation, we have not been able to develop the various facets of our economy. We still continue in the “rentier” economic style. Nigeria’s oil wealth and the revenue derived from the industry over the decades have not manifested in improved, corresponding infrastructural development, wealth generation, poverty reductions and appreciation in living
- 2 -
standard for majority of Nigerians. Other sectors of the economy have been neglected instead we have taken to “share-share” life, resulting in political instability and the horrendous level of corruption that is visible everywhere. The political and economic capitalist elites are bent on not allowing the oil revenue to be channeled toward holistic development of the various aspects of the economy but rather confine the wealth only within their enclaves. President Jonathan must rise up to the task of using the oil wealth for massive development of other sectors and a radical transformation of the nation’s infrastructure. It is a shame that South Africa deployed 5 billion dollars to generate additional 3,000 megawatts of electricity whereas after Nigeria spent more than $16billion over a period of about ten (10) years, our electricity generation rather dropped below 3,500 megawatt. Part of individual’s building project now is the sinking of boreholes because the State cannot adequately provide water for the citizen. Virtually every road you travel in Nigeria today is death traps, “pot holes” and “man holes” everywhere. V.I.O is checking vehicles for road worthiness but who is checking the State for the “driving or car worthiness” of the roads? After fifty (50) years, what can we say about the agricultural sector of the economy? What has happened to our cocoa, coffee and palm? Sometimes, I wish oil should stop flowing in Nigeria so that we can wake up from our economic coma or slumber.

President Jonathan must not disappoint God in revitalizing our country’s economy by coming up with a radical economic approach that will eradicate economic and political elites motivated by the terrible, desperate, greed-driven quest to corner oil wealth and rents only to their enclave. Jonathan must help build a new social pact with the people based on an emancipatory, transformative, and participatory developmental democracy.

3. Strangulating, global economic system: If Malaysia could do it, Asian power could achieve it, small Singapore nation succeeded in attaining breakthrough, then Nigeria under the leadership of Goodluck can equally attain it. If we don’t “localize globalization”, we may not be able to break even. I want to seriously beg President Jonathan not to fall victim to Bretton Wood Institutions’ diabolic economic template, the agenda of which will only favour the industrialized capitalist nations. We must come up with our own realistic economic policies that will help in industrializing our country instead of being the “junior partner” and supplier of raw materials and capital for the foreign countries. Why should we continue to export crude oil and agricultural raw produce and importing the finished products at very exorbitant prices? Some “local cartels” are bent on making Nigeria to continue to export crude oil and import petrol, kerosene, diesel and other oil products at unbelievable prices.

- 3 -
4. Dieing Education Sector: Nigeria economy is going down but the rate at which education is going down is faster than the general economic situation. The current situation of the nation’s education sector is terribly saddening. The corruption in the society has eaten very deep into the education sector. Learning from Ghana, when her economy was down in the 80s, education sector was not allowed to go down. It is very hard to get any WAEC/NECO Examination Centre where cheating is not the order of the day. The worst offenders are the unbridled private Secondary Schools where their owners in collaboration with the disappointing parents are bent on finding easy way avenue for the unserious students. Government should set up independent examination monitoring task force to randomly check exam centers to arrest the situation. Any school caught in any examination malpractices should be immediately closed down. Unless an independent task force, the education system is so corrupt that no rescue policy may succeed. In the gang-up against educational progress in our country, are the many elements in the Ministry of Education, WAEC and NECO and the dangerous greedy private school owners who are greed driven. These elements connive together, feeding corruption in the system and encouraging examination malpractices. The earlier government does something, the better. One major reason for the mass failure is the reliance of students on examination leakages. Our students will only seat up when they discover there is no room again for examination malpractices.

We also need to redefine our tertiary system to make its focus relevant to the current national needs. There is no serious link between our tertiary educational system and industrial/manufacturers world. We need a complete “reconfiguration” of the content of our tertiary education to make it relevant to our context.
Mr. President, heaven is counting on you to lead this new dispensation that will bring about radical emancipatory transformation and reposition Nigeria as a leading economy – a pacesetter for the whole of Africa. You can do it, we can do it!
Revd. ‘Dele Kolade
Senior Pastor, Barnawa Baptist Church,
P. O. Box 4337,
Barnawa, Kaduna.
E-mail: kolade2002@yahoo.com
www.delekolade.blogspot,com
The writer is also currently a Postgraduate Student of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna (Master in International
Affairs and Strategic Studies (MIASS).

PROPHETIC VOICE MAY 2011

2011-04-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

PROPHETIC VOICE: MAY, 2011

MY MONTH OF DIVINE MAGNANIMITY

May, the 5th month, is a month to experience the unspeakable gift of grace of God (II Cor. 9:15). Five is the number of grace and it depicts securing God’s power, providence and help. There is an overwhelming grace coming your way this month, that will reposition you into unusual greatness. The glory manifestation of last month is been consolidated by the magnanimity of God this month. I see an opened heaven over you, and the rain of divine supra-abundance of all that will make you become fully fulfilled. This month marks the beginning of the change of level because the zeal of the Lord will effect some positive changes in our lives. Our magnificent and magnanimous God is about to bring the rain of supra-abundant blessings that will change our story this month.

The story of the divine provision arrangement for Elijah in I Kings 17 is the key we need to experience the magnanimity of God this month. In tandem with the revelation in this text, you need:

1. RHEMA FROM GOD (17:2): In all encounters and experiences of Elijah, the common denominator of them all is the phrase “And the word of the Lord came unto him.” There is a specific word for a specific person to deal with a specific situation at a specific time. A revealed word from God will come to you this month that will bring a divinely desired change for you.
2. LOCATION OF DIVINE ALLOCATION (17:3): You need to understand that every divine allocation for you is in a specific location. This is so because God created place before He created people. God’s blessings for you is in a particular place. I decree by His anointing that this month you will locate your place of blessings.
3. AGENTS OF PROVISION (17:4): You need not rely only on your brain’s dictation and calculation because what God wants to do for you, your logic and brain can not fathom it. There are destiny partners ordained by God to satisfy you and answer your questions. In the season of dryness, far away in the wilderness, God reserved a brook for His Prophet. At a place where there was no man, God ordained and engaged the ravens to bring food for His Prophet. This month, you will locate your own brook. Those ordained to bring you divine supplies in surplus will locate you. Your destiny partners, all over, will come over to execute their God’s given assignment for you. Who can really discern that in the season of famine, a consistent spring can be found in the wilderness? Who can decipher and understand the divine dealings in ravens making food provision for a man, given the fact that the ravens are known for not caring for their own young ones? Not only that the ravens gave Elijah food but they also gave him very balanced diet (17:6).
4. TRANSITION TO HIGHER LEVEL (17:9): When it seems your supply is sort or stopped, it is only to allow for the introduction of the better one. Anything that leaves your life is to create space for something bigger and better to take over. The dried brook is a signal of transition to higher level. This month, you shall move from “cherith” to “Zarephath” where there is a better provision. There is a testimony you are about to have, the testimony of Gilgal.
“And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land: neither had the children of Israel manna any more, but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year” (Josh. 5:10-12).
I DECREE THAT THIS MONTH, YOU WILL EXPERIENCE THE DIVINE MAGNANIMITY

NAVIGATING PRAYERS

1. Lord, thank you for the gift of this month
2. I decree an opened heaven over me and my family
3. I receive God’s Rhema for me to prosper from this month
4. I command my legs to take me to the place of my divine allocation
5. I command all my destiny partners to locate me and fulfill their God’s given mandate for my life
6. I decree my transition to higher level of spiritual, material and financial breakthroughs.
7. I command my environment to work to my favour
8. I receive grace to disgrace my enemies
9. I receive my divine supply in surplus
10. I am keyed into the divine magnanimity perpetually

PROPHETIC VOICE MARCH 2011

2011-04-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

PROPHETIC VOICE: MARCH, 2011

MY MONTH OF MONUMENT – JOSHUA 3 & 4

T
his year is rolling out gradually and there is the panoramic unveiling and unfolding of the divine intent of the total package for this year, you will receive your own portion in full. The rain have started already, and it’s the combination of the earlier and the latter rain.

T
his month in God’s scheme of things is a month of monument, a month of memento and memorial. God has declared that you will experience the positively unusual and uncommon encounter of blessing that will be a memorial for ever. The blessings of this month are transgenerational. The scriptural imagery of the prophetic details you should expect this month is captured in the 3rd and the 4th chapters of the book of Joshua.

M
arch, 2011 is a month of transition and removal of reproach. It is a month determined by God to move you to the next level of glory manifestation. This month will leave a monumental mark in your life, a memorial of joy and fulfillment.

1. COMMANDED TO OBSERVE AND FOLLOW:(3:3-4) For three days, the officers of the people were busy preparing the people. The instruction was that the people should watch the Ark, the Priests and the Levites and follow after them. 2000 cubits space was to be between the people and the Ark so that they can clearly see the direction to follow. Whom and what you follow this month will determine the kind of transition you will experience.
2. COMMANDED TO BE SANCTIFIED: (3:5) The preparation of sanctification preceded the release of divine wonders. Your spiritual condition will determine your glory encounter. Divine wonders don’t manifest in a messy life or situation. Holiness will provoke heaven to work out your memorable transition to the next level.
3. COMMANDED TO KNOW GOD’S WORD:(3:9) Understanding of divine revelation is a prelude to experiencing divinely orchestrated emancipation and transformation. You need Rhema of God to enjoy wonders from God. From this month, you must commit yourself to the study and the revelation of the word of God. All God will do is in His word. His word is set to change your world. You must become addicted to the study of the word of God. Let this month mark the beginning of a positive change of attitude toward the word of God
4. COMMANDED TO BE FULLY REPRESENTED: (4:1-3) The instruction was that each tribe of Israel should be duly represented. Twelve(12) men were to stand for the twelve tribes of Israel and each should take a stone from under the feet of the Priest from Jordan. There are orders to follow and the orders are orderly arranged. One of the reasons why we don’t fully enjoy His blessings is because we don’t recognize order and authority as placed by God. You must follow those who stand before God on your behalf because they represent you before God.
5. COMMANDED TO SET A MEMORIAL ( 4:5-9). The twelve stones taken from Jordan were set up as memento and monument – a transgenerational testimony to the miracle of transition and removal of reproach. This month of March, you will experience a radical divine encounter that will be transgenerationally monumental.

I decree that you shall take a significant thing out of this month that will stand forever – as a memorial and memento of wonders. This month, you shall have a clean passage (4:1). At the end of this month, you shall land in “Gilgal” and your testimony shall be summarized as Joshua 5;9. “And the Lord said to Joshua, this day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day”.

PROPHETIC VOICE APRIL 2011

2011-04-20T12:36:00.000-07:00

PROPHETIC VOICE APRIL 2011
MY MONTH OF GLORIOUS MANIFESTATION ISA 60: 1-7, MATT 28: 1-10

This is April, the fourth month – the month of the “fourth dimension”. This month is prophetically declared the month of glorious manifestation. It is a month of motion in the positive direction and dimension. It is also the month of actualizations of the divine intent. The divine energy shall converge towards you to bring you into the limelight. Two passages of the scriptures will give us the prophetic navigating tools for the month and they are strategically taken from both testaments – Isaiah 60: 1-7 and Matthew 28:1-10

Isa 60: 1-7 presents the glory of the church in the abundant access of the gentiles. It is a very powerful prophetic passage in the Old Testament and it is a major key to unlocking the prophetic provision for this month. This passage expressly speaks to you in a direct, personal and powerful way. The imperatives and the deductive in the passages include the following:

1 ARISE AND SHINE – this is an imperative and not a suggestion. This month is a month of divine – human collaboration. To arise is to get up. You carry great and might divine potentials that can only manifest when you get up and get going. You must come out of your cocoon and hidden place and come out into the limelight. You are to display what you carry by shinning. “For the earnest expectations of the creatures is the manifestation of the sons of God” (Rom 8:19).

2 YOUR LIGHT AND YOUR GLORY – You are the light of the world. You are a light carrier because you carry the divine glory. You are a city that is set on a hill that cannot be hidden. Your glory shall beam out your light this month. The glory of God shall arise upon you. You must understand that your glory is (i) contagious because the gentile (those down) shall be positively affected, and it is attractive and magnetic because the Kings (those that are up) shall also come to its bright rising. It is also (ii) “converting”. It will convert enlargement, abundance, forces, provision, protection, trade gains, etc unto you.

Again is the great resurrection passage of Matthew in the New Testament Mt 28: 1-10 giving you clue to living and glorious manifestation this month.
The drama of resurrection is an affirmation of the authenticity of God’s authority over all things. The empty tomb is clear evidence that God is always in charge. Your connection with the risen Lord makes you the right recipient to the right to gloriously manifest this month.
No matter what you may be passing through, the severity of your situation or the definition of your problems, an encounter with the risen Lord is the answer to all seemingly unsolvable questions your problem may be posing. The Lord says I should tell the following divine truth as you get set for the glory manifestation this month:
 Matthew 28:1 – “In the end of the Sabbath…” Do you know that the season of silence and inward groaning will come to an end? Every Sabbath has an end. Your period of inactiveness, hibernation and frustration will give way for to divine encounter, demonstration and lifting. There is going to be a release (an order) from heaven for your release. The story of your life will change for the best and the dawn of the era of joy, victory and lifting is already by your door. A new day will come with new “doings”, for God is sending a force from heaven to enforce His counsel in your life.
 Matthew 28:2 – “Behold…the angel…rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it.” What the Lord is about to do in your life will be made visibly clear, a manifestation that every one can behold. God is launching you into a strategic realm of tangible manifestation. You are coming under the influence of divine favor and mercy. God’s grace will be seen in you. God is about to do a thing in your life that may not fit into the test tube of reason, actions that human vocabulary may not be able to fathom or define. There will be a shaking off, a rolling back for a going forth and a total destruction of every obstruction to your progress and fulfillment in life. Power will descend on you from the throne of God propelling you into the season of actualization of your dream and divine destiny. God will discharge you from all evil prison of limitation and failure and He will give you a prophetic charge from today to be in charge. From today, nothing can hold you back again from being fulfilled and gloriously manifesting.
 Matthew 28:5 – “…Fear not…” What a reassurance that all things are now settled! The pain is gone so the panic has vanished. Instead of being fearful you should be frenetic for all your flagitious enemies are silenced for ever. As a child of God you must not be diffident, you must know your position in Christ. The power of resurrection has positioned you in a place of perpetual victory. You must never be afraid again. There are 366 “fear not” in the Bible and they are meant for you each day of the year. It is well with your soul. Be launched into your season of fulfillment and victory from today! God has given you the right to manifest, and through the power of resurrection given a final blow to the devil regarding you and your destiny. You have a clear and unchallengeable mandate to pull off the darkness and gallantly match into your glory.

NAVIGATING PRAYERS
1) Lord I thank you for what you have done for me in the death and resurrection of Christ.
2) I connect myself to the power of resurrection now in Jesus name.
3) I confess that it is not over for my life, for I have a divine destiny to fulfill in Christ and a divine backing to accomplish it.
4) I destroy every insurrection of hell against my life in Jesus name.
5) I connect myself to all the divine decree for the saint in Christ Jesus.
6) I confess every detailed agent of darkness release to make sure I don’t fulfill my destiny to be destroyed in Jesus name.
7) Every evil throne and altar of darkness erected against me should be destroyed in Jesus name.
8) I command divine terror, dread and wrath to fall on all the enemies of my soul in Jesus name.
9) Lord, take full charge of my situation in Jesus name.
10) I receive the anointing to fully manifest in Jesus name.

PROPHETIC X-RAY 2011

2011-04-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

PROPHETIC X-RAY OF 2011

“But it was to us that God made known His secret by means of His Spirit. The spirit searches everything, even the hidden depths of God’s purposes” (I Cor. 2:10). There are things that are freely given to us by God and it is a great thing to know God’s mind and His agenda through the revelation and the illumination of His Spirit.

Numerically speaking, 2011 presents a numerical idea of extra or surplus. Strategically, 2011 stands out as a gateway, ushering us into the beginning of another decade. 2011 is a spiritual door into our superabundance provision and experience. In God’s agenda for the Saints in this year, there shall be great supplies in surplus. This year shall be a panoramic manifestation of abundance in all spheres of life. There shall be a connection and a spiritual link (navel) that shall catapult you suddenly into relevance, and bounty and booty. God is bringing the rain of surplus and supra-abundance.

The prophetic key for navigating the year into success is embedded in the prophetic and didactic declaration of Paul in II Cor. 9:8-15. “And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause. As the scripture says: “He gives generously to the needy, His kindness lasts for ever.” And God who supplies seed to sow and bread to eat, will also supply you with all the seed you need and will make it grow and produce a rich harvest from your generosity. He will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times, so that many will thank God for your gifts which they received from you…… And so, with deep affection they will pray for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown you. LET US THANK GOD FOR HIS PRICELESS GIFT” (GOOD NEWS).

It is the understanding of the revelation that you have as a result of the Spirit’s illumination that will bring the desired and expected manifestation of the provisions of that revelation. “2011 IS MY YEAR OF ABUNDANCE”. To access the provisions of this revelation, you must key into the provision of it as stated in the navigating passage above. Some prophetic elements in this passage that will open to you, the floodgates of abundance include the following faith facts:-

1) THE MYSTERY OF THE CONJUNCTIONS – In this navigating passage containing eight(8) verses, four(4) of the eight(8) verses begins with the conjunction “AND”. It is grammatically unusual that a sentence will begin with conjunction but this passage present a symmetrical prophetic arrangement of “ANDS” beginning four(4) of the eight(8) verses in a very strategic weaving. Conjunctions are indicators of connections and transitions. In this year, you will witness and experience God’s orchestrated and arranged connection that will enhance and effect your transition into supra-abundance. Heaven is set to link you with your destiny partners. Eight (8) is a covenant number when a covenant child is initiated into his/her divine destiny package. 4 is a number of the divine help and presence. As the three (3) Hebrew youths witnessed the manifestation of the “fourth dimension” in the burning bush resulting in the radical overturning of the law of nature to their favor – what seems too much and impossible will be enabled for you so that you can enjoy God’s abundance.

2) THE DIVINE ABILITY: Your attention is drawn to God’s capacity and ability to deliver to you your full destiny. Don’t rely on your “technocracy’, or ability – the supply is coming from the All Sufficient God who again gives grace to abound in abundance. There is going to be the direction of grace to abound in abundance towards you. This grace is coming towards you this year.

3) TWO DIMENSIONAL SUPPLIES: The Pauline declaration here is two dimensional. I consider this as the “upper and the
lower springs” of prosperity. There is the “Sufficiency” and the “Surplusity”. One is “self contained” and the other is
“Provocatively contagious”. The realm of abundance is far beyond sufficiency – what is coming to you and on you will affect you and everything about and around you positively and permanently. You shall move from lack to sufficiency and from sufficiency to surplusity – this is why this year is strategically panoramic.

4) PROVOKING THE SUPPLY OF SURPLUS BY SOWING: The prophetic key to experience this abundance is the recognition of the mystery of seed and sowing. For heaven to unleash surplus on you, you must become addicted to the prophetic principle of seed sowing.

As you connect into this revelation through the application of the understanding of these four(4) prophetic elements in this passage, you will experience 2011 AS “YOUR YEAR OF ABUNDANCE”.

PROPHETIC VOICE JANUARY 2011

2011-04-20T12:31:00.000-07:00

PROPHETIC VOICE (JANUARY, 2011)
PREPARATION FOR THE ABUNDANCE:
II CHRON.29:1-36

January is a very strategic month in the prophetic scheme of the year 2011. It is the standing we prophetically establish that will determine how far we shall journey into the provision of abundance that this year carries. As it has already been declared that 2011 shall be a year of our ABUNDANCE in order of the revelation in II Cor. 9:8. So, the revelation in II Chron. 29:1-36 gives us four(4) dimensional entry keys into that abundance. II Cor. 9:8-15 presents four(4) prophetic elements and so II Chron. 29: 1-36 equally presents four(4) prophetic preparatory keys that will help you access the abundance.

This month of January, we are following the prophetic instruction packaged in the Chronicle’s passage and the first sixteen(16) days of the first month shall be dedicated to our preparation for the flood of all-round divinely orchestrated abundance on our congregation. Even more than the visitation of God in the days of Hezekiah the King as chronicled in this passage, we shall witness a visitation that will leave us positively amazed and astonished. The four keys of our preparation as indicated in the passage (II Chron. 29: 1-36) include the following:-

1. SELECTIONS: You are God’s choice, and a creature of divine destiny. You need an awareness of your divine election in order to be rightly positioned for divine touch and also for divine function. That you crossed over to 2011 is an indication that you have something to experience from God and contribute to His Kingdom. The presentation of the selections in this passage is strategically panoramic. Hezekiah’s selection and prophetic function opens the narrative. The anointing must always flow from the head. Hezekiah reminded the spiritual head of their selection and function (II Chron. 29:11). Observe the order of the reason for the selection – To stand before God and then secondly, to serve Him. “Standing” precedes the service. You can not function rightly unless you are first fashioned rightly. Serving without rightly standing will only result in scattering.

The message of Hezekiah provoked the Levites and the Priest to arise (vs. 12). You can’t aspire if you are not inspired.

2. SANCTIFICATION/CONSECREATION: Sanctification began with revelation. You will contact a revolutionary and transformational revelation this month of January that will set you right to receive from God. Hezekiah connected with God. The Levitical Spiritual Conflagration began with fourteen (14) chosen men who succeeded in influencing the rest of the Levites. The priests by ordination proceeded into the innermost part of the temple for this great spiritual environmental sanitation. The Levites in agreement with the Priests carried the rubbish away for destruction. In that sanctification exercise, we see the complimentary functions of all involved. There cannot be a divine visitation unless consecration and sanctification comes first. Note that the sanctification involves the people, Altar and the showbread table. The sanctification that will last must draw you closer to the altar of prayer, service and searching of the scriptures.

3. SACRIFICES: This is a major element and principle necessary for you to enjoy the divine provisions this year. The concept of sacrifice is a recurrent idea and the constant denominator of what will key you into what God wants to do this year. Hezekiah led the train of those with various sacrificial offerings. The King in a representational manner presents four(4) different kinds of animals, seven(7) each for sacrifice The people also brought a total of three hundred and seventy(370) animals for temple sacrifice and three thousand, six hundred (3,600) sacrificial animal that can be eaten by the people. We must start this year by making a worthy sacrifice unto the Lord to open the floodgate of abundance unto us.

4. CELEBRATION: There is a call to worship and celebrate God’s goodness with all instruments of music (vs. 25-30). Praises will release the grace of abundance and favor on you in an unprecedented way. Jubilation and celebration in God’s presence is a major key that will attract abundance to you this year. Your testimony will be in tandem with that of Israel in the days of Hezekiah according to this passage that:
“The …… offerings were in abundance…… the service of the house of the Lord was set in order. And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.” (vs. 35-36).

PROPHETIC VOICE FEBRUARY 2011

2011-04-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

PROPHETIC VOICE: FEBRUARY, 2011

MY MONTH OF OUTRUNNING THE RIDERS – I KINGS 18: 41-46

The year 2011 is now unfolding, and what follows the January’s preparation is the great outpouring of the anointing that marks this year. This month of February ushers in the unmasking of the blessings of the year 2011, and it is the right time for you to fully key into the divine flood that is positively coming like divinely orchestrated tsunamis that will transit you into your glory.
This month, on your calendar is short by one day but anointing that this month carries is heavier than the number of days in it. There is a locomotive anointing coming upon you to accelerate you into your destiny. The prophetic navigating passage that will usher us into the provision of this season is I Kings 18: 41-46 “And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. So, Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees. And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh times, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel”.

A) CLEANSING, A PRELUDE TO YOUR CLEARANCE
The preceding verses narrate the encounter of Elijah with the Prophets of Baal of Mt. Carmel. The resultant conclusion of the defeat of the Baal Prophets was the mass massacre for the cleansing of the land. January was so declared as our Month of Preparation, a typology and replication of the Carmel’s Encounter. We have repaired the broken altar, regathered the people, reinitiated the spiritual exercises and received fresh fire. The capacity is already built for the special abilities to be received.

B) SILENT SOUND (VS. 41)
Faith separates “sight” from “vision”. It is possible to have sight but have no vision. The sound of the abundance that Elijah was talking about is not the one that can be decoded by human ear drum. When heaven rolls out abundant provision, it takes the ear of faith to hear its sound and the eyes of faith to connect with its vision. If you are truly connected with the “sound of abundance”, and you are in high expectation of what heaven holds, then you must demonstrate this in your:-
i) Uprising:- “Get thee up”. To enjoy what February holds, you must not be down casted but rather be ”Up”.
ii) Celebration:- “eat and drink”. Even with the draught at its peak and no physical sign of rain, the command to the King was to start to celebrate in anticipation of the rain of abundance. This month, if you want to have the rain of abundance and receive the overtaking anointing, you must begin to celebrate to provoke the release of the rain.

C) INCUMBATION CHAMBER:-
After the prophetic declaration of Elijah, he resigned to the Prayer Chamber to “brood”, incubate and provoke the release of the outpouring. See his desperation in his prayer posture – the face between the kneels. Your prayer desperation will provoke a great release for you this month.

D) CENSORING THE CLOUD:-
The command was given to the young Prophet in training to go censor the cloud by looking towards the sea. After the blasting, desperate prayer of the Prophet, the report from the sea was “no signal”. For the young Prophet to connect, he had to repeat the same class seven(7) times. The eventual result was weak pass, “let my people go certificate”. After seven(7) times, his report was the sight of a little cloud like a man’s hand. I decree sharpness of sight and full network for you to access your blessings of abundance. You have no need to rotate the same place for seven(7) times before you are connected. Be alive and alert for the rain is coming rushing towards you.

E) UNTO YOUR MARK, GET READY, AND RUN
You are taking a journey to Jezreel, for the rain of abundance is seen chasing you. The cloud over you is already heavy and black thick – The downpour will cause you uprising into fame and victory. The anointing was too much on Elijah, that when he got up he outran the Kind who was already ahead riding. The one with the outrunning anointing is the one ruling over the situation. I command the anointing to outrun the riders to come on you now!

PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS 2009 -2010

2011-04-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

BARNAWA BAPTIST CHURCH, KADUNA,
NO 1 BOTSWANA CRESCENT, BARNAWA
P.O. BOX 4337, KADUNA SOUTH.
Website : www.barnawabaptist.blogspot.com
E-Mail : barnawabaptist@yahoo.com
Tel: 08059426557/08036482211
EXPERIENCING DIVINE FAVOR
This month of February is a special month in God’s prophetic calendar for the saints, for in it there shall be an unusual manifestation of favor. It is therefore very important that you get connected with the anointing that is upon this month. Favor will bring you divine, friendly regard. Favor will situate you where you can enjoy divine support and supply. Through favor, God takes His children beyond themselves. What you cannot on your own, by yourself accomplish is enabled by the favor of God upon you.
There is an experience you will be having by the special prophetic encounter you will have this month which will cause great manifestation of positive elements in and around you. There are certain things ( elements ) that combined together to display favor. The scriptures gives the x – ray of the revelation and manifestation of divine favor. We are doing scriptural exploration of favor to cause a stir of its grace in our spirit man, for there is the “brooding” of favor already over this month.
1. Favor is a special divine design that will effect the defeat of your enemies. “ By this I know that you are well pleased with me, because my enemy does not triumph over me “. Ps 41: 11. One of the many manifestation of favor in the believer’s life is his victory over all his enemies. The favor of God this month will cause your enemies to come bending before you. The greatest and most dangerous group of enemies are the unfriendly friends ( Ps 41: 9 ), but favor with God will raise you up above and against them ( Ps 41:10 ).
2. Favor is a shield and spiritual covering for those connected to it. Ps. 5:12 “ For you, o lord, will bless the righteous, with favor you will surround him as with a shield”. One great dimension of favor is its protective power. Favor is a protection. This month, by the favor of God, you are insulated against attacks and misfortune because you are surrounded with favor as a shield. You are shielded against Satan and his cohort.
3. Favor brings promotion and significant exaltation. Your level will change when you are in contact with God’s favor. Heaven will shift you from the shadow and make you the champion. Your season of lifting is now, for you shall be greatly exalted. Ps 89:17 “ for you are the glory of their strength, and in your favor our horn is exalted.” Favor will fashion you for blessings and promotion. This season you are in, you shall be celebrated. I decree your “horn” to be greatly exalted in Jesus name.
4. What provoke favor into action is mercy and truth. If you don’t abide in the truth you can not be favored. Unless mercy is unleashed on you, favor will never manifest. Prov 3:3 – 4 says “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: Bind them about thy neck: write them upon the table of thine heart: so shall thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man”. Mercy has a reciprocating anointing. The mercy you show to others will provoke divine mercy to come upon you. The season you are now is the season you must show exceptional mercy to all people around you. If you embrace and release mercy, favor will embrace you.
5. Favor is produced by good understanding. It is the understanding you have that will give you a right standing before God and man. Knowledge is power, understanding is strength and wisdom is knowledge and understanding well applied. A man of understanding and wisdom will be greatly favored. In all your seeking this month, please seek understanding and wisdom for they shall produce favor for you. Prov. 13 :15 says “ Good understanding giveth favor: but the way of transgressors is hard”. This good understanding can also be translated “ good sense”. This kind of understanding comes through the impartation of the Holy Spirit. This month, the lord shall anoint you with good understanding that will give you a favored position both with God and men.
6. Favor brings peaceful refreshment. Heaven want to refresh your soul this month. The refreshment of God sooths and calms us like the dew upon the grass. Prov, 19:12 “The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favor is as dew upon the grass”. There is a special, divinely ordered soothing and refreshment that will come upon your life this month. I command the favor of God to come powerfully upon you like dew upon the grass. It shall come with cooling, soothing, calming and nourishment needed for your freshness and systematic, consistent growth in Jesus name.
7. Favor brings preference and connect helpful people with you. One of the marks of favor is that it will make you to be preferred to others. Favor will create space of honor for you anywhere you get to. Helpful people will be connected to you. It was favor that connected Esther with Mordecai. What existed between them was engineered by favor and not just family connection. Mordecai was moved by favor to promote, mentor and support Esther. This month, God will raise Mordecai kind of people for you to ensure you are fully fulfilled. Esther 2:15-17. “Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther Obtained favor in the sight of all them that looked upon her …. And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgin; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti”. I decree by the anointing of God, that this month, your turn shall come. I say it shall be your turn. With little that you have you shall be moved into unusual greatness. I decree that anyone that sees you will favor you. Your sight shall attract help and promotion. There shall be automation of success for you, for favor will embrace you. I decree by the anointing backing the revelation of this issue of the prophetic voice that YOU SHALL BE FAVORED ALL ROUND IN JESUS NAME!

