Don't limit God.

Don't limit God.
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

II Kings 5:10‭-‬11
And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you  shall be clean.” But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to  me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’

Naaman was a commander of the army of the king of Syria. He was a leper and he came to Elisha, the man of God for healing. Elisha told him to go and wash in the river Jordan seven times and he would be healed. Naaman became angry because the command was not the way He had expected it to be.

Many times we miss out on receiving from God because He doesn't work the way we want Him to work. God is not limited to a few ways. God has a million ways of meeting our needs. We must not limit God. Human thinking has limited ways but God has unlimited ways and higher ways. This is what Namaan was trying to do, the same is done by many believers - He was telling God that you will heal me and that you will heal in this way. God doesn't work in that manner where you tell Him how He is supposed to do His job. He has his own way, He creates new ways. Trust Him and take the limits off God. Our part is to believe Him and do whatever He says and His part is to get the job done. He may tell you to do something you didn't expect to do but do it anyhow. It may not make any sense to you, do it anyhow. If you step out on His word, you will see the answers to your prayers. Expect the work to be done. Don't expect the Lord to work in a certain manner just because you think that's the right way or the best way to do it. Come, let's go higher!

Friend, although Namaan was furious, He did what the Man of God said and the result, He was healed completely. I encourage you to take the limits off of God. God knows How to do things and How to answer your prayers. He knows all things. He doesn't need any help from us concerning How He should do His job. Let's do our part and Let Him do His part. Glory to God. Step out!

Don't grieve the Holy Spirit.

Don't grieve the Holy Spirit.
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

The day you accepted Jesus Christ, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is with and in you forever. He is your eternal Helper, sent to help you live the Christ life in excellence.

The Holy Spirit dwells in you. He is a person who has a mind, will and emotions. He can be pleased and He can be grieved. Once you are born again, the most important thing is to develop an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. Like the disciples walked with Jesus, we walk with the Holy Spirit, the invisible Jesus. Seek to know Him, His likes, His dislikes, His ways and His thoughts. The Holy Spirit is God living in you. 1 John 4.4 says, ...Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. This verse says we can grieve the Holy Spirit, that means we can say and do things that displeases the Holy Spirit. Always be conscious of the presence of the Holy Spirit in you and seek to please Him in everything you say and do, so He can freely manifest Himself through you. Walking in unforgiveness, worry and fear can hinder the move of the Holy Spirit. Being worldly or carnal can greatly disturb the move of the Holy Spirit in your life. Walking in love and in total dependence on the Lord creates a strong atmosphere for the Holy Spirit to freely move. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Friend, the Holy Spirit can help you like no one and nothing can. When we honour and please Him, He will take us places we have never dreamed of. Walking in intimacy with the Holy Spirit leads to a great life. Developing friendship and intimacy with the Holy Spirit through the word, prayer and worship will result in Jesus being highly glorified and your life being transformed like never before. What a great life! thank you Lord Jesus!

Jesus, my redemption!

Jesus, my redemption!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

I Corinthians 1:30
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

Jesus is our redemption. He is the proof, the evidence and the guarantee of our redemption. You are redeemed by the blood of Jesus. Redeemed in perfection and redeemed for eternity. Hallelujah!

Believer, you are no longer a slave of satan, sin, sickness, poverty, death or the curse. The word redeem means to release, liberate or set free by the payment of a ransom. Your redemption price was the precious blood of Jesus. I Peter 1:18‭-‬19 says, 'knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.' You are no longer a victim, Jesus has made you a victor forever. You are redeemed! Satan, sin, sickness, poverty, curse, spiritual death and fear has no legal right over you. Jesus has redeemed you from the clutches of the enemy and has given you His name to take authority over the forces of darkness and enjoy your redemption. Think about this, Satan and his forces have absolutely no authority over a born again child of God. It's time we walk in the light of our redemption and enjoy the abundant life that Jesus has for us. The biggest enemy of a believer is ignorance. Know your inheritance. 'Jesus is my redemption. Satan and His forces have no authority over me. I am no longer his slave. Jesus has made me His master. I don't submit to Satan, Satan submits to me in the name of Jesus'

Friend, take charge and know your rights and privileges in Christ. Refuse to live a defeated life. Refuse to just flow wherever the winds of circumstances take you. Take charge! Jesus paid a huge price to make you a victor. He didn't die to make us losers, He did all that He did to make us Champions forever. You are redeemed in Christ. Speak your redemption. Live your redemption. Celebrate your redemption. Do all this in the name of Jesus. No longer a slave. Forever free. Thank you Lord Jesus!

Jesus, my sactification!

Jesus, my sanctification!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

I Corinthians 1:30
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

Jesus is your sanctification. The day you accepted Christ, you became as holy as Jesus, as pure as Jesus and as sanctified as Jesus. Jesus is the proof, evidence and guarantee that you are sanctified.

