Category: Gospel

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A different war game

[The Glory Unveiled]

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. [ 2 Corinthians 10:3 NIV ]

The kind of weapons used in a battle defines the type of battle or fight it is. A fight is called a “knife-fight” because knives are used as weapons. Likewise, it will be referred to as a gun fight where guns are being used. But for the believer, even though we live in the world, we use weapons from another world, hence redefining the battle as well. Our weaponry is from above and the believer needs to recognize this fact. That although we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. So, if you’re facing a challenging situation but the solution seems not to be forthcoming, it maybe that you are using the wrong weapon that’s why the expected results are far. From the verse of the Bible above, we learnt that the believer is not excused from battles. Being a believer does not exempt us from war. But it gives us an advantage of victory before the war begins and saves us from unnecessary weariness. In reality, our victory is not ours, we glory in the victory of Jesus. This is why we do not wage war as the world does. The world does the fighting but we do the “victory claims,” Jesus did all the hard work for us. All we need to do is to remain in Him through our unwavering faith. The weapons of our warfare are indeed not carnal but they are mighty through God for pulling down strong holds (verse 4). And then by the power of Jesus’ name, we can glory in His victory and triumph through the weaponry of faith.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for showing me that, as a kingdom citizen, I do not wage war as the people in the world. I put my trust in Jesus and I glory in His victory.

Wisdom_Quote: The world does the fighting but we do the victory claims.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Suffering and Glory

[The Glory Unveiled]

“I am convinced that any suffering we endure is less than nothing compared to the magnitude of glory that is about to be unveiled within us.” [ Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭18‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

In life, we all take some form of risks, but the kind of risk a person is willing to take is usually influenced by what is important to the person. Also in life, everything has an alternative and a price tag to it. If you’re willing to pay the price, you’ll have what it offers. So, what price are you willing to pay without bargaining? Because the path each person takes even in the face of fierce challenges is influenced by their willingness or conviction. As believers, are we convinced about the scriptures? Are we willing to obey its truth? Because if we obey the scriptures and suffer for it, that suffering will be unveiled within us as glory, according to the word of God. So, for the believer, just as the athlete, there is suffering and glory. But suffering always precedes glory. There is no glory without suffering. This is why suffering can be the indices of a future glory. When we face suffering for the sake of Jesus, we should not be discouraged. It is a sign that sooner we will enjoy the due glory. The beauty is that, the glory does not match symmetrically with the sufferings; the glory far outweighs the suffering. The apostle Paul could endure all the sufferings he endured in his ministry for the sake of Jesus because of his conviction. He came to that point where he was fully persuaded that his sufferings will pay off in the currency of glory. Whatever you’re going through cannot be compared to the manner of glory it will bring. After all is said and done, what are your convictions? What drives your actions, what informs your decisions and beliefs?

Prayer_Bead: Father, we will praise you forever for your marvelous words and truth. Help us to suffer joyfully for your name sake.

Wisdom_Quote: Suffering for Christ is the indices of a future glory.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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What does the Scriptures say?

[The Glory Unveiled]

“Once again Jesus said to him, “The Scriptures say: You must never put the Lord your God to a test.” [ Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

The scriptures have adequate solution for everything under the sun. But unless we know what is written and engage its provisions, life will just be ordinary. Many of the battles we fight in the natural life and in the spiritual realm are battles that would have been won if we had the right weapons. Families, marriages and institutions are breaking because we keep using the wrong weapons for the right battles. We try to change or “improve” upon our weapons and battle strategies because we feel we are in a new era, while the battles are still the same. When we study the accounts in Matthew and Luke chapter 4 carefully, we will discover that Jesus, who was God in flesh did not use his “own” words or opinions when he was on the battle field [tempted]. For all the missiles that the enemy threw at Him, He always used the scriptures. In fact, our verse for meditation begins, thus “once again, Jesus said to him, the Scriptures say”. He didn’t stop using the word of God. He kept using the word until the enemy fled. The victory is in the Word, not in our opinions or smartness. Unfortunately, for many of us, we do not have the word of God in us, so we are unable to use it in the face of challenges and battles. Imagine if Jesus had to go around looking for a scroll to find the right scriptures to quote to the devil. It would have been too late. Jesus was living in the word of God, and so must we. He could speak the word in season and out of season, victoriously. Likewise, if we become students of God’s word, we will live consistently in victory. Let’s make it a habit to study the scriptures and to commit them to heart.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for loving your life as an example for us to imitate. Help us by the power of your word to stay in line.

