Prophetic Declarations and Actions

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Prophetic declarations and actions are divine activities prompted and directed by the Holy Spirit to achieve divine purposes that bring glory to God. A number of Biblical examples attest to this. Significantly, about every prophetic declaration and action births miracles which bring about deliverance, healing, financial breakthroughs, salvation, expansion, abundance and victory in warfare.

Prophetic declarations as well as prophetic actions are proactive measures, preparatory activities to breakthroughs and miracles. For example, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’. They are usually specific, easy to understand instructions and when obeyed often bring about instant results (fill up the water pots with water and the water became very sweet wine; the man who had been ill for thirty eight years who became whole after Jesus made the pronouncement) though in some cases, results are progressive or set to a particular timeline, for instance the birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

They may not sound reasonable, logical, and plausible but they usually hold the very much required key to the sometimes urgently desired, awaited, and longed for miracle or blessing. They may not even have a connection to the desired miracle, for instance how do you speak to or make a rock to produce water? How does a cripple or paralytic person rise to take up a bed s/he has always laid on when the ailment is still there? How does the filling up of water pots with water solve the issue of finished wine at a wedding ceremony? How does dipping in a river seven times cleanse leprosy? How does going to show oneself to a priest when one is still leprous translate to cleansing from leprosy? How does borrowing jars and filling them up with a little jar of oil translate to financial freedom?

Prophetic declarations most often do not make sense. Elisha was told that he would receive double portion unction if he saw Elijah being taken up to glory. That was exactly what happened.

The Woman at the Well

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

There was a woman at a well, one day

Near a city of Samaria, in a land far away.

There she met a Stranger, who changed her life that day,

For He gave her living water-from

The Truth, the Life, the way.

She left her waterpot, there by the well,

Ran into the city- for she must tell

That she had met the Messiah at the well

DALE EVANS ROGERS

Though unnamed, the woman at the well was an audacious exploratory woman who constantly sought ways to slake her thirst as well as satisfy the desires and longings of her heart. The quest for self satisfaction culminated in the series of non satisfying marital relationships – five husbands and a current live in lover that she could not call a husband. Please see John Chapter 4 verses 16 to 18.

Perhaps, this quest was also the reason she went to fetch water at a time when women do not go to fetch water or perhaps, it was a ploy to avoid the sniggers and sneers of other supposedly lucky women who had maritally fulfilling relationships and had probably not gone her string of five husbands and a current live in lover. Whatever it was, this journey to the well at the odd hour turned out to be a life changing, life transforming encounter for this very beautiful woman of Samaria; accustomed to attention from the male folk (five husbands and a live in lover is no mean feat for any woman. If in doubt, please attempt it, though I do not advise it as it is not really scriptural.

Jehovah the Man of War Heals Nations

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Jehovah the Man of war fights for and heals nations that obey and honor Him. One of the ways God demonstrates His power is by taking over the battles of His children and fighting the enemy in His own way and power in order to give victory to His children. That is why the Bible refers to Him as Jehovah the Man of war. The Bible is replete with accounts of how God took over battles from His children and demonstrated His awesome power to the enemies of His people. Please see Exodus Chapters 14 to 15 for what happened to Pharaoh and his choice chariots at the crossing of the red sea. Pharaoh, the finest crop of his army alongside their chariots were drowned in the red sea by God. In verses 14 to 28 of Exodus Chapter 14, the Egyptians acknowledged that God was fighting for the Israelites against the Egyptians. The Bible also records in those verses that God took off the wheels of that chariots so that the soldiers drove the chariots with difficulty. And because they drove with difficulty, they lacked speed and could not flee before the waters of the sea returned to their full depth It is significant to note that every time God fights for His people, it is total elimination of the enemy, his power base and everything the enemy boasts about.  

Another way God fights for His children is to forgive their sins so that the enemy has no legal ground over the children of God. Please see 1^st John Chapter 1 verses 7 to 10. God also fights for His children by chastening them. Please see Hebrews Chapter 12 verses 5 to 13 and Proverbs Chapter 3 verses 11 to 12.

Yet another way is by removing the scales of ignorance and satanic blindness. Please see 2^nd Corinthians Chapters 3 verses 14 to 17, 4 verses 3 to 4, and Acts Chapters 13 verses 6 to 12 and 8 verses 29 to 39.

God also fights for His children by cancelling and nullifying every accusation of the devil and his cohorts against the children of God with the blood of Jesus Christ and His word. Please see Zechariah Chapter 3 verses 1 to 10 where He rebuked the devil for trying to hinder Joshua the then high Priest of Israel. Please see also Revelation Chapter 12 verses 10 to 11, Jude 9, John Chapter 8 verses 3 to 11, Isaiah Chapters 54 verses 14 to 17, 8 verses 9 to 10.

