A SEASON OF JOY (Part 3)

THE ENCOUNTER DAY 1

A SEASON OF JOY (Part 3) 

TEXT: Luke 1:8-14

8 Now while on duty, serving as priest before God in the order of his division,

9 As was the custom of the priesthood, it fell on him by lot to enter [the sanctuary of] the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10 And all the throng of people were praying outside [in the court] at the hour of incense [burning].

11 And appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

12 And when Zachariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear took possession of him.

13 But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your petition was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear a son, and you must call his name John [God is favourable].

14 And you shall have joy and exultant delight, and many shall rejoice over his birth,

You are welcome to your season of joy. Refuse to settle for anything short of joy and gladness and your testimony shall be full. God has something special for his people today, don’t let your own portion pass you by.

Realize that your place of service is a great opportunity given to you by the Lord. Not everybody who desire to be where you are now has the access and opportunity you have. Our text for today tells us in verse 10 that while Zachariah went in to burn the incense, there was a great crowd outside that could not have the access into the Holy place where he was offering incense to God. In the same way, there are many people who are waiting outside the place of worship hoping that your role in the service of God will help their own encounter with God.

As you have access to the presence of God please do not take the opportunity for granted. Do all you can to position yourself for a divine encounter with the LORD.  If you are able to position yourself like Zachariah did, for a divine encounter, as you go about your duty, the people will be able to tell that you have had an encountered with the Lord. 

When Zachariah went in prepared the angel of the Lord showed up and his life was never the same again. Refuse to settle for anything less, go for the glory and it shall be yours in Jesus name. Amen. 

A SEASON OF JOY (Part 2)

A SEASON OF JOY (Part 2)

TEXT: Luke 1:8-14

8 Now while on duty, serving as priest before God in the order of his division,

9 As was the custom of the priesthood, it fell on him by lot to enter [the sanctuary of] the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10 And all the throng of people were praying outside [in the court] at the hour of incense [burning].

11 And appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

12 And when Zachariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear took possession of him.

13 But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your petition was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear a son, and you must call his name John [God is favourable].

14 And you shall have joy and exultant delight, and many shall rejoice over his birth,

Some times in life when you are engaged in the service of the Lord you may not be sensitive to the divine opportunities that is present in the place of your service. Like many of us, on the faithful day of Zachariah’s visitation, it was just like any other day as he took the incense to carry out his duty. Verse 9 tells us that he was doing the customary thing in the place of worship but what he did not know was that this particular opportunity to serve has been orchestrated by the Lord to draft him into the place where he will be positioned for a divine encounter.

Many of us today have become oblivious of the divine opportunity that is available in our place of service. Beloved, you have not been positioned to serve where you are by mistake. God has a hand in the placement of your life this season. Refuse to complain for any reason. Thank the Lord for even the unpleasant experience you are facing and as you faithfully carry out your duty, you will encounter the grace and favour of God in the most unusual way.   It may be hard to see just how this will happen but just as the Lord met Zachariah in the place of service He will visit you and usher you into your season of joy. Serve the Lord with this in your mind and your testimony will follow. 

A SEASON OF JOY (Part 1)

.   A SEASON OF JOY (Part 1) 

TEXT: Luke 1:8-14

8 Now while on duty, serving as priest before God in the order of his division,

9 As was the custom of the priesthood, it fell on him by lot to enter [the sanctuary of] the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10 And all the throng of people were praying outside [in the court] at the hour of incense [burning].

11 And appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

12 And when Zachariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear took possession of him.

13 But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your petition was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear a son, and you must call his name John [God is favourable].

14 And you shall have joy and exultant delight, and many shall rejoice over his birth,

The word of the Lord in Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “TO EVERYTHING there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven. ”

To a user of this devotional I declare to you that this is your season of joy. That which you have been trusting God for will become a reality in Jesus name.

Your season of disappointment and frustration is over in Jesus name.

You shall fulfil your destiny by the power and grace of God in Jesus name.

Those who think you are stupid serving God with all your heart shall be amazed what the Lord will do in your life in Jesus name.

Just as Zachariah was chosen to burn the incense by the divine ordering of God everything will favour you this season in Jesus name.

Wherever you turn favour will be waiting for you in Jesus name.

Beginning from this season, people will begin to acknowledge that it is good to serve the Lord because of your testimony in Jesus name.

You shall become a wonder in the eyes of God and the name of our God shall be exalted in and through your life in Jesus name.

