The Power of His Name 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Emmanuel God With Us

The power of His name is reflected in His names and the connotations of His name. one of such names is Emmanuel which means God with Us.

God indwells His children through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, the gift of God that is given to those who obey God. Please read Acts Chapter 5 verse 32. It is no use asking for the infilling of the Holy Spirit if a person has no intention of obeying the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 46 verses 7, 11, Matthew Chapter 1 verse 23, Isaiah Chapters 7 verse 14 and 8 verses 9 to 10.

The Presence of God ensures and guarantees safety, security and deliverance from any of the attacks and projections of the enemy in any form. But for the Presence of God that was with the nation of Israel, Moab deploying the services of a spiritualist named Balaam would have succeeded in cursing Israel and bringing harm to Israel while on their way to the Promised Land. But God stayed both Balaam and Moab from carrying out their designs on Israel. Please read Numbers Chapter 23 verses 19 to 24.

Guaranteed Deliverance 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Beloved, I am neither massaging your emotions nor telling you stories because I have nothing to do. I am sharing you with you what God wants you to know so that you can turn the seemingly dead or impossible situation around. God wants to intervene in your personal life as well as your nation. But you must do something by rising up to what God wants you to do. How He wants you to act to regain your freedom may be entirely different from mine but He wants to intervene in your situation. Besides, your situation differs from mine just as that of your nation differs from mine.

The lame man at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple was lame from birth; had grown into a man who could not fend for himself. In point of fact, he could in no way help himself as he had to be carried, probably on a daily basis to the gate of the temple, referred to as Beautiful where he daily asked for alms from those who entered the temple. A down trodden man at a beautiful gate; life can be quite ironical. What could be more indignifying, possibly hopeless! After all, he had been that way from birth and as far as he was concerned; that was probably his lot in life. So why not cope with it and stick to begging for alms.

But unknown to him, God had a different plan for him; a plan that would save him the daily embarrassment of being an inconvenience to people around him. Also, quite fortunately for him, he was at the gate when God came visiting in the form of Peter and John who were about to go into the temples. Significantly and quite instructive, the lame man asked for the usual pittance he got as alms. Please forgive the choice of the word pittance as I am only being realistic. This is because if he got anything substantial, he would not be there on a daily basis. How do I know he was there on a daily basis? Everyone who came to the temple knew him because at one time or the other he had stretched out his hands for alms. But God had something greater than alms for him on that day.   

Consecrate Yourself to God

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

A consecrated person is more likely to be used of God to bring healing to the nations. Consecration means usable by the Master. It is one thing to be used by God to do things in the house of God without sanctification and another to be used by God, which is to minister to God and minister the grace of God to the people of God. It is impossible to be consecrated without being sanctified. You should therefore ensure that you do not serve around the temple but in the temple. The prophet Samuel was both sanctified and consecrated. If Jesus sanctified himself, then you should also sanctify yourself. Let this be your desire and commitment. Please see Romans Chapter 6 verse 22, John Chapter 17 verse 19. 

Sanctification is to be set apart by God for God unto a holy life. Sanctification is separation from an unholy life. Sanctification is a purging process that is facilitated by the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer filled with the Holy Spirit and is submissive to the Holy Spirit at all times. Please see Romans Chapter 15 verse 16. Sanctification is your conscious effort to please God. It is your progressive growth to conform to Jesus Christ. Please see Philippians Chapter 2 verse 12, Acts Chapter 13 verses 2 and 3 and John Chapter 17 verse 17. Sanctification is progressive and it is your responsibility. Sanctification in speech is also important. A call to sanctification is a call to promotion. Salvation motivates sanctification. There can be no sanctification if there is no salvation. It is therefore important not to underscore salvation. Please see 2^nd Timothy Chapter 2 verses 20 to 22. Salvation is not a feeling because feelings change. You don’t feel salvation; you know it and you must have the assurance. A Christian life should consist of salvation, sanctification and consecration.

Schools of belief and opinions differ on sanctification and salvation. Please see 1^st Corinthians Chapter 6 verse 11 and James Chapter 1 verses 22 to 25. Sanctification begins with salvation and is progressive based on James Chapter 1 verses 22 to 25. The motivation for sanctification and consecration is salvation.  A life that is not saved cannot be sanctified and cannot be consecrated.

