COMMUNION

 

PRAYER is a state of communion and conversation with God, where there is a mutual exchange of ideas and thoughts, and a profound level of closeness is attained. In this sacred space, we are endowed with the power and authority to dismantle negative influences and erect positive ones. It is a sanctuary where we gain illumination and understanding, experience joy, and partake in significant dialogues with the Father. Furthermore, it is a realm where we receive divine gifts and blessings from God and are given the opportunity to deliver His message to others.

During prayer, a divine light shines upon us, illuminating the deception of the enemy that we have fallen into. The enemy weaves a web of lies around us, blurring the lines between our weaknesses and our true selves. Often, these lies have been passed down from our ancestors and have become deeply ingrained in our psyche.

However, when we pray, our eyes are opened to these limitations and the enemy's infiltration into our lives. We come to the realization of our inadequacies and surrender them to the Holy Spirit, trusting Him to strengthen and guide us through them.

It is natural for us to experience weaknesses such as laziness, grief, offense, and even blindness without recognizing it. Nonetheless, the Holy Spirit provides supernatural help, enabling us to transcend our natural limitations and live above them.

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 

Gal 5:17

The Holy Spirit is speaking to you today, reassuring you that even though you may feel as though you have lost your beauty, charm, and elegance due to the enemy snatching away your talents, God has the power to remould you. He can breathe fresh life into you once again, allowing for a more beautiful and elegant version of yourself to emerge.

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. 

Joel 2:25

He has set up a meeting place with you, and all arrangements have been made, and that place is called the place of Prayer!

THE LIMITATION

Satan fights your access and  proximity to God through guilt, discouragements and accusations. This has been his peculiar strategy from time immemorial. He seeks to replace your bright, silky, shiny garment with a dark, coarse cloth, leaving you depressed and wondering how life brought you here - like a man that missed his way in the middle of the road and is seeking direction.

Despite the enemy's attempts to limit our access to God through guilt, discouragement, and accusations, we can boldly approach the throne of grace because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As believers, our true location is in Christ Jesus, and through Him, we have access to the Father.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Heb 4:16

THE LOCATION

Your location, your true location, is in Christ Jesus.  So, when the enemy tries to shut your access to your Heavenly Father, always remind him that you have access by the sacrifice of Jesus through his blood.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.

Hebrew 10:19

And this should remain your confidence.

The Bible is not just a book of fables or tales; it is a source of pure gold that can guide us through life's journey. As we daily seek direction and guidance through prayer and the study of God's Word, we will experience a beautiful transformation that can only come from Him.

The Bible must  become a friend.  Ever since I discovered that I can navigate my way through life through the words I read, I have become addicted, and not a day passes that I do not seek to look into it to know the path He would have me take, because only in His direction lies victory.

The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.   

Ecclesiastes 10:15

 

A few years back, I found myself living a paradoxical life - the best life and the worst life simultaneously. I was under the illusion of living the best life, while in reality, I was living the worst life. However, I have since come to realize that the pursuit of material gains and luxury no longer satisfies me. There is a greater purpose for living, and we cannot take anything materialistic with us when we leave the earth, nothing follows us along except one piece of clothing.

 

It is a common human desire to strive for a sense of normalcy and conformity, often to avoid the risk of being misinterpreted or perceived as different. Individuals may feel compelled to assimilate into group mentalities, even if it means projecting a façade in order to belong and feel accepted amongst their peers.

 

But those who have experienced the transcendent nature of God will find it difficult to revert to an ordinary existence. The reality of God's love is undeniable, as He possesses emotions akin to our own, albeit with a greater sense of composure due to His foreknowledge. He comprehends our purpose before we are even born, and has a more comprehensive understanding of what we require than we do. How can He not, when He sees the conclusion from the outset? Just as we believe that everything has ended, God shows up to lead us to an unpredictable, chaotic, and apparently unworthy place. Yet, once the experience has concluded, the narrative will have changed, and our identity will have shifted. The things we previously pursued may no longer hold the same allure for us.

