Tag: God

RED LIGHTS AND GREEN LIGHTS (1)

On By Isreal EtangewakIn MessageLeave a comment

TEXT:  “They tried to go…but the Spirit…would not let them.” Acts 16:7 CEV



WHEN GOD gives you a green light, you must go. And when He gives you a red light, you must stop. *“Paul and his friends went through Phrygia and Galatia, but the Holy Spirit would not let them preach in Asia. After they arrived in Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not let them. So they went on through Mysia until they came to Troas. During the night, Paul had a vision of someone from Macedonia who was standing there and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us!’ After Paul had seen the vision, we began looking for a way to go to Macedonia…sure that God had called us to preach the good news there”* (vv. 6-10 CEV).

After a series of green lights, God gave Paul a red light. Why?
(1) Because the timing wasn’t right. Apollos had to go there first and lay the groundwork.
(2) Because God needed Paul and Barnabas elsewhere.
(3) Because God wanted them to be more seasoned before embarking on such a major mission.

Note the words, *“They tried to go…but the Spirit…would not let them.”* How reassuring! God loves you so much that He will save you from your own misguided plans.
The Canadian preacher A.B. Simpson said: “Often there’s nothing as godly as inactivity on our part, or nothing as harmful as restless working, for God has promised to work His sovereign will.”

Today God may be saying to you, *“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted [in this situation]”* (Psalm 46:10 NKJV). Please pay attention!

FURTHER READING:* 1 John 1:1 – 3:10, John 7:14-24, Ps 104:19-26, Pro 24:28

THICK DARKNESS

On By Isreal EtangewakIn MessageLeave a comment

TEXT: Exodus 10:21-23, 14:19-20
The Moses called for all the elders of the Israel, and said up to them, draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the Passover.
And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and deep in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go put at the door of his house until the morning.
For the lord will pass through the smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two sides posts, the lord will pass over the door , and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
…………..
And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them.
And it came between the camp of Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not neat the other all the night.

DEFINITION
Darkness is the noun form of the word “dark” which means having little or no light. It can also mean hopeless, sad or cheerless situation. Darkness of the mind means that the point/ matter is not clear to or had disappeared from the mind of the person. Then, the mind can be said to be in darkness.
Thick darkness is the most extreme form of darkness- completely black with no ray of light at all.

CONTEXT
The children of Israel were slaves in Egypt. At a point God ordained Moses as a deliverer and sent him to Pharaoh to proclaim the message of liberty for the Jews. However, pharaoh was stubborn and would not allow them to go. Thick darkness as in Exodus 10:21-23 was one of the ten plagues that God used to afflict the Egyptians.
Also, in Exodus 14:19-20, God used a cloud to separate fleeing Israelites from the pursuing Egyptian army. There was light in the camp of the Israelites, but the darkness in the camp of the Egyptians who sought to recapture them and keep them in bondage. Thus, they could neither fight nor recapture the Israelites.

RELEVANCE
Thick darkness can be used as a spiritual weapon to fight several enemies:
1. Stubborn oppressors: You can invoke or declare the thick darkness of God upon wicked oppressors who are tormenting your life. These may be human or spirit beings who are using evil powers to afflict you or to keep those you love in bondage. Once they are overcome by the darkness, they will not be able to proceed further with their evil schemes.
2. Stubborn pursuers: certain enemies of your soul, from whom you escaped ( e.g. when you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and saviour) could still seek to pursue the torment you. Their aim is to recapture you and continue with their wicked reign in your life. The thick darkness is useful. To separate you from them, as God separated the Egyptians from the Israelites.
3. Familiar spirit love to monitor their victims. The thick darkness of God can be used to blind them so that they can no longer see their victims.
4. You can also invoke the thick darkness of God against all those who use demonic mirrors, telescopes, etc to monitor or remote- control your life or the lives of those you love. That way, they shall not be able to see and to continue their evil works.
5. Thick darkness can be used to attack those who need to move about to do their evil works. These include armed robbers, hired assassins, etc

PRAYER POINTS
1. Father, by your power, I release thick darkness upon every stubborn pursuer of my life in Jesus’ name.
2. Every satanic pharaoh standing against my promise land I cover you with the cloud of thick darkness.
3. I command every Egyptian oppressor running after my life, be covered by the thick darkness of God.
4. Every familiar spirit monitoring my life is covered by thick darkness in Jesus’ name.
5. Every satanic programme against my family is covered by thick darkness in the name of Jesus.
6. I command every stubborn pursuer of my prayer life, to be blindfolded by the thick darkness of God in Jesus’ name.
7. Every demonic mirror monitoring the progress of my marriage is covered by thick darkness in Jesus’ name.
8. I command the thick darkness of God to block the activities of household wickedness monitoring my marriage in Jesus’ name.
9. O! Lord, by your power, I cover every familiar spirit making me to bed – wet with thick darkness in the name of Jesus.
10. Every programme of evil doers against my life, family and business, be covered by thick darkness in Jesus’ name.