REVIVAL IN THE BONE YARD (EZEKIEL 37)
Introduction:- Ezekiel, the priest - prophet in this chapter had a dramatic encounter with God, a record of which we want to carefully examine in the light of our contemporary situation. The chapter can be described as a prophetic excursion that reaffirms the fact that with God nothing is impossible and there is no right off or hopeless situation. As we wait on God for a radical revival, let’s be guided by the prophetic, panoramic principles set forth in this great chapter.
Discover to Recover:- Vs. 1 “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord …” The prophetic restoration in this chapter of the Bible begins with a revelation and that is the first principle to experiencing revival or a positive change in life. If a situation will change, the change will start with a new vision. Revelation precedes liberation and restoration. God gave Ezekiel a prophetic projection of the divine intension for the house of Israel. In life, if you don’t discover you can not recover. A true and holistic discovery must begin with epistemological humility, an admission of the fact that what you know is far less than what you don’t know. This vision shown to Ezekiel, I belief must be beyond his human imagination. There are so many things you don’t know about what you are going through unless God reveals them to you. As human being, you are limited to the existential realities around you but God can unveil the metaphysical truth that are beyond you to you. There are things you don’t know and you know that you don’t know them, but greater ignorance is in things you don’t know and you don’t even know that you don’t know them. You need a connection and prophetic excursion with the Holy Spirit like Ezekiel to be able to have a broader and clearer perspective of life. May the hands of the Lord rest on you today to take you beyond yourself.
From The Familiar to the Unfamiliar:- Vs. 1 “ … and carried me out … and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones.” There is no bigger obstacle to having revival or experiencing positive change than the problem of ‘sameness’ or indifference. Exposure brings expansion, so a man that is not positively exposed is caged. When you are exposed you will begin to appreciate new things but a man who have nothing new to appreciate will eventually depreciate. You must pray for a release from the cocoon of indifference you are into. Get familiar with the godly unfamiliar. The emphasis here is the ‘carried out’ of the prophet. Note the word ‘out’, it has a sense of beyond and newness. Ezekiel was taken from where he was to a new place he never dreamt of. God is intending to take you out of somewhere and put you down in a new setting. For your prophetic change to be translated to real testimony, you need a corresponding transition from where you are to where you ought to be.
The Site:- It will interest you to know that there is no way you can fully understand a situation if you don’t understand its attendant connection with its location. There is a connection between where you are and who you are. The description of the blessed man in Psalm one centers first on where he does not walk, stand, or sit - all describing location. You can not fully understand a situation when you do not first investigate the location. The first recorded question God ever asked man borders on location- ‘Adam where are you’. The setting of this vision is as important as the situation described in the revelation that ensued. It was a ‘valley’ setting. This, I must say does not surprise me because after all, God created the place before He created the people . I think David will have to be consulted to better understand the significance of being in a VALLEY. David , in Psalm 23 recounts his valley experience. I must also say that the situation at hand in Ezekiel vision is superlatively different from that of David in Psalm 23. David walked through the valley, but the bones in Ezekiel’s account describes those who could not walk through it. What David experienced or saw was a shadow of death but what Ezekiel saw was REAL DEATH and not a shadow. All the same David has helped us to discover that valley is a picture of danger and evil and this was where God led Ezekiel the prophet into. Where are you now? May be in the valley, but wait , all hope is not loss for there is hope even for the obituary .
The Situation:- Vs 2 “… there were many in the open valley; and lo, they were very dry” The emphasis here is on the population of those involved and the propensity of the problem at hand. Can you imagine seeing in a dream very many human dried bones, I guess you will simply force to wake up from such dream. What Ezekiel saw was terribly ugly, and from the human point of view HOPELESSNESS IN CAPITAL LETTERS. The valley was full of decayed, disintegrated, and widely dispersed human bones . When human dead body is left unburied in the open, the site of it must be terrible. The prophet was given a full picture of the valley by making him to move all around the place. There is a need for a clear understanding of what is going on before a solution can be sort for. A problem you do not understand well you can not deal well with. Someone said ‘Jesus is the answer’, and someone asked him ‘what is the question?’ The issue is that we seem to have many answers when we do not even understand the questions. Ezekiel had a clear picture of the situation. May the Lord open your eyes to understand the situation you are in, and may He empower you to deal with it with His anointing.
The questions:- Vs. 3 “… can these bones live? …” what a multi million Dollars’ question? The Immortal was asking the mortal if the rotten, stinking, disintegrated and widely dispersed human bones could come back to life. Ezekiel, I believe, was still grappling with the shock of the site when the unexpected question came. The question was too much for the prophet and his response was simply an expression of epistemological humility. Ezekiel’s response that only God knows is a recognition of God’s sovereignty and omnipotence. You need to allow God to take the lead and show the way.
The solution:-:- If you allow God to show the way, you will see tremendous and great results. We need to observe the process of the recovery and restoration in this passage.
 Divine – Human Collaboration:- We must not loose the sight of the fact that Ezekiel was divinely assigned a role in the process of the recovery. He was the mouth - piece of God who was doing the commanding. In this project of your total emancipation and full restoration, you have an active role to play. God has anointed you to take charge and to do exploit in life.
 Divine backing:- You must be aware than you are not going in your own strength or ability, there must be a divine decree backing you. Going all out without God will spell a doom but following divine order will bring victory and testimony. Ezekiel was acting on specific divine instructions. He was not speaking his own words but that which he received from God. You need a specific, divinely directed word and mandate from God on what you are currently going through. No one can decrease what God decrees.
 The Shakings, trembling, and rattling:- At the voice of the anointed man of God, there was an aggressive demonstration and reactions on the scattered bones. Sometimes when God set into our situation, there may be the initial shakings, trembling and the rattling. The shaking is for your making. It is a response to the order of restoration and not a signal of destruction. You need to differentiate the shakings engineered by God from the tearing organized by the devil.
 Bone to its bone:- The concept of ‘fitly joined together’ captured in Eph.4:16 can best be appreciated in the wonders of human skeleton. God brought bone to its bone in the process of restoration in this passage. Can you imagine if the bones were wrongly fitted, the site would have been very ugly . Many of us need a reordering of our lives because bones are not to the right bones in our lives. Some are suffering from what I call orderly disorder and they need an urgent reordering of their lives.
 Sinew, flesh, and skin:- As wonderful as the human skeleton is, without flesh it may be very frightening. The beauty of life is better seen through the addition of flesh and skin to the human body. You need the sinew, flesh and skin in your life. You need the beauty of the Lord in your life for you to attract success and breakthrough.
 Breath/spirit:- The peak of the dramatic, prophetic, spirito-surgical operation at this valley was the coming of the Spirit upon the fresh but lifeless bodies. No matter how fresh and well looking dead body may be, it is still as useless as rotten bone. What some of us need is the coming of the Spirit of God into our lives. It is one thing to be existing and another to be living, just as being well is not the same as well being. You must not just be existing, you must start living and fulfilling your destiny in Christ. You can only do this by the power of the Spirit. You can not stand up unless you are lifted up by the Spirit of God. What a great thing to discover that the once scattered, shattered, useless dried bones are now ‘A VAST AND EXCEEDING GREAT ARMY’!

PROPHETIC VOICE (JUNE 2009 ISSUE)
A GREAT PASSOVER ACTS 12
We are gloriously processing into one of the most prophetically significant months of the year 2009, the month of June. This month, in the Jewish Calendar is called Sivan (Est.8:9). It is a month of reversal of evil into glorious occupation and actualization of places and things that really matter. This month will mark the beginning of your radical, positive, emancipation from where you have been “Locked up”. All that belong to you for this year which are illegally confiscated and detained shall be released unto you, for a divine decree will cause the release. Acts chapter 12 is the best prophetic description of this month and this is what we are exploring.

HARRASSED AND HECKLED BY HEROD (VS. 1-4):- Trials are designed by the devil to make you tired and tumbled. Opposition usually arises to remove you from your position and disposes you. That you are heckled, harassed and scattered does not mean your hope is shattered. There are “Herods” on the way to your fulfillment who only live to please your enemies and who will want to proceed with greater havoc to finish you. After James was murdered, Peter was arrested and imprisoned without any trial. Sixteen (16), well-armed soldiers were detailed around him to make sure he does not escape death immediately after the Passover feast . There are forces around you trying to destroy your destiny but they shall never succeed in Jesus Name. I can’t imagine 16 soldiers around just one “Harmless man”. The magnitude of your foes is the first prophetic indication of your great destiny in life. That “Herods” are on your way does not mean that you are finished but the beginning of your greater glory.
PRAYER FOR PETER (VS. 5):- The only power that can negate and deflate your enemy’s plan against you is prayer. Intense intercession was made for Peter by the Church. Even when it seemed there was no result, the Church continued to pray for Peter. Your constancy in Prayer will determine your distance in life. Those who throw up and give up from the chamber of prayer can never completely get out of prison of life. This month must be your month of personal, constant supplications and intense intercession for others, for heavens will be moved into action by effectual fervent prayer of some people. You must touch and move heaven by your prayer this month.

BOUND BUT NOT BROKEN (VS. 6):- What an unusual confidence! Peter was not only imprisoned, he was surrounded also by 16 soldiers and double bound with chains. Because of one man (Peter), sixteen other men were forced into prison. In the midst of this great tension, Peter had no hypertension for his attention was on God who specializes in doing the unusual. I can not imagine someone determined by the enemy to be killed and surrounded by executioners but still fast asleep to an extent that the angel needed to “strike” him before he could wake up! What is causing you sleepless night? Why have you given all of your attention to your enemies? Inspite of your prison, the chains and your pains, your soul must find solace and rest in God. This month, you must let go all your tension and embrace the divine attention.

A STANDING BY, SHINING, STRIKING, AND SAYING (VS. 7):- There is a great revelation in that angelic manifestation and intervention. The prophetic fact in the passage is that, all along, Peter was not standing alone, God was with him. There is someone standing by you. This month, the presence of the Lord will powerfully minister to you. Inside the prison was darkness all around Peter but the light of God shone around him. Heaven will disperse your darkness with the glorious light of God’s presence. You will not die in that dark tunnel, for there shall be a positive turn around in your life.
The angel “struck” Peter to wake him up. God may sometimes want to “tap” you to wake you and make you. Some striking may be painful but it is for your greater gain. When God strikes to wake, it’s meant for your deliverance from the Sword of the enemies determined to slaughter you. Where Peter was imprisoned and chained, the “Rhema” from God came to him to release and resettle him. What will unchain you is the word of God (Rhema). This month of June, a word is divinely coming to you that will release, and increase you.

LIKE A DREAM (VS. 8-14):- Everything happened so fast and so dramatic that Peter could not bring himself to understand until after he was far away from his chain and prison. To Peter, all was like a dream. There is an uncommon and unusual testimony God is packaging for you for this month which will come to you like you are dreaming. I love the panoramic, systematic, emancipation of Peter and the strategic stepping into his victory and superlative testimony. He was commanded to:-
1. Arise quickly:- The commands came with urgency.

2. Gird yourself and tie your sandal:- The command required fervency

3. Put on your garment:- The command required sanctity.

4. Follow me:- The command is directional.
All the posts and even the iron gates, with ease opened by their accord. This month will be marked with ease to success and favor in superlative dimension. What you could not achieve since January will come to you with ease and the recitation of Peter in the verse 11 will be your testimony. This month, I decree by God’s word and unction that you shall PASSOVER INTO YOUR VICTORY, DELIVERANCE AND BLESSINGS.

PROPHETIC VOICE (AUGUST 2009)

We are entering into a great period and season as the door of August opens with its own prophetic significance. I warmly welcome all of the regular readers of this Baptist prophetic voice into this new prophetic exploration, August is a covenant month that will launch you into the treasures of this year, and the beginning of a radical, positive forward march into the occupation and realization of what truly belong to you.
August, which on the Jewish calendar is month Bul, is a strategic month of perfection of divine promises. There shall be in this month, the “finishing” and “completion” to details of the divine agenda for your life for this particular year.(I Kg. 6:38). Your matter is coming up to God for special attention, for what you have being waiting for, for long is going to be revealed and perfected.

Let me pause my pen and reiterate that for those who believe God’s prophet, they will receive the prophetic reward , for blessed is she/he who believed for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her/him from the Lord.(Lk.1:45).

In God’s prophetic theatre hall, August is X- rayed to be a month of strategic divine visitation. This month, you should expect a visitation from God that will bring your long awaited miracle. The prophetic, scriptural key to understanding the mind of God for this month is the scenario in Gen. Chapter 18.

THE VISITATION:- (Vs.1 ) precisely about 23 years after God first revealed Himself to father Abraham and entered into a contagious covenant of multiplicity with him, He again, in a grand style appeared to him at the exact point of the altar. He first reiterated His detailed plan of increase with him (Gen.13:18). Every divinely orchestrated transformation is first preceded by a definite and radical divine visitation. There shall be a visitation coming your way this month that will result in your complete emancipation and occupation of your divine placement in Christ.

THE LOCATION:- (Vs 1):- Why will God meet with Abraham at that terebinth tree in Hebron ?. The plain of Mamre is a place of the altar. One great opening of miracle is the strategic recognition of a place of the altar. Your service and sacrifices to God this month will bring you things that you are expecting for long. Your divine allocation is in a specific location, and the location for this month is the place of the altar. Connect yourself through service and sacrifice in the house of the Lord.

THE REALISATION:- Vs 2)- There shall be specific and strategic points and seasons this month when your miracle will be ripe for harvest. There shall be situations, occasions and opportunities that will present themselves unto you to tap into for supernatural release into your life. What is critically needed this month is sensitivity to the flow and direction of your miracle. Abraham by revelation knew that the passing visitors were not ordinary and by that singular realization tapped into the supernatural.

THE ACTION:- (Vs.2-8)- The atmosphere for miracle is mostly created by your action of faith. Your confession and actions will release your possession unto you. Notice all the actions of Abraham- he ran to meet them- he prayed (begged) them to stay a little with him – he fed them and gave them more than required – he hastened (vs 6), made ready quickly (vs.6), ran to get a calf (vs 7), hastened to dress it (vs 7). Heaven is waiting for your positive actions, and ministering to the saints to open unto your doors of the abundance. Your service this month must be marked with speed and precision.
THE REVELATION:- (Vs 9-15)- When the angels were refreshed, they in return ministered to Abraham. “Where is Sarah your wife?” God knows where your problems are. Service and sacrifice will make God touch your situation this month even before you ever ask. There is a Rhema coming your way this month that will cause you a BIG LAUGHTER. This is your season to laugh in unbelief for a suprasonic surprise is coming your way that will blow your imagination.

There is one strange things about this particular Abrahamic encounter; the three angels were originally going to Sodom and Gomorrah to destroy it, but the overtaking and double-crossing actions of Abraham drew out blessings from them. Out of the 3 angels going to destroy Sodom, I believe one returned with the case of Abraham, for it was 2 who eventually entered Sodom. Your positive actions of service and sacrifice to God and to His people this month will provoke heaven to unleash blessings upon you. I decree by this month’s prophetic anointing that your long awaited miracle surface in your life.

PROPHETIC VOICE (NOVEMBER 2009)
MY MONTH OF DIVINE AIDS

The end of a things is better than the beginning there of is a strong scriptural assertion. We are already in the order of the end as far as the year 2009 is concern. Heaven is set to offload the prophetic provisions of 2009 on all saints and this month shebat; the 11th month is the season to be connected into the heavenly aids that is soon coming upon the people of God. I can hear the sound of the wind which is bringing the rain.

This eleventh month is a month of agreement and connection that will culminate in receiving God’s ordered aids and rain. There is a prophetic key that will unlock these abundant treasures unto you from the octagonous vision of Prophet Zachariah. “ On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the Prophet:”

This prophetic encounter of Zechariah is all about the fact that God is about to aid the postexilic Israelite in restoring the temple and the cities. It is a strategic message of comfort, assurance and care to a people who have been waiting a long time for restoration and prosperity.

You need to key yourself into this eight dimensional vision of prophet Zechariah. I see heaven visiting you this month with an all round prophetic encounter. The visions of this prophet present you with 8 major areas you should expect divine aids this month.

1. Man and horses among the myrtle trees (1:8):- This description is in tandem with the message of 1:14, 16, 17 which echoes the strong divine readiness to show mercy to Jerusalem. You are bound to receive mercy of God this month. You shall be helped and comforted in this month of November.

2. Four horns and four craftsmen (1:18-20):- Is a Spiritual description of a physical situation of Judah. The principle is that the spiritual controls the physical. The spiritual forces scattering and worrying you shall be vanquished and destroyed this month (vs.21).

3. Man with the Measuring line(2:1):- Signifying the institution of protective wall of fire around you from this month (2:3-5). The Lord shall ensure your protection and shall be the glory in the midst of you.

4. Cleansing of Joshua (3:4) – As the high priest was purified, the Lord will visit you in holiness this month. He will flush out your faith and cover you with rich robe (vs.4). God is setting you apart for holy use.

5. Golden Lampstand and Olive trees (4:2-3):- There shall be an empowerment of the Holy Spirit in an unusual way this month. You shall be specially empowered for great exploit. Holy Spirit will give you special ability that will transcend your natural capacity. 4:6 says “… not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord of hosts”.

6. Flying Scroll (5:1):- There is a divine caution in the midst of the message of comfort and divine aids. There shall be a divine judgment on perjury and dishonesty. Who have stolen from you or from God shall be visited this month. Any attempt to cheat you shall be met with divine wrath and judgement this month.

7. Woman in the Basket (5:6-7):- This is a pictorial revelation of wickedness. Heaven will fight all forms of wickedness in your life this month shebat. I command all manifestation of wickedness in your life destroyed by Holy Ghost fire!

8. Four Chariots (6:1):- There shall be a divine global visitation of judgment. Nations and leaders practicing wickedness and dishonesty shall be visited this month.

As heaven bring aids and judgment, I decree by anointing that you shall be connected with the treasures of grace and aids that will bring you your long awaited supernatural blessings this month, the eleventh month!

PROPHETIC VOICE (DECEMBER, 2009)
DECEMBER, MY MONTH OF PROPHETIC IN-GATHERING.

The year 2009 is indeed a prophetically loaded year and as this year draws to an end, sees cloud gathering for a heavy down pour. There shall be a combined rain of both the earlier and the latter grace and anointing. Everything declared as your divine portion which is yet to be made manifest are warming up and rushing towards you like tsunami. There is an overtaking anointing coming towards your direction. This last month of the year is your month for the harvest, for nothing spoken into your life destined to produce fruit will go without fulfillment this year. December is heavily loaded and you need to begin to enlarge your territory and create more space for what is coming your way. This month of December shall be used by God to create the platform for 2010 prophetic visitation.

The prophetic provision for this month is better captured from 1Chronicle 12. This month, the “Davidic anointing” will locate everyone that is connected to the prophetic release of the year 2009. Heaven is making a move to celebrate you in a grand style and honor you with a position suitable for your great divine destiny.

1 Chronicle 12:1 “ Now these are they that come to David to Ziglag while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war”

1 Chronicle 12:22 “ For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God”

1 Chronicle 12: 38 “All these men of war that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king”

This month, as declared by God, is your month of convocation for coronation. There is an high and honored place of glory you are going to occupy and heaven is summoning men and women of rank around you to support and celebrate you as God did for David. There is a prophetic in-gathering from Ziglag (wilderness) and leading to Hebron, the place of coronation.

Where you are now is not where you are destined to finally be. Ziglag is a hide-out but heaven will move you to Hebron, a place of showing forth, a place of honor and recognition. David was hiding from Saul, the cloud around his reign and recognition. In his hide-out, heaven found him out and gathered around him knitted hearts ready to lay down their lives for the destiny of David to be fulfilled. David contingent are men of valor, skilled and trained for battle. They are ambidextrous men, ready to crush anything that may want to stand on their way to glory. It was a gathering of names and ranks from far and near.

One fascinating thing about the description is the fact that those afar provided troop more than those near like the Trans - Jordan tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh that provided 120,000 fighting men. In this month, helpers will come your way even from a far and they will help you beyond your imagination and dream. Of a special rank are the men of Issachar who are not just fighters but strategists. God will surround you with men of vision and direction.

The build up of the army in verse 22 is in geometric, panoramic progression. It was an ever-increasing help that kept expanding until it has an heavenly look. The description of its proportion is celestially captured to be like the host of God. December is your month of accumulative honor and help. This month, you shall be greatly celebrated. What started in the wilderness of Ziglag ended in the city of Hebron where David was coronate as the king over all Israel. Men that could keep rank gathered together with a knitted and perfect heart to celebrate David as king. The party of the coronation lasted for more than 72 hours. You shall be celebrated in a grand style this month of December, for God shall summon men and women of rank to help you and celebrate you. I see a gathering of support and help around you, building up panoramically and supra-geometrically until it become like the host of heaven.

PROPHETIC VOICE (JANUARY, 2010)
2010, MY YEAR OF GREATER GLORY
“The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace saith the Lord of hosts” Hag. 2:9
I want to warmly welcome you to the year 2010 which is a more loaded year compared to the previous one. This year 2010 marks the end of a prophetic dispensation and again introduces another. It is a transitional season that is divinely intended to connect the people of God with their GREATER GLORY. The prophetic provisions in this year are unprecedented in the package of any year in this decade. This is the end of the first decade in this very significant Millennium and the end of a thing must surely be better than the beginning thereof according to the scriptures. 2010 come with a DOUBLE PORTION anointing and grace.

The prophetic key to unlocking the divine provision of this year is clearly captured in the prophetic records of Haggai. Prophet Haggai was a pioneer prophet who first ministered to the exiles after they had returned to Palestine around 521 B.C. He ministered to a “directionless” and “dispirited” people to get up and get “doing” and “going” with the assurance of glory restoration. Haggai ministered for only 5 months (August to December of 520 B.C). Regarding the spiritual nature of 2010 and the divine agenda for the year, you need to have a clear understanding of the following revelations and prophetic admonitions:-

1. Haggai’s prophecy is dated around Darius, the Babylonian King who ordered the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple. EVERY INTERDICT THAT CONTRADICTS THE DIVINE PURPOSE FOR YOU SHALL BE FORCEFULLY REMOVED. There is going to be a move this year to effect your full restoration. God will surprise you by raising even those considered antagonist to help, promote, and celebrate you. Those who matters around you will attend speedily to your matter and enforce your full restoration to your place of glory and honor. Those you even consider “outcasts” shall join in ensuring your lifting and promotion.

2. There are double dimensional oppositions you are to fight this year to be able to get to that lofty position reserved for you. There are the external negative forces around that will not want you to fulfill your great destiny (Ezra 4:1-2) and the most terrible internal (personal) enemy- your egocentrism that will want to prevent you from arising into greater glory. The most serious of the destiny stopper we are to fight this year is our self centeredness (Hagg. 1:2-4).

The greatest key to our greater glory this year is our call to greater service. The instruction from God that will unleash blessings on us this year is like the prophetic order of Elijah to the Zarephath widow “….fear not…… make me thereof little cake first and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son” (I Kg. 17: 13). You must put God first in all your plans and agenda. You must give Him the best choice and supply. We must rally around all of the Church projects this year, contribute our best and give what we can really feel. Service and giving are the major keys that will bring us unto our GREATER GLORY.

3. This year must be your time to be determined to work with the Lord. “Yet now be strong, o Zerubbabel, o Joshua, son of Josedech , the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts:” The Hebrew word “Chazaq” translated “be strong” is a military word and it means to be obdurate or to be bound fast, hold fast or courageous. Courage is what is needed as you work and wait for the manifestation of His glory in your life. You need to be strong for there is no progression without aggression.

2010 is a year to be ready for work, for the Lord will stir up the spirit of His children to go and do His work (Hagg. 1:14).

4. 2010 is a year of major global divine shakings. “ For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nation shall come: and I will
fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts” Hagg. 2:6-7. This year will 0witness some political and economical shakings orchestrated by God. Certain divine interventions shall be seen that will effect restoration of glory in nations and kingdoms. There shall be some reordering that only God will effect. The shaking is intended to get rid of the shakable so that the unshakeable could stay (Heb. 12:27)

BY THIS TIME TOMMORROW (II KG 6: 24-27)

How can a horrible terrible negative situation be turned around to become positive and admirable one? What are some of the divine principles to turn our negative situation around for the best? We shall textually explore II kings 6 and 7 to identify the timeless radical revolutionary ideas that will help us unlock the hidden virtues and potential in us which can accelerate our breakthrough, and catapult us to the level God wants us to attain. We shall take a retrospective excursion to (Samaria) the capital of Israel in the days of Elisha the prophet and see how power of God can turn negative situation to positive one.

The Shakings are for your makings:- One of the problems we have is getting the right definition of our situation, and understanding what we are passing through. Sometimes we wrongly conclude that every negative situation we go through are meant for our destruction, but the truth of the matter is that some shakings are for our makings. Jesus’ comment on the man who was born blind, that his situation was meant to glorify God was not only a misnomer but also a big challenge to the popular world view of his day. Jesus is by this comment bringing a new perspective to the way we see situation and interpret events. Some seemingly negative situations are meant to accelerate our progress. Some of the challenges you are going through rather position you well to receive the supernatural touch of God. Your current problem makes you the right specimen for miracle. Let’s get down to Samaria to X-ray the situation and the intervention.

Besieged but not Deceased:- Samaria was besieged by the Syrian army, the resources from the outside seized, and the movement of the people curtailed. The intention of the enemy was not only to limit the people but to also psychologically suffocate them and reduce them to less than nothing. The Samaritans were surrounded but they never surrendered. You can not know all you are capable of doing until you are squeezed beyond your limit. Hunger and sufferings in Samaria revealed the cannibalism in some people, some mothers, in order to survive went as far as eating their own babies. It is problem that can separate disciples from the multitude. Values and morals are better revealed in problem situations.

Why this and why me?:- In the midst of problems, actions are taken and questions are asked. The questions of why becomes very prominent as people try to understand what is going on with them. One important thing about the Samaria situation is the fact that the problem was not linked to any particular sin of Israel. It was not that they sinned against the Lord that they were besieged. The question of sin is out. There are things you go through that are not as a result of some sins committed. It is good that we ask questions in our problem situation but is better we wait for divine answers to those questions also.

Intervention by Information:- If there will be a release there must first be a decree. Right information is a prelude to transformation. The first verse of the chapter seven introduces a radical transition by an authoritative declaration of the prophet. “Thus says the Lord” is the key to unlocking the transition and the transformation. It doesn’t matter what others says, including your reasoning, what matters most is what the Lord says. What you are saying, what friends are saying, what doctors and scientist are saying are only hypothesis, it’s only God who have the final say. What God says will surely stand, and no one can decrease what God decrees. We shall believe the report of the Lord and not the comments of men, for God watches over His words to fulfill them even to the punctuations. Divine submissions may sometimes not fit well into your human “logarithm” of doing things; it can simply blow up your mind. The unnamed prime minister of Samaria who disbelieved was cut off the provision of God because he ignorantly underestimated the divine ability. You can not figure out what God can do or limit Him based on your human understanding. He works beyond the locus of human reason.

Tomorrow by this time:- No matter the situation, if you are by God’s side, there will surely be a dawn of a new era, a new beginning and a turn of the tide. There will be a sanction from heaven, that your sorrow must end with an immediate effect. God gave a 24 hours ultimatum to the Samaria’s sorrow, and that settled it. Be rest assured, no matter how humanly absurd it may sound, God will not start a thing He has not finished. What is written in His word is settled and finished already, it is only left for you to proclaim and claim the provisions in His word. God is not limited by time or by space, but because we live in time and space, He has married His purpose with His time. To experience God, you must know Him, know His purpose, and understand His timing. You need to wait for Him for He will not tarry. Hasting brings wasting, but those who know their God will patiently wait on Him for He makes everything beautiful in His time.

Lepers by the Gate:- One of the things we do when we encounter difficulties is to compare and complain. We are tempted to think that we are going through the most difficult situation in the world, but the truth of the matter is that w are not alone; there are people with bigger trouble than we have. We have a lot to discover and learn from the situation and action of these 4 lepers by the gate of Samaria. There are some key things we must discover from the lepers before we can recover the divine supplies for us. Let’s examine them succinctly

 Their situation: We must first note that these lepers seems to be the most disadvantaged. They couldn’t stay in the city because they are socially unfit to even stay inside the besieged city. Their problems seem to appear in the capital letters. They are outcast, voiceless, and in human terms most hopeless.
 Their location:- The issue of location is of a great importance when it comes to receiving your divine allocation. Transition and transformation are relevantly related to locations. In human terms, the lepers were in a more dangerous location, given the fact that they were not within the security wall of the city. In reality, although they stand the danger of many things, they were closer to the blessings than those within the walled city. Strangely enough, the first hard lesson we have to learn here is that most of the things that keep us from God’s touch are things that we rather think secure us from danger. We are not yet ready for the divine move until we are ready to let go out “ self”, “shell” and “wall”. The confines must be removed to enjoy the divine. There is nothing more limiting than the self made wall we have constructed around our own selves. The threat of the enemies without is not as powerful as the wall we build around ourselves. Deliverance from self is more challenging than deliverance from demons. What you seriously need to urgently discover as an individual is the self made wall you have made around yourself . It may be an ideology or an habit that God will first want you released from.
 Their question:- The lepers engaged themselves in self interrogative conversation. They questioned themselves, their actions and values. The popular saying that an unevaluated life is not worth living is a strong assertion. You need to ask yourself questions about your values, position and actions. Sameness is a cancer that must be eradicated for progress to commence. Some of the problems we have are problems of the mind and perception. Some of us need a complete overhauling of our worldview, mind set, and perception. Why do we do what we do? Why are my not getting results? Instead of asking ourselves questions we are comfortable with shifting blame of our failure on others. Any time there is a problem we tend to immediately look without instead of first looking within. The lepers did well in that they were frank to challenge themselves instead of blaming others for their woes. Their question was not about the city that is closed against them or the army ahead of them but rather about their own action and position. Those who grumble only stumbles. You are your own biggest enemy, and not until you conquer yourself, you will not be able to move forward.
 Their Options:- Every day we make choices, and it is these choices we daily make that determine the direction and situation of our lives. The fact still remain that you choose what you become. Even when the beginning is rough, you can maintain the roughness or change the tide with your choices. You can choose to be a looser or choose to be a champion. The lepers had three options, to go back and force their way into the city and die of famine, to sit still and still die or to move on and either be killed by the Syrian army or be spared by them. Usually, in most situations, we are faced with similar options to move on, go back or do nothing. It will interest you that indecision is also a decision; it means you have chosen to sit still. When you withdraw into yourself the meaning is that you have gone back into the city where you stand the danger of being killed by famine. Some people, when they fall, they make their falling ground to become their burial ground, they throw up their hands and easily give up any attempt to get up and get going. Life is about challenges options and choices and it is your decision that determines your direction and condition in life.
 Their Action:- We sometime fail, not because of lack of dream or vision, but because of lack of action. It is not enough to wish or dream, it is necessary we take action when required. It is one thing to plan our work and another thing to work our plans. Large numbers of people are still where they are because they are living in the dream land and busy planning to be and to do without actually reaching out to work out their dream. Procrastination is a liability that disguises as an asset. It has been described as a thief of time but it is also a destroyer of vision and aspiration. It is a waster that must be fought with all whims. The lepers were not just day dreaming, but in a twilight, they really got up and practically went forward. There is an action the Lord wants you to take now and you must discover it NOW.
 Their Assumption was an illusion:- Do you know that most of what we are afraid of, in reality don’t even exist. What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of being afraid or trying out a new things? Do you know that those who are afraid of death are not qualified to live? What is stopping you from reaching forth is not in existence, it is a fiction and figment of mere imagination. The reason why you don’t know it does not exist is simply because you have not yet taken a step forward. Your fear will fizzle out as you reach out of your cocoon. Hear this, “And when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold there was no man there” What a great discovery to the lepers! Your fear do not exist, that is the reality, but it will take a walk of faith forward to discover this. You can not know until you move.
 The Divine Intervention:- It is most soothing to know at the time you feel lonely that afterwards you are not alone. Before you set off, the Lord has set in already. In this journey of life, you must know that you are not alone. Loneliness is not the same as aloneness. There is a power beyond you that is around you to both protect and fulfill you. The lepers were not alone, for the Lord had already fixed the problem before they reached the camp. What was the arrangement here? God made the Syrian go round, gather a lot of resources from nations around, and dump them at Israel’s door. When God sets into a negative situation, He turns it around for our positive promotion.
 The Lepers’ Propagation:- It is not enough to be blessed by God, the blessings must make you go beyond yourself. Life is what you can give and not just what you can grasp. You must be able to impact others with what you are given by the Lord. Abraham was blessed by the Lord and he also became a blessing to others. Have you ever thought of what you can also share that you are not sharing? You must proclaim what you have discovered, recovered and acquired for the benefit of the whole humanity. Not until you begin to proclaim and impact others you have not yet attained.

