The reason we did the series of the redemptive names of God, and the application of those redemptive names of God and called them: The Perfect Redemption Plan & Application of The Perfect Redemption Plan, is because we believe, according to the scriptures, that if Jesus had to do it again, He would add nothing to it, because it was perfect. And God wants us to see ourselves in the light of that revelation, and that we should purpose in our heart to become perfect, as our Lord Jesus is perfect. Paul tells us: we preach Christ Jesus, who dwells in you and in us, and is the Hope of glory, warning every man and every woman, and teaching every man and every woman in all wisdom, so that we may present every man and every woman perfect in Christ Jesus (Colossians 1:27-28 ).

We are always labouring fervently for you in prayer, and even in fasting, so that you may stand perfect and complete, even fully assured in all the will of God (Colossians 4:12). The aim is that people around us will be able to see Jesus through us, and the works of Jesus through us, His love through us; for it all started because God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, and all that we do in the kingdom of God has one purpose: to demonstrate the love of God to the people around us, so that the unconditional love with which God loved Jesus, may be in us and Jesus in us, and in turn, we be able to love ourselves, the way God loves us, and love the people around us, the way Jesus loved us (John 17:26). I, Jesus, give you a new commandment, that you love one another. As I have loved you, you should also love one another (John 13:34).

In the book of Leviticus Moses told the people: love your neighbour as yourself (Leviticus 19:18). Paul and James tell us: For all the Law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself (Galatians 5:14). You fulfil the royal Law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you do well (James 2:8). The problem with that is, if you do not love yourself, you will not be able to love the people around you. Paul explains it and says: So men ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife, loves himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord loves the church (Ephesians 5:28-29). When I see the way people treat me, I know in that particular area, they do not love themselves, and hate themselves in that area of their life. So the standard of love is Jesus, not you, but as Christ loved the church and died for her. You need to know that God loves you as much as He loves Jesus (John 17:23); and full of that revelation, you must love other people as Jesus loves you.

Jesus is in you, and the Father is in Jesus, so that you and I may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that the Father sent Jesus, Jesus sent you and me according to John 20:21, and that the Father loves you and me as He loves Jesus (John 17:23). Until one has that revelation of that perfect love of God; that God loves him or her as He loves Jesus, and he or she loves herself or himself in that light; there will still be fears and insecurity in a person. But perfect love, the love that God has for us, not the love that we have for Him, because we love Him for He first loved us according to 1John 4:19, that perfect love casts out fear; because fear involves torment, but he or she who has been made perfect in love, does not fear (1John 4:18).

And the whole purpose of the series of The Perfect Redemption Plan & Application of The Perfect Redemption Plan, is to equip you and me, who are numbered among the saints for the work of ministry; for the edifying of the body of Christ, until we all, not just some of us, but we all, come to the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, so that we all come to a perfect man or perfect woman, to the full stature of the fullness of Christ. So that we should no longer be children who are tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, for we do not just want to speak the truth to people, but we want to speak it in love, because God is love, may grow up in all things, not just in some things, but in all of them, into Him who is the head even Christ (Ephesians 4:12-15).

For whether you are aware of it or not, the truth is: the moment you were born again, you received the fullness of Jesus, as it is written: out of the fullness of Jesus, we have all received, not just a few, but we have all received, grace for grace, which is unmerited favour and divine enablement (John 1:16). Now none of us can claim yet to have arrived to that full understanding and manifestation of the perfect love, perfect man or perfect woman, to the full stature of the fullness of Christ, and to the full perfect redemption plan and Application of the perfect redemption plan. But where we are today is not where we will be tomorrow, if we keep working at it every day.

Paul tells us: I also count all things to be loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them to be dung, so that I may win Christ and be found in Him; not having my own righteousness, which is of the Law, but through the faith of Christ, the righteousness of God by faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection [when we understand the perfect redemption plan, we understand the power of the resurrection of Christ] and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death; if by any means I might attain, to the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I am pressing on, if I may lay hold of that, for which I also was taken hold of by Christ Jesus. My brothers and sisters, I do not count myself to have taken possession, but one thing I do, forgetting the things behind and reaching forward to the things before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be of this mind. And if, in anything you are otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this to you. Yet, as to what we have already attained, let us walk in the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brothers and sisters, be imitators together of me, and mark those who walk this way, for you have us for a pattern (Philippians 3:8-17).

Be harmless as a dove but wise as a serpent

When people read the Application of The Perfect Redemption Plan of God, without having the full understanding of who God is, they miss it. God is Love, but He has power. The Application of The Perfect Redemption Plan, focuses a lot on the military side of God: Jehovah is the Man of war; the Lord is His name (Exodus 15:3). Some people have never experienced that military side of God through them and in them. One can easily get it the wrong way, and run away from it instead of embracing it. That is why before reading the Application of The Perfect Redemption Plan of God, one must read the other bible studies that deal with who God is, and read the series of the Perfect Redemption Plan of God. God does not merely want to bring healing or deliverance in that person’s life; but He wants that person born again, and to become a disciple of Jesus, just like you and I are disciples of Jesus.

Discipleship cannot happen without friendship. When you have the revelation of the Perfect Redemption Plan of God, what will happen is that God will start sending sick people or their sick loved ones your way, people in distress, or even in worse trouble than you. Sometimes, while I am at the bus stop a lady starts talking to me and telling me all her private issues, that her two ovaries were surgically removed, that she also wanted to get married and have children; but because she cannot give birth, all the men walk away from her the moment she tells them the facts. I know from that very moment that God wants me to pray for her ovaries, so that He will recreate new ones. But some people want to talk about their problem, but they do not want to receive the solution to their problem, and especially when the medical world tells them that there is no solution for their problem. I have scared some of them off, and caused them to run away from me; because they thought I was crazy, when I asked to pray for their problem right there.

When Paul was writing to the churches, it was powerful and the message came with militancy or warfare, but when he was there physically he was gentle with them. The people complained and said: Paul’s letters are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible (2Corinthians 10:10). What was in the heart and mind of Paul, was that militancy, and that is what he wrote in those letters which were weighty and powerful; but when he was with them physically, his speech was gentle. Paul explains to them, saying: the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and the spirit of meekness (1Corinthians 4:20-21)?

When you read the Application of The Perfect Redemption Plan, you will see it presented weightily and powerfully; because that is how Jesus and His disciples thought, but their physical actions were with compassion, gentleness, meekness and love. People around you must see the love, gentleness, meekness and compassion of God through you. We must represent the loving and compassionate Jesus to the people; but to the devil, sickness, disease and premature death, you and I must present the warrior Jesus. Jehovah the Man of War, the Lord is His name (Exodus 15:3).

Think of a marketing manager or director, like Sister Louise puts it: he or she has that nice smile on his or her face, and uses loving words to present his or her product; but in his or her heart, there is militancy or warfare. He or she has only one goal, which is to kill all the competition. But you the buyer do not know what is happening in the heart of the marketing director, behind his or her smile and his gentle and loving words. Now in our heart we only have one goal: destroy the works of the devil, who is the enemy of the kingdom of God and of our God. Thus where we see sinners, we want them to leave the kingdom of darkness to be translated to the kingdom of God; where we see sickness, disease and premature death we want to minister healing and resurrection for those people. But the way we present it to the people is with love, meekness and compassion; but to the devil it is with warfare and violence; from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force (Matthew 11:12).

Jesus told us: Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16). Jesus is the one who said to every disciple: as My Father sent me, I also send you (John 20:21). Jesus did not send us as lions to the people, but as sheep to the people; yet as lions to the devil and his evil works to destroy them. So please read the bible study on the Lord is my Shepherd in the series of Perfect Redemption Plan, so that you will have the understanding of what God expects from you and me as sheep and shepherds under Him, the Lamb of God and the Chief Shepherd. You and I are to be like sheep to the people, as harmless as doves. Now we know according to the scriptures, that the dove is a symbol of the Holy Ghost in the scriptures. For when Jesus was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting upon him (Matthew 3:16).

So it is that dove, symbolic of the Holy Ghost, that came upon Jesus and caused Him to go about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed of the devil, because God was with Him (Acts 10:38). So Jesus is sending us as sheep to the people around us, and we need to be harmless to them, as we bring them the power of the Holy Ghost in healing, deliverance, salvation of their souls and dead raising. As you read the four gospels, you will never see Jesus being verbally abusive to any sinner, to any sick person, to any diseased person, to any dead person. But Jesus rebukes sickness, disease and demons, who are oppressing the people. Jesus also rebukes His disciples for not doing His commandment in Matthew 17, and Jesus also rebukes the Scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy, and tradition of men, that made the word of God of no effect (Matthew 23).

The problem is, some Christians want to be sent as lions to the people instead of sheep to the people, no, Jesus sent us as sheep to the people and wants us to be harmless as doves to them, as we bring them the power of God for salvation of the soul, for healing, for deliverance and for dead raising. We are not to roar at people and run them off; because a sheep does not roar but bleats. So people should not be afraid of us when we approach them to share the gospel with them, or the healing power of God with them. Who among us will flee at the bleating of a sheep? None, but at the roaring of a lion, most people will take to flight.

We are to be lions to the devil, and tear him and his kingdom to pieces; but we must be sheep to the people. In the book of Revelation 5, when John was weeping because nobody could be found worthy in heaven and on earth, to loose the seven seals and open the scroll: one of the elders said to him: weep no more, because the Lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed, and was able to loose the seven seals and open the scroll, but when John came to look at the Lion of the tribe of Judah who was in the midst of the throne, lo and behold a Lamb stood, as if it has been slain (Revelation 5:1-5). This is a great revelation! Yes, Jesus is the Lion and of tribe of Judah, He prevailed over Satan and all his cohorts; but when John came to see that Lion, it was a Lamb as though it has been slain. Lambs are cute and everybody is naturally attracted to them, because they are harmless and weak, and here the Lamb was even slain, which will break your heart at the sight of such a scene. Jesus is a Lion to Satan our enemy, who goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, and we need to resist that devil as a lion because the Lion of the tribe of Judah dwells in us; but the people, we need to go to them as sheep, even lambs (1Peter 5:8).

Now the bible says: the righteous are as bold as a lion (Proverbs 28:1). Now boldness does not mean rudeness, some Christians are simply rude in the presentation of their gospel and healing. They slap demon possessed people, they slap pregnant women on their womb, they kick sick people with their foot, etc. Jesus never did this! If you understand the bible study on the Lord is my Shepherd, in the series of Perfect Redemption Plan, there is no way that you will be rude to people; for you will learn to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Your speech will always be with grace, having been seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one (Colossians 4:6). So being bold does not mean being rude, but being daring, being fearless and being courageous, according to the Webster dictionary. The fact that you decided to act on the word of God, already shows your courage for many people did not act on it.

Sometimes I stand on Gideon’s testimony in Judges 6, he was afraid to destroy his father’s idols; for he feared the people of the land, so he woke up at night and destroyed all those idols and nobody was aware of it. Now the question is: was Gideon bold? The answer is yes, he got the job done: the idols were destroyed. God will meet you at your point of faith. Gideon is not Elijah in 1Kings 18 who destroyed the prophets of Baal openly. But the two of them got the job done. When I was in my parents’ house at 11 years old when we became born again, my mother had all those statues of “Mary”, as a good Catholic, and all the ceramic plates that she bought when she travelled to Lourdes in France where “Mary” allegedly appeared. I knew they were idols, but my mother bought them and liked them. So I knew we had to get rid of them. So during the bible studies I opened Exodus 20 to read the part on idols; but it did not move my mother. So I decided to break all those statues and ceramic plates, one at a time, to make it look like an accident when I was cleaning the house. I knew my mother would beat me up for breaking them deliberately, that is why I had to make it look like an accident.

Over a period of three months, I broke all those statues and ceramic plates. So I was wise as a serpent, not making my goal obvious, but in the end I got the job done. I remember in Glasgow, I do not like distributing flyers in the streets, so I said to God: Father you know that I am like Gideon, I will distribute those 2,000 flyers, but I will do it when everybody is asleep. So I woke up at 4am on Saturday when everybody was still asleep and distributed those flyers door to door until 8am, and I did the same thing on Sunday. Was brother Gery bold or a coward? God met me where I was, I was honest with Him that I would do what He asked me to do, but He should help me to be courageous.

Now when it comes to healing and sharing of the gospel, Jesus is sending us as sheep among wolves, and expects us to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. A serpent can be in a place, and you will not know that he is there, he is hiding somewhere, you can even domesticate a serpent, but sooner or later he will strike and bite you with his venom. Sometimes we should first of all befriend the people, before we share the word of God with them, or the healing power with them. There is a spirit in the world that hates Jesus and His gospel, and the power of that Gospel to set the captive free. It is a frog spirit. John said: I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet (Revelation 16:13). Now the dragon is Satan, that serpent of old that deceived Eve, so that she did not believe the report of the Lord (Revelation 20:2) and the beast is one of the demons of Satan, and is the spirit of antichrist and its number is 666 (Revelation 13:17-18). So out of the mouth of Satan, of those who have the spirit of antichrist and of the false prophets, comes that unclean spirit, that frog spirit, that rejects the gospel and the power of the gospel, to set the captives and oppressed free.

In The Perfect Redemption Plan VII we have demonstrated through the scriptures and calculated the number of the beast 666 and proven that sickness, disease and premature death are the works of the devil. So it is that frog spirit of antichrist that is coming out of the mouth of the people, who are rejecting the gospel and the power of the gospel. We need to see things according to the word of God. It is not just people’s culture and customs; but that frog spirit of antichrist is behind it. It is a proud spirit and as we will define pride later in the bible study, pride is only rejecting what the Word of God says, and humility is accepting what the report of the Lord says. So when you talk to some people about Jesus, and they reject Him or you talk to them about the healing power of the gospel, and they reject it, do not be mad at them, but reckon that they are swayed or under the influence of the frog spirit, which is the spirit of antichrist coming out of the mouth of the beast. Some pastors and church leaders also do not believe in healing, casting out demons and raising the dead, they are not necessarily false prophets, but they are influenced by that frog spirit of the beast!

John tells us: we are of God, but the whole world lies under the sway (the influence or the direct power) of the wicked one. And the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, so that we may know Him [God] who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life (1John 5:19-20). So the devil, even the frog spirit of the antichrist, is behind it. Let us have the understanding that Jesus has given us to the world around us. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal or fleshly, but they are mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds, pulling down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought, into the obedience of Christ (2Corinthians 10:4-5).

Bind that frog spirit in your heart and hack it into pieces, in the name of Jesus. I told you, we need to be wise as serpents, and when some people are being influenced by a frog spirit, our approach must be different. Now natural frogs, when you put them into a cooking pot with fresh water, they will stay in it and not jump out of the cooking pot, but if you put them into warm or lukewarm water, they immediately jump out of that cooking pot. Now if you put the frog in a cooking pot with fresh water, and gradually increase the temperature so that the frog does not jump out of the cooking pot, because its body temperature adjusts to the temperature of the water, so you will cook that frog alive and he will not even notice it, before he realizes it, it will be too late, he will already be dead.

Even some Christians, they do not want to hear about healing; because they have been disappointed in the past. So the moment you talk to them about healing, they just run away from you. I remember wanting to go and pray for a sister who had a cancer, and her son was a pastor. I called the family but they did not pick up the phone calls, and they sent me a message through another sister, that they did not want to have any other Christian to come and pray for their mother; because they had been disappointed. It truly broke my heart that people who will reject the healing power of God, are Christians, even pastors. And I remember praying for one woman that Sister Esther referred to me who had cancer, and I prayed for her and a couple of weeks later Sister Esther called me to tell me that that woman had died. Right then I had to make a decision: is the word of God true or a lie? So we prayed with Sister Esther and praised God because His word is the truth, we will not stop preaching healing until we get the same results Jesus got; because works that He did, we will do and greater works than these shall we do, that is the promise of Jesus to every born again believer (John 14:12-14).

Many times the people do not receive us, because they do not know us, so they are skeptical (One who doubts the truth and reality of any principle or system of principles or doctrines). We should not blame them; because if we had been in their shoes, we would have done the same thing. We need to befriend the people, be genuinely interested in the people, and genuinely love them, because our aim is not merely to bring them healing or deliverance; but to get them saved and make them disciples of Jesus. So when we know that people do not want us to lay hands on them, or to pray for them publicly, we just tell them, I am going to pray for your sickness, for your children, for your job, whatever the problem is, we need to tell them that we are praying for them. If they do not know that we are praying for them; when God answers, they will think it is a demon or their idols that answered them. Jesus says: Now I tell you before it comes, so that, when it has come to pass, you may believe that I am He (John 13:19).

We need to believe the word of God which says: He sent forth His word to heal them and deliver them from their destruction (Psalm 107:20). But God does not merely want the people healed and delivered from their destruction; He wants them to know that He is the one who has done it, so that they can come to Him. Everybody is asking this question: are You the one to come or do we look for another (Luke 7:19)? People are looking for an answer to their problems, and we must present them our answer: Jesus; so that they do not look for another. People, who have that frog spirit, are more comfortable when you tell them I am praying for you, than when you tell them I want to pray for you now, or lay my hand on you now! So when you sense that frog spirit in them, be wise as a serpent, do not let them jump out of that cooking pot, because the water of the word is hot for them; but warm them up progressively to that boiling temperature, so that that frog spirit will die. Tell them: I will be praying for you, for your problem, for your husband, for your wife, for your kids, and pray for them and go and check on them to see if they have seen some improvement.

People want to know that you truly care about them and their problem, and they can cast them upon you; but you cast it upon Jesus who cares for them (1Peter 5:7). In some parts of the world they do not have that frog spirit, they just want sickness and disease out of their home as soon as possible. What will happen is, that because you are presenting a meek, loving and compassionate Jesus to the people, those who were initially against the power of God, but now because they have made room in their hearts for you, they are willing to listen to the words of Jesus and His healing power. The bible says these signs shall follow you in Mark 16:15-20. So in the beginning, God will start sending people who have problems your way; because He knows you now know the truth of His word, and as for you be like a sheep, harmless as a dove and wise as a serpent towards the people.

When the problems are solved, or the people receive their healing, sooner or later they will also receive your Jesus, and will be willing to become disciples of Jesus, not mere converts. Then the bible talks about these blessings coming upon you and overtaking you in Deuteronomy 28. What will happen is, that as people get healed, the word of mouth will spread about the Jesus whom you serve, and people will tell you about their loved ones who are sick and all their problems. The people are now coming to you, and there will come a point when they will be knocking at your door or calling your number; because someone told them about the God whom you serve, and they told them that the Jesus whom you serve, is the one to come and they do not have to look for another. That is why in the early church in the book of Acts, the churches were in the houses, because you could invite your neighbours, they could come to your house, and talk about their problem over coffee or tea, and you could pray with them in the privacy of your home, where they felt comfortable. Your house must become a house of prayer for all people (Isaiah 56:7).

If people respect the great commission of Jesus, which is to go to all nations and make disciples, by teaching them to observe what was commanded to us, preach the gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead (Matthew 28:18-20, Matthew 10:7-8). In every Christian home, they will be having a home Church, they will do a mapping of their neighbourhood, and know the names of their neighbours, and what is going on in the life of their neighbours, if there is any sick person, or any person out of job, etc. And they will tell that person, we are praying for you, and they actually pray for them, not just say words, and they keep going back to that neighbour to inquire of their welfare, to see if there has been any recent development. People need to know that we truly care about them, like Jesus would care for them (1Peter 5:7). And today with cell phones, we can even pray over the phone and God heals and delivers people over the phone; for there is no distance in the spirit realm. So you can agree in prayer with a brother or sister concerning the problem of your neighbours. Please read the bible study of “Abecedary of prayer” on the prayer of agreement.

You will start seeing changes in your neighbours’ life, and the attitude they have towards the gospel. Some people would say, I do not want to pray for anybody, or to lead anybody to Christ, let other people do that. If you are a born again Christian, you are automatically a disciple of Jesus, and regardless of the hour or the time you came into the kingdom, Jesus wants to hire you to go and work in His vineyard. In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus tells us the parable of the Kingdom of God that is like a field owner who wants to hire people to go and work in His vineyard. So He came at the first hour to the market place, and hired people to work in his vineyard, He came again at the third hour, and saw other people standing in the market place, and hired them to go and work in his vineyard. He came at the ninth hour and did likewise. And He came at the eleventh hour, just one hour before the end of the twelve hour shift, and saw other people standing idle in the market place. And He asked them: why are you standing idle in the market place? They said because nobody hired us. Jesus told them that though they had missed eleven hours of work, they could still go and work in His vineyard, even for one hour.

At the end of the day, because our Jesus is a good master, He even gave those who only worked one hour out of twelve, the same wage. Now either you have known that revelation of the will of God for years, or you have just known it today, God is telling you and me, why are you sitting idle in church, warming the pews, when there is work in My vineyard to be done, there are souls to harvest? Regardless of your age, or the time you joined the kingdom of God, or the time you got the revelation of My will, I want to hire you, to go and work in My vineyard. I am a good master; I will not cheat you of your reward. When I read Matthew 20 and had a revelation that Jesus wanted to employ everybody to work in His vineyard, I said to myself: Gery, do not be the one who refuses to employ people to go and work in the vineyard of God; for at the last day, Jesus will ask people: why did you not go to work in My vineyard? They will answer: because nobody hired us (Matthew 20:7). Jesus will ask them: who was my brother that did not hire you to work in my vineyard, or hindered you? They will answer: Gery! Ah that day I will be in big trouble!

Everybody who is born again, is called to share the gospel, save souls, heal all manner of sickness, all manner of disease and cast out demons. That is working in the vineyard of Jesus. It has nothing to do with being involved in a department in the church; I am not saying you should not be involved in the activities of your church. We are dealing with people’s eternal destiny, and not with church attendance or church activities. It is about discipleship, not church attendance, though we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some (Hebrews 10:25).

