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When you need more than just instructions

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Matt 7:24-27

It’s not about you hearing or receiving instructions from God it’s about taking and running with them. Two classes of people heard from God, one took it and began to run with it, while the second only carefully documented it, and possibly has misplaced the ‘Word Note’ – the jotter.
Both of them might be children of the Kingdom, but the Kingdom’s influence in the affairs of creation was only promoted by one and deterred by the other. And no man knows exactly what happens in the entire realm of creation when people with instructions don’t do what they SHOULD do.

Jesus gave a parable about two brothers (Matt. 21:28-30): one received the instruction and never did anything about it, whereas the one who didn’t leave a promise eventually carried it out.

Whatever the reasons might be, if they abort a step that should be taken, they qualify you to be called ‘an unwise builder’ from the context of the parable of the builder.

In the parable (Matt. 7:24-27), the unwise builder has a building – a work – to show. He was not lazy. He had fruit of efforts to show, but not the one required of him. That’s why his ‘works’ couldn’t withstand the changing times and the forces that accompanied those changes.

If what you perceive God to be leading you to do requires no faith, then you don’t need the enablement that comes through faith. Unfortunately, that’s the primary element with which you must please God – faith (Heb. 12:6). So you want to think again: would He lead you only through what would give Him no pleasure? Occasionally, He might lead you through what requires no faith at the time, but not often – not as a lifestyle. For the righteous must learn to live by faith (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38)!

From the scripture text above, a man is tagged as either ‘wise’ or ‘foolish’ based on what he does with clearly spelt out instructions. In the sight of Divine obedience, modifying ‘these instructions’ is a means of generating a new instruction for yourself. The only time instructions bring perfect result from the stand point of Divine expectations is when they are matched with corresponding obedience within the required timing.

God is not known to give instructions, and thereafter request for a budget, then expect you to raise all necessary resources before taking the first step of obedience. While planning is good, it shouldn’t be a pitfall. Sometimes, analysis produces doubts and fears, and can ultimately plunge a course into uncertainty. These can produce failure by sowing a seed of rebellion through inaction on clear instructions! And you know what? to doubt is to give the enemy’s opinion a ticket to into God’s agenda for your life.

On the other hand, to seek excessive or undue opinion from people can be a way of seeking approval from men on God’s word to you. It can be a way of opening the door for the corrupt nature to drop a seed. In fact, to rely on man who relies on man that relies on another man, is pure disobedience to God. However, counsel must not be ignored. The emphasis here is “excess” or “undue opinion” from men. This does not negate the fact that God can send a man to another man for instructions or directions (Acts 9:6-11), and by the way in a multitude of counsel there is safety (Prov. 11:14; 15:22; 24:6). But to totally rely on men is colossal failure. Counsel from humans can be great, but to exclude God in decision-making by sticking to men’s opinions is a personal spiritual hazard.

Often when people find themselves starting off with God’s clear instructions, suddenly they can’t explain why it appears He’s no more part of their course anymore. Simple: how much of the blueprint do they stick to? It takes more than available instructions to succeed: it takes corresponding obedience according to Divine desires within the set time.

This reality plays out in marriages, relationships, jobs, businesses, ministry, etc. How closely do you watch to stay within the walls of Divine instructions? How much of people’s opinion have you used to modify your God-given course? You hear people talk about ‘a system that works’, sure enough something works somehow, somewhere, for someone; but you have an instruction, how much do you pin yourself to that? Results can be shown anywhere, but the question is: are they the expected results? At least from Divine standpoint.

A lot of godly courses are perishing for two reasons: either there’s an instruction(s) that was not adhered to, or one that was ignored. This is why most people, though not outside God’s plan, yet have limitations. Don’t be carried by just any results you see. There can be results anywhere. What matters is whether your results come from your God-given instructions. The foolish builder had a house to show, but not the type commanded. Instructions per time are the way to succeed. Seek to KNOW daily.

