Obtain a good report.

Hebrews 11:1‭-‬2
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.

By faith, the elders obtained a good report. Chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews talks about the heroes of faith who heard Gods word, believed it, acted on it and obtained a good report.

Anyone who dares to believe Gods word and dares to do what the word says will obtain a good report. Peter obtained a good report by walking on water when He heard Jesus and stepped out of the boat. Noah obtained a good report when he prepared the ark according to Gods word and saved his entire family. You too can have a stream of good reports. However, the starting point is Gods word. The foundation of having a good report is the word of God. What is God telling you through his Word, through his Spirit and through his ministers? And if God has already spoken to you, why don't you step out and do what He says. Unless you do what He says, you cannot obtain a good report.

Gods word makes no sense to the natural mind because the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit. It sounds foolish to the carnal mind because the carnal mind is enmity against God. Step out and obtain a good testimony. You have the faith. You have the courage. You have everything it takes to do what God says. You are not unworthy. You are redeemed, anointed and blessed by the blood of Jesus. You are a child of the Most High God. Jesus is your Lord. Step out. Your good report is on its way ! Hallelujah.

He will make a way.

Psalms 136:13‭-‬14
To Him who divided the Red Sea in two, For His mercy endures forever; And made Israel pass through the midst of it, For His mercy endures forever;

Israel was trapped between the Egyptian armies on one side and the Red sea on the other. Naturally speaking, there was no way of escape. Egyptians would kill them or the Red sea would drown them. They had to make a decision. They chose God.

God made a way where there seemed to be no way. The Israelites called on God and God divided the Red sea and a prepared a high way for them to pass through. I want you to settle this in your thinking, Nothing is impossible for God. Man may say there is no way but not God because God always has a way. We may not know the solution, but God has a million ways of fixing things. He is God Almighty. Just because we can't see a way or think of a way out doesn't mean there is no way. Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life.

Friend, like the Israelites you may be in a tough and a difficult situation with absolutely no way of escape. Remember, your way of escape is God. Call on him and He will answer. He will deliver you and turn you situation around, just because He loves you. Don't be intimidated by the Egyptians or be threatened by the Red sea. Don't give them much thought and attention, for they will steal your peace and your joy. Look up and raise your praise because the same God who divided the Red sea is your God and He will make a way where there seems to be no way. Remember God always has a way. Always. He is our way of escape. Jesus is Lord.

Shining ever brightly.

Proverbs 4.18
But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

There is a path of the just. This path has been designed by God and anyone who walks in the path of the just shines like the sun, brighter and brighter till the full light of the day.

The path of the just is the path of the word. The word of God is the path for shining ever brightly. None who follow Gods word will ever be dull or walk in darkness. Word people are light people shining ever so brightly. Word people move from glory to glory, from light to light, from testimony to testimony and from blessing to blessing. When you make a quality decision to honour the word by paying close attention to it and doing what it says, you have positioned yourself to walk in the path of the just which keeps shining more and more till the full light of the day. Light attracts. Your glorious life will start attracting many people to follow your example and you can lead them to Jesus, the Father of lights.

Our loving Father has a ordained a glorious path for us. In his great mercy, He wants each one of us to shine ever brightly and draw people to Jesus. Friend, the word is that path. Devour the word. Be full of the word. Let the word frame your thinking, your speech and your behaviour. Go all out on the word. Don't allow anyone or anything to distract you from the word. Shine ever brightly!

You can do all things!

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

The word 'Christ' is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word 'Messiah'. It means 'The anointed one and his anointing'. The day you recieved Jesus as your Lord, you received his anointing in your spirit.

Anointing simply means the power of God. In Christ, you are anointed and therefore you have the resurrection power of God in you. The same power with which God raised Jesus from the dead is in you right now. You are extremely powerful in Christ. Paul knew he could do all things because the anointing in him strengthened him, enabled him, empowered him to get things done. Its the same for you because just like Paul you are a believer and God is no respecter of persons. Paul completely relied and depended on the anointing in him to get things done. He didn't depend on his own strength or ability but solely and wholly on the anointing of God in him. Thats the key. He acknowledged the resurrection power of God in him and knew how to release the anointing from his spirit into the areas of his life.

Faith taps into the anointing in your spirit. Faith is the connector to the anointing. Believe and confess that you are anointed. I am anointed in Christ. The anointing to walk in divine health is in you. The anointing to resist sin, sickness and poverty is in you. The anointing to endure the trials of faith is in you. The anointing to speak the word of God in spite of severe opposition is in you. The anointing to do what the word says even when it makes no sense, is in you. The anointing to live a financially prosperous life is in you. The anointing of protection and the anointing of peace is in you. Friend,  you are so powerful in Christ. Believe, Speak, Act. Do not give up. Release the anointing !! You can do all things !! Jesus is Lord.

What does God say ?

Proverbs 3:6
Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

What does God say? This needs to be the first question we ask in everything we do. His will is the most important thing for a believer.

