Many times in our lives the enemy will use offense to cause us to be separated from the divine helpers that God has ordained to help us on the road of destiny towards our promise land. The enemy will only attack those relationships that are meant to bless us, those relationships without which our climb to destiny will be so much harder or even impossible. Suddenly you find that everything your pastor, spouse, your sister, your friend does makes you feel mad, hurt, rejected. 

There are some seemingly unanswered prayers in our lives not because God has not answered but because we have allowed the devil to separate us from our destiny helpers, we have fought with and rejected our destiny helpers, we have minimized and underestimated our destiny helpers. We must learn to recognize those people that God positioned in our lives to meet a need, fill a gap, provide an answer and honor those people no matter what. Sometimes we are the ones who have been ordained to assist another person but we allowed an offense to take root and we don’t feel like helping and loving that person. When the enemy brings a reason to despise someone who is meant to be a blessing in our lives, or someone we are instructed to assist, let us quickly discern and refuse to fall in that trap.

Acts 24:16 “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.” 

 I pray that all our Kingdom ordained relationships will be restored and that we will eat of the goodness of the land which our helpers are carrying for us. 
Ephesians 4:2 “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;” 

Loving you all on this beautiful Tuesday afternoon💕.

Anita

Are you feeling broken from a betrayal by a friend or family? Maybe you loved that person so much, gave so much of yourself to them, invested your time and energy but in the end they left you hanging. They lied about you, sided with your enemies and like Judas even plotted to harm you. Betrayal in all its forms can be very devastating. It cuts right through the heart leaving you wounded. But betrayal is also a powerful driver that can lead you into a pit or into the arms of a loving Heavenly Father. Betrayal presents us with a choice to forgive or to keep grudges: to nurture hurt or to pass a spiritual test and move on to another level in Christ.
Ever wondered why Jesus still allowed Judas in his inner circle even though He knew Judas would betray Him? You see our enemies and those who betray us have a divine purpose in our lives. No matter how much they think they have you where they can destroy you, Gods plan for you will prevail if you remain in obedience to God. We have a God who is master at working ALL things for our good. (Romans 8:28) Judas’ betrayal led to the greatest display of love that mankind had ever seen. Jesus could have focused on the betrayal but instead He focused on the big picture, He understood that He had to pass the test and die for all sinners, for all betrayers including Judas. 
If you are facing betrayal today, it is normal to feel hurt but do not dwell on the hurt. Do not let the hurt sew seeds of unforgiveness and birth a root of bitterness in your soul. God will use your betrayal to pull you closer to himself, He will use it to teach you lessons that will equip you for your next assignment. As you focus on growing in love and forgiveness, you will pass your test. How you respond to this betrayal will determine your next level. Your promotion is around the conner waiting for your test results.

If God has given you a mighty assignment and you are manifesting His glory in your calling, you must surely have haters. You will have persecution from people. You will have many who don’t understand you and think you are too much, too proud, too confident, too bold, too loud. You will have people who think you must be silenced by any means. Sometimes your haters will be strangers but sometimes they will be posing as friends, family or your Christian brethren. Some just misunderstand your calling while others are being used as agents of the devil.
David was hated
Joseph was hated

Moses was hated 

John the Baptist was hated

Paul was hated

Even Jesus was hated
These people were not just hated but attempts were made to kill them.

If you are called into the office of the Prophet God will give you bold assignments, he will ask you to do uncommon things. This will make you a candidate for gossip and murmuring. If you are not hated, but loved by most, you just may not be legit. If people always like your messages, something may not be right. True prophets are bold in declaring the truth from God, they are not people pleasers.
Luke 11:49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ 
Today I pray for every true prophet called of God who is misunderstood, facing hatred or persecuted. I pray for protection from your haters, I pray for grace to stand for and boldly declare the truth without fear. I pray that you will not take offense at family, friends and brethren who think ill of you because you are different in style of ministry. I pray that your haters will not succeed in derailing you from your assignment. I pray that you will not place acceptance above your call but that even in those lonely moments, you will stay true to your assignment. 
God knows what you are going through and will reward you for your obedience. Do not be discouraged. Do not run from your calling but embrace it with joy. 