Take time to meditate over these prophetic decrees and thank God for making it a reality in your life. Welcome to your season of joy.

       

RELEASING THE RIVER OF GOD’S GLORY 2

RELEASING THE RIVER OF GOD’S GLORY 2

TEXT: Psalm 46:1-5(AMP)

To the Chief Musician. [A Psalm] of the sons of Korah, set to treble voices. A song.

¹ God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.

² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains be shaken into the midst of the seas,

³ Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling andtumult. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

⁴ There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High.

⁵ God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God will help her right early [at the dawn of the morning].

The great revivals and move of God are not limited to the pages of the scriptures as we are the living epistles of God in our own generation. Some people may never open the pages of the scriptures or come to church to meditate on the word of God but they will cannot help but relate with us one way or the other and that is where the Lord depends on us to let the world see His glory.

CONTEMPLATION

 “Heaven knows we need a wave of God’s revival to restore

the church back to the place of passionate worship, and the

time is now.

If the glory of the latter will be greater than that of the

former, then there must be something more than what we

have ever seen or heard.” FFPW p.164.

the glory of the former house was upon the temple of Solomon but the glory of the latter house is upon the individual that has now become the temple of God indwelling us by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). When the people of God come to acknowledge this then there will come an unusual move of God of great proportion. Gradually the understanding is spreading and there is this shift in the church of God that is giving birth to strange ministries that need no formal registration before they begin to affect a great multitude. The river of glory is flowing and the days of glory are here.

PRACTICAL ISSUES

That which only motivates men to seek their own materialistic gain is not qualified to be called revival.  If the world can produce the same result it is not the revival we speak of. There is much more to it.

The prophet Elijah stood alone against the 450 prophets of Baal (1 kings 18:22) and at the end of the day the nation was restored back to God because when the people saw fire fall from heaven the fell down and worshipped saying “the Lord, He is God; the Lord He is God ” (1 Kings 18:39). When the people encounter the glory they will worship.

-                      REV. IGHO Y.

MEET RON KENOLY

The third of six sons, Ron Kenoly was born in Coffeyville, Kansas, in 1944, into a family where he knew both joy and heartache. 

"My mother put happiness and love into our household," he says. "We were poor, but she made us so happy that we didn't realize we were poor." 

Ron's paternal influence was not as strong. "My father was in the military and gone all of the time," he says. "I didn't realize just how much I missed him until I became a father myself and found that there were things that I had no idea how to do because he'd never been there to show me how, or to model them for me." 

"I've been singing as long as I can remember, and I think I turned to that for comfort from some of the pain of not having a father," says Ron. "My mother has told me that I used to sing myself to sleep when I was a toddler. I'd sing my own lullabies." 

Raised in church, Ron began singing in children's choir and eventually accepted the Lord in late childhood. "I accepted Jesus as Savior at an early age," says Ron, "but it wasn't until years later that I made Him Lord of my life, and there's a big difference between the two. 

But, I never was a wild kid because my seriousness about music always kept me focused on something constructive, avoiding stupid, self-destructive things. Later, when I got into the music business and saw a lot of people destroying their lives with drugs, alcohol and promiscuity, I said, 'I don't want any part of that.'" 

After high school, Ron did a three-year stretch in the Air Force from 1965 to '68. It was while in the service that Ron met and married his wife, Tavita, and where he joined his first real band, called the Mellow Fellows. The group toured military installations, performing the Top 40 hits of the day, though his career decision had been set years before. 

"I had decided music was going to be my career when I was kid back in Kansas," Ron says. "I can remember in our neighborhood there was one family that owned a TV. On Saturday nights they would turn it around and put it in the front window, facing the street, so everybody else could watch. I remember seeing Sammy Davis, Jr., and Nat King Cole for the first time, and I was profoundly impressed that here were two black men on a national stage -- highly respected and highly talented. I knew right then that was what I wanted." 

In only a short time after leaving the Air Force, Ron relocated his young family to Los Angeles where he planned to seek his fortune in the music business. He soon became a sought-after nightclub performer, and with nine singles released on four major labels, he was on his way up the music business ladder and closing in on the "big break" that eludes so many aspiring artists.

"I had met every goal I had set in a very short time," Ron recalls. "Every step was a step forward, but it never brought the fulfillment that I thought it would. So I reached for a couple of higher rings, and when I had them, I was still empty. I realized I had a void that the world was never going to fill." 