NAVIGATING PRAYERS.
Based on what you have learnt so far from the passage, navigate in prayers to appropriate divine touch and blessings with the following prayer points:

 Lord help me understand who I am and What I am going through currently.
 Help me see the positives in my negatives.
 Bring an end to my pain and sorrow.
 Speak into my situation oh Lord!
 Help me oh Lord to make right decision that will accelerate my breakthrough .
 Let all set backs of my life become set up for my greater breakthrough.
 Take me beyond myself and make me positively relevant to others.

PROPHETIC VOICE NOVEMBER 2010

2011-04-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

PROPHETIC VOICE NOV, 2010
MY MONTH OF OVERFLOWING ANOINTING/UNCTIONEach month of the year 2010 is unique because they each carry distinct grace and release. You are welcome into the eleventh month; the month “sebat”. This month is a month of open heaven, for there shall be a down pour and an outpouring of blessings. The “reserve” the heaven is holding shall be powerfully released upon the people of God.

Divine enablement shall be given to God’s people to attract the blessing package of greater glory. This is my month of anointing outpouring. The anointing that will be released shall operate multifacetly in a dramatic and supernatural manner that will make people around to connect with you for help and way out. God says He will cause you to experience the power and provision of His anointing in the following ways - :

 ANOINTING FOR RUNNING OVER – “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over” (Ps 23: 5). The Hebrew word “Dhasen” translated “anoint” here means to be fat, juicy, mighty and well fed. In the context of its usage it implies satisfying anointing. There is a prophetic package and presentation that will bring you overwhelming satisfaction. Your enemies will be awestricken as they witness your honor and satisfaction. Before them this month a table will be set before you and there shall be an outpouring that will result in overflowing and surplusity of divinely orchestrated, outstanding miracles and blessings. “Dhasen” is a harvesting anointing. You have a lot to harvest this month.
 ANOINTING FOR CLEARANCE AND EXALTATION – “But my horn you have exalted like a wild ox, I have been anointed with fresh oil” (Ps92:10). “Balal” in Hebrew is to overflow with oil. It has a sense of driving away birds of obstacles. You are liken to a “unicorn”, a horse like animal with a single straight horn with which he clears its ways. Nothing can stand in the way of the wild ox. You are accelerating into your exalted place of honor and blessing and any obstruction on your way shall be cleared off by the anointing. “Balal” is received by prayer and spiritual warfare.
 THE ANOINTING OF DIVINE ELECTION – “ I have found my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, with whom my hand shall be established; also my arm shall strengthen him, the enemy shall not outwit him nor the son of wickedness afflict him. I will beat down his foes before his face and plague those who hate him. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him, and in my name his horn shall be exalted. Also I will set his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers … His seed also I will make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven”. (Ps 89:20-21). The Hebrew word “Mashach” is used for anointing here. It means to rub with oil. This is a divine election anointing where an individual is singled out for an unusual blessing and covenant package. “Mashach” is received by cultivating right heart and character. This month you shall outwit your enemies and be connected with the anointing that will make you covenatedly and perpetually relevant.
 UNITING ANOINTING – “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the s blessing – life evermore” (Ps 133). In this sense, the anointing is used to lubricate. In the community of faith where you fellowship and worship, ensure it is friction free, and then the commanded blessing of God will flow on you. Tension in relationship in the church usually draws the divine attention away. Ensuring unity in the body of Christ is provoking heaven to unleash blessings in an unprecedented manner.
 ANOINTING FOR ACCEPTANCE & STRENGTH – “And of Asher he said, let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren and let him dip his foot in oil. Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days so shall thy strength be”. (Deut. 33: 24 – 25). When the “Asher’s anointing” come on you, so shall become favored, acceptable, productive and prolific. Supernatural ability shall be released on you. This month, you shall be acceptable for favor. This anointing is also a rejuvenating anointing. You will come stronger, fresher and better, no matter what you have gone through.
 ANOINTING FOR BREAKING YOKE – “ 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” (Isa 10 : 27). This month shall be marked with special grace to break off oppressive yokes dominating your life. In areas where there are limitations and frustrations as a result of demonic yoke, there shall be a release. Your yoke of debt and of sickness is breaking off by the reason of the anointing. Every demonic navel holding you is severed in Jesus name!
 ANOINTING FOR APPORTIONING – “… I have given thee… heave offering of all the hallowed things … by reason of the anointing and to thy sons … forever” (Num 18: 8). There is a definite prophetic provision for you and your descendant and it is by the reason of the anointing that you are connected with it. If you do not have the anointing life will be difficult because you will only be left with annoyance to operate with. What belongs to you will locate you this month by the anointing. I command God’s overflowing, all around anointing to come upon you now in Jesus name! You have a portion to possess in Christ and it is the anointing that will fully release you into it. I command the overflowing ANOINTING CONNECTED WITH THIS MONTH TO COME ON YOU NOW!

BUILDING HEALTHY CHURCH THROUGH HEALTHY LEADERSHIP

2011-04-20T12:02:00.000-07:00

BARNAWA BAPTIST CHURCH
P. O. BOX 4337, KADUNA
WORKERS’ RETREAT – 5TH FEBRUARY, 2011

THEME: BUILDING HEALTHY CHURCH THROUGH HEALTHY LEADERSHIP
Written by : REV’D ‘DELE KOLADE

INTRODUCTION:
We appreciate God for what He has done so far and for what He intends doing this year and beyond. The leadership’s challenge for this season borders on Critical Spiritual Check Up to ascertain our spiritual and leadership well being as we work towards developing our Church to be an holistically “sound” and healthy congregation God intends it to be. What are the “health indicators” that show our wellness? How do we enhance sound health and translate this to the spiritual nurturing atmosphere of the Church? How do we set leadership example for the rest of the congregation to pursue “wellness” and wholeness?

A. Who are we as a Church? The greatest problem one can have is identity problem. If you don’t really know yourself, then you will develop Identity Dysfunctional Syndrome (IDS) and Multifaceted Personality Malady (MPM). Our theology of sound health must therefore begin with the biology of our well being. Some of our health problems may therefore be as a result of our wrong understanding of who we are. Let’s go to the laboratory of the scripture for some basic “biological tests”.
i) “The called out” ekklesia (Rom.1: 1-6). Not of this world – John 17:14, separated from the world – 2 Cor. 6: 14-18; unspotted from the world – James 1:27; 2 Peter 1:4.
ii) “The called together” (Acts 2:44, Heb. 10:25). There is nothing like solitary saint. We are a worshipping and fellowshipping people.
iii) “The called forth” (John 20:21). This is demonstrated in the Church at Antioch (Acts 13: 2-4).
We must understand these basic truth about the nature and mission of the Church. If we operate only as “called out” and “called together”, then we will develop “Spiritual Plasmolysm” or ingrown disease. The Church of Christ that is ready to be called up is the one that first fulfill these three pre-conditions.
B. The Church’s Circulatory System: One of the greatest natural mechanisms of our body function is the circulatory system. The circulatory system essentially deals with three(3) functions – The supply of needed nutrients for development, the regulation of the body temperature and the elimination of waste and toxin. In the body life of the Church, it is the LOVE OF GOD which is shed abroad in our heart that controls the
circulatory system of the Church. When the circulatory system of love is functioning well, the health of the church will display three(3) distinctive features as captured in
Ephesians 4: 1-6 (Unity), 4: 7-11 (diversity) and 4: 12-16 (maturity).
We must note that Unity without Diversity becomes Uniformity and Uniformity is both boring and deadening. However, diversity without unity usually becomes anarchy (Judges 17:6, 21:25) and anarchy is destructive. Uniformity will produce a Church that is not changing and anarchy will produce a chameleon Church. The Scriptures enjoin diversity in unity and unity in diversity.
• The Church is an army fighting a common enemy and obeying a common
Commander (Eph. 6:10-20, 2 Tim. 2: 3-4)
• The Church is a Holy Temple and a Holy Priesthood, each stone in its
own special place, each Priest doing the work God assigned him
(I Peter 2:5-9)
MATURITY is what keeps unity and diversity in check and balance. Love displays maturity. How do you see the balancing work of maturity in the following Scriptural Texts:- I Cor. 13:11; 14:20; Eph. 4: 12-15; Eph. 4: 3; Rom. 14:19?
C. SOUND AND HEALTHY LEADERSHIP: For the Church to be healthy, the leadership must be healthy. As leaders and workers we must develop ourselves in a way that we can be healthy spiritually, emotionally and physically. To do this, we must understand the following:

- 2 -

a) THE CONTEXT OF OUR LEADERSHIP: In consonance with the topic, building healthy church through healthy leadership we must first be aware that the leadership we are talking about has its own context and this context has its own dynamics. The kind of leadership we are talking about is the one mirroring God’s Kingdom (Mt. 20: 25-28; 23:11; Mk. 9:35; 10:43; Lk. 22:26; 1 Pet. 5:3). We have a “dual citizenship and this explains the context of our ministry and leadership. We must however, know that the spiritual/heavenly supersedes that of the earth. (Phil. 3: 20, Eph. 2: 6 & 19).
b) CONCERNS OF OUR LEADERSHIP: We must understand the focus of our leadership and ministry within the framework of our Kingdom provision. Apart from the concerns defined by our context, let us observe some other concerns from some few textual analysis:
i) Markan’s Concern - MK. 3:13-15 – ‘being not doing’
ii) Philipian’s Concern - Phil. 2:2, 1:20 - Right motive – To please Him
iii) Matthew’s Concern - Mt. 20 :26-28 - Service
iv) Corinthian’s Concerns - II Cor. 6: 3-10 - Approving Ourselves
II Cor. 4: 8-10 - “Living out Christ”
I Cor. 4: 1-2 - Faithfulness
c) CONCEPTS OF OUR LEADERSHIP: If our Kingdom leadership will truly make us agents of positive change, then we must observe certain concepts represented and presented in Christ’s Ministry. Our “function” must follow “form”. The best form that can bring the best formation is that, that is seen in Christ.
i) Incarnational - Phil. 2:7
ii) Relational - Phil. 2: 2-4
iii) Transformational - Rom. 12:2
iv) Motivational - Mt. 14: 26-33
iv) Delegational - Lk. 10: 1-12; Mt. 4:19; Jn. 4:2
d) THE CHALLENGES OF OUR LEADERSHIP: We must not loose sight of the truth that as Kingdom leaders, we have hurdles and obstacles to overcome. Clear understanding of those obstacles and challenges will give us the right standing to overcome them. Some of the challenges include:
a. The challenge of “dualism”
b. The challenge of identity (Ex. 3:11, 13; 4:1; 4:10)
c. The challenge of Ahimaaz/Content (II Sam. 18: 19-32)
d. The challenge of timing & clarity and communication (Hab. 2: 1-3)
e. The challenge of consistency (Acts 26: 20-22)
We must equally understand the following power description:
i) The Power of Context – “In the Church”. Eph. 5: 22-23; Acts 20:17
ii) The Power of Responsibility - “Under the Church”. Heb. 13:17; Acts 20:25-31
iii) The Power of Community - “Through the Church”. Acts 11:25-26; 2 Tim.2:2
iv) The Power of Partnership - “Among the Churches” Acts 11: 22-24
v) The Power of Mission - “For the Church” Acts 13:1-5; 14:21-28.
ALL MEMBERS: - The Church of Christ is not just a human organization but a Spiritual Organism. For the Church to be healthy, the concept of the body life must be understood by all members of the Church (Roman 12; I Cor. 12-14; Eph. 4). Each member of the Church must release his/her own supply for the healthy growth of the Church. We must each therefore seek for healthy growth of our lives taking note of what Scriptures declare using the body symbol.
i) Head - Ps. 133; I Cor. 11:3
ii) Mind - Rom. 8:6; II Cor. 10:5; Col. 3:16; Lk. 24:45; Rom. 12:2
iii) Eyes - I Peter 5:8; Eph. 1:17-18, II Kings 6: 17
iv) Ears - Rom. 10:17; Psalm 78:1; Deut. 4:36
v) Nose - II Cor. 2:15
vi) Mouth - Psalm 141:3; Acts 4:29; Eph. 4:29
vii) Bones - Isa. 58:11
viii) Heart - Ezek. 36: 26-27
ix) Arm - Jer. 17: 5-7; Isa. 33:2
x) Hands - Exo. 17: 11-13
xi) Legs - II Cor. 5:7; Josh. 1:3; Psalm 37:23; I John 1:7

FOUNDATION OF MINISTRY

2011-04-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

FOUNDATION OF MINISTRY
(A paper presented by Dele Kolade at the ministers’ training workshop of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Kakuri, Kaduna 30-01-10)

INTRODUCTION

T
he Issue of foundation is paramount and fundamental to everything. The strength, agility, capability and durability of any structure largely depend on the nature of its foundation. To Christian calling and ministry, the issue of foundation becomes more important because ministry borders on matters of eternity that can not be experimented upon of any malady anyone can talk about, the scriptural malady is the worst and the main offender (culprit) in the matter of spiritual malady is the minister who has a faulty Foundation or who is theologically bankrupt.

Calling to ministry is sacred and the work of the ministry must equally follow the divine pattern. FUNCTION MUST FOLLOW FORM (Ex.25: 40, 26: 30, 27:8, Num.8:4, I Chro. 28:12, 19; Acts. 7:44, Heb. 8:5). The one who calls is the one who holds the compass and the holder of the compass determines the circumference (I Jn. 15:16). The issue of ministry foundation in this paper presentation shall be looked at from 3 main angles or perspectives:

 THE MAN THAT IS CALLED (MINISTER)`
 THE MESSAGE (MINISTRY)
 THE METHODS/MEANS AVAILABLE

We must also define our confines, in that this paper is not sufficient enough to exhaustively deal with every issue of ministry foundation. The issues considered most crucial shall be dealt with within the confines of time and writings.

THE MAN THAT IS CALLED (MINISTER)

The gospel project is a divine - human collaboration. Right from the beginning, God enlisted man on the on-going redemptive project. We are co-laborers together with God. The person of the preacher or the Pastor can not be separated from his preaching; the man can not be separated from his message. You must have clear understanding of what it takes for anyone to be called or be used in Christian ministry. Let’s examine some persons from the scriptures used by God in special ways.

(A) ELISHA’S MODEL: - I Kg 19: 16-21
“Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as King over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place ----
-so he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him ----
Then he arose and followed Elijah and became his servant”. In this text, relaying the call of Elisha the prophet, these basic facts must be understood about the person called by God for divine assignment.
(1) Mediocre are not called to Ministry: - Ministry is not a cheap means of meeting personal needs. Lazy man can not stand the task of ministry. Idle hands can’t handle gospel project. Elisha was located on the field, incredibly driving twelve yoke of oxen all alone. Amos was called while following the flock (Amos 7:14-15). A man called by God into the ministry must first stand out as a good steward of whatsoever he was doing.

(2) Those called by God must re order their preference. Your ultimate must be God. If you don’t take the ministry above every other things you are not yet ready to take off (I Kg. 19:20-21).

(3) By human standard those called by God may not be the most qualified. They may be unlearned and ignorant but teachable (Acts 4:13)

(4) A man called by God must have “Spiritual genetical connection (I Kg. 19:21). He must be ready to be mentored. Ministry is all about serving and the best way to be enlisted is Spiritual apprentiship.

(B) MESSIANIC CRITERIA
In the call and commissioning of the disciples in Mark 3:13-15 are some facts to know “And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons”
(1) The place of the call in this text attracts attention. Why go up the mountain top? It is the mountain top that separate the minister from the multitude. In Matthew 5:1, when Jesus saw the multitude, he went up to the mountain and only the disciples joined him there. In Moses’ day, only him could climb to the highest point of the mountain, the multitude were never allowed. A man that will be used must be prepared to go extra miles especially on spiritual formation and exercises. There is the “mountain” experience for every minister that wants to make it in ministry.
(2) On the wanted list! Not every one can hit or enter the wanted list of God. God is in search for the hot cakes! Ministry is not about those people want to be there or those with mere personal ambition to gratify, but men and woman on the divine wanted list! The idea of divine election must be understood. The Gennesaret Lake’s ministration in Mk 5 may help us grasp this concept.

(3) “And they came to Him” – Ministry begins with submission and not cohesion. There must be the willingness to surrender and come to.

(4) “That they might be with Him” – Ministry is not about “doing” but rather about “being.” Ministry flows from relationship. God is looking for participation and not just production. The bane of the matter is the persons who want to work for God and not with God, who want to go out for Him but does not want to be with Him.

(5) “And to Have power”- The minister that will make impact must be the one endued with power from on High. Ministry is not a display of intellectualism or presentation of oratory but demonstration of power. The Church forward match move began after the 120 disciple encountered the power from on high.

(C) MOSES’ MODEL . (EX.3: 1-4: 23)
“Now Moses tending the flock of Jelno his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb the mountain of God. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked and behold ---- said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the bush does not burn” ---- But Moses said to God, “who am I that I should go to Pharaoh ---- what shall I say to them? --- But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say the Lord has not appeared to you. ---
- O my Lord, I am not eloquent, --- I am slow of speech and slow of tongue ------“

I strongly think Moses represent a lot of people. From the scene of the call of Moses we can say that:
(1) Moses’ shepherding in the desert enriched his resume to lead the people through the same path to Canaan. In leadership, it is required that the leader must be familiar with the terrain and be a head of those he leads.
(2) The sense of wonder like that displayed by children is needed in ministry. Our sense of wonder is needed to help us respond to the divine promptings. Openness is a major key to experiencing divine presence and recognition of godly summon.
(3) A minister that will serve God and do exploit must not have identity crisis. The issue of the understanding of who you are is fundamental to the ministry you are called into. Anyone suffering from split personality cannot lead in ministry. Your understanding of your destiny is the major navigating tool to locate your destination in Christ.
(4) Who sent you? (Ex. 3:13) – It is required that you have in-depth understanding and knowledge of who is sending. It is only those who know their God that will do exploits.
(5) Presuppositions- (Ex. 4:1) one of the greatest challenges that could face the minister is presupposition or stronghold of imagination. God can not be caged in the box of our reasoning.

THE MESSAGE

We live in the time and season when there are many messengers but without any message. Like in the days of Samuel and Elijah there is a serious famine of the true word of God. True message is still in short supply.

(1) AHIMAAZ’S SPIRIT (2 Sam. 18: 19-32)
The story in the above passage is one of the most ministerially interesting stories of the Old Testament that must be read and understood by anyone in Ministry. It is litmus to ascertain where we stand as far as the ministry project is concerned. It is about two messengers on an errand to David; Ahimaaz the son of Zadok and a Cushite whose identity was not well defined. The narrative began with Ahimaaz, a self styled, self appointed, desperate messenger. He was prepared to relay a message he does not know.

 Although advised to wait till an appropriate time, he was ready to go all out even when he knew he had no knowledge of the errand. (vs.22). He was ready to dare the consequences.

 He “outsmarts” the true messenger in that he knew the way of the plain where he had no need of climbing or detouring. He knew the short cuts.
 He was so popular that he was sighted a far off by the King’s men. Vs. 27.
 His message had no content, It was a wind without water (vs.29)

On the other hand, the true messenger, the Cushite was:
 Truly appointed to bear the tiding
 Was not too desperate but calm and collected.
 Want the normal route and never used any short cut.
 Was not popular in that the King’s men could not identify his real identity
 He went straight to the point since his message has real content.

(2) HABAKKUK’S APPROACH (Hab. 2:1-3) “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the Lord answered me, and said, write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry”
This prophetic declaration is a classical one and it gives a clear direction to how ministry pursuit should be approached.

 PROPHETIC BROODING – The message of the minister will only have effect when it is first brooded upon. You must learn to set a watch to wait upon the Lord for the declaration of your vision. You can not proclaim what He has not acclaimed, and affirmed.
 PROPHETIC COMMUNICATION – a vision that is well communicated will be well participated. Writing of the vision is a way of communicating the vision. It must be on what can last. The message must equally be made clear for those that will read to understand to run. A vision that will be contagious must be clear.
 PROPHETIC MATURATION – There is also the need for the message to be allowed to mature. There is an appointed time for every message to speak for itself. There is a need for waiting for the message to complete its gestation time.

(3) EZRA’S MODEL (Ez 7:6-10)

Other related issues regarding the message of the minister include:
- Its content
- Its context
- Its consistency ( Acts 26:220
- Its clarity
THE METHODS / MEANS

I love to say that VISION shows direction to your destination, UNCTION gives ammunition for your actions and operations, but your MISSION defines your position and it enhances the reproduction and expansion of your vision. In understanding some of the available divine resources and methodologies for ministering, let us observe the:
- ELISHA’S MODEL in 11Kg 6:1-7
- PAULINE MODEL in 1 Cor. 3
- MESSIANIC MODEL reflecting incarnational, transformational, relational, and motivational approaches. In the Messianic style we have;
Selection ( Lk. 6:3, Mk 3:16,2:13-14, Mt 9;9, Lk. 5:27-28, Acts 4:13, Jn. 3:26, 12:19, 11:47-48)
Association
Consecration
Impartation Jn 20:22
Demonstration Jn 13:15
Delegation Mt. 4:19, Jn 4:2, Mk. 1:17
Supervision Mk. 6:30, Lk. 10:18, 9;10
Reproduction. Jn. 15:16
In addition, in the work of the ministry we equally have the following resources at our disposal:
- Grace (2Cor 12:9-10, 9:8)
- Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8, 1Cor 2:12)
- Faith (2 Cor 4:13, Rm. 4;20-21, Heb. 11:6)
- Love of God (2 Cor 5:14)

THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION OF THE NIGERIAN BAPTIST CONVENTION

2011-04-12T06:29:00.000-07:00

THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIAN BAPTIST CONVENTION;
A NEED FOR PARADIGM SHIFT.
[By Revd. Oladele Kolade, Pastor Barnawa Baptist Church Kaduna]
The Nigerian Baptist convention is considered the second largest Baptist convention affiliating with the Baptist world alliance and the 3rd largest in the world after the Southern Baptist convention USA and National Baptist convention USA. More than 6million people/parishioners are estimated to be regularly worshipping in the various local churches of the NBC across Nigeria. To provide adequate leadership for this parishioners, the NBC operates 9 theological training centers for pastors, the largest being the Nigerian Baptist seminary in Ogbomosho which grants 1st degree, masters and doctoral degree. Ogbomosho seminary has been in existence for more than 100 years and is at the forefront of providing theological training for Christian leaders in Nigeria and beyond. As laudable as this vision of the NBC to provide quality theological education for her pastors is, it will be a serious error for the Baptist family in Nigeria not to re-evaluate the vision.
This paper is therefore an attempt to open an evaluatary conversation on our theological education, encouraging the whole convention family to look at this aspect of our ministry work in retrospect and prospect. In doing this, I want to define the confine of this exercise, setting this conversation in four blocks, namely:
 The concern of our theological education.
 The content of our theological education.
 The context of our theological education.
 The challenges of our theological education.
Evaluating our theological education system, within these four blocks, I will attempt this investigation using 4As model of anecdote, analysis, application and action.
CONCERN: After more than 100 years of offering theological training /education, we should be able to sit down and ask ourselves our focus, purpose, and ministry agenda for offering the various theological courses that we are offering in our various theological training centers. Does the education we foster lead learners and their teachers on the spiritual journey? Have we collected data on leaders we’ve produced so far from our theological training centers? Does what we see in the lives and ministries of our product in tandem with our concerns and purposes? Have we not joined the post – modernity generation in the acceptance of “whatever”? Can we say that our students are spiritually different because of their learning experience? “Teaching is about making some kind of dent in the world so the world is different than it was before we practice our craft. Knowing clearly what kind of dent you want to make in the world means you must continuously ask yourself the most fundamental evaluative question of all what effect am I having on students and their learning?” (Brookfield 1990, 18 – 19). With my own observation, what I consider as a part of the dilemma is the reality that we lack clarity in terms of what we really want to produce. We have played to the clamoring audience who has told us what our students must be and so we have shaped our teaching by lesser values. The focus of our theological training should be a congruence of the mind, the heart and the spirit. Our focus and purpose should be the theological education that seeks to provide integration, spiritual formation, and communal formation. Prof. Fred Casmir says “if we educate man’s mind and improve his intellect with all the scientific knowledge men have discovered and do not educate the heart in bringing it under the influence of God’s word, the man is dangerous” (Casmir 1995 73 – 80). The spiritual formation is as much a dimension of other aspects of theological education as a specific focus of concern. It is not enough for our seminaries to institute specific program to speak to the increasing demand for personal transformation on occasional basis, it is possible to see personal spiritual formation as “capstone” of every part of our teaching. Just as Palmer posits that “to learn is to face transformation and to know the truth we must follow it with our lives” (Palmer 1993 40 -43).
Again, is the fact that our theological education must seek to produce denominational leaders who are not only spiritually formed but also communally formed. We must produce leaders who will see themselves as God’s gift to the covenantal community in learning to value the needs and contribution of others and think theologically about togetherness. One of the reasons why we see a lot of our leaders not embracing cooperative programs of the convention is the lack of communal formation right from the time of their theological training. If we set a dichotomy between rational, effective and volitional education and the spiritual formation, then we dis- engage the earlier from the central source of learning.
CONTENT - It is our concern that will determine our content. We need to critically examine our theological content to see if they are truly sound and relevant to the contemporary needs of our churches. The content of our theological program must not be detached from the needs of our congregation. The seminary must collaborate with the local churches in developing curriculum for our theological program. If we are not just after academic excellence, we need to unpack our content and reorganize a lot of them to make them address real issues on the field. I really don’t know how the current content of our theological education adequately addresses the issues of spiritual warfare, socio, economic, and political needs and situation of our time, environmental/ climate changes, the challenges of Information Technology, globalization, urbanization, and the global problem of HIV/AIDS, global social, economic and political environment and the threats of post modernism?
CONTEXT: If there is any thing we are to seriously look into, I think it is the aspect of how to relate our theological understanding to the environment of our ministry. Theology must be done in a particular socio, economic and political context. To be relevant in ministry I must be able to understand the place/environment of ministry and to be able to address existential issues affecting my people. Our theological institution must show the way by first making the seminary learning environment a mini community of faith where there is conscious attempt to help student rightly understand the environment and integrate themselves well into it.
Our theological educators must update their teaching methodology and make their teaching practically relevant to today’s needs and challenges. I want to propose that our theological educators themselves should have some amount of pastoral experience. Sometimes some of the theological propositions in the classrooms do not work in the field. The person that will teach you what you are to apply in your church must have practicalised his theological, administrative or counseling idea on a concrete local church situation before. Our educators should know what is going on in our local assembly so as to be able to help their students in a more practical, realistic way. Our students must also be developed through relationship of care and mentoring. Our teaching should not just focus on developing academic competencies but rather fostering of personal development within the communal setting. A surrounding supportive and safe “people environment” is integral to learner’s transformation. All phases of learning process are nurtured by corporate care setting. Our seminaries should develop mentoring system where alongside with academic programs student can be mentored by faculty members and “successful” senior pastors from the larger faith community.
There are also real issues from our ministry environment we need to understand as denominational leaders and these must be factored into our theological understanding and conversation. Our theology must deal with concrete situations. We have to understand the socio, political and economic situations of our people and time. We have to understand our national setting within the global happenings. Our teaching and preaching must address important issues of life like HIV/AIDS, politics, economic issues, environmental issues like pollution, deforestation etc, globalization, information technology (e.g. internet saga), and cultural issues e.t.c.
Our theology, in order to be contextually relevant, must address issues of culture, identity, social, gender, economic and political issues. How can we forge theology that can adequately deal with our context in which the social, economic and political structures are in a state of disarray, unable to close the gap between the rich and the poor and to solve the problems created by economic and technological dependence? Unfortunately, the way I look at our theology today, it seem it’s seriously detached from all these realities of our time and instead seriously concentrating on “vague”, irrelevant issues that does not rightly address our people’s real problem. Our “orthodoxy” must address transcendental, metaphysical issues of eternity; it must also speak to the existential practical issues of our time and setting. Rene Padilla says “The only theology that the bible knows is a functional theology, that is to say, a theology in dialogue with the concrete reality, a theology in the service of praxis. The only way to live an authentic Christian life is to take seriously Jesus Christ’s incarnation” (In Torres in Fabella, eds; 1978:213).
CHALLENGES: we can not run away from the fact that we are grappling with a number of challenges threatening ministry delivery of ours theological institutions. We need a bold approach to deal with these multifaceted challenges. The Baptist family of the NBC must come together and proffer unbiased, objective and realistic solutions to the problems our theological institutions are facing.
Funding – Bulk of the money generated by the convention goes into funding our theological training centers. I must admit that no amount of money invested in leadership development can be too much. I must also here state that funding leadership development at the expense of the other core mission works will also be a misplaced priority. We currently have 9 theological institutions spread across Nigeria. I will propose that we employ the tactics of economy of large scale by reducing the number of our theological institutions to 3[spreading them across our geo-political zones] and transforming the other campuses to other ministry projects that can equally benefit the communities like hospitals or mini campuses for the Bowen University. Our theological institutions must also come up with pragmatic approach to internally generate their own fund so that they do not too much on what the convention will give. There are international funding agencies that can assist theological institutions on a number of project ranging from scholarship to development of library. We need a more aggressive approach to generating fund to run our seminaries. It is very unfortunate that in this age of information technology, most of our theological institution do not have functional, and up to date website to project what they are doing to the international community. The theological institutions should also intensify their effort more on partnering with the local churches and the Baptist professionals in funding of the theological institutions. Seminary training is the work of all of us.
Brain Drain – It is observed that we don’t have enough qualified faculty members. Most of our great theologians will not want to work at our theological institutions partly because of very poor incentives. If we trim down the number of our institutions, we can enlarge the faculty, reduce the running cost and improve the incentives given to the lecturers. The theological lecturers must be fairly treated like their secular counterparts teaching at the universities. We must frankly ask ourselves how much a PhD holder in our seminaries is earning compared with their counterpart at the Bowen University.
Accreditation – I remember while in Ghana doing my degree program, the seminary lecturers at Ghana Baptist Theological who graduated from Ogbomosho Seminary had the shock of their lives when the National Accreditation Board of Ghana refused to recognize their master degree from Ogbomosho. They had to do another degree with the Spurgeon College. This was so because we failed to update the accreditation of our seminary. I think only very few theological institutions in African can match our seminary in terms of structure, library and faculty. So what is making us to be far behind in the issue of accreditation?
Detachment from the local church – The Seminary seem detached from the local churches. The seminary must seek to partner with the local churches around in meaningful, practical, ministry interaction. Our supervised ministry program is “outdated”. We need to better engage our churches and pastors in fully developing our students. Most of the students are sent to village churches where they can not be properly supervised and some unfortunately wrecked their faith in the process. What is then the essence of the supervised ministry when the student is largely on his own experimenting on innocent villagers? For those serving in the city centers, proper feed back is not gotten from the pastors under whom they are serving.
Disconnect – We have 9 theological institutions across Nigeria with common purpose and agenda but I do not know the relationship between them. With my observation, our theological institutions are not relating well with one another. How can we have 9 theological institutions that are not cross breeding ideas? It is even alleged that the graduates from Kaduna seminary are not admitted for masters degree programs of the Ogbomosho Seminary. This problem of disconnect among our theological institutions should be a matter of great concern to us all.
It is high time we sit up and forge a better approach to training our denominational leaders. The various issues raised here should be looked at objectively by the entire convention family. I pray that the Lord will give us wisdom and courage to do the right thing about bettering the structure and the delivery of our theological educational system.

