Thursday 30 January 2014

WHERE ARE YOU? - 31/01/2014

WHERE ARE YOU? - 31/01/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled “SECRETS OF OVERWHELMING BLESSINGS” while today’s topic is “WHERE ARE YOU?” as given by Pastor E. A Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Philippians 3: 14: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” and read Philippians 3:12-15. Our Bible in one year for today has been taken from 1 Peter 5, 2 Peter 1-3, and Psalm 29 (Adeboye, 2014).

The message is quoted below for our usual discussion. God bless you as you make your contribution to this forum.

“If a child of God will fully actualise and fulfil in totality the purpose of God for him, the question — ”Where am I?” must be asked and answered conscientiously from time to time. Right from the day of birth, a man begins a return journey to where he came from (Ecclesiastics 12:1 -7). This is   why you are not asked how young but rather how old you are? Even though some individuals would like to tie down time and prevent themselves from ageing, thinking of a means for achieving such only amounts to living in a fool's paradise. No matter the level of cosmetology therapy you accord your body, your internal organs would tell you: ”you are only joking”. The facial ridges and furrows would betray your ”smartness”. The point therefore is: you need to face reality. To answer the question, ”where am I?’’ you need to consider the following questions in sequence:
- Where was I yesterday?
- Where am I now?
- Where can I be?
- Though where I am now may look good to me, is this where I ought to be?
- Where do I want to be, going forward?
In Philippians 3:10, Apostle Paul declared: ”That I may know Him”, even though he was already an apostle. There is always room for moving higher. If however you are already satisfied with your present level or position, then there is nothing anyone can do to move you forward. Note however that the day you get satisfied, that day you begin to come down the ladder of ascent. It is my prayer that you will not be satisfied yet. Are you thirsty for more of Christ and all He has for you? If thirsty, how thirsty are you? Jesus in Matthew 5:6 said: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

You need to know also that there is a price to pay to achieve greatness (Philippians 3:7). Are you therefore ready to go through some physical hardships and discomforts in order to reach your goal? You should also be aware of the danger of resting before arriving at your destination (1 Kings 1 3:1 1-30). The misleading old prophet caught up with the young prophet while he rested along the way to his destination (1 Kings 13:14). This cost him his life and destiny. Finally, be aware of the great joy of finishing well (2 Timothy 4:7-8). You Will finish well in Jesus’ Name”

Today, we have been asked to pray as follows: “Father, keep me thirsting for more of you; anything that would constitute barrier in my upward journey, let it be removed by fire in Jesus' Name”

I pray that we shall all finish well in Jesus Name. See you at the top…….

Reference:
Adeboye, E. A. (2014) . Open Heavens: A Guide to Close Fellowship with God, Volume 14, 2014. Nigeria: Open Heavens Media Limited.

35 comments:

  1. Brethren its chocking to get to no that my younger brother whom we have been looking for 3yrs now has been in Japan prison all these while with severe mental issue. Pls I need ur prayers for divine intervention on his deportation for treatment. Pls.........help me and pray cos rite now am down psychologically. Lord intervene and have mercy on him.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear brother,
      It is well with youIJN.
      The God that answers prayers shall all flesh come. Father we pray in the name of your son Jesus that you will show mercy to this your son in prison right now. We pray O Lord that you will show mercy. Lord you said in your word that mercy prevails over judgement, Father I stand in the gap right now and I ask for mercy upon this your son in Jesus name. You are the God that can do all things, you can do anything, Lord do this again so that all glory will be returned to you. Let him even have a personal encounter with you there in prison. For your son that has called out for help, you said you are our present help in time of trouble. Father send help to him from all corners of the earth, lord comfort him and reassure him about what you are about to do in Jesus name. Amen.
      People let's pray together for this man, we willshare the testimony on this forum in Jesus name. Amen.
      Take heart, be strong and of good courage!

      Delete
  2. I have taken in the Word in 2014 as I have never done in my life....or since before my teenage years. Thank you. Please everyone, pray for my deliverance from porn, masturbation, and homosexual tendencies. Please help genuinely for someone you don't really know without expecting a reward, but let God, who sees your love for change in someone else's life, reward you in the way only He can. Please I beg you to not ignore this as the many you see every now and then because I believe in God's help through your intercessions. Peace.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What you need is the Holy Ghost fire. Get closer to the Holy Spirit. Spend more time reading about Him. And pray ernestly.