God Reigns

The Essence of Judgmental Prophecies

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Judgmental prophecies are prophecies that pronounce judgment and doom as a result of the disobedience of an individual, family, community, Church, institutions and nations. They are however not a regular occurrence. God does not delight in pronouncing judgment on His people. Rather He blesses His people on a daily basis.  The essence of judgmental prophecies is to cause the people of God to repent and to turn away from their sins back to God. God does this because of His love and compassion for the people. Please see 2^nd Chronicles Chapter 36 verse 15, Jonah Chapter 4 verses 2 to 3, 11.

Most often, God averts judgment especially when people repent as the Word of God comes forth. Ahab repented when he received a judgmental prophecy after killing Naboth to take over his vineyard (1^st Kings Chapter 21). Though Ahab eventually died on account of other sins, it is significant to note that as much as possible, God always wants to avert judgment which explains why He uses His prophets to warn His people and nations of the impending consequences of their sinful actions. It is sad that most often, people and nations do not pay attention to God but choose to walk in their own ways. The case of the city of Nineveh is significant. As the Prophet Jonah spoke of the impending doom that would befall Nineveh on account of their sins, the Bible records that the nation led by the King repented in dust and ashes. God rescinded judgment and the people were spared.

The people of Israel and Judah as well as the land suffered the consequences of their sins and persistent refusal to turn away from their sinful ways back to God. Consequently, Nebuchadnezzar humiliated them and burnt the beautiful temple built by Solomon, carted away the precious articles of gold and silver. God allowed this because He had warned them severally. Additionally, the leadership of the people including priests and prophets were defiling the temple with the abominable idolatrous practices of the nations around them (2^nd Chronicles Chapter 36 verse 14, Ezekiel Chapter 8) and had hardened their hearts against any rebuke from the LORD. Rather than be convicted and repent, they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets (2^nd Chronicles Chapter 36 verse 16).

The Role of Prophets in the Healing of the Nations 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

A prophet must prophesy; for any prophet to be used of God in bringing healing to the nation/s, the prophet must prophesy. The prophecy is what moves people, the nations to repentance if they are already prepared for repentance; or moves the people of God in the nations to fervent intercession for repentance in the land so that ultimately, there is forgiveness of sins and restoration.

Daniel interceded for Israel after studying the prophecy concerning restoration for Israel in the book of Jeremiah. Please see Daniel Chapter 9. Not quite long, the Israelites left Babylonian captivity and Jerusalem was rebuilt.

The Prophet Ezekiel was used by God to bring healing to the despondent people of Israel through the prophecy he gave in Ezekiel Chapter 37 verses 1 to 14. A people who had confessed that their bones were dry and their hope was lost stood on their feet as an exceedingly great army after they received the word of God prophesied by Ezekiel into their lives.

The prophecy can also be to energize and mobilize the people of God to action against their oppressors as in the case of Barak and the army of Israel when God used Deborah to prophesy to Barak. Barak responded positively to the prophecy by Deborah, mobilized the army of Israel and defeated General Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army. The nation of Israel was free and healed of the military oppression by Jabin, King of Cannan through Sisera. Please see Judges Chapters 4 and 5.

Healing also came to the nation of Israel as Prophets Zechariah and Haggai prophesied to the returnee exiles to complete the rebuilding of the temple that was abandoned on account of the fierce opposition from the people who hated Jerusalem. The people of Israel were experiencing lack, miserable harvests and nothing to really show for so much labor. But as they responded positively to the prophecies of Zechariah and Haggai; the recommenced work and completed the temple, God blessed them and the works of their hands immensely. Please see Ezra Chapter 5 verses 1 to 2, 6 verse 14; Haggai Chapters 1 and 2 and Zechariah Chapter 8 verses 9 to 15.

The Role of Young People in Healing the Nations

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

God raised David at a time that Goliath had inflicted terrible damages in the national army of Israel. Through the use of words, the strife of tongues, words that intimidate to terrify and immobilize coupled with a terrifying stature, Goliath succeeded in bringing a very heavily mobilized army to inaction.  He used fear encoded in his choice of words to immobilize the army of God. For forty days and forty nights, the national army of Israel experienced unnecessary terror, humiliation at the hands of Goliath until David heard those words. The Spirit of God in David moved David to challenge the opposition and intimidation. Significantly, it was a battle of words as both Goliath and David used words. But David used words anointed by God (where the word of a King is, there is power). As David released the words by the Spirit of God, the power of God accompanied the words and in no time, Goliath in spite of his intimidating physical stature, military expertise, experience and prowess was brought down by David.