As his career took off, Ron's family life began to suffer. Separated several times and on the edge of divorce, Ron admits that he had made his career his god, and left his wife and three children on the periphery of his life. 

"My wife rededicated her life to the Lord in 1975 and began praying for the healing of our family," says Ron. "I began to realize the goodness of God because I could see the changes He was making in her life, and I could see that while I never lost respect for God, I had never had a strong spiritual life. That's when the lights began to come on for me, because I was beginning to see all the things about Jesus that before I had only heard. I wanted the joy that she had found." 

Ron recommitted his life to Christ that same year, remaining in Los Angeles and secular music for another year-and-a-half to fulfill lingering contractual commitments. When he left LA, he relocated with his family to Oakland, California, and completed a degree in music at Alameda College. 

"From 1976 to '78, while I was in school, I just surrendered my life to the Lord, allowing Him to do some character building in me," says Ron. "I had to learn to be a husband and a father, and I had to learn how to relate to God as a Father. I still sang, but only every Sunday in the bass section of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church." 

Ron taught music and physical education at Alameda from 1978 through 1982, and though he found a sense of peace in turning his life over to the Lord and His will, the fire to sing still burned within him. 

In 1978, Ron decided his next logical move would be to land a Christian record deal, but after four years of almost total unresponsiveness from the Christian industry, Ron became disheartened. 

Ron's despondency was heightened by the fact that throughout that time, secular labels continued to call him, expressing interest in rekindling old relationships. By 1982, it seemed to Ron as if the world wanted him, but Christianity was somehow not interested. 

One evening in the summer of '82, Ron sat alone in his church for hours, playing, singing, praying, worshipping, and laying his burdens before the Lord. 

"From that night on, the record companies ceased to matter," says Ron. "The Lord had met me and shown me so much, that I felt I had gone beyond what any company could offer me. Acceptance and rejection didn't matter anymore because all I knew was that I had been with God." 

Ron left the church that night with nothing but a desire to worship and praise God, and to lead others in doing the same. Soon, word of Ron's musical talents began to spread around the Oakland area, and he found himself invited to lead praise and worship at numerous churches. 

"I didn't even think of myself as a praise and worship leader," Ron says. "All I knew was I would go and sing my songs, and something special would happen." 

Leading worship for high profile pastors like Lester Sumrall and Jack Hayford brought Ron to the attention of evangelist Mario Marillo who commissioned Ron to lead worship at his crusades. Through Marillo, Ron met pastor Dick Bernal, who had recently founded the Jubilee Christian Center, a growing congregation in San Jose, Calif. 

Ron joined the church's staff as music minister in 1987, completely content with the place in life to which God had led him and without a thought of ever recording again. But, in 1990, Don Moen, creative director for Integrity Music, heard about Ron's ministry and approached him about the possibility of recording one of his praise services. 

The result was a series of albums that became best-sellers in both the church and contemporary Christian markets. Among that series was Jesus Is Alive, the gold-selling Lift Him Up, God Is Able, Sing Out With One Voice, 1997's Dove Award-winning Welcome Home, Majesty, We Offer Praises, and his most current project Dwell in the House. 

"I'm still trying to figure out what all of this means," Ron says seriously, but with a chuckle of amazement. "I want to be a good steward of what God has given me, not just in terms of music, but in life experience and valuable lessons I can pass on to other people. He's holding me responsible for the visibility and the influence that He's allowed me to have. And, make no mistake, it has been Him who has allowed it. My main concern is just to always do with it what He wants me to do." 

Ron Kenoly will be ministering Live at #TheEncounter2014

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS Part 5

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS Part 5. 

TEXT: TEXT: 2 Corinthians 12:1-6 (AMP) 
¹ TRUE, THERE is nothing to be gained by it, but [as I am obliged] to boast, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up to the third heaven.
³ And I know that this man—whether in the body or away from the body I do not know, God knows—
⁴ Was caught up into paradise, and he heard utterances beyond the power of man to put into words, which man is not permitted to utter.
⁵ Of this same [man's experiences] I will boast, but of myself (personally) I will not boast, except as regards my infirmities (my weaknesses).
⁶ Should I desire to boast, I shall not be a witless braggart, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I abstain [from it] so that no one may form a higher estimate of me than [is justified by] what he sees in me or hears from me.

