THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL

John 16:20-24

Prayer guarantees the fullness of joy. When you sow into prayers (even in the time of affliction), you will receive a bountiful harvest of joy.

‘For His anger is but for a moment, His favour is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning’ (Psalm 30:5).

What is joy? 

It is one of the nine attributes of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). It is one of the distinguishing features of the kingdom of God (Rom. 14:17). 

Joy is supernaturally rooted in God and it remains our strength, even in the midst of trials… The joy of the Lord is your strength!

Jesus simply told His disciples the truth, and the same goes thus to everyone who wants to follow Him: 

‘Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy’.

This means that sometimes, you might experience weeping, persecution and lamentation for the sake of righteousness. 

While the world around you rejoices, you will be in a state of sorrow, but be of good cheer…He will give you beauty for ashes, oil of joy for mourning, garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3).

‘A woman, when she is in labour, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world’.

Here, the Lord gave a scenario of a travailing woman who experiences labour pain. This is a picture of everyone committed to prayer, who sincerely carries a genuine, heartfelt heavenly burden, and they can only be relieved when the vision or mandate given to them is delivered.

‘…for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children’ (Isaiah 66:8).

‘Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you’.

You might have been thrown into a state of confusion at this season of your life. Maybe your situation is even helpless and you have no one to cry unto… He said, ‘but I will see you again… and your heart will rejoice…’.

When you develop capacity in the place of prayer, no one can take away your God-given inheritance. No devil can steal your joy!

‘And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you’.

It is the Lord’s desire that we cultivate a cordial relationship with the Father. He is ever willing to reveal the Father to us. He wants us to have a direct link to the Father, through His name.

‘Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full’.

In James 4:1-3, the Word of the Lord revealed to us that most of our prayers are made to suite our own purpose, not the purpose of God. 

‘You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures’.

This is the reason why some prayer requests never get to the presence of God. As far as the Lord is concerned, we have made no connection (contact) with our heavenly Father in His name. Our faith in the name of Jesus is also strategic to having our needs met.

3 things we are expected to do in the place of prayer:

Ask, and it will be given to you!

Seek, and you will find!

Knock, and it will be opened to you! (Matt. 7:7).

As you embark on this kind of spiritual exercise, your joy will know no bounds! Your prayer will command bountiful harvest.

            PASTOR NATHANIEL SADELA

    Resident  Pastor

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PRAYING FOR NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION

2 Kings 2:19-22

For divine intervention to occur in any land, there must have been a heart cry to God for revival. The fulfilment of our God-given mandate is a function of ceaseless prayer for our country (Psalm 122:6; Jeremiah 29:7).

In many instances in the Bible, people cried unto God (including the Israelites) for divine visitation concerning the situation of their nations, and God had respect unto their cries…

The Bible says ‘if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land’ (2 Chron. 7:14).

The men of Jericho besought Elisha to behold the situation of their land. They opened up to him concerning the issues they were dealing with. This could be a genuine heart-cry of some folks who carry the burden for a heavenly visitation and even much more, a national transformation today: 

‘Behold the situation of our land, oh LORD...the water is polluted and the ground is barren (unproductive)… Heal our land oh LORD... Revive Your works in the midst of the years! …Turn again our captivity oh LORD as the streams of the South…’

In response to the plea, Elisha under divine instruction, asked for salt to be put in a new bowl. He went to the source of the water and cast the salt there. This eventually brought healing upon the waters and led to transformation in the land…

Let’s examine the three things involved:

Salt – This represents the combination of the Word and the Spirit of God in our lives. Salt is a means of preservation. The Word of God quickens, likewise does the Spirit. The Word and the Spirit are inseparable! They ensure that we don’t lose our savour (usefulness) in our generation. They keep us renewed day by day.

A new bowl – This represents the vessel that God wants to use as an agent of transformation. Please note that, this has nothing to do with human abilities. By strength shall no man prevail. Only men that have made themselves available and have relinquished the totality of their lives to the Master will be used as vessels unto honour!

He went to the source – He did

not try to use quick-fixes! Nor did he go into much analysis, he went straight to the origin, the root cause of the problem. God will not bring foreigners to fix our country. He will use Nigerians to fix Nigeria.

Vessels that have been filled with the Spirit of God and the Word of life will be thrust into the mainstream of the economy, polity, social activities of the country, to re-build the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated. They will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations (Isaiah 61:4).

Furthermore, they will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations. They will be called repairers of broken walls, restorers of streets with dwellings (Isaiah 58:12).

May the LORD raise up such men and women, for the liberation and transformation of our land, to the glory of His name!

             PASTOR NATHANIEL SADELA

        Resident  Pastor

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LIVING FOR A PURPOSE

Text: Luke 13:6-9

Introduction

Everything God has made in this world is for a specific purpose and that includes you and me. The onus therefore lies on us to discover the very reason for which we are created here on earth. 