Whether it's marriage or buying a house or concerning the next educational course, we need to know His will. Whatever decision it is, you need to know what God has to say. His will is the safest place to be. The most dangerous place is to be outside of Gods will. His will guarantees his provision, his direction, his peace and his protection. This verse says seek His will in all you do and He will show you the right path. Whenever you are to make a decision, big or small, take your Bible, your notebook and invest some time with God, seeking His will concerning the decisions you are supposed to make. God is not hiding himself from you. He wants to be involved in every area and aspect of your life. He enjoys showing you the right path so you can succeed. His greatest joy is to see his children bear much fruit. God is good and his mercy endures forever.

Friend, seek his will. Take some time and be alone with God. Tell him, I need to know what you have to say concerning this and concerning that, my house and my children and so on and so forth. The Holy Spirit will begin to reveal Gods will to you through the word and you will never be the same. Seek his will before you make any decision and you will be glad you did. Praise God. Jesus is Lord.

Without me, you can do nothing!

John 15:5
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Today, I want to focus on the last part of this verse which says Without me, you can do nothing. No matter where you are and what you are doing, acknowledge, without Jesus you can do nothing.

The Bible says the Lord was with Joseph and He was a prosperous man because the Lord caused everything he did to prosper. It's very important we learn how to work with the Lord. Every champion that you read about in the word knew and understood how to work with God. Paul had a very successful ministry. He worked with God and the Bible says he ministered the word in Ephesus and God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul so much so that their partnership impacted entire Asia. Think about it. Glory to God. Anyone who learns to walk and work with God will have an eternal impact whether he or she is a mechanic, a teacher or some government employee. It will work for anyone, anywhere and anytime for God is no respecter of persons. Glory to God. Without God, it's a total waste of your time, energy and money. Stop! Invite God into your house, your job, your business or whatever it is that you are doing. I assure you, you will not be disappointed.

Friend, make the Holy Spirit your senior partner. Learn to walk with Him. Learn to work with Him. Study the scriptures and find out how the heroes of old did it. Jesus said I always please my Father, my senior partner. His ministry is still impacting people today. Without Jesus, you can do nothing.

Be confident about yourself.

John 6:48
I am the bread of life.

Jesus knew who he was and believed it completely. It was evident in the way he spoke and lived. He had no doubt about himself, he had a self image and knew his worth.

He didn't copy or imitate other people. He knew who he was and lived accordingly. We are living in a generation where people have no self image, a generation where folks are not confident about themselves hence they always try to imitate others. They dress like other people, they talk like other people, they walk like other people and want to be like others. Be yourself. Be who God created you to be. There are many duplicates in this world. Be an original. Jesus said I am the bread of life. What confidence! What self worth! What self image!

Jesus believed every thing the Scripture said about him. He took it as the truth and made it his identity and lived by it. Friend, discover yourself in the word of the living God and make it your identity and live by it. You are the light of the world. You are a new creation in Christ. You are the righteousness of God in Christ. You are a child of the Most High God. The word of God is your image and your worth. You are an original. Be confident about yourself.

Become untouchables!

Isaiah 54:17
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord , And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.

Weapons are formed against you this very moment. Plans, schemes and strategies are being designed and employed against you for your destruction. Satan is totally committed to your destruction and is working tirelessly to bring it to fruition.

The Bible says although weapons are formed against you, not one shall prosper. Not a single one shall prosper. Hallelujah. There is a place in God that makes you untouchable to Satan and his attacks. It's the place of love. God is love and he who walks in love, lives in God and God lives in him. Love is the safest, the healthiest and the wealthiest place to be. Satan cannot touch love. He has no weapon that can succeed against love. You have the love of God in you. You can walk in love because God has given you the ability to do so. As you acknowledge Gods love for you and in you and make a decision to walk in Gods love towards others and yourself, you will enter a safe zone.

Friend, don't waste your time being mad and angry at other people because you see, its very expensive and it opens the door to Satan's attack. Instead love people and forgive them just as Jesus loved and forgave you even when you didn't deserve it all. Jesus walked in love and He said Satan has nothing in me. Love never fails. Become untouchable!

Take time to listen.

Proverbs 1:33
But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

Our God is a living God. He speaks and He listens. He has something to say about every area of your life. He dwells in every believer through the Holy Spirit. Matthew says Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Since Jesus is alive, expect to hear from him. In this busy world, many times we don't take the time to listen to what He is saying. We are consumed with what others are saying or what the news, government, doctor or some situation or challenge is saying. God is speaking all the time. Listening to what He is saying must be the priority of every believer. If you take the time to be spiritually sensitive and listen to him, the verse says you will dwell safely and will be secure without fear of evil. Jesus said my sheep hear my voice. There was no doubt or uncertainty in his statement. He was very clear and certain about what He said. My sheep hear my voice. Praise God. Expect.

Friend, the world is filled with many voices. But the only voice that will impact your life is the voice you choose to hear. Jesus said consider carefully what and how you hear. I encourage you to listen to Gods voice and let his voice transform your life and secure it for ever. Spend time in the word and in prayer every day. Do not miss your word based church. Keep Jesus in the centre of whatever you do and you will never be the same. Jesus is Lord.

Serve your generation.

Acts 13.36
“For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption

Of all the generations since the beginning of time, God released you in this generation because this is your time, this is your season and this is your generation.