Let us look at that scripture in detail. Paul says: Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for He is faithful who promised), and let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:23-25). Paul also says: therefore comfort one another, and edify one another, even as you also do. And, brothers, we beseech you to know those who labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and who admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves (1Thessalonians 5:11-13).

You can only know those who labour among you in a small group. In a big church, even when there are 1,000 members, there are only a few people who labour in the word of God and prayer; and you do not even know what the person seated next to you is doing in the kingdom of God. But in a house setting, there are not more than 50 people. You know those who share the word of God, who are winning souls, who are discipling people, and who are healing the sick, casting out devils and raising the dead. That is why your house ought to become a house of prayer for all people (Isaiah 56:7). Start with your family and forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as a family every day to pray and study the scriptures, and everybody in your family ought to participate. In a house setting you help one another, and you edify one another, and everybody learns to pray for the sick, to cast out devils and to raise the dead. If every Christian house is turned into a house of prayer for all nations, as God wants; multitudes will be won to Christ (Isaiah 56:7). That is why in the book of Acts, multitudes were added to the church daily (Acts 2:47). Every born again Christian was involved in soul winning, healing the sick, casting out devils and raising the dead. Every Christian house became a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:7). May we go back to the original plan of God and stop doing religion!

But with the man-made religion we have built today, in which only the pastor shares the word of God, and only the pastor leads people to Christ, only the pastor prays for the sick. Some religious Christians will not lead a person to Christ, or pray for the healing of that sick person, because that person does not attend their local church, or will not come and share a testimony in their church. We should not act that way. It is not about church attendance, but loving the people without any ulterior motive. Jesus sent us to make disciples, and He is the one who builds His church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). Today in some churches they teach on church planting, instead of disciple making. That is why the focus of people is: come to our church, instead of, come to Jesus and His kingdom, and then become His disciples. I lead many people to Christ, I disciple them, and yet they do not attend the local church I attend. Do Christians need to go to church or attend a local fellowship or house fellowship? The answer is yes, yet we must be able to love them and minister to them, even if they do not attend our local church.

The Pool of Bethesda

John 5: A Man Healed at the Pool of Bethesda

¹ After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

² Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.

³ In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.

⁴ For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.

⁵ Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.

⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”

⁷ The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

⁸ Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”

⁹ And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.

I.1 Bethesda

Our text says: Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches (John 5:2). Bethesda means house of outpouring, house of flowing, house of mercy, house of favour, house of loving-kindness. The pool of Bethesda had five porches; the number five is the number of grace, unmerited favour and divine empowerment or enablement. The water represents the Spirit of the Lord. The people who came to the pool of Bethesda were waiting for the move of the Spirit of God, they were there for the outpouring of the Spirit of God, waiting for the Spirit of God to flow, waiting for God to have mercy on the people and heal them.

Our text says: In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had (John 5:2-3). Even today many Christians are still waiting for the move of the Spirit, for the Spirit to flow, or for an angel to come down from heaven, before they receive their healing. And here was Jesus in their midst, and they could not come to Him to be healed. The Bible says: for to which of the angels did God ever say:” You are My Son, today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father and He shall be to Me a Son” (Hebrews 1:5)? Let all the angels of God worship Jesus (Hebrews 1:6). So here was Jesus the Son of God, who is above all the angels of God, and the people were still waiting for an angel to come down from heaven, when Jesus was right there with them. They were waiting for the move of the Spirit of God, when the Godhead was standing and walking among them. For in the body of Christ Jesus, dwells the fullness of the Godhead (Colossians 2:9). The Spirit of God is in Jesus and God is in Him.

Praise the Lord, if God decides to send an angel to heal us! But we do not have to wait at all to receive our healing, Jesus is here! He says: lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world (Matthew 28:20).The fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him, all things are possible. Our text tells us: Now a certain man was there, who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” (John 5:5-7). My friends, thirty-eight years is too long for anybody to wait. And that system is not perfect, as soon as the water is stirred, you must be the first to jump into the pool to receive your healing, and if you are not the first, you will not receive it! Thank God that He sent Jesus. Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well or perfectly whole, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath (John 5:8-9).

Bethesda means the house of Mercy. Mercy is that benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart, which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves. So people were coming to that pool of Bethesda to be healed by God, not because they were good, or had no sin in their life, or because they had done all the works and good deeds of the Law. No, they came there to receive what they did not deserve. Nobody deserves to be healed; it is by the mercy of God, that everybody can be healed. It is by grace through faith, and not of works lest anybody should boast, it is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). God gave His Son Jesus to receive stripes on His back for our healing (Isaiah 53:4-5). The Jews understood that if they received mercy from God, they would also be healed, and they associated the mercy of God with His healing.

That is why they came to the pool of Bethesda the house of mercy. Grace is what God did, when He fully ransomed us by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ; and faith is our part to play, to receive what has already freely been given to us. Strangely enough, you will find people who are not willing to be made whole, healed and delivered. That is why Jesus asked the man: do you want to be made whole (John 5:6)? I have been ministering healing and deliverance for some time now. And I have come across some people who did not want to be made whole. A gentleman referred to me in Glasgow had consumption, even tuberculosis and I told him: I will pray for you and you will be healed. He refused to be healed. He said to me: I am going to get my immigration status through this tuberculosis; so pray that God will heal me, after I have received my immigration papers. I refused, I said: I want to pray and you will be healed now. So they did not come for prayer, and they never picked up my phone calls again. Jesus does not force people to receive healing. If you are not willing to be healed, you will keep your sickness and demons.

Another one had kidney problems. I told him how God healed me of my kidney problem. I said: I will pray for you and you will be healed. He told me: pray that the dialyses will improve my condition, until I have a kidney transplant; for I am going to receive my immigration status because of the condition of my kidneys. If I get healed by God, I will no longer have my immigration stay. I was heartbroken when I heard it. Another couple, the wife was sick and had had many surgeries and was even in a wheelchair, I talked to the husband, and went to see them in the hospital. I prayed my heart out at the bedside, and when I was leaving, the husband told me: actually since she has been sick, we have received a house from the council, we have been given a new car for disabled people; and we now collect money for disability. Basically they did not want to be healed. God will not force healing on anybody. Do you want to he made whole (John 5:6)?

Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, went to pray for a sister. And she did not get well. He wanted to pray again, when God told him: ask her if she wants to be made whole? He thought: who in his or her right mind, would not want to be made whole? But knowing the voice of God, he asked her: sister, do you want to be made whole? To his surprise she answered: no, I do not want to be made whole! Everybody that came to pray for her was shocked! Pastor Enoch Adeboye asked her: why do you not want to be made whole? She answered: “when I was well; my husband, when he finished work, would go to his friends, in pubs and night clubs and only came home very late. But since I became sick; as soon as my husband finishes work, he runs home. I would rather stay sick and have my husband for myself, than be made whole, and not have my husband and share him with other women”. We have learned things in ministry, that even some Christians do not want to be made whole.

Two blind men followed Jesus and cried out: Son of David, have mercy on us (Matthew 9:27). And when Jesus came into the house, the blind men came to Him: and Jesus said unto them, do you believe that I am able to do this? They said unto Him, Yes, Lord. Then He touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus strictly charged them, saying, See that no man know it (Matthew 9:28-30). So they were saying: have mercy on us, but what they were truly wanting was healing, for they understood, if they have the mercy of God, they will automatically receive their healing. The Canaanite woman whose daughter was demon possessed, came to Jesus for the healing of her daughter and said to Jesus: Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil (Matthew 15:22). Blind Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me (Mark 10:47).

Everybody in the four gospels who cried out to the Lord to have mercy on them, were asking for healing, they knew that they did not deserve it; for no amount of works and deeds of the Law could qualify them to receive healing, Jesus healed everybody who asked for mercy, and were willing to be made whole. David said: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever (Psalm 23:6). For believers should know that it is always God’s will to heal them, all the days of their life, since mercy is following them. You must be sure that the mercy of God is following you, or the healing of God is following you, all the days of your life. So, if you see sickness; know that it is not the will of God, not even for a day. God’s will is to heal all your diseases and forgive all your iniquities; never forget these benefits (Psalm 103:3). That is how good our God is, you can be sure of His goodness all the days of your life, for it is the goodness of the Lord that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4).

I.2 The Spirit is always stirred up and moving in you

Jesus answered and said to the Samaritan woman by the well of Jacob, whoever drinks of this water, shall thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well (pege: fountain, well) of water, springing up into everlasting life (John 4:13-14). Drinking the water is to believe on Christ Jesus, when you and I believed on the name of Jesus, and became born again, we drank of the living water, which is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit who is in you, is a fountain of water, a fountain springs up, so the Holy Spirit in you is always stirred up. Jesus also says: He who believes on Me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:38)”. The Spirit of God in you, becomes rivers of living water, flowing out of your belly or innermost being. The Jews called living water, a water that flowed, pools, ponds, and all stagnant waters were not considered living waters, but dead waters (Ezekiel 47). Jesus is telling you and me, living water, not dead water, is flowing out of us.

The question is, where did Jesus get that understanding of rivers of living water flowing out of the belly of believers? I am glad you asked, for many years I did not understand it, until the eyes of my understanding were enlightened, and on December 22^nd, 2014; the Holy Spirit revealed it to me. When the people, led by Moses, came out of Egypt, and they were in the wilderness, all the congregation of the sons of Israel, journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journey, according to the command of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim. And there was no water for the people to drink. And the people wrangled with Moses and said, give us water that we may drink. And Moses said to them, Why do you wrangle with me? Why do you tempt Jehovah? And the people thirsted there for water. And the people murmured against Moses and said, Why is this, that You brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our sons and our cattle with thirst? And Moses cried to Jehovah, saying, what shall I do witha this people? They are almost ready to stone me. And Jehovah said to Moses, Go on in front of the people, and take with you the elders of Israel. And take your rod with which you struck the river, in your hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there upon the rock in Horeb. And you shall smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, so that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel (Exodus 17:1-6).

The second incident in the wilderness: The sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the desert of Zin in the first month. And the people stayed in Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation. And they gathered themselves against Moses and against Aaron. And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying, Oh that we had died when our brothers died before Jehovah! And why have you brought up the congregation of Jehovah into this wilderness, so that we and our cattle should die there? And why have you made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us into this evil place? It is no place of seed or of figs or of vines or of pomegranates. And there is no water to drink. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces. And the glory of Jehovah appeared to them. And Jehovah spoke to Moses saying, Take the rod, and gather the assembly, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes. And it shall give forth its water, and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock. So you shall give the congregation and their animals drink. And Moses took the rod from before Jehovah, as He commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said to them, Hear now you rebels. Must we bring water for you out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he struck the rock twice. And the water came out plentifully, and the congregation and their animals drank. And Jehovah spoke to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. (Numbers 20:1-12).

Paul explains to us that The Rock that brought out water for the congregation to drink, is Christ Jesus, saying: brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be ignorant that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. And all were baptized to Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ (1Corinthians 10:1-4). So now, brothers and sisters you are no longer ignorant of that mystery, Christ Jesus is The Rock that followed them, and out of Him came rivers of living water, to quench their thirst, and that of their cattle and herds. The first time God asked Moses to strike The Rock. It was a prophetic action, signifying that Jesus, The Rock, will be smitten even to death to bring out those rivers of living water.

As Isaiah prophesied, saying: Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of Jehovah revealed? For He comes up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground; He has no form nor majesty that we should see Him, nor an appearance that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as it were a hiding of faces from Him, He being despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was on Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed (Isaiah 52:1-5). This was fulfilled 2,000 years ago when Jesus was crucified at Calvary!

The second time God said to Moses, only speak to The Rock and not smite it again; yet Moses in his anger smote it twice. God was angry at Moses, and he did not lead the people of God to the promised land, because of that disobedience. Why? God made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel (Psalm 103:7). The people only wanted to get water to quench their thirst, but unto Moses the mystery of The Rock was revealed. Christ Jesus, The Rock had to be smitten of God and die only once, not twice or three times. We know that when Christ was raised from the dead, He dies no more; death no longer has dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died to sin once; but in that He lives, He lives to God (Romans 6:9-10). For Christ has not entered into the Holy of Holies made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Nor yet that He should offer Himself often [nor be smitten by God often], even as the high priest enters into the Holy of Holies every year with the blood of others (for then He must have suffered often since the foundation of the world), but now once in the end of the world He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. And to those who look for Him He shall appear the second time without sin to salvation [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][or He is not coming the second time to suffer and die again for sin but for the rapture of the saints] (Hebrews 9:24-28).

Although it was in shadows and types, yet God preached the gospel to them in the wilderness. Paul testifies of that saying: for also we have had the gospel preached, as well as them. But the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it (Hebrews 4:2). So we see Jesus coming to the feast in Jerusalem, and all the congregation; but on the last day of the feast, He realized that the spiritual thirst of the congregation was not quenched by the religious system. The people and their leaders missed that their Spiritual thirst, could only be quenched by the living water that came out of The Rock, as it was in the wilderness for their fathers. And here was Jesus Christ, The Rock, that followed their fathers in the wilderness, standing in their midst, yet they were not able to come to Him and drink from Him.

They searched the scriptures, for in them they thought they would find eternal life, yet all those scriptures were pointing to Jesus Christ, the Rock, who followed their fathers in the wilderness, and yet they were not willing to come to Him (John 5:39-40). And in the last day of the great feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts [like your fathers in the congregation of the wilderness did], let him come to Me and drink [for I am the Rock who followed your fathers in the wilderness and they all drank living water that flowed out of Me, the Rock]. He who believes on Me, as the Scripture has said [in Exodus 17 and in Numbers 20 where rivers of living water came out of The Rock], “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.“[How can that be? Because I, Jesus Christ, the Rock (1Corinthians 10:4), will come and dwell in them; as Paul says to every born again Christian: Christ in you the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit in you, whom you have of God (1Corinthians 6:19)? For you are the temple of the living God, as God has said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them [Jesus, The Rock now dwells in you and walks in you, you carry Him everywhere you go]; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people (2Corinthians 6:16).”As I, Jesus, promised believers, saying: At that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I [The Rock] in you (John 14:20).] (But Jesus spoke this about the Spirit, which they, who believed on Him, should receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified [John 7:37-39].)

So the water that comes out of the belly of the born again Christian, is because Christ Jesus, The Rock dwells in Him. And those rivers of living water, are talking about the word of God and the Holy Spirit; for Jesus says: It is the Spirit that makes alive, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and are life (John 6:63). Jesus wants to sanctify and cleanse His church, with the washing of water by the Word, so that He might present it to Himself as the glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:26-27). So you and I, born again and Spirit filled, if we want rivers of living water to flow from Christ Jesus, the Rock who dwells in us, we must allow the Word of Christ to dwell in each one of us richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord (Colossians 3:16).

I was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day, even on Sunday 22^nd February 2015; I had a vision in heaven of a colossal pillar. That pillar was of pure silver. On the capital of that colossal pillar, was a fountain, blue water was springing up out of it. And when that water, springing up out of that fountain, reached a certain height, the drops of water turned into pure gold. When I woke up I asked the Lord: what is the meaning of that vision? Now let us take first of all the pillar in heaven. Jesus says: Because you have kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try those who dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which you have, that no man take your crown. He who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him my new name (Revelation 3:10-12).

Silver talks of redemption. In the tabernacle Moses built in the wilderness, the sockets of the sanctuary and the sockets of the veil, were of silver. The sockets of the sanctuary were cast from the hundred talents of silver, and the sockets of the veil also, a hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket (Exodus 38:27). A socket talks about foundation. Notice that it is not just the base of that colossal pillar that was of silver or the capital of that pillar of silver; but the whole colossal pillar was of pure silver. God wants us to have the full revelation of the perfect redemption plan of God, even the seven redemptive names of God; and become doers of that revelation. You are the pillar, and God wants you to receive the full revelation of His perfect redemption plan and walk in it. Keep the revelation and hold fast to it, let no one take your crown. He who overcomes, Jesus will make him a pillar in the temple of God.

A pillar supports the weight of an architectural building, even the church. Jesus says: And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). People like Peter, John, James, Paul and others, became pillars in the temple of God. Jesus could entrust them with the kingdom of His Father. They carried the weight of the church Jesus builds on their shoulders. Jesus says: I bestow a kingdom upon you, as My Father bestowed a kingdom upon Me (Luke 22:29). God wants you to be equipped with the full revelation of His perfect redemption plan, even His seven redemptive names, to keep His word and hold fast what you have received, become doers of that revelation; so that He can make you a pillar in the temple of God. He wants us to overcome, by our faith, so that he can make us a colossal pillar in the temple of God, even bestow a bigger sphere of influence over us, like he bestowed the gentile nations upon Paul, as his sphere of influence, and upon Peter the Hebrews as his sphere of influence.

A fountain on the capital, with an aperture the size of the diameter of the colossal pillar, was springing up blue water. Now according to Jesus: whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a fountain of water, springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14). God is no respecter of persons; He does not decide who becomes a pillar in the temple; we make that decision by equipping ourselves with the word of God, becoming doers of the word, and overcoming by our faith, that came by the revelation of the word of God we received. People like Paul and his team, were colossal pillars and flooded the Gentile world with the living water that was coming out of their fountain. As it is written of them: These who have turned the world upside down have come here too (Acts 17:6). So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed (Acts 19:20). They impacted the world by the living water that was coming out of them.

In the vision, the drops of water were turned into pure gold and refined gold. God is saying, not just the treasure, even the divine nature God deposited in that person, who is that colossal pillar, will be seen by the whole world; but as that person brings the living water of the word of God to the dying world around him, he will also reveal the treasure, even the divine nature God deposits in every person, who becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ. We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us (2Corinthians 4:7). My little children [my disciples], of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you (Galatians 4:19). Christ is formed in Paul, Peter, John and everybody can see the treasure, even the gold, which talks about His divine nature, which He deposited in them. Now Paul, John, Peter and the other colossal pillars of the church, also want to see Him formed in you and me; for the world to see His Glory through each one of us in our generation; for Christ in each one of us is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). My prayer is that what is written about you and me, will be fulfilled in us, in Jesus’ name (Luke 22:37).

I.2-a) Do not hunger or thirst for what has already been freely given to you by the sacrifice of Jesus.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:6: blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Jesus spoke these words of the Sermon on the Mount, to people who were not yet born again, for Christ had not yet been crucified and risen; so no one could be born again at the time He spoke these words. But when we are born again, this is what Jesus says about us, in John 6:35: I am the bread of life, he who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes on Me shall never thirst. We need to agree with Jesus Christ; because He cannot lie! We hunger for food and we thirst for water. In Exodus 12:8, when the Hebrews came out of Egypt they ate a roasted lamb. They literally came out of the house of bondage with a roasted Lamb in their bellies. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He received the fiery judgment of the wrath of God on the cross, for the sin of the world. So when you became born again you spiritually ate the roasted Lamb of God Jesus Christ!

In the same Exodus 12, the Hebrews ate the unleavened bread with that roasted Lamb. Jesus tells us: I am the bread of life (John 6:48). So when you are born again, spiritually you have Jesus Christ dwelling in you: the roasted Lamb of God and the bread of life. At that day [when you are born again] you shall know that I, Jesus, am in My Father, and you in Me, and I, Jesus, am in you (John 14:20). We have explained in length how the Godhead dwells in every born again believer, and how every born again believer dwells in the Godhead, in the bible studies on Jehovah-Shammah and on Jehovah-Nissi, of the series of the Perfect Redemption Plan.

The water is the Holy Spirit in this context. In Exodus 12 when they came out of Egypt, the house of bondage, they did not just eat the roasted lamb and the unleavened bread; but they also drank wine. Wine was symbolic of the blood of Jesus in this context. The bible tells us that the Spirit or the life of the flesh, is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11). So when you became born again and believed on Jesus Christ, you drank the blood of Jesus Christ, to quench your spiritual thirst. The Holy Spirit is in that blood. And Jesus tells you and I, born again Christians: If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He who believes on Me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spoke He of the Spirit, which those who believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified (John 7:37-39). Drinking His blood is believing on Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour.

Jesus tells every person on earth: Verily, verily, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of man [the roasted Lamb of God], and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whosoever eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed (John 6:53-55). Christ Jesus has been made unto every born again believer righteousness, sanctification or holiness (1Corinthians 1:30). And John tells us that every born again believer has received the fullness of Christ Jesus, including the fullness of His righteousness and holiness (John 1:16). Paul tells us that all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Christ Jesus, including the fullness of righteousness, holiness, power, etc (Colossians 2:9). That is why Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:6: blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled. If you are born again: you are filled with the righteousness of God, with the holiness of Christ, with the power of Christ, etc; for Christ Jesus the Righteous One, the Holy One dwells in you, of His fullness you have received grace for grace.

Jesus Christ, who is the bread of life and the roasted Lamb of God, dwells in you. The Holy Spirit, who is the living water, dwells in you. Jesus promised: I, Jesus, will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He [The Holy Ghost] may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him, neither knows Him: but you know Him; for He dwells with you, and shall be in you (John 14:16-17). That is why Jesus can say to every born again Christian in John 6:35: I am the bread of life, he who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes on Me shall never thirst. You never hunger and never thirst again; because Jesus dwells in you forever, and the Holy Ghost dwells in you forever!

The prophet Isaiah foresaw the coming of the Lord Jesus and prophesied: Thus says the LORD, In an acceptable time, have I heard You, and in a day of salvation, have I helped You: and I will preserve You, and give You for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; That You may say to the prisoners, Go forth; to those who are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for He who has mercy on them, shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall He guide them (Isaiah 49:8-10). Two thousand years ago God gave Jesus, His only begotten Son, to die on the cross, to establish the New Covenant with the people, and He says, because He has led us by the springs of water (Holy Spirit in us) we shall not hunger nor thirst. And Jesus clearly tells us, we shall never hunger and never thirst, because by His death and resurrection, He fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah. Paul tells us the same thing; we are maybe asking ourselves when will this prophecy of Isaiah be fulfilled in our life? For He says: ”in an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you”. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2Corinthians 6:2).

