WORD FROM REDEEM ZION

Sunday, March 15, 2009

KEEP YOUR FAITH FOCUS

By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude- innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
The Christian life and walk is by faith. Faith simply means strong belief, trust, and confidence in God. Without faith (in Jesus Christ)it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6) a man is justified by faith in Jesus apart from observing the law (Romans 3:28)
One of the attribute of the almighty God is that He is loyal to his promises and holds all his word with great honour. He is loyal and firm in His commitment; hence He is called faithful. “The Lord is faithful to all his promise and loving towards all He has made” (Ps 45:13) The Holy Scripture is a book that contains God’s promise is a book that contains God promises in the Bible we see his faithfulness in eternity past present and in the future in the fulfilment of His promises.
In the Bible text above, we above, we saw the states of Abraham and Sarah whose case were completely written off as far as medical science is concerning. The Bible said from Abraham (100 years old) whose body was considered as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude. By faith, Sarah equally received strength to conceive a child at the age of ninety years because she believed in the faithfulness of the Lord. God cannot lie, she judged God faithful to His promise. He is a promise keeping and fulfilling your faith must have a substance (Word of God) and you must focus your faith on God’s word. He is not a man that will lie or the son of man that will repent of His word. His word is reliable, dependable and immutable. When God declared His word or speak, it is done (Psalm 33:9) it must surely come to past none of His word will return to Him void, it must accomplished the purpose to which it was written and spoken. This is quite evidence in the story of the creation, “By faith, we understand that the world was formed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Heb11:3).By the revelation of the word of God and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, you can frame the world around you according to the written and revealed word of God. This ability has been given to every child of God, to share in his faith and faithfulness.
Abraham and Sarah case were humanly hopeless but because in God who spoke to them, God filled their mouths with laughter as the reproach and shame of barrenness for many years were rolled away. This is your season of manifestation of God’s glory and power. His promises for you, your family and career for this season shall surely come to pass.
God whop gives top the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did, who contrary to hope, in hope believed so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken. He did not waver at the promises of God through unbelief but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. “Abraham was fully convinced that what He had promised, He was also able to perform.”
Elijah by divine revelation received that the dry season over the nation Israel is over He heard the sound of the abundance of rain. He believed God and went up to the top of Carmel, and prayed earnestly, after he has prayed through, the sky became black with clouds and wind and there a heavy rain. Ass you believe God, he give you power to receive what has been ordained for you in Jesus name; that great dream, vision, aspiration and desire in accordance to God’s will, shall be fulfilled. Develop a violent assault spirit in the place of prayer, praise and speaking the word of God (Word of faith) with confidence and assurance your victory is certain. Be violent against the devil and his cohort. He will always want you to double God’s word and promises and uncertain. The Kingdom of God suffers violence and only the violence takes it by force.
Develop and grow your faith in the Lord through constant hearing the word and assimilating the word in your hearts out of the audience of God’s word in your hearts and let your mouth speak and confess. “For with heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation”. (Romans 10:10)
Pray this simple prayer “Lord increase my faith in you and your word”