Sanctification is more to do with nature than with conduct. Going to church, Bible reading, praying 37 times and clapping continuously for a week doesn't not sanctify you. Your works cannot make you holy. Living a holy life doesn't make you holy. It's Jesus who makes you holy and gives you the ability to live a holy, sanctified life. Therefore a holy life is a result of a holy nature. Unless your nature changes, no amount of good and beautiful works can make you holy. Isaiah 64.6 says all of our good and righteous works are like filthy rags in the eyes of God. This nature, this eternal life is locked up in Jesus. Whoever has Jesus has eternal life, the nature of God. 1 John 5. 11,12 says 'God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son, Jesus. Whoever has the Son has life and whoever does not have the Son, does not have life.' You will never be more holier than you were the day you accepted Christ. You are as holy, as pure and as sanctified as Jesus himself. Once you know who you are in Christ, living the Christ life becomes easy. Once you know you are sanctified, you won't try to achieve sanctification but rather you will live a sanctified life by the power of the Holy Spirit. Know your identity and your inheritance in Christ. Jesus, your sanctification!

Friend, knowing that you are sanctified because of what Jesus did, gives you immenese joy and satisfaction in going to church, in reading your Bible and in fellowshipping with the Father in prayer. Relax, Jesus did the hard part and our part is to trust Him and live a sanctified and a holy life through the Holy Spirit who lives in us and gives us the ability to do so. You can live a holy life in this wicked and dark world because Jesus is your sanctification and you are a sanctified, holy and pure child of God. Hallelujah!

The Difference!

The Difference!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

I Samuel 16:13
Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

The Holy Spirit is the difference. He is what differentiates us from the world. He is the one who differentiated David from the rest of the Israelite army.

The presence and power of the Holy Spirit in you takes you to a higher level of life. It's a great life. The Holy Spirit was the reason David could defeat Goliath. Without the Holy Spirit, we can do nothing. Zechariah 4:6 says, ...‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts. The Israelite army was strong, educated, had weapons, had good number of people and yet they were not able to stand against Goliath and the Philistine army. Without the Holy Spirit, our education, skills, contacts, experience and hardwork is not enough to get the job done. The Holy Spirit is the difference. David was a shepherd boy, uneducated and untrained, simple country boy but one who had great reverence for God and His Spirit and the house of God. Think about this, what the Israelite army couldn't do, David did. Education is good, skills is good, contacts is good and experience is good but without the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, it leads to confusion and frustration. The wisest magicians and sorcerers of Egypt could not interpret Pharaohs dream, it was Joseph, who by the power of the Holy Spirit interpreted the dream and was promoted to the highest position in Egypt. What your strength and might cannot do, the Holy Spirit can do.

Friend, the Holy Spirit dwells in you right this moment for your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Greater One dwells in you. It doesn't matter how educated or uneducated you are, how strong or weak you are, how influential or less known you are, the Holy Spirit is the difference. He is all you need. That's all. That's it. Give great honour and reverence to the Holy Spirit who dwells in you and He will make you wise, strong and well able to overcome any and all enemies and He will guide you to the very summit of success, prosperity and opulence. This is your time.

The name of Jesus is your weapon!

The name of Jesus is your weapon!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

1 Samuel 17:45
David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

The weapons of our warfare are not physical, our weapons are spiritual and they are extremely powerful. As a believer, the name of Jesus is your weapon.

Goliath came against David with swords, spears and javelins but David went against Goliath in the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord is stronger and more powerful than the swords, spears and javelins. Goliath had confidence in who he was and the weapons he carried, on the other hand, David has complete confidence in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel. Philippians 2:9‭-‬11 "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." The name is above every other name in heaven, on earth and under the earth. The name of Jesus is above every name. Every name submits to the name of Jesus. There is no name that doesn't submit to Jesus. This name, the name of Jesus belongs to you. All heaven will back you when you use His name by faith. All heaven stands with the name of Jesus. The heavenly armies of God and God himself stands in the name of Jesus. You release them when you use the name of Jesus by faith. Jesus is wherever His name is.

Friend, the name of Jesus is your weapon that can take down any and every name. Let me say it again, there is no name above the name of Jesus. Use your weapon and shut the mouth of the Goliaths in your life. Be it sickenesses, demons, debts, opposition, failures, fear, anxiety or any other wicked thing, the name of Jesus is above them all. No matter the size of Goliath, the name of Jesus will take it down. Hallelujah!

Honour God's house!

Honour God's house.
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Hebrews 10:25
not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The height you attain in life is measured by the honour you give to God and His things. Casual attitude leads to a casual life. Great honour leads to a great life.

Some one says, 'Under grace, do I need to come to church?'. The statement should actually be, 'Under grace, how can you miss church'. Once you know and believe what Jesus has done for you, the extent He went, the limit He crossed, the sacrifices He made, the price He paid to get you, to save you, to heal you and to bless you, if you really understand this, you cannot stay at home, you want to come to church and be a part of God's house. When you put God's house first, your house will be taken care of. When you put the things of God first, your things will be taken care of. Matthew 6.33 says, Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Attending and participating in a church doesn't not save us. It's Jesus who has saved us. Good works cannot and will not save us. It's only Jesus and His works. He saved us for good works. Now that you are saved, attend and participate in a Bible based church and learn God's word from His anointed servants. It's a response to what Jesus has done for you, which comes out of a grateful heart. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Friend, don't let Satan deceive you and keep you from fellowshipping with other believers. Being ignorant and being alone is a dangerous thing because such are the targets of the enemy. Make a decision to faithfully attend and participate in God's house, feeding on Gods word and fellowshipping with other members of the family of God. Your blessings awaits you -Psalm 92:12‭-‬15 - The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord , they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”