Many born again Christians are still singing songs which say they are “a dry and thirsty land”, and they are “hungry” for the things of God. They are rejecting what God has done for them when they came to Jesus, and believed on Jesus. We should never be moved by our sense, but by what is written about us in the bible. He who comes to Jesus, shall never hunger, and he who believes on Jesus shall never thirst. How can a believer be “a dry and thirsty land” when there is a fountain or a spring of water in him/her (John 4:14)? Jesus even says, if he or she believes there would be rivers of living water flowing out of his/her belly (John 7:38)? The truth is many believers still think like in the Old Testament, they are waiting for God to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, Joel prophesied the outpouring of the Spirit of God upon all flesh in Joel 2:28; and Peter stood up on the day of Pentecost and said that the prophecy of Joel was fulfilled (Acts 2).

Peter standing up with the eleven raised his voice and said to them: men of Jerusalem, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: and it shall come to pass in the last days, says the Lord God that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh (Acts 2:14-17). When you and I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues, God poured out His Spirit upon our flesh. Entering the will of God is very simple! First you need to be born again by repenting of your sin toward God, and putting your faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. You need to surrender your spirit, soul and body to Jesus. Second you need to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues; for power to be effective in witnessing. Third you need to know the word of God, so that you do not perish for lack of knowledge, and be cheated of your reward by the devil, false humility, self-imposed religion, traditions of men that make the word of God of no effect. Fourth, you and I need to become doers of the word of God, meaning embrace the sanctified life of Jesus, His truth and His way; if you want to become doers of the works of God.

We, as born again Christians, no longer hunger and thirst after righteousness, for God imputed the righteousness of Jesus unto us the day we were born again, we are now the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2Corinthians 5:21). We now need to practice righteousness. The same thing for holiness; Christ Jesus has been made to us holiness or sanctification; now we need to practice holiness, or live a sanctified life (1Corinthians 1:30). The Spirit of God now dwells in us, since John tells us that the rivers of living water, that Jesus talked about in John 7:38-39, was the Holy Spirit that we received the moment we were born again. So the first aspect of water that Jesus talked about, is the Holy Spirit; if you are born again and baptized in the Holy Ghost, you never thirst after the Holy Spirit, because He dwells in you and is upon you forever. Please let us believe the report of Jesus; and with that Holy Spirit comes the imputed righteousness of God, the holiness of God, and all the things that have been freely given unto us, as we have explained in the series of the Perfect Redemption Plan. Now we need to walk in them.

Now the second aspect of the water, is the water of the word of God. Jesus says: the words I speak to you, they are Spirit and they are life (John 6:63). Paul tells us, that the moment we are born again and the rivers of living water of the Holy Spirit are in us, we now need to renew our mind, so that we can be sanctified and cleansed by the washing of the water, of the word of God (Ephesians 5:26). So we need to thirst for the water of the words of God, it is the only way one is renewed in his mind to think, behave, talk and act like God and Jesus do. God said to Joshua and today to you and me: this book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it, by day and by night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall act wisely (Joshua 1:8). Paul through the Holy Ghost tells Timothy, you and me: Until I come, attend to reading, to exhortation, to teaching (1Timothy4:13).

Jesus says: I am the bread of life, he who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes on Me shall never thirst (John 6:35). Jesus is The Bread of Life (John 6:48). The moment you are born again, Jesus The Bread of Life comes to dwell in you, never to leave again! That is why when the Israelites came out of Egypt in Exodus 12, they did not just eat the unleavened bread, but they also ate the lamb. So they all left Egypt with the lamb in their stomach. God wanted to give them a physical point of contact, that the Lamb of God was in them. Jesus is the Lamb of God, and He was in the belly of every Israelite that came out of Egypt. Also in the New Covenant, when we are born again, we spiritually leave Egypt the house of bondage, and are translated into the kingdom of God. We leave that house of bondage, which is the kingdom of darkness and of Satan, with Jesus Christ, The Lamb of God, who has taken away our sins, so that we might be born again, and the Spirit of adoption might come into our heart, so that we might call God Abba Father.

So whenever we partake of the Holy Communion, it is to remind us that the Lamb of God dwells in us forever. Jesus says: I am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread, he shall live forever. And truly the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world (John 6:51). If you are born again, Jesus the Lamb of God and the Bread of life dwells in you forever, therefore you no longer hunger for the Bread of life, who is the Lamb of God, even Jesus Christ, since He dwells in you and never leaves you! The second aspect of the bread or the meat or the food is not just having Jesus dwelling in us; but becoming a doer of the word of God, and doer of the works of God, even finishing what God has called us to do, through His word. Jesus says: My meat is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work (John 4:34).

Jesus Christ the Lamb of God and the bread of Life, food that the Israelites ate on the night they were to leave Egypt, the house of bondage in Exodus 12, is also named the Word of God in Revelation 19:13. Jesus says: My flesh is food or meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed (John 6:55). We know by now that drinking His blood, is to believe in Him, and in all the promises that have been freely given to us, by the shedding of His blood and resurrection; as we have explained in the series of the Perfect Redemption Plan. Now eating His flesh, which is food or meat indeed, is coming to Him through His Word, and not just being a mere hearer of His word; but a doer of His word and doer of the work, even finishing what He commanded us to do. For Jesus Himself tells us: I have food to eat which you do not know. My food or meat is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work (John 4:32; 34).

So bread and meat are food, even solid food, and in the eyes of Jesus Christ, who is the Bread that comes from heaven, it means to do the will of God who sent you, and to finish His work. Many Christians start something and they quit, that is not the will of God. God wants you to finish whatever He commands you and me to do. Jesus did the will of His Father God who sent Him and finished it. He said: I say unto you, that this, that is written must yet be accomplished in Me (Luke 22:37). This should be our determination too. When He was on the cross John tells us: After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost (John 19:28-30).

Jesus made sure that all scripture that was written about Him, was accomplished in Him before giving up the ghost. My prayer is we will not give up until all that is written in the bible, that a believer is and can do, is accomplished in each one of us (Luke 22:37). Jesus tells us: as My Father God sent Me, I also send you (John 20:21). Therefore do My will because I have sent you and finish My work: works that I do you will do, and greater works than these shall you do (John 14:12). Paul understood that revelation, and became a doer of the will of Jesus who sent him, and finished His work, and was able to say to Timothy and you and me: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that Day; and not to me only, but also to all those who love His appearing (2Timothy 4:7-8).

So when we partake of the bread element in the Holy Communion, it is not just to remind us that Jesus, who is the Lamb of God and Bread of Life, dwells forever in us, but also to remind us that He is named The Word of God, and He has sent us to do His will, and to finish His work. We must hunger for the bread of doing the will of Jesus, who sent us, and finishing His work. All the things that have been freely given to us by the death and resurrection of Jesus; we must not only know them, and believe them, but we must become doers of them, and finish the work of Jesus. We must desire to have all the manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, not just know about them and believe them, we must practice righteousness not just have the imputed righteousness; we must practice holiness not just have the imputed holiness.

In the Old Testament the Psalmists said:

Psalm 42:1 To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah. As the deer pants after the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, O God.

Psalm 42:2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

Psalm 42:3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is your God?

Psalm 51:11 Cast me not away from your presence; and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

Psalm 63:1 A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, You are my God; early will I seek You: my soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came upon them for a season and left. So the Psalmist likened it to a deer which pants after or longs for water brooks, water is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The water brooks dry up but rivers do not dry up. In 1Kings 17:1-7, Elijah dwelt by the brook Cherith and it dried up. So a brook can be in a location today, but tomorrow when you come, it has dried up. Yet rivers do not dry up, if you come back tomorrow or a year later the river will still be there. The Nile River, the Jordan River and the Euphrates River are still here after thousands of years. That is why in the New Covenant, Jesus tells us that the Holy Ghost will abide in us forever (John 14:16). And Jesus likens the Holy Ghost to rivers saying: He who believes on Me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:38).

The people under the Old Covenant had a different experience with the Holy Ghost, than what you and I have in the New Covenant. Their experience was like the experience of deer with the water brooks: one day the brook was there, and the next day it had dried up. So deer were always looking for new brooks. Because it was thirsty, and when it found one, it quenched its thirst. David said take not your Holy Spirit from me; because the Spirit came upon people of old and departed. God heard the heart cry of David and the bible says: Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward (1Samuel 16:13). Unlike the other prophets and King Saul, upon whom the Spirit came to move them at times; David was different, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and remained upon him, from the day he was anointed by Samuel.

In the New Covenant, you do not have to pant after water brooks, you have rivers of living water flowing out of your belly, according to John 7:38, there is a fountain of living water springing up to everlasting life according to John 4:14. That is why Jesus tells you: you do not thirst for God’s presence, or the Holy Spirit’s presence, or Jesus’ presence any more, Read the bible study on Jehovah-Shammah in the series of The Perfect Redemption Plan. We thirst for the manifestation of the presence of God: meaning we desire the manifestations of the gifts of the Spirit in us, and the demonstration of the power of God in us, and through us. You are in the presence of God 24/7 because He never leaves you, nor forsakes you (Hebrews 13:5). Jesus says: lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world (Matthew 28:20). You are not that dry and thirsty land where no water is, you have a fountain of living waters inside you, and out of your belly flows rivers of living waters.

David prayed: create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence; and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation; and uphold me with Your free Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors Your ways; and sinners shall be converted unto You (Psalm 51:10-13). We still need to pray that God will create in us a clean heart, and to renew a right spirit within us. David when He prayed that prayer had been convicted of adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah. His heart was not clean, but full of adultery, covetousness and murder. The spirit that was influencing his action was not the Holy Spirit, but the spirit of harlotry, and Satan who is a murderer from the beginning. When I, Gery, came back to the Lord, I prayed that God would create a clean heart in me, not a heart full of fornication anymore. I prayed that God would renew a right spirit within me, not the spirit of harlotry or prostitution anymore. See the bible study on “David’s sexual sin exposed”.

And when the Lord restored unto me the joy of His salvation and upheld me, and still upholds me with His free Holy Spirit, I exposed the works of darkness in me, and taught everybody how to avoid the snares of the devil, and come back to the Lord; so that He will also heal their backsliding and love them freely. If a person is full of a Balaam spirit, Jezebel spirit, mammon spirit, prostitution spirit, and any other demonic spirits; he or she needs to cry out to the Lord, to create in him or her a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within him or her. He or she needs to cast out that demonic spirit, and allow the Holy Spirit to influence him or her again, by becoming doers of the word of God; for Jesus says: It is the Spirit that quickens or makes alive; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life (John 6:63).

I-2-b) Being filled with the Holy Ghost

The question many Christians ask themselves is: if I never thirst, how come I feel so dry spiritually? The answer is you and I must be continually filled with the Spirit of God. On the day of Pentecost Luke tells us: suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:2-4). Even in the Old Testament the Spirit of God or the Glory of God filled houses or temples. Ezekiel says: the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate, whose prospect is toward the east. So the Spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house (Ezekiel 43:4-5). This is the tangible glory of the Lord, filling the house or the temple. This kind of glory is called by the Jews, Shekinah glory. The glory of heaven literally invades the earth, and fills a house or a temple.

In the Old Testament they had the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire following them for forty years in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21). Many times in the Old Testament, the way they would have the Spirit of the Lord, who is the Spirit of Glory (1Peter 4:14), to fall on them, and fill the temple or the house, is by praising and worshiping God. Sometimes people would see a cloud entering their room, or they will see bright lights; these are some of the manifestations of the Shekinah glory of God, the Spirit of Glory is manifesting Himself in a tangible way. Moses for instance went up into the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain (Exodus 24:15). When Solomon had finished building the temple of God and sacrificed thousands of animals which are symbolic of worship. For Hosea says: we will offer the bull calves which are the sacrifices of our lips (Hosea 14:2; Hebrews 13:15). Then the writer records for us: it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD (1Kings 8:10-11).

It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for His mercy endures for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD. So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God (2Chronicles 5:13-14). When the Spirit of glory fills a house or a temple, sometimes people cannot stand on their feet, and they fall on the ground. Like the priests in the temple, they could not stand when the cloud of the glory filled the house of God. That is why sometimes people in Christian gatherings, when the praise and worship is going on, they fall down or they feel some strange things on their bodies: they have goose pimples; they have some tinglings, etc. In the church circle when people fall on the ground, when the glory of heaven fills the room, it is called being “slain in the Spirit”, though we do not find this term in the bible.

People may feel like the hand of the Lord is upon them, for they feel like someone has placed a hand on their head, and they can feel the weight of that hand. The word glory in Hebrew is Kabod which means to be weighty. So for instance the prophet Elisha, before prophesying asked for an instrument to be played. The writer records for us: Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah; I would not look toward you, nor see you. But now bring me a minstrel (a singer and musical performer on instruments). And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him. And he said: thus says the LORD, make this valley full of ditches. For thus says the LORD: you shall not see wind, neither shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that you may drink, both you, and your cattle, and your beasts (2Kings 3:14-17).

Those are some of the ways in the Old Testament, people used to have the glory of the Lord come upon them, or fill the temple or the room where they were gathering, so that they could prophesy, heal the sick, perform miracles. That is why in many church settings people will be singing for hours and hours, until they feel like the glory of the Lord is in the room, and they will start prophesying, and healing the sick. Many will call it the “atmosphere for miracles” or the “atmosphere of heaven”. Praise the Lord for that, and God manifests Himself that way even today. That is how saints were filled with the Spirit of glory in the Old Testament, yet you and I are not in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament. Paul writes the entire book of Hebrews, to explain to us the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant. Paul tells us: but we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord Jesus, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2Corinthians 3:18).

There is the glory of the Old Covenant, and there is the glory of the New Covenant. Paul is telling us that Jesus wants to take us into the glory of the New Covenant, that exceeds the glory of the Old Covenant. The way we see Jesus in the New Covenant, is how we should minister to people. Jesus never needed an “atmosphere for miracles” or an “atmosphere of heaven” before ministering to anybody. He understood that the glory of God was upon Him, and rested upon Him, from the very day He was baptized by John, and the Holy Ghost came to rest upon Him, in the form of a dove (Matthew 3:16). Jesus understood that He was the “atmosphere for miracles”, He was the “atmosphere of heaven”. Wherever He showed up, heaven and its glory showed up!

As you read the four gospels, you will never see Jesus walking in Galilee, Samaria or Judea with a band of musicians who played musical instruments, and sang before He gave anybody a prophecy or healed anybody or raised anybody from the dead. In the bible study: perfect redemption plan: the Lord is present or the Lord is there, or Jehovah-Shammah. We have explained in detail what took place when you were born again, and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. This revelation that the glory of God is always upon you, must dawn on you and me. Jesus never had a choir who was travelling with Him, or ministering with Him. He did not need them to bring down the glory of God, for the glory of God was always upon Him, whether there was a choir singing or not, in fact there was never a choir in Jesus’ ministry. Either He felt something or not, it did not make any difference to Him, for He walked by faith, and not by sight or physical senses (2Corinthians 5:7).

Understand Jesus well; He is not telling us that we do not need to praise and worship God, but in the New Covenant we praise God for who He is and what He has already done for us. Jesus when he was in the house with His disciples, praised God. We have one of those instances recorded for us; after He broke bread with His disciples before his passion. And when they [Jesus and His disciples] had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26:30). Jesus and His disciples praised God for who He was, and what He had done. Their praise and worship was not a kind of manipulation, to have God tangibly manifest His glory. When Solomon dedicated the temple, they sang in the temple to praise God, and they offered burnt offerings, to praise Him for who He is, and what He has done, it was not to have a manifestation of a cloud in the temple.

Our motives for praise and worship must be genuine. Please read the bible study on the “Seven Hebrew Words of Praise”. Today you read books on techniques, to bring the cloud of glory into the meeting: people are asked to give a lot of money in the offering, even $1,000; because Solomon gave 1,000 animal sacrifices and they sing all day long. Their motive is wrong! They are influenced by the Balaam spirit. Solomon gave it willingly out of a heart of thanksgiving, it was not to see a cloud of glory filling the temple. Nobody told Solomon how many animal sacrifices he was to give; only one was required. I, Gery, love singing unto the Lord; but it is not to get anything from Him; but just to praise Him according to the understanding of the Seven Hebrew words of praise bible study. I am not trying to massage God’s feet with my financial giving, or my praises, so that He will manifest His cloud of glory, or give me some goose pimples, or for me to fall to the ground. Those people are just after your money; it’s a Balaam spirit in operation.

Did heaven invade the earth when Jesus was on earth? The answer is yes; people heard a voice from heaven saying: this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased (Mark 1:11). The disciples saw Him transfigured on the mountain. Matthew tells us: after six days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up onto a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with him. (Matthew 17:1-3). You and I must understand that wherever we are, as Spirit filled Christians, the glory of God is present.

Let praise and worship be part of your lifestyle, and not a manipulation to get some manifestation from God. Jesus did not sing at the mountain of transfiguration, nor did he sing during His water baptism; yet the glory of God was tangibly manifested for people to see and hear. Just like with Jesus, the initial filling was when He was baptized, and the Spirit came upon Him in the form of a dove (Mark 1:10); so it was for the disciples on the day of Pentecost: suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:2-4).

Jesus truly promised us in His prayer to the Father: the glory which You (Father) gave Me (Jesus) I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one (John 17:22). This prayer was answered the day you received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, with evidence of speaking in tongues. Peter tells you from that very day, the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you (1Peter 4:14). In the Old Testament they were waiting for the power of God to fall down. They were waiting for a cloud to enter the house or the temple, for a fire to appear in the house, they were waiting for the sound of a wind; but Jesus is telling you and me that in the New Testament the power of God also flows out of Spirit filled believers, for the kingdom of God in now inside them. Now we do not have to chase clouds anymore, we do not chase goose pimples anymore; if it happens, glory be to God! But if it does not happen, it makes no difference to them. The kingdom of God does not come with observation (Parateresis: ocular evidence): neither shall they say, Lo here! Or, lo there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within (Entos: inside) you (Luke 17:20-21).

We must have this revelation of the kingdom of God inside us. Wherever we go, the glory of God goes with us, either we have ocular evidence of it or not, it does not matter. We believe what the written word says about us. God was trying to explain it to Elijah. God said to Elijah: go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said: what are you doing here, Elijah (1Kings 19:11-13)? You see the Lord was in the still small voice inside Elijah. Did God manifest His glory in the past by earthquakes? Yes, in the days of Amos (Amos 1:1); by fire? Yes on Mount Carmel (1Kings 18); by wind? Yes, David against the Philistines (2Samuel 5); by a strong voice out of heaven? Yes, when Jesus was baptized (Matthew 3:16-17).

But what God is telling us is: do not bank on those observations, either ocular observations or physical observations: goose pimples, tinglings, feeling of the hand of God on your head, gold dust, etc. Act on the written word, for the kingdom of God is inside you, and the Spirit of Glory and of God rests, or abides permanently upon you. People will say: you must be like David and wait for the feeling of the wind of the Holy Ghost to blow, and when you feel it or hear it; then act on the word of God. That is the Old Covenant, you are not like David in 2Samuel 5. You are like Jesus; John tells you, as Jesus is so are you in this world (1John 4:17). Jesus healed many people in the four gospels. He was not waiting for a feeling of the wind to blow before healing, casting out demons, cleansing lepers or raising the dead.

Yes, at times there were tangible manifestations of the glory of God. As it is written: it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them (Luke 5:17). Yes, people felt the tangible power or glory of the Lord in the room. And in another instance it was Jesus Himself who felt power or virtue going out of Him. As it is written: Jesus said, Who touched Me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng You and press You, and You say, Who touched me? And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue or power is gone out of Me (Luke 8:45-46). Peter and all the people in the multitude did not feel the tangible power or glory of God, though they were thronging and pressing Jesus. Jesus perceived that virtue or power went out of Him, when the woman with the issue of blood touched Him, and was healed.

So there are times when people around you will feel the tangible power or glory of the Lord, and you might not feel it. Some other times you will be the only one feeling that tangible manifestation of the power or glory of God. And most of the time you will feel nothing, and the people will feel nothing! But whether you feel it or not; you must believe it is always there. I have been in meetings where the minster felt something on him, and was asking the whole congregation: have you felt the power of God? The people did not know what to answer him. So he insisted that there was a tangible feeling of the power, or virtue of God in the room. So the people said: yes, yes, yes. I believe they felt nothing; but they were afraid to say they felt nothing, lest the man of God say they are not sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Even when I, Gery, feel virtue coming out of me; I ask nobody to confirm it for me. Many times when I minister and sing. People see tears coming out of my eyes; most of the times when it happens I have a static electricity feeling going through my whole body. But I let nobody know. And when I lay hands on some people, they also feel that static electricity going through them, and they fall on the ground. Others feel nothing at all, yet they are healed the same way the others who fell on the floor were healed.

Walk and minister by faith, which means standing on the written word of God alone, and not by sight or ocular observation, or your physical senses (2Corinthians 5:7, Luke 17:20-21). Jesus prayed: Neither pray I for the disciples who are here with Me alone, but for those also who shall believe on Me through their word; That they all may be one; as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that You have sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them, as You have loved Me (John 17:20-23).