Wisdom_Quote: The Word of God is all you need to have all your needs met.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Triumphing in Jesus

[The Glory Unveiled]

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. [ 2 Corinthians 2:14 KJV ]

There is a simple truth that seems to offset every anchor truth of the believer’s new realities. This truth is that, Jesus encompasses everything we will ever need, be or give. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing, except Jesus is Lord, we can own nothing, we will be nothing except Jesus is something and we will have nothing except Jesus has something. And when we fully grasp this truth, we will live our lives in constant thanksgiving because our lives will manifest constant triumph even when we have nothing triumphing over. His victory becomes our victory. So, we celebrate in His victory by being the fragrance of Jesus on earth. God through us makes manifest the fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus in every place. Whatever Jesus is, to principalities is made known to the world through us. We have become like mirrors, revealing the glory of God in our participation of His triumph. God is daily displaying the triumphant parade of Jesus through us by our submission to His will. And so, we must be thankful for the kindness of God, His intentionality and His superabundant provisions. The believer always triumphs in Christ because Jesus triumphed and is reliving that victory in every generation through us. And so, it has becomes our duty to show the generations to come the victory of Jesus by diffusing the fragrance of His knowledge. Can the world smell Jesus a mile away because of us?

Prayer_Bead: Abba Father, thank you for making the knowledge of the Lord Jesus manifest wherever we go in your name. Thank you Jesus.

Wisdom_Quote: You’re the fragrance of Jesus, so let the world smell Jesus.

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A marvelous love

[The Glory Unveiled]

“Look with wonder at the depth of the Father’s marvelous love that he has lavished on us! He has called us and made us his very own beloved children. The reason the world doesn’t recognize who we are is that they didn’t recognize him.” [ 1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

Love is the gift and nature of God. Without love we cannot understand what God is giving us, neither can we receive it. Love is the lens through which God-reality makes sense to us. God is so God that whatever He does cannot make sense to a mortal except that it happens through the sieve of love. Love is the only way the justice and mercy of God does not break us. We are so fragile that only His love can handle us in one piece. So, the apostle John tells us to look with wonder at the manner and depth of God’s love for us. He did not only call us out of the mess we made through sin, but He has also made us His very own beloved children even after that. Now, this is what makes it marvelous! He called us out of our state of alienation and separation from Him and He made us through the adoption by the blood of His Son, His beloved children. And so, He sees us like we had never broken His heart, never sinned, never offended Him. In what world, what reality can this happen, if not with God? The depth of God’s marvelous love for us—we had gone so far from God that it would cost the life of His Son to bridge the gap but God didn’t mind losing His Son for us. And now, we have been made one with the Son. This is why the world treats us as they had treated Jesus and does not recognize us because they did not recognize the Lord Jesus incarnated in human form. And so, we must be equipped with the mindset that whatever He experienced [persecution and glory], we will experience it too because we are one with Him. Then, we will not be alarmed when the world treats us unmannerly, because our focus would be on enjoying the marvelous love of the Father.

Prayer_Bead: Father of Love, thank you for the marvelous love you lavish on us and now we bear your name. Thank you.