We are born in this generation to serve this generation. God has given us specific callings and gifts to serve our generation. Every human on earth has something unique that others need. No one is insignificant and useless. Each one is valuable and has something to offer. This verse says David served his generation. When Jesus came in the flesh, He said I did not to come to be served but to serve and give my life as a ransom for many. What does serving your generation mean?  Serving your generation simply means doing what God has called you to do and using the gifts he has given you to bless people.

Jesus said the one who serves is the greatest among you. He was talking about the ones who do what God has called them to do. David fulfilled Gods plan and served his generation. Friend, fulfill Gods plan for your life and serve your generation. We need you, your calling, your gifts and your service. You are important. I declare, you will serve your generation with passion and joy and be a blessing to many In Jesus name, Amen.

Be bold and talk about God.

Genesis 39:2‭-‬3
The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord  was with him and that the Lord  made all he did to prosper in his hand.

When I read these verses this morning, I heard God say to me, 'How did the Egyptian know about the Lord?' That's amazing to me.

You see, no matter where Joseph was, He always spoke about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He was so vocal about it that Potiphar knew that it was the presence of the Lord that made this young man successful. Pharaoh had a dream and no one in his kingdom could interpret the dream but when Joseph came to help Pharaoh, He said It's not in me but God is the one who will interpret it for you. No matter the place and no matter whom he's talking to, Joseph always acknowledged God. He boasted and bragged on God everywhere He went and it was evident in everything He did.

Friend, don't be ashamed to talk about Jesus. Be bold and let your world know, Jesus is the reason you are healed, saved, delivered and blessed. Paul said I am not ashamed to talk about Jesus even if I have to lose my life for it. Jeremiah says let the one who boasts, boast that he understands and knows the Lord. Hallelujah to Jesus. Jesus is Lord.

Tithe : An integral part of your life.

Genesis 2: 16-17
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

God specifically told Adam what he is supposed to eat and what he is not supposed to eat. God commanded Adam not to eat the fruit of one tree but gave him the right to eat from any other tree. Why would God do this? What difference does a single tree make?

Tithe is 10% of your income and it belongs to God. This is established and ordained by God since the garden of Eden. The reason God told them not to eat from one tree is not because God was hungry but because He wanted Adam to acknowledge that God is His Source and everything he has today is because of the grace and love of God and everything that he will ever need in the future will be taken care of by God himself. Hallelujah. Guess, what was Satan after ? After that one tree. God and Satan are not after money. But they are after your trust. God commanded Adam not to declare independence but to acknowledge God as the Source and depend on Him for every single thing by refusing to eat the fruit of that tree. Don't eat your tithe for it is holy and it belongs to Jesus, our high priest. Tithe acknowledges God as the Source and Sustainer of your life. It affects not just your finances but every area of your life. Jesus said give to God what is Gods and to Caesar what is Caesar's.

Tithe releases the blessing thats on your life and the released blessing makes you rich without any sorrow. Always give God your first and your best. Friend, why don't you acknowledge that you are not independent but totally dependent on the Father by giving your tithe faithfully and joyfully. Tithe is an integral part of your life and it affects every area of your life. As you faithfully tithe your first and best to God, praise and thank Him and expect Him to meet all your needs for He is your Source and your Sustainer. Jesus is Lord!

The delight of the Lord.

Psalms 147.11
The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.

The Lord takes pleasure or in other words He is well pleased, He treasures, favours and delights in those who fear him and trust his mercy. One translation says He enjoys and values them. Think about that.

To fear him simply means to give him honour and respect in every area of your life. He enjoys and greatly delights in people who honour him in their speech, in their work place, in their colleges, amongst their friends, in their marriage relationship and other areas of their life. Joseph's brothers put him in a pit but God delivered him and made him the prime minister of the largest economy of the world at that time. But when his brothers came to him for help, Joseph didn't punish them or accuse them, He forgave them and by doing so He honoured God. Honoring God is a choice you will have to make for yourself. God is looking for people, His word says he is seeking for those who honour him with their hearts so that He can show himself strong on their behalf.

Friend, Jesus said I always please my Father. Make it a sole objective of your life to give God honour in every area of your life and in everything you do even if no one is watching. Give weight to his words just like you would give much thought and weight to the words of a doctor or a lawyer or a trusted friend and do what the word says. The biggest honour you can give God is paying close attention to His word and doing exactly what He says. He enjoys it and is well pleased with it.

Say, "I am redeemed"

Psalm 107:2
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,

As believers, its important we say, I am redeemed. To redeem means to deliver and set free from the power of another by the payment of a price.

Jesus paid a huge price to redeem us from the dominion of Satan. The price was his precious sinless blood. By his sacrifice he has redeemed you from the clutches of the enemy and therefore Satan has no legal right over you. You are the redeemed of the Lord. Anytime Satan or anything from his kingdom attacks you, say 'I am redeemed'. When you say that, you are saying this cannot touch me because Jesus has paid the price and delivered me from it. You are free from it. You are immune to it. We must become redeemed conscious. It's a legal fact, recognised by the supreme court of the universe. It's time, we as believers be conscious of our redemption and incorporate it in our language and make it an irresistible part of our vocabulary.