David was a servant of God; you are a son of God, act like Jesus The Son of God. If it is written, act on it and you will see the manifestation of the glory of God: Jesus tells us: did I not say unto you, that, if you would believe, you should see the glory of God (John 11:40)? He did not say: if you feel it, if you see it, if you smell it; no, but if you believe, you shall see the glory of God! Sometimes we may be like Brother Thomas who, unless he had ocular observations, and touchable observations of spiritual things he would not believe. But Jesus tells all the Thomases: Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed: blessed (makarios: supremely blessed or supremely empowered to experience the manifestations of the promises of the gospel) are those who have not seen, and yet have believed (John 20:29). If you know these things, blessed (makarios: supremely blessed or supremely empowered to experience the manifestations of the promises of the gospel) are you if you do them (John 13:17).

Jesus healed people in the market place, He prophesied to the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob (John 4). He cast out legions of devils out of the man of Gadarene at the shore of the sea among the tombs (Mark 5). There was no choir singing before Jesus could give a prophecy or cast out devils or heal the sick, Jesus understood the glory of God was always upon Him, for the Spirit of glory was upon Him, and He always had the atmosphere of Heaven, in fact He was the atmosphere of heaven. When you go to people’s houses, into a hospital, or in the streets, in the shopping mall, or in the mortuary to raise the dead; you will not bring your worship CD, and tell the people or the customer service or the nurse or the embalmer: “I will be healing the sick and casting out demons and raising the dead; please play this CD of worship so that I will have the atmosphere for a miracle”. They will kick you out of the hospital, that shopping mall or that mortuary before you know it. Understand that the same glory that God gave Jesus, Jesus has given you the same glory, you always have the atmosphere of heaven; for you are 24/7 seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:5-6) and the Godhead dwells in you and walks in you (2Corinthians 6:16).

When I walk in the street I pray for people right there, I do not need to sing before praying for them in the street. I give prophecies to people at the bus station, on the bus or on the train, there is a lot of noise around me, but it does not disturb me, or the Spirit of glory in me. I remember I was praying for a sick person, and after that I was sharing the word of God with him. Some girls came and sat on the same bench we sat on. But they were disturbing us and they did not want me to talk about Jesus, so they started to abuse me verbally, and physically by kicking me with their shoes on my back. So I turned to them and discerned that they had a demon. I told them: you have a demon, that is why you are disturbed by the preaching of Jesus. So one of them menaced me by saying she has a knife in her pocket and she will slit my throat with it, if I do not leave the bench. I looked at her intently and said: you demon I command you to leave the body of these girls in the name of Jesus!

Then I turned my back to those girls, not fearing that they might use their knife to stab me in the back or slit my throat; for I know Greater is He who is in me, than the devil in them. And I believe according to Isaiah 58:8 that the glory of the Lord is my rear guard. So I do not need to watch my back, God and His glory do it for me. And I believe according to 1Kings 13, if they stretch out their hand to stab me or slit my throat, before their hand touches me, it will wither or dry up. I know also the Lord told me: Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by Me: whosoever shall gather together against you, shall fall for your sake. Behold, I have created the smith that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, says the LORD (Isaiah 54:15-17).

I know some carnal Christians who do not believe the scriptures will say: Gery, take care! But Paul tells us: Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7). And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace [the unmerited favour and the empowerment] of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen (Romans 16:20). In less than a minute the two girls took off and left the bench, the man I was witnessing to was impressed; for they had been abusing him every day, and no matter what he told them, they never left. I told him there is power in the name of Jesus, the words that I speak are Spirit and life, demons tremble and flee, because I am a king under the King of kings Jesus, and where the word of the king is there is power and nobody, and especially not demon possessed people, can question me, saying what am I doing preaching Jesus, or healing the sick in the streets in Jesus’ name (Ecclesiastes 8:4).

The reason why Christians do not heal the sick and cast out demons in the streets or in houses; is because they still have the Old Testament mindset of the glory of God. So they ask people to come to church, because they think after the choir has sung the glory of the Lord will fall, and they will be able to prophesy, and heal the sick, and when they do not feel anything, they say that God did not send His glory down, so that is why there was no prophecy or nobody could be healed. Thus they blame God. But God already answered that prayer when He baptized us with the Holy Ghost and fire, with evidence of speaking in tongues. The Same glory that God gave Jesus, Jesus has now given to you, when the Spirit of Glory came to rest upon you.

Once you have the initial infilling of the Holy Ghost, when you receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost, you must keep being filled. Paul says: therefore do not be unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:17-18). So understand what the Perfect Redemption Plan of God is, and be filled with the Spirit, so that you will be able to carry it out effectively. One might ask himself the question: if I have been initially filled with the Spirit of Glory, when I was baptized in the Holy Ghost and fire with evidence of speaking in tongues; why do I need to be constantly filled? Am I a leaking vessel? You are not a leaking vessel. If I am not a leaking vessel, what picture of myself should I have in mind, according to the scriptures?

Once upon a time, you and I used to be a field full of dirt; nothing was truly growing on that field, for that field was located in a desert. Many people passed by that field and said it was worth nothing. The location is not good, there is no river nearby that can be used to water that field, if we ever plant anything on it; and we cannot count on heaven to send us the rain, for we know that in a desert there are only very few rainy days. So everybody refused to buy that field, for all the evidence showed that nothing good can come out of that field. But Jesus passed by and saw something different about the field, He saw great potential, He saw a land flowing with milk and honey. So He sold all that He had in heaven to come and purchase you and me, that field full of dirt (Matthew 13:44). You see the physical land of Israel is a desert even to this day; but God told them that He was leading them to the promised land; a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8). They might have said: God is making a mistake! It is a desert, our cattle will not find pastures there, and we ourselves will die of thirst and hunger. So it took faith to go into that promised land and trust God, that it was truly a land flowing with milk and honey. They believed God would work a miracle, and send down the rain in the desert, and against all odds there will be rain in the land.

And that was what they often did, if you read the Old Testament: Israel was often praying for God to send the rain. They would fast sometimes so that God would send the rain on the land. So the Lord used the picture of the rain in the desert as the picture of the Holy Spirit, that will come at times and bless the people and the land; causing it to yield its increase. And in the mind of many born again believers they still have the same picture of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Glory that He comes like a rain from heaven in a desert.

That is why some of them sing that” they are a dry and thirsty land”, never sing that song! The Lord told them: I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your corn, and your wine, and your oil (Deuteronomy 11:14). In the days of Joel after the famine, because the Lord did not send the rain, the Lord spoke to them saying: be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for He has given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month (Joel 2:23). Let us now fear the LORD our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in His season: He reserves unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest (Jeremiah 5:24).

The coming down of the rain, or of the Holy Spirit, is determined by God, He chooses when He wants to. Many Christians are still praying like the Jews: Lord, send the rain, so that we may sow our field and harvest it, “we are a dry and thirsty land”. Or in Spiritual terms: Lord, pour out your Spirit so that we will have some blessings, some fruits or gifts of the Spirit, and we will be able to prophecy, to heal the sick, etc. So at times God will send the rain on the field, and we have to wait for Him to send the rain in His own time. Praise the Lord, but please have the understanding, that you are not a dry and thirsty land anymore, you used to be so, when you were unsaved, but now you have a fountain of living waters in you.

David, who was a man after God’s own heart, was not satisfied, some years it would rain more on the land, and some other years it would not rain as much. Psalm 63:1 A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, You are my God; early will I seek You: my soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. Do not get David wrong, he was glad and grateful that God sends the rain on the land; yet deep inside him he knew that God had something more for Israel. The Lord sends rain on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45) what then is the advantage of being children of God, or being the chosen people of God?

Then God revealed to David, that though Israel was a desert, and God was miraculously sending them more rain than other desert land, but there was an underground river in Israel. This revolutionized the kingdom under the leadership of David. David captured that underground river and dug many channels, to bring that water into Zion, the city of David. He had many pools, king’s gardens and they could water their crops at will, using the water from that underground river. Even to this day: Israel is even exporting fruits to the world. David understood that he was not to blame God, for not sending the rain at the appointed time; God had provided Israel with the underground river. It was up to the Israelites to tap into that underground river, and transform the kingdom. And David did just that. Solomon multiplied those pools, and did not just water plants, but trees as well. As it is written: I made for myself gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made for myself pools of water, to water the forest shooting forth trees (Ecclesiastes 2:5-6).

People will say: why do you use Israel, its climate, location and water supply system, to explain spiritual things? Because God used them and their land to explain spiritual things to us. There is no difference between a plant that has been watered by rain, and a plant that has been watered by water drawn from an underground river. What the plant cares about is, to receive the same amount of water. For water gives life to those plants, and causes them to yield their increase. For cattle there is no difference between the water they drink, whether it comes from rain or from the underground river; as long as it quenches their thirst, they will be well. And even if it does not rain for an entire year on the land, as long as the field is being watered by the water from the underground river, there will be life in the land. Did God stop sending rain from heaven after David discovered that underground river, and dug a lot of channels and created pools? No, God was still faithful in sending rain.

So Jesus tells the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob: Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again. But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a fountain of water, springing up into everlasting life (John 4:13-14). When you believed on Jesus, the Holy Spirit came to dwell in you, He is the underground river in you, that will never dry up. On the outside people are still seeing that dry and fruitless land. And people are waiting for the rain of God, but Jesus is telling you, do not always wait for the rain of God; God has placed an underground river in you, that will never dry up. Why do you not tap into that underground river, and see a fountain of living water springing up into everlasting life? One of the initial ways to tap into that underground water of the Holy Spirit in you, is by receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues. What happens is, that the field that was dry, is now soaked because of the water coming out of that fountain; so that every grain of dirt is now filled with water. So you are no longer that dry and thirsty land.

You and I are the field according to Jesus in Matthew 13:44. As you allow this fountain of the Holy Ghost in you, to fill every part of your body and soul; your life will be transformed, and your field will be green and yield its increase. Many Christians look dry spiritually and they are blaming God for not sending the rain. God is saying do not blame Me! God will send the rain, but it does not rain every day of the year, even in the United Kingdom! I placed a limitless underground river of living waters in you; why do you not crack it, and have at least a fountain springing up to quench your thirst? Paul tells Christians, it is not good enough to be filled once, but to keep being filled. Therefore be filled with the Spirit; and the way you do it is by: speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God (Ephesians 5:18-21).

Once you have the initial infilling of the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues, you must now keep being filled, until you overflow. David understood that, once he had discovered the underground river, God’s plan was not for him to take a bucket and fill it whenever he was thirsty, and drink of it to quench his thirst. God’s plan was for David to make a big crack in that water table, dig channels and have rivers or living water flowing out of that underground water. So that people who do not have a fountain of living water in them (the unsaved people) can drink from our rivers, and see their lives transformed and healed, people who have not yet tapped into their underground river (saved people but not Spirit filled) can also drink from our rivers. And Jesus tells us: he who believes on Me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:38).

The example that is used for being filled with the Spirit, is like one is filled with wine or new wine. Paul says: And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). On the day of Pentecost when the disciples received the first infilling of the Holy Ghost; others mocking said, These men are full of new wine, or filled with new wine (Acts 2:13). To be full of the Holy Spirit or to be filled with the Holy Spirit, is to be under a strong influence of the Holy Spirit, that gives a boldness of speech, and to act in accordance with the written word of God. It has nothing to do with acting in a disorderly manner, or as a drunk. The only parallel we can make between being filled with new wine, is the boldness of speech, and boldness of action, a person under the influence of alcohol has. So Paul tells us, the person that is filled with the Spirit, has boldness to speak and to act; but it is not to act and speak like the people of this world, but to speak and act in accordance with the written word of God.

Peter also corrected the people who thought they were drunk on the day of Pentecost; because they saw the boldness of speech and action of the disciples. He said: these are not drunk as you suppose, for it is the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: “And it shall be in the last days, says God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams (Acts 2:15-17) Paul tells every spirit filled Christian to be sober in their mind and conduct, saying: teach the young women to be sober (Titus 2:4) and the young men likewise exhort to be sober minded (Titus 2:6). And Peter agreed with Paul on Spirit filled Christians being sober, saying: Therefore girding up the loins of your mind, being sober, perfectly hope for the grace being brought to you, at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1Peter 1:13). The end of all things is at hand: be therefore sober, and watch unto prayer (1Peter 4:7). Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour (1Peter 5:8).

The devil always tries to pollute the true infilling of the Holy Spirit. In the days of Azusa Revival; so many of the people who received the infilling of the Holy Spirit, were acting a bit in the flesh. Some were pounding their bench or pounding the floor. William Seymour would come and gently tap them on the shoulder and say: brother this is the flesh! And the brother would stop pounding the floor or the bench. Paul tells us: the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets (1Corinthians 14:32). Seymour understood that it was the flesh of that person manifesting that way, it was not the Holy Spirit; for He is a sober Spirit. Today in some churches they act as if they are really drunk; and they will tell the congregation: let us drink a cup of the “holy ghost”, let us smoke the “holy ghost”. They will wallow on the ground, some women will be scratching their private parts on the floor, and some will be making sounds of animals; that is not the Holy Spirit but a counterfeit, even a demonic spirit.

As you read the book of Acts of the Apostles, you will see them being filled with the Holy Spirit over and over. The question we want to know is: after the initial infilling of the Holy Ghost that I received, when I was baptized in the Holy Ghost, with evidence of speaking in tongues; how can I be continually filled with the Holy Spirit, or how can I ever be under the strong influence of the Holy Spirit, to speak and act in boldness, in accordance with the written word of God?

I-2-b-1) Speaking to oneself according to the word of God

Paul tells us we must speak to ourselves in Psalms and hymns: this is done by meditation. The Hebrew word for meditation is: hagah which means to ponder by talking to oneself. David tells us: Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law, he meditates (ponders by talking to himself) day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper (Psalm 1:1-3).

Christian meditation is not voiding the mind, but using scriptures to talk to oneself, speaking to our own life, our business, our children, our family, our future and our own body, what the word of God says about us. We need to confess what the word of God says about us. We will not expand on this, for we already have the bible study on “The Power of Confession”. So according to David, this is the way one channels those spiritual rivers of living water, out of that underground river of the Holy Ghost in him, to the surface. When one does it, there will always be fruits on his tree. The leaves shall be green. The leaves are for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:2). So not only will he have abiding health himself, but people will also come to him for healing, since the leaves on him are ever green, and they are for the healing of the nations. People will see the fruit of the Spirit on him.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23). That is why Jesus told us: you shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you shall know them (Matthew 7:16-20).

You and I must learn to speak to ourselves; David did that often, for instance when he was down, he spoke to himself: Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted in me? Hope in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance (Psalm 42:5). God Himself told Joshua this secret of speaking to oneself, according to the scriptures saying: this book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate (ponder by talking to yourself) therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success (Joshua 1:8). So we must know the word of God, meditate on the word, confess the word, and become a doer of the word not a hearer only, deceiving ourselves.

I-2-b-2) Praying and singing with understanding and in the spirit

Therefore be filled with the Spirit; and the way you do it is by: speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God (Ephesians 5:18-21). By speaking to yourselves in spiritual songs, Paul does not mean songs that you sing with understanding. For Psalms are originally songs and they were written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, so they are spiritual not carnal. But by Spiritual songs, Paul means singing in tongues or singing in the Spirit. Paul says: For if I pray (or sing) in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays (or sings), but my understanding is unfruitful. I will pray with the Spirit (or in tongues), and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the Spirit (or in tongues or sing Spiritual songs), and I will sing with the understanding also (1Corinthians 14:15). So by speaking in tongues and singing in tongues, you are being filled with the Spirit. What is happening is, that the rivers of living water that are in you, are brought onto the surface, to bring life to your mortal body and change your life and circumstances.

Many people think that when they pray and sing in tongues it has to be loud. Paul says: spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. We have already done a bible study on “The Seven Hebrew words of praise” in which we give a succinct understanding of what praise and worship means. Please revisit that bible study to refresh your understanding on that subject. The truth is, if one does not have the knowledge of the Perfect Redemption Plan of God, it will be difficult to praise God; for one does not know why he has to praise God. But Paul tells us through the Holy Ghost: giving thanks always, for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I knew about The Seven Hebrew Words of Praise; but I found it difficult to praise God always. But now that I have the understanding of the Perfect Redemption Plan of God, I find it is becoming easier everyday to praise the Lord, than before I knew the Perfect Redemption Plan of God.

Many Christians spend their time, always asking God for things they have already freely received in the Perfect Redemption Plan of God. But when you know that all things are already yours, you spend more time praising God; for He has given you everything that pertains to life and godliness (2Peter 1:3). Your time of prayer becomes a time of fellowship with God, not only a list of requests. You do not need to sing to get His glory to fall upon you, for He has glorified you with the same glory He gave Jesus, and Jesus has given you that same glory (Romans 8:30, John 17:22). Your time of praise and worship is not manipulation time, to try to have God do something for you, but you praise Him because it is flowing out of your heart, for what He has already done; though you do not see its manifestation yet. You know God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should change His mind (Numbers 23:19). God wanted to have true fellowship with us, He did not want us to relate to Him only when we need something from Him. Thus when He gave us Jesus, He also gave us all things. Therefore all His promises in Christ Jesus are yes and Amen to the glory of God the Father through us (2Corinthians 1:20). Now be careful or anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God (Philippians 4:6).

When I was growing up in my parents’ house, we knew and believed that everything was already ours. There were things they already told us we do not need to ask them for like: food, medications, schooling, and clothing. We knew their answer was always yes, so when they were not around, we would help ourselves. When it came to things that we were not sure of, we asked them, and they gave us the answer, either it was yes or no. So most of the time we spent with our parents, was not asking them for things, but enjoying their presence and enjoying working with them in the house and in the vegetable garden. We would tell them what we did at school, how we supervised works they entrusted to us, etc. I understood that God was better than my parents, according to Matthew 7:7-11; but I simply did not know how?

But when I found the Perfect Redemption Plan of God, I knew how. So I do not spend my time begging My Father in heaven to do things for me, but I simply let Him know my requests, and thank Him because He said all His promises are yes and amen, because I am in Christ. I do not sing for an hour before letting Him know my troubles: I let Him know them straight away, and I thank Him, because He said I am more than a conqueror through God who loves me (Romans 8:37). When you read all the epistles in the New Testament, they use the past tense to talk about the promises of God through Christ Jesus; because they understood the Perfect Redemption Plan of God, and that all things have already been freely given unto each one of us, who are in Christ.

My prayer times are more about the business of the kingdom like Jesus told us: I must be about My Father’s business (Luke 2:49). I talk to Him about what I have learned in the scriptures, I talk to Him about the people around me who are being transformed by His word out of my mouth, people who are being healed by Him through me. And He talks back to me, and we just enjoy our time together for hours. I never run out of a topic with God. I pray with understanding and in the spirit, I sing with understanding and in the spirit. And He tells me what is in His heart and the two of us agree on what should be done, and I pray for what is in the heart of God, according to the scriptures, concerning people’s life, concerning nations. Sometimes the Lord comes and gives me a new cooking recipe. And I run into the kitchen and I start cooking and as I cook, He starts telling me about many prophecies in the bible, where He used food to give important messages to His people. So I truly enjoy my time with God. I remember one day: He gave me the cooking recipe of food from Indonesia: and I cooked it, my friend who is from Indonesia came and he told me that it is the recipe his grandmother passed down to his mother. So we both ate it and we talked in length about Indonesia, and I discovered he was a Christian too.

People will tell me: Gery, I do not have the same fellowship that you have with God. You make it look like the Father, the Son Jesus and the Holy Ghost are your friends. Why do I not have the same relationship with the Godhead? Let me explain simple things to you. I remember one day I was walking up to a church at the prayer time. I was singing on my way: “Lord I love You, Lord I love you…” And Jesus told me: do My commandments! So I sang again: “Lord I love You, Lord I love you…” and Jesus told me: do My commandments! So the Holy Ghost now brought to my remembrance what Jesus told every born again Christian: If you love Me keep or do My commandments (John 14:15). If you do, or keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love; even as I have kept or done My Father’s commandments, abide in His love (John 15:10).

Living a sanctified life is very important to hearing the voice of God, and enjoying fellowship with the Godhead. In Exodus 19, God asked the people to sanctify themselves and He would come in their midst and talk with them. They did it for three days and God came in their midst and talked with them from heaven. In Exodus 24 they sanctified themselves again and God came in their midst and talked with them and they ate and drank in the presence of God. Nobody was to go on that mountain to talk to God, if he or she had not sanctified himself or herself. Judas said unto Jesus, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him (John 14:22-23). Moses lived a sanctified life and he could go on that mountain to talk with God every day. God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit want to come to you, and dine with you too. You must be willing to live a sanctified life, if you want to enjoy your fellowship with the Godhead.

Love is an action word and verb, it must be demonstrated by actions, not mere words. Paul tells us: God demonstrated His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Jesus tells us: for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever believes in Jesus, should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Jesus while on earth, abode in the love of His Father who sent Him, by keeping or doing His commandments, and thus demonstrated by His actions that He loves the Father. Jesus wants us to demonstrate our love too, if we truly know Him. By this we know the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren (1John 3:16). What commandments did Jesus keep or do, to demonstrate His love for the Father? First Jesus lived a sanctified life for our sake, so that we can take Him as an example of sanctification (John 17:16-19, Hebrews 1:8-9). Second He preached the Gospel of the kingdom of God, to get people’s souls saved, so that they would receive eternal life and not go to hell (Matthew 4:17; Matthew 10:7-8). Third Jesus made disciples out of those people He got saved (John 4:1-2, Matthew 28:18-20). Fourth Jesus destroyed the works of the devil by setting people free from sin, healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead, etc (1John 3:8, Acts 10:38).

If we say we love Jesus, let us not just sing about it; but go and demonstrate that we love Him by keeping His commandments. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Your truth: Your word is truth. As You have sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth (John 17:16-19). As you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely you have received, freely give (Matthew 10:7-8). He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil (1John 3:8). And Jesus came and spoke unto them, His disciples, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. You, Go therefore, teach all nations, make disciples of nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen (Matthew 28:18-20).