We are living in a time where only few persons are willing to pay the price for the supernatural manifestation of God to become a regular occurrence. Many of us are satisfied with the story of the past move of God that we were once part of. Others are satisfied with talking about the move of God they read from a book or they heard about and we celebrate our knowledge of such. The God we all serve is the same yesterday, today and forever. If he did it yesterday, He can do it today and tomorrow. Only those who see Him as a present and always powerful and available God are able to acknowledge the awesome presence of the Lord until they record some supernatural manifestations.

The life of the supernatural is not meant to be limited to certain special events and when some individuals are in town. It is the will of the Lord that we all should continually walk in the spirit and encounter His glory on a regular basis. Don’t let any man make you believe otherwise. The God you serve is not a seasonal God that should be expected during certain festivals. He is God who was and who is and is to come. Therefore, He is always ready and available and if you believe you shall have it. He is God and not man that grows weak and in need of empowerment. See Him in his glory always and you shall live in the realm of glory always. Don’t wait for the next big meeting in town. Begin to create the atmosphere and you will see the glory of God.

Shalom

MEET NATHANIEL BASSEY

Nathaniel Bassey was born in Lagos, Nigeria. He is from Ikot Ofon Ikono, Uyo local government area in Akwa-Ibom state, South-South Nigeria.
His father, Mr E Joshua Bassey, was a minister in The Apostolic Church Bashua Assembly and from an early age he developed a love for both music and the gospel.
He was inspired when He saw Dr Panam Percy Paul, a prominent Nigerian gospel music icon in concert over twenty years ago and since then,.His passion for music has grown and translated.into various musical experiences. Today He is married to His wife Sarah Bassey and they are blessed with A child

• In his early years, he developed a rather uncommon interest for jazz music and began listening, imitating and playing to the music of.Louis Armstrong, Miles Davies, Clifford Brown, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz and Kirk Whalum, Phil Driscoll, Hugh Masakela and other Jazz luminaries. His zeal for the Jazz form would later stir him to seek out bands and groups along the Jazz lines. He then joined a top jazz quartet in Lagos, Spectrum 4, where he played alongside his childhood friends.
• About that time Nat, as he is fondly called, was approached by one of the most respectable figures in the Nigerian jazz and music circle, Elder Steve Rhodes to lead, arguably, the first
  Jazz Orchestra in the country – THE STEVE RHODES ORCHESTRA. He served as band leader and lead trumpet player for a period of two years and later moved on with his music career.
  His peculiar and particularly soulful trumpet playing style caught the ears of top Artistes and composers within and outside the country. 
  Teemac, Ayo Bankole Jr, Cobhams Asuquo, Wole Oni, Yinka Davies, Adlan Cruise, Funsho Ogundipe, Peter King, Sotiris Papadopoulus, Paul Petersen, The French Cultural centre,American International School, are but a few individuals and organisations that have sought his musical ingenuity.
• As time passed, Nathaniel began sensing a deep yearning within. There was more to his music than he thought. He later took time off his numerous mainstream commitments to seek the Lord under the Mentorship and guidance of Late Pastor Eskor Mfon, the former Pastor of The Redeemed Christian Church Of God, City Of David Parish. This decision attracted fierce criticisms from friends, Artistes and colleagues who thought it unthinkable abandoning what was becoming a thriving mainstream music career to serve exclusively at a local church.
  As he developed an intimate fellowship with the Holy Spirit, He then realised that music was more than an item to fill a space in time but was a fundamental tool in the praise and worship of the Lord. Soon after, a music ministry was born and for Nathaniel, the main thrust was WORSHIP – Music of heaven – one that ministered exclusively to the Lord and an avenue through which HE related with His people. His trumpet playing coupled with a calm.singing style has since ushered many in concerts,crusades and churches into the presence of the LORD.
• Nathaniel, a graduate of Politics and International Relations at the University of London, also serves as the director of music at the RCCG; The King’s Court. He has attended music courses in and out of the country including the Middlesex University Summer School UK, where he studied popular music and music business. He writes, sings and produces his own music and records with diverse groups of musicians.

Nathaniel’s debut album Elohim was recorded and mixed in Cape Town, South Africa in the year 2008. It has been described as a spiritual and Artistic masterpiece with the hit track“Someone’s knocking at the door” a soft-rock tune currently generating so much interest locally and internationally.

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS Part 4.

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS Part 4. 