Jesus redeemed you and translated you into His kingdom. You are a citizen of heaven. You are from another planet. Your kingdom is from another place. Friend, be conscious that you are redeemed and that you belong to another planet. Next time when someone speaks about the mess of this world like terrorism, sicknesses, fear, poverty etc, be bold and say, 'Thank God I am redeemed and I am from another planet. Jesus is my Lord'.

The Lord will do it !

Psalms 138.8
The Lord will perfect that  which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord , endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

The Lord is good and his mercy endures forever. He will fulfil everything He has said about you. He will perfect that which concerns you. He will not quit or give up unless He brings to pass every single thing He has promised you. Glory to Jesus!

God promised David that he would be king of Israel. David faced really tough challenges because of that promise and it seemed as if He would never be king and Gods promise would never come to pass, but you see at the right time David became king. When Joseph was thrown in the pit and when he was accused of rape, it seemed as if His God given dream was over but you see God made him the prime minister of Egypt, the most powerful country of the world at that time. When Jesus died on the cross and was taken to hell, it seemed as if it was all over but on the third day He rose from the dead and is seated on the right hand of God today. There is no wisdom, no plan and no strategy that can succeed against the Lord. What the Lord has begun, He will bring to completion. He does not quit on you and He will not quit on you.

Friend, God has spoken many things concerning you but sometimes because of the challenges you are facing today, you feel, will it ever come to pass . Buckle up, because your God is the Most High God, He will not give up on you. There is nothing that scares Him. He is the God of the impossibilities. Trust Him and honour him in every thing you do. Give thanks to Him and bless His holy name for He will fulfill every single thing He has spoken about you. The Lord will perfect that which concerns you. Hallelujah.

The integrity of God's word.

Psalms 138.2
I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

God will never violate His word. He will keep His word even if it costs Him everything He has. What an awesome God we serve!

The word says heaven and earth will pass away but his words will never pass away. Jesus said the Scripture cannot be broken. God is not a man that He should lie nor a son of man that He should change his mind. When we are convinced of this aspect of God's character, we can trust him and his word easily. The above verse says God has magnified his word above all His name. This means when God says something, He himself is subject to what He said. He has to fulfill it because His integrity and reputation is on the line. He has never lost his reputation because He always does what He says. Always. Never has he broken his word and never will He ever break his word. Jeremiah says God is watching over his word to perform it. You can trust God to keep his word. His track record is excellent, flawless and unrivaled. The thought of crucifying his Son didn't hinder him from fulfilling his word. The thought of separating Jesus from himself and sending him to hell didn't scare him to change his word. He will not change his word. Glory to God.

Friend, all of God's promises are Yes and Amen in Christ. Ain't you glad that God will never change or violate his word. In this ever changing world, the only thing that is stable, certain and unchanging is Gods word. Hold on to His word and you will see the faithfulness of God. Remember, Jesus is Lord and the best is yet to come.

Be failure proof.

Be failure proof.
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Psalms 37:31
The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

When you are full of Gods word, not a single step of your life shall slide. Joshua says when you meditate on Gods word day and night and do what it says, you will make your life successful and prosperous. No child of God should ever fail in any area of his or her life.

David, in this verse is talking about a person who has made a quality decision to put the word in his heart. I can assure you, this is work. Putting Gods word in your heart is work. If you don't make it happen, it will never happen. It is the word that causes you to be failure proof and to have a success oriented mindset, where failure doesn't exist. When you heart is full of Gods word, it will reflect in your speech and will affect every area of your life. Jesus said the word is the seed and your heart is the field. When you sow Gods word into your heart consistently, you will eventually see success. Your heart, meaning your spirit is designed for the word and the word is designed for your heart. When the word enters your spirit and stays there, outstanding changes takes place in your life. Make a decision to keep sowing the word in your heart daily by consistently reading, studying, meditating and confessing the word.

Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. Romans says the word must be in our hearts and in our mouths. Believer, success is your birthright. Enjoying and walking in success is a choice. Choose the word today. Let your heart overflow with Gods word, so you can enjoy a life, where no step of yours shall ever slide. What a life in Christ !!

"God's word is in my heart and in my mouth in abundance. The word of God is my delight. The word causes everything I do to prosper and not a single step of mine slides. Hallelujah"

Enjoy the Lord!

Psalms 37.4
Delight yourself also in the Lord , And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

This is a wonderful promise. The word delight actually means to enjoy or to be excited about. Children are the delight of their parents. They love to spend time with their children. No matter how tired they are, parents just love to play with and adore their little ones.

When you delight in the Lord, when you enjoy his presence and his word and are excited about him, He gives you the desires of your heart. Get excited about the things of God. Enjoy serving him. Take great delight in doing what His word says. Man looks on the outside but God looks at the heart. Your attitude determines your altitude. Sometimes, believers have a very cold, lazy and passive approach towards the things of God and therefore there's not much happening in their lives, no testimonies of victories. But there are always some believers all around the world who are always on fire for Jesus, they are excited about the word and fervently passionate about the things of God and their lives are filled with testimonies upon testimonies of Gods faithfulness.

