Prayer: The secret to power!

Prayer: The secret to power!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Luke 11:1
Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

The life of a believer is a life of power. God desires each of his children to walk in His power, for the kingdom of God is not in talk but in power. As a believer, you are required to walk and live in the power of the Holy Spirit so you can be an effective witness of the resurrection of Jesus.

The disciples knew Jesus was a man of power. His words had power, His presence carried power and everything He did was with power. The life of prayer is the life of power. The disciples understood the secret of his powerful life and hence they asked Him, 'Lord, teach us how to pray'. They were with Jesus for three and a half years and they saw the importance Jesus gave to prayer. They saw He never missed prayer. Prayer was more important for Jesus than family, friends  and ministry. He never missed His fellowship with His Father. Since prayer was His priority and His foundation, His life was a life of power. His private time with the Father resulted in a powerful life and powerful ministry. Being with the Father was more important than working for the Father. He knew being with and working with the Father will give him sweatless victories and dominion wherever He went and whatever He did. Prayer kept Him in sync with the Father to a point where Jesus said, I only say what I hear my Father say and I only do what I see My Father do. He enjoyed intimacy with His Father, He said, I and the Father are one. In Christ, you have the resurrection power of God in you. Your fellowship with the Father results in the manifestation of the resurrection power. God wants you to live in power and this is why He showed us the secret behind the powerful life of Jesus.

Friend, a life without prayer is a life without power. Moses needed power to deliver the Israelites from the clutches of Pharaoh. The only way you can be an effective witness for Jesus is by the power of the Holy Spirit. As you make prayer the priority and foundation of your life, you will see that your words, presence and actions are saturated with the power of the Holy Spirit. Let the world see God's power through you. This is your time.

Faith is always 'Now'

Faith is always 'Now'
- Pastor Ashish Mathew

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is never later. Faith is always now. Faith is not hope. Hope says I will have it some day. Faith always says, I have it now.

God told Abraham you will be the Father of many nations. When did He become the Father of many nations? After Isaac was born? No, the moment He believed God's word He became the Father of many nations. Faith is always now. The moment you believe 'by his stripes I am healed' you got your healing that moment. As you hold on to His word and praise and thank the Lord for healing you, healing will manifest. As Abraham held on to God's word and gave glory to God for making Him the Father of many nations, Isaac manifested. You have it the moment you believe it, not when you get it physically. Joshua didn't get Jericho when the walls of Jericho fell down. He got Jericho the moment He believed God's word to Him, I have given you Jericho. "Healing is mine now because I believe God's word that by his stripes I am healed. I thank God for healing and making me whole. Glory to God I am healthy, healed and whole." You got healing the moment you believed God's word on healing. As you celebrate the possession of healing with praise and thanksgiving, healing will manifest. The moment you say, 'I believe it', that's the moment it became yours and you have it now.

Friend, faith is not tomorrow, faith is now. Your faith in God's word gives you possession of the promise. It becomes yours the moment you believe it. It is yours now. Many believers are waiting for the manifestation. You don't get it when it manifests, you get it when you believe it. As you rejoice for what you have, it will manifest. Faith is now. I have it now. Right now. Healing now. Prosperity now. Deliverance now. Victory now. Protection now. Success now. Now is my time. Glory to God.

The supremacy of God's word.

The supremacy of God's word.
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

John 1.1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

A well known author and pastor said, Homosexuality is not wrong, its okay. The question to be asked is, Who decides what's okay or not okay? What about what the Bible says? What about what God says? You see, in the beginning was the word of God. The word of God is supreme.

What do you do when famous, intellectual and brilliant people, in this case so called pastors make statements that are directly in opposition to God's word?. The word of God has more power, authority and status than anyone else. It doesn't matter who a person is or how many doctorate degrees they have, if what they say is against God's word then it cannot be accepted. God's word is above all men. God's word is above all institutions. God's word is above experiences, visions and dreams. God's word is supreme. God's word is above all cultures, all kingdoms and all constitutions. God's word is above all the thoughts, opinions, views, findings, discoveries, analysis and conclusions of men. Psalms 138. 2 says '..God has placed His word above all His name', which means God's word is above God. This is the supremacy of God's word. Jesus said to the Pharisees, you have given more importance to the commandments of men than to the word of God, you have given more preference to your traditions than to the word of the living God and by doing so you have nullified the word of God and made it of no effect. He said this is why the word doesn't work for you. No one and nothing is above God's word. Settle it.

Since the beginning of time, the word of God has been challenged and it will continue to be challenged by demonic and disagreeing forces, but let the word of God become supreme in your life for God's word is above all. God's word has stood and will stand against all odds, challenges and tests because heaven and earth will pass away but the word will stand for ever. Stand for the word of God and God will stand for you. The word of God decides whats right, whats wrong, what's okay and what's not okay. Anything contrary to God's word is a lie from hell irrespective of who said it or how many agree with it. Go on with Jesus!

"For me, what the word of God is says is more important than what people say. The word is the ultimate authority in my life. The word of God is my standard for living. The word is my life."

Super abundance!

Super abundance!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

II Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

This is God's will for you concerning your finances. You could make this verse the foundation of your financial prosperity. Poverty is not God's will. God wants you to prosper in all areas at all times for He is the God of abundance, the God of increase.