Healing Streams 1

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Polluted streams do not bring healing to the people around the stream, the struggling, or tired or weary or thirsty traveler in need of a refreshing cup of water or dip in the water. Polluted streams are sources of barrenness, unproductivity, sickness and death as in the case of the polluted waters of Jericho described in 2^nd Kings Chapter 2 verses 19 to 21. Rather than bless the people of the land, the polluted waters of Jericho poisoned and harmed the people of the land. It made the land unproductive or barren and consequently death in the land. Ideally, water should give life but when that water brings about what does not give life, then there is a problem.

On the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, the Israelites got to Marah after searching for water to drink endlessly for three consecutive days in the wilderness. Unfortunately the waters of Marah were polluted, were bitter and undrinkable. At this point, the people could take it no more so they complained against Moses. Moses’s response is very significant. He cried out to God and God showed him a tree which he cast into the waters. The Bible records that the waters were made sweet thereafter and the people were able to drink from it.

Beloved, every polluted stream/water body requires divine touches and healings from the Lord to become healing streams that bring God’s healing, life, refreshment and transformation to the people of God. The waters of Jericho became healed by the Lord after Elisha cast in the salt at the source of the water.

Equitable Resource Allocation and Control for Healing the Nations

 Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob. For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle. Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau [is] Edom. Genesis Chapter 36 verses 6 to 8.

Socio-economic injustice issues are a major cause of deep seated resentment that sometimes snowballs into conflicts that sometimes degenerate into wars. Unfortunately, this is to a large extent global. Significantly, socio-economic injustice did not start today. It has always been a part of human existence as individual, families, communities and nations have always contended over resources especially in cases of inequitable resource allocation.

There was contention over resources between Abram and his nephew Lot in the book of Genesis Chapter 13 verses 1 to 18. The land was not able to support them because of inadequate pasture for the large livestock they had acquired over time. This created constant contention and strife over between the herdsmen of Lot and Abram over pasture and probably water, storage and shed facilities for the herds of Abram and Lot.

Abram reflected on the contention and strife which his spirit, soul and body abhorred. He suggested separation so there could be peace. That resolved the issue completely but most significantly expanded Abram’s vision of divine purpose and divine resources for the accomplishment of divine purpose. There was no more distraction, anxious moments occasioned by the constant contention and strife. It was focus and progress all the way. Abram could move forward, uninterrupted in the plans and purposes of God for His life simply because he boldly took the decision to separate from contention and strife.

The herdsmen of Isaac and the herdsmen of Gerar contended over wells of water. Isaac and his herdsmen separated and dug a number of places until they found wells of water that were not contended for. They had peace and flourished in the land. Please see Genesis Chapter 26 verses 12 to 33.

God the Healer of Nations

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The OXFORD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of English defines a healer as a person who cures people of illnesses and diseases using natural powers rather than medicines. Something that makes a bad situation easier to deal with, for example times is a great healer. Healing on the other hand is defined as a process of becoming or making somebody or something healthy again.

A nation of sick and feeble people is akin to the great multitude of sick people (blind, lame, paralyzed described in John Chapter 5 verse 3. This great multitude of people that ideally should be national assets were a great liability, immobilized from any form of active service and contribution to the development processes of the nation. They were an impotent and inactive part of the population waiting for the moving of the water.

While the ailments described here are mainly physical, the  discourse between Jesus Christ and the man who had been at the pool for thirty eight years indicate that some of the sick people were also mentally impaired; perhaps on account of the physical ailments; the fact that they probably had no one like the man who had been at the pool for thirty eight years, they had waited endlessly for healing that appeared to be in the stratosphere and would forever be out of their reach.

To put it mildly, they had also hope and could be likened to the vast army of I dry bones in the valley described by the Prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel Chapter 37. The national psyche of this vast army was one of hopelessness, despondence and gloom. But God took over the situation by His Spirit and brought about healing that transformed the despondent army into a militant army for God and they became national assets. The man who had been at the pool for thirty eight years was also transformed after his encounter with Jesus.

God's Healing Streams

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Polluted water brings about sicknesses and diseases, famine, destruction, barrenness of the land and death to the people of the land if nothing is done to cleanse the water and heal it. Water is very vital to life – the body requires water, the land requires water to grow crops but if the water is polluted, it does harm rather than good.

The waters of our national life beginning from individuals, family, institutions, communities, etc are polluted. Only genuine repentance through confession of sins and a complete turning away from such sins that have polluted the pure flow can bring about forgiveness, healing and restoration. It is not direct confrontation with the forces of darkness. It is humbling ourselves before God in genuine repentance and crying for mercy – Father, in judgment, please, remember mercy.

 The people of Nineveh cried for mercy – they asked God to forgive their sins, cleanse their hearts from filth, spiritual, mental, physical, and God had mercy on them. Please see Jonah Chapter 3, note verses 2 and 11. See also Amos Chapter 7 verses 1 to 6. Daniel pleaded for mercy and forgiveness of sins and cleansing for the nation of Israel. God responded in love, forgave, healed and restored His people. So also did Nehemiah and he got results. Drive out sin with the blood of Jesus Christ – 1^st John Chapter 1 verses 8 to 10.