Overcoming lust!

Overcoming lust.
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

II Peter 1:4
by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that  is in the world through lust.

As believers in the Lord Jesus, we can overcome lust. There's nothing that you can't overcome. You have the life and the nature of God in you. You have His mighty Holy Spirit and you can do all things. Settle this in your thinking that you can and you must overcome lust and live free of it.

All corruption in the world is caused by lust. Lust simply means a desire, craving or longing for something that is forbidden by God. God commanded Adam not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It's very important for us to understand that Adam and Eve had no desire for the fruit of the forbidden tree. The desire seed was planted by Satan and as Eve received the seed and meditated on it, the desire became stronger and stronger to a point where she couldn't stop thinking about the tree and eventually she ate the forbidden fruit and gave it to her husband as well who was equally responsible for this blunder. It's very important what you see and hear on a daily basis and what you accept and receive. Its extremely important what you meditate day in and day out. Whatever you choose to meditate on will control you. Once you choose to recieve anything you hear and see and make a decision to meditate on it like Eve did, you are giving power to that thing and eventually whatever the thing or person is, it will control you. James 1. 14,15 says, But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

Satan wants to create a desire in you for something that is forbidden by God, declared illegal by Him. Why don't you abort every desire, thought and seed that is forbidden by God? Abortion will be easy if you take the word and meditate on it on purpose, by doing so you will create godly desires and passions which will help you live a life free of lust and thereby escape the corruption. You are an overcomer in Christ and this is your time.

"I dwell on the word of God and my desires are holy, godly and honourable. The Lord is working in me giving me the desire to do the right thing and the ability to do it. I overcome lust by the power of God's word and His Spirit."

Yes, God wants to use YOU!

John 1:46
And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Nazareth, a city in Galilee was known as a wicked town and was held in great disrepute. When Nathanael heard about Jesus of Nazareth, He said, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?". He couldn't believe that something good could come out of something so wicked and dark.

Like Nathanael, we too, sometimes disqualify ourselves from being used of God by looking at our background, our qualifications, inabilities, weaknesses and the place we come from. God doesn't call the qualified but He does qualify the called. God wants to use you and He is no respecter of persons. He's looking for those who are available for him. If you are available for God, it doesn't matter where you come from or how many weaknesses you have, He will use you to shake the nations with His power. David, a shepherd boy made himself available to God and God used him to lead his people. When God said, Who will go for me, Whom shall I send? Isaiah replied, 'Here I am, send me'. II Timothy says In a great house there are vessels of gold, silver, wood and clay, some for honour and some for dishonour. If any man cleanses himself from the worldly lusts and ungodliness and makes himself available to God, he will become a vessel of honour and will be used by the Master for every good work. Praise God forevermore.

Friend, God is looking for your availability, He is looking for a heart that loves God and wants to serve Him faithfully. Make yourself available to God by living a consecrated life that is word based and Spirit led. Like Isaiah you can tell God,  'Here I am send me, use me for your glory'. Don't let your background, qualifications and weaknesses stop you from stepping into all that God has for you. Always remember, God specialises in bringing light out of darkness and beauty out of ashes. Yes, when God is involved, good things can come out of Nazareth.

Take communion.

I Corinthians 11:26
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

In Genesis 14, when Abraham defeated the kings and came back with the people and possessions,  Melchizedek, a priest of the Most High God brought forth bread and wine and blessed Him. What does the bread and wine represent? It is a covenant meal and it represents a covenant - God's covenant with Abraham which was ratified in the blood of animals.

In the new covenant, when we take the Lord’s Supper, also known as the Communion, we remember that we are in a new covenant with God by the sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God. His blood has given us access to the new covenant which is based on better promises. We not only remember who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for us but we also proclaim and announce the victory we have received because of His death, burial and resurrection. Jesus said, 'Do this in remembrance of me'. The early church took Communion from house to house and were steadfast in this ordinance given by the Head of the Church. Every time you take Communion, you are declaring your victory obtained by the finished works of Jesus. If you are sick today, take communion and proclaim His health and healing, if you need finances, take communion and declare His provision, If you are afraid, take communion and declare that He is always with you. If you are struggling with lust, anger or some bad habits, take communion and declare that you have His overcoming power in you. Every time you take communion, you are declaring that you are in the new covenant and therefore you are victorious, successful, wealthy, healthy, anointed, well able and blessed.

Friend, you don't have to wait for the next communion service at your church, take it now, take it alone or with your family. As you take communion, bring your needs to Him and remember all that Jesus has done for you and proclaim that your needs are met, your debts are paid, your children are serving God, you have a good job, you are completely healed, your house is paid for and your bad habits are broken. Proclaim it boldly and with peace for Jesus himself is the guarantee of every word in the new covenant. Take communion consistently and enjoy the victorious life He has for you. This is your time!

I obey! Thats it!

1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord : your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.

Nothing pleases God more than obedience. Obedience is more important than making sacrifices and offering gifts. The obedient ones are true worshippers. Live a lifestyle of obedience to God by submitting to His word and His Spirit.

Obedience has great benefits and brings supernatural results. Since the beginning of time, every person who has dared to obey God has experienced supernatural blessings. Every command of God is for your benefit. Nothing He says or commands will ever cause you harm or loss. Jesus is the head of the church and He is your Lord. He's responsible for you and everything that concerns you. Your protection, your prosperity, your health, your peace, your success and you bearing much fruit is His responsibility because He's the Vine and we are the branches. You abide in the Vine by keeping His commandments.  This is the reason He commands us because He loves us and wants to see much fruit in every area of our lives. The day you understand the purpose of His commands, you will be excited to carry out His orders and instructions. James 1.22 says, But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Make a quality decision to be an obedient person for this will be the greatest decision of your life.