God wants to bring you to a position where you are financially self sufficient having no need of any aid or support from anyone with more than enough for every good work. Some believers find it really difficult to digest that God wants them to prosper financially and enjoy their lives. Poverty is not humility and it does not glorify God. God didn't create poverty, poverty was a result of the curse which kicked in because of Adams disobedience. Jesus has redeemed us from the curse by becoming a curse for us and the blessing of Abraham has come upon us and this blessing of the Lord makes us rich and He adds no sorrow to it. Isn't it amazing to know that God wants you to live in the overflow zone, in the more than enough arena? Fight the good fight of faith and take what belongs to you for financial prosperity is your inheritance and redemptive right. You don't have to look to people, employers, clients, parents, kids, government or even yourself for your financial prosperity. Look to God, look at the promises He has made concerning your finances. Your overflow and more than enough days are here!  Glory to God.

Friend, giving positions you for financial prosperity. When you tithe and sow seeds as per the word of the Lord with a cheerful heart and faithfully, you will experience a upward shift in your finances. Involve God in your finances by obeying what the Lord has said concerning your finances. Worship the Lord with your giving and He will make sure you overflow and abound with the best of the land. Take no burden concerning your finances for you are not an orphan, for you have a Father and He has given you His promise and His instructions concerning finances. So step out and do what He says, expand the kingdom, enjoy your life and help the poor. Be super abundant!

Ignorance destroys!

Ignorance destroys!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Hosea: 4. 6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

This verse gives us the reason why many believers are living a defeated life. No believer should ever be defeated in life. The verse doesn't say Satan is responsible for the destruction of saints, it's ignorance that destroys. Too many of us instead of taking responsibility pass the blame on Satan.

Satan has no authority over a believer because Jesus has defeated him and left him with zero power over those that are in Christ. Your ignorance is Satan's strength and He works very hard to keep you ignorant of the word of God. The verse says my people are destroyed for a lack of word knowledge. Destruction is a result of word ignorance. The Lord is speaking about people who had easy access to the word of God but they refused to grow in it, neglected and even rejected the word of God. They didn't honour the word and give it first and final place in their lives and hence they lived defeated lives. Believers know more about politics, sports, news and about the lives of other people than they know the word of God. Peter says as new born babies desire the pure milk of God's word so you can grow thereby. Growing in the word knowledge is the responsibility of every believer and must be taken very seriously.

Friend, refuse to be ignorant of God's word. God has something to say about everything and you need to know what your Father has to say in order to live a victorious life. The word of God is the only stable and eternal foundation, for heaven and earth will pass away but the word of God will never pass away. Be ever hungry for God's word and be totally obedient to God's word so you can represent Him properly as stars in this wicked world. Give great honour and reverence to God's word for God and His word is one. This is your time to shine.

Don't wait, take your healing now!

Mark 5:27
When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.

A woman had an issue of blood for twelve years and had spent all that she had on doctors but instead of getting better, she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came and touched him and she was made completely whole. Glory to God.

When she heard about Jesus, she didn't wait, she went ahead and took her healing. She didn't wait for some special move of God like the paralyzed man in John 5, who waited for the moving of the waters at the pool of Bethesda. Listen, the wait is over! In the new covenant, you don't have to wait for your healing. Your healing is waiting for you. Two thousand years ago, Jesus took all your sicknesses, diseases, pain and weaknesses on himself and paid for it with his own blood and when He rose again from the dead, He defeated every sickness, disease, pain and weakness there is and gave us absolute victory over these demonic burdens and yokes. Some are waiting to know whether it's Gods will to heal them or not? Some are waiting for a vision, a voice, a dream or some writing on the wall. You don't have to wait any more. Healing is God's will for all men for all times and it's crystal clear in the word of God. Like that woman, don't wait another day, go ahead and take your healing now in Jesus name. Many people touched Jesus and didn't get healed but when the lady touched her, she was made whole. It is the touch of faith that receives from Jesus. The touch of faith is simply believing that your healing is a done deal and declaring that you are healed and whole because of what Jesus has done.

Friend, refuse to wait any longer for something that is waiting for you since two thousand years. Jesus made it available for you. Jump in and take it now. Healing is yours now! Believe, Speak, Thank God for it and never ever give up. Refuse to speak what you see, hear and feel. Refuse to speak what all you have done and where all you have gone, choose to meditate on who Jesus is and what all He has done for you. This is your time to live and walk in divine health and wholeness.

Fellowship: God's great love

Genesis 1:26
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

You are created in the image and likeness of God to have fellowship with Him. Fellowship was the reason for creation. Fellowship means joint participation, association, communion and intimacy. It means oneness with God. The Bible says Enoch walked with God. Walking with God results in dominion.

When Adam disobeyed God, He lost the image and likeness of God and therefore lost fellowship. In the old covenant, fellowship was limited and restricted but God's heart was not satisfied. In the fullness of time, God sent forth his Son, Jesus to pay the price for Adam's transgression and thereby redeemed us back to Him. In Christ, we are new creations, we have recieved the life and the nature of God and therefore we can freely fellowship with our Father through the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. You see, fellowship is the reason for redemption, fellowship is the reason for the indwelling Holy Spirit and fellowship is the reason for heaven. God's heart longs for fellowship. This will help you see prayer from a different perspective. You remember, God and Adam working together in naming animals, this has always been God's plan, He wants to be involved in every aspect of your life. Walking and working with Him results in dominion in every arena of life. Be conscious of His presence and acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will help you succeed.

Friend, God paid a huge price to bring you to a position where He can fellowship with you, walk with you and work with you. He's interested in every detail of your life and wants you to dominate and have command in every area of life. Therefore spend quality time in personal prayer, in worshipping the Father, in meditating His word and make a quality decision to never forsake coming to church. As you work on your fellowship with the Father, you will enjoy a deeper intimacy with Him resulting in an effective and fruitful life. This is your time.