I also remember I was singing: “I am a friend of God, I am a friend of God He calls me friend…” and Jesus told me: I, Jesus, am the friend of every born again Christian, yet some born again Christians do not treat Me as their friend, though they say and sing that they are My friends! I said: Lord I do not understand. And the Holy Spirit brought scriptures to my remembrance. Mary, the mother of Jesus, said to the servants: whatever Jesus says unto you, do it (John 2:5). So if we are serving our elder brother Jesus the Lord of lords and the King of kings: whatever He says unto us, we must do it! Now Jesus tells us: you are My friends, if you do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I do not call you servants; for the servant does not know what his lord does: but I have called you friends; because all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you (John 15:14-15). So when we are not doing whatsoever Jesus commands us, though we are born again, Jesus is our elder brother, our Saviour and He is our friend, but we are not reciprocating His friendship toward us.

The same thing also when we sing of Jesus being our “King of kings, and Lord of lords”. Jesus tells us: You call Me Master and Lord: and you say well; for so I am (John 13:13).But why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say, bid or command? Whosoever comes to Me and hears My sayings, biddings and commandments, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man who built a house, and dug deep, and laid the foundation on a rock [the rock of hearing and doing the saying, bidding and commandments of Jesus]: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he who hears, and does not do, is like a man, who without a foundation, built a house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great (Luke 6:46-49). So Jesus is asking us the same thing: why do you sing and profess that I am your King, your Lord; that you are my friend, that you love me; yet you are not doing what I say, what I bid you and what I commanded you?

So instead of merely singing about being friends of God, and friends of Jesus, about Jesus being our King and Lord; we need to prove it by doing whatsoever He commands us. What Jesus commands every born again Christian is simple: it is summed up in one commandment. Jesus tells us: a new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another (John 13:34). The series of the Perfect Redemption Plan tells us succinctly how Jesus demonstrated His love toward us, we need to embrace it, and go and love our fellow humans the same way. We can break that commandment into four commandments. First, live a sanctified life for the sake of the people around you and for your own sake; for without holiness nobody will see God (Hebrews 12:14). Second preach the Gospel of the kingdom of God to get people’s souls saved, so that they will receive the same Jesus you have, and eternal life, and not go to hell (Matthew 28:18-20). Third make disciples out of those people you get saved (John 4:1-2, Matthew 28:20). Fourth, destroy the works of the devil by setting people free from the bondage of sin, healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead, etc (1John 3:8, 2Peter 2:19, John 8:31-36, Acts 10:38, Matthew 10:7-8).

Just do the same works Jesus who sent us did, when His Father sent Him, as Jesus told us: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He who believes on Me, the works that I do, shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father (John 14:12). Love and friendship must be reciprocated; we should not only be on the receiving end and never give anything back to God. Please, read the bible study on:” The Heart of a son or daughter who is serving his or her Father, and is his or her Father’s friend”. The Love and the friendship of God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost toward us, are unconditional; let us respond to that love and friendship of the Godhead accordingly. If you do not embrace the sanctified life of Jesus, meaning becoming doer of the word, you will not be able to become a doer of the works of Jesus (John 17:16-19, Hebrews 1:8-9, James 1:22-25, John 14:6, John 4:34, John 14:12-14,).

Jesus says: He who has My commandments, and keeps or does them, it is he who loves Me;[do not deceive yourself that you love Me, or that you are My friend, when you are not keeping or doing My commandments, though I love you and I am your friend; for not the hearers only and the confessors only; but the doers; for confession and faith without works or demonstration of what we confess, is dead, vain and useless according to James 1:22 and James 2:20]: and he who loves Me, shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him (John 14:21). So now you understand why God manifests Himself more to some people than others, gives some people more revelation than other people. It is simply because they are doers of the commandments of God, thus God enjoys their company. That love and friendship, are reciprocal or mutual, they do not just try to use God to get what they want; but they truly care about God and His heart desires.

Judas thought that the Godhead was being partial by manifesting themselves more to some people than others. Judas said unto Jesus, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loves Me, he will keep or do My words: and My Father will love him, and We [The Father, Jesus and the Holy Ghost] will come unto him, and make Our abode with him (John 14:22-23). God is not partial. He wants you to have the same relationship the early disciples had with the Godhead. The Lord God says to you and me: why is your countenance fallen? And why are you angrily envious of the way We manifest Ourselves to some born again Christians, who demonstrate their love and friendship for Us? If you do well, if you do what every born again Christian is commanded, will you not be accepted and enjoy the same things (Genesis 4:6-7)?

We have seen in the bible study of Jehovah-Shammah, in the series of the Perfect Redemption Plan, that the Godhead dwells in us. Just like a husband and a wife can dwell under the same roof, and sleep in the same bed, yet they do not communicate with each other, they are not close, they are growing apart, there is no fellowship or communion, no intimacy. We are married to Jesus, and live under the same roof; it is high time to reciprocate His love and friendship for us. John tells us it is the will of the Godhead for you and me, to have the same manifestations of the Godhead in our life the disciples of Jesus had. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us😉 that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, so that you also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ (1John 1:1-3).

Many times the devil and some religious people will be accusing you, that you do not love God enough, that you are not the friend of God; because you are not attending all their religious activities. Do not listen to the devil and his religious agents. If you are doing what Jesus commanded you: first, living a sanctified life or a life of holiness, so that you yourself will see God in heaven and not be cast into hell as a worker of iniquity (Luke 13:24-28); second, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God to get people’s souls saved, so that they will receive eternal life, and not go to hell; third, making disciples out of those people you get saved; and fourth destroying the works of the devil by setting people free from the bondage of sin, healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead, etc. Do not listen to the devil and those religious people, you are the true friend of God and you are the one who truly loves Him. It is time for born again Christians to flee from religious spirits, that build so many activities in church, and do not equip people for the work of the ministry.

When we read Acts 4, the disciples prayed according to the scriptures Psalm 2, and Luke records for us: when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31). You see Jesus already told us: the words that I speak to you are Spirit and life (John 6:63). So we need to spend time reading, studying, confession, sharing and meditating on the word of God, to be continually filled with the Spirit of God, and we need to pray according to the word of God, to be continually filled with the Spirit of God. The disciples here were being threatened by the Jewish leaders, but they decided to stand on Psalm 2 and pray according to that word of God. A Spirit filled prayer is a prayer based on the word of God.

That is why Paul tells us: let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; so that you will be able to teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord (Colossians 3:16). This was the way the disciples of Jesus were continually being filled with the Spirit of God, and overflowing with the Spirit. The apostles told the brethren: but we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word (Acts 6:4). So since we ought to be continually filled with the Spirit of God, until rivers of living waters flow out of our belly, we ought to do these things recommended to us by the apostles of Jesus.

Let us stop here for a second, if you have not yet received the baptism of the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues, which is the first sign of the infilling of the Holy Ghost, this is your day! I want you to lay your hand on your head and pray this prayer out loud, and after you have prayed it, open your mouth and speak whatever comes out of your mouth, your mind may tell you, you do not understand what you are saying, it is normal. Keep speaking again and again, do not stop, pray at least for one hour in tongues. The first time I opened my mouth and prayed in tongues, my carnal mind was telling me: G, now it is official, you have lost your mind! And I remember I had tears running down my cheeks, for I did not know what I was saying, and I am a person who wants to understand everything, but that tongue thing, I could not understand it.

The Lord told me: you have already given people prophecies, so that is part of the manifestations of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. For in Acts 2 when they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke in tongues and they prophesied. You have been having dreams and visions, that is also the evidence of the outpouring of My Spirit upon you, like Joel prophesied and Peter said in Acts 2, that it was the fulfilment of that prophecy of Joel. You are comfortable with prophesying, dreams and visions, because you understand them in part; but you are not comfortable with tongues; because your intellect is resisting it. So I made up my mind I wanted all that Jesus died on the cross for me. And the infilling of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues, is part of it. I prayed the first day by faith for 15 minutes, and everything about me said it was gibberish, but the next day I decided I would pray for one hour in tongues. I made it a discipline at first; because my carnal mind was telling me: stop praying in the Spirit, you do not understand a single word of it.

But I spoke to myself, saying: self, listen to the word of God! He who speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not unto men, but unto God: for no man understands him; howbeit in the Spirit he speaks mysteries (1Corinthians 14:2). So I am not speaking to you self, I am speaking to God, I am speaking mysteries, even hidden truths of God, and the carnal mind cannot receive the things of God. But not me, I have the mind of Christ, that is why I can speak those mysteries. He who speaks in an unknown tongue, edifies himself (1Corinthians 14:4). So I am building myself up by praying in tongues, I am repairing the cracks that are in my life, by praying in tongues, I am fixing my life from within.

As I am praying in tongues, the Spirit of God is helping my weaknesses, for there are situations that my intellect does not know how I ought to pray about them; but the Spirit of the Lord in me, knows how He ought to pray about them according to the word of God. I do not know all the scriptures; but the Spirit of the Lord in me, knows all the scriptures; for He is the one who wrote the bible (2Timothy 3:16). Thus I pray in the Spirit, because the Spirit knows all the scriptures that address my current situation. He makes intersession for me as I pray in tongues, so it is no longer I who pray, but the Spirit of God is praying through me, according to the scriptures when I pray in tongues (Romans 8:26-27). I am building myself up in my most holy faith, as I am praying in tongues (Jude 1:20). I do not know how to thank God as I ought to; but as I pray in tongues, the Spirit of the Lord intercedes through me, and gives thanks to God well, better than I can do with my little words. (1Corinthians 14:16-17).

So if you do not speak in tongues yet, please lay your hand on your head and pray this simple prayer out loud with me, and then open your mouth and pray in your most holy faith, that is praying in tongues as Jude tells us. People who have prayed this simple prayer, have instantly received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, with evidence of speaking in tongues; some of them even spoke and sang in Arabic, though they have never learned it, like in Acts 2. Jesus said: everyone who asks receives, so today is your day to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:9-13).

Say out loud with me: Father I thank you for sending Jesus, for when Jesus died, I died with Him, when He was buried I was buried with Him, and when You raised Him from the dead, I was raised from the dead with Him, and the same glory that You gave Him, He has now given me. I thank you because Jesus already prayed for me to receive the promise of the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, with evidence of speaking in tongues. I thank you because I have the Spirit of the glory dwelling in me; I thank you because it is Your will that I, as a believer in Jesus, must have that Spirit of glory resting upon me, with evidence of speaking in tongues. Therefore I open my mouth in faith and speak in tongues, Holy Ghost come and fill me now with evidence of speaking in tongues, intercede through me, speak mysteries through me in tongues, right now in Jesus’ name, Amen! Now open your mouth and speak by faith, and keep on speaking, do it again tomorrow and the next day and again and again.

I-2-b-3) Live spiritually built up and continually stir yourself up.

Think of it this way: the Navy SEAL soldiers train every day as though tomorrow they are going to war. They understand that they should not wait for war to start before training; it would be too late and they would be defeated by their enemies. They train the way they fight, so they fight the way they have been trained. They do their physical exercises every day, they clean their guns every day, they have their gear ready every day, and they shoot their gun every day. They are ready everyday of the year 24/7 for deployment in a war zone. When they receive the real call for deployment, they just check if everything is in place, they gear up and remind themselves of some basic principles and strategies, stretch their muscles and they are good to go and fight the enemy. We have been enlisted in the army of the Lord.

Be built up by knowing the word and doing the word

What the Navy SEAL soldiers do in the physical, is the same for us Christians in the spiritual. Paul tells us: you therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man who wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please Him (Jesus) who has chosen or enlisted him to be a soldier (2Timothy 2:3-4). Now brethren I commend or commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up (epoikodomeo: to build upon, to build thereupon) and give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified (Acts 20:32). So Paul is telling us he wants to commit us to God, for it is God who works in us, both to will and do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). When we are born again we are all set apart to God or sanctified or become saints of God; it is the same word. The picture Paul is trying to give us is, that we are being built up as one builds up a building. All of us have the same foundation: for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1Corinthains 3:11). Christ Jesus is in our life He is the foundation that every saint of God has received. But we notice that there are some saints of God who enjoy the inheritance God has freely given to all of us, more than other saints, though we all have the same foundation: Christ Jesus.

Paul explains to us that those saints who enjoy the inheritance of God contained in the Perfect Redemption Plan, did something that other believers did not do. What did they do? They built on their foundation, while others were content with the foundation. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is, If any man’s work abides, which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire (1Corinthains 3:12-15). Many Christians are either content with the foundation that is Christ Jesus, or decide to build on that foundation with wood, hay or stubble. Now wood talks about humanity: the doctrines or teachings of men, the traditions of men which make the word of God or commandment of God of none effect (Matthew 15:6). Hay is grass cut and dried for fodder or food for cattle. Fodder can be hay, straw or other kinds of dry vegetables used to feed cattle. And stubble is the stumps of wheat, rye, barley or oats left in the ground when harvesters have put in the sickle and gathered the grains.

Hay and stubble are both lifeless things, they are dry and withered away. The life of God is not in them; for the hay is withered away, the grass fails; there is no green thing (Isaiah 15:6). They are worthless matters that are blown away by the wind. David tells us, being green is having the life of God is us; but being dry like chaff, hay or stubble, is being deprived of the life of God and being ungodly. He writes: blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law does he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly, shall perish (Psalm 1:1-6).

So we understand from the writings of David, that saints who build on the foundation, which is Christ Jesus, with hay and stubble, are saints who are acting like ungodly people, walking in the counsel of ungodly people, instead of the counsel of the word of God, standing in the way of sinners, instead of standing and walking in the highway of holiness, where unclean people do not pass (Isaiah 35:8). They sit in the seats of the scornful and practice sin, as though they were still sinners and not righteous, they act according to the Balaam spirit and the Jezebel spirit. Unfortunately many Christians are building with hay and stubble, and they think they are alright. Paul tells us wood, hay and stubble would be tested by fire, and it will be burnt up. Those believers would be saved and go to heaven; but in heaven they will not have any reward, and here on earth they will also not enjoy the reward of the things that are freely given to us in the Perfect Redemption Plan of God.

So Paul tells us: now brothers and sisters, I commend or commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up (epoikodomeo: to build upon, to build thereupon) and give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified (Acts 20:32). And David tells us: his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law does he meditate day and night. The primary way we build ourselves up spiritually, is by deciding to live a sanctified life or life of holiness. Then knowing and doing the word of God, not the rules, regulations and legalism; but the word of His grace. We need to understand the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24). As you read the Perfect Redemption Plan, you realize that God did it all through Christ Jesus, and gave it to you freely by grace and through your faith in Christ Jesus, you appropriate what was freely given to you (Ephesians 2:8). Paul talks of people building on that foundation of Christ Jesus with gold or silver: gold talks of the divinity of God, and silver talks of the redemption, and precious stones talks of our uniqueness, like the twelve different precious stones that were on the breastplate of the high priest, that represented each tribe of Israel (Exodus 25:1-7).

So we must build upon that foundation, having the knowledge of the Perfect Redemption Plan of God for us. We must build on that foundation, having the knowledge, that it is God who is truly building it, not us, not our human efforts; for every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God (Hebrews 3:4). We are the house of God (Hebrews 3:5-6). We must build on that foundation knowing that we are unique, and are not a copy of anybody else, we are precious in the sight of God, and He has a unique purpose for our life, and specific promises for our life, besides the general promises contained in the Perfect Redemption Plan. Having the knowledge of the will of God, confessing it, meditating on it, and becoming a doer of that will of God, builds us up spiritually. Nothing can be built on that foundation outside the word of God’s grace. Jesus Himself, our foundation, is the word of God (Revelation 19:13). That is why Paul is telling us: for God to give us the inheritance contained in His word, we need to know His word, and become doers of that word. Many Christians are not built up spiritually; because the word of Christ is not dwelling in them richly in all wisdom (Colossians 3:16).

Gold talks about God; so build your life, your ministry of reconciliation only based on the word of God; do not turn to the left or to the right from the word of God, when things become difficult (Joshua 1:7-8). Be like Moses, who was warned by God when he was about to make the tabernacle. For, He says “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain (Hebrews 8:5).” Be also like Joshua who was warned by God, saying: Only be strong and very courageous, so that you may be careful to do according to all the Law which My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may act wisely wherever you go. This book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it by day and by night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall act wisely and have good success (Joshua 1:7-8).

Job knew that his Redeemer, Jesus, lives and He shall stand at last on the earth (Job19:25). So Job decided to build with gold on Christ Jesus the foundation. He said: God knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast in His steps; I have kept His way, and have not fallen away; nor have I gone back from the commandment of His lips; I treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food (Job 23:10-12). Peter, who also built with gold on Christ Jesus the foundation, tells us: the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, honour and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ (1Peter 1:7).

When Paul tells us: now brothers and sisters I commend or commit you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up (Epoikodomeo: to build upon, to build thereupon) and give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified (Acts 20:32). The word Epoikodomeo he uses is the combination of two Greek words: Epi which means upon and Oikodomeo which means: to be a house builder, to build up, to construct, to repair, to edify, to embolden. So we can conclude from this, that to build anything for God, one needs to have the word of God abiding in him or her richly, in all wisdom. That word of God abiding in him or her will embolden him or her, which is to give boldness or to give courage or to encourage. Now we understand why in Joshua chapter one; when God was telling Joshua to go and fight the battles and bring the people to the promised land, God was telling Him only be of good cheer, and be very courageous. And the way God built up that courage or boldness in Joshua, was by telling him: this book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success (Joshua 1:8).

Confess the word of God in prayer: prayer-confession

I remember going through a period in my life, when I was very fearful and I did not know how to get rid of that fear. I prayed for hours; but I could not get rid of that fear. And the Lord told me to stop praying for all those hours; but instead, spend more time reading the bible, and read it until I am so tired and fall asleep. I did not understand at that time why God would ask me not to pray for hours; but read the bible instead. I obeyed. And I noticed I was being encouraged from within, and was becoming bolder and fear departed from me. What happened is that by having the knowledge of what God says in His word concerning my situation, and how to overcome it, I confessed and became a doer of that specific word, I was built up, emboldened. People are praying for boldness, it is good to pray for boldness like the disciples did, saying: now Lord, look at their threats and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your Holy Servant Jesus (Acts 4:29-30).

The way God answers that prayer, is by giving you the knowledge of His will in that specific area, and asking you to become a doer of that revelation which He has just given you in His word. The Disciples discovered what God said about their threatening situation through David in Psalm 2; so they confessed Psalm 2 in prayer (Acts 4:25-28); and then asked God to grant them that boldness, to become doers of the word of God. Knowing that God has promised in Psalm 2 to those who are threatening them, that He will break them with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel (Psalm 2:9). So you see, by reading Psalm 2, they got the knowledge of God’s solution for their threats, they confessed it in prayer and later acted on it after they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Therefore Luke records for us: when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31). Prayer-confession fills us with the Holy Spirit, and as a result we receive the boldness or the edification or the encouragement we need, to be doers of the word of God. As soon as I understood the power of prayer-confession or confessing the word of God in prayer, and what it did in me, I now do it all the time. That is why I can read the bible for hours without being bored! Even the book of Leviticus and Numbers! Because as I pray-confess or confess in prayer those scriptures I am reading: I am being filled with the Spirit of God: and sometimes it is so tangible that I feel like God puts His hand on my head, or I feel like there was a kind of static electricity going through my body, and I was being charged!

When I read the scriptures, I confess them in prayer into my life. For instance when I read; God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, love and sound mind (2Timothy 1:7). I confess in prayer to God, saying: Father I thank you for giving me your Holy Spirit and because Your Holy Spirit abides permanently in me, I have power, love and soundness of mind. Fear is not part of me; because You did not give it to me. Fear, I command fear to leave my heart in the name of Jesus! When I read: there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear; because fear has torment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us (1John 4:18-19). The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost who is given unto us (Romans 5:5).

I confess in prayer to God, saying: thank you Father for the Holy Spirit who now dwells in me, and has shed Your love abroad in my heart. I have this perfect love in me, You first loved me before I loved you, I love you because you first loved me, and Your perfect love in me casts out fear, I will no longer be tormented by anything, I cast out that fear in the name of Jesus because the love of God is shed abroad in my heart, thank you Father for Your perfect love in me. One can call it prayer-confession or confessing the word of God in prayer. You agree with what God says about you and your situation in His written word, and not with what you are feeling or seeing. Whenever I read the bible I do those prayer confessions, in other words I pray the word of God into my life. Learn how to confess the word of God in prayer as you read the bible or bible studies. When I re-read the bible studies I pray them into my life, that my life will line up with the word of God that I am reading, or with the bible study I am reading. But when it comes to bible studies, it must always line up with the word of God, if not discard it, that is why I give many scripture references so that you can be sure that it lines up with the written word of God.

Built up by praying in tongues

The second way to be built up, according to the scriptures, is by praying in tongues. Paul tells us: he who speaks in an unknown tongue, speaks not unto men, but unto God: for no man understands him; howbeit in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. But he that prophesies, speaks unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He who speaks in an unknown tongue edifies (Oikodomeo: to be a house builder, to build up, to construct, to edify, to repair, to embolden) himself; but he who prophesies edifies the church (1Corinthians 14:2-4). Here Paul is talking about a personal tongue which is your own prayer language, and you do not necessarily need to have the interpretation of that tongue; because you are communicating with God, and it is nobody else’s business! Sometimes our life looks like a cracked pot, and as we pray in tongues God is repairing all our cracks, and making us whole again. Sometimes our heart is broken into many pieces, by what people have done to us, and no human can put it back together; but as we pray in tongues, the Spirit of God repairs our broken hearts; for the Spirit of the Lord is upon us, to heal our broken heart (Luke 4:18).