 

THE GOAL

In the journey of intimacy with God, you might lose some friends because the life of God, the instructions of the Holy Spirit might not be meaningful or relatable to some of your friends. So, will you lose friends? Yes, you will. But that's fine because, across the other side of journeying with God there is a hand-stretched, willing to rescue you so that through you, many also may be rescued.

In the end, you will be delivered from wanting to be a certain type of person. He created you; He knows what you would be, He knows your weaknesses and He is ever willing to help you fix them.

 

Don't keep your gaze on the mundane things anymore; they won't satisfy you. The Holy Spirit is ever willing to help you to overcome the instant gratifications and help you prioritise what matters the most, which is firstly your relationship with Him, and finding and fulfilling your purpose. 

He will ease the pain, the sorrow, the hurt, and the betrayals. He feels your emptiness because He has also been there and understands human feelings.

 

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 

Heb 4:15

It is possible that the things you desire may not ultimately provide genuine advantages. However, it is God's ultimate objective that your soul is saved. This implies that His priorities are aligned with the spiritual well-being of individuals, rather than the attainment of fleeting material possessions or accomplishments. Therefore, while pursuing one's desires and aspirations, it is crucial to bear in mind that the long-term fulfillment of one's soul is of the utmost significance. This may necessitate making choices that are aligned with God's plan and may require sacrificing some immediate gratifications for the sake of spiritual growth and development. Ultimately, prioritizing the salvation of one's soul can lead to a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

Prayer: 

Lord i pray for Your guidance, help me live each day in accordance with Your will. Strengthen my prayer life and intimacy with You. Reveal to me the hidden aspects of my life that are essential to fulfilling Your plan for my life, though they may not be visible to the human eyes, with your help I will achieve these goals and live a satisfying life that is in line with Your purpose. Help me to desire you daily.

In Jesus Name

Amen 

 

 Meditate on: Phillipians 4:13

 

A VICTORIOUS MINDSET

A VICTORIOUS MINDSET  

Having peace every situation 

Through our faith in Jesus and His finished work on the cross, we are no longer separated from God but have been brought near to Him and can operate in His power and authority. This is our true identity as believers in Christ.  Our job as believers is to discover and walk in this identity, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in all things.

In order to assume this posture, it is necessary for us to grow into the stature of Christ while we are on earth. 

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Ephesians 4:13 

It is impossible to experience victory with a defeated mindset. A mindset of victory must be insulated from the turbulence of life. It is akin to being in an airplane surrounded by clouds but not being threatened by the height of the clouds. This is the beauty of aviation. Although, this does not mean that a peaceful state of mind is oblivious or ignorant of troubles or reality. However, the Christian’s reality is not what he/she is currently experiencing, but what and who we are and have on the inside. 

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2Cor 4:18

So, in reality, the airplane is in a clouded space which means the passengers naturally should be in fear but because they are shielded by the roofing of the plane, the clouds are no longer their reality. 

A mindset of victory must be characterized by peace, and a peaceful state of mind requires embracing a superior consciousness that is beyond present reality, where one recognizes that their security and sustainability are not earthly. It doesn’t mean that they are not implicated by the circumstances of this world, but that they are not troubled by it, to fly at the altitude of peace, one's mind remains the central point or cockpit for flight. 

Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it comes the issue of life. Prov 4:23 

The mind can engineer reality. Man is made or unmade by himself. In the snort of thought he forges the weapons which he makes or destroys himself  -James Allen 

In maintaining victory, much emphasis must be made on peace which is a consequence of the Knowledge of who we are in Christ. There is a connection between victory and peace. When one's peace is intact, it is easier to have a victorious mindset, on the other hand, once peace is stolen, it becomes difficult to sustain a mindset of victory, because victory requires a level of confidence and assurance in knowing that there is a superior support system in your favor beyond the natural happenings and circumstances. This means that depression, anxiety, and fear must be far from a mindset that must operate in victory.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 

If the enemy comes to steal, it means that there was something in place that he intends to take away. One of those things could be one's peace because the Bible says; 

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:3 

It means that the devil understands that once one's peace is intact, it would be difficult for him to control any area of a believer’s life, and so he comes up with tactics and tricks that will introduce fear into one's heart, causing their hopes to be dashed.

Like the popular saying; The water around a boat doesn’t sink the boat, but the water that gets into the boat. 