FROM ASHES TO BEAUTY

TEXT: 2KINGS 4:8-37
Ashes to Beauty describes a situation from hopelessness to hope, hopelessness to help, death to life, “Ashes to beauty” equally describes a rotten situation that has resurrected. Ashes talks of a mourning situation while beauty talks of life and joy. By the time the Shunnamite woman’s son died, she had to mourn. When he came back to life, her joy was full. John 15:7&11 Jesus says, whatever you ask, I will do it so “that your joy” will “be full”. God is interested in making your joy full no matter the situation you are going through. Today is the day for the fulfilment of your joy. Let every death thing in your life bring you joy, death businesses, relationships, finances, cells in your body, bones, wombs, come to life. No matter how Lazarus had been rotten in the grave for days, no matter how Martha wept, because of the close relationship with Jesus and Lazarus, Jesus could not allow Lazarus to be in the grave. Jesus tarried before coming to Lazarus’ grave. Jesus tarried before He was praying. The moment he knew it was time and went there, cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth” and Lazarus came back to life (John 11:43). No matter how rotten your situation may be, make yourself a friend to Jesus and you will receive a miracle you’ve never received in your life.
Hear this! Business and finance, it concerns the poor widow in 2Kings 4:1-7. The husband dies, she’s left with no money, she’s left with debts. In her time, two sons were to be taken in place of the debts as security or as captives for unpaid debts. You can see the wounded nature of her heart, when the man of God Elisha stepped into her home uninvited.
But because of the fear of God in her, she received Elisha. Because of the fear of God in her, she obeyed him and gave him her only meal, the last meal of her life. This obedience and fear of God in her, this last meal she gave to the man of God provoked God inside the man of God and God was moved to do what He God could have done in 10 years time. God was moved to do it instantly. A miracle came into place. She became and industrialist, a producer of oil instantly, miraculously, an advertiser from the embarrassing problem of hunger and death, she moved from ashes to beauty. Today, I call the fear of God in your business. Every lack in your business, in your house, shall be filled because this widow’s “vessels” were filled. Empty lives, businesses, brains, bank accounts be filled in the name of Jesus. It is well with your soul, children and family. No matter the nature and magnitude of the problem you’re facing, it’s well.
If the Shunnamite woman, with her son dead can tell herself, “it is well’ and it was well with her, begin to say it’s well; say it loud and clear.
What happened before the Shunnamite woman said it’s well? 2Kings 4:8-37
The Shunnamite woman was loving, hospitable and caring. She decided to help the man of God Elisha, who often passed by her house. She suggested to her husband that they offer him a room in their abode. Her generous hospitality brought gladness to the man of God who, in turn, ministered to her family need. Kindness never goes unrewarded; whatever a man sows he definitely reaps Gal 6:7b The woman’s kind gesture moved Elisha and he asked if she would like to be spoken for to the captain of the hosts but, she politely evaded his question. She did not want to exchange her good acts for anything; neither monetary rewards or royal favours. Through Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, the truth was revealed that she and her aged husband had no child of their own. Elisha by word of prophesy, proclaimed that she would have a son at the turn of the year and she did. The birth of that child brought joy and fulfillment back to the family. The devil came to taint their joy with sorrow. A child of old age, a much awaited child, died.
The Shunnamite woman didn’t give into sorrow. She made a wise decision to go back to the man of God for solution. When the man of God asked about the well-being of her family, her answer was a resounding “it is well”. The way she confronted her problem is a challenge to all of us Christians today. Though calamity befell her, she was optimistic in her disposition and confession “It is well” and it was unto her according to her word. The confession in your mouth during affliction will determine what joy you will get. The dead child was eventually raised back to life. The dead situation came to life and there was unspeakable joy. Her ashes turned to beauty. Whatever may be the problem confronting you, I decree, it is well. There’s hope for you. God has never failed and He’ll never.
Horatio Spafford’s testimony.
The attitude and words of the Shunnamite woman in the times of affliction, her ability to remain calm and confident motivated lawyer Horatio Spafford, writer of the popular hymn, “it is well with my soul” He had been a successful Chicago lawyer. He also had a lovely family and a blooming business. Everything seemed to be going on fine for him until mournful situations met him. His unique son died, and then the Chicago fire wiped out his estates. To relieve the family of the emotional stress of these tragedies, he decided that the entire family travel to Europe for a short vacation. Just before the trip, he got a call from someone who wanted to buy the land he had put up for sale. He agreed with his wife that she and their four daughters continue with the trip, he would join them after the transactions. A few days after the voyage began, the ship conveying his family had a ghastly collision with another ship, his four daughters died in the accident. His wife was rescued and she sent a touching telegram to him: “ Saved Alone, What Shall I Do?” He immediately boarded a ship to bring his bereaved wife back home. As they were passing through the place where the ship was wrecked, he wrote the lyrics of the great hymn of absolute trust in God.
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot thou has taught me to say,
It is well; it is well with my soul
The easiest way to receive divine attention and intervention is to praise God even before your deliverance come because God dwells in the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3). Affliction has a way of directing us to the Lord Jesus, who has taken part in our afflictions and can bring meaning to seemingly senseless pain. God later blessed and comforted them with two children who greatly helped them in their missionary and humanitarian activities. God turned their mourning and unpleasant experience into an exceeding joy, brought hope in their hopeless situation. They moved from ashes to beauty.
SALIENT POINTS TO CONSIDER
Neither the Shunnamite woman nor the hymn writer in their great predicaments betrayed any negative emotions. This was because they trusted in the help of the helpless and knew He would make a way out for them. Have this same assurance, whenever the enemy of your soul comes against you “like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him” Isa59:19. The fact that you’re a faithful Christian and you’re passing through difficult moments does not mean that God has forsaken you. He has not.
Although Jesus Christ in the ship with his disciples, “there arose a great storm of wind” (Luke 8:22-25, Mark 4:35,37) frightened, his disciples got him up. He spoke the word, the wind obeyed. Peace and calmness took over. The disciples were protected and delivered from untimely death. If you are in Christ, you have the assurance of protection, deliverance and preservation of life. Are you like the disciples? Are you afraid that the present storm in our life will destroy you? When the wind of trials, temptations, afflictions, problems, worry, anxiety and danger blows, God is in it with you. You’re not alone; He’s there with you and will bear you upon his wings, so that nothing can hurt you. Psalms 91:11 And when people will enquire about your affliction, you’ll joyfully reply in the words of the Shunnamite woman, “it is well”. As you put your trust in God He will turn your trials to testimonies, your ashes to beauty in the name of Jesus. This is the year of joy for the wise. One of the things the wise will do is to pray. So as you sincerely pray to God, He’ll make your problem a stepping stone to tremendous victory, deliverance, progress, prosperity, promotion, success and fruitfulness. In the name of Jesus, I decree that you will move from an unpleasant experience to a pleasant one, you will move from mourning to endless melodies, from ashes to beauty, from zero to zenith, from impossibility to possibility. Rom 8:28 “All things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose” the storms of life work for the good of the wise believer in an indirect manner. They are blessings in disguise.