My year of “the Lord is enough”. This is what the Lord gave me for 2017. What does this mean?
– With Christ I can do all things Phil 4:13
– With Christ I can pursue and overtake. 1 Sam 30:8 Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.”
-It does not matter who accepts or rejects me because God’s love will be sufficient. Psalms 27:10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.
– It does not matter how many demons from hell stand against me because with God I have a mighty army. Many are those for us than those against us 2 Kings 6:16
– I will not try to keep anyone who is not fully with me because they are not part of my destiny. Matt 12:30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
– I will shake off anything that weighs me down because God will plug that gap in my life. Heb 12:1 let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.
– In my marriage, finances, business, God will meet all my needs and fight all my battles. 1 Sam 1:3 He is my Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of armies!
– God will be my “I AM” meaning whatever I need to fulfill my destiny He will be. God will be my source. Exod 3:14

This word has been an on time word for me. Because there will still be battles to fight in 2017,  I am excited to wear my attitude of “The Lord is enough” into the new year. This word can bless you too, if it speaks to you, please receive it in your spirit and walk with Godly assurance and confidence into this new year. With God you can take on anything that comes your way!

When we face impossible situations in our lives, in our families and in our nation, interesting how almost everyone becomes a Christian and asks God why he is not fixing the situation speedily. Suddenly we recognize that God is Lord above all and we cry out to him for help. My people God has been crying for us to return to him, God wants our families and our nation to return to Him. God has given us a manual – the Bible, to teach us how to live lives that will not open us to so much suffering. God has sent us his servants in the community, everyday people who serve God and preach to us. God has given us true Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists to edify us but we mock them and continually judge and reject them when they bring a message of correction and repentance. We use the excuse of false prophets to reject even the true word and message of God.
Every time God’s people are in trouble, He sends a prophet with a directive and a solution. Problem is, do we recognize the prophet of this season sent for this issue or would we reject our true prophets like Jesus was rejected and crucified? The answer we want from God may not be what the prophet brings to us from God, Jesus was not the type of king or Messiah they expected and yet in Him was the answer to their desperate condition. 
Are we willing to repent in order for change to come? I have said this many times and I say it again, WE MUST REPENT AND OBEY GOD’S COMMANDS in order to be delivered from our woes. A change starts with you and me doing some introspection. Time to stop blaming others or each other or even our leaders and Pastors/prophets. Time to stop treating God as a candy machine that we only come to when we need help. Even candy has a price, have you paid the price God requires of you? Or are you looking for free handouts from God? What sacrifice are you willing to put on the altar? 
Jeremiah 11:11,14

11. Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. 14. Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.

Lately as I examined my own journey from birth to becoming the servant of God I am today, I recognized many rejection points. I realize as I counsel and pray for many in the body of Christ that rejection is responsible for a lot of the issues faced by many today. It is responsible for lack of self worth and that inner ache that tends not to go away .  Our rejection points are numerous. Those times in life when we do not feel loved or accepted by a friend, family, church, neighbor, coworker, and the list continues. We are rejected for various reasons which leave us with feelings of inadequacy or inferiority. Everyone faces rejection in their lives at various times and this tends to leave an ache in our soul, it creates a crack that requires the perfect love of Christ to repair and heal.

Your rejection was not an accident. Rejection is a strongman that attacks our souls as a strategic move from the kingdom of darkness. His goal is to pile up so many instances of rejection from conception, through the womb and throughout our lives so that we will believe the lie that God cannot possibly love us. This spirit will come with his cohorts such as a lying spirit that makes us believe God does not care and our loved ones do not care. He comes with a spirit of death that will try to convince us to commit suicide because the lie of not being loved has set deep roots of self loathing. This spirit brings in so much more: anger, hurt, pain, infirmity, jealousy, isolation, strife and much more than we have time to cover here.

Sometimes we are on the other side of rejection; maybe we behave consciously or unconsciously in ways that leave others feeling rejected. Sometimes our actions towards others may be misinterpreted as rejection but oftentimes, we reject others because we have also been rejected. Rejected people reject others and the cycle continues.