Great Thoughts

When I began to know the voice of The holy spirit

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Math 7:24-27

Sometime in 2004, I was introduced to Benny Hinn’s Good Morning Holy Spirit by a friend who doubled as a roommate. Not baptized with the Holy Spirit with evidence of tongues, I would join my friend to pray at a stretch after reading maybe a chapter or two of the book. If you have laid hands on that book before, you’d discover it has a lot to say about hearing and interacting with the Holy Spirit as a person. That experience was the height of our desires – my desire!

Suddenly, from work one day, I heard Him, and knew sure He was the One who spoke. And what He said turned out to be true. I wasn’t going to pass it for a rare coincidence. I had prayed for days for this experience, here it was. It was worth my ‘celebration’! Immediately, called my friend on phone and couldn’t wait to announce “the Holy Ghost spoke to me today”! It was worth anything to me, and today I feel He knew that. Before the end of the next day, I heard Him again; and again, …and again! ‘Ough my… I am made for life’, I thought to myself, with little understanding of what I had just stepped into: a place where I could now receive instructions, I mean specific personal instructions! My excitement captured only one side of the coin, leaving the other.

Experiences and encounters were already filing and I was going through them. Shortly after some months, I realized I was experiencing growth. And part of the growth experiences I didn’t like so much was receiving instructions that were not convenient. That’s the part of the coin my earlier excitement was blind to, though I found refreshing comfort and joy at the experience of Holy Ghost baptism shortly afterwards. The voice was no longer as special. Sometimes I would like to pretend I didn’t hear anything at all. But who’s fooling who?

Gradually, the frame of ‘self’ began dissolving, sometimes with tears, other times with sighs, yet some other times with smiles and joy; but through it all, one thing was certain: I was developing. Church meetings began making better sense to me; prayer began to get interesting such that I looked forward to it; certain things lost grip of my attention, and in fact a lot began to give way. And I must tell you He didn’t spare me any necessary sweat! I mean Holy sweat!! Then I found that I could read and study scriptures with interest and clearer insight than before. And for a while, something strange happened: most times a scripture I would be led to study during the week would turn out to be the sermon scripture on the following Sunday, leaving me with deeper impressions of truth. I never told anyone these experiences back then. But it all started from a ‘blind’ curiosity fueled by naivety in an innocent heart possessed with real hunger.

And today, when I look back, I discover that those who sincerely seek Him with true hunger will surely find Him. Might definitely not be like my experience, but surely they will find Him. I have seen it in countless friends and people I know nothing about other than an expressed hunger for God.

Following all that, even as a youngster in the hands of the Spirit of God, I saw some fragments of miracles at occasions. Initially, I mistook them for coincidences, then when the Great Gospel Campaign in the city was held, Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke said “… isn’t it wonderful that all the coincidences happen ONLY when we pray to God in the name of His precious Son Jesus?” That settled the matter for me. I knew God needed me to hear that statement.

Afterwards, my friend and I began to plan how we’d start looking for mad people to pray for. Well, we never did go. It ended with mere good intentions.
Now this is what is leading me to write on the topic WHEN YOU NEED MORE THAN JUST INSTRUCTIONS, which is a follow-up post on this blog.

But before I have you read that, I need you to understand, that a relationship with the Spirit of God is not some esoteric juggernauts. Simplicity is crucial to growing intimacy with God. By ‘simplicity’, I mean true simplicity and not artificial or simulation simplicity. People, I mean real people like you, are experiencing God today, daily, and are growing daily. Not out of adventurous curiosity, but out of true hunger for God. Lives can be saved or lost because a spiritual signal was either ignored or mis-perceived.

Well, as a recommendation, you may need to look out for any of these books (preferably both):

1. How You Can Be Led By the Spirit of God – Kenneth Hagin
2. Good Morning Holy Spirit – Benny Hinn

The Spark Words

What the world needs to know about its events

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While watching the news today I saw the streets and roads of some major cities of some of the countries affected by the plague, completely deserted. Then it dawned on me: hey, certain things can truly be possible – busy lifestyle can suddenly cease. Wao, … how men love to be alive! I thought to myself. And sure, I too do!

