Thursday, March 29, 2012

Reign In The Greater Light Of Your Authority Over Satan

And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you (Luke 10:18-19).

I remember reading a book a long time ago in which the author stated that we ought to talk with satan with some respect. I was surprised. "Dear God! Talk to satan with respect?" I thought. It's obvious the author didn't understand what the Lord Jesus meant when He said, "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils..."(Mark 16:17). Notice that He didn't say we should ask devils to go out but to cast them out. "Kick out, throw out, chuck out, push out with force"; these are just some synonyms for "cast out." Surely this isn't a respectful way to treat someone.

You might be reading this and wondering, "But Pastor Chris, the Bible did say even Archangel Michael didn't dare insult the devil amidst their dispute." You're right but I want to explain why he had to address the devil in that manner. But first let's read the scripture you're referring to: "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee" (Jude 1:9). Firstly, remember that this event took place before Jesus was born into the world. Secondly, at this time, satan still had adamic authority which he stole from Adam in the Garden of Eden, when he disobeyed God and acted on satan's rebellious words. Now adamic authority was higher than angelic authority. But when Jesus died and resurrected, He gave us a higher authority than what Adam had or what satan received from Adam. 

The Bible says that when Jesus died, we died with Him. When He was buried, we were buried with Him. When God raised Him up, we were raised together with Him. And now we're seated together with Him in heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:5-6). That's our authority! Our authority is not that of a religious person; our authority is that of the blessed Jesus Christ, the Son of God; we function in His Name. 

Several years ago, an evil spirit walked into the room while I was sleeping. Immediately, my eyes opened, I turned to him and I started to say, "In the..." I didn't get to finish my statement before he disappeared. Hallelujah! So, if satan showed up in your room, don't be perturbed; rather, tell him to get out, and he will (James 4:7). We are superior to satan; the Lord Jesus has given us complete authority over him and his cohorts (Luke 10:18-19). Therefore, reign in that greater revelation of your authority over him every day.



CONFESSION
Thank you Lord for the ability to function in the Name of Jesus; in Him I live, and move and have my being. Therefore, I am not afraid of satan and his schemes because I'm seated with my Lord Jesus Christ, far above all principalities and powers, Hallelujah!



Rhapsody of Realities   July 13, 2010
-Pastor Chris Oyakhilome

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Consult With The Spirit

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. (Psalm 32:8)


The Holy Spirit can tell you what to do in every situation for you to always win in life. Many are frustrated because they never consult with Him for help, guidance, or direction. They'd rather go to a relative or friend for help when they're in trouble. Sadly, those they meet for help only provide them counsel based on human  reasoning and sense knowledge; and that doesn't work!


Learn to consult with the Holy Spirit for answers.  Ask Him for guidance and direction concerning everything you do. When you face challenges that seem insurmountable, call on Him, and He'll tell you what to do; He'll give you strategies to employ. The great men and women we read about in Scriptures understood this truth, which was why they never took a major step until they had consulted with the Lord.


Joshua, for one, had to rely on the Holy Spirit to tell Him how to take over Jericho: "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?" (Joshua 5:13-14). The Captain of the Lord's host referred to above is the Holy Spirit. He gave Joshua a strategy no human thinking could have reasoned out. No human mind could have thought of bringing down those monstrous walls of Jericho just by blowing trumpets and having people shout praise God. But the Holy Ghost said so and it happened just that way. The Bible says, "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down..." (Hebrews 11:30).


Learn to trust the Holy Spirit; depend on Him at all times, for He's with you, and in you and for you! He'll teach you, lead you and guide you into victory in everything you do, if you'd only ask Him.




PRAYER
Dear Holy Spirit, thank you for leading me in the path of victory and success always. I know I'll never walk in darkness, confusion or uncertainty because you're my light. I love and appreciate you dearly, in Jesus' Name. Amen.



Rhapsody of Realities   March 20, 2012
-Pastor Chris Oyakhilome

Monday, March 19, 2012

The Authority Of the Believer

- Kenneth Hagin
01

02


03

The Lordship Of Jesus!