THE PLACE OF AFRICA IN THE EASTER STORY

2011-04-12T06:22:00.000-07:00

THE PLACE OF AFRICA IN EASTER STORY

“And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear the cross” (Mk. 15:21)

Matthew, Mark and Luke present one of the most prophetically significant scenes of the events around the death and resurrection of Christ, a story yet to be put at its right place in the prophetic agenda and calendar of God for the salvation of the universe of men.

This singular account of the cross bearing brings a great illumination to the way the history of the church is read, and the missiological adventures that follows the resurrection story.
What is the Lord driving out at the incidence of Simon the Cyrenian carrying the cross of Christ at this last stage of the Messianic mission? How do I as an African locate myself in the overall agenda of God? And of what significance is this great but hidden part of the story of Easter captured by 3 evangelists that recorded the gospel but not so much talked about by the contemporary preachers of the word.
Simon of Cyrene mentioned in this passage is an African. Cyrene is located around Libya. At the time of Christ, the inhabitants of the present Libya, Ethiopia and Egypt were predominantly black African, the descendants of Cush, one of the sons of Noah. References to these people in the Bible clearly indicate that they have black (colored) skin. Simon of this passage was therefore a black man who probably came on religious pilgrimage at Jerusalem at the time of the judgment and crucifixion of Christ. As he was coming out of the country, he was compelled by the Roman solders to carry the cross of Christ to the place of Crucifixion. Mark further identified him as the father of Rufus, one of the great fellow laborer with Paul the Apostle ( Rom 16:13).
Simon came at the last minute of Jesus’ earthly ministry to carry the cross to Golgotha, a prophetic indication of the role of African in God’s end-time missiological campaign. The students of Christian history will clearly see the divine order in the sequence of the appearances of people, and races in God’s mission project. God began with the Semite ( from where came the Jews), entering into covenant relationship with them that will later affect the whole world. The children of Japheth, from where the European came out took over the mantle after death of Christ taking the gospel to the corners of the earth. At this very end-time, as the church is warming up for the second coming of Christ, the center of mission attention is now Africa, the Descendant of Ham representing Simon the Cyrenian carrying the cross to the last stop. ( Read the table of nations from Genesis 9 and 10).
The gospel is meant to be a barrier breaker, and the prejudice against the black race was the first barrier the story of Easter broke. Before the separating curtain of the temple was cut into two, those considered to be beyond the gate of salvation again became the center of attention as Simon carried the cross to Golgotha.
There are prophesies from the Old Testament writings that the gentiles will be brought on board of the ship of salvation in Christ. Of a more particular attention is a description of a people and nation, beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, that will be part of this global missiological revival, a description that resembles that of Nigeria. “In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the river have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion.” (Isa. 18:7)
It must also be rightly stated that the African Christian converts of the early church were the principal brain behind the church’s aggressive global mission project of Acts of the Apostles. “And some of them were men of Cyprus, and Cyrene, which when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus”. (Acts 11:20) This is the Antioch church that sent out Paul and Barnabas on cross cultural missions.
As you remember Easter today, you must focus more on the mission campaign of Easter, and your prophetic position as an African, more than the ceremony traditionally attached to it. One of the purposes of Easter as captured from the text in view, is the fact that you, as a descendant of Ham is been looked upon today to be aggressively involved in the messianic global mission. You have a cross to carry for Jesus. At this season, the challenge is that you must make a covenant with Christ to be responsibly effective in sharing Christ with others.

Written by : Rev Dele Kolade

CURING CURSES AND EVIL COVENANT

2011-04-12T06:17:00.000-07:00

COVENANT CURSES AND CURE
If there is any spiritual element struggled with mostly in spiritual warfare then it must be the spiritual legal issues of covenants and curses. Through the provisions of covenants demons do legitimize their stay in people and places making it sometimes difficult to drive them out of their holds. A balanced understanding of dynamics involved in covenant enacting is necessary for victory in spiritual warfare.
Generally speaking, covenant is built on mutual agreement between two parties and it is usually two-sided; blessing and curse sides. When all provision of the covenant is met then the blessing encoded in the covenant treatise is bound to manifest but if otherwise the negative manifestation of curses. Curse is a spiritual contagious spell, which brings evil upon whosoever it is unleashed.
“The leprosy of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow” (II Kg 5: 26 – 27).
Curse is contagious (unlike spell) because its effect is felt from generation to generation. Its effects can be limitless if the spiritual beachhead is constantly renewed. Curse is strong because it operates from a spiritual legal foundation. Curse is not time and space bound because it can move from place to place.
“As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the Curse causeless shall not come” (Prov. 26: 2).
Then I turned and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying scroll. And he said unto me, what seast thou? And I answered, I see a flying scroll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits. Then said He unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for everyone that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and everyone that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it. I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts and it shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name; and it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stone there of (Zech 5: 1 – 4).
Fundamentally, curses and covenant are spiritually handled together. The believer’s prayer missile must target the basic elements upon which and through which curse and covenant are built and operate. When prayer is offered to break the force of curse and covenant, these foundational elements must be addressed:
Spiritual bond, which serves as the legal contact between the oppressed and the oppressor
Spiritual base, which is the regimental fortress of the strongman of the covenant and the curse;
Identification Symbols which are used to mark victim and recognize them – it may be charm, amulet, shrine, monument, name, incision, etc;
Monitoring or guiding spirit, which normally moves to effect the provisions of the covenant and curse?
There are a number of types of covenant of significance in believers’ spiritual warfare encounter. Other types of covenant may exist but we follow the same principle in breaking their power and holds on their victim. The common types include the following:
1. BLOOD COVENANT: This can be the most dangerous covenant that can be contracted and also very difficult one to break. Blood is used as bond and seal of this covenant of life exchange or bond. It may be by incision or exchange of blood. Once blood is involved the person’s total life is brought on evil line for all manner of demonic manipulation.
2. SEXUAL COVENANT (I Cor 6: 15 – 20): The dynamics involved in this is already mentioned in the previous chapter. Anyone you have sex with you become one with. There is therefore a spiritual opening into your life from his/her life meaning that you share every spiritual thing (problem, curse, etc) together.
3. ANCESTRAL COVENANT: This is a covenant contracted by the forefathers and bounding on everyone in the lineage of the family whosoever shares in the family blood bond. This is one of the hidden sources of people’s spiritual problems. Investigation must be conducted into the family past and warfare prayer launched to destroy every evil covenant contracted in the past.
4. REPRESENTATIONAL COVENANT: This kind of covenant is built on the principle of pneuma-social interconnectivity or relationship. There are certain kinds of representation that can legalize and authorize someone entering into covenant on behalf of another. Ancestral covenant is built on the same principle. By the virtue of marriage covenant either of the spouses can enter into covenant on behalf of the other partner and the covenant will forensically hold. The father can contract covenant on behalf of his children or family because of his spiritual authority over the family. The king of a land can enter into covenant on behalf of the entire people under his domain because of the spiritual recognition of his political authority over the land. The company director on behalf of the company workforce can contract covenant that can hold on everyone in the company. In situation like this, the antidote is appealing to greater authority to prevent or destroy such influence.
5. OCCULT COVENANT: This covenant bounds together the occult members and prevents them from breaking out of the society. Most occult groups engage in blood covenant to seal their souls to the society.
6. PHILIA COVENANT: - Some people are in spiritual bondage today as a result of covenant they entered into with their friend. There is a spiritually recognized cord of friendship that activates whatsoever covenant friends contract. Be careful of what you enter into with your friends because they can have their toll on your life in the future (I Sam 20: 16 – 17; 18: 1 – 4).
Some interesting records in the Bible showing the power and result of curse include the following: -
“And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho; he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it” (Jos 6: 26).
One stubborn man later decided to build Jericho, but not without paying the heavy price.
“In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun” (I Kg 16: 34).
Imagine through wisdom, if this man had no child and decided to build Jericho or if all his children were ladies? In foolishness he defied the spiritual order but paid dearly for his action.
The innocent pronouncement of Jacob when challenged by his father-in-law for stealing his gods, to me was the reason for the untimely death of Rachael. For those who can discern and read between the lines will see the spiritual connection between Jacob’s words and Rachael’s death.
“With whosoever thou findest thy god, let him not live; before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachael had stolen them”, (Gen 31: 32).
Rachel eventually died in transit, unable to enter the “promised land”, strongly possibly because of the curse, (Gen 35: 16 – 20).
The full analysis of Gideon’s problem can only be unraveled from the Genesis account of Chapter 48.
“And he said unto him, oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house”, (Jud 6: 15).
If you compare this passage with the whole of Gen 48, then you will understand why in Israel’s history Manasseh was not a significant tribe (spiritual and politically). This will also help you to understand why Gideon was asked to start his ministry and warfare campaign from his own father’s shrine.
The resultant effect of David’s prophetic declaration against mount Gilboa after the death of Saul is still there till today for all to see.
“Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil” (II Sam 1: 21).
On mount Gilboa today, there is no green grass. This may not be unconnected to the words of David.
It is necessary for us to understand the interconnectivities between covenant, curse, and spell. They are basically related but technically different in manifestation and complexity. As covenant is built on mutual agreement and two sided, so there must be a reason also for a curse to be established. Both covenant and curse can be contagious but spell is specifically directed toward a particular person or thing.
It must also be understood that curse and covenant operate on some basic principles. The concept of order of authority and power of relationship are two important dynamics upon which the two operate. In curing curses however, appeal is technically made to the higher authority. The highest available authority is Divine authority in Christ. As believers we must therefore recognize the power of authority and be sensitive to the spiritual implications of our actions and relationships. A good example of a demonstration of clear understanding of authority is the action of the Centurion in Lk 7:6-10.

LEADING CONGREGATIONAL WORSHIP

2011-04-12T06:14:00.000-07:00

MEANINGFUL WORSHIP
(Talk delivered by Dele Kolade at the Pastor – Deacons’ Retreat of Barnawa Baptist Church on the 4th July 2009 )

Worship is the fountainhead of all the ministries of the church. it is the celebrative response to what God has done, is doing and promises to do. It acknowledges, rehearses and proclaim the deeds of God. The Hebrew word “shacha” (to bow down) was translated worship. In the N/T “synagesthai” (be gathered together) is used and “proskeneo” (to kiss the hand). Worship itself is from Anglo – Saxon word “weorthscipe” and it means honor and service rendered to someone.

The greatest challenge any worship leader faces is avoiding worshipless service. Our worship service must be geared towards helping people encounter God in worship. From the prelude to the postlude, the service must be convergently participatory. Planning , prayer and prompting are the keys that will help the worship leaders achieve meaningful worship. What to ask yourself as a worship leader include
:
1. Am I spiritually prepared for each service?
2. Am I in time with the Holy Spirit’s leading?
3. Can the congregation sense joy and spiritual excitements (aliveness) in me as I lead them to worship God?
4. Do they see evidence of planning and preparation?
5. Am I sensitive to the congregational needs?
6. Am I emotionally composed to lead worship?

TIT BITS
A CALL TO WORSHIP – The idea of call to worship is to draw the congregation to God and make them God and worship conscious. It is one of the most critical points of worship that must be handled with all spiritual alertness and sensitivity. It must not be monotonous. It must be as solemn and participatory as possible. These are ideas that can be helpful.
1 You can select about 3 persons, strategically positioned in the congregation to read out doxology or any worship focused portion of the scripture.
2 You can utilize an instrumental call to worship, solo instrument like trumpet or a group of instruments.
3 Engage 2 choir members to go to opposite sides of the pulpit areas and present a call to worship spoken or sung.
4 Alternate reading of a scriptural passage by the worship leader and the congregation.
5 Have several members of the congregation read out the same scripture from different versions.
6 The worship leader, in a very solemn manner reads out scripture (this should not be too long).

B INVOCATIONAL PRAYER - As the designation, it is invocational and should not be turned into pastoral prayer. it is not meant to deal with specific needs or to present petition but to acknowledge God’s presence, offer thanks and praises, seek congregational forgiveness of sins, and officially invite the Holy Spirit to take the total lead of the worship. It should not go beyond this.

C HYMN SINGING – this also should not be monotonous, innovative ideas must be employed. Apart from the usual congregational singing of all the stanzas of the hymn;
Antiphonal (alternate group singing) can be occasionally used.
Singing a stanza of a hymn without any accompaniment.
Reading out of a stanza instead of singing.
Dynamics such as loud, soft, staccato or legato can be effectively used.
Playing stanza by only the accompanists.
Sing hymn to different hymn tunes.

D BIBLE READING – the passage to be read must be practiced ahead. All the congregation must stand as the scripture is read. Occasional alternate reading can be employed.

LEADERSHIP WITH THE MIND OF CHRIST

2011-04-12T06:09:00.000-07:00

LEADERSHIP WITH THE MIND OF CHRIST-Phil.2:1-18
(Talk delivered by Dele Kolade at the Pastors – Deacons’ Retreat Barnawa Baptist Church)

The call to lead the flock of God is the greatest privilege anyone can have in this world. It therefore becomes necessary that we recognize the dynamics involved in Christian leadership and run according to the set “rules”(I Cor.9:24-27). The greatest challenge of Christian leadership today is meeting the standard of God and building to the divine pattern. WE MUST KNOW THAT FUNCTION MUST FOLLOW FORM. What must inform our philosophy of ministry must be right theology. In this retreat, our attention is drawn towards providing Christian leadership with the mind of Christ.
We shall employ certain censoring tools and indicators to evaluate the nitty gritty of leading and ministering with the mind of Christ. Jesus Christ remains our highest authority in every area of life and ministry and the example he set must be followed even to the “punctuation”.( I Cor.3:10-11).

(1) MARKAN’S MINISTRY MAP - Mark 3:13-15
In this Markan passage, Jesus sets the tone of ministry by ordering the priority of calling into Christian leadership. According to the text, God does not call anyone to “do” but first to “be”. The “come ye” precedes the “go ye”. Again is the fact that the concept of election must be understood in order to discover the individual specific divine placement.

(2) MOTIVE OF MINISTRY - Phil. 2:3
There are objective and subjective factors and motives of ministry and leadership. Some times the motives for leading and ministering may be very remote but we must remember that God will try all heart.
In this verse, two negatives and two positives motives are clearly identified:
Strife - expression of simplicity
Vain glory - preferential promotion of others
Again is the fact that we are called into ministry and leadership first to know and believe Him (Isa 43 : 10, Phil 3 :10- 11). Also is the fact that our motive for ministry and leadership must be to magnify Christ (Phil.1:20) and please him (II Tim.2:3-4).
Finally, the overarching motive of Christian leadership is SERVICE. The kind of leadership that will be in tandem with Christ’s mind is servant leadership ( Jn 13:12-16, Mt. 20:26-28).

(3) MINISTRY CONCERNS
Two major keys are identified to be our ministry concerns:
Approving ourselves (II Cor.6:3-10, 4:8-10).
Faithfulness to God (I Cor. 4:1-2, Act 20:24).

(4) METHODS OF MINISTRY
Incarnational (Phil.2:7).
Relational (Phil. 2:2-4).
Transformational (Rm. 12:2).
Motivational (Mt.14:26-33).
Delegational (Lk.10:1-12, Mt 4:19, Jn.4:2).

(5) MESSAGE AND MISSION (II Sam 18:19-32)
Finally, the OVERARCHING motive of Christian leadership is SERVICE.
The kind of Leadership that will be in tandem with Christ mind is servant leadership
(Jn. 13:12-16, Mt.20:26-28)

REV DELE'S TWINS GROWING UP!

2009-05-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

THANK GOD FOR HIS GRACE ON MERCY AND FAVOR KOLADE

DIVINE DEFENCE (11KG 6:8-20)

2009-05-26T08:45:00.001-07:00

DIVINE DEFFENCE (11 KG.6: 8-20)
The scripture is full of testimonies of God’s ability to defend His people. He is our defense ( Ps. 5:11, 31:1-3, Isa. 31:5, 37: 35, Zec. 9:15, 12: 8), our hiding place (Isa. 32:2, Ps.17:8, 27: 5, 32: 7, 64:2, 119: 114), our fortress (Na 1:7, 2 Sam. 22:2, Ps. 18: 2, 91: 2, 114: 2) , our refuge (Ex. 33:22, Deut. 33: 27, Ps. 27: 5, 31: 20, Prov. 14: 26, Isa. 25: 4, Zec. 9: 12) and our shield (Gen. 15:1, Deut. 33: 29, Ps. 33:20, 84: 11, 115: 9, Prov. 30:5).

You are better secured in Christ for he has an insurance policy for you that can never fail. In the days of Elisha the prophet, God repeatedly demonstrated that He could safely secure His people. In the midst of great tension, God gave attention to His loved ones. Elisha was a watchman over Israel, guiding and instructing the land with divine counsel. The enemies of Israel could not penetrate the defense of the land because the Lord was watching over the words of His servant to perform them. In the vocal text of our exposition, certain truth must be clearly understood and these must inform our strategic prayers.

SYRIAN WARRED AGAINST ISREAL (VS 8)
It was specifically started that the Syrian king warred against Israel. It was a battle between kingdoms. As a child of God, you must recognize the fact that you have a battle to fight and a land to posses. There is no one without battle, and the war is between kingdoms. If you have a clearly defined position, then you must be prepared for opposition. You need to define your opposition in as well as you understand your position. Your warfare prayers must clearly target your own “Syrian Army”.

HE TOOK COUNSEL WITH HIS SERVANTS (VS. 8)
Syrian king took counsel with his servants to determine where their trap camp will be. We are fighting against an elaborate and well organized network of evil. The devil is attacking with his cohort and there are evil deliberations to short circuit you and mortgage your destiny. Thank God, there is an irrevocable divine decree concerning you that the counsel of darkness over you and over your portion will never stand. In prayers, you must seek out where the enemy’s camp really is in your life. Enemies must not settle down in your territory. You must declare a “no place for the devil” war. No waiting, no parking for the devil for your life is a no go area to him.

The Syrian’s plot was exposed to the king of Israel through the prophetic Ministry of Elisha (Vs 9). You need not wait until the enemy strike before you declare war, you must be proactive. Heaven is ready to pre warn you against the intension of the devil if only you will open your eyes to see and your ears to hear. There is always a divine beckoning on you not to fall prey to the trap of the enemy. You need the prophetic anointing and counsel. You must pattern your warfare campaign to allow for investigatory prayers. Your prayers should not only be God do, God give me, but God show me the way I should pass. The eyes of the Lord will follow you every where you go and will expose your enemies to you. Greater portion of your problem is that you are not aware of where the enemies are striking from. Your prayers are against wrong targets. From today, the Lord will give you clear revelation of the detail of your situation and specific steps you are to take to prevent and arrest your problems.

Because the Lord thwarted the evil counsel of the Syrian King, he became sore trouble (vs.11). Trouble, heart break, confusion, disgrace, failure and disappointments are not meant for you, they belong to the enemies of your soul. If you will let God fight for you, devil’s pressure will go high.

SPIES were dispatched to fish out Elisha (Vs. 13) because he has now become the only threat to the evil ambition of the Syrian King. If you have a position in Christ, then you must understand that evil eyes are on you, watching you to locate your secret, identify your weak point and season, so that they could strike you down. You must prophesy against every evil eyes and demonic spies detailed against you and your destiny to fall and die! They will search for you but they can not get you because your defense is Jehovah. When the Syrian discovered Elisha to be at Dothan, they sent emissaries of army well equipped against him. They came by NIGHT and COMPASSED the city about (Vs.14). You must pay special attention to the timing of their coming; in the night, Jesus told a parable of a rich man who planted a vineyard of good vine but in the night, his enemies came and sowed weeds. The devils will always want to strike at the dark hours of the night when you will least expect. Thank God that we have a defender who does not sleep nor slumber; Jehovah is His name. The Syrian came in the night and compassed the city about, thinking they have trapped the man of God inside. That you are besieged does not mean you are deceased. The power that have surrounded you will surrender to you in Jesus Name. The servant of the prophet, waking up early in the morning and seeing the huge presence of the Syrian around the city cried out in desperation and frustration (Vs. 15) HOW SHALL WE DO?. What you need to know is that you can not figure out and think through the solution to the difficulties you are currently facing. The arm of flesh can in no way help. What to do and how to do what to do is none of your business, for God is already in charge. Many of us fail to overcome devil because we don’t see God in our negative situations. There is a thing God is already working out, you only need to see it. Do not blow your problem beyond its proportion that you do not see God any longer. The encompassing enemies are numerous but God is more present than the negative things you are seeing.

Elisha prayed that his servant should see beyond the natural scene and situation (Vs.17). You too need more than just the natural sight, you need a new vision. Many have sight but no vision, the scale of ignorance is coming off your eyes for you to clearly see what the Lord is doing even in that seemingly negative situation. You need a touch that will take you beyond yourself. What the servant of the prophet was seeing was the many chariots of human army but when his spiritual eyes opened, he saw more than the chariots of men, he saw chariots of fire driven by angels. The chariots of fire, for your information were not there just because of the Syrian, they have always being there ever before this time. There is a divinely guaranteed security provision for you even when there seems to be no problem in sight.

When the Syrian army eventually came to the prophet, they were already BLINDFOLDED that they could not even recognize him any longer (Vs.18). I decree that you will become invisible to every evil eyes trying to harm you. God will attack your enemies with blindness that you may proceed into your place of honor and blessings. When the Syrian came down to the prophet, he was fully in charge. He told them, that is not the way. The anointing on you will cause your enemies to take orders from you. The man, the Syrian came purposely to arrest now became the enforcement officer, for he eventually arrested them since he had the higher warrant paper. I see you no more as complainer but rather as the commander in-chief who is fully on top of every situation. None of your words will fall to the ground in Jesus name, all of your enemy and your situation shall take order from you from today. There is the anointing coming upon you that will make you to be feared dreaded.

NAVIGATING PRAYERS
1) Lord expose every hidden battle of my life to me.
2) Open my spiritual eyes and ears to see, hear and fully be aware of the detail of my situation and condition.
3) I foil and completely destroy every evil counsel and conspiracy against my soul and destiny.
4) I command devil and his cohort, no parking, no waiting in and around my portion in Jesus name.
5) Me, my family, and my properties are a no go area for the devil.
6) I receive grace to disgrace all of my enemies in Jesus name.
7) I decree that from today, my enemies will continue to make mistake that will advance my cause in Jesus name.
8) I transfer from my life to the enemies of my soul, trouble, heartbreak, confusion, disgrace, failure, and disappointments.
9) Every evil spy dispatched against my life should fall and die in Jesus name.
Every demonic monitoring installation, and instrument flagged to monitor my life should be burnt in Jesus name.
Every arrow fired against me day or night should backfire in Jesus name.
I decree every siege over my life over in Jesus name.
I defeat fear and frustrate the storm of panic in my life in Jesus name.
Lord help me to see beyond my fear and trouble, to see you in all of my situation.
Surround me with your chariot of fire and angelic troop.
Let your anointing powerfully come upon me to make me be in charge.
10) I command confusion to overtake all my enemies in Jesus name.
I command my enemies disarmed and completely rendered incapacitated.
11) Frustrate the counsel of the devil over my life.
12) All my enemy, fall and die in Jesus name!

NEW CRUSE AND SALT (11KG 2:19-22)

2009-05-26T08:44:00.001-07:00

NEW CRUSE AND SALT ( 11 KG.2: 19-22)

Every one of us needs a revolutionary touch of the divine in one aspect of our life or the other. If you are truly in an uncomfortable situation, you will be desperate in your yearning for the desired change. This was the case of the people of Jericho when they encountered the freshly anointed prophet Elisha on his way from beyond Jordan where he was officially commissioned and empowered for the miraculous. There is something divine you will encounter as you carefully observe the transformational revelation from this scriptural text.

REALISATION:- Revelation is a prelude to transformation. If you are not rightly informed you can not be transformed. In experiencing God. You must first come to term with the truth about your situation. You need a clear understanding and definition of your situation before you can have a change of your condition. Someone went out to preach and he said “Jesus is the answer” and the one he was preaching to asked “ so what is the question?”. You can not be looking for the answer when you don’t really know the question. You can not rightly seek for solution of your problem when you have not gotten the situation right. You need to first clearly know what your problems are before you can rightly find solution to them. The people of Jericho knew exactly what their problems were, so when they came to Elisha they went straight to the main issue of their concern (Vs.19) It is not enough that you are prayerful, it is necessary that when you ask in prayer you do not ask amiss. Your prayers must hit the right target in other for it to produce good result. You need to ask yourself “what actually are my problems?” If you have not gotten your situation right, then you must embark on investigatory prayers for the Lord to show you where the issues truly are. According to the men of Jericho the location of Jericho was not the problem, but the bitter taste of the water and the barrenness of the land that defied all scientific explanation. There must then be a supernatural provision in Jehovah God to solve the scientifically unsolvable riddles of Jericho’s bitter water and barren land.

RESOLUTION:- Solution can not come when there is no resolution to go all out for the solution. You have a part to play in making sure that you truly experience that radical emancipation you are yearning for. If your attitude does not show that you are truly interested in the high altitude, you may remain the same place. The people of Jericho did not stopped at the realization and definition of their problems, but they were equally resolute in making sure solution is found. I could see in that community, harmony; one voice and one vision. They demonstrated right and burning passion towards their pursuit. They showed seriousness and determination. They concluded within themselves what they really wanted. If I may also ask you as Jesus asked the blind man, “what do you really want God to do for you?” some people know their problem but they are not fully ready to receive the solution. When Moses and Aaron asked Pharaoh “When do you want God to take away the frogs from the land?” Pharaoh foolishly replied “Tomorrow” Answer to this question before you proceed with the reading of this material, “what do you really want God to do about your case and when do you want Him to do it?”

ACTION:- Pass me not gentle savior is not a Hymn to be sang kneeling down or in idleness, it is a song you have to sing while racing towards the savior. You can not sit at one place and expect everything to come to you, you must get up and pursue something. Some of us waste away in our dream land. You must not just be dreaming you must be doing. It is not enough to have great vision about tomorrow you must have a mission today. As you plan your work you must work your plan. You need to tell yourself again and again “do something”. If you are not “doing” then you are “dieing”. You must do something to get something. If you do not sow, it does not matter how long or how fervent you pray for harvest, you will reap nothing. Jericho men did not stopped at knowing and talking about their problem, they went all out for the solution. There is a definite something the Lord want you to do right now about your issue, I decree an accelerated anointing to come upon you now and propel you into positive and emancipatory actions.

RESTORATION:- Elisha was dramatic in his response to the complaints of the people of Jericho (Vs.20-21). He asked for a NEW CRUSE and SALT. This is what I call dramatic, symbolic, prophetic prayer. The man of God began his prophetic action from the very materials he asked for. The taste of the water was not the only problem, but the source of it. If you look at the load a crooked legged man is carrying and you say the load is bent then you are mistaken, the problem is not the load but the crooked legs. If you straighten the crooked legs the load will straighten up automatically.

The NEW CRUSE the man of God asked for represents the place, or the source and the SALT represent the cure. What Elisha was saying is that there should be a total transformation for the land and the water. No wonder he went straight to the source of the water and there prophesied a definite positive change. Permanent solution came to the problems of Jericho because Elisha addressed the problem from its very root. I pray that the Lord will get into the very root of your situation and command a definite, permanent, positive, change. The reason why many a time we do not see result is because the situations are not dealt with from the very root. You need to begin from the foundation. If the foundation is bad what shall the righteous do?. I think the righteous will have to effect order right from the foundation. You can not continue to build on a faulty foundation.

NAVIGATING PRAYERS
1) Lord, open my eyes to the hidden truth about my situation.
2) Give me a new vision that will generate in me positive energy, and that will propel me into positive actions.
3) Let a yearning arise in me, a determination to be more than a conqueror indeed.
4) Let my attitude from today be in tandem with the high altitude the Lord is sending me into.
5) I decree my dreams translated into right actions that will bring them into tangible manifestations.
6) Lord, let your accelerated anointing come upon me, and propel me into positive and emancipatory actions and realizations.
7) I decree seed and manifestation of barrenness in my life to give way to supra-abundant fruitfulness.
8) I decree every seed and manifestation of bitterness to vanish from my life and give way to divine flavor, favor and sweetness.
9) Every evil from my root should wither and disappear.
10) I move into my season of fulfillment and greatness in Jesus name.