But I guess you won’t grasp what I mean if you’ve not understood what the Bible describes as the ‘Great Tribulation!’ Because whatever the world is facing today is nothing compared to what’s ‘about to happen’ (don’t know how soon).

Currently, men are running into hiding so death wouldn’t catch up with them, but when that day comes, the reverse would be the case: men would seek death just like they seek life today, but death shall dodge them (Rev. 9:6).

(Ought, less I forget: take your time this season to study the Books of Revelation, Daniel and Ezekiel. You can also add Matthew 24 to the list.)

The government and health professionals are already prescribing mode of living to everyone. Please never take those lightly. Also, stock your house with food and medicine, don’t forget to leash your dogs and quarantine your kids, at least for as long as is possible and required. Feel the air, the tension is palpable; fear is rending hearts into shreds and faith is choking in some hearts. And I want to ask: has there been any movie producer or writer who’s been able to script or produce a movie to showcase a true simulation of what the days after rapture would actually be like? When the anti-Christ would have his way, how much food or drugs would people stock to survive his reign during the Great Tribulation?

Friends you see, to make it a less lengthy piece, I must quickly draw your attention to this fact: the coming of Jesus is not a fairy tale neither is the Great Tribulation a fiction movie. If you have read till this point, then you probably find this piece interesting or intriguing. That would be great if so. However, those are not the aims. The aims are two: first, that you understand that this is a wrong time to be careless about eternal destiny (there’s never been a right time though); and secondly do well to share this piece.

Just so you’d know, the earth will tremor with horror! Beasts that have never been to earth before will arrive just to carry out the intents of the Dragon in what is called the Great Tribulation on people who are unwilling to accept the Beast’s mark (Rev. 9). You don’t need to be there to know what that will feel like. Make your choices today. Heaven’s gate is still wide open expecting your return at the end of time. Whether you are a fallen believer or a ‘confirmed’ sinner, just take a step, and you’ll receive a welcome that will settle your eternal destiny needs. I bet you, the Lord Jesus won’t turn you down now.

If you’d like to know how to go about that, reach out to us via WhatsApp:+2348054606111
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For your information, many are returning to the Lord. Don’t let the devil sell you a lie. You can return and have your sins done any with in a moment. As we’re advancing to meet our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, we would love to have you be part of the eternal saints. Welcome to God’s family.

The Spark Words

Your Environments and the Release of You

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Life is first nurtured by its source, then by its placement

Scripture Reference: JOHN 6


While in the university, I was on my way to class when I found myself singing a song I didn’t consider appropriate for me to sing. I suddenly stopped on realizing that.
“How on earth could I be singing such?”
My thoughts wondered why and how. Of course now I can tell how and why!
My neighbor had kept the compound ‘charged’ with that song and had often left his CD-player on repeat. I was compelled to hear the song over and gain, against my wish. It played through the night till dawn. In that my off-camp apartment, I shared the same roof, without a ceiling with this neighbour. Gradually, my subconscious mind absorbed the song (plus others). So while my mind was relaxed, walking down the road the ‘absorbed information’ began to spill out. I had to ‘turn off the tap’ to stop the flow, then I gradually drained it out of my mind – now consciously. I had to make deliberate effort to end what I didn’t have to make effort to learn.
What you should understand is that environments are critical to the programming of the mind and the expression of resident tendencies.
The parable of the sower (Matt. 13:3-8, 18-23) gives accounts of different expressions of germination potentials of viable seeds; seeds of the same stock under different environments. Nothing was wrong with the seeds. Everything was different with the environments.
Whatever you give enough time builds up in you. This fact is not less spiritually than it is physically. Whatever environment you dwell long enough cultures you, gradually. Whatever environment you expose your mind or spirit to, instills its program on you; it rubs off unto you, if you do it long enough; and it does so without your permission. It only needs your adequate exposure, that’s all!
When your mind absorbs information, that information somehow, finds expression in your life, somehow (this is one principal secret to spiritual growth – exposing yourself to God-encounters). That’s one way purposes and good intentions get aborted by wrong influences; choking influences. You can’t be chasing a worthy venture and still be clinging tight to what you probably consider harmless but which has a deeper negative impact than you’re aware of.
Walking with God, you don’t grow by assumption. Your active participation is relevant. There’s a place where you ought to live your life from. It’s called His presence! This is where you’re called to live from (Ps. 91). So much more than you can possibly grasp, happens when you dwell in that place He’s called you to dwell – His presence. Destructive habits are switched off; weaknesses are transformed to strengths; confusion is swallowed by clarity and direction; your human nature begins experiencing His nature – a participation in His divine nature. So much happens there, if only you would stay long enough, the environment of His presences cultures you.
The disciples left their lives and began to live his (Christ’s) life. That, on its own wasn’t achieved by just the ‘laying down’ of their lives. They were separated from secular life for a period of ‘schooling’ under the great teacher, Jesus Christ himself. It’s not enough to just say “I surrender my life…” if they (the disciples) had to grow, you too have to. That is achieved through process. Environments enhance that process. Don’t just be available in the secret place, be responsible in the expression of the latent gifts God has dropped in you through your choice of environments.

