KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:41 KJV” Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.”

The Bible is an amazing book. The book of Genesis 1:16 talks about God creating two kinds of light. The greater light ruled the day, whiles the lesser light ruled the night.  Light stands for insight or understanding. These two kinds of light could be explained as a more accurate insight and a lesser accurate one of the scriptures. In God’s dealings with us, there are certain actions that the Lord considers as perfect actions, and there are those He permits because of man’s ignorance about God’s perfect way. Unfortunately, most people have not learned or failed to apply the perfect ways of God, concerning varying issues.

In the prayer of our Lord, He said, thank you, Father, that you have heard me. Another person would have said ‘Father hears my prayers’. These two forms of prayer are not the same. The second form of prayer shows that one has a lesser understanding of the ways of God. God has revealed in His word that, His ears are opened to the prayers of the upright. A third person, who prays by saying,’ God, do not turn a deaf ear to my prayer, is praying a worse form of prayer. He or she is accusing God. He is also praying in unbelief. Such a prayer may only be answered through God’s mercy. The scriptures have revealed that by His stripes you were healed (1st Pet 2:24). It is the one with a lesser insight of the scriptures who prays by asking God to heal him. Another man with a greater insight would say, thank you, Father, that by the stripes of Jesus, I am healed. I command you Spirit of infirmity to leave my life. It is also a greater light to say, I am the healed of the Lord, and you spirit of infirmity cannot attach yourself to me.

The way you pray matters a lot. It shows whether you know the God you are praying to or His word. Some speak in ways that are unscriptural and rather give the enemy an advantage over them. If one prays this way, ‘you devil who has kept me down all these years, lose your hold over me’. According to the scriptures, our lives is hidden in Christ, in God (Col 3:3,4). Our state is according to the position of Jesus. No devil can keep Christ down and so, they have not succeeded in putting us down, until, you accept you are down. (Eph 6:14) That means we are never down. If you accept that, that spirit has kept you down, then you have agreed that you have been put down, whiles the word says, you are standing, and so, you must keep standing. You rather say,’ you devil that has tried to put me down, I refuse to go down, and ,in Jesus name leave my life’. The right use and understanding of the scriptures makes you honour the word, that says, submit to God, that is, agree with what God has said, resist the devil, and he would flee from you. Study God’s word very well so you would know how to appropriately relate to God and also deal with the devil.

CONFESSION

Father, I thank you for the truth of your word. I pray always in line with the scriptures. I pray appropriately according to revealed truth of God’s word. I have a consistent stream of answers to my requests I make. May His name be glorified.

FURTHER STUDIES

2Pet 1:5 KJV” And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;”

Joh 15:7 KJV” If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:40 KJV “Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?”

The Lord told Thomas one of His disciples, Joh 20:29 KJV “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”   It is a misunderstanding of how these things work, and that is why many want to see before they believe. To see a thing is on the physical plane, and does nothing about the Spirit. God is a spirit, and He functions from the Spirit. To believe is a spiritual act. Believing is the spiritual means of taking hold of a thing in the Spirit. Without believing you do not have whatever you wish to have. God gives it and man receives it. The way to have it in the Spirit, that makes it physically real is to believe. John 3:36 KJV “He that believeth on the Son hath? everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

The Lord told Martha who was considering the physical condition of the dead man, that if she believes she would see the glory of God. A condition may appear very impossible to man’s mind. It may even defile all human efforts or scientific solutions. It is only strong and supposedly impossible because man’s mind can’t find a way out of it. In the hands of God, it is very insignificant. Consider how complex and vast creation is. Such vast and complex work is kept in place by the word of His power. Heb 1:3. What condition in our life, or we may experience that is beyond the ability of this mighty God?

Dear one how big is your God? The difficulty is how to leave that realm of physical impossibilities into acknowledging God for who He is. Isaiah 8:13 KJV “Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.”

To sanctify means to set Him apart above all things and every dread. Fear Him alone. Stop giving attention to all that the world says about various situations. The media specialises in magnifying the works of Satan. They never say anything about what God does. Don’t give your attention to them. Give your attention to the word of God.

CONFESSION

Thank you, heavenly Father. I magnify you above every mountain, problem, sickness, or condition. You are extremely mighty, loving, and glorious. You are exalted always. Mighty are your handiworks. In you, I have no problem. They all bow to your glorious presence. Thank you, Lord Jesus.

FURTHER STUDIES

Eze 38:23 KJV “Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.”

John 20:29 KJV “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:39 KJV “Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days”.

