Walk With Me #Deararn.

The occurrence was at a prayer meeting in a church. Tola needed heaven’s intervention, and that, like yesterday. Her world was tumbling, and she had no idea how to stop it.

Face cupped in two hands, tears having a free course and snort adding colour to the occasion; she did not notice that other parishioners were in sight. She focused on getting heaven to accent and reprieve from all her woes.

After an eternity in that posture, more like when there was no more strength to weep, she got up and made to go home.

A few strides in the direction of the door, Amina accosted her; “who do you think you are, always carrying on like you owned the whole world!”

To say she was shocked to the bones would be putting it mildly. “Who was this lady, and why is she attacking me?” still trying to make sense of the ensuing drama, Tola’s thoughts were interrupted with “, am I not talking to you? Do you see what I am saying? I am in front of her, and she still ignores me!”

Convinced that there must be a mental issue, she gently answered, “Lady, I do not know what you are talking about. I don’t even know you.” “how will you know me? Are you not better than the rest of us? Only God knows what you will do if you are the president’s wife.

You talk as if you were there when they wrote the bible. Am I the only one in church? Why do you always use me as an example?”

The above is a true-life event that occurred after a church service. In the house of prayer, the citadel of truth, home of holiness.

Can you relate? Has anyone ever questioned why your very existence is showing them up? (They would not have put it in those exact terms, but the message would be the same.)

You would be in very good company if you answered in the affirmative.

They did the same to Jesus, fellows who should know. The ones who were custodians of history purportedly waiting for the coming of the Messiah. They had the brief, but they did not recognise the life. They had the shell, but the meat was missing. They were sure they knew Jesus’ pedigree and, by their reckoning, should not be able to wield such authority. Did you notice that the style is to cut down, not increase, on such occasions? It is crucial that you are brought low so they can remain on their high horses.

The aim of them folk is to discredit your existence and make nonsense of your purpose. The reason is simple. Your very essence exposes their inadequacies.

The modus operandi is to dig holes in your ideology without proffering any of theirs. It is usually a case of folk who are not ready to go and would not want another to pass them.

Having described the problem, how do we go about bringing the solution?

Go the way of Jesus. Instead, he maintained His stance, set the records straight and referred them to the same scriptures they often quoted.

He was gentle but firm. After all, He knew who He was, what He was about and how and when His mission was to be carried out.

Do not apologize for God’s gifts in your life. Authority is bestowed, not snatched.

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Mathew 28:18

Understand that the grouse has nothing to do with you but everything to do with how you made them feel.

Admit that the only person you have control over is yourself.

Refrain from being dragged into arguments that do not lead anywhere but the human ego.

There was no denying that Jesus embodied power and authority. No one could talk like He did, let alone perform the miracles and wonders that characterized His ministry.

If you do your job well, dear child of God, such should be your testimony.

What is challenging the authority of the Lord's presence in your life? Who is asking by what authority you do the things you do? Who is wondering if you were the only anointed one? Who is peeping and muttering against the anointing of God in your life? Who is waiting to see the hand of God in your life? They may be priests like you and have rights before God like you do, but this season, they have gone too far, and it is time for God to show the whole world on whose side He is.

I have been waiting for this moment. I created you for my pleasure. In my hands, you are clay. I crafted you fearfully and wonderfully, and out of you, I designed glory to be seen. Be still my child and know that I am God. Stand back and see my salvation. I always have to be exulted amongst the heathen. Come on, child, let us go to work!

There were seventy, then there were twelve and three and one. How close would you come? Jesus had them at different levels. When he needed the crowd effect, then the seventy came in handy. Then there was the everyday mission and the twelve was just enough. When the need for heart matters arose, He had His three buddies. With them, He was comfortable with vulnerability. With them, He could bare all His heart's burden. It was them that He begged to pray for Him. It was them that saw Him and a glimpse of His glory. It was them that He went into the garden with.

But He had the one He loved, the child enough to put his head on his chest and man enough to be given the responsibility of caring for Jesus' mother. It was John that went with him all the way to the cross. It was John who stayed close through thick and thin.

It didn’t mean that the others were bad or not good enough, it just meant that there are relationship levels. How close you are willing to go will determine what secrets you are kept in charge of.  What value you place on your relationships will determine what depths you reach.

How loyal are you or are you willing to be? What kind of friend are you and what kind of friend do you value?