      Delete
    2. I see help from above on the way for you! Just hold Jesus "agbada" tight! And quickly enroll for Holy Ghost baptism: you shall be empowered from on high!

      Delete
    3. Dear brother, God bless you!
      Well dine!
      For you to be delivered , this is the first crucial step you need to take that you have taken. You have cried out for help to the one that can only help you. God will deliver you in Jesus name.
      Having taken this first crucial step, you have to indeed give your life to Christ or rededicate genuinely because whosoever is born of God does not enjoy sinning. So I perceive you should do this.
      You should also having done that, hide yourself under the shadow of the Almight,- ps 91 says "he who dwells in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighy and i can say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress, my God in him will i trust" you ve got to dwell in him, john 15 also says- abide in me and i will abide in you-(Jesus), when you allow Jesus in, to take over all the aspects of ur life, his light will drive away all the darkness in your life, there will be know more room for those sins you are habouring.
      How can u abide in him after being bornAgin?
      Ask yourself, what got me to this place? Where i am at.
      Try to identify how you got yourself in this sin. Physically deal with them by removing them, if it means you have to sell your computer for the time being while you r working on urself, sell it.
      Could it be the friends you keep? Could it be the places you go? Just check your life, how did i get here? When you understand these underlying issues and answer these questions, it will help u to move on and know what to totally eradicate. After doing this , u can abide in Jesus By reading and assimilating his word, by doing his word, by fellowshiping wt other brethen in church, home cells, and just as u r on this forum, by inviting the holy spirit to come and fill you to overflow, and lastly by seeking counsel from a godly person thAt you trust and you can be accountable to. Dont only do like u r doing right now on d web, but seek probBly the pastor of your church who can physically follow you up.
      Be careful, the devil will not like you to take this last step but that is a very big step u must take, this will help u to tell ur flesh,- u r not in control of me anymore . As long as u are not accountable to anyone, it might become redundant as a secret sin. I pray that you will find some one with open mind, with the mind of compassion of Christ who will not blow u up to help you in Jesus name.
      Dont givee up, its likely to be tough at the beginning but God that answers all prayers shall surely deliver you.i would also like you to start praying Isaiah 49: 24 downwards: here the Lord promised to deliver even lawful captives, pray it, confess it and expect his mighty right hand. Remain blessed in the name of Jesus.

      Delete
    4. I really appreciate all the responses.

      I know I must do these things to be able to please God. Moreover, Heb 10 talks about exercising one's self-control to keep this in check because there are adverse consequences "...If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God."

      I have re-dedicated a few times but I keep going back so I'm thinking of doing something differently as it's pointless to do the same things over and over expecting a different outcome. I acted on my homosexual urges for about a year or so (2011-2012) and, till now, I don't know how or where I got the will power to stop it (limiting to porn and masturbation, which isn't to say these vices are better in any way), My spirit just does not agree with these things (I pray you don't get entangled in it before you'll understand what I mean) and till this day I will never know how someone like myself who, as a young boy, used to hate homosexuality and could not bring himself to comprehend why a man would want to lie with another of his kind now came to be involved with it to the point that even its pornographic form appeals more! I have fed myself daily with the Word in 2014 like I haven't since before my teenage years (I'm 27 now), I have been on the 100-day fasting (don't think I've done more than 7 days before), I could do better in praying but I still do almost daily. I'm just seeking ways to do things differently this year and before now I'd called my pastor to inform him I'd like to have a word although I've been busy and haven't quite gotten round to seeing him.

      I'm living proof no man's born gay. Some have been engaged in it as far back as they can remember so they say they were born that way. I would like to issue a warning for all to take heed lest they fall as it's spreading like wild fire. Many straight men/women are constantly being "converted", even right in the house of God! I've been there and I can tell you to be wary of persons of the same sex getting unnaturally close, the number of people "undercover" is staggering. It's almost a telepathic understanding when someone who's been there (or still in it) meets another who engages in it. I know of someone who was delivered and I could not believe it so I won't be throwing in the towel anytime soon. Thanks for the encouragement.