One of the symbols of the Holy Spirit is a dove. And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him (Matthew 3:16). A dove talks of gentleness. The dove is faithful to its mate till life do them part. And the dove has no bile: a yellow bitter liquid, separated from the blood in the liver. So when you pray in tongues, the Holy Spirit will be uprooting any unclean spirit for He is a jealous Spirit, and does not want to share you with any other unclean spirit (James 4:5). The Holy Spirit will be uprooting any spirit of harlotry and all sexual immoralities; any spirit of idolatry, for it is spiritual adultery. When you will be praying in tongues, the Holy Spirit will be uprooting any thought of being unfaithful to your spouse and to God.

When people have done evil to you, and even repaid you evil for good, you are broken hearted, and have the tendency of being bitter towards them. Yet you will not want that evil should not depart from their house (Proverbs 17:13). Instead you will pray that God will forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34). As you pray in tongues, the Holy Spirit will be removing that bitterness toward them in you, and heal your heart. If you want to flow in the gifts of the Spirit, you will have to deal with bitterness in your heart. And in ministry you will have many opportunities to be offended and remain bitter towards people. Do not allow bitterness to set in your heart; that is why we are commanded to forgive always in our prayer (Luke 11:1-4, Matthew 18:21-22). Let us trust the Holy Ghost to heal our broken and wounded heart (Luke 4:18). And put the unconditional love of God, for those people who repaid us evil for good, back in our heart (Romans 5:5). As you pray in tongues, the Holy Spirit will allow you to be gentle, and harmless as a dove towards those people who did evil to you. As Jesus commanded us, saying: Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16).

I remember when I was growing up, we used to have roosters and hens in our compound. So once in a while, they would ask you to go and kill one of them, so that we could cook it. When you killed it and opened its chest to remove its entrails; you needed to be very careful when you removed the bile. If you mistakenly crushed that bile sac while attempting to remove the liver, and all its fluid was spilled inside the chicken, the whole chicken would be bitter, no matter how much you rinsed that chicken with water. When you cooked a stew with that chicken, both the stew and the chicken in that stew would be bitter. Jesus says: My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed (John 6:55). And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth (John 1:14). O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34).

Every time you open your mouth to speak, you are giving people a spiritual meal. You and the words that come out of your mouth are one. A minister of reconciliation gives to people who he is, not what he has. He becomes one with his words; his words become flesh in himself. Just like the whole chicken was spoiled by that bile, that exploded inside the chicken when I tried to remove it, the same way, if you do not deal with bitterness in your heart, even the sermons and prophecies that will come out of your mouth, will be full of bitterness and bitter jealousies. People will not want to eat your spiritual meal; because it is bitter. James says: Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a fountain send forth at the same hole, the sweet and the bitter (James 3:10-11)? If you have bitter jealousy and strife in your hearts, do not glory and lie against the truth. This is not the wisdom coming down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish (James 3:14-15).

Some ministers have no sermons or messages from the Lord. They spend their whole life in ministry, preaching against other ministers who are prosperous financially, who have big ministries, who lead millions of people to Christ, and are having miracles. They are just filled with bitter jealousy, and it is from the devil, not from God according to James. They should pray that God will teach them how to have the same success in the Lord. Many people are not ready to pay the price those people paid; they spend their time attacking those ministers. If what those ministers are doing, is against the scriptures; then demonstrate it from the scriptures that they are wrong. But if you cannot demonstrate it from the Holy Scriptures; it is only your bitter jealousy in your heart; and out of the abundance of the bitter jealousy of your heart, you are speaking against them, and their work for the Lord. You want to have what they have, and be used of God the way they are; but you are not willing to pay the price they paid! Repent of your bitter jealousy; for there is no bitterness in the Holy Spirit.

The dove also talks of purity, even holiness. There must be sanctification in our lives, since the Holy Spirit is Holy. Pursue peace with all men and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). The dove also talks of gentleness or meekness. When you have a close fellowship with the Holy Spirit, you will be meek and gentle. Of Moses it was written: Moses was the meekest man on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3). Paul tells us: let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is at hand (Philippians 4:5). If we want to flow effectively in the gifts of the Spirit, we will have to make a conscious and willing choice to forsake the works of the flesh, and choose the fruit of the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit.

Now the works of the flesh are clearly revealed, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, fighting, jealousy, anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and things like these; of which I tell you before, as I also said before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God [Paul said that in 1Corinthians 6:9-10]. But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law. But those belonging to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:19-25).

Jude tells us: but you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost (Jude 1:20). Again the word Jude used here for building up yourselves, is the Greek word Epoikodomeo it is the combination of two Greek words: Epi which means upon and Oikodomeo which means: to be a house builder, to build up, to construct, to edify, to repair, to embolden. So according to Paul and Jude, when you pray in tongues you are praying in your most holy faith, and you are edifying yourself, emboldening yourself, encouraging yourself and constructing yourself spiritually, repairing yourself spiritually. Paul tells us: likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities or weaknesses: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he who searches the hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-27). So Paul tells us: when you pray in tongues, it is not you who are praying, but the Spirit of God who is in you is praying. As we have seen above; the primary way to build yourself up is sanctification, and then to have the knowledge of the will of God in a specific area that is your concern, and become a doer of that will of God. But how many of us know the whole will of God?

I do not know the whole will of God, and I am finding out every day, for the word of God is new every day; but the Spirit of God who dwells in us knows the will of God in every area of our concern. The Holy Spirit is the author of the bible. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation; for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (2Peter 1:20-21). So If I do not know how to pray about a specific thing; when I pray in tongues, the Holy Spirit in me prays aright according to the will of God. And Many times our prayers are full of complaints and murmurings; because we do not know the will of God in a specific matter we are going through. But when we pray in tongues, instead of complaining and murmuring, the Spirit of God in us praises God and thanks God through us; for Paul tells us: when you shall bless with the spirit or in tongues, how shall he that occupies the room of the unlearned say, Amen at your giving of thanks, seeing he understands not what you say? For you verily give thanks well, but the other is not edified (1Corinthians 14:16-17).

Think of speaking in tongues this way. Let us say I bought a refurbished HG laptop, the previous owner had all kinds of junk installed on it. When it became mine, I wanted to remove all the junk which belonged to the previous owner, protect my computer from viruses and Trojan-horses that used to be in the laptop, and install my own programs. So I buy the JAAZIEL 360 anti-virus/firewall and installed it in my refurbished HG laptop. You and I can be likened to that refurbished HG laptop, our previous master was Satan the devil (John 8:44). He did his very best to install a lot of junk on our system; so that even after we have changed Masters, we are still affected by what he did to us.

Now Jesus has bought us with His own blood and has branded us HG laptop, HG stands for Holy Ghost. Our new operating system is HG, just like for ordinary laptops you have Windows as the operating system. We need to install an anti-virus/firewall to scan all the files, programs, e-mail, audio and video recordings, that have some viruses in them or Trojan-horses in them, and delete them. And the firewall protects the laptop from the cyber-attacks on your laptop. Just like with a normal Laptop, which has a Windows operating system, when you install for instance Norton 360 anti-virus and launch the scan of your computer, you do not know what operations are being run on your computer; but you trust the computer manufacturer and the programmer of the anti-virus and firewall, that their codes are working properly.

When the anti-virus finishes the scan of your laptop, it sends you a dialogue box with a message of all the files, e-mails, videos, audio files that are contaminated by viruses, and the Trojan-horses that have been found. Trojan-horses are hidden programs within your videos, audio files, e-mail and pictures, that are meant to destroy your computer, or to cause it to malfunction, as you open them; it is a cyber-attack! So your computer firewall detects them and blocks them. After giving you that diagnosis of what is wrong with your laptop, it will ask you to either repair those files or delete them, and it will ask you to erase those viruses and Trojan-horses. As soon as you say yes; the anti-virus/firewall will erase those viruses and Trojan-horses and will delete files that are irreparable. It will connect online with the headquarters of Windows which is the operating system, and the headquarters of Norton 360, and it will send them the diagnosis of the laptop, in return the headquarters of Norton 360 and of Windows, will send the programs that will be able to repair the damaged files and will also send the updated version of all the programs that need to be downloaded and installed, in order to best protect your laptop against future cyber-attacks.

The analogy is not perfect; yet it helps us understand what happens when we pray in tongues. Paul says when we pray in tongues we are speaking mysteries or hidden truth; they are coded languages like the coded languages used by computer programmers, you do not have to know or understand them, the only thing you need to know is, that they work; they do what you ask them to do. If we can trust and believe human programmers; why is it so difficult for us to trust and believe God, and speak mysteries in tongues? Our new operating system is the Holy Ghost, He dwells in us but the headquarters of the Holy Ghost is in heaven, where God, who sent Him to us, dwells. The anti-virus/firewall in us is the JAAZIEL 360, now JAAZIEL is a Hebrew word which means emboldened of God (1Chronicles 15:18). JAAZIEL 360 is our Anti-virus/ firewall, 360 is for 360 degrees of revolution, meaning we are protected round about, that firewall is round about us to protect us from all attacks on every side.

Zechariah says: I, says the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her (Zechariah 2:5). The Anti-virus/firewall JAAZIEL 360 was working in the life of Job, Satan even complained to God of how effective JAAZIEL 360 Anti-Virus/firewall was in the life of Job, saying: have You, God, not made an hedge about Job, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land (Job 1:10). We have already seen that speaking in tongues edifies us or emboldens us, according to the writings of Paul and Jude. And the headquarters of the anti-virus/firewall JAAZIEL 360 is in heaven too, for the gift of tongues is the promise of the Father according to the words of Jesus in Luke 24:49.

So when we run JAAZIEL 360, He scans our laptop, to see if everything in the laptop is lining up with the initial design of the manufacturer. In other words, when we pray in tongues, the Holy Ghost is scanning our heart, mind and life for things Satan has planted in us, for hidden things that we did not even notice that Satan had planted in us, for things we have heard, or seen and believed that do not line up with the word of God, but the enemy has planted those voices, and images in our heart and mind, and they are now destroying our life. He scans letters we have read, books we have read that do not line up with the word of God, but we have believed those written messages, and they are destroying our life, or preventing us from having faith in God. And once He finds them, the Spirit prays according to the will of God through us, to destroy them by the power of the blood of Jesus, and downloads in our spirit, the word of God that will build us up, embolden us, encourage us and edify us. Paul says: how much more shall the blood of Christ (who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God) purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14)? The Spirit writes the right scriptures in our hearts that will solve our problem, even though we do not know it yet.

Praying in tongues sends out information about what needs to be fixed, deleted, repaired in us, and it downloads revelations and mysteries of God into us. Just like with a computer, when you run your anti-virus/firewall it sends you a dialogue box on your screen with the message of what is wrong, and what has been repaired, and what files need to be downloaded or updated. The same thing happens when you pray a lot in tongues; you will start having more visions, trances, dreams, and interpretations of those tongues; words of knowledge and words of wisdom. No wonder Paul told us: I thank God that I speak with tongues more than you all (1Corinthians 14:18). Paul understood that combination of living a sanctified life, having the knowledge of the word of God, and becoming a doer of that word, plus the speaking in tongues to be built up in the Spirit, to be emboldened in the Spirit and to be encouraged in the Spirit. Paul went through a lot of troubles in his ministry: he was beaten, stoned, left for dead, forsaken by brethren, famished, etc. (2Corinthians 11). He truly needed to be encouraged, emboldened and built up spiritually, he did not wait for someone to do it for him; but he discovered the will of God, meditated on it and confessed it, and became a doer of it, and then spoke in tongues a lot.

I pray in tongues a lot in my heart: in church when the service is going on, even when I am walking in the streets, or I am in the bus or in the train, I pray in tongues in my heart. As Paul told me to keep silent and speak to myself in tongues, for by so doing, I am speaking to God. Paul said: how is it then, brethren? When you come together, every one of you has a psalm, has a doctrine or teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, and has an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. If any man speaks in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God (1Corinthians 14:26-28). When I am not meditating and confessing on the word of God in my mind, I am singing or praying in tongues, and with understanding in my heart. I want to keep building myself up, that is why, when people ask me a question or tell me a dream, because I have been living in sanctification, spent time reading, studying and meditating on the word of God, and praying in tongues, I am already built up and all the interpretations of mysteries have already been downloaded in my spirit man. I just open my mouth, and give the interpretation or the answer to their questions.

God wants us to live built up spiritually, when we are built up spiritually we have a sanctified life, have the knowledge of the word of God and have become doers of that word. We will have our spiritual senses exercised to discern between good and evil. Like Paul told us: for everyone who uses milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age or mature, even those who by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:13-14). The message of tongues that needs interpretation in church, or the prophecy in church, sometimes it is because we are ignorant of the will of God in a particular area, and God interrupts the service to give a message in tongues or a prophecy. But when we become skillful in the word of God, which is the word of righteousness; not only do we have the knowledge of the truth, but we are also doers of the truth; we are no longer babes, but are maturing spiritually. God will interrupt services to give basic messages of the truth of the gospel in tongues, or in prophecy less and less; but we will be able to directly discern what ought to be done or said, and what God’s will is.

We will be giving people the prophecy of scriptures: what will come out of our mouth will be: it is written, it is written and it is written. And prophecies that line up with the written word of God, God will be able to reveal deeper things of the spirit realm, which line up with the written word of God, to us. We will be full grown up sons and daughters of God like Jesus. That is why Paul tells the Corinthian’s church, which was a carnal church and a babe in Christ: love never fails, but whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away, for we know in part and prophecy in part. But when that which is perfect or complete has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, but when I became a man I put away childish things (1Corinthians 13:8-10).

God expects us to mature so that we will know His will, what He has done for us, how much He so loves us, and demonstrated it by giving His Son Jesus to die for us, and provide us with that Perfect Redemption Plan. That is why Paul told us to judge the interpretation of tongues and the prophecies given to us (1Corinthians 14:29). If for instance that interpretation of tongues or that prophecy violates what was freely given to us in our Perfect Redemption Plan, we reject it. Every interpretation of tongues, which is a prophecy, needs to line up with the Perfect Redemption Plan of God. That is why the primary area we need to be built up in, is in the knowledge of word of God; it will help us judge everything in the kingdom of God. When we live built up in the Spirit, dissolving of doubts will be in operation in our life, like He was in the life of Daniel. Dissolving of doubts is an aspect of the Holy Ghost.

It is written of Daniel. There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, your father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of hard sentences, puzzles, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation (Daniel 5:11-12). I used to confess in prayer that God will give me the same spirit of dissolving of doubts, and the way God has done it, and is still doing it, is by building me up in the word of God, and in my most holy faith, by praying in tongues. So that when the devil says something negative to me, immediately the Holy Ghost brings to my remembrance at least three scriptures to dissolve that doubt the devil threw at me.

When I made the choice to live built up through a sanctified life, word of God and praying in tongues; more aspects of the Holy Spirit were being exhibited in my life: the excellent Spirit; the knowledge, understanding and interpretation of dreams, visions, mysteries, shadows and types found in the bible, explaining hard sentences, or putting together the puzzles of the shadows and types of Christ, found in the Old Testament, as you have all read in the Perfect Redemption Plan series, and in other “My Weekly Milk” letters. Like Paul says, and today Gery also says: by revelation Jesus Christ made known to me the mystery (as I wrote before in few words, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) which in other ages, was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit (Ephesians 3:3-5).

We need to be continually stirred up in the Spirit

Paul said to Timothy his disciple: therefore I put you in remembrance that you stir up (Anazopureo: to re-kindle, to stir up) the gift of God, which is in you by the putting on of my hands. For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2Timothy 1:6-7). Peter told the church: yes, I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle or tent, to stir you up (Diegeiro: to wake fully, to awake, to stir up) by putting you in remembrance (2Peter 1:13). This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; (in both of which I stir up (Diegeiro: to wake fully, to awake, to stir up) your pure minds by way of remembrance) that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Saviour (2Peter 3:1-2).

One needs to understand that it is the Lord God, even the Holy Spirit who stirs up our heart, to do the things of God. As it is written: And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God (Haggai 1:14). I always pray this prayer for everybody who reads these “My Weekly Milk” letters. I cannot force anybody to be a disciple of Jesus, nor force anybody to read these bible studies, and obey the full counsel of the written word of God. God must stir up their spirit and their heart; for it is God who works in each one of us, both to give us the willingness and the ability to become doers of His word (Philippians 2:13).

We are continually being built up in specific areas, by sanctifying ourselves, receiving knowledge of the word of God, and acting on that knowledge. We must also continually stir ourselves up, by putting ourselves in remembrance of those revelations. As long as we are in this physical body, we will continually be built up and stirred up. That is why we read the bible a lot, and meditate on the word of God day and night as God commanded us; for it is new every day (Psalm 1:2, Joshua 1:7-8). As we read it and meditate on it day and night, we stir ourselves up, we re-kindle that fire of the Holy Ghost in us, and we re-kindle that passion for the lost souls, for the sick and diseased; that zeal for the things of God and the house of God; because we remind ourselves who we are in Christ, what God has invested in us, and what God expects from us. We awake to righteousness and stop sinning; we willingly start practicing righteousness and destroying the works of the devil (1Corinthians 15:34, 1John 3:8). As we meditate on these bible studies we had, and on those bible verses we read; we are stirring the gifts of God in us. As we pray in tongues we are constantly stirring up the gifts of the Spirit in us, the flame is constantly being rekindled, as we put ourselves in remembrance of the word of God, and speak in tongues.

I re-read my own bible studies, and God gives me even more revelations as I re-read these bible studies. As I read the bible, sometimes I read a verse and I meditate on that verse for hours, and God speaks to my heart. Paul said to Timothy: do not neglect the gift in you, which was given you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the body of elders. Meditate on these things; be in these things in order that your improvement may appear to all. Hold on to yourself and to the doctrine; continue in them, for doing this, you shall both save yourself and those who hear you (1Timothy 4:14-16). Be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fully carry out your ministry (2Timothy 4:5). This charge I commit to you, my son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before about you, in order that you might war a good warfare by them (1Timothy 1:18). Therefore I put you in remembrance that you stir up (Anazopureo: to re-kindle, to stir up) the gift of God, which is in you by the putting on of my hands. For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2Timothy 1:6-7).

So this is how God, through Paul advised Timothy to stir himself up. When Timothy received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, with evidence of speaking in tongues, by the laying on of the hands of Paul, Paul prophesied things about Timothy. And later when some elders of the church also prayed for Timothy, by laying hands on him; they also prophesied things about him. One of the things that Paul, and also the elders of the church prophesied about Timothy is, that Jesus has ordained him in the office of the evangelist. So sometimes we get tired in this Christian walk, we get discouraged, we are fearful, and we want to give up. So Paul tells Timothy to stir himself up by reading, reminding himself and meditating on those prophesies that were spoken about him, and his office of an evangelist. And by those prophecies he should fight a good warfare. That is why you see in “My Weekly Milk” letters, I put some of the prophecies that God gave me, concerning the office Jesus ordained me into, concerning what God wants to do with me, and all the people reading these “My Weekly Milk” letters. And when I am fearful, discouraged and ready to give up, I re-read those prophecies, to stir myself up, and I read the bible, especially the apostleship of Paul, and the leadership of Moses and Joshua, how Ezra studied the scriptures to teach the entire nation of Israel. I read Nehemiah, Ezra, Haggai and Zechariah, to see how we must rebuild the temple from the foundation to the roofing and the walls of the city, institute the house of prayer for all nations in every house, and equip every priest and king with the knowledge of God (Isaiah 56:7).

Live built up and stir yourself up continually, be like the Navy SEAL soldiers, who are always ready for deployment in a war zone. They clean their guns every day, which is the equivalent of a sanctified life for us. Do not wait for the trouble, before you actually start building yourself up, and stirring yourself up. If you are already built up, you will not need to stir up a lot. Think of it this way: some people are so built up like Paul, that they are like Spiritual skyscrapers. For such people they see everything the way God sees it, and do the works of Jesus, and even greater works than Jesus did (John 14:12-14). For a person who is spiritually built up like a skyscraper, everything the enemy throws at them, looks like when a person, who is at the 100^th floor of a skyscraper and looks at things on the ground: those things on the ground look so small and insignificant. And that is how Jesus saw everything the enemy threw at Him; He saw everything the enemy threw at Him as being of a size of a fly and with the finger of God He cast them out. For Beelzebub means lord or master of flies; the lord of flies is still a fly, so it only takes the power a little finger to crush that fly (Luke 11:20).

Or another way of looking at it is a burning fiery furnace. The fire has already been built up in that furnace, the temperature is so hot that even when you are close to that furnace, you are already burning, for that burning fiery furnace is radiating heat. We know that the word of God is like fire, according to Jeremiah 23:29; the God who dwells in us, is a consuming fire according to Deuteronomy 4:24; and when we receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost, with evidence of speaking in tongues, we are baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire (Matthew 3:11). Thus living a sanctified life, having the knowledge of the word of God, becoming a doer of that word, and the speaking in tongues, has built up that fire in us. And whenever we put ourselves in remembrance of the word of God, or speak in tongues, we stir up that burning fiery furnace, it is as if we are fanning the fire in that burning fiery furnace, the temperature becomes very hot. Just like when the burning fiery furnace was heated seven times more than it usually was, when king Nebuchadnezzar wanted to throw the three friends of Daniel in it (Daniel 3). The soldiers, who took them to the burning fiery furnace, were killed by the heat, though they never touched the burning fiery furnace, they only came close to it, and it was enough to kill them (Daniel 3:22).