The scripture has said God’s way is higher, and His thoughts are also higher than man’s. Every follower of the Lord must strive to put away natural reasoning and align himself with what God says. God can only work for us when we accept what He says. In our key scripture, the Lord asked that the stone placed at the mouth of the tomb be removed. Martha said her brother has been there four days and would be stinking. My question is, is the Lord not aware that after four days he should be rotten, and therefore stinking? Impossibilities lie in man’s world. There is no impossibility with God.

The scriptures show us the proper posture, to always adopt to overcome the atrocities of Satan in the lives of the people of God. Jas 4:7 KJV” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” This is God’s eternal instruction to overcome every problem, no matter how detonated it may be. It says ,

1. Submit to God.

2. Resist the devil

3. The devil will leave you

Submitting to God means knowing what God has said, concerning that situation. and believing it, fully. For example, if the instruction of scripture says Jesus has carried away your sicknesses.  Then irrespective of how you feel, thank Him for taking away that sickness, and from that moment, you no longer carry or have the disease.

The next instruction is to resist the devil. Tell Satan, the perpetrator of that evil condition to leave you, and that he has no place in you. After such resistance, maintain your stance. Be very authoritative in resisting the devil. Never use the word, Satan you MAY leave me. That statement gives Satan, or the devil a choice to either leave or stay.

The Lord says the evil one flees whenever this principle is carried out faithfully. Stand your ground in acknowledgment of what God has said, claiming that, Satan or the devil has left you. No matter how much Satan tries to make you feel he is there, insist that according to God he can’t be in your life any longer. This power no matter how stubborn he may be will surely leave you.

The problem of most children of God is that; so long as they feel negative symptoms, then the problem is there. This is the trap of the enemy. According to the scripture, by obeying the principle of James 4: 7, your condition is over. Do not give up.

CONFESSION

In the name of the Lord Jesus, I submit to God and His word; I rebuke every evil condition, whether sickness or demonic activity of any kind to leave my life and never manifest any longer. I thank God that from this moment, I am totally free. Thank you, Jesus, for your liberation.

FURTHER STUDIES

Mar 11:23 KJV “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

Joh 14:13 KJV: And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:34 KJV “And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.”
There are always steps that one has to take to work out miracles. Miracles are a collaboration between God and man. God has His part and man has got his role to play, for a miracle 5o result.
In 1st Corinth 12 when the scriptures were talking about the gifts of the Spirit, the bible referred to miracles, as the gift of working of miracles. There is work that one does to generate a miracle. These are called steps of faith. This is an action based on trust in God. You cannot experience any miracle without taking actions that provoke God to respond likewise.
Jesus had come to resurrect a man dead for four days. This man has begun to rot. In faith, he asked for where he was laid. If he had no assurance of getting him back to life, he would not ask of where he was placed. Do not sit down doing anything, expecting God to work a miracle for you. In verse 39, he approached the tomb and asked that the stone placed at the entrance to the tomb be removed. This step proved clearly that He was not doing guesswork, but a planned and well-motivated act of faith.
What is that condition that you need a miracle? Ask yourself, what acts of faith must I take to arrive at my miracle? If you have prayed for rain, then get an umbrella and, start going. If you were sick and have been prayed for, then you may have to rise up from the bed, dress up, and get going. In some cases, you would have to put aside the medicines and live without them. Please note, it is not the actions that show you believe, but you must first believe God’s word in your heart, and then, follow them up with those acts of faith. If you do not sincerely believe in your heart, taking these steps would be actions in futility. God will quickly respond to every step of faith.
CONFESSION
Thank you, dear heavenly Father for your great love for me. Thank you, also that you are not a respecter of persons. Whosoever acts on your word will receive the same results. The same God over all , is rich unto all that call upon Him.

FURTHER STUDIES
Jas 2:26 KJV “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
Rom 10:12 KJV “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 11:29 KJV “As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.”

Our key scripture tells us about Jesus’ reaction to Mary and the Jews who accompanied her, to console her. Why did Jesus groan? Groaning in the first place can mean inner sorrow, an expression of sadness, and can also be described as an expression of the dislike of something or a desire for a change in a condition. Some have said, Jesus groaned, because He was moved by the ravages of sin, that brought death, destruction, and deprivation to man. Another also said He groaned because He was praying within Himself. Now let’s consider the background of these events. The Lord was informed about the ailment of Lazarus and was invited to heal him. He deliberately by the influence of the Spirit delayed, so Lazarus would die, and then raise him, from death. This He said would bring glory to the Father through the Son. If He deliberately delayed, so He could raise Him from the dead, why would He groan, because the man was dead? This explanation cannot answer the puzzle.

When the Lord met Martha earlier, the moment Martha said, she ‘ knows God would answer every request Jesus makes to the Father,’ the Lord quickly answered her, by saying, your brother would rise again. (Martha made a statement of faith, which attracted, corresponding results from Jesus.) This time Mary complained about Jesus’ delay and then started weeping.