FROM GRAVE TO GLORY (JN 11)

2009-05-26T08:42:00.000-07:00

FROM GRAVE TO GLORY ! (John. 11)

This Lazarus’ resurrection encounter is only captured by Apostle John. It’s a great demonstration of Jesus’ supremacy over all things and a testimony that as far as God is concern nothing is too late.
The first fascinating thing in this passage is the identity of the man who was sick and who eventually died. Lazarus of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Mary and for that matter the “one Jesus love”. The question I ask myself is How come Jesus friend fell sick? I think in life situation today we ask similar questions when we discover people we think are committed to God going through sufferings and afflictions. You may be wondering also about the reason why you are going through what you are going through. This account from John settles the issue, in the Bible, the one Jesus Love was also sick to the point of death. This story directly speaks to the recent wrong theology being propounded by some extreme “faith preachers” who create the impression that once you are a child of God you are immune from problems. There are some who propound the sweet ‘divine health’ doctrine. To them there is a faith dimension you get into where you do not need divine healing any longer because at this level you can even not fall sick again. All these
‘faith propositions’ are not in tandem with the whole truth of biblical teaching. There is no where the Bible teaches that you can never fall sick, the only promise is that even when we are sick, there is the healing balm in Christ. Lazarus was Jesus well known friend, but he was sick and died of the sickness.
Another unusual thing is Jesus response to the emergency message sent to him about the sickness of Lazarus. When he was told, he stayed two more days where he was. One would have expected that he will get up and go to Bethany immediately he was told his friend is sick. There are certain things you urgently consulted God about but it seem God is delaying. Every seemingly delay situation in your life may be for a purpose, for every purpose of God is married with the timing of God so that all things may be beautiful in its time. We live at a time when waiting and patience are now becoming outdated. There are several ‘fast food’ prayer canteen everywhere where God is given ultimatum to respond to people’s request. There is nothing wrong in being prayerful, but prayer is never a means to force God to do what you want. Powerful prayer is built on strong relationship with God. A powerfully prayerful Christian is someone who is completely submissive to the will of God. God makes everything beautiful in His own time. There are times we pray for something and expect quick response from God, but God’s timing may not tally with our own. We must learn to trust God even when what we are expecting is not forthcoming on time, for even when it tarries it will come at the time when it will be most beautiful.
Another important issue in this passage is the conflict of definitions. Jesus told the disciples “our friend Lazarus is fallen asleep but I am going there to wake him up” (Vs 11). What a strange description of the situation! Lazarus was already dead for about 4 days and the master said he was only asleep. Do you know that sometimes the way you define your situation is different from how God sees it? God’s definition of your situation is beyond the locus of human reasoning, and you must believe the report of the Lord. When you have concluded and resigned to fate God may see the case only as a specimen for miracle. You need not give up yet, for even in the grave there can still be hope.
Lazarus died and he was abandoned to the grave by those who loved him.
It is interesting that as loving as Martha was she did not want Jesus to go near the dead Lazarus. Lazarus has now become a past tense. Do you know that there are situations where people you cherish now can’t offer you any help? There are situations where your wife, husband parents , friends and relatives become completely insignificant. The interesting thing is that this same people may be the reason why you are not serious with God. It’s only Jesus who can go with you anywhere anytime and in any situation. When Jesus got there he was told, don’t go near the grave for he is now smelling bad! Do you know that with all your beauty, riches and connections, one day people will say the same thing to you? About Lazarus’ situation everyone concluded that it was too late and it was all over. They deserted him and abandoned him to a closed grave. Where you are abandoned and deserted the Lord will relocate you and bring you up to fame and glory again.
Whenever Jesus set into any situation he brings about radical changes that will glorify God. Jesus went to the entrance of the grave and the only perfect high priest who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities cried because of Lazarus despite the fact that he knew Lazarus will live again. Expression of emotion is not a sign of no or little faith. Denial of realities by suppression of emotion is neither a demonstration of a strong faith. Faith does not deny natural realities, it only sees beyond it. Jesus ordered that the stone at the entrance be rolled away. Every ‘stone’ hindering your breakthrough must give way at the site and commands of Jesus. He cried out to Lazarus to come forth. From every prison of limitation you will come forth! When the death that killed Lazarus heard the voice of Jesus, it gave up Lazarus instantly. Every evil power holding you down will give you up to allow you march into your blessings and fulfillment. The man who was dead 4 days got up! I declare that right now you will get up! Jesus ordered that he be loosed and let go! The scripture describes him as been bound hands and legs with his face covered with napkin. These three areas described are physically and spiritually very significant. Legs represent mobility, hand ability, and eyes visibility. Even if one is living but has problem in these three major areas is just like one is dead. Anything hindering you from moving into your place of blessing will be cleared from your life. Whatsoever is affecting your ability to become whom God wants you to become will be taken away from your life. There are many people with sight but with no vision. May be you also need a word for the restoration of your vision. The evil napkin tied on your face is removed that you may have a new vision that will turn your situation around for the best. The Lord will visit you right away and you will be loosed and let go. I SAY THE SAME THING TO YOU NOW THAT YOU BE LOOSED AND GO INTO YOUR FULFILMENTS IN THE NAME OF JESUS!
NAVIGATING PRAYERS
1) Lord, draw me close to yourself and cause your banner to be upon me.
2) I cry to you in distress, let my prayer never fall on the ground.
3) Turn my negative situation into specimen for divine miracle.
4) Lord make me understand your purpose and timing for my life
5) I decree by anointing, any of my burial ground to become my lifting spot in Jesus name.
6) Any stone rolled against me, my progress and destiny be broken into irreparable pieces in Jesus name.
7) Every obstruction and destruction my way should give way.
8) Speak resurrection words to my situation in Jesus name.
9) I command my hands released from the shackles of darkness.
10) I decree evil scale to fall off my eyes in Jesus name.
11) I command my legs to move into my divine allotment in Jesus name.
12) I move from grave to glory in Jesus name.

BY THIS TIME TOMMORROW (11KG 6:24-27}

2009-05-26T08:40:00.000-07:00

BY THIS TIME TOMMORROW (II KG 6: 24-27)

How can a horrible terrible negative situation be turned around to become positive and admirable one? What are some of the divine principles to turn our negative situation around for the best? We shall textually explore II kings 6 and 7 to identify the timeless radical revolutionary ideas that will help us unlock the hidden virtues and potential in us which can accelerate our breakthrough, and catapult us to the level God wants us to attain. We shall take a retrospective excursion to (Samaria) the capital of Israel in the days of Elisha the prophet and see how power of God can turn negative situation to positive one.

The Shakings are for your makings:- One of the problems we have is getting the right definition of our situation, and understanding what we are passing through. Sometimes we wrongly conclude that every negative situation we go through are meant for our destruction, but the truth of the matter is that some shakings are for our makings. Jesus’ comment on the man who was born blind, that his situation was meant to glorify God was not only a misnomer but also a big challenge to the popular world view of his day. Jesus is by this comment bringing a new perspective to the way we see situation and interpret events. Some seemingly negative situations are meant to accelerate our progress. Some of the challenges you are going through rather position you well to receive the supernatural touch of God. Your current problem makes you the right specimen for miracle. Let’s get down to Samaria to X-ray the situation and the intervention.

Besieged but not Deceased:- Samaria was besieged by the Syrian army, the resources from the outside seized, and the movement of the people curtailed. The intention of the enemy was not only to limit the people but to also psychologically suffocate them and reduce them to less than nothing. The Samaritans were surrounded but they never surrendered. You can not know all you are capable of doing until you are squeezed beyond your limit. Hunger and sufferings in Samaria revealed the cannibalism in some people, some mothers, in order to survive went as far as eating their own babies. It is problem that can separate disciples from the multitude. Values and morals are better revealed in problem situations.

Why this and why me?:- In the midst of problems, actions are taken and questions are asked. The questions of why becomes very prominent as people try to understand what is going on with them. One important thing about the Samaria situation is the fact that the problem was not linked to any particular sin of Israel. It was not that they sinned against the Lord that they were besieged. The question of sin is out. There are things you go through that are not as a result of some sins committed. It is good that we ask questions in our problem situation but is better we wait for divine answers to those questions also.

Intervention by Information:- If there will be a release there must first be a decree. Right information is a prelude to transformation. The first verse of the chapter seven introduces a radical transition by an authoritative declaration of the prophet. “Thus says the Lord” is the key to unlocking the transition and the transformation. It doesn’t matter what others says, including your reasoning, what matters most is what the Lord says. What you are saying, what friends are saying, what doctors and scientist are saying are only hypothesis, it’s only God who have the final say. What God says will surely stand, and no one can decrease what God decrees. We shall believe the report of the Lord and not the comments of men, for God watches over His words to fulfill them even to the punctuations. Divine submissions may sometimes not fit well into your human “logarithm” of doing things; it can simply blow up your mind. The unnamed prime minister of Samaria who disbelieved was cut off the provision of God because he ignorantly underestimated the divine ability. You can not figure out what God can do or limit Him based on your human understanding. He works beyond the locus of human reason.

Tomorrow by this time:- No matter the situation, if you are by God’s side, there will surely be a dawn of a new era, a new beginning and a turn of the tide. There will be a sanction from heaven, that your sorrow must end with an immediate effect. God gave a 24 hours ultimatum to the Samaria’s sorrow, and that settled it. Be rest assured, no matter how humanly absurd it may sound, God will not start a thing He has not finished. What is written in His word is settled and finished already, it is only left for you to proclaim and claim the provisions in His word. God is not limited by time or by space, but because we live in time and space, He has married His purpose with His time. To experience God, you must know Him, know His purpose, and understand His timing. You need to wait for Him for He will not tarry. Hasting brings wasting, but those who know their God will patiently wait on Him for He makes everything beautiful in His time.

Lepers by the Gate:- One of the things we do when we encounter difficulties is to compare and complain. We are tempted to think that we are going through the most difficult situation in the world, but the truth of the matter is that w are not alone; there are people with bigger trouble than we have. We have a lot to discover and learn from the situation and action of these 4 lepers by the gate of Samaria. There are some key things we must discover from the lepers before we can recover the divine supplies for us. Let’s examine them succinctly

 Their situation: We must first note that these lepers seems to be the most disadvantaged. They couldn’t stay in the city because they are socially unfit to even stay inside the besieged city. Their problems seem to appear in the capital letters. They are outcast, voiceless, and in human terms most hopeless.
 Their location:- The issue of location is of a great importance when it comes to receiving your divine allocation. Transition and transformation are relevantly related to locations. In human terms, the lepers were in a more dangerous location, given the fact that they were not within the security wall of the city. In reality, although they stand the danger of many things, they were closer to the blessings than those within the walled city. Strangely enough, the first hard lesson we have to learn here is that most of the things that keep us from God’s touch are things that we rather think secure us from danger. We are not yet ready for the divine move until we are ready to let go out “ self”, “shell” and “wall”. The confines must be removed to enjoy the divine. There is nothing more limiting than the self made wall we have constructed around our own selves. The threat of the enemies without is not as powerful as the wall we build around ourselves. Deliverance from self is more challenging than deliverance from demons. What you seriously need to urgently discover as an individual is the self made wall you have made around yourself . It may be an ideology or an habit that God will first want you released from.
 Their question:- The lepers engaged themselves in self interrogative conversation. They questioned themselves, their actions and values. The popular saying that an unevaluated life is not worth living is a strong assertion. You need to ask yourself questions about your values, position and actions. Sameness is a cancer that must be eradicated for progress to commence. Some of the problems we have are problems of the mind and perception. Some of us need a complete overhauling of our worldview, mind set, and perception. Why do we do what we do? Why are my not getting results? Instead of asking ourselves questions we are comfortable with shifting blame of our failure on others. Any time there is a problem we tend to immediately look without instead of first looking within. The lepers did well in that they were frank to challenge themselves instead of blaming others for their woes. Their question was not about the city that is closed against them or the army ahead of them but rather about their own action and position. Those who grumble only stumbles. You are your own biggest enemy, and not until you conquer yourself, you will not be able to move forward.
 Their Options:- Every day we make choices, and it is these choices we daily make that determine the direction and situation of our lives. The fact still remain that you choose what you become. Even when the beginning is rough, you can maintain the roughness or change the tide with your choices. You can choose to be a looser or choose to be a champion. The lepers had three options, to go back and force their way into the city and die of famine, to sit still and still die or to move on and either be killed by the Syrian army or be spared by them. Usually, in most situations, we are faced with similar options to move on, go back or do nothing. It will interest you that indecision is also a decision; it means you have chosen to sit still. When you withdraw into yourself the meaning is that you have gone back into the city where you stand the danger of being killed by famine. Some people, when they fall, they make their falling ground to become their burial ground, they throw up their hands and easily give up any attempt to get up and get going. Life is about challenges options and choices and it is your decision that determines your direction and condition in life.
 Their Action:- We sometime fail, not because of lack of dream or vision, but because of lack of action. It is not enough to wish or dream, it is necessary we take action when required. It is one thing to plan our work and another thing to work our plans. Large numbers of people are still where they are because they are living in the dream land and busy planning to be and to do without actually reaching out to work out their dream. Procrastination is a liability that disguises as an asset. It has been described as a thief of time but it is also a destroyer of vision and aspiration. It is a waster that must be fought with all whims. The lepers were not just day dreaming, but in a twilight, they really got up and practically went forward. There is an action the Lord wants you to take now and you must discover it NOW.
 Their Assumption was an illusion:- Do you know that most of what we are afraid of, in reality don’t even exist. What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of being afraid or trying out a new things? Do you know that those who are afraid of death are not qualified to live? What is stopping you from reaching forth is not in existence, it is a fiction and figment of mere imagination. The reason why you don’t know it does not exist is simply because you have not yet taken a step forward. Your fear will fizzle out as you reach out of your cocoon. Hear this, “And when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold there was no man there” What a great discovery to the lepers! Your fear do not exist, that is the reality, but it will take a walk of faith forward to discover this. You can not know until you move.
 The Divine Intervention:- It is most soothing to know at the time you feel lonely that afterwards you are not alone. Before you set off, the Lord has set in already. In this journey of life, you must know that you are not alone. Loneliness is not the same as aloneness. There is a power beyond you that is around you to both protect and fulfill you. The lepers were not alone, for the Lord had already fixed the problem before they reached the camp. What was the arrangement here? God made the Syrian go round, gather a lot of resources from nations around, and dump them at Israel’s door. When God sets into a negative situation, He turns it around for our positive promotion.
 The Lepers’ Propagation:- It is not enough to be blessed by God, the blessings must make you go beyond yourself. Life is what you can give and not just what you can grasp. You must be able to impact others with what you are given by the Lord. Abraham was blessed by the Lord and he also became a blessing to others. Have you ever thought of what you can also share that you are not sharing? You must proclaim what you have discovered, recovered and acquired for the benefit of the whole humanity. Not until you begin to proclaim and impact others you have not yet attained.

NAVIGATING PRAYERS.
Based on what you have learnt so far from the passage, navigate in prayers to appropriate divine touch and blessings with the following prayer points:

 Lord help me understand who I am and What I am going through currently.
 Help me see the positives in my negatives.
 Bring an end to my pain and sorrow.
 Speak into my situation oh Lord!
 Help me oh Lord to make right decision that will accelerate my breakthrough .
 Let all set backs of my life become set up for my greater breakthrough.
 Take me beyond myself and make me positively relevant to others.

OVERCOMING CURSE (1CHRON 4:9-10)

2009-05-26T08:38:00.000-07:00

OVERCOMING CURSE ( 1 CHRON. 4:9-10)

In the midst of a long and dull genealogical record is the story of Mr. Jabez, who experienced a radical emancipation and liberation from an unusual curse. In this simple two verses is a story of personal revolution through prayer which has no equal in the whole of the scripture. This text attest to the fact that after each test, for those who will lean on God, is a testimony. In God, there is a sure cure for every curse. The truth in this passage is that it is not the situation that you find yourself that really matters but what you do with the situation.
The following observation are noticed from the passage and they will surely inform the way the interpretation and application of the text will be done.

1. The end at the beginning: The story of this man is simply strange both in content and in arrangement. Thank God that the beautiful thing about it is that the end precedes the beginning. The good end of the man swallowed up the bad and the rough beginning he had. That he was more honorable than his brethren was the end of the matter. It does not therefore matter how you began, your good end will swallow up your rough beginning. The end of a thing is better than the beginning thereof. The truth that your end will be great should motivate you to keep keeping on. If you have the end in view, you will not give up now, for there is hope and great destiny for you in Christ. I see your story positively changing for the best in Jesus name.
2. Conditioned Condition:- Because the situation of the mother was bad at the time he was born, she overshadowed the destiny of the baby by her own personal experience. Sorrow became his name because the mother was experiencing sorrow when he was born. There are people in similar situation conditioned and been controlled by others. Every limitation set over you by your family or the environment where you live will give way to the transforming power of God that is ordering your great destiny. The Lord will release you from every negative condition struggling to overshadow your destiny.
3. The mother named him:- Another strange thing about this naming is the person who gave him name. It is a misnomer for a woman to name the child. The father of Jabesh was never mentioned. The beginning of the negatives in the life of Jabesh began with the wrong person giving the name. There are people who have been wrongly named by wrong people. There is no doubt that the scriptures recognize the spiritual significance of name, no wonder God Himself has to change the name of Abram to Abraham to correspond with his destiny. Jesus dealt with the display instability in Simon by changing his name to Peter. There is a great deal in the name you respond to, for it can either hinder or enhance your destiny in this life. What ought to be in your life but are not will be re-ordered by God.
4. Greater authority:- Jabesh sent his appeal to the supreme court of the universe where God himself is seated as the Chief Judge. The mother called him sorrowful but he knew God has the final say, so he cried to God directly. You have a place you can appeal to in life if anything is wrong. God is our final authority in all situations.
5. Aggressive Prayers:- There is no progression without aggression. Jabesh prayed one of the most radical and revolutionary prayer in the scripture. If indeed you are expecting radical emancipation to reclaim your lost glory, you must get serious with God and pray like Jabesh.

NAVIGATING PRAYER.

 Lord I need a change, a positive change indeed.

 I destroy every childbirth and rite of passage evil.

 I destroy every representational covenant and curse over my life.
 Any evil pronouncement over my life are terminated in Jesus name.

 God bless me indeed.

 Enlarge my coast oh Lord!

 Let your hands be u[on me for good oh Lord.

 Deliver, protect and preserve my life.

PROPHETIC VOICE FOR THE "MBER" MONTHS OF 2008

2008-10-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

PROPHETIC VOICE FOR THE "MBER" MONTHS.
In God’s agenda, there is a purpose for every person at each season. The greatest thing one can discover is the purpose of God for one’s life. This time of the year you are not left in the dark as far as God’s purposes are concern. The last quarter of the year 2008 that you are now in is pregnant with positive divine purpose for you. The year 2008 is prophetically significant, since it is the year that follows the sabbatical year. The Hebrew word translated eight in the Bible literally means ‘surplus beyond the perfect’. God says you are entering into your season of surplus and super abundance provisions.
The divine inspiration of this prophetic mandate will position you at the place to freely access your divine allocation. This divine inspiration will equally insulate you against expiration, for those who are not inspire will spiritually expire. I decree by God’s anointing that you will not expire. This is a prophetic blue print for the “mber months” of the year 2008. Your pain will give way for praise and your weeping for reaping. You are entering into an unprecedented supernatural encounter with God that will break open all doors of blessing previously wrongly locked against you.

You now have a divine decree to increase in supra-geometric progression. All your set backs shall become set ups for your breakthrough and greater glory. In this season, God will give a divine blow to all your woes and tread into extinction all of your trouble. Your problems are rebuked that you may proceed into your ordained destiny. You will be strengthen from within to achieve your divinely inspired desire. God will convert your disappointments into new appointments and anything that has left your life will create space for greater things to take over.

In this season, the Lord says “for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited “Isa 54:3.
“For I will look on you favorably, and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm my covenant with you” Lev 26:9

“In righteousness shall thou be established: thou shall be far from oppression; for thou shall not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee” Isa.54: 14.

“And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not” Isa. 58:11.

“The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy one of Israel” Isa 60:14.

“I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gate of brass and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasurers of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel’’ Isa.45:2-3.

“As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem (You); defending also he will deliver it, and passing over he will preserve it” Isa. 31:5.

“Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read, no one of these shall fail ……” Isa.34:16.

As you hook yourself to the words of this prophetic mandate, heaven will unleash on you uncommon favor and supersonic blessings that will take you beyond yourself and set you among kings and princes. Everything that belongs to you will locate you. You are fully covered and connected in Christ.

DISCOVER TO RECOVER, THE PROPHETIC VOICE

2008-10-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

BAPTIST PROPHETIC VOICE

DISCOVER TO RECOVER ( I SAM. 30)

There is a prophetic mandate you are given in Christ to retract and retrieve all of your divinely ordained possessions wrongly and illegally confiscated by the enemies of your destiny. None of what belong to you can be taken by satanic cohort for they have God’s stamp on them specifically addressed to you. The scriptural text we are exploring this month gives us the detailed information as to how we are to go about recovering our lost portion from the hands of the enemies that has wrongly taken them.
If you are going to really recover your divine portion you must first come to term with the truth from I Sam. Chapter 30. There is a Davidic key that will supernaturally unlock your blessings in supra-geometric dimension to you but the prelude to your recovery is to first discover the truth in this text.

BATTLE FROM BEHIND ( VS 1- 2)

David and his men were more than shocked when they returned to their base only to discover they have been attacked and their properties and families taken away. There is a kind of battle that allows one to go forth and conquer but come from behind to pack all you have acquired away suddenly. Any power wishing to come against you from behind is rebuked and incapacitated in Jesus name. Any attempt of the devil to naked you is frustrated by anointing in Jesus name. I decree that God’s anointing build sure coverage for you, your family and possession. The first truth is for you to have clear understanding of the evil tactics of your enemy. You must not be ignorant of devil’s devices, for he always aim at attacking from behind. The enemy will never be successful over your life. God’s grace that will disgrace the enemy is coming upon you right now in Jesus name. Hold your head and prophesy “I am covered and protected from every demonic insurrection and arrow from behind in Jesus name”

BATTERED AND BITTER ( VS. 4- 6)

A beaten and battered man will surely be bitter. Your season of sorrowing can never make for the loss of your life. If you keep murmuring and grumbling you will further stumble and crumble. Blaming someone for your lost is not the solution. God say I should announce to you to stop complaining and start commanding. The company of David cried until they had no strength left to cry. Why do you waste your remaining energy analyzing and shifting blame because of what has happened to you?. The best such analysis will do is further paralysis. Concentrate your energy on the positive and not the negative for there is a way out for you. Bitterness is a baulk to your best.

BECKONING ON THE DIVINE ( VS. 6-8)

To get better instead of bitter you need to beckon on the Divine. When you encounter the divine power, every limitation associated with your humanity will simply phase out. In the midst of your trouble, if you are looking within, you will get depressed, and if you are looking around you will get suppressed, but if you look up you will be helped. You can not carry on when you are only crying, but if you cheer up in God you will surely go up. David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. If there is no encouragement around there is sure encouragement in Christ. In the midst of your trial and tension what you need is divine attention.
David sought the Lord and a divine decree was issued for him to pursue, overtake and recover all. A word is coming against your enemy’s wall, and an overtaking anointing is coming upon you in an accelerated manner that will take you a head of your enemy to retrieve and recover all that belongs to you. I see you ahead and fulfilled! You have to get going for you are meant to be a head ! You are the head and you must be ahead. Although the enemy fought you from behind but you are going a head and in fullness recover. David asked if he could overtake his enemies but God gave a reply that took David beyond his request. God said “You will not only pursue and overtake but you will also recover ALL”. I see God taking you beyond your dream and imagination. You will leave the company of fighters and become more than a conqueror. There are many gathering of Christians today ,all they do is to only fight- and truly they are pursuing and overtaking but they are not really recovering – but I decree by anointing that you will not only overtake you will surely recover ALL. It is the divine decree that can not be decreased!. As you beckon on the divine your beacon of victory will surface.

BEYOND BESOR (VS 9-10)

In overtaking and recovering there are bends to negotiate and rivers to cross. If you can not cross your Besor you can not crush your enemies. When David and his men got to Besor 200 out of the 600 men could not break through the brook. Besor separated “men” from “boys”. Where you are now is not your last stop – You must pass over the brook for your testimony is at the other side. If you give up you can not go up. Even if you are fallen, your fallen ground must not become your burial ground, but your lifting spot. When the battle seems toughest that is when the victory is closest. Do not step aside but step up, keep moving, there is breakthrough at the other side of Besor. The anointing for passing over be released upon you now in Jesus name !.

BREAKTHROUGH OF BENIGNITY (VS. 11-16).
Many of us are at the door of our great blessings but we are not using the right key to open the door. Prayer and fasting without right actions will only take you to the door of your destiny but can’t open the door for you. Don’t be too pre-occupied with your suffering that you don’t help others who are suffering. In helping others you will also be helped. If David never stop to help this dieing Egyptian with bread and drink he would have suffered more. The dieing man was the key to David’s full recovery.. There are people at strategic junctions of life that heaven want you to assist so that greater doors of blessings can be opened unto you, if you fail to assist you will also roam for long without finding your road to success. A stingy and selfish person can never reach his peak in life. Invest in others and you will be blessed. As David pursued, overtook, rescued and recovered all his lost people and properties, I decree this season and month to be your time of full recovery. As you have discovered, now RECOVER IN JESUS NAME!.

FORM FOR THE NEW MEMBER

2008-04-21T10:26:00.001-07:00

GLOBAL DELIVERANCE TEAM (GLODET)
P. O BOX 1215 OYO TOWN NIGERIA
E-mail: kolade2002@yohoo.com
Website: www.delekolade.blogspot.com
Tel: 08059426557/08038565127

MEMBER’S BIO-DATA AND MINISTRY RESUME

SECTION A

FULL NAME …………………………………….
CURRENT ADDRESS……………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………
PERMANENT HOME ADDRESS………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
TELEPHONE & E-MAIL……………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………
SEX…………………...DATE OF BIRTH………………………………………………
MARITAL STATUS (a) MARRIED (b) SINGLE (c) ENGAGED
NATIONALITY……………………CHURCH/DENOMINATION……………………
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION……………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
NEXT OF KIN (NAME & FULL ADDRESS)……………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………..

SECTION B

GIVE A BRIEF & COINCISE DESCRIPTION OF YOUR SALVATION EXPERIENCE(add new sheet)

WHAT AREAS OF MINISTRY ARE YOU CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN AT YOUR LOCALCHURCH?................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
WHICH SPIRITUAL GIFT(S) DO YOU OPERATE IN?..................................................
………………………………………………………………………………………………
HOW WERE YOU INTRODUCED TO THIS MINISTRY (GLODET)?...........................
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
DO YOU CLEARLY UNDERSTAND THE VISION AND MISSION OF GLODET?.....
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………

I,………………………………………………………………….wholeheartedly filled this form upon a firm conviction that the Lord will want me to represent, articulate, demonstrate and fulfill the vision and mission of the above named ministry. I will commit myself to actualising the vision of the ministry. I will always put Christ first, and commit myself to a life of purity. I desire to learn and apply the Word of God. I will commit myself to the programs of this ministry and lead others to as the Lord will direct me. God help me.

________________________ ________________________ Signature of the member
including date

HASTING BRINGS WASTING !!!

2008-03-18T03:00:00.000-07:00

PLEASE DON'T BE HASTE IN DOING THINGS THIS YEAR!(copied from my e-mail)

There is a legend of a woman who had a faithful dog. This
dog was so faithful that the woman could leave her baby
with it and go out to attend other matters. She always
returned to find the child soundly asleep with the dog
faithfully watching over him.

One day something tragic happened. The woman as usual,
left the baby in the "hands" of this faithful dog and went
out shopping. When she returned, she discovered rather a
nasty scene. There was a total mess. The baby's cot was
dismantled and his nappies and clothes torn to shreds with
bloodstains all over the bedroom where she had left the
child and the dog. Shocked, the woman wailed as she began
looking for the baby. Presently, she saw the faithful dog
emerging from the under the bed. It was covered with blood
and licking its mouth as it had just finished a delicious
meal.

The woman went berserk and assumed that the dog had
devoured her baby. Without much thought she clubbed the dog
to death. But as she continued searching for the "remains"
of her child, she beheld another scene. Close to the bed
was the baby who, although lying on bare floor was safe. And
under the bed the carcass of a jackal torn to pieces in
what must have been a fierce battle between it and the dog
which was now dead. Then the reality hit the woman who now
began to understand what took place in her absence. The
dog fought to protect the baby from the ravenous jackal. It
was too late for her now to make amends because in her
impatience and anger, she had killed the faithful dog.

How often have we misjudged people and torn them to shreds
with harsh words and even with physical assault before we
have had time to evaluate the situation? A little patience
can drastically reduce major life long errors.

Famous Sayings!!!

A ship in harbor is
safe, but that is not what ships are built for!

Intelligence is like underwear. It is important that you have it, but
not
necessary that you show it off!

If your dreams determine your future, why
not go to sleep now?

When the only tool you own is a hammer, every
problem begins to look like a nail !

Never test the depth of the water
with both feet.

This post was sent to my e-mail by a friend.

EXPLORING THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

2008-03-05T02:09:00.000-08:00

THE CHARISMATA
EXPLORING THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

GLOBAL DELIVERANCE TEAM (GLODET)
CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE AND MISSIONS
P.O BOX 1215 OYO TOWN NIGERIA
TEL 08059426557/08038565127
WEBSITE – www.delekolade.blogspot.com

Written by – Rev Dele Kolade

This material is the sole property of the GLOBAL DELIVERANCE TEAM (GLODET). Unless special permission is given by the president, it must not be recopied by any means by anybody.

EXPLORING SPIRITUAL GIFTS

INTRODUCTION

The body of Christ primarily functions through the divers grace given gifts she is blessed with. The ministry role of believers in the church is rooted in spiritual gifts. The church cannot actively function according to the divine structure unless we acknowledge the spiritual giftedness of the members. The scope of this study is (therefore) to dispel ignorance concerning spiritual gifts and to help participants discover and rightly use their God’s given gift of grace.
As our working definition, spiritual gifts are special abilities given by Christ through the Holy Spirit to empower believers for the body ministry. Since the gifts are given by Christ through the Holy Spirit, we shall do well to locate the unfolding presence, power and actions of the Holy Spirit through ages:

HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ERA

1. His presence and action in creation – Gen. 1:1-2 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and void;…and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the water.” It is interesting that the Scriptures began with the fact of the active presence of the Holy Spirit right in creation. When the beginning began, it met the Holy Spirit already in existence and at work. In the episode of creation, He was actively present. He is indeed God in action.
2. He was the Old Testament Instructor of the saints. Neh. 9:20 “Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them…” Israel as a nation was distinct from any other nations in that they had divine instruction and direction through the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the Old Testament church had the Holy Spirit as her instructor.
3. Spirit’s unction for function – Jud. 3:10 “And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he judged Israel…” The Holy Spirit enabled men and women in the Old Testament to function in various capacities. The anointing of the Spirit is not new, it has been active through ages in fulfilling divine counsel, through men and women of faith.
4. Holy Spirit equipped people in the Old Testament for vocational and creative abilities – Ex. 31:1-4 “And the Lord spake to Moses saying see I have called by name Bezaleel…and I have filled him with the Spirit of God…in all manner of workmanship.” The Holy Spirit is an expert in every field. Apart from “Spiritually” oriented functions, he also equipped people to variously function in other aspects of life sometimes considered secular.
5. Holy Spirit, the life changer – 1 Sam. 10:6 “And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee…and shalt be turned into another man.” There is no person in the scriptures who had encounter with the Holy Spirit that did not experience radical change of life.

From the New Testament era, the activities of the Holy Spirit has become pronounced. Many scholars of the scriptures has described this age as the age of the great manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Some of activities of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament include the following:
1. Holy Spirit, the revealer of divine mysteries. 1 Cor. 2:10 “But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit for the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” It is clearly evident that the Holy Spirit unveils the counsel and the mysteries of God to the saints.
2. He convicts us of sin. Acts 2:37 “Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and brethren, what shall we do? Jn. 16:8 “And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin.”
3. The Holy Spirit regenerates life. Titus 3:5 “…by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost.” 2 Cor. 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold all this are become new.”
4. Holy Spirit is our witness. Rom. 9:1 “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost.” Rom. 8:16 “The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.”
5. Holy Spirit adopts us unto God’s family. Gal. 4:6 “And because ye are sons, God hath senth forth the Spirit of his son into your hearts, crying Abba father” (Rom. 8:15).
6. He delivers us from the curse of law of sin and death. Rom 8:2 “For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath sep me free from the law of sin and death”.
7. Helps us in prayer. Rom. 8:26-27 “Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought…” (Jude 1:20. Zech. 12:10)
8. He fills us with Joy Peace and boldness. Rom. 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (2 Tim 1:17).
9. Holy Spirit; our sanctifier. 1 Pet. 1:22 “Seeing ye have purified our soul in obeying the truth through the Spirit into unfeigned love of the brethren…” 2 Thess. 2:13 “…God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit…” (Rom. 15:16, Rom. 1:4).
10. He will quicken our mortal bodies. Rom. 8:11 “But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
11. He is our comforter. Jn. 14:26 “But the comforter, which is the holy Ghost whom the father will send in my name…”
12. He intercedes for the Saints. Rom. 8:27 “…because He maketh intercession for the saint according to the will of God.”
13. He teaches. Jn. 14:26 “…He shall teach you all things…”
14. He empowers believers. Lk 24:49 “…tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endowed with power from on High” (Acts 1:8).
15. He confirms the gospel. Heb. 2:3-4 “…God also bearing them witness, both with sign and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to His own will.”
16. Fills believers with love. Rom. 5:5 “…because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
17. He justifies. 1 Cor. 6:11 “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God”.
18. He seals us till the day of redemption. Eph. 4:30 “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” Eph. 1:13 “…ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.”
19. Holy ghost commissions. Acts 13:2 “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work where unto I have called them.”
20. Helps us to bear fruit. Gal. 5:22-23.
21. He inspires worship and adoration of God. Jn. 4:23-24, Phil. 3:3.
22. He puts Satan to flight. Jn. 4:7
23. He authored the scriptures. 2 Pet. 1:20-21
24. He interprets the scriptures. Jn. 16:14.

FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS ABOUT THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

It is necessary that we set the paradigm of understanding the gifts of the Holy Spirit right so us as to have sound and firm foundation. We should keep in mind that it is our understanding that determines ours standing. To have a right and strong standing, we must have a right understanding. The following truths are fundamental to a right discovery and use of the gifts that we are studying.

1. As you are born of the Spirit you must be filled with the spirit to be able to manifest spiritual gift. As it was necessary for the disciples to tarry at Jerusalem to be endued with the spirit power in order to be effective witnesses for Christ, you must also be clothed with the same power to be able to function effectively for Christ. Let’s explore the following scriptures together: Jn 14:17, Acts 2:38, Acts 8:14-17, Acts 19:1-6.
2. Spiritual gifts are “given” and not won. It must be well understood that the prerogative of whom to be given what gift rest solely on the Christ/the Holy Spirit Himself. 1 Cor. 12:11, Heb. 2:4. nevertheless, spiritual gifts can be desired genuinely by believers (1 Cor. 12:31). The place of impartation of the gifts by a spirit led minister can also not be ruled out (2 Tim 1:6).
3. Gifts operate at different levels depending on the unction given and the level of faith of the recipient of the gifts Rom. 12:6.
4. There are differences or varieties in spiritual gifts, meaning that we are variously gifted. No Christian is a carbon copy of another (Rom. 12:6-8, 1 Cor.12:7-11). There is no one who is a member of the body of Christ that does not have a gift. The use of the Greek word ‘hekasto’ really means ‘each’ of us is gifted.
5. Apart from the fact that there are diversity of gifts – that gifts differ from one another, they also fall into distinct categories. The Greek pronouns “allo” and “hetero” translated another in 1 Cor. 12:8-10 clearly shows the three categories of the listed gifts marked off by the twofold occurrence of “hetero” (“allo” – another of the same kind, “hetero” another of a different kind). In this sense, spiritual gifts can be categorized into groups like: power, utterance, revelation, and auxiliary.
6. The concept of differences in administration of the gifts must also be well understood and appreciated (1 Cor. 12:5-6). It is possible for two people to have the same kind of a gift of the Spirit but operate and administer it differently. That we have the same kind of a gift of the Spirit does not mean we must administer it exactly the same way. Nevertheless, all operations and administrations must be in agreement with the written word of God.
7. The manifestation of the gift of the spirit is what brings the profit to the recipient of the gift and the entire body of Christ at large. A gift that is discovered and developed but not deployed will soon be “destroyed” (1 Cor. 12:7).

The Greek’s noun “phanerosis” translated “manifestations” can literally render the text “To each one the Spirit – produced exhibition is given” especially if it is seen as subjective genitive of “tou pneumatos.” It can also be rendered as “Gifted individuals show forth the Holy Spirit through their charismatic acts.” If it is seen as objective genitive of “tou pneumatos.” The principal thought conveyed through the use of “phanerosis” is the element of display – an outgoing activity that touches other lives. The idea is that the manifestation must be seen, head or in some manner experienced by at least one person other than the gifted one. The manifestation is “of the spirit” and must be for the common good.
There is the possibility of having dormant spiritual gifts in some people and this is not the full counsel of God. We must bear in mind that spiritual gifts are not just for ‘knowing’ but also for ‘using’.
8. The believer has the responsibility to seek to develop and enhance his/her spiritual gifts. Through spiritual exercises, right association with other gifted people of God, service in the house of God, and faithfulness to God, the disciple can enhance him/herself in the particular area of giftedness. There is the need to “stir up” or “fan to flame” the gifts of the spirit that you have (2 Tim. 1:6). It will be improper to neglect the gift of God in one’s life (1 Tim. 4:14).
9. The under girding principle for using the gifts should be the motive of love. If we seek to discover gift without the motive of love, even our seeking will be hindered. Gift and ministries without love are worth nothing. ( 1Cor 13:1-3).
10. Gifts are better discovered and enhanced in the chamber of prayer. you do not have because you do not ask (Jam. 4:2). We should ask in prayer for good gifts (Lk. 11:13) and God is committed to answering us if we ask according to His will (1 Jn. 5:14).

Apart from the foundational thoughts about the discovery and use of the spiritual gift, the gifted believer must equally beware of the following pitfalls in the exercise of spiritual gifts.

1. Gift projection syndrome – This is a situation where Christians who think their particular gifts are more important project these gifts outwardly to make others feel inferior to them (1 Cor. 12:14-20).
2. Gift denigration – this is a “put him down syndrome.” Some members of the church that are regarded “weak” or “feeble” may be looked at like having no significant gift and the overly confident and overly independent members may fail to see how much they need to be ministered to by the so called weaker members (1 Cor. 12:21-25).
3. Over-Individualization – That the gifts are given to the individual does not mean they are given for private use. Gifts are given for the common good and the edification of the entire body of Christ. The community of faith must act as the controlling context for the exercise of spiritual gifts. The kind of spiritual maturity encouraged is maturity in community and not maturity in isolation (Eph. 4:12-13).
4. Consumer mentality syndrome – There is the danger of “parasitism” – a situation where some believers only think of receiving and never giving. There are contexts where only pastors are the performers and the members are spectators. This mentality must be discouraged and all members must see themselves as contributors and participants.
5. Institutionalism – One of the problems the church faced before the sixteenth century reformation was that some of the gifts became associated only with the clergy consequently rendering church members passive and uninvolved. Through leadership legalism in the church, the danger is still very much there today that some gift may be discounted by the leaders in the church.
6. Rationalism _ The liberalizing trends of the 18th century is playing down the supernatural elements of the Christian faith. The problem with many is that they equate spiritual gifts with natural aptitude and talents. This problem of rationalism has partly made some conclude that power and revelation gifts are no more in existence today.
7. Emotionalism – This is another extreme situation where the gifted person focuses attention more on personal experience rather than the objective dictates of the scripture. Charismatism and Pentecostalism face more problem of emotionalism than any other groups of believers.

For the purpose of clarity, the gifts of the Spirit shall be discussed under four categorizations. It must be well stated here that the identified gifts under these headings may not be exhaustive of all the gifts in the new testament but that there is no gift aside these can not fit into those so identified. In each of the gift observed, a definition of the gift will be given, scriptural explanation, characteristics of the user and potential pitfalls.

REVELATORY GIFTS 1COR. 12:4-11

A. WORD OF KNOWLEDGE – Bob Whitaker is right in describing this gift in the following words “Is not about intellectual ability or learning; it is an inner knowing or intuition such as was seen in Jesus ministry when he knew what his critics were thinking, feeling or plotting and then spoke in response as though he had read their minds” (Mk. 2:8, Lk 6:8, 7:36-47;9:47). The Greek word used to describe this gift literally mean “deep knowing.” It must be understood that this kind of knowledge is not parallel to that special revelation of the Bible. It is not intended to add to the scriptures. This is a divine, special, and supernatural revelation of facts through the Holy Ghost, about situation, people or thing which otherwise or depending upon carnal mind could not have been known. Lets examine the following scriptures to know the gift better: Gen. 2:21-23, Acts 5:1-4, Lk 4:17-19, 2 Kgs 5:20-27, 2Kg 6:32-33, Jn 4:17-18.
The pitfalls to beware of as a recipient of this gift is the tendency to become puffed up because of insights discerned and messages revealed. The other danger is communicating publicly a word of knowledge that was meant to be private. Some may even go the extreme by faking the word of knowledge when no revelation has come.

B. WORD OF WISDOM
This is a special spirit given ability to see situations and issues from God’s perspective and to apply God-given insight to specific areas of need.

Genesis 41 presents a good example of the demonstration of this gift. In Jesus’ ministry, the word of wisdom shone through in the perspective answers he gave those who tried to implicate him (Matt. 21:23-27; 22:23-33, Lk. 20:20-26). The recipient of this gift is able to apply spiritual knowledge in practical ways. Solomon sorting out the quarrel between the two women fighting over the living baby is another good example of the demonstration of this gift. The recipient of the gift are usually good as a member of a counseling team and can guide the church through a troublesome time.
The dangers potentially inherent in the use of the gift is the tendency for the user to become over confident, think of himself more highly than he ought to or become impatient with those who do not listen to his/her sayings.

C. DISCERNING OF THE SPIRIT.
This is a special Spirit-ability to distinguish or differentiate between spirits. Put in a different way, it is the ability to know whether a particular word, action or motive has its source in God, sinful flesh or Satan. Let’s explore the following passages of the scripture to understand the operation of this gift better: Matt. 16:23, Acts 8:9-25; 16:16-18, 1Tim. 4:1, 2Pet. 2:1-2, 1Thess. 5:21.
The potential liabilities of this gift include tendency for the user to become overzealous heresy hunter, overcritical about everything or withdraw from church to church.

POWER GIFTS

A.GIFT OF FAITH 1 COR. 12:9 – The gift of faith is the first gift in the category of the power gifts and it provides the unifying factor in this new group. The gift of faith is not the same as the saving faith possessed by every Christian (Rom. 3:22; 5:1). It is a special Spirit-given ability to know with certainty that God wills to do something and is certain to do it. Simply put, knowing what God want to do, coupled with the utter confidence that He will do it. Let’s observe the manifestations of this gift from the scriptures: Gen. 22:8, Jn. 11:23, Matt. 14:29, Acts 27:21-26. the potential problem usually associated with people operating this gift is the tendency to exercise the gift without love (1 Cor. 13:2) or be impatient with those who are quite cautious.

B. GIFTS OF HEALINGS
It is a special ability given by the Holy Spirit to serve as an instrument to bring physical, emotional and spiritual healing in an extraordinary way. What should be specially noted in regards to this gifts is the plural words used, and this suggests a variety of abilities relating to various maladies and diseases, 38 recorded scenes of healing in Jesus’ earthly ministry is given in the New Testament and 17 in the book of Acts by Apostle Paul and others. It is epistemologically fraudulent for anyone to conclude that this gift has seized. Let’s explore the scriptures: Ex. 15:26; 23:25, Ps. 103:3, Matt. 9:35, Mk. 6:56, Acts 10:38, Heb. 2:4, 2Kg 20:1-7, 1Tim. 5:23, Jn 14:11-14. the identified liabilities of the person’s using the gift include:

• Trying to heal at any time without discerning spirit guidance
• Use of rigid methods not confirmed in the scriptures
• Making healing dependent on the sick person’s faith
• Becoming impatient when healing does not happen.

C.WORKINGS OF MIRACLES – 1 Cor. 12:10
This is a display of divine extraordinary power, overturning the law of nature to express the power and presence of God in the affairs of man. We are still very much in the age of the miraculous and there are men and women of faith so gifted in this display of God’s power. The following scriptural texts attest to the demonstration of this gift. Acts 13:8-11, Acts 2:22, Mk. 6:2, Lk. 10:13, Gal. 3:5, 2Cor. 12:12, Matt. 12:28, Jn. 2:1-10, Mk.. 4:35-41, Mk 5:21-43, Lk 7:11-17, Jn. 14:12-14, Heb. 2:3-4. exorcism of demons is within the context of the gift of workings of miracles.
The potential liabilities of the user of this gift include the tendency to want to operate without Spirit guidance and taking personal credit for what really belong to God

UTTERANCE GIFTS

A. GIFT OF PROPHECY – 1Cor 12, 1 Thess. 5:20, Matt. 7:15-16
This is a special spirit-given ability to receive and communicate a message from God so that believers may be edified, encouraged and convinced 1 Cor 14:3-5. prophecy has a dual nature of revelation and utterance. The Greek word for prophecy literally means “to speak forth.” There is the dimension of “forth telling” and the “fore telling” Acts 11:27-28; 21:10-11; 13:1-3, 1 Tim. 1:18, Rev. 1:3, Rom. 12:8. prophecy is in three dimensions of “edification,” “encouragement” and “consolation” (counseling) 1 Cor. 14:3,9. That you have the gift of prophecy does not necessarily mean that you are a prophet. The pitfalls to watch out for include:
• Pride
• Deviation from the scripture
• Being too blunt or ministering without wisdom

Prophecies must be tested using scriptural litmus Deut. 18:20-22

B. DIVERS KINDS OF TONGUES – This gift seems to be the most controversial among all the gifts of the spirit. If this gift is not put in the right perspective it can be disruptive and divisive. It can simply be put as a special spirit-given ability to speak in utterances previously unknown or unlearnt by the speaker. You should take a special look at the plural form it is put in 1 Corinthians 12. From the text of the scripture the following should be observed:
• 120 believers spoke in tongues on the Pentecost day Acts 1:15; 2:4.
• Family of Cornelius after responding to Peter’s sermon Acts 10:46.
• A group of Ephesians’ believers Acts 19:6
• Paul also spoke in tongues 1 Cor. 14:5,18
• There is the “tongue” that is solely ministering to God (private).
• There is the “tongue” that is meant for ministering to men. This seems o spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12 (public) study 1 Corinthians 14 very carefully.
• Observe the tongues of “men” or of “angels” in 1 Corinthians 13. The person with this gift must beware of:
• Exercising the gift without love
• Making tongues the norm for spiritual maturity
• Using the gift for self glory.

C. INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES 1 Cor. 12:10
This is a special spirit-given ability to interpret into known language a message spoken in tongues. The interpretation may be supplied by the tongue-speaking person (1 Cor. 14:5,13) or by another person (1 Cor. 14:27). When interpretation is given the tongue spoken edifies not only the tongue-speaker but also all who are present. The interpretation may not be word for word translation but rather giving sense of the message. Tongues, once interpreted, are basically equivalent to prophecy. The pitfalls to avoid is giving words not from the Holy Spirit, taking glory for the manifestation of the gift or feeling superior to others who do not have this gift.

AUXILIARY GIFTS

A. ADMINISTRATION/LEADERSHIP 1 Cor.12:28, Rom. 12:8
This gift consists of a special skill in administrative direction that enables the gifted one to steer the flock of God into channels of effective service. The Greed word translated administration in 1 Cor. 12:28 means “one who guides or directs towards a goal.” Through the leadership skill the user sees and sets the goals and through the administrative skills he devises the plans to accomplish the goals. Explore the following texts of the Bible: 1 Thess. 5:12, 1Tim. 5:17, 1Pet. 5:2-3, 1Tim. 4:14, Heb. 13:7,17,24. The user of this gift must beware of the tendency for “using” people and thinking of projects and programs more than people.

B. ENCOURAGEMENT/COUNSELLING (Rom. 12:8).
This is the spirit-given ability to effectively encourage, comfort, challenge, or rebuke others to help them live lives worthy of God. The Greek term “parakaleo”, translated encourage in Rom. 12:8 denotes “standing-alongside another person to encourage, support or console as well as to challenge, urge or rebuke, where necessary, for spiritual growth and to spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24). For further insight, study: Acts 14:21-22; 4:36; 11:25-26; 13:5; 15:37-39, Lk. 22:32, 2Tim. 4:2 and Jn. 14:16.
The danger are that the user may:
• Create inappropriate dependencies by getting too involved in people’s lives
• Neglect his/her spiritual life in the bid to help others.

C. GIFT OF GIVING (Rom. 12:8)
This is contributing significant personal, and material resources to the Lord’s work. The Greek word used in Rom. 12:8 places emphasis on “giving or sharing of ourselves” as we give. Examples in the scriptures include the poor widow (Lk. 21:1-3), and Dorcas (Acts 9:36-39) 1 Thess. 2:8.
Possible liabilities include
• Being proud of giving
• Condemn those who do not give sacrificially
• Unduly critical of how others spend their money

D. HOSPITALITY
Spirit given grace to love, welcome and graciously serve guests and strangers so that they feel at home 1 Pet. 4:9-10, Acts 16:15, 1Tim. 3:2; 5:10, 3Jn 5_8, Rom. 16:23.
Potential dangers associate with this gift is the tendency for the user of the gift to allow people take undue advantage of him/her, and also not being able to say no when ought to.

E. SHOWING MERCY (Rom. 12:8)
Ability to feel genuine empathy and compassion for hurting people and translating that feeling into cheerful acts of service. Some dangers of the user include:

• Being over sympathetic without objective censoring
• Over protective of those cared for
• Guided more by feeling and emotion rather than facts and scriptures w.

With what attitude should this gift be used? Rom. 12:8.
Explore the use of this gift from Lk 4-8. what can we learn from Acts 9:36, Lk 6:36 and Jm. 2:15-16, Matt. 25:35-45

This material is the sole property of the GLOBAL DELIVERANCE TEAM (GLODET). Unless special permission is given by the president, it must not be recopied by any means by anybody.

Written by Rev Dele Kolade

A VAST ARMY; AN EXEGESIS OF EZEK 37

2008-02-01T08:32:00.000-08:00

A VAST ARMY, AN EXEGESIS OF EZEKIEL 37

Introduction – Ezekiel, the priest prophet in this chapter had a dramatic encounter with God, a record of which we want to carefully examine in the light of our contemporary situation. The chapter can be described as a prophetic excursion that reaffirms the fact that with God nothing is impossible and that there is not right off or hopeless situation. As we wait on God for a radical revival, let’s be guided by the prophetic, panoramic principles set forth in this great chapter.

Discover to Recover – Vs 1 “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord….” The prophetic restoration in this chapter of the Bible began with a revelation and the fact that discovery is the first principle to experiencing revival or a positive change in life. If a situation will change, the change will start with a new vision. Revelation precedes liberation and restoration. God gave Ezekiel a prophetic projection of the divine intension for the house of Israel. In life, if you don’t discover you can not recover. A true and holistic discovery must begin with epistemological humility, an admission of the fact that what you know is far less than what you don’t know. This vision shown to Ezekiel, I belief must be beyond his human imagination. There are so many things you don’t know about what you are going through unless God reveal them to you. As human being, you are limited to the existential realities around you but God can unveil the metaphysical truth that is beyond you to you. There are things you don’t know and you know that you don’t know them, but greater ignorance is in things you don’t know and you don’t even know that you don’t know them. You need a connection and prophetic excursion with the Holy Spirit like Ezekiel to be able to have a broader and clearer perspective of life. May the hand of the Lord rest on you today to take you beyond yourself.

From the Familiar to the Unfamiliar – Vs 1 “…and carried me out…and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones.” There is no bigger obstacle to having revival or experiencing positive change than the problem of ‘sameness’ or indifference. Exposure brings expansion, so a man this is not positively exposed is caged. When you are exposed you will begin to appreciate new things but men who have nothing new to appreciate will eventually depreciate. You must pray for a release from the cocoon of indifference you are into. Get familiar with the godly unfamiliar. The emphasis here is the ‘carried out’ of the prophet. Note the word ‘out’; it has a sense of beyond and newness. Ezekiel was taken from where he was to a new place he never dreamt of. God is intending to take you out of somewhere and set you down in a new setting. For your prophetic change to be translated to real testimony, you need a corresponding transition from where you are to where you ought to be.

The Site – It will interest you to know that there is no way you can fully understand a situation if you don’t understand its attendant connection with its location. There is a connection between where you are and who you are. The description of the blessed man in Psalm one centers first on where he does not walk, stand, or sit all describing location. You can not fully understand a situation when you do not first investigate the location. The first recorded question God ever asked man borders on location – ‘Adam where are you’. The setting of this vision is as important as the situation described in the revelation that ensued. It was a ‘valley’ setting. This, I must say does not surprise me because after all God created the place before He created the people. I think David will have to be consulted to better understand the significance of being in a VALLEY. David, in Psalm 23 recounts his valley experience. I must also say that the situation at hand in Ezekiel vision is superlatively different from that of David in Psalm 23. David walked through the valley but the bones in Ezekiel’s account describe those who could not walk through it. What David experienced or saw was a shadow of death but what Ezekiel saw was REAL DEATH and not a shadow. All the same David has helped us to discover that valley is a picture of danger and evil and this was where God led Ezekiel the prophet into. Where are you now? May be in the valley, but wait, all hope is not lost for there is hope even for the obituary.

The Situation – Vs 2 “…there were very many in the open valley; and lo, they were very dry.” The emphasis here is on the population of those involved and the propensity of the problem at hand. Can you imagine seeing in a dream very many human dried bones; I guess you will simply force to wake up from such a dream. What Ezekiel saw was terribly ugly and from the human point of view HOPELESSNESS IN CAPITAL LETTERS. The valley was full of decayed, disintegrated, and widely dispersed human bones. When human dead body is left unburied in the open, the site of it must be terrible. The prophet was given a full picture of the valley by making him to move all around the place. There is a need for a clear understanding of what is going on before a solution can be sort for. A problem you do not understand well you can not deal well with. Someone said ‘Jesus is the answer’, and someone asked him ‘what is the question?’ The issue is that we seem to have many answers when we do not even understand the questions. Ezekiel had a clear picture of the situation. May the Lord open your eyes to understand the situation you are in, and may He empower you to deal with it with His anointing.

The Question – Vs 3 “…Can these bones live?....” What a multi million Dollars’ question? The Immortal was asking the mortal if the rotten, stinking, disintegrated and widely dispersed human bones could come back to life. Ezekiel, I believe, was still grappling with the shock of the site when the unexpected question came. The question was too much for the prophet and his response was simply an expression of epistemological humility. Ezekiel’s response that only God knows is recognition of God’s sovereignty and omnipotence. You need to allow God to take the lead and show the way.

The Solution – If you allow God to show the way you will see tremendous and great results. We need to observe the process of the recovery and restoration in this passage.
 Divine – Human Collaboration – We must not loose the sight of the fact that Ezekiel was divinely assigned a role in the process of the recovery. He was the mouth piece of God who was doing the commanding. In this project of your total emancipation and full restoration you have an active role to play. God has anointed you to take charge and to do exploit in life.
 Divine backing – You must be aware than you are not going in your own strength or ability, there must be a divine decree backing you. Going all out without God will spell a doom but following divine order will bring victory and testimony. Ezekiel was acting on specific divine instructions. He was not speaking his own words, but that which he received from God. You need a specific, divinely directed word and mandate from God on what you are currently going through. No one can decrease what God decrees.
 The shakings, trembling, and rattling – At the voice of the anointed man of God, there was an aggressive demonstration and reactions on the scattered bones. Sometimes when God set into our situation, there may be the initial shakings, trembling and the rattling. The shaking is for your making. It is a response to the order of restoration and not a signal of destruction. You need to differentiate the shakings engineered by God from the tearing organized by the devil.
 Bone to its bone – The concept of ‘fitly joined together’ captured in Eph 4:16 can best be appreciated in the wonders of human skeleton. God brought bone to its bone in the process of restoration in this passage. Can you imagine if the bones were wrongly fitted, the site would have been very ugly. Many of us need a re- ordering of our lives because bones are not to the right bones in our lives. Some are suffering from what I call orderly disorder and they need an urgent reordering of their lives.
 Sinew, flesh, and skin – As wonderful as the human skeleton is, without flesh it may be very frightening. The beauty of life is better seen through the addition of flesh and skin to the human body. You need the sinew, flesh and skin in your life. You need the beauty of the Lord in your life for you to attract success and breakthrough.
 Breath/Spirit – The peak of the dramatic, prophetic, spirito-surgical operation at this valley was the coming of the Spirit upon the fresh but lifeless bodies. No matter how fresh and well looking dead body may be, it is still as useless as rotten bone. What some of us need is the coming of the Spirit of God into our lives. It is one thing to be existing and another to be living, just as being well is not the same as well being. You must not just be existing, you must start living and fulfilling your destiny in Christ. You can only do this by the power of the Spirit. You can not stand up unless you are filled up by the Spirit of God. What a great thing to discover that the once scattered, shattered, useless dried bones are now ‘A VAST AND EXCEEDING GREAT ARMY’ Rev. Dele Kolade

E-Mail : kolade2002@yahoo.com
Website: www.delekolade.blogspot.com
www.glodetmission.blogspot.com

2008'S PROPHETIC X-RAY

2008-02-01T08:25:00.000-08:00

THE PROPHETIC X-RAY AND DECLARATION FOR 2008
To know others takes intelligence, to know about an issue or event takes insight, to know about yourself takes wisdom but to know about the future requires metaphysical foresight. Your vision about the future will define your direction, location, association, function, destination and situation (condition). For this year, you are not left in the dark for God has a prophetic package for the saints in the year 2008. You need a clear vision of God’s agenda to be able to access the prophetic package for 2008.May the Lord grant you a divine placement in this great agenda. God has a covenant budget for each year, and every child of His has a portion in that budget. I will surely get my own share of the budget this year 2008. 2008, being a leap year is a very strategic year. I will enjoy divine surplus this season. Every thing good will come my way in excess this year. Any location I am I will get my own divine allocation. The Lord will connect me with the right people that will help me achieve my divine mandate in life. I will be strengthened from on high to achieve my divinely inspired desire. The divine inspiration will insulate me against expiration. I will be lavished with grace and bombarded with blessings. May you have a clear vision of His days in 2008 in Jesus name.
Every purpose (agenda) of God is married with His timing. A purpose without a direction leads to infection. A life without a clear direction is surely in confusion and when there is confusion there will be frustration and failure. A life void of divine vision will settle down for imitation, but imitation brings limitation and intimidation.
God says the year 2008 is MY YEAR TO EXPERIENCE GOD’S FAVOUR AND SKYROCKETING INCREASE. The mandate unlocking this is in Lev.26: 9- “For I will look on you favorably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm my covenant with you”.2008 is the beginning of my season of “breaking forth” (Isa.54: 3). In this season, God will give a divine blow to all of my woes, and tread into extinction all of my troubles. Your problems are rebuked that you may proceed into your ordained destiny. Mathematically speaking, eight is a representation of justice. Eight (8) is the first cube after one (1)and its seen as a number of justice because it divides evenly into 4 and 4, which in turn divides into 2 and 2, which in turn divides into 1 and 1. This year, the Lord will fight for me and I will have divine justice. My pains will be translated into gains. God says all my setbacks will become setups for my breakthroughs. I have a divine decree to increase and be all-round fruitful. All I see this year is high fecundity and prolificacy.
In fully accessing God’s entire blessing in 2008, you need to personally apply these eight divine principles.
You must fear not for dread will drown you. Fear is a weapon to sabotage your vision and mandate. Flush out your fear with the word of faith. “Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you: ‘Fear not, O Jacob my servant; and you Jeshurun whom I have chosen”(Isa.44: 2)
“Fear not, for I am with you; be note dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isa.41: 10).
Look “up”, not down and not around. When you are under tension what you need is a divine attention. Ps.121: 1-2, Isa.6: 1-3, Josh.5: 13, 2Cor.3: 18
Step out of your “convenient zone” for new attempts will bring new attainments. Every disappointment must be converted into new appointments (Matt.14: 29, 1Chro.28: 20)
Stop crying and complaining, start commanding and claiming. (Gen.14: 15)
Walk through your problem, not around or away from it. There is no progression without aggression. Walking through your opposition will bring you into your desired position. This year 2008, God says, “…go forward” (Exd.14: 13-15, Phil.3: 12-14).
“Go in and possess” (Deut.1: 6-8). There are people who pursue but don’t possess. Chasing is not the same as taking. In this year, you will not only overtake but will also take, and as you pursue you will possess. God is saying that as you discover you will equally recover. 1Sam.30: 8.
Expand your mind and free yourself from tyranny of self limitation. If you don’t see beyond yourself you have not started to see. Tune to the divine frequency where there is no limitation. Isa.43: 18-19, Phil.4: 1-6
This year 2008 you must not be a duplicate. You are created an original. You must not follow the “crowd” but the “cloud” (Num.10: 34-35)
As you anchor yourself to the words of this prophecy, you will experience a major shift that will bring your desired lifting.

’Dele Kolade

E-Mail : kolade2002@yahoo.com
Website: www.delekolade.blogspot.com
www.glodetmission.blogspot.com

WISDOM FOR LIVING

2007-08-10T04:36:00.000-07:00

WISDOM FOR LIVING
Hello, how are you doing? Hope all is well.
This are a motivational messages to brighten the day.

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The
animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure
out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered anyway, it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quietened down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the ! edge of the well and trotted off! Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The
trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up.
Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest
wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a
step up! Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

After September 11th, one company invited the
remaining members of other companies who had been
decimated by the attack on the Twin Towers to share
their available office space.
At a morning meeting, the head of security told
stories of why these people were alive ... and all the
stories were just:
The 'L I T T L E' things! .
As you might know, the head of the company survived
that day because his son started kindergarten.
Another fellow was alive because it was
his turn to bring donuts.
One woman was late because her
alarm clock didn't go off in time.
One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnp ike
because of an auto accident.
One of them missed his bus.
One spilled food on her clothes and had to take
time to change.
One's car wouldn't start.
One went back to answer the telephone.
One had a child that dawdled
and didn't get ready as soon as he should have.
One couldn’t get a taxi.
The one that struck me was the man
who put on a new pair of shoes that morning,
took the various means to get to work
but before he got there, he developed
a blister on his foot.
He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid.
That is why he is alive today.
Now when I am
stuck in traffic,
miss an elevator,
turn back to answer a ringing telephone...
all the little things that annoy me.
I think to myself,
this is exactly where
God wants me to be
at this very moment..
Next time your morning seems to be
going wrong, the children are slow getting dressed,
you can't seem to find the car keys,
you hit every traffic light,
don't get mad or frustrated;
God is at work watching over you.
May God continue to bless you
with all those annoying little things
and may you remember their possible purpose.
Pass this on to someone you wish to encourage.
When Your Hut's on Fire....
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island.
He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him.
Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, "God! How could you do this to me?” Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?"
asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are
going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.
P.S. You may want to consider passing this on, because you never know who feels as if their hut is on fire today.

Extracted and edited from the internet by,

Rev Dele Kolade (GLODET President)
For further motivation call me on 234 8059426557 / 234 8038565127 or visit my website @ www.delekolade.blogspot.com. You can equally write me Rev Dele Kolade, Global Deliverance Team P.O.Box 1215 Oyo Town Nigeria

EASTER, THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA

2007-08-10T04:33:00.000-07:00

EASTER, THE DAWN OF A NEW BEGINNING

The season of Easter is a time of great reflection on the magnanimity, the tenacity and the authority of our faith, a recollection of the demonstration of the divine power over the insurrection of the power of hell. The drama of resurrection is an affirmation of the authenticity of God’s authority over all things. The empty tomb is a clear evidence that God is always in charge.
No matter what you may be passing through, the severity of your situation or the definition of your problems, an encounter with the risen Lord is the answer to all seemingly unsolvable questions your problem may be posing. The Lord says I should tell the following divine truth as you march through the huddles of life:
 Matthew 28:1 – “In the end of the Sabbath…” Do you know that the season of silence and inward groaning will come to an end? Every Sabbath has an end. Your period of inactiveness, hibernation and frustration will give way for to divine encounter, demonstration and lifting. There is going to be a release (an order) from heaven for your release. The story of your life will change for the best and the dawn of the era of joy, victory and lifting is already by your door. A new day will come with new “doings”, for God is ending a force from heaven to enforce His counsel in your life.
 Matthew 28:2 – “Behold…the angel…rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it.” What the Lord is about to do in your life will be made visibly clear, a manifestation that every one can behold. God is launching you into a strategic realm of tangible manifestation. You are coming under the influence of divine favor and mercy. God’s grace will be seen in you. God is about to do a thing in your life that may not fit into the test tube of reason, actions that human vocabulary may not be able to fathom or define. There will be a shaking off, a rolling back for a going forth and a total destruction of every obstruction to your progress and fulfillment in life. Power will descend on you from the throne of God propelling you into the season of actualization of your dream and divine destiny. God will discharge you from all evil prison of limitation and failure and He will give you a prophetic charge from today to be in charge. From today, nothing can hold you back again from being fulfilled.
 Matthew 28:5 – “…Fear not…” What a reassurance that all thing is now settled! The pain is gone so the panic has famused. Instead of being fearful you should be frenetic for all your flagitious enemies are acatalectically silenced for ever. As a child of God you must not be diffident, you must know your position in Christ. The power of resurrection has positioned you in a place of perpetual victory. You must never be afraid again. There are 366 “fear not” in the Bible and they are meant for you each day of the year. It is well with your soul. Be launched into your season of fulfillment and victory from today!