TEXT: TEXT: 2 Corinthians 12:1-6 (AMP)
¹ TRUE, THERE is nothing to be gained by it, but [as I am obliged] to boast, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up to the third heaven.
³ And I know that this man—whether in the body or away from the body I do not know, God knows—
⁴ Was caught up into paradise, and he heard utterances beyond the power of man to put into words, which man is not permitted to utter.
⁵ Of this same [man's experiences] I will boast, but of myself (personally) I will not boast, except as regards my infirmities (my weaknesses).
⁶ Should I desire to boast, I shall not be a witless braggart, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I abstain [from it] so that no one may form a higher estimate of me than [is justified by] what he sees in me or hears from me.

Life is full of uncommon encounters and they happen in different ways and by different influences. Not everyone with a supernatural encounter was under the influence and power of the Spirit of God. There are encounters that are demonic. The devil is very good at producing a counterfeit of the supernatural move of God. It takes a discerning heart to be able to tell the difference. Some people are so desperate for the extraordinary that they are not careful enough to find out the spirit that is in operation there. The word of God tells us to test all spirit. You should not be careless to open up your spirit to just anything. Your life is just too precious to gamble with. When king Saul became desperate to hear from God and the prophet Samuel was no more he chose to visit a witch and that visit led to the complete destruction of his life and kingdom.

There are many people who are running from one religious house to the other in search of a supernatural visitation and it is unfortunate that many of them have fallen prey to the trap of the enemy. There are many so-called churches today with so-called pastors who are not different from native doctors and they are increasing in their numbers. If you desire the supernatural please cry out to God. Spend time in prayer and meditating on God’s word and someday, somewhere and somehow something will begin that will usher in the glory of God. Keep your eyes on the Lord and you will be amazed the glory that will follow your life. The LORD is closer than you can imagine. 

RELEASING THE RIVER OF GOD’S GLORY 1

RELEASING THE RIVER OF GOD’S GLORY 1. (Psalm 46:1-5)

It is impossible to gain the attention of the world without an extraordinary manifestation that cannot be easily explained or reproduced. Those who walk in the glory realm have become channels for the release of the flow of the river of God.

CONTEMPLATION

Sometimes we fail to realize that our hunger and expectation to see the move of God was actually placed there by God (See Philippians 2:13). After waiting for a while and nothing seems to have happened we become discouraged and we settle for a normal life. The truth is that the vision of God is for an appointed time far from our calculation. But if we will be patient and wait for it we will see it fulfilled (See Habakkuk 2:2). It is one level to have the glory of God released on you it is another level to have it flowing through you to others and this is a great responsibility. We have often limited the move of God to the four walls of the church when in actual reality God want to reveal His glory as we interact with people at work, on the street, on the bus and wherever we go. When we are in a continuous fellowship with the Spirit the manifestation of the word of knowledge, prophecy, gift of faith, healing and other manifestation of the Spirit will not be limited to special religious meetings. It becomes part of our everyday living and this is what it means to be full of the Holy Spirit (See Acts 6:3).

PRACTICAL ISSUES

Make practical effort to disabuse your mind from the erroneous idea that the manifestation of the personality and the gifts of the Spirit is meant to be at some great church services, it is a delusion of the enemy.

You are not only a seed of Abraham but also a vessel full of the Holy Ghost and power; through you the Father desire to show forth His glory. Let someone see His glory today.

-          REV. IGHO Y. 

FIRST FRUIT. (Part 3)

FIRST FRUIT. (Part 3). 

 TEXT: DEUTERONOMY 26:1-4.

When you have come into the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance and possess it and live in it.

2 You shall take some of the first of all the produce of the soil which you harvest from the land your God gives you and put it in a basket, and go to the place [the sanctuary] which the Lord your God has chosen as the abiding place for His name [and His Presence].

3 And you shall go to the priest who is in office in those days and say to him, I give thanks this day to the Lord your God that I have come to this land which the Lord swore to our fathers to give to us.

4 And the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the Lord your God.

When a man is able to come to the point where it is no longer a struggle to obey God in issues like first fruit, he is able to break the dominion of lack and poverty over his life and activate the release of God’s blessing over his life.

As recorded in the text for today, when he comes before the man of God he is acknowledging that it is the favour of God that made the job or business possible. When the pastor brings it before the Lord and prays, another blessing is activated upon his life that follows him for the rest of the year.

This serious obedience to God’s divine command entitles this man to become eligible for strange favours. Romans 11:16 makes us to see that obedience to God on the first fruit will secure the rest or other part of the blessing that follows.