with the support of a right environment, good seeds bring good fruits

Whatever we do and whichever environment we choose, it should be one in which the Holy Spirit can comfortably reach us. We are advised to live in this Spirit-advantaged position daily (Gal. 5:16, 25).
There are countless ‘environments’ influencers out there: friends, job, the social media, the tv, music, news, etc. these create overlapping environments for our souls and spirits daily, because we are still in this world – the earth – though not of it (Jn. 15:19). You have to deliberately checkmate what funnels into your life daily. Be deliberate about sorting what influences hang around you. You have to make decisions about who your friends are and their influence on you. You have to decide on everything you do out there when you come out of the place of prayer or fellowship. This curbs the negative environments around you. By so doing, you can start getting better in your walk with God.
The bottom line is this: there’s what to stop doing and what to start doing; there’s where not to be present and where not to be absent. All boils down to conscious choices. If you don’t tame your environments they’ll tame you, and decide how and what your life becomes. Things won’t sort themselves in your favour without your efforts (except Divine involvement). While God has given you salvation, certain things are left to your choices to determine how they progress. This is one of what it means to ‘…work out your salvation…’ (Phil 2:12).
Many people would have turned out differently and far better if they were deliberate about their environments yesterday.

The Spark Words

SOMETIME Ago, YOU HAD AN ENCOUNTER.

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When you were younger, you had an experience that today, only you can attempt to explain. No one knew what had exactly happened to you. You wouldn’t dare to explain it then because you had no clear idea of what it was; but later you heard people talk about encounters with God and you thought it was related to what you had earlier experienced. This is why you could later attempt verbalizing your secret encounters back then as a young innocent child. You can recall how that experience totally turned you into ‘something else’. Even your Sunday School teacher couldn’t relate it accurately to your curious parents. You had just one prayer for weeks and for months. Your sincere prayer was for God to take you over and use you for His glory. You attached no conditions to it, and in fact, you had none. Gradually it was becoming clear by the day that a unique child was among the children; and that child was you! Your parents gave you every support you needed, and most parents wanted their kids to relate closely with you. You were a budding icon and everyone knew it, except you. You were only conscious of one thing: a passionate desire for God. You wanted ‘more of God’ desperately by the day. It wasn’t later than two years when you began to get invitations to speak to fellow young people in neighboring churches. You didn’t know any profession altar/pulpit mannerism or how to prepare sermon scripts. You only knew to verbally communicate your passion to God in the audience of men. While some thought you were a ‘spoken-words’ artiste, they knew they were wrong only when the atmosphere of Heaven arrived. You were almost always wondering why people cried and some would come to the altar kneeling for reasons you didn’t know. You would eventually walk off the pulpit soaked in tears and sweat, wishing you could rush as fast as you could to a closet to continue your communion with your Lord. You loved God such that even strangers knew it. People told you that you had a ministry, and your response was that if loving the Lord was the ministry, it was okay for you. Many experiences you had were higher than your naive mind could comprehend back then, and you never bothered anyone with tales of your ‘secret affair’ with your Lord. You were not born that way; however, it’s just that one encounter with God when an evangelist came to your church had set you on a course you never planned to engage. You were a product of an encounter!
‘…and when I am alone today, I sometimes feel trapped…and shame…just wondering…