Friend, God is no respecter of persons. He shows no partiality. Make a decision to get excited about the things of God just as you would get excited about a football match or some television show or meeting a friend. The Lord loves it when we delight in Him and serve Him joyfully and do what He says cheerfully. Your attitude towards God has a huge impact on your life. Delight in Jesus and He will give you the desires of your heart. Shalom.

Use the name of Jesus.

Use the name of Jesus.
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Acts 3.6
Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

You have the name of Jesus Christ. The moment you accepted Christ, you possess the name of Jesus and Jesus expects you to use it and enjoy it's benefits.

Peter and John used the name of Jesus and healed a man lame from birth and he was completely healed so He could walk and jump. There is power in the name of Jesus. Many people would see a lame man and feel pity for him but Peter saw him and he knew the name of Jesus can fix this. The name of Jesus is higher and greater than all names in heaven, on earth and under the earth. Faith in the name of Jesus is one of the key factors in using the name of Jesus. In order to use the name, we must be confident and assured of the authority and power that's invested in the name. And faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. As we hear more from the word concerning the name, the more our faith will develop towards and in that name. It's by faith we tap into the power and authority that's in the name of Jesus. As you believe the name of Jesus and use it with boldness and high expectation, you will see the demonstration of Gods power. Boldness in exercising the name comes from being completely persuaded and assured of the power in the name of Jesus. So invest your time in the word so you will be persuaded of the power that's in the name of Jesus and therefore you can use it with boldness.

Friend, it was not Peter or John who healed the lame man it was faith in the name of Jesus. If you develop your faith in the name of Jesus and use it boldly, you will have the same results, irrespective of the challenges you are facing. The name of Jesus is the key that will unlock any problem and fill you with unspeakable joy and all surpassing peace. Jesus is Lord.

"Thank you Lord for giving us your name. Lord Jesus you said, whatever we ask the Father in your name, He will give to us. I have faith in your name and I use your name boldly. I will never be defeated in life. Hallelujah."

Power to witness!

Acts 1.8
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The reason Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit is so we could witness the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus is alive. You remember, Peter couldn't confess Jesus in front of three people but after he recieved the Holy Spirit, he preached boldly and three thousand people gave their lives to Christ. That's powerful.

The day you recieved the Holy Spirit, you recieved power to be a witness of Jesus and to witness His resurrection. The Holy Spirit empowers you to be like Jesus in your thoughts, words and actions everyday of your life so that your witnessing to people has weight and is honourable. Lots of believers are very strong when it comes to preaching the resurrection but very weak in living the resurrection. This is called hypocrisy when a person talks but does not live it and such behaviours causes disgrace to the body of Christ. The day you accepted Christ, you are born again. You have the life of God in you. You have the fruit of the spirit in you. You have a great inheritance, an awesome calling and an exceedingly great power in you. When you realise who you are according to the word and live it, by the power that comes from communing with the Holy Spirit, your life will become a witness. Then when you talk, that talk has weight, it has value and it gets the attention of people.

Friend, it was the life of Daniel that caused Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge and worship God. It was the life of Joseph that caused Pharaoah to conclude that there is a God in heaven. What message does your life give? What message does your life portray? You have the mighty Holy Spirit in you. Its not difficult, rely on Him, trust Him, talk to Him, expect him to teach, guide and show you things exactly like Jesus said. Hear him and do what He says. Fellowship with the Holy Spirit and He will make you a Champion, where your life speaks loudly than your words. You have the power of the Holy Spirit and therefore nothing is impossible for you. You are a witness and therefore you witness the resurrection of Jesus.

Protect yourself!

Proverbs 25:28
Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is  like a city broken down, without walls.

Imagine a city without walls. It's dangerous. No wall, no protection. Without walls, the city can be attacked any time. A person who lacks self control is like a city without walls.

Jesus is the vine, we are the branches and we bear fruit. As we stay connected to the vine, we receive the life and the ability to manifest the fruit of the spirit in our lives. So the key is to stay connected to the Vine. As a believer, self control is a fruit of your born again spirit. It must be exercised and developed. Failing to walk in self control makes you vulnerable to attacks. Self control is like a wall of protection for you. It will protect you and keep you safe and prevent many unnecessary outcomes. You have the self control of Jesus in you and you can walk in it. One of the ways to do so, is by acknowledging that you have all the self control you need. Believe and confess that you have the fruit of self control in you. The confession of the fruit will result in the manifestation of that fruit in your life and situation. Everything in the Kingdom of God works by faith. Faith believes with the heart and speaks with the mouth. Faith acts on the word. Faith prophesies. Faith celebrates.

Self control will protect you. So believe and speak that you have self control and that you are walking in it. Stay connected to Jesus, the vine through prayer and the word. Confess 'The day I accepted Christ, I have the self control of God in me. I am a self controlled person. I am not led by emotions, feelings or excitement, I am lead by the word and by the Spirit of God. No matter what situations or challenges I face, I speak the right thing and I do the right thing for I have the self control of Jesus in me and I am as self controlled as Jesus himself. Thank you Lord Jesus. Glory to God'

It's all yours! Take it now.

II Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

The day you accepted Christ, you were included in Christ. Because you are in Christ, every promise of God is Yes and Amen for you.