Now please remember that God is to get the first and not even the second. If you put him first, then all others will be under His divine covering. It may be tough the first time you try this but soon you will come to see the benefit and awesome blessings that goes with obeying God and then you won’t have to fear or worry.

Beloved, the truth is that there are blessings you cannot walk into until you walk in total obedience to God. A careful study of the lives of those who obeyed God in this area will reveal to you some uncommon grace and glory that is evident in their lives. My family has been benefited mightily in obeying God in first fruit from the year 2004 when we received this divine light and 10 years after we have no regrets but uncommon blessing as strong evidences of God’s faithfulness.

Please do all you can to discipline yourself and allow God to lead you to plan ahead to obey Him in the release of your first fruit and you will begin to see the uncommon blessing activated in your life. The truth is that God has more in store for you than you can ever imagine and your obedience is only to your advantage. Trust God in this area of your life and you will be amazed the glory that will follow. 

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS PT. 3

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS PT. 3 

TEXT: TEXT: 2 Corinthians 12:1-6 (AMP)
¹ TRUE, THERE is nothing to be gained by it, but [as I am obliged] to boast, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up to the third heaven.
³ And I know that this man—whether in the body or away from the body I do not know, God knows—
⁴ Was caught up into paradise, and he heard utterances beyond the power of man to put into words, which man is not permitted to utter.
⁵ Of this same [man's experiences] I will boast, but of myself (personally) I will not boast, except as regards my infirmities (my weaknesses).
⁶ Should I desire to boast, I shall not be a witless braggart, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I abstain [from it] so that no one may form a higher estimate of me than [is justified by] what he sees in me or hears from me.

Those who have the opportunity to encounter the glory of God cannot be boastful if the encounter is truly from God. When a man encounters the glory of the Lord, he becomes broken and suddenly realizes his unworthiness and weakness. The glory of God has a way of showing man his frailty and fallen nature. But it also helps the one who experienced this encounter to crave for more of the glory life. The supernatural suddenly becomes the ultimate and nothing else will satisfy. For an individual like this there is nothing too expensive to let go to have more of the glory revealed in his life.

No man is designed to live an ordinary life, but life in the spirit is a choice. To pray is a choice. To spend quality time with the word of God is a choice. To commit your life to serve the purpose of God in the kingdom to see many more lives blessed is a choice.

No one who truly desires to walk in the supernatural can live life in his own terms. There must be some deal with God based on the plan and purpose of heaven. So many people are devoid of the supernatural because they are so conscious of themselves. Until you loose self-consciousness you cannot gain God’s consciousness. The supernatural is within your reach but the choice is yours.

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS PT. 2

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS PT. 2

TEXT: 2 Corinthians 12:1-6 (AMP)
¹ TRUE, THERE is nothing to be gained by it, but [as I am obliged] to boast, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up to the third heaven.
³ And I know that this man—whether in the body or away from the body I do not know, God knows—
⁴ Was caught up into paradise, and he heard utterances beyond the power of man to put into words, which man is not permitted to utter.
⁵ Of this same [man's experiences] I will boast, but of myself (personally) I will not boast, except as regards my infirmities (my weaknesses).
⁶ Should I desire to boast, I shall not be a witless braggart, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I abstain [from it] so that no one may form a higher estimate of me than [is justified by] what he sees in me or hears from me.

When a man sincerely decides to seek the face of God from a pure heart, he begins to position himself for unusual encounter from above. Sometimes it seem as though the supernatural is an exclusive right of a few special folks but this is not true. A careful study of the lives of most people with the extraordinary manifestations of God in their life and ministry will reveal to you that most of them were regular folks who chose to go an extra mile in their walk with God. When a man is hungry enough to go the extra mile it is very possible that he will show up in the supernatural realm. The truth is that there are so many people who are just too comfortable with the norm; therefore they end up with the normal life. There is a greater degree of glory that is available to every man no matter the glory they walk in today. The Lord Jesus made us to understand that it is those who are hungry and thirsty after righteousness that shall be filled and it is the pure in heart that is positioned to see God.

When Paul had his encounter with the glory of God, it is obvious that he was so conscious of the things he saw and heard; yet it was very difficult to say it was an experience in his spirit or his physical state. When a man stands in the presence of the glory of God, it is hard to intelligibly comprehend what is happening. Except the Lord open your understanding, you are lost. It is so hard to explain it but yet too real to ignore or denial. If a man has not known any of such encounters, it is difficult for him/her to relate with certain passages of the scripture and the testimony of others.