Peter was so built up spiritually, and stirred up, that he became like a spiritual burning fiery furnace, heated seven times more than it usually was. The heat of the fire of the Holy Ghost radiated so powerfully, that as soon as the shadow of Peter touched the people; they were healed and delivered from the oppression of devils. Luke records it for us, saying: by the hands of the apostles, were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them: but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by, might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and those who were vexed or tormented with unclean spirits: and they were all healed. (Acts 5:12-16)

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I-2-b-4) Submit to one another according to the scriptures

Therefore be filled with the Spirit; and the way you do it is by: speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God (Ephesians 5:18-21).

People have been afraid of the word submission; because it has a bad connotation among unsaved people. Unfortunately some believers had a sour experience in the area of submitting to some people in Christendom. I encourage you to read the bible study on “Perfect Redemption Plan: the Lord is my Shepherd”; the bible study on “The Heart of a son or daughter who is serving his or her Father and is his or her Father’s friend”, and the bible study on “Biblical Prosperity”. God does not want anybody to be abused even financially. We submit to one another, people to whom you are submitting yourself, must also submit to you. It is not a one way thing. Only when it comes to the submission to Jesus, is it a one way thing, we must submit to Him, the Lord of lords and the King of kings, He never submits to us.

In this submission to one another according to the scriptures; the bible must be the only standard and rule by which we all abide. So when you are right, according to the scriptures, that person to whom you are submitting, must be able to acknowledge that you are right and he is wrong. He should not tell you that He is always right, and only God can tell him what to do. The word of God is the standard. He should not come up with things like: I have been longer than you in the faith; you have nothing to teach me (John 9:34)! If you are under such a person, who is now disregarding the scriptures, and putting his titles or the number of years he has been in church, as the standard for being right, do not dislike that person; but pray for him or her that God will touch him or her, but as for you, think twice before submitting to him or her. The Pharisees and chief priests of the days of Jesus, thought that way too, and they were not teachable (John 9:34). A disciple of Jesus must always be teachable. Paul corrected Peter in Galatians 2; Peter had been in the faith from the beginning. It takes humility to receive correction from others.

The last week of November 2013, I, Gery, was talking on the phone with Sister Louise. And we discussed about people who should not be in the leadership in church; because of the way their children are acting like Paul said. And I, Gery, made a comment that: “if Paul were alive today many people would not be in ministry; because of the way their children are acting!” But after that phone conversation with Sister Louise, the Holy Spirit convicted me, that I did not have the right reading or meaning of what Paul said, in light of the full counsel of the scriptures from the Old Testament to the New Testament. And God explained it to me. But I did not want to call Sister Louise to say that my comment was not according to the full counsel of the written word of God. But thank God, I have taught Sister Louise to be a Berean Christian, and she has taught her Sister Sharon, whom she led to Christ, to be a Berean Christian as well. So during that weekend, Sister Louise called Sister Sharon and told her what Brother Gery said: “if Paul were alive today many people would not be in ministry; because of the way their children are acting!”

They discussed it according to the scriptures, and the Holy Spirit brought to their remembrance the scriptures of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying: what do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? As I live, says the Lord GOD, you shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:1-4). In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge. But everyone shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eats the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge (Jeremiah 31:29-30). So the first week of December 2013, Sister Louise gave me a phone call. She told me to clarify again what I said: “if Paul were alive today, many people would not be in ministry; because of the way their children are acting!”

I knew that God had already spoken to her and Sister Sharon, and I immediately gave her the scriptures of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. And she said: that is exactly what Sharon and I said. It is unfair for God to judge the parents based on the mistakes of the children, since He said we will never use that proverb anymore as long as He lives and God lives forever! You see we need to submit to one another! Sister Louise and Sister Sharon were right according to the scriptures and I was wrong. I could have acted in pride and been like the Pharisees in John 9:34, and not admit that I was wrong, according to the full counsel of the word of God, and then twist the scriptures to try to prove my point! It takes humility to admit that you are wrong and other people are right, even your own disciples are right and you are wrong. God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).

So Sister Louise asked me: what then is the right interpretation of what Paul said in line with the full counsel of the scriptures? Paul says: the bishop or the overseer must be one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence; for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God (1Timothy 3:4-5)? Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own house well (1Timothy 3:12). Now let us first of all deal with what Paul meant by being the husband of one wife, to be in Christian leadership. Before people got converted to Christianity, they were sometimes polygamists, and they had children with those wives. Even the Jews, some of them were also living in polygamy. So both the Jews and the Gentiles who gave their life to Christ, are commanded to forsake their polygamous lifestyle. So if they are married to many wives, when they give their life to Christ, they need to pray to God and ask God what wife they are to keep.

People will say: if you were in polygamy when you gave your life to Christ, you must stay with the first wife you married. They will say Abraham sent Hagar away and stayed with Sarah, that is why you must keep the first wife, and not go for the younger wife! Let no one impose anything on you but God. Ideally it will be the first wife you married. When you have given your life to Christ, pray now and let God speak to you about which wife will support you in your Christian journey. Why am I saying that? Because, sometimes the first wife is in the occult, or is practicing witchcraft or magic. For women also, if you were in a polygamous marriage, and you were not the first wife, when you became born again, you need to walk away from that man; because you are not his wife, but a concubine. And you are not to live in adultery. When my parents and us were born again, many of the cell church members were living in polygamy, and the pastor showed them from the scriptures, that since they were not the first wife of the man, it means they were living in adultery; therefore they had to leave that man. The sisters refused, and they wanted the pastor to pray for God to cause the man to divorce his first wife, so that they would become the first wife. The pastor refused, so they left the church and went into religion.

When you are also the first woman in a polygamous home, if you give your life to Christ, you have the choice to stay in your marriage, or if you are not comfortable about your husband having other wives, you can divorce him, in both cases you are not sinning (Matthew 5:31-32, Matthew 19:8-9, Mark 10:11-12, 1 Corinthians 7). There are women that were married to occultic people, who transform themselves into snakes or any other animal. So if that sister gives her life to Christ, I doubt that God will tell her to stay in that house where the person is full of demons. And also for a man who was polygamist, when he gives his life to Christ, if his first wife is in the occult and transforms herself into a snake or any other animal, I doubt that God will tell him marry his first wife. That is why the man who used to live in polygamy, must pray to God which wife he will keep, if the first one does not want him to stay in Christ or is a daughter of the devil. If he had children with the other wives, he must provide financially for all his children, but He must renounce all the other women, and only chose one. See the bible study “It shall be well with my children and me.”

When Paul says that the Christian leader must be the husband of one wife, it does not mean that he has never divorced; for even Jesus allows us to divorce if there has been sexual immorality (Matthew 5:31-32) Moses also allowed a divorce when a man was physically beating his wife. Even for a slave, when his master was physically beating him or her and even breaking his tooth, the law said you should set that slave free, because you are supposed to treat him as a hired servant, though he or she is your slave. How much more for your wife, whom you are supposed to love, you should treat her better than a slave. (Deuteronomy 24, Exodus 21:27). Paul also tells us in 1Corinthians 7, that sometimes when we give our life to Christ, our unbelieving husband or unbelieving wife departs from us; because they do not want to have anything to do with our Jesus. So if they depart, the sister or the brother is not under bondage and can remarry. When Paul talks about unbelieving, he is not only talking about the unsaved people; but there are also saved people who do not want to follow the word of God concerning marriage, and decide to divorce, if they reject the full counsel of the word of God, and finalize the divorce, the brother or sister is not under bondage and can remarry.

So now let us address the aspect of ruling your own house well and having your children in submission. We have read in Ezekiel 18 and Jeremiah 31 that God does not punish the parents for the sins of the children. God does not punish the children for the sins of the parents either. And Paul knew the scriptures; he used to be a Pharisee prior to his conversion to Christianity. So what is Paul saying? Let us take the example of Eli the high priest. In 1Samuel 2, Eli was informed of the wickedness of his sons: how they were fornicating with church women, how they were manipulating church members financially, by taking more offering than the bible commands, and taking it forcefully from the people. Eli did not ask his children to step down from ministering in the church. He should have removed his children from ministering in the church. Since he refused to remove his children from ministering before the Lord, God also removed him and all his family from ministering before Him.

The LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for Your servant hears. And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that hears it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knows; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever (1Samuel 3:10-14).

And when we read in 1Samuel 4, the sons of Eli were killed by the enemy and Eli died because of the shock of the news that his sons died at once. Eli should just have removed his children from ministering before the Lord, but he did not. So that is what Paul is talking about, if you are a leader in the church, your children are not automatically qualified to minister before the Lord! If they are acting like the sons of Eli, remove them from the choir, from leading prayer in church, from leading the youth church, from preaching; but if they genuinely repent and forsake their wicked ways, then restore them, for God has also restored them according to Ezekiel 18. And if the leader was not willing to remove His children from ministering in the church, then Paul told Timothy to remove that person and his wicked children from leadership, before God removes him and his children.

If you do not have that revelation that God does not punish you for the sins of your parents or for the sins of your children, unless by your actions you are condoning them like Eli did, by refusing to remove his children from the church leadership; the devil will make you ineffective in ministry. The devil attacks some children because their parents are leaders, so that the parents will step down from their positions of leadership. They should not step down. It is the son or the daughter who is doing that sin that should step down from any position of leadership. The parents step down also only if they have been like Eli, who refused to remove their children from leadership. A leader must be able to say to everybody what the word of God says, and he must start with his own family. If the bible says no fornicator shall inherit the kingdom of God; he must be able to say to his own children: you are going to hell unless you repent. Now if he cannot say that to his ungodly children, he should not be in leadership.

One of the reasons the Catholics invented purgatory was because of emotionalism. It became a religion and they were more interested in church attendance, church offerings and tithes, church buildings than the eternal destiny of those souls. They were not bold enough to tell people, if you do not receive Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, you are going to hell. They were also not bold enough to tell born again Christians, who practice the sins leading to death Paul listed in 1Corinthians 6:9-10, that if they do not repent; when they die they are going to hell. So they came up with purgatory. People bought those indulgences to reduce their time spent in purgatory. And it was a licence for them to continue their sinful lifestyle. So when they die, the priest, instead of saying to the family that he did not give his life to Christ when was alive, so he is in hell, or to say to the family of that born again Christian who practiced the sins leading to death, I am not sure if your son repented of his sins leading to death before his death, so I cannot guarantee that he is in heaven.

When I tell people my grandfather is in hell, but my grandmother is in heaven, it settles my stand on the gospel. No matter how much I loved my grandfather: he refused to receive Jesus Christ in his life. So he is in hell; purgatory is a lie from the devil, and the indulgences are the lie from the Balaam spirit. If you cannot be bold to warn people about hell and heaven; you should not be in leadership at all! We have a responsibility to tell people the real truth of the Gospel; the reality of hell and heaven; starting with our own family. They are free moral agents and can decide to reject it; yet we must tell them. If you are not bold enough to tell your own children that what they are doing, can cost them their eternal destiny, you cannot be in leadership.

Let us learn to submit to one another through the scriptures, and humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and He will exalt us in due time (1Peter 5:6). Let us not be like the Pharisees and scribes who thought they knew it all, and nobody could teach them anything. They thought they were superior to other Jews and holier than other Jews. When you try to correct them according to the scriptures, they answer and say: you were completely born in sins and you are teaching us? And they will cast you out of their churches or groups (John 9:34). Let us be of a teachable spirit, even a baby can give us a revelation of the word of God.

If you have Christian leaders who have the mindset of the Pharisees, do not despise them, they can teach you the word of God, do what they tell you to do according to the scriptures, but do not do according to their deeds. Jesus told us about the Pharisees and scribes, saying: the scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not do after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers (Matthew 23:2-4). Please read the bible study on “Leaven in Bread” to see how Jesus wants you to relate to believers who are acting like scribes and Pharisees today. Peter, though he was an apostle long before Paul, he lived, ate and slept with Jesus; but when he was acting like the Pharisees by being hypocritical; Paul withstood or opposed Him to his face and Peter accepted that he was wrong (Galatians 2). So you see they were submitting to one another, it was not a one way thing.

When Paul and Barnabas had been preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, and contention arose on whether Gentiles should be first converted to Judaism before being saved, though Paul was teaching that Gentiles do not have to observe Jewish traditions; but himself and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to see the pillars of the church: James, Peter, and John and they discussed, and the Holy Spirit confirmed, that Gentiles should not observe Jewish traditions (Acts 15). They were submitting to one another, and Peter acknowledged the revelations Paul had from Jesus, he did not say Brother Paul has nothing to teach us: we spent three and half years with Jesus; but Paul never met Jesus in the flesh and besides he used to persecute the church. On the contrary Peter says: our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him, has written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable, wrest or twist, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction (2Peter 3: 15-16).

Peter acknowledged that Paul’s wisdom and revelation was directly from Jesus. Peter tells us from His experience: likewise, you younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yes, all of you be subject to one another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble (1Peter 5:5). The apostle John, when he was with Jesus, was in his late teens or early twenties. It is believed according to the time he wrote his epistles, the book of Revelation, and the gospel of John, that he was in his late nineties. So imagine the people who were with Jesus who were far advanced in age, and saw Jesus appointing the young John as His apostle. Maybe John had to mature? Yes, and he did mature, so did the other apostles of Jesus. Maturity in Spirituality has nothing to do with age, but with becoming a doer of the word of God. The other apostles of Jesus, also had to submit to John, though he was very young, and John had to submit to them as well. You are an apostle the day Jesus ordains you, it does not matter what people say. Jesus ordained you, therefore believe what Jesus says about you.

Submitting to one another is the process of discipleship, and Jesus commanded us to make disciples, not mere converts or church goers. All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples (matheteuo: intransitively to become a pupil; transitively to disciple, that is, enrol as scholar) of all the nations baptizing them (not just with water but also with the Holy Ghost and fire, with evidence of speaking in tongues) in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age, Amen (Matthew 28:18-20).The only way discipleship can work is by submitting to one another. For when you are discipled the person does not only impart the gospel to you but also his life or her life (1Thessalonians 2:8). The bible says: Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend (Proverbs 27:17).

Discipleship is instituted by Jesus, so that He can build a strong church. Sometimes a conversation with the right person, will avoid us unnecessary mistakes; because they will impart their life experience according to the word of God to us when we are down, they will give us a word of God that helped them go through the same trouble; our countenance will be brightened, and the smile will come back on our faces. God can give a revelation to a baby, and unless you are humble enough to believe that God can speak though a baby and receive it, you will miss your help. God spoke to the child Samuel to speak to the high priest Eli; Eli was humble enough to receive the prophecy of the child Samuel (1Samuel 3). Every believer is commanded by Jesus to disciple other believers, so everybody is discipling somebody, and everybody is being discipled by somebody.

It is not for us to boast that people are being willingly submissive to our authority, but it is the Lord Jesus who truly gave us this authority, so that people can submit to the Lordship of Jesus, as we teach them how to do so, and our God-given authority to disciple other believers, is to edify them, to build them up, not to destroy them and put them down (2Corinthians 10:8). When people come to you down, they must go back built up, edified, encouraged. If they were crying, they ought to have a smile by the time they leave you.

Even when you rebuke them for their mistakes or sins, you must give them a hope, that it shall be well with them, according to the scriptures, if they repent; for we are prisoners of Hope (Zechariah 9:12). The helmet that we have on our head, is the hope of salvation, hope of deliverance, hope of healing, hope of prosperity, hope of restoration (1Thessalonians 5:8). We cannot help it, but to have hope, that it shall be well with us (Isaiah 3:10). I have been to see some people and talked to them about things I was going through, and I tell you, I went back home more depressed, and with greater condemnation and unbelief, than before I went to see them. I did not go back to them, because I knew they were not supposed to put condemnation and unbelief in my heart; but to speak the truth to me in love, to build up my faith or belief, and to give me hope, that God had already made a provision for me. Because, no temptation has overtaken you, but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it (1Corinthians 10:13).

But having said that: I tell you the truth, people are human and they make mistakes. The perfect comfort that you will ever receive is the comfort of Jesus through His written word: for whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope (Romans 15:4). I have given people counsel and when they left, the Holy Spirit told me: you said the truth but you did not speak it in love, to allow them to grow up to become like Christ in all things (Ephesians 4:15), for they are still baby Christians. So I had to call them, for I know they are afraid to call me back, for they think I am angry, which is not the case. And most of the time they come back. Some people have given me counsel, and I was more depressed as I said, but I know that in their heart they genuinely loved me, and cared for me. So I decided to go back to them and submit to the word of God that came out of their mouth, not to their traditions and customs.

You will understand that we all have different upbringings and different traditions and customs; but there is a biblical tradition and a biblical custom which is according to the scriptures. And they have nothing to do with the Jewish traditions and customs that made the commandment of God of no effect (Matthew 16:6). Gentile believers were forbidden to copy Jewish traditions and customs, so you are also forbidden to copy brother G’s traditions and customs. Yet we are all commanded to obey and follow God’s traditions and customs, which are found in His written word.

So I had to learn that many believers wanted to impose their traditions and customs on me, which have nothing to do with the word of God, and sometimes their traditions and customs even violate the word of God. I told them: I love you, but your traditions and customs do not line up with the word of God; so I do not have to obey them. Many did not like what I said, but I decided to obey the word of God. Respect people’s traditions and customs but, if they violate the word of God, do not even submit to them for an hour. But if they do not violate the word of God, you can decide to submit to them willingly. Let nobody force you or put it as a condition for you to follow their traditions and customs, before they allow you among them. Obey and respect people’s traditions and customs that do not violate the word of God; because you want to stay among those brothers and sisters; but if you feel uncomfortable, it is better to find someone else to disciple you. For two cannot walk together except they be agreed (Amos 3:3).

When we disciple people, there comes a time that the disciple knows almost everything we know, and they truly do not need us as a discipler anymore, but more as a friend. It is just like parents and children; as children grow up, they know almost everything the parents know. So they are now friends and when we sit together, it is to fellowship, not to teach them. And many people fail to understand that their disciples are no longer baby disciples; but they are mature believers now, and need to be addressed and respected as such, and given different attention. We must learn to turn people loose, not to yoke them to always come back to us. When we have poured out our gospels and life in those disciples, because they build on our foundations, and do not have to reinvent the wheel, some of them will have greater revelation than we had, some of them will experience more of the power of God than we had, because they got the truth early in their walk of faith.

We must be like Jesus who is a secure leader and told us: whoever believes in Me, the works that I do you shall do, and greater works than these shall you do because I go to My Father (John 14:12). After He had taught His disciples for three and half years, He told them: you are My friends, if you do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant does not know what his lord does: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you (John 15:14-15). When we have poured ourselves out with the gospel and our life, we have told them everything God told us, and now our disciples are also obeying the word of God, just like we are obeying the word of God, they are doing the same miracles and even greater miracles. We should see them as friends now, for truly they have nothing to learn from us, but they are truly sharpening us, like we are sharpening them.

I remember leaving home when my younger brother was still in high school, and I had not seen him for many years, in my mind he was still my “baby” brother, and even the tone that I used when I spoke to him, was always the tone of the overly protective elder brother. I had a picture of him in my mind that was no longer him. And many times when I would talk to him, it was always to advise him, for most of the time he was following in my footsteps. But I realized that he did not like it anymore; because I had failed to see that he was no longer that “baby” brother, who was following in my footsteps, but he had matured. And I changed my tone with him, I trusted his judgments, and learned to let go and turn him loose. When you love people, you do not want to let go. I remember when growing up, if you touched one of my brothers or said something against them, it was as if you had said it to me. I had made it my personal issue. Learn to let go, people gravitate where they are loved and respected or reverenced. That is why God says: let every one of you in particular, so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband (Ephesians 5:33). Paul explains to us that he was not talking about marriage, but about Christ and His church.

In every relationship where submission is demanded, first there must be love and second reverence. We submit to Jesus, because we know how much He loves us, and His love for us is what compels us to obey His commandments, and they are not grievous to us, for we love Him, because He first loved us and demonstrated His love for us, by dying on the cross. And in return Jesus asks us to love and reverence Him; reverence is fear mingled with respect and esteem. So for believers, we are supposed to submit to one another, so those two components must be involved in discipleship: love and reverence, and they must be reciprocal.

If you sense that a person does not love you, do not go under that person to be discipled; it will not work. Many disciplers are successful in loving their disciples; but it is in the area of reverence that they fail. They believe, since they are the one imparting the gospel and their life to the disciples, that they have to be reverenced, but not the disciples. Many times when the disciples have learned what God had to teach them, through that discipler; God tells them to leave, for they cannot become friends with that disciple. Friendship is the next step of discipleship. People will stay with you because you love them, respect them and esteem them.

Honour according to the Webster dictionary is the esteem due to someone or something said or something done. The Lord says: therefore the LORD God of Israel says: I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever: but now the LORD says: be it far from Me; for those who honour Me, I will honour, and those who despise Me, shall be lightly esteemed (1Samuel 2:30). You see God made an everlasting covenant with Eli’s father’s house, that He should walk with them, but He changed His mind when He saw that the people were not truly esteeming who He was, and what He had done for them. Thus He said, now things would be different, if you esteem My person, and what I have done for you; I will go before you, come to you and stay with you. I will esteem your person and what you do for me. But if you despise Me, I will lightly esteem you. Jesus did not minister a lot in His home town; because they did not honour Him (esteem His person and what He did).

It is the same thing with people we disciple. If we do not esteem their persons, and what they do for us, they will stop walking with us. Paul tells us: render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour (Romans 13:7). We render to all, the honour due to them. If God honours us when we honour Him, and it is a reciprocal honour; who are we to not give honour back to the people, who are following us, as we follow Christ (1Corinthians 11:1)? None of us is as important as God, if God honours His children back, we all ought to honour one another. God though He is the one who did everything for us by sending Jesus to die on the cross, though He is the one who works in us, both to will and do for His good pleasure, and we honour Him for all that. Yet He honours us back, and does not take us for granted (Philippians 2:13).