The Bible says in John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Although the enemy is using this strategy to steal, kill and destroy many children of God, we must trust that our Heavenly Father loves us so much and will never reject us. The Psalmist says in Psalm 27:10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. If you are hurting today because you feel rejected, press into the presence of the Lord.  Rather than keep trying to be accepted, loved or validated by those who reject you, run into the safety of the love of Christ. He is the only one who can bring healing to your wounded soul, he can restore you to a place of unconditional love. When everyone else disappoints you, remember that ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16.  Only the love of Christ can set us free from the spirit of rejection.

Jesus understands what it feels like when we are rejected because he was also rejected and despised. Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.  Jesus bore rejection so that we can be adopted into the family of God as sons and daughters. No matter who rejects us, we should rejoice because the love of God in our lives is sure. Heb 4:15 says For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

For more in depth information and help on the topic of rejection, we will be covering this at our December 2016 Deliverance Session. stay posted on our ministry Facebook Page ‘The Children’s Bread’ by Atina Music Foundation.

Sometimes God appoints godly leaders like David to rule his people but sometimes God will also use an evil leader to bring judgment to his people as in the case of Nebuchadnezzar.( 2 Kings 20:17-18)

I am not your typical political enthusiast, I am one of those who barely cares to vote, I will drag myself there totally disengaged. I can hear some of you preaching to me now about how Christians must participate in order to ensure we select a godly leader who will look out for our values and beliefs. I somewhat agree with you but I also somewhat disagree. There are many ways we believers can contribute towards releasing the atmosphere of heaven on earth, one is by voting a godly leader but another is by each of us simply being as Christ like as possible. As a matter of fact, if all of us Christians were serious with our personal walk, I believe we will influence our society more for Jesus. We will be better examples for others to want to serve our Jesus. We will achieve more than one flawed politician voted into power with the hope that they will support Christian values. Also, if every Christian did those things that God has asked them to do to impact their country and community for Christ, be it in ministry or otherwise, the nation will be a very different one.

Am I saying participating in the political process is wrong? Certainly not. Recently I supported my gospel artist friend who is running for political office because she believes that God has given her an assignment. Whether you vote or run for office I believe must be done after seeking the will of God on your participation, not done because of pressure from your pastor or friends who try to sway you in their own political direction. 

My take on the Political season we are in? I see godlessness in both parties in America today. I see godlessness in both candidates. In my understanding of the Bible, murder, lying, homosexuality, abortion, racism, pride and so many more flaws we see in our candidates and parties are things God condemns in the Bible. Whether you claim your gun is your protector or you claim your rights to kill your unborn baby,  whether you lie in order to start a war in Iraq and kill many or you legalize same sex marriage, you have sinned. One sin is not worse than another sin. There is no big or small sin in the eyes of God. Killing an unborn baby is not worse than killing a grown man. As a believer, I see that this season, we have a tough choice, but let us be careful not to vilify a fellow Christian because they chose to vote someone who we disagree with. God can use a God fearing leader just like he can use an evil leader to accomplish his purpose for the times. There is no authority except that which God has established. ( Romans 13:1). God is about to chose a leader in America to establish them for his purpose in this season, let us pray for wisdom to align accordingly.

As Christians, I believe rather than squabble over whether our preferred candidate is the better of two evils, we should seek the Lord to understand the times as the sons of Issachar.(1 Chron 12:32) Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command. God can use either candidate to serve his purpose for America at this time. Let’s consult God for a better understanding of what He is wanting to do with America in this season and vote accordingly! My choice of candidate does not make me a better or worse Christian!

For every fake Louis or Gucci item out in the market, there is a genuine design worth so much more. The fake is always a distortion from the original, a sad replica of something so precious and valuable. The reason why there are fakes is because someone is trying to copy the real deal, someone wants to look like something they are not, someone wants to cheat. Those of us women  who love our real designer purses know that you have to know where to go to find  the originals,  we can tell you the difference between a fake and the genuine article. When we identify a real LV, we are willing to pay generously for it. Because we pay so much for it, we will care for it and it becomes something that stays in the family for long and provides us great satisfaction.