If you have not had an extraordinary encounter with the Lord it is not because you are the chief of all sinners. In fact the first encounter Paul had on the way to Damascus was when he was fighting against the people of God. It may become necessary for you to become more hungry from the depth of your heart and as you do, the Lord in His own wisdom knows just when to grant you an encounter.  Wait on the Lord and you will be amazed what He will do.

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS PT.1

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS PT.1 DEC. 3^rd

TEXT: 2 Corinthians 12:1-6 (AMP)
¹ TRUE, THERE is nothing to be gained by it, but [as I am obliged] to boast, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up to the third heaven.
³ And I know that this man—whether in the body or away from the body I do not know, God knows—
⁴ Was caught up into paradise, and he heard utterances beyond the power of man to put into words, which man is not permitted to utter.
⁵ Of this same [man's experiences] I will boast, but of myself (personally) I will not boast, except as regards my infirmities (my weaknesses).
⁶ Should I desire to boast, I shall not be a witless braggart, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I abstain [from it] so that no one may form a higher estimate of me than [is justified by] what he sees in me or hears from me.

There are certain experiences in life that are very difficult to explain. This is further compounded by the fact that the complexity of the human nature made in the image of God makes it more intricate. There are experiences that we have that we cannot quickly conclude on as a physical experience. When a man has such experiences, it takes some divine insight to be able to have a clue of what really happened.

From our text for today it became clear that Paul while reminiscing on the encounter he had some 14 years earlier was still in awe. Just one divine encounter is capable of defining your life and destiny. The only thing that can make an atheist abandon his position is an undeniable encounter with the glory of God. If we must take over our world for the Lord, we must manifest something that is beyond scientific position and argument. 

One major reason why the Lord Jesus and the apostles of old were able to get the attention of their generation is the regular occurrence of the supernatural in their life and ministry.

Do you have any evidence of the presence and the glory of God in your life today that is capable of arresting the attention of your generation? When was the last time you had a true divine encounter that is not limited to shouting and speaking in tongues? The whole of creation is waiting for you. Walk in the supernatural today.

SUPERNATURAL OVERFLOW (Isaiah 66: 5-8)

 SUPERNATURAL OVERFLOW (Isaiah 66: 5-8)

“Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such a thing?

Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once?

As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her son.” Isa. 66:8

CONTEMPLATION

For some time now people have been talking about the move of God in certain places and in terms of dispensation but the truth is that “...God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted in him (Act  10:34-35).” You can walk in the supernatural of God if you would seek Him with all your heart. God is willing to have one thousand Billy Grahams spread all over the world but until we prepare our heart for the assignment it will remain only a wish. People are wasting their time trying to build an empire for themselves in the name of God. Jesus said “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me”(Luke 9:23). It is a personal walk and decision that need to be considered “daily”.  These are the days many without theological training by any religious body will become a weapon in the hand of God. They will do exploit because of their hunger for the word of God they will receive divine insight into scriptures and demonstrate an undaunted faith in God that will be blessed with signs and wonders.

 “Unconventional and unusual worshippers

will become the catalyst by which the process is accelerated.

As they travail in worship, the presence of the Lord will be

released and many will be endued with power from on high.

This revival is here.” FFPW p.158.

PRACTICAL ISSUES

List five reasons why the supernatural is in short supply in many lives and places of worship.

Make a plan to renew your passion for the manifestation of the supernatural daily and keep a journal to document this spiritual journey. It will amaze you what you will record within three weeks.

Tell others about the awesomeness of our God today.

- REV. IGHO Y.

PREPARING FOR A NEW BEGINNING

PREPARING FOR A NEW BEGINNING.

TEXT:Proverbs 4:5-9 (KJV) 

⁵  Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 
⁶  Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 
⁷  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 
⁸  Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 
⁹  She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. 

Life seems to be very hard for most people at the beginning of the year because they were very careless in their spending as they party to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. No month of the year should be hard for you if you open your heart to divine understanding.  Proverbs 14:33 says ^“Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.”

 A man of understanding has been given the wisdom to prioritize, so he is careful about his choices and spending’s during the Christmas season, but fools are blind to obvious realities. They spend to prove that they have arrived. Why try to outdo the “Joneses”? this is a senseless competition for which no one will be given any prize. Don’t allow your foolish pride lead you into indebtedness and embarrassment. Remember, after the celebration comes the month of January with 31 days. Your income has to be adequate to meet your need for the rest of the month. There will be bills to pay and it is very possible they would increase.