Your Friend,

Rev Dele Kolade
(President GLODET Mission)

LET THERE BE LIGHT!

2007-08-10T04:30:00.000-07:00

LET THERE BE LIGHT! (Gen 1:3)

The beginning of everything is important because it determines the form the thing will take. The Bible strategically began with the book of beginning. The Bible began by telling us how God who has no beginning began everything. When the beginning in Genesis 1 began it met God in existence. The present order of thing we now see began from disorder and chaos. God brought order to the then orderly disorders by ordering all things to fall in there rightful place. The account from verse 2 can be described as recreation account. God brought form to the earth that was without form, filling the forms with new formations by His authoritative information to the precious formless malformations of the cosmos. What came out of the confused cosmos was comely as a result of the divine commands. The presence of God and His words of commands will bring order and form to your confused life now!
Lets give special attention to the first thing God ordered to take immediate form. This again, is another new beginning, so it is important. It is for an important reason that God created the light first. If we agree that from verse 3 is the account of recreation then by inference from verse 1 darkness was there before He said let there be light. Verse two reveal that the earth was without form and darkness was on the face of the deep. By implication, there was the earth and darkness already . Then in verse 2 God said “ Let there be light”. Light is more than just the absence of darkness but the presence of God. Imagine if God created all the beautiful things He made in the dark, how do you think it would have looked like? If God set into your life now and command light to come your life will become beautiful. I decree by Divine order that LET THERE BE LIGHT IN YOUR LIFE NOW!

WRITTEN BY REV DELE KOLADE

LOOSE HIM AND LET HIM GO!

2007-08-10T04:28:00.000-07:00

LOOSE HIM AND LET HIM GO! (LK:11)
This Lazarus resurrection encounter is only captured by Evangelist Luke. It’s a great demonstration of Jesus’ supremacy over all things and a testimony that as far as God is concern nothing is too late.
The first fascinating thing in this passage is the identity of the man who was sick and who eventually died. Lazarus of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Mary and for that matter the “one Jesus love”. The question I ask myself is How come Jesus friend fell sick? I think in life situation today we ask similar questions when we discover people we think are committed to God going through sufferings and afflictions. You may be wondering also about the reason why you are going through what you are going through. This account from Luke settles the issue, in the Bible, the one Jesus Love was also sick to the point of death.
Another unusual thing is Jesus response to the emergency message sent to him about the sickness of Lazarus. When he was told, he stayed two more days where he was. One would have expected that he will get up and go to Bethany immediately he was told his friend is sick. There are certain things you urgently consulted God about but it seem God is delaying. Every seemingly delay situation in your life may be for a purpose, for every purpose of God is married with the timing of God so that all things may be beautiful in its time.
Lazarus died and he was abandoned to the grave by those who loved him. He became a past tense. Do you know that there are situations where people you cherish now cant offer you any help? There are situations where your wife, husband parents , friends and relatives become completely insignificant. The interesting thing is that this same people may be the reason why you are not serious with God. It’s only Jesus who can go with you anywhere anytime and in any situation. When Jesus got there he was told, don’t go near the grave for he is now smelling bad! Do you know that with all your beauty, riches and connections, one day people will say the same thing to you? About Lazarus situation everyone concluded that it was too late and it was all over.
Whenever Jesus set into any situation he brings about radical changes that will glorify God. Jesus went to the entrance of the grave and the only perfect high priest who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities cried because of Lazarus despite the fact that he knew Lazarus will live again. Jesus ordered that the stone at the entrance be rolled away. Every stone hindering your breakthrough must give way at the site of Jesus. He cried out to Lazarus to come forth. From every prison of limitation you will come forth! When the death that killed Lazarus heard the voice of Jesus it gave up Lazarus instantly. Every evil power holding you down will give you up to march into your blessings and fulfillment. The man who was dead 4 days got up! I declare that right now you will get up! Jesus ordered that he be loosed and let go! I SAY THE SAME THING TO YOU NOW THAT YOU BE LOOSED AND GO INTO YOUR FULFILMENTS IN THE NAME OF JESUS!

Written by,
Rev Dele Kolade

A VAST ARMY, AN EXEGESIS OF EZEKIEL 37

2007-08-10T04:22:00.000-07:00

A VAST ARMY, AN EXEGESIS OF EZEKIEL CHAPTER 37

Introduction – Ezekiel, the priest prophet in this chapter had a dramatic encounter with God, a record of which we want to carefully examine in the light of our contemporary situation. The chapter can be described as a prophetic excursion that reaffirm the fact that with God nothing is impossible and that there is not right off or hopeless situation. As we wait on God for a radical revival, lets be guided by the prophetic, panoramic principles set forth in this great chapter.

Discover to Recover – Vs 1 “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord….” The prophetic restoration in this chapter of the Bible began with a revelation and the is the first principle to experiencing revival or a positive change in life. If a situation will change, the change will start with a new vision. Revelation precedes liberation and restoration. God gave Ezekiel a prophetic projection of the divine intension for the house of Israel. In life, if you don’t discover you can not recover. A true and holistic discovery must begin with epistemological humility, an admission of the fact that what you know is far less than what you don’t know. This vision shown to Ezekiel, I belief must be beyond his human imagination. There are so many things you don’t know about what you are going through unless God reveal them to you. As human being, you are limited to the existential realities around you but God can unveil the metaphysical truth that are beyond you to you. There are things you don’t know and you know that you don’t know them, but greater ignorance is in things you don’t know and you don’t even know that you don’t know them. You need a connection and prophetic excursion with the Holy Spirit like Ezekiel to be able to have a broader and clearer perspective of life. May the hand of the Lord rest on you today to take you beyond yourself.

From the Familiar to the Unfamiliar – Vs 1 “ …and carried me out…and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones.” There is no bigger obstacle to having revival or experiencing positive change than the problem of ‘sameness’ or indifference. Exposure brings expansion, so a man this is not positively exposed is caged. When you are exposed you will begin to appreciate new things but a man who have nothing new to appreciate will eventually depreciate. You must pray for a release from the cOcoon of indifference you are into. Get familiar with the godly unfamiliar. The emphasis here is the ‘carried out’ of the prophet. Note the word ‘out’, it has a sense of beyond and newness. Ezekiel was taken from where he was to a new place he never dreamt of. God is intending to take you out of somewhere and set you down in a new setting. For your prophetic change to be translated to real testimony, you need a corresponding transition from where you are to where you ought to be.

The Site – It will interest you to know that there is no way you can fully understand a situation if you don’t understand its attendant connection with its location. There is a connection between where you are and who you are. The description of the blessed man in Psalm one centers first on where he does not walk, stand, or sit all describing location. You can not fully understand a situation when you do not first investigate the location. The first recorded question God ever asked man borders on location – ‘Adam where are you’. The setting of this vision is as important as the situation described in the revelation that ensued. It was a ‘valley’ setting. This, I must say does not surprise me because after all God created the place before He created the people. I think David will have to be consulted to better understand the significance of being in a VALLEY. David, in Psalm 23 recounts his valley experience. I must also say that the situation at hand in Ezekiel vision is superlatively different from that of David in Psalm 23. David walked through the valley but the bones in Ezekiel’s account describes those who could not walk through it. What David experienced or saw was a shadow of death but what Ezekiel saw was REAL DEATH and not a shadow. All the same David has helped us to discover that valley is a picture of danger and evil and this was where God led Ezekiel the prophet into. Where are you now? May be in the valley, but wait, all hope is not lost for there is hope even for the obituary.

The Situation – Vs 2 “…there were very many in the open valley; and lo, they were very dry.” The emphasis here is on the population of those involved and the propensity of the problem at hand. Can you imagine seeing in a dream very many human dried bones, I guess you will simply force to wake up from such a dream. What Ezekiel saw was terribly ugly and from the human point of view HOPELESSNESS IN CAPITAL LETTERS. The valley was full of decayed, disintegrated, and widely dispersed human bones. When human dead body is left unburied in the open, the site of it must be terrible. The prophet was given a full picture of the valley by making him to move all around the place. There is a need for a clear understanding of what is going on before a solution can be sort for. A problem you do not understand well you can not deal well with. Someone said ‘Jesus is the answer’ , and someone asked him ‘what is the question?’ The issue is that we seem to have many answers when we do not even understand the questions. Ezekiel had a clear picture of the situation. May the Lord open your eyes to understand the situation you are in, and may He empower you to deal with it with His anointing.

The Question – Vs 3 “…Can these bones live?....” What a multi million Dollars’ question? The Immortal was asking the mortal if the rotten, stinking, disintegrated and widely dispersed human bones could come back to life. Ezekiel, I believe, was still grappling with the shock of the site when the unexpected question came. The question was too much for the prophet and his response was simply an expression of epistemological humility. Ezekiel’s response that only God knows is a recognition of God’s sovereignty and omnipotence. You need to allow God to take the lead and show the way.

The Solution – If you allow God to show the way you will see tremendous and great results. We need to observe the process of the recovery and restoration in this passage.
 Divine – Human Collaboration – We must not loose the sight of the fact that Ezekiel was divinely assigned a role in the process of the recovery. He was the mouth piece of God who was doing the commanding. In this project of your total emancipation and full restoration you have an active role to play. God has anointed you to take charge and to do exploit in life.
 Divine backing – You must be aware than you are not going in your own strength or ability, there must be a divine decree backing you. Going all out without God will spell a doom but following divine order will bring victory and testimony. Ezekiel was acting on specific divine instructions. He was not speaking his own words, but that which he received from God. You need a specific, divinely directed word and mandate from God on what you are currently going through. No one can decrease what God decrees.
 The shakings, trembling, and rattling – At the voice of the anointed man of God, there was an aggressive demonstration and reactions on the scattered bones. Sometimes when God set into our situation, there may be the initial shakings, trembling and the rattling. The shaking is for your making. It is a response to the order of restoration and not a signal of destruction. You need to differentiate the shakings engineered by God from the tearing organized by the devil.
 Bone to its bone – The concept of ‘fitly joined together’ captured in Eph 4:16 can best be appreciated in the wonders of human skeleton. God brought bone to its bone in the process of restoration in this passage. Can you imagine if the bones were wrongly fitted, the site would have been very ugly. Many of us need a re- ordering of our lives because bones are not to the right bones in our lives. Some are suffering from what I call orderly disorder and they need an urgent reordering of their lives.
 Sinew, flesh, and skin – As wonderful as the human skeleton is, without flesh it may be very frightening. The beauty of life is better seen through the addition of flesh and skin to the human body. You need the sinew, flesh and skin in your life. You need the beauty of the Lord in your life for you to attract success and breakthrough.
 Breath/Spirit – The peak of the dramatic, prophetic, spirito-surgical operation at this valley was the coming of the Spirit upon the fresh but lifeless bodies. No matter how fresh and well looking dead body may be, it is still as useless as rotten bone. What some of us need is the coming of the Spirit of God into our lives. It is one thing to be existing and another to be living, just as being well is not the same as well being. You must not just be existing, you must start living and fulfilling your destiny in Christ. You can only do this by the power of the Spirit. You can not stand up unless you are filled up by the Spirit of God. What a great thing to discover that the once scattered, shattered, useless dried bones are now ‘A VAST AND EXCEEDING GREAT ARMY’!

Written by
Rev. Dele Kolade
GLODET MISSION
P.O.Box 1215, Oyo, Nigeria
www.delekolade.blogspot.com
e-mail - kolade2002@yahoo.com

Saturday workshops

2007-04-24T03:09:00.000-07:00

We shall soon begin 6 hrs workshop on Spiritual Warfare across Nigeria main towns and cities. Jopin the ministry in prayer as our first set of Deliverance students will finish their 60hrs intensive course first week of May 2007.

Happy Easter

2007-04-05T09:57:00.000-07:00

This season of Easter is a time to reflect on the magnanimity and the tenacity of our faith. In the episode of ressurrection, God showed that He is fully in charge of all circumstances. I pray that you will see the demonstration of that power in your life this season. I wish all the reader and visitors of this website happy Easter.

Rev Dele Kolade

Mr Teye to Stand in the Gap

2006-12-10T23:11:00.000-08:00

Ghana Sendforth Service, 9th Dec 2006

2006-12-10T22:55:00.000-08:00

From Lepers to Helpers

2006-11-30T23:57:00.000-08:00

GLOBAL DELIVERANCE TEAM (GLODET) P.O.BOX 1215, OYO TOWN NIGERIA. TEL: 2348038565127 OR 2348059426557.
E-Mail – kolade2002@yahoo.com
Website – http://www.delekolade.blogspot.com/
http://www.glodetmission.blogspot.com/

FROM LEPERS TO HELPERS
(Written by Rev Dele Kolade)
How can a horrible terrible negative situation be turned around to become positive and admirable one? What are some of the divine principles to turn our negative situation around for the best? We shall textually explore 11Kgs 6 and 7 to identify the timeless radical revolutionary ideas that will help us unlock the hidden virtues and potential in us which can accelerate our breakthrough, and catapult us to the level God wants us to attain. We shall take a retrospective excursion to (Samaria) the capital of Israel in the days of Elisha the prophet and see how the power of God can turn negative situation to positive one. Come along –

The Shakings are for your Makings – One of the problems we have is getting the right definition of our situation, understanding what we are passing through. Sometimes we wrongly conclude that every negative situation we go through are meant for our destruction, but the truth of the matter is that some shakings are for our makings. Jesus’ comment on the man who was born blind, that his situation was meant to glorify God was not only a misnomer but also a big challenge to the popular worldview of his day. Jesus is by this comment is bringing a new perspective to the way we see situations and interpret events. Some seemingly negative situations are meant to accelerate our progress. Some of the challenges you are going through rather position you well to receive the supernatural touch of God. Your current problem makes you the right specimen for miracle. Lets get down to Samaria to x-ray the situation and the intervention.

Besieged but not Deceased – Samaria was besieged by the Syrian army, the resources from the outside seized, and the movement of the people curtailed. The intention of the enemy was not only to limit the people but to also psychologically suffocate them and reduce them to less than nothing. The Samaritans were surrounded but they never surrendered. One good thing about problem is that it help bring out all that is in you. Sometimes when you are confined you are better defined and refined. You can not know all you are capable of doing until you are squeezed beyond your limit. Hunger and sufferings in Samaria revealed the cannibalism in some people, some mothers, in other to survive went as far as eating their own babies. It is problem that can separate disciples from the multitude. Values and morals are better revealed in problem situations.

Why this and why me? – In the midst of problems, actions are taken and questions are asked. The questions of why? become very prominent as people try to understand what is going on with them. One important thing about the Samaria situation is the fact that the problem was not linked to any particular sin of Israel. It was not that they sinned against the Lord that they were besieged. The question of sin is out. There are things you go through that are not as a result of some sins committed. It is good that we ask questions in our problem situation but it is better we wait for divine answers to those questions also.

Intervention by Information – If there will be a release there must first be a decree. Right information is a prelude to transformation. The first verse of the chapter seven introduces a radical transition by an authoritative declaration of the prophet. “Thus says the Lord” is the key to unlocking the transition and the transformation. It doesn’t matter what others says, including your reasoning, what matters most is what the Lord says. What you are saying, what friends are sayings, what doctors and scientists are saying are only hypothesis, its only God who have the final say. What God says will surely stand, and no one can decrease what God decrees. We shall believe the report of the Lord and not the comments of men, for God watches over His words to fulfill them even to the punctuations. Divine submissions may sometimes not fit well into your human “logarithm” of doing things, it can simply blow up your mind. The unnamed senior minister of Samaria who disbelieved was cut off the provision of God because he ignorantly underestimated the divine ability. You can not figure out what God can do or limit Him based on your human understanding. He works beyond the locus of human reason.

Tomorrow by this Time – No matter the situation, if you are by God’s side, there will surely be a dawn of a new era, a new beginning and a turn of the tide. There will be a sanction from heaven, that your sorrow must end with an immediate effect. God gave a 24hour ultimatum to the Samaria’s sorrow, and that settled it. Be rest assured, no matter how humanly absurd it may sound, God will not start a thing He has not finished. What is written in His word is settled and finished already, it is only left for you to proclaim and claim the provisions in His word. God is not limited by time or by space, but because we live in time and space, He has married His purpose with His time. To experience God, you must know Him, know His purpose, and understand His timing. You need to wait for Him for he will not tarry. Hasting brings wasting, but those who know their God will patiently wait on Him for He makes everything beautiful in His time.

Lepers by the Gate – One of the things we do when we encounter difficulties is to compare and complain. We are tempted to think that we are going through the most difficult situation in the world, but the truth of the matter is that we are not alone, there are people with bigger trouble than we have. We have a lot to discover and learn from the situation and action of these 4 lepers by the gate of Samaria. There are some key things we must discover from the lepers before we can recover the divine supplies for us. Lets examine them succinctly –
Ø Their Situation – We must first note that the lepers seem to be the most disadvantaged. They couldn’t stay in the city because they are socially unfit to even stay inside the besieged city. Their problem seem to appear in the capital letters. They are outcast, voiceless, and in human terms most hopeless.
Ø Their Location – The issue of location is of a great importance when it comes to receiving your divine allocation. Transition, and transformation are relevantly related to locations. In human terms, the lepers were in a more dangerous location, giving the fact that they were not within the security of the wall of the city. In reality, although they stand the danger of many things, they were closer to the blessings than those within the walled city. Strangely enough, the first hard lesson we have to learn here is that most of the things that keep us from God’s touch are things that we rather think secure us from danger. We are not yet ready for the divine move until we are ready to let go our “self”, “shell” and “wall”. The confines must be removed to enjoy the divine. There is nothing more limiting than the self made wall we have constructed around our own selves. The threat of the enemies without is not as powerful as the wall we build around ourselves. Deliverance from self is more challenging than deliverance from demons. What you seriously need to urgently discover as an individual is the self made wall you have made around yourself. It may be an ideology or an habit that God will first want you released from.
Ø Their question – The lepers engaged themselves in self interrogative conversation. They questioned themselves, their actions and values. The popular saying that an unevaluated life is not worth living is a strong assertion. You need to ask yourself questions about your values, position and actions. Sameness is a cancer that must be eradicated for progress to commence. Some of the problems we have are problems of the mind and perception. Some of us need a complete overhauling of our worldview, mindset and perception. Why do we do what we do? Why are my not getting results? Instead of asking ourselves questions we are comfortable with shifting blame of our failure on others. Any time there is a problem we tend to immediately look without instead of first looking within. The lepers did well in that they were frank to challenge themselves instead of blaming others for their woes. Their question was not about the city that is closed against them, or the army ahead of them but rather about their own action and position. You are your own biggest enemy, and not until you conquer yourself, you will not be able to move forward.
Ø Their Options – Every day we make choices, and it is these choices we daily make that determines the direction and situation of our lives. The fact still remain that you choose what you become. Even when the beginning is rough, you can maintain the roughness or change the tide with your choices. You can choose to be a looser or choose to be a champion. The lepers had three options, to go back and force their way into the city and die of famine, to sit still and still die or to move on and either be killed by the Syrian army or be spared by them. Usually, in most situations, we are faced with similar options, to move on, go back or do nothing. It will interest you that indecision is also a decision, it means you have chosen to sit still. When you withdraw into yourself the meaning is that you have gone back into the city where you stand the danger of being killed by famine. Some people, when the fall, they make their falling ground to become their burial ground, they throw up their hands and easily give up any attempt to get up and get going. Life is about challenges, options and choices and it is your decision that determines your direction and condition in life.
Ø Their action – We sometimes fail not because of lack of dream or vision but because of lack of action. It is not enough to wish or dream, it is necessary we take action when required. Large number of people are still where they are because they are living in the dream land and busy planning to be and to do without actually reaching out to work out their dreams. Procrastination is a liability that disguises as an asset. It has been described as a thief of time but it is also a destroyer of vision and aspiration. It is a waster that must be fought with all whim. The lepers were not just day dreaming, but in a twilight, they really got up and practically went forward. There is an action the Lord want you to take now and you must discover it NOW!
Ø Their assumption was an Illusion – Do you know that most of what we are afraid of, in reality don’t even exist. What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of being afraid or trying out a new thing? Do you know that those who are afraid of death are not qualified to live? What is stopping you from reaching forth is not in existence, it is a fiction and figment of mere imagination. The reason why you don’t know it does not exist is simply because you have not yet taken a step forward. Your fear will fizzle out as you reach out of your cocoon. Hear this, “And when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria , behold there was no man there”. What a great discovery to the lepers! Your fear do not exist, that is the reality, but it will take a walk of faith forward to discover this. You can not know until you move.
Ø The ally’s Intervention – It is most soothing to know at the time you feel most lonely that afterwards you are not alone. Before you set off the Lord has set in already. In this journey of life, you must know that you are not alone. There is a power beyond you that is around you to both protect and fulfill you. The Lepers were not alone, for the Lord had already fixed the problem before they reached the camp. What was the arrangement here? God made the Syrian go round, gather a lot of resources from nations around, and dump them at Israel’s door. When God sets into a negative situation, He turns it around for our positive promotion.
Ø The Lepers’ Propagation – It is not enough to be blessed by God, the blessing must make you go beyond yourself. Life is what you can give and not just what you can grasp. You must be able to impact others with what you are given by the Lord. Have you ever thought of what you can also share that you are not sharing? You must proclaim what you have discovered, recovered and acquired for the benefit of the whole humanity. Not until you begin to proclaim and impact others you have not yet attained.

STRATEGIC DISCOVERY PRAYERS
Based on what you have learnt so far from the passage, navigate in prayers to appropriate divine touch and blessings in the following prayer points –
ü Lord help me understand who I am and what I am going through currently.
ü Help me see the positives in my negatives
ü Speak into my situation oh Lord!
ü Bring an end to my pain and sorrow.
ü Help me oh Lord to make right decision that will accelerate my breakthrough.
ü Let all set backs of my life become setup for my greater breakthrough.
ü Take me beyond myself and make me positively relevant to others.

Rev Dele in a Preaching Scene at Akosombo Ghana. Nov 2006

2006-11-20T10:14:00.000-08:00

Rev Dele at Akosombo First Baptist Ghana preaching with passion and power. The Interpreter is Mr Darko of Volta River Authority. Rev Dele is Known for his articulate, and inspiring elucidating teaching and prophetic preachings.

Baptism of New Converts at Ghana

2006-11-20T10:01:00.000-08:00

This is a Baptismal service by Rev Dele on the 19th Nov 2006. This was on Volta Lake close to Akuse Ghana. About 22 new converts were baptised.

Rev Dele's Twin Girls

2006-11-11T02:10:00.000-08:00

These are my Twin Girls born on 9Th June 2006. They are named Favor and Mercy. They are children of destiny, ordained and commissioned by God to bring liberation to a lot of people in this generation. Join me in thanking God for blessing me with Favor and Mercy.

An Intercessory Session in Picture(Ghana)

2006-10-27T06:12:00.000-07:00

Rev Dele Leading a Group of People on Intercession (Ghana)Oct 25th 2006

At The Ghana Office, Networking on the Computer

2006-10-27T05:50:00.001-07:00

PRAYER CAMPAIGN FOR DIVINE CONNECTION

2006-09-29T23:54:00.000-07:00

GLOBAL DELIVERANCE TEAM (GLODET)
CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE AND MISSIONS
P.O.BOX 1215, OYO TOWN NIGERIA
TEL 2348038565127/2348059426557
E-mail kolade2002@yahoo.com
Website – http://www.delekolade.blogspot.com/

PRAYER CAMPAIGN FOR DIVINE CONNECTION

INTRODUCTION
The aim of this campaign is to reach into the heaven, identify and appropriate divine blessings ordained for saints through study and prayer. Certain passages of the Bible are identified for close study. The attempt is to bring illumination into the revelation of those passages, and using these as the foundation of our prayer. The campaign is a synergic prayer campaign, aimed at employing the combine power of agreement. We shall use corporate anointing, and in agreement pray divine blessing down into our individual life. Strategic, practical principles of enjoying divine blessings shall be unearth and followed.
The prayers in this campaign are basically built on the revelations from the passages of the Bible in view. The power of the word will propel us into prayer actions and this will consequently bring intended divine allocation into our lives.

DAY ONE

FOCUS – Turning Pillows to Pillars (Gen 28)
Knowledge is power, understanding is strength, wisdom is knowledge and understanding well applied. You must know that the way you are formed largely is determined by the way you are informed. The situation you find yourself depend on the instruction you follow. Knowledge, and for that matter Divine instruction and direction give they key to unlocking you destiny and actualizing your full potential. If God will bring a radical positive change your life He will first impregnate you with a radical vision and direction. The direction you follow will determine the destination you arrive at. The difference between Jacob and Esau was more of direction and instruction and not genetic or age. Lets take a tour of Genesis chapter 28 and see what we can prayerfully make out of Jacob’s adventure.

A Charge to Discharge – Jacob was blessed and given a charged ( Vs 1). Blessings go with charges and commands. You can not have one without the other. The problem with many today is the desire for blessings but refusal of accompanying charges. Sometimes it is not because you are under a demonic attack that you suffer, but you suffer because you are disobeying some divine commands. You must come to term with divine decrees and you will begin to experience significant increase. God want you to be in charge, but you must first learn to obey His charges.

Standing by Understanding – There is no standing without understanding. It is not only necessary to be charged, but it is also important to understand clearly the term of your charges. The problem with many is not so much with accepting the charges but rather the understanding of the charges. In verse 1 and 2 the instructions were clearly stated. Divine charges are clear for all to understand. The shall not of God must be obeyed to the letter for the blessings of God to be accessed. The instruction to Jacob was “what to take” and “what not to take”. You also must know what to take, when to take what to take, and what not to take. Whatever God will give is in a particular place for a particular person. Every divine allocation is in a particular location. You must locate your place of blessing, and discover your divine placement in life. You need to come to term with the fact that you must be at the center of God’s will.

The Blessings – The verse 2 and 3 clearly spell out the blessing Jacob is entering into. I must say that the blessing is uncommon one. I am trying to understand the dimensions of the blessings of Jacob, but I must be frank with you that it is beyond what the litmus of human mind can capture. Listen to the pronouncement “And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; and give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee, and that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham”.
The blessing of Jacob is a divine blessing and not just a human favor that may fade away at any time. If you are hooked to the divine source, then you can be sure of unfailing supports. Have you ever thought about the elements in this pronouncement? It is a graduating, panoramic description of overwhelming, contagious blessing. Some of the elements include :
Ø Fruitfulness - The power of relevance, continuity, prolificacy, and fecundity was spoken into the life of Jacob. The anointing to be productive is in the divine blessing you are about to be launched into.
Ø Multiplicity – It is good to be productive, but at what degree? The Abrahamic anointing, that is being transferred to Jacob is not in arithmetic progression but in supra – geometric progression. When you are praying, be careful not to ask for okrika, or home used blessing. You are uniquely special, and you must be blessed in CAPITAL letters. God’s intention is to make you a multitude of people. The Hebrew word “qahal” translated multitude in verse 3 is one of the most important terms in the Old Testament. In this passage, it is used as assembly of nations.
Ø Continuity – It is not only that there will be multiplication, but also there will be systematic continuity. The blessing you will receive from God will surely affect the generation yet unborn. “And to thy seed” in verse 4 is a strong expression of overtaking blessings. The Hebrew ‘Zera” translated seed here means progeny, posterity or race. I decree that the Divine anointing on you affect your generation and race.
.
A Mentor to Follow – “And Jacob obeyed his father and mother, and was gone to Padan-aram.” (Verse 7). One of the ills of our time is the large number of people who are mentor less but yet are authorities in their own way. It is dangerous to be an authority but not under any authority. Jacob’s mentors are the parents. Ask yourself, who is my mentor? I am not talking of “godfathers”, but successful Christians who are more experienced and who can give you godly counsels and guidance. Experience , some people say, it’s the best teacher. Some experiences are however better to be learnt from other people’s situation instead of going through those situations yourself. If you will have to personally experience everything you have learnt today, then you are a dead man. A wise person will learn from the wisdom of others. Jacob obeyed the parent. “shama”, the Hebrew word translated obeyed in this verse, means to give undivided listening attention, to understand spiritually, or to obey or give heed. Do you have anyone you listen to or you think you are the wisest or the most spiritual?

Vision and Motion – There are “mere visionaries” and there are “envisioned missionaries” there are a lot of motionless visions today. It should not be only what you dream about, but also what you do with what you dream. It is one thing to plan you work but another thing to work your plans. Do not leave your vision only in your diary, but translate it into action. Jacob went out from Beersheba after receiving the instruction. There are things God want you to get out from and there are things God want you to get into. You need to tap locomotive anointing. You have being sitting down idle for too long, it is high time you set into action. I was asked one day by someone to comment on what I’ve learnt from Peter walking on the sea, I told the person that the greatest thing in the episode was Peter getting out of the boat. The greatest move was the first step out of the boat. Your problem is not so much with the walking on the sea but rather with stepping out from the boat. You must wake up, get up, get out and get going. It is a decree coming to you NOW!

Vision and Direction – “---and went towards Haran” (Vs 10). Do you know and can you tell where you are walking towards? There are people who are just going but don’t know where to. Look, it is not just about going, but about knowing where you are really going. You must stop scavenging and start navigating. You must have the end in view, and walk towards your God ordained destination.

Lighted and Tarried – In every vision there must be room for revision and evaluation. There must be a strategic time set apart for you to alight and tarry on the Lord. One great menace of our generation is little time for reflection and a rush windy living. If you are always in haste you are automatically in waste. If you rush then you rust. Alone with God, that is the secret of great people of God in the Bible. Even in our relationships we need to take time and tarry. You have lived with your spouse for year without retreating, relaxing and evaluating your relationship. Great things, unusual things happen when we tarry, retreat and relax in God’s presence.

A Set Up – A ladder was set up for Jacob in His dream. There is a divine set up for you that you must discover. Life is all about connection. Before you were born there was a connection between your mother and father. In your mother’s womb, you survived because there was a connection between you and your mother. You were born into the world of connection. Someone said that even going to heaven is by connection because if you don’t know Jesus, you cant get there. There is a connection you need right now, and that is what you are getting in this prayer campaign. There was a set up for Jacob that took him beyond himself, and there is one the heaven is setting for you that will take you beyond the limit of yourself. Get the message here, a ladder was set up on the earth, and the top of it reaching heaven. If you are connected with the heaven, you will get supply that will last for eternity.

Divine Company – The Lord’s presence is the most important, and His backing the most reliable. “---for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of” (Vs 15). Do you know that you are a child of destiny and that God is interested in blessing you? This is a powerful statement from the Lord, that you are incurably and inescapably blessed by God. In this kind of situation, it is too late to decide not to be blessed. The word of God contains things spoken concerning you and the presence and the zeal of God is set to bring them to pass. The vision of Jacob is an assurance of divine connection intended to fully launch him into his destiny. The focus of this campaign is therefore to launch you into your destiny and get you connected to the heaven’s grid.