The enemy employs a strategy to deceive by making sure that your actions are in opposition to who you have become in Christ. Thereby giving him entrance, because without Faith it is impossible to please God. 

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6

The enemy plants tribulation, in your mind, especially when you are very close to a turning point. This is because the spirit and flesh are at war with each other, moving in opposite directions. When you are about to experience a breakthrough, your flesh may pull you down and make you feel defeated. However, at this point, you must not succumb to the whispers of the flesh, Instead, you must rise up in the spirit by seeking out information that will uplift your spirit man, such as reading the Bible, Christian literature, and praying. Doing so will cause you to ascend to new heights in your spirit, gaining stability and perseverance even in the midst of troubles.

A victorious life cannot be achieved without the assistance of the Holy Spirit. If you are lukewarm in your faith, it will be challenging to maintain a mindset of victory. In addition to joy and peace, wisdom is also necessary, and fellowship with the Holy Spirit is the source of this wisdom. While God may not provide all the answers or information needed for an extended period, daily guidance is given to overcome each day's challenges, similar to the Lord's Prayer's request for "our daily bread".

Consistent communication with God and nurturing the seeds He plants in your heart is crucial for attaining daily victory, rather than seeking His guidance sporadically. 

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1peter 5:8 

Know who you are in Christ, slay your giants, kill your distractions and you will be drunk with the victory that comes from God. This is the way to experience divine peace in the midst of chaos. 

Meditate on the following scriptures 

Luke 10:19, Matthew 28:18, 1 John 4:4 Psalm 23

 FORGIVENESS

Fresh tomatoes that are packed up and hidden in a closet are going to get rotten with time. Although they were fresh and edible, they will end up stinking. This is what unforgiveness looks like.

Luke 6:37 says; “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

Beloved, it takes the grace of God to know you are harboring unforgiveness. Only God can bring us to a point where we realize that our sincerity with ourselves is not His truth about certain things. If God convicts you of unforgiveness today, I pray you will not argue because His integrity is superior to our sincerity; He cannot lie, but we can without even knowing it. 

THE UNTOLD UGLY SIDE OF UNFORGIVENESS

Just as the rotten tomatoes in our illustration, unforgiveness has nothing good to offer you. It is an invisible weight and God wants you to hand it over to Him. It is a seed that may seem harmless at first because you may try to convince yourself that after all, you did not pay back your offenders in their coins. Nevertheless, it is going to deteriorate even more, and sooner than later, it will affect other aspects of your life. You cannot hide the odor of rotten tomatoes.

Choosing to stay resentful and refusing to uncover wounds will lead to a consistent transformation of your perspective of life and people. Someone who has been betrayed on several occasions in the past is most likely to have difficulties trusting others in the future. A neglected and rejected person will find it difficult to accept love from people, or he may even see everyone as a threat because it is difficult to tell if they are real or unreal.

When the seed of unforgiveness begins to grow, its root is usually bitterness, and bitterness manifests as anger, lack of love, lack of peace, and strife. This is one of the things that end up shaping our mindset for life, but God does not want it to be so. He wants us to allow Him to uncover the hurts that we have gotten used to, He wants to attend to them and help us heal.

"With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation" Isaiah 12:3

The childhood traumas, the shortcomings of the people we relate with, and even the unpleasant situations we found ourselves in at some point; all of these are painful experiences but we need to relieve ourselves from this great burden so we can have a better view of life. We need to be able to see life and people through the lens of God’s love and not through that of pain. This can only be achieved when we allow God to touch us at that spot and give His healing to us.

 

A SIMPLE TEST FOR UNFORGIVENESS

Well, the question may arise, “how do I know I am still bitter against someone over an offense?”

As children of God, we may have learned not to make evil wishes or prayers for others. But we seldom pay attention to how we feel when something good happens in our lives. How do you feel when someone else is saying nice things about the person that hurt you? Do you feel they do not deserve to be happy? Do you feel like saying bad things about them to others?

Honest responses to these questions may be helpful in revealing traces of bitterness and resentment. Jesus said to pray for one another and our enemies, so if you find it difficult to pray for those who may have hurt you before, then your test result is positive.