 I believe the Lord’s groaning was a sign of His dislike for their unbelief.

 The Lord Jesus throughout His ministry gave great regard to an atmosphere of faith. He quickly rebuked actions and attitudes of unbelief. I believe Mary was one of the people who had heard the Lord teach in a number of places, and so should have expressed more confidence in the master. She rather complained that Jesus came too late, and that was why her brother had died. Never complain about God’s works, but express confidence in Him.

Dear child of God, unbelief grieves the Holy Spirit. Our Lord Jesus expects faith from His children all the time. God is permitted to take action when true faith is set into motion.

What does acting in faith mean?

1. It means one believes in the existence of God Heb 11:6

2. Faith in God means you believe God is just, or truthful and would do as He has said  Rom 1:17

3. Faith in God also means you are trusting in nothing else, but have cast your very life and dependence on Him. This is what places a man in the secret place of the most high. PS 91:1

4. Last, but not least, faith in God gives Him an avenue   to act on the human plain, bringing, glory to His name John 2;11

CONFESSION

Thank you, heavenly Father, for your word that builds faith in us. My faith in you keeps me in your secret place. I am therefore secured from all dangers.

FURTHER STUDIES

Joh 2:11 KJV” This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.”

Heb 11:6 KJV” But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:30 KJV” Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.”

Faith is always at rest Heb 4:3 KJV “For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” Faith is never in haste. The Lord had come to raise Lazarus, who was already four days in the grave. Martha met Him, yet, he had all the time to calmly discuss with her. Lazarus was getting rotten but that was not a problem for him. True Faith will not consider what the natural limitations may be revealing. It rests in the reliability of God.

What was Jesus’ secret of staying very calm and never got agitated in spirit because of the rotten condition? His secret was His devotion to the Father and a knowledge of what the Father has instructed Him. John 5:30 KJV “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me”. Jesus had grown in the operation of the Spirit. He knew what was going to happen, as well as what to do. It was not guesswork, nor a trial-and-error business.

Confidence in God is developed through consistent acting on the word of God. Acting on the word is a vital part of mind renewal. Rom 12:2 KJV” And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” As a result of renewing the mind, one does not act as a normal human In the face of clear impossibility. He was very relaxed. Every child of God must endeavour to always act in obedience to the word of God. This will instill in you the confidence to stay put to what the word says.

CONFESSION

God’s word is the tool that transforms us to what He wants us to be. I feed my heart with the word and I act always in line with it. I am therefore always in the position to naturally do what the word expects of me. I overcome difficult challenges and win always.

THOUGHT: DOING THE WORD TRANSFORMS OUR HUMAN WEAKNESS

FURTHER STUDIES

Eze 2:2 KJV “And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.”

Jas 1:25 KJV “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:24 KJV” Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

The scriptures have always revealed that God desires the best for men. Unfortunately, man seems to settle for something different. After the fall of man in the garden of Eden, men have unconsciously expected the worse. When Jesus taught His disciples, the model prayer. He said in one of the lines, ‘thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven’. There are perfect peace, comfort, and supernatural provisions in heaven, yet what do men experience on this earth? This is so because man has refused to agree with God.  Most men have lost the true consciousness of God, and so are left to struggle out everything by their natural understanding. They live by their natural brut effort. This is the limitation of man.

In our key scripture; the Lord Jesus talked about Lazarus being raised to life again. Martha was talking about Lazarus rising up at the final resurrection of all humanity. Why the disparity of views? Martha was thinking from her natural understanding, and could not look beyond. She could not imagine that her dead brother could be brought back to life at that moment. Men are limited by their physical domain. Man’s reasoning faculties and his sensory organs remain his world of reality and potential. He remains on a different wavelength from God, most of the time.

The scriptures have been given to us so man could assume another culture of thinking and doing things. The scriptures must be allowed to renovate our mental state, in order to flow with God. He says in Isaiah 55, the following statements. The unrighteous man should forsake his thoughts, and the wicked man., his ways. He says further, Isa 55:8 KJV” For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” The Lord says He functions by His word MEN must align with God’s word  so we can have what He has for men

CONFESSION

I thank you Father for your word, which is given to us, to lift men from their limitations into God’s potential. I fully submit to your word and function by it. I experience the abundance of God’s provisions. I have God’s peace and power to reign in this life.

FURTHER STUDIES

Rom 12:2 KJV “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Isa 55:9, 11 KJV “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

KEY SCRIPTURE Joh 11:23 KJV” Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again”.