Fast forward >> >> >>

Today you are married, or about to; today you have a job or seeking one; today you are into ministry trying to grow your audience or still doing things in Christian circle; however, one thing is unique with ‘today’: you now have tales! Tales of how wonderful it used to be! How soothing it is for you to bask under the sunshine of your memory and give tales of your early days’ ‘escapades’. Such things like recognition, fame, attention and even money that didn’t matter to you yesterday are now the matters of your life today. You are chasing hard after a career. O, you are working out your energy aiming at building a 21st century business empire. Perhaps your husband is now the ‘owner’ of your life, and worship is shared between him and your children. Or maybe you are expecting a newborn, so all attention is focused on the arrival of the home’s latest prince or princess. You are a class teacher for new believers in church, and you know how to ‘intimidate’ them with the relics of your spiritual history. As far as you are aware, you are so far a success. But what you fail to understand is that you are drying up on the vine. You are not the fruit of the seed you were. You have gradually become normal and ordinary, yet in the church! When once in a while you smell the scent of His garment, the smell you once knew in the secret place, and you secretly cry ‘Alas, I used to live here’. But after that, you stand up and keep moving in the direction of the path of your current societal status. Though you are still in the Kingdom, but you know it, that you’re not fit for any Kingdom battles. I have a question for you: how long shall your glory be in the past? And just so you would know, what was in your hand is not in the hands of many today. This generation needs it. If you would find your way back, you’d save many today and tomorrow, but not those you’ve lost already, who now are no longer alive. Wake Up! You once had an encounter, but you can still have an encounter today! May no one scream your name in hell for not shining the light upon them; the light you are.
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Someone Around You Might Be Dying Without Your Knowledge

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Sometimes I wonder if you understand what it means for people around you to really be lonely. If you do, you’d possibly judge them less than you do.

Some people have found themselves in relationships they know are killing them gradually, yet they have difficulty walking away simply because the ‘relationships’ are meeting a need (though it’s at the expense of other needs).
People (not just girls) want to feel loved, wanted and also have a sense of belonging in a moving world. While there may be several reasons for this social vulnerability in people, I am quite particular that family has a huge role to play. Admittedly, not all parents of the current generation were basically educated on personality development and formation of growing children, and the bond-fostering impact of ‘family-hood’ (pardon that word). Hence, most parents have little contact with the true needs of their children. But I get confused when even siblings create gullies between themselves. These gullies create siblings fragmentation leaving some lonely, yet within families. Why?
The ‘bird of prey’ would come in the form of succour to a deep-seated need that often eludes the daily companions of the target person. The ‘hawk’ comes and makes a ‘kill’, and the society and family calls him either a paedophile of gold digger of some sort. You wonder why in some cases, the victims were willing to play along and keep it secret for as long as the emotional opium is offered by the predator of the conscience who first came with ‘good intentions’ (at least to the poor judgement of the minor).
Later we read of suicide, and rapes, and murders, and hyper-sexuality, and a lot more, yet these lived with us. The only problem being that communication doors were either shut or narrowed. The explosive desires burning in the young gets harvested by a beast out there looking for whom to devour.
Please permit people (both around you & strangers) be free to open up to you and pour out their hearts with assurance their information is safe. We’ll save far more people in 2020 whom the enemy has desired to take away through suicide if we show our willingness to be involved in some more lives. Sometime what they need is just someone patient enough to listen. In such cases, never be in a rush; allow them to ‘take your time’.
You can save someone by being a listener; a good listener, not necessarily a good speaker

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The New Year; The Prophecy and You

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Random image. Not related to characters in the writing

At the beginning of 2019, while preachers were prophesying to their diverse audience, one pastor’s prophecy wasn’t welcomed with excitement by his audience.
Grabbing the mic he screamed

“in 2019, you shall reap what you sow…!”
The place was quiet. He said
“I know you heard me. You shall reap what you sow…!”