 

LEARNING TO FORGIVE OTHERS

Forgiving people does not mean you were not offended. It simply means you choose to heal and move on, it means you take away their power over you. When you hold grudges against people, they tend to indirectly control your emotions. When you see them, you lose your peace, but it ought not to be so. Unforgiveness does more harm to you than to them. This is why you must learn to do yourself a favor by letting go of the pain.

Forgive your parents for not measuring up, forgive the people in your childhood that made life look like a slice of hell, forgive even the person that you have said you will never forgive. It is possible to forget the pain, in Christ, it is very much possible. God can bring you to a point where you may have to mourn your losses; everything they took from you, your time, energy, innocence, and all. They can’t give it back, so you should stop feeling like they owe you. Maybe they do, but they can’t pay you back what they owe you. You have to rely on God for grace to write off your debt.

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Mathew 6:14-15

You don’t pay God anything for letting go of your sins, the only thing He asks for in return is that you extend the same measure of compassion to those who err against you. Forgiveness is not just a feeling it is a decision. It is you saying, “I choose love over hate. I choose peace over bitterness. I choose happiness over anger. I choose God’s way over mine.” It is a choice but it is not an option.

True forgiveness and healing go hand-in-hand. You can say with your lips that you have forgiven someone but still hold onto the hurts that they caused you but as long as you hold onto these, you will never have a great relationship with God and His people. Turn them over to God and let Him deal with them on His terms. If you try to tell God what to do to them as a payback, you still haven’t forgiven them.

HEALING IS AVAILABLE FOR THE WOUNDED HEART

What consistent hurt from people does to us is that it hardens our hearts towards others. And unknown to us, when we come to God, we are likely to also see God in that light. So, we end up being up-tight with God, lacking all elements of vulnerability. Beloved, if you keep hiding your wounds from your physician, you may never get treated.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalms 147:3

Jesus can heal everywhere you have hurt. Only He knows exactly what you have been through, He knows exactly where you have hurt. He gives grace for us to forgive even the greatest of all offenses, and in addition, He sets us eternally free by healing us emotionally, He heals our relationships and marriages. He restores our perspective of life and changes the way we perceive people and situations.

 

PRAYER FOR HEALING AND GRACE TO FORGIVE

Dear Lord, I come before You in humility and vulnerability. While I was yet a sinner you died for me on the Cross. I do not deserve Your mercy; I ask that you expose every hidden bitterness and anger in my heart and grant me the grace to forgive those who have wronged me.

Teach me to forgive before the offense comes, and when it comes, help me to be able to control my emotions. I choose to release myself from the burden of unforgiveness. I ask that You heal and stabilize my emotions, give me a new perspective on life. I receive forgiveness for my transgressions through faith in the beautiful name of Jesus.

Thank You, Father, for I know that Your love is taking care of my ruins. So, I affirm that I am restored in Jesus’ name. Amen!

MEDITATE ON THESE VERSES:

Mathew 18:21-35, Ephesians 4:31-32.

 SURRENDER IT ALL 

Life hands us weights, most times beyond what we can bear. For as long as you have air in your lungs, you cannot escape the burdens, challenges, and the struggles of life. Christians, however, have an advantage; we have a God who can be anything and everything to us. He can be a Father, He can be a counselor, He can be a teacher and He can be a helper. He helps us to carry the unavoidable burdens that life throws at us.

Beloved, the key to managing the pressures and troubles of your life is to hand them over to the Master.

 

Matthew 11:28-30 says; “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

The above verse explains to us that there's an exchange in handing over your concerns, you need not remain attached to your old options, most times God will only exchange your worries with His strength,  so your hands must be empty of your own solutions. 

 

The issues of life may include our struggles against the works of the flesh, how to make ends meet, how to become better in our relationships with others and with God or you might be going through a hurt or believing God for something, all these might leave us worried-sick. Nevertheless, If you have come to Jesus, He assumes the position of a caregiver, and so it becomes His responsibility to make all you need available. This means, He can take the burden of addiction and give you freedom, He can take away lack and give you supernatural supply, He can take fear and anxiety and give you tranquility.