Ladies I know some of us are already at the designer mall in our minds looking for that perfect hand bag but slow down a minute. I am taking you today to a different kind of mall, in the open market square of spiritual leadership, a mall with all kinds of Pastors, Evangelists, Prophets, Apostles and Teachers. This mall was designed to carry only the best but it has been corrupted, copycats have infiltrated the market with cheap alternatives and now we struggle to tell the difference between the real and the fake. Because of this, some buyers have totally given up on buying designer goods for fear that they may be swindled into paying a hefty price for substandard stuff. Yes, some have stepped out in faith giving their all in search of God and ended up being taken for a ride by someone claiming to represent Jehovah!

If you are one of those who sees all men of God as charlatans, gold diggers, abusers, fakes,  know that for there to be fake pastors, there must be real genuine pastors. Do not give up on God! There are some true ministers of God out there that the fakes are trying to pose as. Do not classify all Pentecostal pastors or Catholic priests as fake because a pastor disappointed you in one way or because a priest molested a child you know. What you need to do is learn to discern between the real and the fake.  Here are some pointers:

Make the Bible your guide. You can only do this by getting into the word of God deeply. The Bible will show you the difference. Do not depend on your pastor for the word. If you don’t know your Bible, you are more likely to obey a request from a fake minister trying to take advantage of you.

Your pastor is not your God, do not worship him, do not follow him blindly, do not put him on a false pedestal because he is human. If you expect perfection from your pastor or spiritual leader, you will definitely be disappointed and the devil will use that opportunity to turn you away from God.

Recognize that simply because a servant of God makes an error does not make them fake. Everyone must learn by going through a season of training. Some men of God you may have encountered are still learning and growing in understanding and in their calling. There are things you did in the early years of your profession which you will not do that way today. You may encounter a proud pastor who turns you off but in 5 years time after God has broken them, they will be more humble and welcoming to you. If your pastor has a genuine weakness you identify, intercede in prayer for them.

Our differences in how we serve God does not mean that the pastor or church is fake. In many ways the Bible is prescriptive but in other ways God allows us flexibility in how we serve Him. Again as you study the word for yourself, you will know what Biblical teachings we cannot compromise on. Paul says in Gal 1:8 if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!

Our worship service can be an hour while your pastor preached for 3 hours, that is ok but if your pastor teaches you to sleep with him to get an anointing for marriage, then you know that is against the word of God and this pastor is a fake.

Measure everything against the word of God. Don’t just do things because you pastor said.  Be like the Bereans who verified whether Paul’s teachings were Biblical Acts 17:11  Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 

Get to know God for yourself. In addition to reading the word, let the Holy Spirit be your friend and guide. Test every spirit. 1 John 4:1 do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

When you encounter those genuine men and women of God (yes there are many), honor and support them, uphold them in prayer because they go before God on your behalf and their calling is not easy. Heb 13:17 …for they are keeping watch over your souls. Uphold them morally and emotionally when they fall because they are human with imperfections just like you. Be generous financially in blessing them as they make so many sacrifices for the sake of the kingdom of God. I Timothy 5:18 You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wages. Such will be a tremendous blessing in your life. Never give up on God because of a human being’s actions. Reject the fake pastors being used by the devil to corrupt the body of Christ. Remember that even when a true servant falls, our God is still God and worthy of our praise!

Purpose is calling someone today! Purpose is knocking on your door. You must get up and answer the call!

I am overwhelmed by the love of God in my life and I am so excited to be living the purpose for which I was born. Friends purpose trumps the need to aimlessly follow crowds and those in life who have nothing to do with your purpose. When you find your purpose, you are satisfied and fulfilled, you are grounded and cannot be shaken by contrary winds. Sometimes in life purpose will distance you from distractions that may seem attractive but yet futile. Purpose is strong enough to leave behind the superficial and not look back in regret. Purpose makes sacrifices. Sometimes you will lose friends when you go after your purpose but when all is said and done, purpose always wins. Purpose removes you from the trenches of shallow thinking and positions you in the company of high flyers, destiny helpers and connects you to those who already tred that path.