It's yours. It belongs to you. Jesus made it yours by shedding his blood on the cross. By his death, burial and resurrection, Jesus made you the rightful possessor of every promise of God. If you can find it, it's yours. Now if it belongs to you, take it and enjoy it. You see, God said Yes and Amen to every promise because He wants you to enjoy it and bless others. Our heavenly Father loves it when we enjoy his blessings. Faith and patience is how we enjoy the blessings. Faith believes and speaks the promise and patience refuses to give up on the believing and speaking. This is how the heroes of faith inherited the promise. They believed the word and spoke it and refused to give up, they were consistent. Keep believing, keep speaking, keep prophesying and keep celebrating. You will see the manifestation of His promises for it belongs to you.

Jesus has not only given you every promise of God but He has also qualified you to partake of those promises. You are not unworthy because the blood of Jesus has made you righteous, holy and worthy. Friend, every promise is yours. I encourage you to partake and distribute the blessings of God. Let your faith and patience be reported all over the world. Take it. Enjoy it. Distribute it. Jesus is Lord.

He heals the brokenhearted.

Psalms 147.3
He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.

One of the most painful things is to be broken hearted. Discouragement, denial, rejection, injustice, broken relationships, repeated failures can cause you to lose your hope and become distraught and broken hearted. Its a terrible sickness, way more powerful than any and all physical sicknesses.

You may be broken hearted today, may be things didn't work out the way you had expected or may be its just taking way too long. Perhaps some one has rejected or disappointed you but whatever the case, Jesus wants to heal you. If you give him the opportunity to do so, He will give you hope and a fresh start, a great start. He is willing to heal you and has the ability to do so. You hurt and pain may be deep but His love is deeper. I remember one sister wrote to me and told me about the pain in her heart because of her terrible past and she said scars run deep. I responded by saying His blood runs deeper. Some of us might have faced huge setbacks like this sister, but the blood of Jesus runs deeper.

Friend, why don't you give Jesus your heart. He will heal you and keep your heart safe and secure. He won't disappoint, discourage or reject you. He will never break your heart. Never. You are the reason He came, He died and He rose again on the third day. You mean the world to Him. You are eternally precious and valuable to Him. He is the head of the church and is totally and completely responsible for you. Let him heal you today. 'Lord Jesus, i give you my heart, I trust you and i know my life will never be the same. I will follow you all the days of my life. Thank you Lord Jesus.'

Praise is beautiful.

Psalms 147.1
Praise the Lord ! For it  is good to sing praises to our God; For it  is pleasant, and  praise is beautiful.

God says it's a good, pleasant and beautiful thing to praise the Lord. David said I will bless the Lord at all times and His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Praising God simply means exalting him, magnifying him, extolling him and acknowledging the greatness, the strength, the wisdom and the glory of God. The Lord inhabits the praises of his people. God is well pleased when you offer your sacrifices of praise to Him. Your praise has more adoration and depth, when you know and understand the love of the Father manifested in the person and the works of Jesus Christ. Grow in the knowledge of Gods character.  Know your Pappa God through the word and the Holy Spirit. The more you know him, the more in awe of Him you will be and the more you will praise Him. He is worthy of our praises, our worship and our adoration. Praise the Lord!

Develop a habit of praising him for every single thing for all things work together for the good of those who love God. You can never be disadvantaged, bless his holy name. Years ago, I decided to say, 'Praise God' for every single thing and by doing so it has become my language today. Friend, why don't you take some time every day to offer to God a pleasant, good and beautiful sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of your lips, giving thanks to his name. Praise is beautiful, good and pleasant. Let's minister to the Lord and Bless His Holy Name. He is worthy.

Are you really strong?

Proverbs 24.10
If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.

The strength of a person can only be known when he is in the midst of adversity, challenges and troubles. This verse tells us any person who faints or gives up during challenges is one whose strength is small.

Everyone is strong when there are no challenges, but when challenges show up, strength is revealed. Adversity reveals the strong ones. So don't be afraid of challenges, it's an opportunity for you to reveal the strength and the resurrection power of God. Why do people give up in the midst of adversity? I believe it's because of the lack of feeding on and excercising the word. The more you feed on and exercise the word, the stronger you become. The stronger you are, the more you can endure. Strength begins with the word of God.

Everyone in the Bible faced adversity, some fierce but all did. Because they were consistently feeding on and excercising the word, they could face challenges and pressures and come out victoriously. These were simple people but faithful, consistent feeders and excercisers of the word. Friend, adversity is inevitable but falling down or standing up is a choice. The word will help you overcome and conquer the challenges and make you an example to the nations of the world. The word is your strength and therefore be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.

Do not rebel against authorities.

Proverbs 24. 21 - 22
Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials,  for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?

God does not tolerate rebellion. This verse says don't associate with people who rebel against God or the king, meaning authorities. The king would include authorities at your home, work place, country, church or the police for that matter.

What is rebellion? Rebellion simply means opposition against authorities, it means refusing to obey or submit to authorities, it means defiance or resistance. The word says rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft. God and the authorities that He has placed over you, have power over you and they can use their power in a way that you could be very expensive to you. So the word of God, which is the wisdom of God commands us not to rebel and not to associate with those who do because its very expensive.