 

The challenge however is that you are likely to make your concerns known to God but as soon as things are not going as you planned or expected them to, you are likely to fret.

This is because maybe you do not trust God completely. Surrendering to God begins with trust. You cannot leave everything about you in the hands of God (Someone you cannot physically see) if you do not already believe in who He is and His capabilities.

God will take over your troubles when you present them to Him and refuse to worry about them anymore. God will give you divine assistance, which could come in form of wisdom, direction, favour, helpers, strength, peace etc. 

 

Proverbs 3:5-7 says; “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.”

 

This is the only way to explain why you are anxious about how to live uprightly in a dark and perverted generation, how to excel in your academics, and how to rise in your career; you are too calculative and logical in your thinking, and so the ways of God seem slow and illogical to you.

Do you believe that God’s plan is for good? and not for evil? 

Do you believe that everything is under His control and that as long as He remains on His throne, He will continue to make ALL things work together for your good? because you love Him? 

Do you believe Him when He says, “I will never leave your side, I will be with you to the very ends of the earth?

If you do not believe in the authenticity of God’s word, it will be impossible to surrender all to Him.

Your journey of surrendering to God began on the day you accepted Him as your Lord and personal Saviour. On that day, all you said was, “Lord, I acknowledge that I cannot help myself, I do not even know how to walk uprightly but I acknowledge You as my Saviour, and as my Lord who will lead me on the way to go.”

 

You may be wise, but surrendering to God means you acknowledge that God is wiser and so you choose His way. You may know what is good for you, but once you surrender to God, you are acknowledging that He knows what’s best for you and that you will accept His will to be the best and only option you have.

 

It is going to be a struggle because the enemy will not just sit back and watch you come to God and have a smooth walk with Him. Therefore, he tries to inspire you to trust in your ways more than you do in God. But the word of God says, ‘can two walk together unless they are agreed?” So also, you cannot walk successfully with God except you choose His ways.

 

Jesus is Lord over every aspect of your life, but He does not Lord Himself over you. He functions in the areas that you let Him. He does not struggle for ownership with you: the moment you decide to worry about His responsibility towards you as a Father, He stays back and watches you until you can admit that He is the one in control.  

 

For as long as you compartmentalize God, it will be difficult for you to experience a worry-free life. He cannot put something in your hands if your hands are already filled with your options. It is when you’ve given your all in vulnerability to God that He steps in completely.

 

You need to grow from being a babe in Christ who is still struggling to trust God completely to a Son who trusts completely even when it does not make sense. So that when the enemy advertises worry and anxiety, you can courageously tell the enemy that those are no longer your issues to take care of but are now God’s business.

You need to know that whenever you present your issues such as your finances, relationships, work, academics, health, and addictions to God, you are most likely to experience more pressure in these areas. The aim of this is to push you to lose your Faith in God. Nevertheless, if you persist and ignore the increased pressure, you are going to grow into a greater measure of trust in God and your level of dependence on Him will increase. Because the devil at all times wants to test your Faith, to know if what you said is lip service.

 

Just like the popular saying goes; Nothing grows in the comfort zone. So, the stones the enemy throws at you should rather become your stepping stones. Let every situation that demands your leaning on your understanding rather propel you into praying for the grace to trust and follow God all the more. That way, you will grow from a babe into a Son. 

Remember that when you have laid everything before God, you’re not expected to worry over the same issues anymore because that would mean that you’re still in control. Give God His rightful place today, let Him worry about how to fend for you, you will be at peace.

 

When God is in charge, you can rejoice in and out of season knowing that He can never make a wrong decision and that He’s got your back.

 

Do you desire to relieve yourself of the burdens you have carried? Then, say this prayer with faith in your heart:

 

Gracious Father, I come before You in humility, I acknowledge You as the Lord of my life; I do not lean on my understanding because it is foolishness in Your sight.

Jesus, I lay every burden at Your feet. I believe You can give me rest from all of my struggles.

I ask that You teach me to bear Your yoke, which You said is light, and let my only concern be to align with Your will.