      Delete
    5. Dear brother,
      Happy to read from you again. As i said before, you are in the right place.
      I will encourage you to keep doing doing what you are doing, the fasting and prayer, make time to see your Pastor asap since it become very evident that God wants to bring you back home. The issue with these sexual sins is mainly spiritual, it tranfers easily through association, just like anointing can pass on you through association with a man of God, hearing, seeing and all, just as faith and anointing comes to us. U re being attacked because you had strong hatred for it. I can tell u from a personal point of view, right now you are about the 6 th person with this tendency ive been praying for. Its not an easy sin to abandon becos it is a great stronghold, so you should uproot it right from the root and then plant what you want in addition to those things i mentioned in d morning. As i was saying, when i started working wt them and praying for them, i had attacks in dreams like a lady is moving too closely to me around my private area. I wake up and command that none it shall not happen and shall not come to pass, in some cases i even anoint myself as soon as i wake up, or even take holy communion etc to rid myself of the contamination. I know that when im trying to steal a life from d devil, he will not take it lightly. So expect a fight but u ll be an overcomer. You have already won in Jesus name.
      God will send you help and favor.
      Ill like to ask you, if you have not reached d level of not hating women, if you are comfortable enuf, go ahead and seek a nice sister to get married with after your counsel wt your pastor. The devil shall be ashamed concerning your life in Jesus name. You shall be used in theis area to break chains that people have been bound with in Jesus name. Are u abroad? If u r abroad, its also part of d reasons u r beginning to think its ok. They tried hard and are almosst succeeding to desensitize one from the sin. They tried to make it look ok. But tell urself as u r doing, it is not ok and i shall not be a partaker of this in Jesus name. Amen. You shall overcomeIJN. Amen.
      About getting filled with the Holy spirit, the Bible tells us that the Holy spirit has alreagdy been given. The problem is receiving it. Pple find it difficult, particularly men becos they are logical pple, they want to think how can i be speaking a nonsense language that i dont understand, they feel stupid. The holy spirit is for pple who are ready to be stupid. As soon as u r ready, release urself, ask to be prayed for or by laying on of hands and begin to speak. Now this may not happen immediately, it could be during ur own personal prayer time that it will be ffully blown. So having asked, believe receive and speak. Exercise yourself in it. Jude 20, building up urself in your most holy faith. When you speak and pray in tongues your are building yourself and bypassing the enemy.
      You will be empowered.
      my God that answers prayers will fill you to overflow IJN.
      I pray that for everyone of us struggling wt one sin or the other, our spirits will catch the fire of the Holy Ghost in Jesus name. Amen.
      God bless you!

      Delete
    6. Thank you, Jafo Topsy.

      No, I don't hate women but this sin has a way of secluding you from them. I just find that most of my friends are male friends. I have female friends but none that I share any form of intimacy with at the moment. Yes, I do live abroad. I'll see what I can arrange with my pastor in the coming week. I'm sure it will be a shocker for him but then they're supposed to be used to these kinds of confessions. Don't get me wrong, I have never for once thought it's OK to engage in these acts and it's one thing I have going for me; that God has not yet given me up to a depraved mind, constantly convicting me. I'm thankful for the sense of propriety he's blessed me with.

      Thanks again.

      Delete
    7. Pray more in tongue at least one hour every morning. At the end of it you will find the Holy Spirit will take over and direct your prayer. Cast down every imagination that would want to distract you whilst you are in his presence. Go to God in sincerity. He said "If you seek me you shall find me if seek me with your whole heart. God is truth and will help you overcome. Know that the enemy is on a mission to destroy you. Suit to God first and then resist him....."he will flee from you. He has no choice but to flee.