 Do not forget, ^“ Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” Every wise child of God will prepare very well, not only to take care of necessary needs but also to commit the rest of the year to God. A wise man will begin to prepare by setting aside some savings so that he will be able to give his first fruit from his first earnings in January of the New Year. He understands the biblical principle that if the first is consecrated then the rest is blessed. By so doing he secures his blessing for the rest of the year and the lines are made to fall in pleasant places for him. 

STAYING TRUE WITH THE DIVINE PATTERN PT. 6

STAYING TRUE WITH THE DIVINE PATTERN PT. 6

TEXT: 1 Chronicles 28:11-13 (AMP)
11 Then David gave Solomon his son the plan of the vestibule of the temple, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner rooms, and of the place for the [ark and its] mercy seat;
12 And the plan of all that he had in mind [by the Spirit] for the courts of the house of the Lord, all the surrounding chambers, the treasuries of the house of God, and the treasuries for the dedicated gifts;
13 The plan for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service in the house of the Lord; for all the vessels for service in the house of the Lord:



It is the duty of visionary leaders to provide clear instructions and every material and the enabling environment for those working under them to succeed. Not too many leaders are careful enough to make this happen and as a result of such oversight or negligence many glorious visions have suffered unnecessary setbacks.

A myopic leader is concern about himself and his relevance but a visionary leader understands that all of his labour and accomplishments can be destroyed in the hands of a novice or a carefree successor.

To be sure that Solomon does not miss the divine pattern, David went an extra mile to give him the actual plan of what he is expected to build. According to verses 11 David gave Solomon the plan of the vestibule of the temple, its houses, treasuries, upper chambers, inner rooms, and most important of all was the place for the [ark and its] mercy seat…”. Only a man with a strong love for God will be so concern to do this.
 In verse 12 it is recorded that the plan was had for the courts of the house of the Lord, all the surrounding chambers, the treasuries of the house of God, and the treasuries for the dedicated gifts according to Amplified was by the Spirit. This attest to the fact that he received divine instructions as touching the various plan. Only leaders with a sincere heart and an intimate love relationship with the Lord will be able to see into the heart of the Father to put their successors on the path of glory.
in Verse 13 he made available the plan for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service in the house of the Lord. This was to ensure a great degree of orderliness and for everyone to have the enabling environment to carry out his duty. There was also plan for the keep and handling of all the vessels for service in the house of the Lord. You will not expect any successor with a unique privilege like this to fail, but the truth still remains that if such individuals fail to develop a walk with God that is real and personal, divine direction will elude him.  Those who must succeed in life must be in a divine step ahead of others. God is your only guarantee for enduring success.

STAYING TRUE WITH THE DIVINE PATTERN (PT. 5)

STAYING TRUE WITH THE DIVINE PATTERN (PT. 5) 

TEXT: TEXT: 1 Chronicles 28:18-20 (AMP) 
¹⁸ For the incense altar refined gold by weight, and gold for the plan of the chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the Lord's covenant. 
¹⁹ All this the Lord made me understand by the writing by His hand upon me, all the work to be done according to the plan. 
²⁰ Also David told Solomon his son, Be strong and courageous, and do it. Fear not, be not dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail or forsake you until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

From our Bible reading for today devotional it is clear that the one who received the instruction and understood the importance of building according to the divine pattern is David. But the complication of this assignment is that he is not allowed to build that which he is envisioned with. It is true that David was envisioned with this assignment because in verse 19 of our text he talked about the fact that he got this understanding of the divine pattern “…the writing by His hand upon me…” though he was not qualified to build, it was the hand of God upon him that deposited the vision in his heart. Now somebody else has to accomplish the vision. Many of us know that Pastor E A Adeboye is not the visionary of RCCG neither does he claim to be but the vision blossomed under his care because he was faithful to serve under the founder.

When we sincerely serve the purpose of God under others we provoke the grace of heaven upon our lives to move to a new dimension of glory. Go back to read verse 20 of our text and note what David said to Solomon, the one that will have to accomplish the vision and you will understand the blessing that follows a man who is faithful to help another accomplish a divine vision. He develops courage and boldness. He receives the assurance of God’s presence. He receives the grace and anointing to start and finish the assignment. Therefore he has a guarantee of long and healthy life.

Be careful about your ambitions and desires, they may lead to multiplied sorrows and unfulfilled destiny.