Rebellion is a result of pride and selfishness. Notice, we don't submit to authorities because they are good or bad, but simply because the word says so. Any time you rebel, you have literally stopped yourself from moving forward in that organisation. Rebellion guarantees stagnation or even demotion. God is never unjust or partial, He is justice in action. Trust Him and do not take the law in your hands. Trust God and He will make a way where there seems to be no way. Be submissive, have a good attitude, be faithful and note, your God is not sleeping. Let patience have her perfect work so that you may be complete and perfect, lacking nothing. Remember, wisdom is the most important thing.

Your gift will make room for you.

Genesis 41:40‭-‬41
You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”

Pharaoh made these statements to Joseph, the one who came to Egypt as a slave. This is staggering to me. Is anything too hard for the Lord? Can anyone stop God? Can any situation discourage or depress God? Nothing, absolutely nothing.

Joseph had a gift of interpreting dreams. He used his gift to help people not to manipulate people. The word says God has given each one of us gifts for the profiting of people. So the gift you possess is for serving people not to become famous. God's purpose in giving you the gift is to enable you to serve people and thereby glorify God. You remember, when Joseph was in prison, he was assigned with the responsibility of taking care of the chief baker and the cup bearer, who were in prison for offending Pharaoh. Both, the chief baker and the cup bearer had a dream and Joseph interpreted their dreams and it happened exactly as he had interpreted. You see, when the cup bearer was restored, he totally forgot about Joseph. What people remember about is not how good you look or how much you know? They remember the problems you solved. So when Pharaoh had a dream, the cup bearer remembered the dream interpreter. People always remember the problems you solved. So use your gift and serve people, solve problems. So Pharaoh sent for Joseph and brought him out of prison and made him stand before Him. Joseph interpreted the dream accurately and his gift made room for him and He was  made the second most powerful person in Egypt. Hallelujah.

All of the wise men and magicians could not interpret Pharaohs dream yet it was so easy and smooth for Joseph. You know why, it was his gift given by God. Friend, what gift has God given you? Birds fly, fishes swim, whats your gift? Discover it and use it to serve people around you. Be lavish and extremely generous with your gift and serve people with the sole purpose of blessing them and glorifying God. Your God given gift will make room for you and bring you before great men and you will glorify God. Honour God with your life and gifts and He will make sure your fruit abides for eternity. Shalom.

Look to Jesus!

Psalms 34.5
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

David says anyone who trusts in the Lord will never be ashamed. The question is, to whom are you looking? Who or what is your strength? Where is your confidence? Every human on earth depends on someone or something. It can be God, money, people, governments or strength, hard-work or just luck or may be yourself.

David in this Psalm says anyone who looks at Jesus becomes radiant and they will never be covered with shame. Martha was looking at the resurrection day to see Lazarus again. Jesus told her dont look at the resurrection day, look at me for I am the resurrection and the life. He told Abraham, I am your shield and your exceeding great reward. He told us all throughout the gospel of John that He is the way, the truth and the life, He is the bread of life, He is the good Shepherd, He is the light of the world and He is the Son of God. Everything you need today and everything you will ever need is in Jesus. He is all in all. If he doesn't have it, I don't need it and its none of my business to have it or get it. He's my all in all.

Friend,  if you are sick today, He is your healing. If you are depressed, He is your joy. If you are in debt, He is your freedom. If you are struggling financially, He is your wealth. If you are tempted today, He has defeated all temptations and He is your righteousness and sanctification. If you are stressed, He is your peace. If you are confused, He is your wisdom. He's everything you need. Hebrews says look to Jesus, consider Him and you will be on your way to the greatest and glorious days that you ever seen. "Jesus is my Hero. Jesus is my Standard. I look to Him and I am radiant and glowing, I will never be covered with shame." Remember,  Jesus is Lord and the best is yet to come.

Can these bones live?

Can these bones live?
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Ezekial 37. 3-4
And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord God , You know.” Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord !

The Lord took Ezekial in the spirit to a valley of dry bones and asked him, ‘Can these bones live?’ You know, naturally speaking it's impossible for the bones to live. They are dry meaning that they have been in that state for months or probably for years.

God commanded Ezekial to prophesy to the bones. He didn't tell him to figure out or analyse how the bones are going to live. I believe that's what most believers do, they try to figure out everything. God will figure out how the bones will live or how the situations will change. That's his part. Our part is to prophesy to the bones, to the mountains, to the situations. When you do your part, God will do his part. Isn't it better to obey God and do what He says instead of getting worried, stressed and frustrated?. Thank God that Ezekial didn't try to figure it out instead He prophesied to the bones just as the Lord commanded and when He did His part, God did his part. The dry bones turned into an exceeding great army standing on their feet alive.

Nothing is impossible for God. Let me say it again, Nothing is impossible for God. You have a part and God has a part. What He told you to do, do it and what He said He would do, expect Him to do it. He is faithful. Prophesy to the bones, to your future, to your family, to the debt, to your children, to the challenges that you are facing. Don't lean on your understanding, just do what He says. Develop a habit of prophesying. Practice it. Become skillful in it. As you faithfully do your part, God will turn the valley of dry bones into an exceeding great army. Speak. Prophesy. Celebrate. For the battle is the Lord's and the victory is yours. Hallelujah.

