Date:Wednesday 22nd May 2024

Time: 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM

Venue: SNF Building  Lotopa

Asuelu

Be a prayerful person, stay connected and don’t lose focus.

During last week’s Spontaneous night, the lead intercessor of the house, brother Asuelu shared on the importance of living a prayerful life. He encouraged us by reminding us that the life Jesus lived often included Him praying in His alone time, with others and for others.

He encouraged us to raise the standard of our prayer lives, how often do we pray? How long do we pray?

Ephesians 6:18 “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “pray without ceasing.”

Some of us may be in the waiting season and prayer is a must to keep ourselves from running dry. Always go to where there is an overflow and that is Jesus.

Prayer is expected of us as the Word always says WHEN you pray, not IF you pray.

Prayer is the portal of communication between you and God. We no longer have to talk to Him through a priest (like the OT), but have access directly to Him through prayers.

 

John 15:4 says “Abide in Me and I in you. AS the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”. If you are not connected to the vine, you will not bear any fruit. What does abiding to the vine look like? Communication is one way through prayer. How can the vine provide you with what you need if you don’t constantly talk to Him? How will you receive if you’re not going to Him?

 

Union and intimacy with our Father are crucial in our prayer lives. You get to know someone more when you spend time with them and that requires communication and intimacy. The Word also encourages us to pray without ceasing. Prioritize the time to communicate with our heavenly Father through praying.

As John 17 points out, Jesus communicated His needs to His father. He prayed for Himself, His disciples and for all believers. Jesus established an altar of prayer to let the Father know of what was in His heart and vice versa. And so this is the standard we look to, Jesus is the standard.

If you ever said this to yourself “Make me more like Jesus”, the answer is Prayer can make you more like Jesus. Prayer enables you to know the heart of the Father.

Prayer also reveals the wisdom of God as James 1:5 says “If any of you lacks wisdom, let Him ask God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

Asuelu also gave benefits that flow from having a prayerful life.

Prayer

•  Changes your FOCUS. Shifts your focus from magnifying your problems and distractions of life unto God.
• Gets you closer to God.
• Ushers us into God’s presence. Old testament God’s people had to go through a priest, now that veil is torn and we are able to go boldly into His throne room of grace.
• Changes us. Transformation happens in the life of a prayerful person.
• Jesus overturned the tables in the temple tables shall be overturned when you pray.

 

Jireh

Behold the Word of God – Be a doer not just a hearer

Jireh, co-leader for the intercessory department shared on the importance of Beholding the Word. In His encouragement, he shared how beholding the Word allows you to see yourself the way God sees you, occasionally asking this question “Are you a masterpiece or are you a master pieces?”; highlighting the hypocrisy of living a double life as a Christian and a faafafige.

He also asked “Do we share the same Father?”, indicating that the nature of our response should reflect how our lives are lived. Yes means we ought to be  doers not just hearers of the Word. No means well, we need to do some rechecking and improve from being hearers to doers of the Word.

When you look at the Word of God, you should see a reflection of yourself. The Word is truth, you should reflect its truth as well.

2 Cor 3:17-1 states “Now the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” Liberty from a life of hypocrisy and living a double life.

He goes on to emphasize What you behold is what you become, hence, behold the Word of God. When you intently focus on the Word of God, you will see yourself in the Word.

A double life is an indicator that you are beholding other things among the Word of God.

 

Laying strong foundations is the action of beholding the Word. Foundations in Knowing the Word and building the prayer altar. The more we read the Word, the more we know the character and person of Jesus. The more we pray, we become a prayer warrior. But it’s more than just knowing the Word. It is living it out!! Words are useless if action does not follow.

“But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is a man observing himself, goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.” – James 1:22-24.

Proverbs 7:1-3 “My Son, keep my words and treasure my commands within you, Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye, Bind them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart.”

So therefore, behold the Word of God has God has commanded us to. Treasure the Word, highlight the Word. Your life should reflect the Word of God.

Ps Marissa.

How do you strengthen yourself in the Lord?

Ps Marissa encouraged us on how to strengthen ourselves in the Lord. How do you strengthen yourself in the Lord on the day of adversity?

If you faint on the day of adversity, your strength is small. Proverbs 24:10

So many Christians live on fire for Jesus one day and backslide the next week. Why is that?

Ecclesiastes 3 says there is a time and season for everything. But knowing what to do in each season is important.

On the day of adversity, many Christians do not know how to strengthen themselves in the Lord.

So the question is, How do we sustain the capacity to keep going? That when we are tested, we know what to do to pass the test?

Asuelu encouraged on emphasizing the urgency and importance of having a prayerful life. Abiding to the Father through connection in prayer. That the Spirit of Revelation reveals things to us in our prayer times.

Key things to do to strengthen yourself in the Lord. Recognize when you are under attack and learn the difference between Conviction and Condemnation.

 Conviction is when Holy Spirit reveals weak and dry areas of your life, provides correction, and alignment to the life of the believer. It brings you closer to God and leads us to repentance.

Condemnation is feelings of being judged, brings accusation to the believer, draws you away from God and enforces guilt and shame.

Ps Marissa encouraged us on understanding the symptoms of being under attack so that we may know and be aware of what to do to prepare ourselves. Discouragement, disappointment (Unmet expectations) Spiritual weariness are all reasons to check and be vigilant in our walk with God. What voice are we heeding in our times of trouble? Are we utilizing God as our source of strength?

Ephesians 6: 10 AMP

In conclusion, be strong in the Lord (draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him) and in the power of His (boundless) might.

Joshua 1:6-7, 9 AMP

Be strong and confident and courageous for your God is with you.

God highlighted and emphasized to Joshua 3 times to be strong and courageous, that He will be with him as he was leading the Israelites into the promised land,

This is the basis of your confidence and courage. That God is with you!!

If you did not know this, ask yourself then, Do you know who your God is?

Daniel 11:32 “…But the people who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits”

Genesis 4:1 “Adam knew his wife…”

The word “to know” in Hebrew is yada. It means deep intimacy. The kind of relationship and communication we want established with the Father. Deep intimacy. Spent enough time to know what He loves and what He despises.

2 Timothy 1:12

“For this reason, I also suffer these things, nevertheless, I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded, that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”

Romans 8:37-39

Yet in all these things, we are more than conqueror through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

The enemy cannot convince you with lies when you know the truth.

When we look to the life of David he knew how to strengthen himself in the Lord on day of adversities.

 

Psalm 3:3

But you O Lord are a shield for me. My glory (and my honor) and the One who lifts up my head.

David knew what he had to do to strengthen himself in the Lord. Our family and friends can fail us. But God will never fail us.  Some put their trust in horses and chariots, but you Lord I put my trust.

Draw strength from your past victories. Just as David said to Saul before he went against Goliath 1 Samuel 17:34, he slayed a giant and a bear, Goliath is no different.

Do you know Him enough to stake your life on Him?

“I’m going to see your victory, because the battle belongs to you Lord”

Arise and Go! Arise and Shine for your light has come!!

Important to equip yourself for when the day of adversity comes

• Mentality – Nothing happens to you, it happens for you – Romans 8:28.
• This too shall pass (there is a time and season for everything, it is not the end of the world when you face challenges)
• Ask yourself ‘Lord what are you teaching me in this season?’
• No matter what happens, don’t carry a root of bitterness or spirit of offence. (Surrender to God and forgive the people whom hurt you)