Friend, Jesus said if you love me you will obey me. He loves you unconditionally. His love for you is not based on your obedience but your love for Him is based on your obedience. You are a soldier in the army of the Lord and Jesus is your Commander in Chief and the only thing He wants from you is obedience to his voice. "I am an obedient person. Jesus is my Shepherd and I am His sheep. I hear his voice, I recognise his voice, I say His voice and I follow his voice. I am an obedient person. I simply obey whatever He says and whenever He says it. I love Him and obedience is my delight. I enjoy doing what He says. This is my time".

Your words, Your world.

Your words, Your world.
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Hebrews 11:3
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Your world is framed and fashioned by your words. God framed the worlds by His word and you are created in the image and likeness of God. Your world responds to your words and takes the shape and structure of your words. Your world conforms to your words.

The word 'framed' in this verse means to put in order, to prepare, to fashion. Isn't it amazing to know that your world can be put in order by your words?. That means you can fashion your world the way you want it and the way you desire it because your words frame your world. The primary purpose of words is creation, not communication. Although communication is important, but it's not the original purpose. Proverbs 18.21 says, 'Life and death are in the power of the tongue, those who love it will eat it's fruit'. How do you see your world? Your life, your home, your family, your finances, your future. You may not like what you see today but you have the power to change it, frame it and put it in order just as you desire it. What YOU say is what frames your world and directs your world. Now is the time, take your words seriously and use it in a way that works for you and not against you. Speak and create the world you desire. Stop complaining and blaming others for what you see in your world. Take responsibility and start now. Speak!

Let the word of God become your words, your language for His word is perfect, pure and forever settled in heaven. As you consistently speak his word over your life, your family, your finances and every area of your life, you will begin to see a shift in levels. You will begin to see and experience the goodness of God and the favour of God in your world. Frame, fashion and put your world in order by speaking Gods word and enjoy your world. Hallelujah!

"Supernatural doors of favour, increase and influence are opening for me right now and I am going higher and higher in the name of Jesus. This is my time."

What does it mean to repent?

Revelation 3:19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

To repent means to change one's mind. It means to realise that you are going in the wrong direction and you turn back from the wrong and turn towards the right. Repentance means you change your mind and you prove your repentance by the way you live.

The prodigal son left His Father, took his share of the inheritance and went to a far off land and spent everything He had on wild living and was left with nothing in a foreign land. To feed his stomach, he joined himself to a farmer of that country who sent him to feed pigs and he longed to eat what the pigs ate because no one gave him anything to eat. In the midst of his turmoil, He thought about His Father's goodness, love, freedom and provision, he came to his senses, he changed His mind, he rose up and came back to his Father. This is repentance. Its when you realise that you cannot survive without the Father and run back to Him. The prodigal son came back and as soon as the Father saw him, He ran and hugged him, accepted Him and welcomed Him home. He gave his son a robe, put a ring on his finger, slaughtered a calf and celebrated the return of his son.

Friend, there is nothing good for you outside of God irrespective of how good it looks and feels. God has the best for you. He has an awesome and a great life for you, the abundant and victorious life. He gave us Jesus to demonstrate his immense love for us. Repent, change your mind and realise that your works cannot save you. Repent, believe that Jesus has done all the works that needed to be done for your salvation and recieve Him as your Lord and Saviour. Repent, if as a believer you have made mistakes and restore your fellowship with the Father for you are His child. Dont run away from Him, Run to your Father in the name of Jesus, for this is your time to rule and reign in life.

You are brilliant!

You are brilliant.
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

II Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

God has given us an awesome and a rare combination, something that the world is desperately seeking for. God has given us His power, His love and His mind when He gave us His Holy Spirit.

You are a genius and an excellent person because you possess these three forces. You have the mind of Christ, you have the power and the love of God in you. In the world its impossible to find this combination of power, love and sound mind. You find power, but you don't find love and sound mind and if you find a sound mind and power, love is missing. Always there's something missing. In Christ, you have something that the world doesn't have and cannot get without Jesus. You are powerful, loving and you have a sound mind, which simply means you are an excellent person. You are brilliant. The verse doesn't say God will give it to you some day, it says God has given you. That means you have it now. When you acknowledge what you have and praise God for it, you will begin to see and experience the manifestation of these awesome realities. Settle this in your thinking by constant meditation and confession that you are brilliant because you have God's power, God's love and God's mind.

Friend, don't block these realities by speaking negative and stupid things about yourself. "I am no good, I can't do anything properly, I am so weak, my mind doesn't work and everything I do fails, I am just a horrible person" Change the way you speak. "Thank God that He has given me power, love and a sound mind through His Spirit. I am a genius and an excellent person. Everything I do excels and I am progressing and increasing in every area of life. Thank God for His goodness and for making me an excellent and a brilliant person" This is who you are! Hallelujah to Jesus!

“God has not given me a spirit of fear but of power, of love and of a sound mind. I am an excellent and brilliant person. Everything I do prospers. The Greater One lives in me. My life is a standard for the world and brings great glory to Jesus, my Lord. Hallelujah.“