The congregation was uncomfortable with the ‘prophecy’.
They wanted something else; something more appealing to the ears. But that man was only quoting scriptures (Gal. 6:7).

People don’t even want to know if what was proclaimed the previous year came to pass or not. They don’t want to ask themselves questions regarding ‘failed prophecies’. They just love the forceful sound of
‘…this year, you shall …’
without paying close attention to what roles they have to play.
Furthermore, if your love for the ‘AMENs’ is greater than your willingness to take responsibility for yourself, you’re likely trapped in a circle of December-January disappointment and ambitions.

Adults ask questions; children’s gullibility questions nothing. This is a sign a majority is not ‘grown up’ in spiritual matters. It takes more than feeling good to have a great year. Someone, somewhere has to be responsible for something, if someone must have a great year.

The Spark Words

The Communion of the Holy Ghost – 1 (intro)

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Ref.: SOS 5:1-7; 2Cor. 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, [be] with you all. Amen. We have several privileges that fall in for us as believers and as members of the body of Christ. One of such privileges is the ability to host the Spirit of God right here on earth. We are His earthly dwelling place, scripture says (1Cor. 6:19) About Jesus, he was called Emmanuel (God with us); and while introducing the Holy Ghost, Jesus told them the Spirit ‘…shall be in you‘ (Jn. 14:17), not just with you. For the disciples then, it was ‘God with men’, however, after the resurrection there was an additional edge: God in men.
While leaving the apostles with the Great Commission, Jesus urged them to wait for the ‘promise’ of the Father before any purposeful venture. We all know today that the Spirit of God (the promise of the Father) has since arrived. And we are His earthly lodge – His earthly dwelling – His temple! (1Cor. 6:19). While planning on his departure from this world, Jesus told the disciples the arrival of the Holy Ghost is for the utmost benefit and advantage of the believer (Jn.16:7; Acts 1:8). Paul admonished that we maintain a fellowship of the Holy Ghost (2Cor. 13:14) as a norm. As new testament believers, one other advantage we have is the ability to access God’s blueprint for us (His eternal purpose) and the things that Heaven has availed for our lives without requiring any intermediary but by the Holy Ghost (1Cor. 2:12). The Holy Ghost knows the deep things of men and of God. He can lead us aright in the light of the deep things of God – God’s perfect will. Communion and fellowship are interchangeably used in this light. In either case, fellowship or communion involves more than one person. In this case, a mortal and an immortal – man and God’s Spirit! From our position as mortals, we owe ourselves the responsibility of nourishing this corporate, participatory relationship with the Spirit. It’s our duty to continually ‘place wood’ on the burning altar (Lev. 6:12).

Here’s where believers are mostly missing it

You know, sometimes you just want to relax, rest or just hang around with friends or family, then suddenly there’s a nudge in your spirit to ‘come away’ into the place of fellowship and prayer, alone with God. I tell you something, most times that’s sure a real interruption and requires a pure willpower to truly yield. In fact, on the average most believers ignore such nudges more often than they respond. And that’s one reason I wrote you this piece. Perhaps your principle is to be in bed at certain time of the day, yet He ignores your etiquette and principle by asking for your audience in the secret place. I tell you what… consider yourself highly privileged for God to just want to ‘hang out’ with you. Sometimes, the nudge might linger for a while (but not forever) then gradually it lifts if ignored. It leaves. What that means is that communion came, and it walked away unattended. It takes sensitivity to trap such moments in your life. If you would immediately respond to such nudge, you’d be trapping a Divine moment or season that probably came unannounced, which could be lost if you ignore such defining moment. This is one of the ways people miss out on visitations (Lk. 19:44) – simply because they think they could have devotion anytime they wish. But devotion is only an aspect of a flourishing intimacy with the Holy Spirit. There’s more to intimacy beyond devotion, but never excludes it. I am talking about picking signals, prompt obedience, responding to nudges, etc. This is one unique way of sharpening your discernment which can be employed under different circumstances. If you continuously ignore such moments, you’ll come to a point when you’ll desire to have just a taste of what used to be normal with you in the past. However, when you make a habit and lifestyle of the secret place, of intimate fellowship with the Holy Ghost, you gradually begin to unconsciously manifest some attributes of the personality you meet continually in the secret place. Then people can see the fruit of the Spirit effortlessly exuding from you; the aura of that personality also accompanies you. You develop good habits from your secret place while undesirable ones dry up without a ‘formula’; holy walk becomes a norm; and the supernatural becomes a way of life. That’s Jesus’ secret life while on earth – the secret place! On a final note, while you should endeavour to make a habit of responding to nudges and to the wooing of the Spirit into the secret place, also deliberately learn to walk into the secret place without a beckon, but simply because you want to ‘hang out’ with your Father. Meanwhile, I have a voice note in this regard. Expect it soonest on our facebook page, LightBearers.
The Spark Words