There is a kind of fast that God wants. It is not self-focused; it is To get your prayers answered, you be an answer to someone else's plight. Do not exploit your workers. Cancel debts; yours was cancelled, remember? Feed the hungry. Defend the defenceless. Clothe the naked. Be available to your families. Do this and see a breakthrough on all sides. Amazing!

Fasting enables you to clean up yourself, not others. It helps you to take stock, focus on the major deals. When you do it right, you become a wonder! Can we then safely say we have had it twisted all along? Should we not do the right thing and turn?

My friends, as we make up our minds to do it right, know that God cannot be arm-twisted, May we find our lights blazing forth.

May The Lord answer us when we call. Amen!

You are here, on earth, alive, but why?

Let me rephrase that, who are you and what are you about?

Jesus, son of God, the master of the universe, the living word, our way truth and life. The visionary, left his glory, came to earth to reconcile men to God.

First, He consecrated Himself for 40 days and nights. After that, was led to the wilderness by God’s Spirit. (Not all you go through is negative) There, He encountered with the devil who tested His resolve and attempted to derail Him. (You will always encounter distractions in your journey to power) He withstands the temptation by pulling on the weapon of God’s word. (You need to be full of God’s word) After putting the tempter in his place, Jesus set about His mission and that according to the blueprint set by God.

Jesus promises a light yoke and an easy burden. In other words, your life in God’s hands can only be full of joy and peace and righteousness. Even when you encounter obstacles, they would be easy to surmount once you are under God.

In life, there are secrets to unravel. There are many things that are hidden from the natural eyes. God tell us these things when we draw close to Him and actually search for them. The bible says, His secrets are with the righteous. We also know that God will not do anything without revealing it His prophets. So, the question is: can God trust you with His secrets seeing that He has them? God was not going to leave without telling Abraham his mission. Are you also that close? What secret of God do you have and to whose benefit is this secret?

Whose secret dream can you interpret? What secret do you need to know to unravel the issues of your life? When you have God’s secret, you will live your life in reverence; hardly anyone who was trusted with secrets could bring themselves to gloat. You will be too honoured to toy with what you are entrusted with.

As we close for today, I ask: are there secrets you need to unravel in your life. What secret are you in custody of? What secret of God does your generation need?

Let us pray today that every secret we need to know to take us where God needs us to be, we would locate now in Jesus name.

So, you felt the pull. You knew you had to pray, maybe even fast. After all, the word of God said some types of issues would not budge unless you prayed and fasted.

Consecrate yourself, the preacher said, “God is looking for clean vessels He can use to do exploits on the earth.”

Did I hear you shout let’s go! I thought so…

Hi there this is Walk with me in the footsteps of Jesus with Deararn…yours truly Anne Ajadi

Today, we take some more strides as we travel the road to the Cross, the way of power.

Lining the sides of the road, we have all kinds of voices, let’s call them temptations on the highway of life.

Wait, did you notice that since you decided to wax holy, all that is coming out of you are the negative stuff? Things you are not necessarily proud of>? I mean, you are supposed to be praying and fasting and separating yourself unto good works and it seems hell released all its mad drivers on the road and now you are having to deal with them?  You found yourself cussing instead of blessing.

You got angry, too quickly at that, when you should be showing the love of God.

How is it that temptation only makes its way to you when you made up your mind to go on the straight and narrow?

Relax, you are being introduced to yourself.  Your flesh is revolting against the spirit, and you guessed right, the flesh is a sore loser.

There hath no temptation come to you that is not common.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Cor 10:13

It happened to Jesus and if you are one of His, it would come your way.

Let me read the temptation account from the Bible.

See what Jesus did with the temptation. He responded with the word.

He showed that the spirit can still rule a man.

He advised that temporal pleasure robs one of eternal graces

Forgiveness is a willful decision to release the feeling of anger, bitterness, resentment, overtly or covertly wishing you could pay back in the same coin.

It is being deliberate about excusing the frailties or shortcomings of others. It is understanding that all things being equal, no one in their right spirit and mind would set out to hurt another. Remember we all have the breath of God inside us. We all embody God. No one who has God ruling their hearts would cause willfully cause his brother pain.  It is human to err and for as long as we live in this earth suit, we will be offended and we too will wrong others.

What should we then do, seeing that the pain is deep, and the consequences are dire. There is grace available. The blood of Jesus ensured it.

Convince yourself that your brother made a mistake by offending you. Let it go. You need to be free. Negative emotions have a way of eating up whoever gives them room