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.(Philippians 2:9-11)


Some have only been acquainted with Jesus as their Saviour, but He's more than a Saviour. He is Lord! That means Ruler and Master; One that has the preeminence, and to whom service and obedience are due. You must get to know Jesus and walk with Him everyday as Lord of your family, business, academics, job, finances and everything that has to do with your life. In other words, let Him take preeminence.

When you say Jesus is Lord of your life, you're not merely talking of someone who saved you from your sins, and healed you of sickness. The big thing about our salvation is our relationship, fellowship and oneness with Jesus. Declaring His Lordship over us brought us into that glorious union with Him, and made His divine life available to us.

So, now that you're born again, you must recognize Jesus not only as Lord of your life but also as Lord over all things. Recognize Him as Lord over your finances, your marriage, your dreams and aspirations in life. He must have the final say in all that concerns you.

Remember, He's the only wise God, whose biddings you must do, and whose leading alone you must follow. Recognize His Lordship today, and submit to the supremacy of His will, counsel and wisdom.


CONFESSION
Lord Jesus, I recognize you as my Lord, Master and Ruler; the One with supreme authority and preeminence, to whom I owe allegiance. I believe with all my heart and declare with my mouth that you're Lord over every circumstance and everything that has to do with my life. By the help of the Holy Spirit I'll walk in the consciousness and revelation of your Lordship over my life everyday! Amen.



Rhapsody of Realities  June 21, 2010
-Pastor  Anita Oyakhilome

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The Benefits Of Speaking In Other Tongues

For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries (1 Corinthians 14:2). 




Speaking in other tongues is one spiritual activity you must take seriously! If you've not been praying this way, you're missing too much! Paul said, "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all" (1 Corinthians 14:18). He could brag about it because He understood the immense benefits of speaking in other tongues. No wonder he had such remarkable results.


Speaking in other tongues is an important way to accomplish a God-given purpose. It's a way to "quick-charge" your spirit and cause you to respond very quickly to spiritual things. As you pray in tongues, the anointing is stirred within you and, suddenly, you're turned into another man.


When you're born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, the power of God comes to reside in you. This power is triggered or set in motion when you speak in other tongues. 1 Corinthians 14:4 says, "He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself..." The Greek word translated as "edifieth" means "to construct or to build up, to embolden or charge up like a battery." The scripture is therefore telling us that the one who speaks in other tongues builds up himself like an edifice; he emboldens himself and charges himself like a battery. 


Speaking in tongues is the solution to fear and timidity. If you've ever become timid about anything, activate power within you by speaking in other tongues; you'll find yourself dealing wisely and soundly in the affairs of life. Also, if you want to operate at the highest level of faith which you've attained, then you must consistently speak in other tongues. In Jude 1:20, the Bible says when you speak in other tongues you're building yourself on your most holy faith. That means the Spirit of God is able to take God's Word right into your spirit where it produces God's kind of faith.




CONFESSION
Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. As I speak in tongues as your Spirit gives me utterance, teach me to take advantage of this quick charge to stir up boldness within me, operate on my most holy faith and cause changes in my world, in Jesus' Name. Amen.



Rhapsody of Realities    February 12, 2008
-Pastor  Anita Oyakhilome

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Named After a Blessed Experience

You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you're named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls(1 Peter 2:25 MSG).




Some parents named their children on the basis of certain experiences they might have had before or during the conception of that child. The Bible tells us of Jacob who at birth held on to the heel of his twin brother, Esau, who actually came out first from the womb. When his father saw this, he named him "Jacob," meaning "deceiver or schemer." The name stuck and the young lad grew up to be a deceiver. He cheated his brother and got the right of the firstborn. He couldn't walk in the fullness of the blessing because God doesn't walk with deceivers. God had to first change his name before he could enjoy the fullness of the blessing.


God also names us with certain factors or considerations, nonetheless upon blessed experiences. If you're born again, He names you, not by the suffering experience of Christ on the Cross, but by His victory over death, sin and the grave. By virtue of your new birth, God has given you a new name. It doesn't matter what your past was like; you're not a failure, neither are you  disadvantaged anymore. Now you're a success, a victor, and more than a conqueror.