Wisdom_Quote: Love is the gift and nature of God.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Jesus; our commanding officer

[The Glory Unveiled]

No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. [ 2 Timothy 2:4 NIV ]

Along our Christian journey, we sometimes get sidetracked by many things that are actually outside our jurisdiction. A soldier lives a regulated, disciplined life because their safety is secured in their discipline. They become subjected to their commanding officers. In the statement made by the Centurion in Matthew 8:9, we learn that soldiers are very submissive to their superiors. And so, we can infer that indeed a soldier’s aim wouldn’t be meddling in civilian affairs. A true soldier will have no business with civilian affairs. When we transfer all of these to our kingdom reality typology, we are the “soldiers” and the “civilians” are “the world and its pleasures”. We have a goal to please but one person; the Father and king of our kingdom. We cannot afford to divert our attention to something that looks like but is not. We cannot waste on riotous living like the prodigal son. The prodigal son, was pleasing his father until he got himself entangled in “civilian” affairs outside the boundaries of his father’s love and care. And then, that was the beginning of his troubles. The interesting thing about pleasing the Lord is that, it is to our advantage and for our comfort. When the prodigal son lived to please his father by staying within boundaries, he didn’t suffer any harm, but immediately he left [got entangled in “civilian affairs-the world”] he began to suffer. The soldiers who try to please their commanding officer, first of all protect themselves. So, let’s look unto Jesus our commanding officer and try to please Him alone; all day, everyday!

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, our Commanding Officer, thank you for the grace to please you alone in my daily life. To you be all the glory in Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Jesus is our Commanding and Comforting Officer.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Prophecies for direction

[The Glory Unveiled]

This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; [ 1 Timothy 1:18 KJV ]

In 1 Corinthians 13:8a, the Bible says, “charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; It means prophecies can fail. The fact that a prophetic word has been spoken does not automatically make them come to pass. Many times, people receive prophetic utterances and they go to bed in hope that it will come to pass by it self. The reality is that no prophecy comes to pass when nobody invites it into being. In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter 38, a prophetic word was sent to Hezekiah that he should put his house in order for he was going to die. But instead of putting his house in order and wait for his death, he went on his knees to pray to God to change the verdict. And God sent the prophet back to declare a new word. You see, whatever prophecy that is spoken to us, we have a role to play to make it come to pass or not. If Hezekiah had kept quiet and just cried or complained, nothing would have changed. When Daniel read from the prophetic scrolls written by Jeremiah that they were supposed to be in captivity for only 70years, it gave him the boldness to begin prayers. We would again note that the 70years had passed and they were still in captivity. Someone needed to invite the word into fruition. And so, Daniel began to do that (see Daniel 9:2-3). In our focal verse, the apostle Paul advise Timothy to wage a good warfare based on the prophetic utterance that had gone ahead of him. It is now obvious that prophecy is supposed to serve as a guide for our warfare and prayer. Prophecy is supposed to make us confident when we pray and not reluctant. Don’t wait for your prophecies to come to pass, pray it into being.

Prayer_Bead: Mighty God, I bless your name. Thank you for your sure word. As I pray with them, I thank you for answers. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Prophecies do fail.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Witnesses of His glory

[The Glory Unveiled]

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. [ Exodus 34:29 NIV ]

In the preceding chapter of our focal chapter of the book of Exodus, Moses asked God to show him His glory (Exodus 33:18). That request was almost a difficult one under their covenant since the blood of the eternal Son had not yet being received as the propitiation for sin. But even under that circumstance, God still revealed His glory—His goodness, name, mercy and His face—to Moses. The purpose of Moses’ encounter was so that He would be a witness of the glory; a witness between God and the Israelites. Today, under the grace of a new covenant, we have the same responsibility to witness to the glory and be a reflection of it in our world. In Matthew 17, the Lord Jesus took Peter, James and John to a mountain as Moses was on mount Sinai. There on the mountain, they witnessed the glory of God. And the purpose like in Moses’ case was for them to reflect it to their world. It was so that they could be evidence of the encounter they had. If we want to exude the brilliance of God’s glory and display His power as witnesses, we need to have no personal agenda but depend solely on God’s method. We are in the days of God’s incredible acts. But these acts will find expression only through yielded vessels [individuals]. Moses’ face beamed with the glory of God because He had spoken with God. The radiance [evidence of his encounter] came from His being in the presence of the Lord. When we yield to the tangible presence of God through His word, the world will see the tangible radiance of His presence around us. You see, the world is actually not waiting for a new denomination or church, the world is not after a new prophet or pastor, the world needs a new revelation/demonstration of God. And as witnesses, that is our duty. So, let the world see the glorious Jesus!