Purpose does not need human approval. It is divine! Purpose is the road less travelled that leads to a victorious destination. Purpose soars high like an eagle, alone sometimes but high above scavenger birds and aims for higher altitudes.

Stay focused on your purpose and as my girl Dr Nicoline Ambe will say “imagine’ the possibilities when you chase after your purpose. Purpose has vision even when it is surrounded by darkness. Purpose can see the way to the top. Imagine your future and may your purpose keep you on the path that will bring you all you need to be who God called you to be!

God is calling someone to walk on water today. As I sat quietly in the presence of the Lord meditating on His word and His direction for my own life, I felt led to the story of Peter trying to walk on water. I have often felt like the space between my boat and Jesus is too wide. Even as I try to reach out to Him, I easily become distracted by the harsh winds that blow against my boat. If you are like me, Jesus may have asked you to “get into a boat and go on ahead to the other side” Matt 14:22. He is trying to take you to a new place in your life, to a higher destination! He may have given you an assignment and sent you on a journey riddled with road bumps and unexpected turns. The weather may have changed on you and you are buffeted by the waves, you may be experiencing contrary winds, winds that are against you.

I used to think that if Jesus sends us, it will be a smooth ride because we obviously are walking in God’s will. Maybe you are a more mature believer and you already understand that there will be obstacles even when God has given us a word to do something. We may know this but then we expect God to show up in out trials as soon as we call and do something to fix it. If you know me, you may know that I often pull a “Jacob at Peniel’ with the Lord and that He often touches the hollow in my thigh and leaves me even more dependent on him for my future. I have grown to enjoy these moments of ‘palapala’ with my Maker because while I may enter in confusion, frustration, disappointment and offense, I always come out more surrendered with a promise, I come out with an assurance of my future direction and the peace to rest in my process.

If you are wrestling with what God is doing in your life (Gen 32:24) because you are not sure if it is God, you are not alone. You may just be having a Penuel moment and your name is about to be changed. It is your season of transformation! If you are being tossed in the waves of life right now, I want to assure you that no matter how dark the night has been, Jesus always shows up before dawn. Matt 14:25. The challenge for most of us is that after a long night, we have a tendency to mistake Jesus for a ghost. Even when the Lord shows up and asks us to love that friend who betrayed us or to sacrifice for that family member one more time, we think it is the devil trying to take advantage of us. God is calling us to humble ourselves even though we think we are right. He is asking us to forgive that person even though they violated us in a time of weakness and betrayed our trust. God wants us to learn how to truly be vessels of honor in His hands by letting Him fill us with His spirit and use us to bring healing to those very people who abuse us and gossip about us daily. Are we filled with the Holy Ghost or are we filled with thoughts of anger, bitterness, hate, envy, unforgiveness, jealousy and all things evil? A vessel is a container used for carrying things by the owner. What are we carrying and who is our owner? You see, when we are filled with the wrong things, we are not able to recognize Jesus in our storm.

Our wilderness experiences are usually well orchestrated by our loving father who is watching every twist and turn in our lives and using them to grow us into Kingdom champions. He is using every challenge in our lives to purge us of all unrighteousness. He is bringing out all that which is in us that is not of him. Whatever rises in us or comes out of us in the time of trial is what we are carrying, it simply reveals what we are filled with. That boss may not be the real problem but your anger may be the issue God wants to deal with.

Don’t focus on the winds in your life because they will cause you to react the wrong way. Spending your energy fighting your “frenemies”, your boss, that crazy husband or that gossip of a friend will only cause you to sink to a low place of destruction. 2 Cor 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Every wind coming against you is a distraction to take your focus away from Jesus and what He is doing in your life. A vessel is also a craft made to travel on water; you really are made to walk on water and not sink but you just have to keep your eyes on Jesus. Have faith and trust that God’s got this all under control! By the way you have company; we are all in the same boat!