The scriptures have shown that God always responds to our faith in Him. Just after Martha said, I know that God will do whatever you ask Him; the Lord promptly answered her, and said, your brother will live again. Heb 11:2 says ” through faith, the elders obtained a good report. It also adds that without faith, it is impossible to please God. Faith in God honours Him the most. Faith in God places one on God’s level and makes his or her actions as God himself.

Why is functioning in faith so important to relate with God? God is a Spirit, and faith in Him makes the individual also function in that capacity. Your faith is the spiritual hand to receive from the Lord. Our nose is our physical ability to smell. The mouth of a man cannot smell anything. You would always need the nose to do the smelling. The nose cannot also taste anything. The spiritual is a very real world. The spiritual is absent in the eyes, nose, ears, skin, and tongue. These parts are the body’s sensory organs, to contact the physical world. How does a man contact the spiritual realm? He does it by his faith.

Faith functions from the heart. The heart of man is where his spirit is. Rom 10:10 KJV “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.” We believe with the heart. We do not believe with our minds, sight, or any of the senses. Just as you cannot see with your ears, so can’t a man believe with physical senses, but with our heart? This is the reason faith may not sound reasonable, yet always brings results.

CONFESSION

Thank you, father, for your word that builds faith in me. By my faith in you, all things are possible with me. My faith takes me I am free from the world of stress and anxiety. My faith put me in charge of every situation.

THOUGHT: KEEP YOUR FAITH ACTIVE, TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER

FURTHER STUDIES

Mat 8:8 KJV “The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”

Mar 5:36 KJV “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:22 KJV” But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee”.

After Martha failed to express the right reception of the Lord, she quickly switched over to declare a very positive statement of faith. Our words show our persuasions. She said I know that God will do whatever you ask him. She expressed her knowledge of the Lord. The Bible said Mary and Martha have been friends of the master. They had known His doctrine, His acts, and works. These ladies have heard the master, teach in their homes, and go out with Him on some of His preaching trips, as one of His disciples. Her reaction was a cumulative result of all these contacts with the master. In effect, she had built a solid foundation of contacts with the master.

How much do you know the master? How much time have you committed to searching and studying about Him? Have you acted on His word to know His acts and works? Your ability to stand and make positive faith in Jesus does not come by chance. It comes as a result of continuous, consistent dedication to Christ and His ways. Give attention to the word of God. Fill your heart with the word of God. Be like Mary and Martha who spent quality time with the master.

Some avenues to receive His word

1. The gathering of the saints in church or other fellowship times

2. Personal reading or studying of the bible

3. Listening to audio messages

4. Times of prayer and fasting. Jude 1:20

5. Daily confessions of the word

6. Acting on the word of God

If you would diligently do these things, your heart will always be ready to conquer whatever may come your way.

CONFESSION

Thank you, father, for your word. A visit with your word is a visit with you. My faith is strengthened as I give attention to study your word and practice what it teaches. I am lifted above every challenge or opposition that comes my way

FURTHER STUDIES

Prov 4:20 KJV My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

1Ti 4:15 KJV” Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:21 KJV “Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”

Martha ‘s statement at seeing Jesus was not to glorify, praise or thank Him. She rather complained to Him. She showed her complaint by saying, if you have been here my brother will not have died. This is what makes men lose touch with God. The instruction of scripture is to give thanks to the Lord in all situations .1 Thess5:18. Martha’s first word to the Lord should have been, thank you Jesus for coming. Dear one, never lose sight of the greatness of the Lord over any situation as well as, His goodness to us, no matter how bad or grave a condition may be. Give Him thanks in all situations

Men may get overwhelmed with their problems such that, they become so obsessed with it, and do not see any way out. Problems and difficulties are real, yet they are nothing before our mighty God. Solutions never come because, we are worried or afraid of the danger of a condition. Solutions always come from God. God brings solutions when we believe Him. God has said all things are possible to them that believe. Please consider what the Lord said, in Mark 9:23. He said “all things are possible to those who believe”. You become the solution to your problem, when you believe. Now who holds the key to your difficulty? It is you, so refuse to be overtaken by the seriousness of the problem and focus on God through your faith.

What is the way out? Take time to fill your heart with the greatness and power of Jesus. Isa 8:13 KJV” Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” To sanctify means to set apart. It means set the Lord apart by making Him far greater and mightier than anything. In actual fact, make Him who he is. This you can do by meditating on His great works in scripture.

CONFESSION

I sanctify the Lord God in my heart. I crown Him as Lord inspite of what I face. With faith in Him I overcome every difficulty. Glory be to God for always making me victorious in all situations.

FURTHER STUDIES

Heb 11:2 KJV” For by it (faith) the elders obtained a good report”.

Heb 11:6 KJV” But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”.