I present...(mention the issues that are of great concern to you at this moment) 

I surrender all to You; I am no longer in control of these issues anymore, I refuse to worry, I refuse to fret about them. I lay down my worries, I surrender my fears, and I receive Your joy and Your peace that supersedes all human understanding.

I ask that You give me absolute tranquility amidst the storms of life, and help my heart to be still so that I may know that You are God. I receive Your strength and Your wisdom. 

Thank you, for taking over my battles, in Jesus‘ glorious name I pray. 

Amen!

 

Meditate on these verses:

Psalms 55:22, Philippians 4:19, Isaiah 55:8

KNOWLEDGE

KNOWLEDGE BUILDS AND KNOWLEDGE DESTROYS

You were someone before you came into God, you thought like a people, behaved like a people, and probably acted in a certain way that can be traced to certain people. Howbeit, to genuinely become like Christ, you will have to replace the old ideas and opinions you’ve accumulated over time. Those ideas cannot let you live as the righteousness of God, they can only aid you in becoming worldly. Hence, the need for revitalizing and re-aligning your mind.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

You are now a citizen of heaven who lives on earth; you are not just here to while away time; you are here as Christ’s ambassador. You may be living in the world, but your government (The source of your authority, guiding principles, economy and culture) is of Heaven. Your thought pattern and lifestyle must be conformed to that of Christ. That is the truest definition of a Christian; One who is Christ-like.

DESIRING TO KNOW GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE

Everything we know today, we came to its awareness at some point or the other in our lives. For some, it was not until you came across an adult site, you had no business with masturbation. For others, you were sober and innocent until a friend introduced you to drugs and alcoholism. While for others, you just kept cutting across impure content on the internet, most probably on a friend’s timeline or status update. There are tons of irrelevant information out there, and some are more dangerous than helpful to you as a believer.

The kind of information that is cheaply available in our world today leads to death, both spiritual and physical death. This is why you must become selective in what you let in. consider your mind/heart to be a factory; when you take flour, sugar, and baking powder into a factory, you already know what the outcome will be. You can’t do more than recreate bread and pastries. The same goes for your mind: it is like a factory and the things you expose it to will determine the quality of your life.  

You must start desiring a different kind of knowledge and that is the knowledge of God. You cannot expose yourself to so much worldliness with diminutive, or zero appetites for the ways of God and expect to grow into the person of Christ.

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” II Corinthians 10:5 

Since you cannot always control what you run into, you will have to constantly cast down every knowledge that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Do not breed any of it!

THE RIGHT KNOWLEDGE

“Real knowledge of the highest value is not to be obtained easily. It must be worked for, studied for, thought for, and, more than all, it must be prayed for.” (emphasis mine)  -Thomas Arnold

Seeking to know God will cost you but the gain of knowing God cannot be compared to whatever you may lose along the way. The knowledge of God saves eternally, it edifies, it refines, and it is truth. What this implies is that every other knowledge that is contrary to the knowledge of God is a lie.

Your schedule may be tight, but you must work out a time to seek to know God. Just as you become more knowledgeable in arts and science by investing your time in studying, you must also study to show yourself approved. After studying, comes meditation because the knowledge that changes you is not just the one you read or learn, but the one that stays with you. Think about the person of Jesus, His works, and His plans. Then, pray! Ask God to reveal Himself to you, so that you may know Him for who He is.

I Peter 2:1-2 says; “Therefore laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.”

In seeking to know God, you will come to know yourself better. Your new identity in Christ will be revealed to you, and then you will realize how useless some of the things you knew were, you will discover that some of the concepts that made a lot of sense to you were all vague. God is vast, and seeking to know Him is a worthwhile adventure. In knowing Him, you will find the answers to the questions; ‘who am I? why am I here? And what am I here to do?’ In essence, you will discover and walk in purpose while striving to know God.

You will also get to know Him as a healer; the anger, bitterness and resentment you feel in your heart will be completely taken from you. You will learn to forgive and unlearn old sinful habits.

IGNORANCE BUILDS FEAR, KNOWLEDGE BUILDS CONFIDENCE

By renewing your mind, you will unlearn the lies of the devil and come into the knowledge of God’s love for you, and this will translate to an understanding that your weaknesses are not a limitation. You are capable of all things through Christ who strengthens you. But until you know this, you will keep fretting at the empty threats of the enemy.