Three (3) of the greatest questions ever asked by man on earth are as follows:

(1) who am I? , 

(2) why am I here on earth?  and, 

(3) where am I going after here? 

The foregoing help us to answer questions on the purpose of  our existence on earth.  You are not just another creature on earth; you are particularly created for a specific purpose. 

You are so important in God’s agenda, and so, He created you to fulfil His purpose for your life. The preacher says, “to every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” – Eccl. 3:1

God’s general purpose for making man

1.   Man was created for God’s praise – Isaiah 43:21, 1Pet. 2:9

2.   Man was created for God’s pleasure – Rev. 4:11

3.   Man was created to bear fruit – Gen. 1:28, John 15:16

4.   Man was created to represent God – Gen. 1:27

How can I know if I am living for God’s purpose?

1.   You will have peace within you

2.   You will have sense of fulfilment in your heart even if all around seem not encouraging – 1Sam. 17:28-29

3.   Your passion and energy to work for God in your career is divinely supplied

4.   You will be willing to render quality service to God and humanity

5.   You will see yourself always returning all glory back to God at every achievement 

How can I fulfil purpose?

1.   Discover yourself

Ø  By knowing and acknowledging the God-factor as the basis for self-discovery.

Ø  Search the bible to know more about the reason for existence.

Ø  Pray to God to help you discover who you are really created to be.

2.   Make conscious effort to walk in line with the will of God which you just discovered about yourself.

3.   Allow the Holy Spirit of God to guide you all through your endeavour in life.

4.   Engage in the service of God and seek to render service to humanity. Purpose is discovered in the place of service.

Conclusion

The greatest threat to the devil, our arch-enemy is to see us fulfilling purpose and destiny in life. 

Satan will make us to do all other things in life except fulfilling purpose. Nevertheless, the bible says, “There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand - Prov. 19:21

                                                     PASTOR FEMI ATODE

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THE SPIRIT OF PRAYER

Romans 8:26-30

Prayer is an essential part of our Christian race, since it has a pivotal role to play in the fulfillment of our destiny.

The more we pray, the more we understand God's ways. The deeper we plunge into prayer, the clearer His ways and thoughts become to us (Isaiah 55:8-9).

The mysteries of God’s kingdom are not accessible on the surface, they are hidden, and can only be unlocked in the place of prayer (Matt. 13:10-11; Luke 8:9-10).
There is a dimension of the Spirit, which we can never access, unless we cultivate a lifestyle of ceaseless prayer. This kind of prayer can only be done through the help of the Holy Spirit…

The glorious destiny of nations are birthed and released on the altar of prayer! May the LORD baptise us with the Spirit of prayer...
Lord, grant me the Spirit of fervency in prayer that the manifold wisdom of God might made manifest in me (Ephesians 3:8-12).

Furthermore, through the Spirit of prayer, we get equipped as men of war, after the similitude of our heavenly Father. The Lord is a Man of war, the Lord is His name (Exodus 15:3). David was also referred to as a mighty valiant man (warrior) in 1 Samuel 16:18. 

The same David said, ‘He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze’ (2 Samuel 22:35; Psalm 18:34). The Bible also made references to David as a man of prayer (2 Samuel 7:18-29; Psalm 86:1-17). 

As spiritual soldiers enrolled into the army of Christ, we must cultivate a lifestyle of prayer (2 Tim. 2:4).

‘Likewise, the Spirit helps our infirmities (in our weaknesses)… for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered…

How can I cultivate the Spirit of Prayer?

1. Develop a craving for God.

 
A strong desire, love or affection for God must pervade our hearts. In spite of the gross darkness covering the world around us, we must hold on dearly to the Word of God, earnestly covet His presence and constantly desire the fellowship of the Holy Spirit (Psalm 63:1).
What do you seek? Who do you seek? Do you seek Jesus? (John 1:35-39).
A craving for God energises you to pray more, according to the will of God.

2. Build a culture of worship.

Cultivate a lifestyle of worship. Be an altar rearer! Our lives, experiences, situations, circumstances, times and seasons must at the long run, lead to the worship of the Father. Our lives must be built around worship (Rev. 4:11).
Through a lifestyle of worship, your inner motive becomes purified everything you do is centred around God. Your prayer life is patterned to suite God’s purpose.
God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24).

3. Ask, seek, knock… until you experience the rain of the Spirit (Acts 1:8; 4:31; Luke 24:49).

In the place of prayer, you are guaranteed of the supply of the Spirit. When your prayer is firmly rooted in the Word of God, it will command God's attention...

It's impossible to pray amiss under the guidance of the Holy Spirit...

The Spirit of Christ in us sensitizes us and keeps us in the light concerning the day of the Lord (1 Thess. 5:1-11).

                                                                PASTOR NATHANIEL SADELA

                                                           Resident  Pastor