TESTIMONIES

Sis Martha
My daughter has been sick for two weeks. On Friday I received a message on my phone that I should come for solution night. When I was leaving the house my children said mama the baby is not well I said I will go. When I came I had two things in mind the health of my baby and finances. After the solution night, when I got home my baby was ok. The following morning it was Saturday so I was going to buy something and I said let me just say hello to a sister who was near by I got there she gave me the exact amount I needed.
Sis Evelyn Mah
I applied for a job to teach in the university hospital I went for interview in June the first day I did not succeed I went again the second day I did the interview without the knowledge of my senior colleagues and director who had previously applied for the same teaching opportunity without success. On coming back from the interview my director and senior colleagues asked for my where about the previous day, I told them I went for an interview at the university teaching hospital to lecture.
They all laughed at me and said who do who know and who do you think who are to qualify for such a job opportunity. By last November 2008, I was called up for the job. I thank God for His divine connection and favour.
Br Arrey
I want to think God for what He did for me at work. I work in a new place and this year I had to do financial statement. I have never done it before in this particular organisation. I had a problem, with how to do it and meeting the deadline. I told my colleagues that God will intervene and he did. They added us another week to meet up with the deadline and the work was perfectly done.
Mummy Victorine
I want to thank God because I had a list of prayer points in 2008 and He answered almost all. I know that the one that He did not answer he will do for me this 2009
Mama Lucy
The fact that I am here today is a testimony. Since the other day I have been singing it is well in the name of Jesus. The devil has been attacking me through my children my son rented a house and could not sleep in it. I called the pastor and he prayed with him and now he can sleep. My daughter also fell sick but I know today that I have defeated the devil because the bible says I will be saved with my household.
Sis Margaret
I want to think God for deliverance. There is child staying with me who had a problem with her finger. We prayed for her and one morning a very long needle came out of that finger. I want to thank God for deliverance.
Mummy Margaret
I thank God because at the beginning of this year God said he was our salvation. I give God the glory for restoring life unto me and God will satisfy us with good things.
Mama Lucy
My daughter who was sick and was to be operated she could not pass out urine and excreta she is healed now and secondly she has given her life to Jesus.
Sis Solange
The first week of our fasting we were asked to thank God. I was celled for a programme by some one and I got help thank god for this because it was unexpected.
Br Emmanuel
I want to thank God for journey mercies my flight had a problem and the pilot announced there was some turbulence a word came to me and the lord said when I was in the boat what did I do? I said you slept and so I started sleeping I want to thank God