Knowledge is the antidote to fear, and that is why you don’t feel confident going into an exam hall without reading for the exam, but you are confident walking into a room to discuss a topic you have well researched. 

The more confident you are about the knowledge of God, the more confident you will be about your life, who you are, and where you are headed. Make a deliberate decision to seek the right knowledge today. Be intentional about the possible sources of information around you. Not every TV show is for you anymore. Not every discussion is worth your interest and attention. Be deliberate, Beloved, and eliminate knowledge that does not contribute to the betterment of your spirit man.

 

Your walk

In taking your walk with God seriously, you must not necessarily begin by first, trying to stop old habits. You can easily begin by starting something new because the surest way to break old habits is by building something new. 

 

If you have decided to take that giant step today,  here is a guide for you:

First, say this prayer with faith in Your heart.

Prayer for Salvation/Rededication;

Lord Jesus, I confess my sins and ask for Your forgiveness. Please, come into my heart as my Lord and personal Savior. Take complete control of my life, and help me to walk in Your footsteps daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord, for saving me and for answering my prayer. Amen!

Payer for Grace and commitment; 

Lord, I ask for the grace to be solely and wholly committed to You for the rest of my life. Precious Holy Spirit, empower me to live as a child of God, help me to live above sin, and guide me into Your purpose. Give me the strength and wisdom for the journey ahead, in Jesus' name I pray. Amen!

 

Now that you have been rededicated to your Father in heaven, it is wise and expedient that you replace some old obsessions with new ways.

 

 • To start with, you need to be mindful of what you let into your heart through these two gates- your ears and your eyes. If you have been listening to secular or worldly music, the best thing for you to do would be to replace them with soul-uplifting gospel songs and sermons.

If you do not know who to listen to, you can think of a preacher you have ever enjoyed listening to. Take your time to source out his/her materials, and begin with at least 1 sermon a day. You can listen to the teachings while you drive to work while taking a stroll, while at home, etc.

 (you may want to get a good headphone).

• Alongside the teachings and gospel songs, you need to be intentional about your personal Bible study. You can decide to take a verse for the day, a Bible character for a particular season, or a chapter for a week.

Romans 10:17 says; "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God."

 

The word of God does not only give you information, it sanctifies, it guides, it builds, and transforms lives. It is God's milk that is intended to nourish you, take it seriously. Start considering a Bible plan. If you do not have a bible app on your phone, this is the best time to get one. A hard copy Bible is highly recommended.

 

• Find any Christian literature that resonates with your spiritual needs and read through it. Christian books are inspired by the Spirit of God and are written for transformation. You can receive light that would have taken years and decades to receive through personal Bible study by reading a God-inspired book.

 

For a beginner, a good read would be, "THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE- BY RICK WARREN."

 

 • Now, one of the most important new habits you will need to form is the habit of Prayer.

Prayer is communication with God. If you do not know what to pray about, you can start with thanksgiving. You can also ask God questions about areas you need clarity on, and I can assure you that He will gladly respond to you.

As time goes on, if you are consistent in talking to God, the Holy Spirit will lead you on what to pay about; this includes personal needs that you may not be aware of. The sweetest thing about prayer is that God knows what you are about to pray for, yet He listens.

 

• Learn and apply the principles of the kingdom. The reason so many Christians do not make tangible progress after several years is that they either fail to learn the principles of the kingdom they have come into, or they fail to apply them.

This is like living in a country without knowing the laws that govern that country, so, their welfare is not guaranteed.

 

• Go for knowledge.

'My people perish for lack of knowledge,' says the word of God.

You need to become deliberate about your physical and spiritual progress by seeking knowledge in form of books or teachings in any area that you intend to attain remarkable growth.

• Keep a journal.

Journaling is good, it helps you keep a track of your progress with God, and on several occasions, God will like to speak to you through things He once spoke to you about. 

Anytime you hit a new course or take new decisions, it will be good if you write the date in your journal because when you look back, you will be surprised at how true God is and how He keeps to His promises.

 

 

Guess what! Today will be a good day to start journaling.