With this being a deliverance ministry, we are used to spiritual warfare, commanding the enemy to take his hands off our stuff. There is a place for spiritual warfare when regular prayers have not yielded the results we expect. But did you know that many things we scream at the devil for are doors that God has shut? As a child of God, He will shut doors in our lives. He will delay some things and deny others because your steps are ordered by the Lord (psalms 37:23) to prepare you for your destiny. God knows best what He has planned for us and exactly what our journey of life must be like in order for us to arrive at our destination. Each one of us will experience different challenges according to where God is taking us. The material pleasures of life are nice to have but those things are not the reason we were created. If we are to fulfill purpose, the road will be one that prepares us for our destiny. Many times we are very earthly minded and seek God in prayer for the comfort of our flesh. And even when we are spiritually minded, we blame the devil for depriving us from things that God has withheld for a good reason. If having that job, that child, that money will lead you away from your destiny, God will shut that door. If having that thing will prevent you from developing the character needed to carry your destiny, God will shut that door. He will shut doors to teach you to travail, to teach you to wait, to teach you to dive deeper in His presence. He will shut doors to teach you that no one else is your God, not your Mama, not your best friend, not your Pastor, not that Prophet, not your spouse but He alone. He is your only source, the only one who can turn that situation around. What doors has God shut in your life? If you mean business with God, if you are serious about living for Him and fulfilling His purpose for your life, you will go through seasons when you are denied many things no matter how much you pray and fast. If you are in this place today, ask God to show you the truth about your situation. Turn your attention from everyone else and look to God alone. In due season, He will open new doors, not just doors that you think are good for you, but those doors that He knows will bless you. He will open those doors that will truly lead you to your destiny.
Monthly Archives: April 2018
They shall cast out devils (A biographical account)
Some years ago, after battling many personal and family challenges, the Lord began to stir my heart in a new direction and rather than read the Bible simply as a story book or as a collection of wise words, I began to truly meditate on what I was reading. Prior to that, even as a Christian, my reading was very superficial and sometimes done out of habit. I was a gospel singer who was starting to gain recognition in the community I lived in and even internationally. Singing for Christ was cool and something bigger than my usual sense of direction had convinced me that I needed to stick to gospel music and not do other genres of music. Years later, it would become clear to me and those around me what God was starting to do in my life.
The Bible shows us that Jesus spent a lot of time casting out devils and healing the sick but I never thought much about what this meant for my own life as a Christian. Many believers will identify with me here. If I was to truly be a follower of Christ, would I be able to do the things Jesus did? Back then, with no spiritual power myself, it occurred to me that if a demon possessed person showed up in front of me, I would probably duck for cover. Something was wrong with this picture, after all Jesus himself said in Mark 16:17-18 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Wow! The very first thing Jesus said believers would be able to do was to cast out Devils and then He went on to list other miracles we would be able to do. So I began to ask myself why I did not see the miracles Jesus did in my own life and in the lives of most of my fellow Christians today. The Lord was starting to get my attention in a deep way but I still could not see how that would be possible in my own life.
Fast forward 10 or so years into the future, after some near death pregnancy experiences, the Lord brings some divine connections my way which started me on the spiritual journey of my life. Like an onion, the spiritual layers of my life began to uncover and deep levels of generational bondage were peeled away one layer at a time. Through out this escapade, I had to learn spiritual warfare for my own survival. I had to learn how to partner with the servants of God who had been divinely assigned to walk with me in a new season of self discovery and lead me into a new dawn were purpose was beckoning me to answer the call of my life. Was the same Jesus who had set free the man of the Gadarenes from legions calling my name? Could it possibly be true that as a believer, one of the signs that would follow me was going to be the grace to cast out devils? As I began to meditate more on Mark 16:17-18, I realized that every believer could cast out devils; I did not have to be a Pastor, I did not need to attend Bible College, I did not need to have special powers, I was not perfect but I was qualified to be used by God to cast out devils because in Jesus’ own words, I had already believed!
Today many spirit filled believers are living in bondage and not experiencing the abundant life that Jesus paid for. On the other hand, many unbelievers appear to be thriving and enjoying the good things of life. Many believers spend countless hours praying and believing God for the manifestation of the many promises in the Bible which never seem to materialize. If you are honest with yourself, you may recognize that there is a disconnect between your own life and the life God promises His children. Poverty, sickness, stagnation and many other demonic setbacks have stood as a mountain between you and your destiny. The church is paying a price for turning its back on the ministry of casting out devils. This is a missing piece in the puzzle of life that must regain its place in the line up of Mark 16:17-18 if the Church is to walk in freedom. For many, just like it was for me, the wake up call will come only after years of bondage causing their backs to be on the ground. At his juncture, spiritual warfare becomes a necessity for survival! When this sign follows you as a believer, not only will you tread on the serpents and scorpions in your own life, but you will be a true reflection of the love and power of Christ to others in a suffering world.
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Truth Heals Me 