Esther was a very young woman when she was suddenly tasked with the responsibility of interceding for the safety of the Jews. Haman had passed a death sentence on the Jews and going by the irreversible laws of the Persians and the Medes, Esther’s task was a tall dream. But Esther went to God and God used her tremendously. Though the laws were not reversed, Haman was killed, the Jews were empowered with a new set of laws to fight back and fight back they did and killed all their enemies. Also, Mordecai, a gateman whom Haman thought was beneath him to kill alone and therefore decided to kill all the Jews became the number two man in the kingdom. Beloved, the Jewish nation was spared and healed of the satanic plot to eliminate the Jews through the Holy Spirit guided actions of Esther.

The Place of Liberality in the Healing of the Nations

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The liberality referred to here is liberality for kingdom purposes. Giving generally opens a floodgate of blessings (Luke Chapter 6 verse 38, Isaiah Chapter 32 verse 8) and also brings healings in diverse dimensions to the peoples and nations of the world (Job Chapter 42 verses 6 to 12, Genesis Chapter 20). When people and nations give of their time, money, expertise, knowledge, skills, etc to bring people out of poverty, ignorance, and diseases into a better quality life, they are giving healing (as some of their Christian brethren take advantage of such opportunities to serve as missionaries) and they in turn; both the sending nations and missionaries receive healings from God as well.

God gave the greatest gift of all for the redemption, salvation and deliverance of humanity from satanic captivity and death to abundant life in Christ Jesus. Please see  John Chapter 3 verse 16, John Chapters 10 verse 10; 15 verse 13 , Romans Chapter 8 verses 31 to 32, 2^nd Corinthians Chapter 8 verse 9.

In the book of Haggai Chapters 1 and 2, the Bible records that the people of Judah gave  of their resources to complete the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem that was abandoned on account of the fierce opposition to the rebuilding of the Temple. As the people released their resources for the rebuilding of the temple, they were healed of the famine in the land despite the fact that they had not planted fresh crops.

Healing the Nations Through Prophesying 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The Bible records that the elders of the Jews built and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built the temple and finished it. Please see Ezra Chapters 5 verses 1 to 2; 6 verse 14, Haggai Chapters 1 and 2, Zechariah Chapter 1 verses 12 to 21, What is pertinent is what Haggai and Zechariah prophesied (the content of their prophecies and the Spirit by whom they prophesied). They prophesied by the Spirit of God; and the words which they spoke by the Holy Spirit were life to the people, the words quickened the people and helped them to prosper in the rebuilding of the temple and the temple was completed despite the severe opposition by the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin.

The forms of opposition include false assistance designed to frustrate the work; discouragement; use of counselors to frustrate the work, accusation and force of arms (Ezra Chapter 4 verses 1 to 23). Eventually the work ceased. But because God had spoken His word and His word does not return unto Him without accomplishing what the word was sent to do (Isaiah Chapter 55 verses 8 to 13), He raised the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to speak hope, strength, confidence and restoration to His people. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah continued prophesying to the people in the name of God and the people were strengthened and encouraged to continue rebuilding the Temple (Ezra Chapter 5). As they spoke, the people rose up and began to build the house of God, hugely supported by King Cyrus whom God had purposed to use (Isaiah Chapters 44 verses 26 to 28, 45 verse 13). The fierce opposition to the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem by the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin was quashed by prophesying. Additionally, the Bible records that the completion of the temple brought healing and restoration of dignity, true worship of God as well as restoration of all things to Judah.

Prophesying the Word of God into the situation, the people and the land as evidenced in the valley of dry bones when Ezekiel prophesied the Word of God into the very dry bones in the valley certainly brings God’s healing to the nations. The very dry bones represent utter hopelessness – a situation that was probably beyond redemption because the people had lost all hope and believed that nothing could be done to redeem the situation. Apart from being very dry, the bones were also very many. This is symbolic of the mindsets of many people, utter hopelessness for them as a people and a nation.