Take Charge!

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4).

When you study the life of Jesus and the way He responded to different circumstances, you'll discover He was always in charge. His language was that of faith and absolute mastery. He was always in control; unperturbed by anything. His words were faith-filled, and He displayed an attitude of rest in the midst of turmoil. This is the life He's given us; a life of absolute mastery, where you cease from all worries and express faith unperturbed.

You must learn to be unruffled or unperplexed regardless of what happens around you! Take charge. Act like Jesus, who remained unmoved when He was told in John 11:3, "...Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick."  The Master wasn't moved by the news of Lazarus' sickness; He remained unflustered even after He was told that Lazarus had died and had been buried for four days. He was in charge.

When Jesus eventually showed up, Mary and Martha at different occasions and said "Lord if you'd been here, Lazarus, our brother wouldn't have died." I am often thrilled at the Master's response. With neither regret nor fret in His voice, He said, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die..." (John 11:25-26). What confidence; when others were extremely confused and agitated!

How I love Jesus; nothing could shake Him! Relaxed, He stood at the entrance of the sepulchre, uttered a simple prayer of thanks to the Father, and called out: "Lazarus, come forth!" The man that had been dead for four days, came out alive (John 11:41-44). That was faith, functioning from a place of rest and absolute mastery.

Faith recognize no fear, because it trust in the ability of God. When you're faced with challenges, don't cower or become frightful or fretful. Be in charge. All through this year, irrespective of what happens around you; even if you receive negative news from afar, maintain your composure and declare God's Word. Take charge. Refuse to worry; just give the word and effect a change. Hallelujah!

PRAYER

Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for the power of your Word which causes me to function from a place of rest and mastery over all situations. I live victoriously over all distracting elements of this world in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Rhapsody of Realities    January 19, 2012

-Pastor Chris Oyakhilome

Take Charge!

And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD (Isaiah 11:2).

When you study about the great prophets of old, many of them were persecuted at one time or the other because of the Word of God they stood for. For example, the Prophet Jeremiah was persecuted by those around him for preaching against their wickedness, to the extent he was put in prison. He almost became weakened and discouraged as a result of this. But eventually, he couldn’t hold still anymore. He took charge by the power of God’s Spirit and declared God’s Word without fear or intimidation: “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jeremiah 20:9).

From our opening scripture, the first of the seven Spirits of God mentioned by the prophet Isaiah is the Spirit of the Lord; that’s the Spirit of dominion. His ministry in you is to impart boldness to your spirit. He anoints you with power for service, and causes you to take charge of situations. When He takes charge of your life, timidity goes out the window.

In the Book of Acts, when persecution broke out against the early Church, the Bible says they lifted their voices in one accord and prayed to the Lord: “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). No wonder when Peter who was once timid spoke, the rulers, religious leaders and scholars were fascinated by his boldness and took notice of him that he had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).

When you received the Holy Spirit, you were imparted with boldness and dominion to achieve supernatural things. You were enabled to preach the Gospel and declare your faith openly without fear. Remember, God has not given you the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). So take charge and dominate your environment.

  CONFESSION

I walk in dominion today because the Spirit of the Lord has mantled my heart and imparted divine courage to my spirit. Nothing in this world can stop or intimidate me from fulfilling the ministry of reconciliation committed to me by God. I manifest the glory of God’s Kingdom everywhere I go today, in Jesus’ Name.

Rhapsody of Realities  - September 3, 2011

-Pastor Anita Oyakhilome