Pillows to Pillars – In the discovery of the divine set up, Jacob respond by making a responsorial set up, turning of his stone pillows to pillars. This represents the result of encounter with God. Every pillow in your life will turn pillar. Pillow represent weakness and pillar represent strength. Your human weaknesses disappear at the face of divine power and help.
The revelation from this passage should form the platform upon which our connection prayer is built. Let the prayer point below be your guide in praying through :

1) I confess all areas of my life where I have not being obedient to your commands. (Identify specific areas, and humbly repent and confess)
2) Lord, I want to recover, help me discover your will for my life. (spread this prayer across all significant area of your life)
3) Receive the anointing to be contagiously fruitful, and to multiply in supra-geometric progression.
4) Decree and prophecy the continuity of divine grace and connection on your progeny and family.
5) Lord, launch into my life people that will help me fulfill my dream, and remove from all my relationships agents of darkness detailed by hell to derail my journey to fulfill my destiny.
6) I receive the anointing for motion and acceleration. I rebuke every stagnating and redundancy spirit. I overcome every evil environmental influence, the spirit of despondency and the failure from frustration.
7) In every affair of my life I receive clear divine direction. Lord, envision me and keep me at the center of your will. Lord , set me up and get me eternally connection to the heaven’s grip.

The concluding part of this prayer campaign shall be posted later. This first phase is for a day campaign. This is written by Rev Dele Kolade

Transformational Teaching Approach

2006-09-29T18:12:00.001-07:00

TRANSFORMATIONAL TEACHING; THE RIGHT APPROACH TO TEACHING AND LEARNING
(Written by Rev Dele Kolade)

INTRODUCTION

In this paper, a conscious and critical attempt will be made to explore the nitty gritty of teaching and learning with the sole aim of evolving a transformational approach into the enterprise of teaching and learning for today.
Alternative dynamics will be sought as a replacement or complimentary effort to revamping the lost grip of our educational system and it’s repositioning to ensure for its ability to bring about dramatic transformational changes not only to the learner but to the teacher as well.
Basically speaking, the whole concept of transformational teaching and learning seeks to bring about a careful integration of acquisition of transformational data, understanding meaning, emancipatory knowing [through critical self reflection], which makes teaching learning open-ended and venturing beyond the culturally-shaped expectations.

SCRIPTURAL PRECEDENCE

Legions of teaching-learning scenario and encounters in the scripture clearly depict transformational approach and result. The teaching situation in the bible majorly present undisputable attention at allowing God reframe our perspectives and coming to embrace His will as good, pleasing and wise and consequently experiencing transformation.
One lucid example of a transformational teaching-learning experience in the Bible is Luke 24; the Emmaus pair. In this scenario, these disciples mere challenged to reexamine factual data as it relate to Christ and construct new assumptions about suffering, death and the Messiah. Christ helped them connect truth to form new insight. Their way of seeing, interpreting and value setting was altered, there was complete overhauling of their being, a dramatic change of their perspective. As a result of that teaching-learning encounter, their relationship with truth, with each other and with the other believers is reconstructed—all is transformed. Within their limited reality, there is clear evidence that they encountered the living Christ, faced with counter facts to everything they previously knew, experienced, believed, hope and were. They believed! A new “reality” was birthed.
The great error of our teaching and learning process today is the wrong attitude of trying to get people to do without necessarily changing what they really believe. Much of our activities today are geared toward collecting and conveying information without actually effecting transformation.
In 2 Corinthians 1, Paul presents what can be called emancipatory learning which should result in some active response that expresses the re-orientation or integration that has taken place as a result of learning which is beyond objective informational data.
Jesus expectation or evaluation of those who have learnt is the display of transformational actions Jesus confronts Martha’s resistance to rolling away the stone by asking: “Did I not tell you that if you believed (an issue they had already worked through) you would see the glory of God?” (Jn.11:40) Jesus was expecting a transformational response or action as an authentication of Martha’s belief, the result that was lacking in Martha’s attitude to the situation.
In Mark 6:52, as Jesus encountered the terror struck disciples on the lake, he expressed amazement that they had learnt nothing from the previous magnificence of the feeding of the 5,000. He attributed this to “harden hearts”. Jesus’ approach to teaching and learning was both emancipatory and transformational. His words and miracles were to cause people to question their values, assumptions and lifestyles. Transformation is most possible when we are experiencing disequilibrating situations of crisis, questioning, facing situations that is out of our control or in our “aha” moments of insight into self, the nature of reality and the wisdom of living out the truth.

THE NEW PARADIGM SHIFT

Transformational teaching and learning is principally built on the readiness to objectively examine our assumptions and the paradigms that will challenge our comfort, control and concepts- the evidence is the transformed actions emanating from the emancipatory experience of learning. The goal of transformational teaching and learning is to recognize and live in the reality of truth. We therefore teach to enable people to come to the transformational knowledge of truth. This therefore has definite implication for how we teach, what we teach and the purpose of our teaching. The clear invitation of this approach is into a relationship with the truth leading into a transformation of our whole person where it is impossible to separate perspective, insight, feeling, action, etc. The great paradigm shift therefore concerns with the challenge of creating an environment in which truth can be known as “personal” and this is integral to transformation. As long as truth remains an “impersonal”, conceptual, theoretical, objectified reality apart from me, I will find it difficult to be transformed by it. For this to be possible, it is therefore necessary for the teaching-learning situation to be packaged in a way by which experiences can be provided or presented in both formal and inner logic. Learning must be seen as both rational and intuitive. The transformational teacher therefore bridges two realms- the scientifically provable world of reasoning, and the transcendental world of the spiritually mystical. The traditional approach of categorization and dichotomization will not enhance holistic transformation because learning presented by such approach is easily distorted.
Teaching for transformation can therefore be said to help make one far more aware of the necessity of God. It involves an interactive listening, response, residing before God in openness and not just the preparation of content for delivery. It is the readiness of the human to back out of the limelight and allows God take front and center. The focus is neither on the messenger nor the message but on the source and creator. Mulholland Robert captured this more clearly in his book “Shape by the Word”, by questioning our traditional one way approach to teaching and learning: “We have a deeply ingrained way of reading in which we are masters of the material we read… our general mode of reading is perceive the text as an object “out there” over which we have control. We control our approach to the text; we control our interaction with the text upon our lives. This mode of reading is detrimental to the role of scripture in spiritual formation… there is an imbalance in the role of rational, cognitive dynamics in our lives. The problem with such an imbalance is that it enables us to stand back from whatever we encounter, to stand independent of it, to evaluate it in the light of our own best judgment, and then make some kind of decision on how we are going to deal with it”. 1. (Mulholland 1985, 21-23)
What Mulholland posits is not only true with our approach to reading scripture alone but also generally of our attitude toward the whole enterprise of teaching and learning. Transformational teaching is not only seeking to expose learner to the truth but help learner respond to it and acknowledge in interactive relationship the source of true knowledge. An encounter with truth will make learner not to remain aloof and untouched but respond actively in affirmation of it.We should see how best we can imbibe the transformational teaching approach and strategies to our teaching, especially in the church setting.

Written by

Rev Dele Kolade
GLODET PRESIDENT

OPERATION PHILIP, EXEGESIS OF ACTS 8:9-25

2006-09-29T17:25:00.001-07:00

CONTEXTUAL EXEGESIS OF ACTS 8:9-25 (OPERATION PHILIP)FROM THE GREEK TEXT OF THE BIBLE
(A RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED BY REV OLADELE KOLADE AS PART REQUIREMENT FOR ADMISSION INTO THE MPHIL PROGRAM OF THE CLIFFCOLLEGE OF UK)

INTRODUCTION
This exegetical paper is written against the background that Luke is the author of Acts. My observation of the style of the writing of Acts is that of conscious selectivity of work around important persons and significant places. The interspersing of happenings which is seen throughout Acts is also evident in this passage my work is focusing on. In more concise words, I will say that the Luke’s presentation of theology and history in Acts is around certain geography (Jerusalem, Samaria, Antioch, Rome etc) and biographies (Paul, Philip, Peter). Luke sets his Acts’ presentation in a number of cultural contexts among which is this Samaria setting This passage is a narration of the beginning of the church’s mission beyond the borders of Jerusalem, and the story of Philip, a charismatic leader who zoom into the mission’s hall of fame after the demise of Stephen. The textual descriptions argues that this is (Hellenist )deacon Philip, and not Apostle Philip especially judging from the fact that verse one clearly states that the Apostles remain in Jerusalem. There is no other suggestion from the rest of the book of Acts to support the idea that it was Apostle Philip. Again is the fact that from the record of Luke, the initiators of cross cultural missions were mainly Hellenists and not the Hebrew. The sending down of the Apostles from Jerusalem to Samaria would have also been unnecessary if it were to be Apostle Philip who was at Samaria.
This missionlogical development is the beginning of the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy of Acts 1:8 which set out the panoramic move of the gospel, taking over the entire global geography, and putting Jerusalem as the starting point. As observed from the narrations of Luke, it took persecution and aggression for the church to step out of Jerusalem to the other territories. It must be humbly recognized that those at the center stage of this cross cultural mission in the early part of the church’s missions were mainly Hellenist brethren.
Both the location and the characters of this particular story are of very great significance. Samaria at this time was a sub province of Judea and was under Roman’s rule. Unlike Judea, Samaria was inhabited by a mixed population segregated both socially and religiously from the Jews since the days of Nehemiah, and Ezra. (1). The Judean Jews considered the Samaritans as racially impure, religiously heterodox and politically treacherous. This Philip mission to Samaria however shows how the gospel is indeed a barrier breaker, and also the beginning of the unfolding of the Church’s mission participation in God’s global redemptive plan. Samaria, which can be considered the middle wall between the Jews and the Gentiles, gives way as the evangelist Philip triumphantly enters the land with the good news. What follows is the unfolding drama of power shift as the gospel penetrates Samaria.

EXEGETICAL ANALYSIS OF THE PASSAGE

(I must first define certain confines of this work. This work was personally typed on my pc. I could not get a Greek font with accent mark on my pc; nevertheless, the interpretation of the text was done using accented Greek New Testament. Again is the problem of getting the other form of sigma on the computer. The bold Zetas were used to represent bigger sigma. I hope you will bear with me).

Anhr de tiz onomati Simwn prouphrcen en th polei
mageuwn kai existanvn to eqnoz thz Samareiaz, legwn einai tina eauton megan w proseicon pantez apo mikrou ewz megalou legontez Outoz estin h dunamiz tou qeou h kaloumenh Megalh. proseicon de autw dia to ikanw cronw taiz mageiaiz exestakenai autouz. ( Acts 8:9-11).

We must give a particular attention first to the Luke’s use of the catchphrase, “now those”, (hoi men oun) in Vs 4 as an indication that there is a deliberate turning to a new direction. There is a deliberate attempt by Luke in interspersing his narratives in a way to give panoramic historical developments weaved around certain people and places. Luke in a stylish way introduces a doublet after the catchphrase to give a summary of the Samaria mission. Philip is seen entering Samaria, breaking the new ground with power evangelism. The dramatic shaking of Samaria’s spiritual foundation is seen in people turning to Philip’s message, and the apostolic confirmation of the new church movement in Samaria is to give the new mission move the apostolic blessing. Verse 5 bears testimony to the fact that this missionary Philip is the same Philip mentioned in Acts 6:5, and Acts 21:8, as a part of the scattered group. The content and the consequences of Philip’s power evangelism are what Luke captures in verses 6 to 8.
Verse 9 gives the picture of what used to be in Samaria before the advent of Philip. The former power broker is identified here as one Simon, a magician (magos). The effect of Simon’s magic was the bewitchment of the entire community. taiz mageiaiz is used here as an instrumental dative, “with his magic”, showing by what means Simon was bewitching the people. The Greek word “existamai” translated as amazed in NIV and bewitched in KJV literarily means “to remove out of its place” and this was used in the New Testament to the mind. It can therefore be said that as a result of Simon’s magic the people were “out of their minds”. Luke further describes how powerful and influential Simon was by the use of the word “ethnos” in Vs. 9 to indicate that the whole city was under the influence of this magician. The phrase “both high and low” in Vs.10 shows his influence cutting across various age, economic, and social background, and this was so for a long time as Luke intimates in Vs.11. Simon had a great resume which captured the whole land in amazement.
The characteristic boastful disposition of Simon can be likened to that of Theudas in Acts 5:36. He was popularly called “dynamis tou theou” (power of God). tina eauton megan used in verse 9 means “a very great man” in his own estimation. Luke by this expression presents Simon as someone of conscious self glorification and who was boastfully aware of his achievements.

ote de episteusan tw Filippw euaggelizomenv peri thz basileiaz tou qeou kai tou onomatoz Ihsou Cristou ebaptizonto andrez te kai gunaikez. o de Simvn kai autoz episteusen kai baptisqeiz hn proskartervntv Filippv, qevrvn te shmeia kai dunameiz megalaz ginomenaz existato.(Acts 8:12-13)

Verse 12 is a strategic continuation of the story of Philip’s exploit after a brief interlude with a flash back to what used to be in Samaria. This intentional break presents an occasion for a better juxtaposition. Luke’s introduction of the adversative de is intended to draw attention to the big contrast between Simon and Philip. The duo can be contrasted based on their source of power, motive of operation and the attendant results of their activities.
The source of Philip’s power, preaching and practices is the Holy Spirit and the motive of his mission is purely liberating and redemptive. Simon’s practice of magic however is linked with demoniac and his motive was purely political and not redemptive or liberating. The attitudes of the two to their success are also not the same. Unlike Simon’s boastful disposition, Philip was drawing attention not to himself but Christ the Savior (Vs 5 and 12)
The phrase “believed Philip”(episteusan tv filippv) does not imply that Philip was the object of the converts’ trust as this will not be in tandem with Luke’s report of other conversions(9:42, 11:17, 16:31-34). This expression “believed Philip is similar to the phrase in Acts 2:41 where converts “accepted Peter’s message and were baptized”. The implication of the phrase is that the people accepted what Philip represents and proclaims: the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. The Samaritans’ submission for baptism is a strong attestation to their conviction and commitment to their new found faith in Christ. That Simon, the previous power broker also believed shows the great impact the ministry of Simon had on Samaria and unveils the great power shift from magic to the miracle of redemption and liberation. Now, this same Simon that all Samaritans followed everywhere now followed Philip everywhere. There is no clear indication from the text to authenticate the assertion that Simon’s conversion was faked. The verb in the expression “and Simon also himself believed” only describes him with reference to his supposed state, but not really his actual position. He may not have been wholly sincere. Nevertheless, that he was following Philip everywhere may not necessarily be for further instructions but rather for the spectaculars. Simon’s amazement is typical of the unbeliever’s reaction to their encounter with God’s mighty move and this typically comes prior to repentance. In Simon’s case this was reversed: his amazement at the Spirit’s move comes after his conversion and not as a precondition of it. This singular attitudinal error signals Simon’s spiritual malformation. He was interested in the “spectaculars” and not necessarily the “spiritual”. The attention of Simon was basically on the signs and wonders he saw in Philip’s operations. Instead for Simon to be following Christ he was following signs.

Akousantez de oi en Ierosolumoiz apostoloi oti dedektai h Samareia ton logon tou qeou apesteilan proz autouz Petron kai Ivannhn. oitinez katabantez proshuxanto peri autvn opvz labvsin pneuma agion oudepv gar hn ep oudeni autvn epipeptvkoz monon de bebaptismenoi uphrcon eiz to onoma tou kuriou Ihsou. tote epetiqesan taz ceiraz ep autoiz kai elambanon pneuma agion.(Acts 8:14-17)

The Jerusalem church receives the news of the move of God in Samaria with all gladness. Peter and John apostolic visit to Samaria is in solidarity with Philip work there and not to overthrow his leadership. The text indicates clearly that although the believers in Samaria had believed and were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ but they were yet to receive the Holy Spirit. Luke is silent on the delay between the two baptisms. This notwithstanding, the Samaritans qualification for the gift of the Holy Spirit is in line with Peter’s prophetic declaration in Acts 2:39 “For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Him”. The coming of the Holy Spirit is also necessary for the Samaritan congregation to be able to fully participate in the messianic mission work. It can be inferred from Jesus’ promise of the Spirit’s baptism that without this the believer is unable to fully participate in the missionary vacation. The Apostle distributes the Spirit blessing by prayer and laying of their hands on the new believers. This laying of hands practice is similar to what the Apostles did in Acts 6:6 when they commissioned the seven deacons to help heal the rift between Hellenist and Hebrew believers. Paul’s laying of his hands on the certain disciples at Ephesus (Acts 19:6) is another of such examples. The church of the New Testament was united in the Spirit and this is a cardinal reason why the y were able to do a lot of exploit for the Lord.

idvn de o Simvn oti dia thz epiqesevz tvn ceirvntvn apostolvn didotai to pneuma, proshnegken autoiz crhmata legvn, Lote kamoi thn exousian tauthn ina v ean epiqv taz ceiraz lambanh pneuma agion.(Acts 8:18-19)

In a very stylish way and an organized interjectory manner, the spotlight of the narration returns to Simon. This new shift is calculated at exposing Simon’s theological miscalculation and an x-ray of his insatiable lust for power. The dia in Vs 18 with genitive has the sense of by means of, indicating that the Spirit’s coming is by the laying on of hands by the Apostle, this at least as Simon concluded. This does not however imply that the Holy Spirit is given by the Apostles as in there teachings the Spirit coming is attributed to the Grace of God. There were other instances in the New Testament where people received the Spirit without the Apostles’ laying on of hands. The encounter in Cornelius house is a good example. The gift of the Spirit coming on the Samaritan is in line with the Spirit authenticating gentile churches at Caesarea (Acts 10:47, 11:17, 15:8), and Galatia (Acts 15:12). There is a strong indication from Simon’s offer of money for the ability to give out the Spirit, that he was exploiting the community financially by his practice of magic. Simon may not see anything wrong in paying for spiritual power. It may also be suggested that Simon may be thinking of power continuity given the fact that the Apostles and Simon may not continue to stay at Samaria. Simon’s request may therefore be a calculated plot to assume the leadership role of the new church.

Petroz de eipen proz auton, To argurion sou sunsoi eih eiz apvleian oti thn dvrean tou qeou enomisaz dia crhmatvn ktasqai ouk estin soi meriz oude klhroz en tv logv toutv h gar kardia sou ouk estin euqeia enanti tou qeou. metanohson oun apo thz kakiaz sou tauthz kai dehqhti tou kuriou ei ara afeqhsetai soi h epinoia thz kardiaz sou, eiz gar colhn pikriaz kai sundesmon adikiaz orv se onta.(Acts 8:20-23)

Luke captures the rebuke of Simon by Peter in a manner that shows how serious the apostle sees the attempt to want to commercialize God’s grace is. Verse 20 gives one of the two instances of the use of optative in the New Testament as imprecation. (Mk 11:14). Luke uses the word “kardia” in verse 21 as a metonym for the mind and this can be understood as intention, desire, or affection. Peter calls Simon to immediate repentance. The word “metanoeo” means to repent with regret accompanied by a true change of heart towards God, or regret for the course pursued resulting in the wiser view of the past and future. Peter’s use of the word “ara” indicates Peter’s uncertainty of Simon’s readiness for genuine repentance and not about God forgiving him. In verse 23, Peter is seen using the Old Testament intertext of “gall of bitterness “(Deut. 29:18), and “chains of wickedness” (Isa. 58:6). In the New Testament time, the gall of noxious reptiles was considered as the source of their venom-so gall in this passage is used as an expressive metaphor to denote malice or moral corruption of the wicked. (2). This metaphoric representation of Simon shows how corrupt Peter sees the man, an indication that he is seen as a potential threat to the faith development of this new faith community. Peter in this expression does not only see the wickedness of the heart of Simon but a possibility that he may be a very bad influence on the rest of the community. Simon’s apocryphal profile attributes all manners of heresies and subversive activities to him.

apokriqeiz de o Simvn eipen, Lehqhte umeiz uper emou proz ton kurion opvz mhden epelqh ep eme vn eiphkate. Oi mev ouv diamarturamenoi kai lalhsantez tov logon tou kuriou upestrefon eiz Ierosoluma, pollaz te kvmaz tvn Samaritvn euhggelizonto.(Acts 8:24-25)·

Simon’s request for intercession shows how fearful he is now. This plea is also an indication in his believe in the apostolic power to help him appeal to God. This does not however show true sign of remorse for what he actually deed but a sign that he does not want any evil to befall him. This suggests strongly that Simon must be a very self centered individual.
The introduction of “men oun” in verse 25 is strictly used as resumptive or transitional, “and so”, “now”. There is no suggestion for its being used to intend a contrast between Philip’s preaching and that of the apostles (3). It is clearly stated by Luke that the Apostles also continue to preach the same message even as they return to their base at Jerusalem. Luke draws curtain on the apostolic visit to Samaria in a strategic manner to show continuity of mission.

PERSONAL EVALUTION AND SUBMISSIONS

I see this passage bringing to the fore a timely need for a reevaluation of the contemporary church’s mission enterprise and a call for a complete overhauling of our strategies for doing mission. From this narrative, I can deduce a strong need for a paradigm shift that will capture the universal elements in the Philip’s Samaria mission campaign based on the context of the above exegized text. In view of this I want to make the following submissions:

PERSECUTION, A CATALYST FOR PROCLAMATION – Mission should not be viewed as a project of a church that sits in a comfort zone. The idea of serving God or preaching “in season and out of season” should be practically understood by the contemporary church. We must be challenged by the attitude of the early church towards persecution. It is well presented in this particular passage that persecution could not stop their proclamation. That we face much opposition is a testimony that we have a strong position as people of God. We have a divine mandate to carry out a mission to the dieing world no matter the kind of opposition we face.

THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SCATTERED – The disciple at Jerusalem were scattered but not shattered. There is a powerful testimony in this passage showing how well discipled the early believers were. The sharing of the gospel was a responsibility of everyone and not just for a selected few “super star” individuals. The concept of “every man a beam”, need to be reechoed today. Every Christian must be a witness. It was not only the twelve apostles that were equipped to share the gospel, everyone was brought on board. The question we need to ask ourselves today is how many of our parishioners who are even in their comfort zones can meaningfully share their faith with their unbelieving communities?

A CITY UNDER SPELL – Another dimension to missions should be the reality of direct spiritual encounter with satanic forces. The Samaria’s case is an example of a community under the influence of evil forces. In our mission campaign, we must realize that their may be issue like this, and if the church is not holistically equipped to offer spiritual helps relevant to the needs of the people our ministry will seem incomplete. As a cross cultural missionary for more than a decade working in Nigeria and Ghana, I have encountered situations of direct confrontations with power of darkness. There were times when we had to exorcise demons out of people. The gospel we preach is powerful to tear down evil strongholds in people and land we enter. The contemporary church is not fully appropriating the spiritual resources at her disposal. We tend to shy away from or deny certain realities beyond our comprehension. The challenge today is retracing our steps back to the apostolic foundations. We evangelicals have done so well in many areas of the church mission campaign but we have not made a very strong mark in areas where direct demonic practices are prevalent. In some of this areas where we have our presence, most of the convert still combine their faith with some element of their past traditional spiritual experience.

THE CONTENT OF OUR MESSAGE – It is not enough that we are preaching but we must evaluate the content of our message. Luke captures the content of Philip’s message in verse 12 as “the good news of the kingdom of God” and “name of Jesus Christ”. Looking at the church in Africa for example, one could see a lot of ‘men empires’ in the name of God’s Kingdom. People are preaching themselves and building their own empire. In Acts, all I see in all of the recorded preaching is Christ. Sometimes in our mission campaign, we tend to put our denominational creed ahead of Christ decrees, we focus too much on human personalities and the expense of the one who sets out the rule of His mission. What are people preaching today, and how are they in tandem with the content of the apostolic preaching? Simon never went to Samaria for self promotion, and the apostles who came to compliment his work were not their to show they are superior to Simon, all came to fulfill their parts in the messianic mission and Christ remain the center of their ministry.

IN TOUCH – Verse 14 records the response of the Jerusalem church to the new mission development in Samaria. The apostolic mission was not fragmented project, but rather interconnected. In our contemporary mission there is a lot of fragmentation, unsupervised and unevaluated missions scattered here and there. There is an urgent need for greater mission networking today like the days of the apostle. I have met a lot of independent missionaries who are not affiliated with any Christian body, but are just doing their own things. The brethren were scattered from Jerusalem but were still in touch with Jerusalem. Every mission must be in touch with a body that can critical evaluate its vision and offer necessary assistance.

FAITH OR FRAUD? – The unfortunate development in verse 18 with Simon offering money for the apostolic gift is a picture of a serious thing happening in the church today. With the coming of the “prosperity” preachers especially in the African context, a lot of strange commercial strategies are brought into mission. Sometimes people are asked to pay some amount for the “prophet” to pray for them. Another popular practice is that in which members are asked to make certain donations in exchange for “divine prosperity”. Such prosperity only comes on those who make heavy donations. Some of these preachers claim they are being sent by God specifically to make people rich, but ironically they will never go to deprived communities, but rather they target those who are already financially sound. Simony is strongly back to the church especially because of the high level of societal gullibility.

APOSTOLIC REBUKE – Luke’s quotation of Peter’s full rebuke of Simon is intended to show the way the early church frowned at sin in the church. It is however unfortunate that in the contemporary church we seem to polish sin and shy away from openly rebuking it partly due to the fear of loosing member. Sin is a cancer that the church will have to fight against today in order to make her mission to the world more relevant. In rebuking sin, we must call the erring believer to repentance. Discipline should be corrective and not destructive.

If there is anything at all to learn from this passage, it is the timeless challenge of making our mission break barriers. There are still evidently present in our contemporary time, multifaceted barriers – social, racial, ethnic, spiritual, economical, cultural, educational, linguistic, and geographical barrier. The big challenge to Christian missiology is in evolving a global mission conversation and strategies that can help prepare the church well in making her mission break these barriers.

END NOTE
1) William Hull, The Broadman Commentary. Nashville: Broadman Press,1970
2) Alvah Hovey (ed), An American Commentary on the New Testament. Washington: Judson Press, 1982
3) Robert Hanna, A Grammatical Aid to the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids: Bakers, 1983

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bruce, Metzger. A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, Stuttgart: U.B.S, 1971.
Douglas, J.D (Ed). The New Greek Interlinear New Testament, Wheaton: Tyndale, 1990
Hanna, Robert. A Grammatical Aid to the Greek New Testament, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1983
Hovey, Alvah (Ed). An American Commentary on the New Testament, Washington: Judson Press, 1982.
Hull, Williams. The Broadman Commentary. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1970
John, Fraser and McDonald, W.G. Calvin’s Commentaries, the Acts of the Apostles. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1965
Lampe, Longman. The Seal of the Spirit. Green & Co, 1951.
Neil. The Acts of the Apostles. New Century Bible.
Timothy, Johnson. The Writings of the New Testament; an Interpretation. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1986
Unnik, Van. Luke-Acts, a Storm Center in Contemporary Scholarship. Nashville: Abingdon, 1996

GLODET'S PROGRAMS AND STRATEGIES

2006-09-29T16:06:00.001-07:00

GLOBAL DELIVERANCE TEAM (GLODET)
CENTER FOR MISSION AND SPIRITUAL WARFARE
P.O.BOX 319, OYO TOWN NIGERIA
TEL – 2348059426557/ 2348038565127
E-MAIL – kolade2002@yahoo.com
WEBSITE – http://www.delekolade.blogspot.com/

PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES

The ministry is generally committed to issues relating to spiritual warfare and mission. Our aim is to equip the people of God for spiritual warfare and also to sensitize, mobilize, and motivate the body of Christ towards holistic mission. To fulfill these, we shall launch strategic programs which will target all of our ministry areas. Below are those program elucidated –

DELIVERANCE CENTER – This will serve as a resource, training and deliverance base. The plan for the center is to build it up to serve the following purposes –
Ø Training center for all our courses on mission, and spiritual warfare. Our aim is to help churches raise trained deliverance team, and to also train individual believer who want to major on mission and spiritual warfare. The idea is to compliment what the mainstream seminaries and Bible schools are doing, by contributing our own quota in the area we know best.
Ø Resource and research base networked with other Christian ministries across the globe that is into missions and spiritual warfare. We shall develop a strong library that will be stocked with relevant book on mission, spiritual warfare and theology. Our website shall be our basic IT base to disseminate information about our missions and activities. We shall have a computer data base section where materials like strategic spiritual mappings can be preserved. A publication section shall also be established to articulate the vision of the ministry.
Ø Deliverance and Counseling Clinic where people can be practically helped especially on individual basis. Seasoned, gifted and trained personnel shall be available always at the center to give spiritual direction and help to those in need of deliverance and counseling. The aim is to make it a strong power base where people can be holistically helped.

PROPHETIC PROGRAMS – The ministry is indeed a prophetic voice to the body of Christ. Programs will be organized to enable people locate themselves and fulfill their destinies in Christ. All our PROPHETIC GATHERINGS shall be great times where God’s presence can be access and enjoyed, and prophetic words released.
Ø Prophetic Meeting shall be a weekly time of fellowship where people can be drawn into the presence of God cross denominationally. It shall be a time of great exposition of the Word (revelation teaching), and strategic time for effective prevailing prayers. This will be uniformly observed everywhere GLODET Mission is.
Ø Prophetic Night shall be a monthly encounter night where people can really encounter the power of God to overcome challenges and be strengthened to fulfill their destinies in life. This will be fixed on the Friday of the ministry’s monthly retreat time. The members shall be around a full weekend each month to seek the face of God for personal spiritual growth and to prepare themselves for greater ministry.
Ø Prophetic Summit shall be an annual major event of the ministry. It shall be a time for iron to sharpen iron as men and women of God from across denominations and nations shall be brought to bless the body of Christ on strategic yearly themes.

OPERATION PHILIP MISSION PROJECT – This will be our major platform for our direct involvement in mission. Mission is God’s heartbeat and the church‘s primary assignment is to be a tool in this world of sin to reach the unreached and be the voice relaying and echoing the heartbeat of God. If we fail in this we fail in all. GLODET ministry is therefore developing a mission strategy and campaign employing and applying the mission principles from Philip’s mission adventure of Acts chapter 8. A comprehensive material will be prepared to train Christians on these identified Philip’s principles. Seminars and workshops shall also be organized to this effect. The mission campaign of Philip in Acts of the Apostles stands out as a master piece for the global mission today and it was also a pacesetter for the other mission exploits in the apostolic era. The three key area of importance of this campaign is the emphasis on POWER evangelism, BREAKING BARRIERS in mission and the SPIRIT DIMENSION in doing mission. Our campaign document on this project will give more elaborate information about this Philip’s approach. The ministry will welcome invitation from churches and Christian organization for revival, crusade, seminar/workshop and special training.

MEMBERSHIP – We shall have general membership which shall be opened to all who are interested. For our more strategic ministry operations, only those that are certified shall be engaged. We shall primarily rely on volunteered lay people who are convinced to be part of this vision. Some selected individual who show clear sign of calling shall be given more in-depth training and shall be commissioned by the ministry to some of our ministry areas to function. We shall affiliate and partner with other Christian agencies of like vision. Due to our IT networking, we may accept distant partners who can also be useful in some of our global operations. We are strongly posed to bring a new dimension to the way of doing mission and also to contribute our quota to the issue of spiritual warfare in the body of Christ. More importantly, this vision is anchored on continuous intercessions of our faithful members and partners.

Rev Dele Kolade

Global President