Getting More Out of Your Prayer

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A Secret in the Secret Place

Firstly, bear in mind that what you don’t know or fully understand, you can’t deploy or utilise effectively. A matter is only a mystery for as long as something about it is not yet known or properly understood. The difference between the results commanded by Mr. A and Miss B is not just in their environment but in (and not just who they are, but) what they each know and deploy. Scripture says God’s people suffer not because circumstances are too hard but because of the requisite knowledge they lack (Hos. 4:6).

When you go in to pray with mere religious assumptions that you know what you want to pray for and how to go about it, you will very likely leave with the cycle of confusion and guesses between what is accurate and what’s not. Because: what you need to pray for might be more than what you know as a need; how you are probably going about it might be different from how you ‘should’ go about it.

Secondly, you need basic ‘prayer education’. This might not sound popular to many Christian folks, and I don’t know if many churches or religious gatherings teach such, but I know I have read them in books. Different authors can’t just be ‘accurately guessing’ on the same matter. Get yourself books on How to Pray. Read, read and read again; then follow them one at a time again as a student going in between lines. Effective prayer particularly.
There are many reasons people miss out on receiving answers in prayers, I have a few here:
● People are in a rush, they are impatient.
● People pray with emotions instead of with faith.
● People pray just with words of the pastors/prophets instead of with the Scriptures.
● People generally assume they know God’s will regarding a matter they are praying for, hence putting prayer pressure on a matter they are yet to be certain on Divine will.
● People limit their prayer points/needs/approaches to some ‘prayer booklets’ which have been tailored by an author somewhere, hence their true prayer needs are masked.
And so on…
There are many things that will be solved if people will choose to gain prayer education. A lot is taught on prosperity and deliverance as well as positive confessions and mindset, but people have to take personal steps to learn some basic things on prayer for themselves. Prayer is not just learnt by praying, you learn it by understanding and applying the protocols of prayer. This is why most ‘prayer warriors’ are not necessarily the best prayer coaches. The Word coaches you. They may teach you stamina in prayer, but as for accuracy and effectiveness, not really. Get it right: you need stamina to draw from the enduring impact of tarrying in prayer, but how good does it do you to tarry with ineffectiveness? However, it would be a blast to combine accuracy with stamina.
An example of a benefit of prayer education: “I love the Lord” is not saying the same thing as “I love you Lord”; and “He is Lord of all” is not saying same thing as “You’re the Lord of my all…”
Now, while you might think prayer is in the heart and that God sees your heart, don’t also forget that prayer is to be spoken and not thought or imagined. While teaching them on prayer, Jesus said ‘when ye pray SAY…’ (Lk. 11:2)
Referring to my examples above; between ‘I love the girl’ and ‘I love you girl’, which is more intimate and likely to bring results? Professing ‘He is Lord of all’ is an acknowledgement while ‘You’re the Lord of my all’ is not just a confession but a statement of surrender. However, these nust be real in the heart as they sound on the lips to be true worship. You see, because we understand less, we apply less, hence we see less results. This is what most people use in almost every aspects of their prayer lives – guesses and assumptions! This misunderstanding impairs faith. And you wonder why sometimes you get results and other times you hang! God is not a gambler, and does not give a Word He’s not ready to uphold. Humans miss it from their end.
Finally (though there are more not covered here), misappropriation of scriptures! Taking scriptures out of context to make them say what God is not saying! I think those in the ministrations of the prophetic often fall short in this aspect. The Word is not your word; it’s God’s Word! Manipulating it to suite your demands is wrong use of the Word. Never in scripture does He promise to back His Word taken out of context. You may press, and even linger, but if you are ‘out of joint’, my dear sorry, you won’t have His backing. Your expectations will crash! Simple. Most of the times you felt God failed you is because you didn’t think well. It’s actually ignorance that failed you.