      Delete
    8. I thank God for you dear brother! You are coming out! IJN.
      Do u know that God gave me a wonderful sign today, i believ God has answered your prayers, because you are of a contrite heart.i believe uve never thot it was ok, im just trying to mention how they make it seem its normal, it is the spirit in d air that actually allows it to sink in. You will not fall. You are coming out.
      Im actually in netherlands where everything is allowed.
      You know i told you i had at least 6 gay pple im waiting on d Lord for. The Lord actually opened a door for me yesterday at work. My present immediate boss is gay, even married.
      Somehow while it wAs only 2 of us in d class, he began to ask me abt my weekend, i replied , enumerating my weekend plans, how involved i am in d church etc. holy spirit kept nudging me to go on. You know i was able to talk to him for at least 20 mins today which has never happened bf. i felt like screaming for joy. God is good. The seed has been sown. I left him wt d question, have u ever thought of what is next, where u will go after u die and he said no aftually. I told him it would be nice he gives it a thot. Hesais he would. Im so delighted at this God of wonders, i dont know how long it will take but i believe that guy is coming out n not going to hell.
      Praise God for me everyone. It was a prayer of 3 yrs that my God answerd in a jiffy!praise the Lord!

      Delete
  3. Today's message is for me. I need to check myself and
    Measures my life in order to get the purpose of God for my life. God bless you daddy Adeboye more grace to your life sir. My sister keep the good work God will reward you amen.

    Timothy Akintoye

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear sister, kindly address the issue of the date that is always showing 2013. God is your strength and will help you always.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks brother. I apologise for the error in date and I've made necessary corrections. God bless everyone in this forum, amen

      Delete
  5. I need your prayer for my mumy she has spiritual attack via albumonial pain(stomach ache)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. James 5:14-15 “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
      Acts 19:11-12 “And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.”

      Dear Anonymous, I will suggest that if you are in Nigeria, try to attend the HGS next Friday and use any piece of cloth as a point of contact to pray for your mother. Lay it on her and pray for her when you get back home. If you are abroad, connect through the Internet or via Satellite and believe that God will do it. I pray you that very soon, you will testify of her healing in Jesus Name.

      FATHER, I join my faith with all my brethren contributing to this blog and I decree that the mother of this brother/sister is healed in Jesus Name

      Delete
  6. May the good Lord continue to bless you and this interactive blog. There is no prayer quite so fundamental as that for the removal of all lifestyles constituting barriers to our upward journey. How gloriously beautiful to receive that liberty to run the race, free from besetting sins!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous 2, pls feel free to ask me if u have challenges along your way to recovery.
    Praise God!
    Now back to today's topic, it is a great thing the Lord has shared with us today through Pst Adeboye.
    Sometimes we could be complacent, thinking we have arrived, meanwhile we have not even reached halfway of God's plan in our lives.
    What can make you not to want to move. It could be your successes, it could be your failure or hardship.
    When Gid says he wants to do a new thing in your life, fear of past experiences may stop u, fear of the unknown may stop u. I pray to God to give me grace to enter his land of milk n hony he has prepared for me. Remember the spies that were sent to spy canaan, 2 had good encouraging reports, others thought where we are is just enough becos they dont want to fight giants. May our eyes be open. Some people dont want to drive a good car or live in a new house for fear of thieves... What im trying to say is that, moving forward is a work of faith, it is a work whereby u forget the former things as in isa 43, phil 4 in order to become what God wants you to become.
    I want to finish well and strong Lord! I believe ive not even reached halfway of where you want me to go, Lord pls in your mercy guide me through and thru, let me hear your voice telling me, my daughter - this is d way you should go in Jesus name. Lord dont let me fail you, dont let me disappoint you, dont let me be so self assuming to miss my goal. Lord Jesus, i want more of you. As the deer pantheth after the brooks so i pant towards you. Let me finish well and strong. Me and everyone on this forum, dont let us be on this forum just as show offs. Let ur life rub off on our own lives too in Jesus mighty name.
    I press toward the high mark of calling in Christ jesus. So help me God. Thank you dear Jesus. Amen. Have a great day everybody!
    Shalom!