Names are very important because your life is programmed to become whatever you're called. So, answer the right name. You have a new name in Christ. We're a new creation, and the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus; a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; called to show forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). You're not "the poor" trying to be rich; you're "the rich" discovering his inheritance. You're not "the sick or the weak"; you're "the strong." These are your new names that you must answer.




PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for you've given me a name that uplifts. I refuse to be known by the negative ways the world may try to describe me. I see myself only in your Word and call myself by the glorious name you've given me, in Jesus Name. Amen.



Rhapsody of Realities     September 6, 2010
-Pastor  Anita Oyakhilome

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Make Your Heart Ready For The Word

For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns (Jeremiah 4:3).




Breaking up the "fallow grounds" of your heart and making it ready for the Word is your responsibility. You have to cultivate your spirit; that means prepare it for the entrance of God's Word. In the scriptures, the Word of God is likened to a seed (Luke 8:11). The seed of the Word is designed to produce in you a harvest of what it talks about; health, prosperity, peace, joy, abundance and victory. but if the heart is not made ready for the entrance of the Word it will not produce the desired results.


When a farmer cultivates his land, the first thing he does is to dig and stir it up: He ploughs it. Now, the Bible tells us to stir up the gift of God in us. That gift is the Holy Spirit, and one way to stir up His power in you is through speaking in tongues. When the power is stirred, it becomes easy for the Word of God to get into your spirit and sink deep into your consciousness.


The second thing farmer does in preparing his land for sowing is to fertilize the land, and we fertilize our spirit through prayer. Through prayer, your spirit is conditioned and positioned rightly to receive the Word of God. Christians who pray often and accurately are always synchronized with God's perfect will for their lives. They are positioned in God's place, in God's time, for God's purpose, in God's way.


When your spirit is cultivated, you'll keep experiencing a harvest of the Word in your life. Never allow your heart lie fallow. Meditate on the Word and pray regularly, and your spirit will produce for you a harvest of the Word.






CONFESSION
I'm enabled by the Spirit of God to consistently cultivate my recreated human spirit, making it a suitable environment for the Word of God to grow, prevail and produce results of what it talks about in my life. Through the Word that I receive today, the glory of God is manifested in my life and expressed in everything I do, in Jesus' Name. Amen.



Rhapsody of Realities     March 7, 2012
-Pastor Chris Oyakhilome    

Saturday, March 3, 2012

MOVE That Mountain!

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith (Mark 11:23).


As long as you're discussing or musing over the challenges you're facing, instead of eyeballing them and commanding a change, you're not going to get the result Jesus spoke about in the scripture above. Maybe it's a growth on certain part of your body, and you've been complaining about it to everyone around and even receiving sympathy from them; it's time to stop talking about it and talk to it! Say "Growth, die and pass out of my body in Jesus' Name," and begin to rejoice that it's done.

Perhaps you've been having financial difficulties; it's time to speak and cause a change! God gave you a mouth so you can speak and effect the changes you desire in life. Your words rule your life; they're what determine whether you're going to be a success or a failure. What you say is what you get, positive or negative.

Quit complaining to God or to those around you about your predicament; command a change in the Name of Jesus! Talk to whatever seems to be a mountain before you right now. Whether it's in your body, your finances, your home or your business; declare the Word of God in faith and surely there'll be a change. Move that mountain!

Don't speak and start watching to see whether or not the mountain has gone; that's not faith. Faith considers the mountain gone once it has spoken! Jesus said to His disciples after He cursed the fig tree "Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done" (Matthew 21:21). This is the recipe for effecting a change in any situation. To move that mountain, all you need is to declare words of faith.



CONFESSION
As I vocalize my faith today, mountains move, valleys are filled and every crooked path is made straight! The Word of faith that changes things is in my heart and in my mouth, sharper than any two-edged sword; therefore the situations and circumstances of life conform with God's destiny for me in the Name of Jesus. Amen.



Rhapsody of Realities     March 3, 2012
-Pastor  Anita Oyakhilome