Faith is not a feeling, but can be expressed in feelings. So, that you have a very strong feeling about a matter does not mean you have strong faith about it. Faith is a resident conviction on a matter, that can push you to act. But actions don’t necessarily mean active faith. Exuberance is also not faith. Enthusiasm is as well not faith. These all may be stirred by faith, but faith is not necessarily stirred by them. You can’t stir faith by faking things. Only the Word stirs faith. Without the Word, you may have mere motivation. But faith is a grip, not just a motivation. And like I say often: when you will experience faith it will be clear to you that you never really had it all the time you thought you did.
So while you want to throw in the towel, I advice that you channel that energy into prayer education. Prevailing prayers are lacking more today than they were three decades ago. We have more ‘outsourcing’ of our spiritual responsibilities now than before, because people are reluctant to learn the art (not just the act) of prayer.

(Meanwhile I have a short voice note on this matter you can listen to via this link: https://clyp.it/y1qg1zno)

The Spark Words

The Music Minister: Some Advice For You

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Between 1999 and 2014 I grew in the music lane to be known as a bass guitarist, and I think prior to hanging the guitar I was eventually good at it.

However, for those 15yrs of mingling with different instrumentalists and singers, I observed certain traits to be common among church music ministers. I’m not going to talk about them. But if you have anything to do with gospel music, then note these few points:

1. Whenever you sing or play with a competitive attitude, you’ll not be spiritually effective, no matter how skillfully you do it.

2. God should be your first audience, and not the crowd

3. If you’re morally weak, you’ll find partnership with sin while on the Lord’s duty

4. Most people who say they want to learn from you are primarily interested in your social network or something else. Very few are truly in need of coaching

5. Whenever in a service you’re ‘benched’ take it that God wants to use someone else at the moment. Don’t feel conquered by another’s expertise (even when it appears so)

6. Understand that someone somewhere is far better than you at what you think you’re good at, you have to accept that; and that person is ‘cool-headed’ with their level of expertise

7. If you’re a strong worship leader, don’t give a sermon when called just to lead in worship

8. Don’t be a guest minister with the intent to hook up with new guys. Go as a minister that’s just a guest; simple. If you make friends, fine

9. If you can’t handle men’s praise, you’ll steal God’s praise and think nothing wrong about it

10. Finally, if you don’t plan a career in music, don’t let it interrupt what you should pursue in life

The average instrumentalist is not interested in the word (preaching or teaching) session, that’s why immediately they’re done playing, they walk outside the church hall for the so-called ventilation they seek.

I have seen animosity arise due to guys not finding a slot to display skills either with the mic or on an instrument. Many times, the ‘perfomer’ is out there primarily to impress the host audience and not minister to God or draw men into His glory cloud. No wonder competition has a growing niche in the church music sector. It shouldn’t be so.

We shall all account for every opportunity we had to make God’s glory known for which we stood on the way. My dear, beyond the stage, there’s a throne that looks forward to your incense. If you corrupt it, it will be required of you in due time.

I am sure this is not all there is to know. But take it from me: many Christian music ministers (especially Instrumentalists) see far less than they ought to see about standing in the place of incense. Be faithful at where you stand today and make sure you minister first unto the LORD, and let self be aware of that priority.

When a servant mistakes him/herself for a master, they’ll soon find out that it takes more than title to be a master.