    ReplyDelete
  8. About getting baptized by the Holy Spirit .... How do I go about it... I've been told my prayer life will be catapulted by that and my walk with God will be enhanced... I've been born again for like 15 years .... And I've been pretty concerned about never being able to speak in tongues as it's one thing I earnestly desire....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The journey to baptism requires that you cooperate with the Holy Spirit. Prepare your heart for the infilling of the Holy spirit. Jesus Gives the Holy ghost baptism through so open your mouth in prayer to ask Him and He will surely give it to you. After that, release yourself for the infilling. Focus your mind on Him and not on yourself, and then release your prayer language immediately you feel the filling of the Holy Spirit. You may feel as if the words are bubbling up inside you, or hear the words in your mind. Open your mouth and began to speak without restricting yourself. God offers the gift to anyone who wants it and I pray that the Almighty God will lead you into the mysteries of Holy ghost baptism in Jesus name.

      Delete
  9. God expand your words in my life.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you Jesus for these wonderful message, God give me the grace to know were I am and every thing constituting barrier to my upward journeys consumed them with fire in Jesus name and make a way for Lord Jesus. Amen

    ReplyDelete
  11. Afolabi Oluwaseyifunmi31 January 2014 at 02:25

    Amen in jesus name.... Do have a great day ahead too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I pray concerning you that need healing for your Mother, She is healed IJN. I command everything that the lord has not planted in her to begin to be uprooted IJN. My father and my God, your word says that at mention of the JESUS that every knee will bow n every tongue confess, I call the Name Jesus into your mother's situation and command every fowl spirit to disappear IjN. It is well with you IJN

    ReplyDelete
  13. About speaking in tongues, pray 2 God for this gift cos it's 4 evry biliva-MK 16:17. Next, biliv dt he has given it 2 u-Mk 11:24 n begin 2 speak as d Holyspirit gives you utterance-Acts 2:4. Aweva, u mst note dt u nid 2 exercise faith in doin alldese cos d devil is going 2 mk u biliv u'r sayin rubbish or dt it is fake. Just speak as d Holyspirit gives u utterance. At 1st, it wil com lyk syllables, d way a new born baby can't pronounce daddy in a day so u can't stat speakin fluently @ once. It wil stat gradually n u av 2 develop this by continually spendin tym prayin in d Spirit daily, no matta aw little d tym is, just kip doin it, n d Holspirit will continually giv u utterance n it wil gt beta n b4 u know it,u'd b prayin 4 hours non-stop in d spirit

    ReplyDelete
  14. More of you in my life Lord. Thank you Father!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank God that sent you to all His children that need His word and wish to be an Over-comer,As someone that has no-one to speak to and to pray with, i would like you to pray for my family today as the time of the year ,first for my daughter that is''43 today who happen to have a girl of Age 9 that she`s been the only one with the help of God caring for and, and since then have been praying for the help of the most high to bring unto her, her own devoted husband that will bring joy into her daughters life and also for her to be a partaker of the blessings of God that this 2014 before it end she will be celebrated as one that has the fullness of the country she is living as to get her papers as others, ''secondly for my son who is just climbing to be settle on his new carrier and also to be able to get the required document that will make him to be able to achieve his goal where he is studying .and also for my daughter that has been struggled for long but all is for nothing to show and from hand to mouth.as our Daddy declare for us that this year is our year of over flow that my family will be a partaker of the blessing and God, and that He will take away the garment of rising and falling away from our life and grant us grace to be worthy of someone that can answer the question our God asked where am I.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Almighty God will visit your family and you will have cause to celebrate this year in Jesus Name.

      Delete
  16. Amen in Jesus name Chijioke u AR heald,favored and delivered in Jesus name. Amen.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thanks and God bless you with more grace and favour @Jafo Topsy. Please let us all keep praying for our brother's deliverance even as he yields to all the advice and I trust that the devil will loos his foothold over him in Jesus Name

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thanks and God bless you with more grace and favour @Jafo Topsy. Please let us all keep praying for our brother's deliverance even as he yields to all the advice and I trust that the devil will loos his foothold over him in Jesus Name

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wow! Glory be to the Almighty God. The Revival without Borders has just started... Thank you Jesus for this third day, the day of raising up. May self, sin and satan never be able to limit or truncate this In Jesus Christ' name!

    ReplyDelete
  20. He bought and brought me from shame and guilt. His light fought my toughest fight and place me before his banquet table and I know surely his plans for my next destination will end in high praises because I will finish well by his supernatural leadings.

    ReplyDelete