12 STEPS TO INTERCESSION, Step 1a

On By Isreal EtangewakIn PrayerLeave a comment

12 STEPS TO INTERCESSION
Step 1a – Be Still
Without a doubt the most difficult step in intercessory prayer is this one – keep silence, be still. Learn this step and you will transform your prayer life. Remember, your mind is like an undisciplined child running constantly and refusing to be dominated. It wants it own way. It is like a wild stallion that does not want to be tamed, bridled or ruled. It wanders wherever it wishes. It clamors for its own way. It speeds ahead to its own agenda. It refuses to be brought under control. But God says it must be bridled. Peter urges us to “gird up the loins of your mind.” (1 Peter 1:13) Paul says, “Bring every thought into the captivity of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

A Secret

There is a secret that God reveals to his servants that is hidden from all other men. It is the secret of his presence. He delights to walk and talk with us but he will only do so in the “Secret place of the Most High.” Therefore David exalts the mystery of that secret retreat with God alone where God shadows over his own with his protective presence. Jesus said that the secret place for believers is the “closet of prayer” in Matthew 6:6.  The Greek word translated in KJV is “tameion”  which means a closet, secret or inner chamber, or a storehouse – thus “a closet.” He is very specific about it. “When you have entered into your “tameion” (secret chamber), shut the door…and pray in secret!” God longs to have that romantic secret chamber of interlude with each of us

THE CONSUMING FIRE OF GOD

On By Isreal EtangewakIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Text: Hebrews 12:29
For our God is a consuming fire
DEFINITION
Fire can mean a condition of burning, destructive burning to use artificial heat on something with the intention of changing /destroying it.
The word consume is our context means to destroy, to use up or to waste away. Therefore, consuming fire that is destructive burning which uses up destroys wastes away something. When the consuming fire burns, it leaves no remnants; it destroys completely.
CONTEXT
The writer of Hebrews was reminding the readers about the dangers of disobedience. He warned that those who refuse to heed God’s warning cannot escape His judgement. According to him, God will shake heaven and earth; to “separate wheat from chaff”. He therefore warned all to worship God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for God is a consuming fire. He had used the example of the children of Israel under Moses as an example. They refused to listen to God, and were eventually destroyed.
RELEVANCE
The consuming fire of God can be called down upon:
1. The mixed multitude who pollute the church; These people are not in the church to accept Jesus  or to serve God, but to commit all kinds of abomination; pollute the church, and thus weaken her so that she would not be able to confront the enemy. They can be dealt with, using the consuming fire of God.
2. Demonic agents in the church: some of these demonic agents worship in the church regularly and pretend to be believers. Some are even in strategic positions in the church. On the other hand, some are sent t the church- physically or spiritually, and are not regular members/ worshippers. However, their one-off visit or intermittent visits wreak enough havoc in the church.
3. Disobedient or recalcitrant evil men who will not listen to God’s warning; such people, more often than not, are acting under demonic influence. In fact, some have sold their hearts to the devil, and cannot but execute his mandate. It takes the consuming fire of God to overcome them.
4. All those who defile or desecrate God’s temple and refuse to repent; these may include armed robbers, fraudsters (419 agents), thieves and pick-pockets, harlots, and so on who come to church regularly or who visit the homes of Christians. These people, being evil upon those they come in contact with. Therefore, they should not be tolerated. 
PRAYER POINTS
1. O Lord! By your power, I command the fire of God to consume the entire mixed multitude in the house of God in Jesus’ name.
2. Every demonic agent operating in the church is consumed by the fire of God in Jesus’ name.
3. Let the fire of God consume every stony/ stubborn heart in Jesus’ name.
4. Every spiritual and physical robber operating in the house of God is consumed by the fire of God in Jesus’ name.
5. Let the consuming fire of God consume every witchcraft manipulation in the body of Christ in Jesus’ name.
6. Holy Ghost fire, consume all the enemies of the gospel in Jesus’ name.
7. Thou fire of God, consume every satanic altar raised against Christian homes in Jesus’ name.
8. By the fire of God, I consume every disobedient and recalcitrant evil agent who will not listen to God’s warnings in Jesus’ name.
9. The consuming fire of God exposes and consumes the activities of armed robbers, fraudsters and pock-pockets in the church of God, if they refuse to repent, in Jesus’ name.
10. I command the consuming fire of God to destroy the activities of harlots and their networks in the church of God in Jesus’ name.