Prayer_Bead: Glorious King, we salute your majesty and grace. Thank you for making us witnesses of your glory in our world. Let the world now see your glory through us. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Witnesses of God’s glory testify with their lives.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Substitutes of Jesus


[The Glory Unveiled]

“For God made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God through our union with him.” ‭‭[ 2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬ TPT ]

God is not a joker, He does not dramatize nor use words carelessly. He is a king and His words carry authority and authenticity. And so the substitutionary work of Jesus was not a hoax. It was a deliberate legal action. And because of that, it holds water in every dispensation and generation before and after us. This is why the substitution of Jesus for us is the best thing that had ever happened to the world. Nothing in this world or the world to come can discredit the justice served when Jesus took our place on the cross. To the Justice system of eternity, Jesus who knew no sin, became sin for us and the punishment for our sin, and the chastisement of our peace was upon Him. If Jesus suffered indeed for us, wouldn’t it be unjust if we do not enjoy His righteousness indeed? And if Jesus did not sin to carry our weight upon Himself, then we do not have to do anything [meet the divine standard of God in its totality by our efforts] to have His righteousness, if indeed it was a substitution. By faith in what Jesus suffered for us, we have what we did not work for. The only problem is that, many of us allow religious sentiments and emotionalism to wash down something as certain as God through the drain of unbelief. Such people want to do something tangible to feel that they have been redeemed or saved. While in fact, their salvation is not tied to their works but rather to their absolute faith in Jesus alone which is their union with Him. The word of God is unchanging, it’s from everlasting to everlasting; you can bet your future on it.

Prayer_Bead: My glorious substitute and Saviour, thank you for taking my place and giving me your place. And so, I am righteous because of your righteousness. Glory!

Wisdom_Quote: Your righteousness is Justice being served.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Are you persuaded?

[The Glory Unveiled]

“So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love.” [ Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭38‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

Confidence is always laid on convictions. Without a solid conviction about something we cannot be confident enough to bet our lives on it. For the believer, our convictions are the bedrocks upon which our faith thrives. Our convictions are the reference points of our faith; the reason we are sure of what we believe and will not be persuaded otherwise. Many people are tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and teachings because even though they believe, their beliefs are not hinged on any convictions. When Abraham was asked to sacrifice his only son, the one he loved. He was able to [do it] lift the knife because he was convinced that God could provide. And so, he called God, Jehovah Jireh—the Lord his provider. Convictions define and refine our faith walk. In the great famous hall of faith [Hebrews 11:4-11], all the faith giants mentioned are individuals who through convictions did things that the ordinary person couldn’t possibly dare to do. And they did these things without second guessing their results. Now, we will learn from the verse of the New Testament scripture above that the apostle Paul came to that place of conviction based on His experiential walk with God. And so, it reads, “so now I live…”. He now lives his life from a place of confidence rather than by the whims of coincidence because he is convinced of what God can do. And because of this conviction, even when contradictory situations surround him, he is not moved. We can have the same robust conviction and relationship with God if we tether our actions and faith to the convictions we have in the ability and love of God. What are your persuasions about what you believe?

Prayer_Bead: Almighty God, thank you for your faithfulness. We trust your word and we are persuaded that nothing will separate us from your love.

Wisdom_Quote: Convictions are the fasteners that link faith to patience.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.