KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:44 KJV “And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.”

After Lazarus was raised up from the dead, he came out bound by the grave clothes. He was alive, yet He could not see. He could not talk or even use his hands. He had to hop to move forward. This is the picture of some individuals who come into Christ. The scripture says God has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son. (Col 1:13) This scripture means when we are saved, the power of the evil bondage over our lives, is broken. This is the position of the scripture, yet many at the moment of conversion were either not well enlightened scripturally concerning this truth or had certain things they did not open up to break free from, that still held them bound.

In light of the above, there are a number of people who come into Christ, yet are like the resurrected Lazarus. They are so bound to certain bondages, such that they must be set, free. I am aware of some who are set free the very day they were born again. I remember a chain given to me by an occultic pastor, got vanished from my neck, the very day I got born again. We have met countless people who have found it difficult to live a successful Christian life because they had contaminated themselves with mallams, fetish priests, etc. Some have swallowed cowries, charms, and all kinds of soul ties that had to be broken.

Some of these ones may need proper teaching to get them free. Others may need to be prayed for and set free from whatever ‘grave clothes’ that have been used to tie them down.  Dear reader, what state do you find yourself? Is there a particular evil pattern that keeps relapsing in your life and family? You may be having streams of nightmares that assault your sleep and make life miserable for you. For most of such people, you may need proper instruction in God’s word, and through that, you would learn how to break loose from those bondages. Others must be prayed for. If you find yourself in such a condition, look for a brother or sister, with a good knowledge of the scriptures, and who has been successful in getting others free from such a state. I believe such a one, would be able to know what to do after listening to your case.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you for your great salvation, which has brought lasting peace to many. I pray for those who find themselves in muddy waters and do not know how to walk out. May the truth of your word get home to them, and set them free in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDIES

Joh 8:32 KJV “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

2Co 10:4 KJV (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

KEY SCRIPTURE Joh 11:44 KJV” And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.”

After the Lord asked Lazarus to come forth, the man, who has been dead for four days suddenly came out. The whole scene was a spectacle of miracles.

The first was the resurrection life that took a hold of his dead and decaying body and brought it to life.

The next miracle was the power that lifted the man who was bound from head to toe to his feet. How did he manage to get up? It was the ability of Spirit that got him on his feet.

The next miracle was how he managed to move toward the entrance. Remember that his face had been tied up and therefore could see nothing. All these were done by the mighty intelligent. Holy Ghost

I have taken time to analyse the point-by-point miraculous acts that marked Lazarus’s resurrection. I have done this to show you that, no matter how bad your state may be the power of God is mighty enough and cannot be limited by any condition. Many people do not receive their miracles from God because they are limited by their minds. Miracles are wrought by the almighty Spirit of God. Job 26:13 KJV” By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.” To garnish is to beautify or add up the finishings to a thing. Just consider how detailed creation is, the order of the solar system, consider your own body too, how excellent He designed us.

This must move you to be filled with praise. The psalmist David wrote in Psalms 19:1 KJV ” The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” Take time to reflect on the many works of God and allow your heart to be filled with His praises. As you grow in acknowledging His magnificence, you would lose all of the stress that difficult issues in your life may be causing you. You would be anxious at nothing, and in all things, you would trust God enough to commit the issues to Him and allow His peace to guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen

CONFESSION

God my Father is still in the miracle business. I put my confidence in Him and trust Him to see me through that which my mind has no answers. His power always perfects all things because I trust Him. Glory be to His name.

FURTHER STUDIES

Jer 32:17 KJV “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:”

1Ch 16:8 KJV “Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 11:43 KJV” And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.”

During our Lord Jesus’ ministry, He demonstrated that one could speak to inanimate objects and situations to obey and they did. He spoke to raging storms to be at peace, He spoke to withered hands to be whole and they became well. He cursed to a fig tree, Mark 11:14 KJV” And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.” The Bible said the tree died from its roots. He then said to His disciples, “Whosoever, shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed and enter the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that, those things he says, shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he says.” Mk 11 :23.

Lazarus, was dead for four days, and could be described as an inanimate object yet the Lord knew that life is spiritual. The spiritual has power over the natural. In the case of Lazarus, the Lord called his spirit from the spirit realm. Please note that Lazarus had been dead for four days. Every organ was totally dead, and had started decaying. Calling Lazarus to come forth meant, his spirit, was to enter him, and regenerate all that was dead.

Where did the life which was to stir up his spirit to come into his body and regenerate him, come from? This life was in His words. The scripture says God has ordained power in your mouth. Ps 8:2.

Use your mouth against whatever comes against you. Do not think others are powerful, and you are not. Jesus is the same unto all. Rom 10:12.

What makes certain Christians less powerful than others? A man who has not learnt to keep his promises cannot have that resolute confidence in the words that proceed from his mouth. The one who gives his word to do a thing, but does the opposite, easily doubt himself. This is why many cannot see great things proceeding from what they say.

The other reason why some do not find their words making great impact, is that, they do not speak with a consciousness of the Lord’s presence, who has heard whatever they said, and would act accordingly.

Those who say idle words would not have power in what they say. Idle words are words that do not inspire, instruct, encourage or bless in any way. Matt 12:36. Be serious about every word that comes out of your mouth.

CONFESSION

God my father has ordained strength in my mouth. I against every contrary to, condition, or problem, and I see the expected results. I do not give idle words, but I am very conscious about every word that proceed out of my  mouth.

FURTHER STUDIES

Psalms 8:2 KJV “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.”

Matt 12:36 KJV “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:42 KJV “And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.”

The Lord Jesus prayed unto the Father, by saying, “I know that you always hear me, but because of these ones, I said it that they would believe.” This statement implies, if it had not been for these people He would have spoken straight to the dead man, to rise from the dead and indeed, he would have risen. Jesus knew the Father was with Him always. He knew He had been given authority over all flesh. John 17:2 KJV” As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.”

Jesus knew what the Father had told Him, and He lived according to what the Father said to him. On a number of occasions, He healed multitudes without saying a prayer to the Father. He knew the Father was always with Him.

He had taken the Father at His word. The scriptures are full of countless promises. Every promise has God’s full barking. He said in Jeremiah 1: 12 that “Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.” This word hasten is also translated ‘to watch over His word to bring it to pass’. Today we have countless promises of God in His word to us. Like our master Jesus, we must believe them and act on them. We would see the same results and make the same impact as the Lord did.

Remember also what the scriptures said in Hebrews 13:8.He said Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This statement was a follow up to what He said in the preceding verse, Heb 13:7 KJV” Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation”. Here we are being advised to stay faithful to God’s word because we have the example and the results of the faith of many who preached God’s word to us .Since Jesus was faithful to them He would be also faithful to us for He is ever the same, and does not change. Glory be to God.

CONFESSION

Glory be to God, for His faithfulness, unto all generations. I fully trust my life on the unfailing word of God. My heart is always at rest as I depend on the word of God. God has always honoured His word in my life. Thank you, Jesus.

FURTHER STUDIES

Psa 119:89, 90 KJV LAMED.” For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.”

Heb 10:23 KJV ” Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) “

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.”