“I prophesy God's word to the dry bones, to the mountains and to the challenges that I am facing. I speak the word of God by faith and God moves the mountain. I refuse to give up on speaking the word. I always speak the word and I am unstoppable in Christ.”

You are a seed

You are a seed!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

John 12.24
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

There's so much God given potential in you. You have the potential of blessing the nations for the glory of God. A seed is extremely powerful. Not because of how it looks but because of what it carries, because of what's inside. Man looks at the outside and laughs but God looks on the inside and says Wow.

You are a seed and you have the potential to bless all nations on earth. This is how God sees you. Every believer is a world overcomer. In order for us to impact the nations, we must fall to the ground and die, only if we die we can produce a flood of impact. To fall to the ground and die simply means discover your God given calling and give yourself and everything you have for the fulfilment of the vision. Therefore I can say, the biggest hindrance to greatness or a great impact is selfishness. Notice, Jesus said if a seed doesn't die, it remains alone. May we never remain alone but by giving ourselves to His cause impact the nations for the glory of God. Jesus said if a person saves his life he will lose it but if he gives his life for Me and the Gospel, he will find it. When you make a decision to invest your entire life for the fulfilment of Gods vision for you, you will find satisfaction, contentment and happiness.

You are not insignifacnt or useless, you have great potential. A potential that can turn this world upside down. Friend, God has made you so powerful, only if you knew it. God has a specific plan for you and it's beyond your wildest imagination. It's huge. As you make a quality decision to give yourself to do what you were created to do, you will impact, influence and change the world. Get around the right people. Serve your church and your Man of God. Love God, Love others and Love life. Jesus is Lord.

"I have great potential in me because I am the  seed of Abraham. I give myself to the work of God. I stay in the right environment of the word, prayer and godly people. I serve my church and my man of God. My fruit is impacting the world for Jesus. Hallelujah."

Can you hear him?

Can you hear Him?
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

John 10.27
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

The day you accepted Christ, you became his sheep and He became your shepherd, meaning He's completely responsible for you. He said His sheep hears his voice and they follow him.

I know of scores of believers struggling to hear Gods voice. As a result they are confused and frustrated. Let me tell you, it's not difficult to hear Gods voice. Many have concluded that it is, but in reality, according to the word it's not. Jesus, our shepherd is speaking to us all the time. He speaks to us through His word and through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. His Spirit speaks to our spirit. We live in an age where we are surrounded and bombarded by so many voices. Our Shepherd is always speaking, always directing, always leading, always counselling. But we don't hear because we don't position ourselves to hear him. We need to position ourselves to hear his voice. We need to develop and build our spirit man through consistently feeding on the word of God and by praying in other tongues. This is the meaning of positioning ourselves to hear Gods voice. His primary way of communication is speaking to our spirits. The more you develop your spirit, the easier it will be for you to hear and recognise the voice of your Shepherd. Every struggle is a result of not seeking or ignoring the voice of the Shepherd - it's very expensive.

Building your spirit is work. It takes commitment and sacrifice on your part to do so. It's doesn't just happen. You got to make it happen. I believe we will do what ever it takes to build our spirit man when we realise how important it is to walk on God's voice in this dark and wicked world. He wants to leads us into a life of abundance and overflow - in all areas and at all times. He's speaking all the time. Can you hear him? Yes.

“I make my spirit strong by feeding on the word and by praying much in other tongues. I hear the voice of my Shepherd. I recognize His voice, I say His voice and I follow His voice. His voice is my life and I never miss His voice. I live a triumphant life and I lack no good thing. Jesus is my Shepherd.”

Refuse to quit in prayer.

Genesis 32.26
And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

Jacob's  attitude while wrestling with a man and refusing to let him go until He blesses Him gives us a very good picture of how important persistence is in prayer.

Prayer is a wonderful and awesome privilege given by God. But oftentimes, many of us quit too soon. Notice Jacob said, I will not let you go unless you bless me. I will not let you go unless I receive the answers to my prayers. Jesus said ask and you shall receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. And then He said, he who is persistent in asking, receives and he who is persistent in seeking will find and he who is persistent in knocking for him the door will be opened. Jesus emphasised the importance of persistence in prayer. He spoke about a widow who needed justice and she kept approaching a evil judge who neither feared God nor cared for people but because of her persistence she recieved what she wanted. How much more our loving heavenly Father!. He also spoke of a man, who when he had guests in his house at midnight went to his friends house and by his persistent requests received what He wanted, even when the friend was not interested in giving the supplies at first.

Friend, persistence simply means I will not quit or give up until I receive my answer. Jesus shed his blood on the cross for me and declared all of His promises as Yes and Amen for me. I refuse to take a 'No' for an answer. Its mine and I will take it. Its a bulldog attitude of refusing to let go of the bone. Don't allow Satan or anyone or anything else to steal your answer or to convince you to give up. Be persistent and you will have what you asked for. Prayer works!