Many refused to allow Him to work through them. So He says: for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister (Hebrews 6:10). Verily I say unto you, there is no man that has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s (name anything you have sacrificed for the sake of the gospel), But he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time (of the things you have sacrificed for the sake of the gospel), houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life (Mark 10:29-30). But you seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things (which the gentiles are chasing after) shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33). In fact all the promises of God contained in the bible, are God’s ways of honouring us for honouring Him, by obeying His word.

All the downcast and outcast, and the apostles were willing to follow Jesus to the death, because they not only knew they were loved unconditionally by Jesus, but they knew that they were respected and esteemed. They were not nobodies in the eyes of God. To show us how much Jesus loves us, respects us and esteems us as His friends, and brothers and sisters, He gave us the Perfect Redemption Plan. Please do read it over and over again. He seated us together with Him in heavenly places; we are not seated behind Him; no, we are seated with Him. He made us joint heirs with Him, He gave us His power and His authority, He literally shares everything He has with us. How much love, respect and esteem do you want to receive from a person? Knowing that that person bought you from the slave market! For once we used to be slaves of sin and of Satan; but Christ ransomed us in full with His blood. Many disciplers fail to bring their disciples to stand side by side with them. Even little children, if you love them, give them respect, and do not belittle everything they have to say: they will keep coming back to you, for they know their opinion counts; you respect and esteem their person and their inputs in your life. For truth be said: the disciple contributes more in the growth of the discipler, it is a win-win relationship, that must be transformed into a friendship with love, respect and esteem for both parties.

For Paul himself confessed to the church in Thessalonica: For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and you know. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labour be in vain. But now when Timothy came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity or unconditional love, and that you have good remembrance of us always desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you, in all our affliction and distress by your faith: For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; Night and day praying exceedingly, that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith (1Thessalonians 3:4-10)?

The disciple-discipler relationship, is also to pray for one another, you do not have to pray together all the time, you can pray in different locations. People think because the person is a discipler, that His prayers are more important than the prayers of the disciple. It is not true, even the prayer of a baby is as important to God as the prayer of an apostle. James tells us, the the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man or woman avails much (James 5:16). Every born again believer has been made righteous, even the righteousness of Jesus, nobody can add to the righteousness of God. So a born again baby Christian, has the same righteousness as Jesus, and his righteousness is the same righteousness the apostle has. That is why his prayer avails much to God, because it is not based on his works of righteousness, but on the righteousness of Jesus that has been imputed to all of us. Paul acknowledged that the prayers of his disciples would free him from his bonds: for I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:19). Brethren, pray for us (1Thessalonians 5:25). Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith (2Thessalonians 3:1-2).

Many times, when my father who begot me in the Lord, Apostle Jean-François Ngemba, is in danger in a country at war in Africa, or has been arrested for preaching the gospel, or has been poisoned in his food, by some envious so-called pastors; the Lord shows me what is happening, and sometimes takes me in the Spirit to where he is, and I pray for his deliverance or healing. After his deliverance, he calls me and tells me it was exactly how God showed me. Or sometimes another of my fathers in the Lord, is under demonic attack, and is almost being overpowered by the enemy, he asks God in his prayer: God, wake Gery up to stand in the gap! And at the same minute that He prays that prayer, the Lord wakes me up and I start binding and loosing miles away. And the next day he calls me and asks me if the Lord woke me up at 1:35am? I say: yes, and he tells me that he asked God to wake me up.

In my case as well, when I am going through difficult times of battles, God tells my father who begot me in the Lord, and he stands in the gap. And the next day when I call him, he tells me what God told him about me. Or He shows my mother or my father, and they call me and tell me the Lord showed them that I was crying, and it was true. When Paul says to the Corinthian church: I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed (1Corinthians 5:3). It was not a figure of speech, no, God literally brought him there in the spirit, to see what was happening, so though he was not there in his body but in his spirit he was there. And many times that is what God does with me, and I describe to people what the things in their house are, and what they are hiding, though I have physically never been to their house or their country.

Or what the meeting they attended was, and what the decisions taken were, though I was not there physically. Elisha saw and heard all the military strategies that the king of Syria was devising with his generals in his bedroom; though Elisha had never set foot in Syria, in other words: Elisha was present in the king’s bedroom in the spirit (2Kings 6:8-12). You see brothers and sisters, if my spiritual fathers did not understand, that my prayers avail much, that they need me as much as I need them, they would be suffering unnecessarily. I know everybody who takes their time to read these bible studies are praying for me, as I am praying and fasting for them, and if you have not been praying for me, please start doing so, I desperately need your prayers; they avail much, move mountains and break chains. Pray for me in these three areas: God will keep me, Gery, from sexual scandal; God will keep me from financial scandal; and God will keep me from damnable heresies.

Many times people whom I disciple would call me, and they would share a testimony of what God has done in their life, and how they are resisting the devil, even when I was down and crying; after I finished talking with them, my own faith was boosted. So sometimes when I call the people, I have the God-given privilege to disciple, it is not because they need my help or my teaching; no, it is because I need to hear about their faith, and what God is doing with them; for I am personally down. Many people will not tell you that; but I thank God that Paul had the courage and honesty to put in writing, that this discipleship relationship is for mutual benefit. When I was down, God told me to call people whom I disciple or He sent me someone who needed help. I did not know it at first; but that was a way for God to help me, by me helping someone else. I did not feel like doing it at first, but I noticed as I was helping them, I was becoming stronger myself. So I asked God how can this be, and last year, in 2011, He gave me the answer that Paul already wrote to the church in Thessalonica. I needed them more than they needed me. And night and day I prayed that God would give them victories, so that their victories will keep propelling my faith.

Yes this is one of the fastest ways God uses, for you to be filled with the Spirit, He wants us to submit to one another, He wants us to be discipled and us to disciple somebody. I believe this is the way that makes it easy for rivers of living water to flow out of your belly. Why do you think preachers have more miracles than other believers? It is because God keeps sending people their way who need help. And as they preach and minister to those people’s needs, they themselves are being filled, and have overflowing rivers of living water. That is why many preachers will only pray for your problems after they have first preached to you, because after they have preached to you, they themselves are filled with the Spirit; meaning under a strong influence of the Holy Spirit to speak and act with boldness, in line with the written word of God.

As long as there is a demand on the rivers of living water in you, they will be flowing out of you. If there is no demand, you will be only experiencing a fountain of living water springing up to everlasting life. In the story of the widow who came to Elisha, because the creditors had come to collect their money and she had none, they decided to take her two sons to be slaves if she could not pay. She had a little jar of oil in her house. The man of God, Elisha, told her to go and borrow empty vessels, not a few but plenty of empty vessels, and pour the oil that was in that little jar into all the empty vessels. As long as there were empty vessels to be filled, the oil of the little jar kept coming out. The miraculous oil from the jar stopped flowing out, when all the empty vessels were filled (2Kings 4). You think what you know is little, or the power of God is little in you, that is a lie of the devil. As you start ministering to people in the word of God and prayer, God will do mighty miracles, signs and wonders through you. And as long as there are people in need of ministration, the rivers of living water and the anointing of God will continue to flow through you, to bring deliverance, healing and salvation to as many people as come your way, even the millions of souls in the fifty European nations. The more you share the word of God, with people, the more God gives you revelation, about the scriptures, and what will address their problem, the more you lay hands on people, the more God heals them.

I-2-c) You have the zeal for the Lord

When you read the epistles of the New Testament, none of them talks about born again believers who are thirsty or hungry for the things of God, it is simply because the disciples understood what took place when they believed in Jesus, and received the Holy Ghost in their lives, and we have explained this above. They acted on what Paul told them, how to keep being filled with the Spirit of God, so that not only a fountain of living waters would be springing up to everlasting life in them, but rivers of living water would be flowing out of their belly. When you are born again you just want to share your faith with everybody: you have the zeal for the Lord. The Webster dictionary defines zeal as: passionate ardour in the pursuit of anything. In general, zeal is an eagerness or desire to accomplish or obtain some object, and it may be manifested either in favour of any person or thing, or in opposition to it, and in a good or bad cause.

When we were unsaved, we were slaves of devil, and pursued devilish things, we enjoyed sin, and everything that is in the kingdom of darkness. But when we became born again, we became free from the power of darkness, and sin now has no more dominion over us. God shed His love abroad in our hearts, when we received His Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). We become passionate about the things of God, and hate everything that has to do with the devil and his evil works. We want to be about God’s business, we want to know more about God, we become passionate about the bible. The word of God becomes our favourite novel, we read it over and over and it is new every day. When we read it, we want to go and act on what we have read. Just like a woman, who reads in her favourite magazine how to lose weight effortlessly, goes and does what is recommended in her magazine; likewise when we discover what the bible says about us, how we can be transformed effortlessly by the renewing of our mind, by the washing of the water by the word of God, we act on what the bible recommends to us.

When you are newly born again, you want to have it all, and to know it all, and to do it all. You read all the bible studies, you do everything you are told to do, and if the church was open every day, you would be at the church every day. I know it because I used to be in church every day! Religious people will tell you: you are hungry and thirsty for God, no you are zealous for the Lord, and you desire eagerly to obtain everything God has in store for you, know everything God says about you, and accomplish everything God says you can do.

Religious people always try to kill the zeal of the Lord, in the life of new believers. They will tell you: “praise, the Lord Brother! I used to be like you, on fire for the Lord; but with time I calmed down. You will also calm down and be like us”. That is a lie from the pit of hell; do not buy into that lie. Paul says: I bear them record that they have the zeal of God, but not according to knowledge (Romans 10:2). That is what happens to a lot of born again Christians. God pours out His Spirit upon them and in them: the zeal of the house of the Lord is eating them up like it did Jesus (John 2:17). They want to be like Jesus: destroy everything that is of the devil in the house of God, they want to fight God’s battles.

If those zealous born again Christians are not taught the Perfect Redemption Plan of God and its Application, early in their Christian life, they will not know who they are in Christ, and what they are supposed to do, through Christ who strengthens them. They will stand idle in the house of God, and very soon they will be frustrated and discouraged. Giving the knowledge of the Perfect Redemption Plan of God and its Application, directs the zeal of those born again Christians. Paul says: the sharing or communication of our faith, will become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing, which is in us in Christ Jesus (Philemon 1:6).

In other words, as long as people do not know what Christ has done for them, by His death, burial and resurrection, according to the scriptures, and who Christ is in them; not only that, but also acknowledge that revelation, embrace that revelation; the sharing of their faith will not be effective, and they will be frustrated and discouraged. But once they are equipped with that knowledge and embrace it; they will go after every good thing which God freely gave them in Christ Jesus. Paul prayed for Philemon, that now that he had that knowledge of the Perfect Redemption Plan of God, he would not ignore it, but rather acknowledge it and act accordingly. And it is also my prayer for whosoever reads these studies, in Jesus’ name! For I say unto you, that this that is written, must yet be accomplished in me and in you; we will not rest until it has been made flesh in me and you (Luke 22:37).

When people have the zeal of the Lord, but not according to the knowledge of God and His Perfect Redemption Plan, they can be misguided, like Paul was prior to his conversion. Instead of fighting the devil and his works, they may end up fighting everybody in church, because they will think that they are holier than everybody else, or they are more knowledgeable in the letters than everybody else (Philippians 3:6). Some might even become exceedingly zealous for the traditions of men, or the traditions of the founders of their local church (Galatians 1:14). Thus making the word of God and His Perfect Redemption Plan of no effect by these traditions (Mark 7:13).

Christ Jesus gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself, a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Titus 2:14). The bible says: zealous of good works or zealous of the things of GOD; not thirsty and hungry of good works or the things of God. Every born again believer was redeemed for this very purpose: to be zealous of good works [to eagerly desire to become doers of the word of God, and doers of the works of God], to be zealous for the things of God; because Jesus, who is our prime example, was eaten up by the zeal of the house of God (John 2:17). And He tells every believer: As many as I love, I rebuke or admonish and chasten or educate or train up or instruct: be zealous therefore, and repent and think differently or renew your mind (Revelation 3:19).

That is why those religious people; who tell you to calm down about your faith and be like them; are not sent by God; because Jesus wants to train up every believer to be zealous for the Lord, even to eagerly desire to become a doer of the word of God, and a doer of the works of God. We need to renew our minds and think like Jesus thinks. Jehu said to Jehonadab: come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot. And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spoke to Elijah (2Kings 10:16-17).

When you have the zeal for the Lord; people will be able to see it in your life. You will fight the battles of the Lord like Jehu did, and you will utterly destroy the enemies of God, and their works, like Jehu did to Ahab and his entire household. Jehu killed Jezebel and the house of Ahab. They were the enemies of God, and had killed the prophets of God. Jesus also who had the zeal of the Lord, and who was eaten up by the zeal of the house of God, and He made a whip, and chased those who sold in the temple, for it is the Balaam spirit (John 2:13-17), then He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38). He was manifested for the sole purpose of destroying the works of the devil, starting with sin (1John 3:8).

Therefore God wants us to be zealous like Jesus was; for Christ now dwells in us. When you have the zeal of the Lord, you will cast out the Balaam spirit in your life, and in the life of other people, the Jezebel spirit, the Baal spirit, that teaches people to commit sexual immoralities (Revelation 2:14). If you are condoning sexual sins, which are based in the Baal worship and the spirit of prostitution (Hosea 5:4); you do not have the zeal of the Lord. You will hate sin, and love righteousness, and choose to live a sanctified life (Hebrews 1:8-9, John 17:16-19). Nobody can say he has the zeal of the house of the Lord like Jesus, and does not want to live a sanctified life!

Phinehas had the zeal of the Lord, and would not tolerate sexual immoralities in the house of God; for it is the way they worship Baal. The bible says, and Moses said unto the judges of Israel, let everyone of you slay his men who were joined unto Baal-peor. And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a woman of Midian, in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Therefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace (Numbers 25:5-12).

Now in the New Covenant we do not go about thrusting people, who are worshiping Baal and committing sexual immoralities, with javelins. Yet God and Jesus are still angry with born again believers and churches, who are turning a blind eye on sexual immoralities going on in their midst, on financial manipulation rooted in the Balaam spirit, on the Jezebel spirit who manipulates people, oppresses and kills prophets or everybody who corrects their wrong practices in church. Read Revelation 2, to hear it directly from the mouth of Jesus. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. If you say, you have the zeal of the Lord; you will hate iniquity and love righteousness like Jesus (Hebrews 1:8-9).

So if any believer is no longer zealous for God, Jesus tells us: Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup (eat the evening meal) with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20). Many times in church settings, we use this scripture to ask unsaved people to give their life to Christ. Jesus did not say it to unsaved people, He said it to believers, who were no longer zealous, believers who forgot that they were redeemed and purified, to be a peculiar people, zealous for good works (Titus 2:14). Those believers have shut the door of their heart to Jesus, they do not let Jesus in, to come and have His way in their life, in their church; for Jesus wants to be zealous through them.

Therefore Jesus tells us to repent and renew our minds, to think differently and open the door of our heart and our church. He tells us to allow the zeal of His house to eat us up, according to John 2:13-17; and then demonstrated it, by spiritually thrusting through with the sword of the Spirit, the spirit of Baal, and the sexual immoralities that accompany its worship, by thrusting through the spirit of Balaam, and all its financial manipulations, by thrusting through the spirit of Jezebel, and by thrusting through every crooked spirit in us, and in the church. And to cry out to God like David the man after God’s own heart did, saying: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10). If we do that, He will come in and sup with us, and tell us what to do, and how to do it, so that He can be zealous through us once again. Jesus is a gentle Saviour; He does not impose His way, His life and His truth on us. He knocks at the door of our heart; it is up to us to invite Him in, and let Him have His way in our life, and in our church, according to His truth. Whosoever decides to open the door of his or her heart and church to Jesus, and invite Him in to sup, Jesus will be zealous though them, and through their church members. My prayer is, that we will all open the door of our heart to Jesus, that He may once more be zealous through us.

I-3 The Spirit abides upon you

The bible says of Jesus: how God anointed Jesus Christ of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him (Acts 10:38). The same Holy Spirit who is in Jesus, is also in you. The same power that Jesus has, is the same power you have; the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jesus when He was baptized by John: And John bore record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him (John 1:32). The Holy Spirit who is upon you, abides, it does not fly away, once you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, the power of God is available. Jesus said to His disciples: you shall receive power (miracle working power) when the Holy Spirit of God has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit that came upon us, when we were baptized in the Holy Ghost, is more than a tongue talker; but unfortunately many believers have boxed Him. He came upon us to give us power, to be effective witnesses of Jesus.

Many Christians think they are like Samson in the Old Testament, it is written of him: the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol (Judges 13:25). But in the New Testament, we are like David, the Spirit when He comes upon us abides upon us, and is always moving. It is said of David: Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah (1Samuel 16:13). From the day you were baptized in the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues, the Spirit and the power of God came upon you, from that day forward, never to leave again.

I-3-a) A witness does the works of Jesus

A witness does the same works Jesus did. Jesus answered them, I told you, and you do not believe: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of Me (John 10:25). I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father has given Me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me (John 5:36). Jesus was sent by His Father, to be His witness, and He did the works of the Father. Today Jesus is sending us to be His witnesses. It does not merely mean to proclaim the gospel, but to do the same works He did. James tells us: faith without works is dead or useless (James 2:20).

Many times people do not want to receive the Jesus we proclaim, because we do not have the miracles of Jesus, so we are useless to them with our empty words. We have a form of godliness, but we lack the miracle working power of Jesus (2Timothy 3:5). Why should they receive our Jesus, if our Jesus cannot fix their problem? God does not want us to have empty words, but He wants to channel His miracle working power through us, so that our faith has the same works of Jesus, and is no longer useless to the world around us. That is the reason He poured out His Spirit upon us, so that we will receive the miracle working power, to do the same works He did, thus be His effective witnesses.

What Christians do not understand is, that if you want to do the works of Jesus, you must also become a doer of the word. You need to embrace the life of Jesus, His way and His truth (John 14:6, John 14:12). You need to live a sanctified life like He did, not just for yourself, but for the sake of the people, the disciples He sends your way: hating iniquity and loving righteousness, therefore God will also anoint you will the oil of gladness, more than your fellow believers, who refused to live the sanctified life of Jesus (John 17:16-19, Hebrews 1:8-9). You will need to become a doer of the word, which is the will of God, before becoming a doer of the work of Jesus (James 1:20-25). As you spiritually feed on the word of God, which is the will of God, and choose to be a doer, not just a hearer, you will be able to do the work of Jesus and God who sent you, and finish it. Jesus says: My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work (John 4:34). You and I will also need to embrace the life of prayer with fasting of Jesus; for man always ought to pray, that the will of God, found in the holy scriptures, be done on earth as in heaven, and not lose heart (Luke 11:1-5, Luke 18, Matthew 6, Luke 4:1-14). And receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues (Matthew 3:16, John 1:33).

This is the way our faith, will not only be full of words, even letters, and wisdom of men; but full of power. Of Stephen it is written: Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people (Acts 6:8). Paul tells us: my speech and my preaching, was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: so that your faith, should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (1Corinthians 2:4-5). Jesus, who followed the steps of sanctification (John 17:16-19, Hebrews 1:8-9); feeding on the word of God and becoming a doer of the word of God from an early age (John 4:34, Luke 2:47-50); prayer with fasting (Luke 4:1-4, Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16); and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues, even groaning in the Spirit (Matthew 3:16, John 11:33, Romans 8:26-27), was able to do the miraculous works of God who sent Him, and finish them. His disciples and Paul also, followed in the same footsteps of Jesus, and could do the same miraculous work.

Jesus said to his disciples: behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you, but tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until you are endued (clothed, arrayed, equipped) with power (miracle working power) from on high (Luke 24:29). It is a promise of the Father; you do not have to work for it, but only believe on Jesus. That miracle working power which comes upon you when you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, literally clothes you. Think of it as though God clothed you with a robe, and He will not remove that robe from you; because when the Spirit, who is the Promise of the Father, comes upon you, He abides. You do not have to wait like the disciples did, to receive the promise of the Father. The disciples had to wait, because the day of Pentecost had not fully come. The bible says: when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all in one accord, and in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:1-4).

Unfortunately many believers have thought, that it was only about tongues, no it is about miracle working power, to be effective witnesses of Jesus, not just preaching the gospel, but also doing the same works Jesus did. Let us reread what Paul says: my speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power (miracle working power). That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power (miracle working power) of God (1Corinthians 2:4-5). For our gospel did not come unto you in word only; but also in power (miracle working power) and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as you know what manner of men we were among you for your sake (1Thessalonians 1:5); for the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power (miracle working power) (1Corinthians 4:20). The early church understood what Jesus told them. Their witnessing was not just in word, but in miracle working power. We must believe that God has equipped us to be effective witnesses of Jesus, when He baptizes us in the Holy Ghost.

People have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues. For the power of God, and the manifestations of the Spirit, to flow more effectively through them; we need to establish them, also in sanctification or holiness, in the revelation of the truth of the God’s word, so that they can become doers of the word, and in prayer with fasting. These things work hand in hand. Jesus established these things in the life of His disciples, before they received the baptism of the Holy Ghost; we in our case, at times we first receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and then we are established in sanctification, revelation of the truth of God’s word, and prayer with fasting. Some people, who do not want to live a sanctified life; would rather pray for hours in tongues and with understanding, and also do prolonged fasts, which God did not ask them to do. But God says through Samuel: Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To hearken [listen and act on what was said] is better than the fat of rams (1Samuel 15:22)!

James tells us that faith without works is dead, or useless (James 2:20). God cannot ask us to do something that we cannot do, as long as our faith is just in eloquent words and arguments, it is useless to the people. The world out there is suffering, they are sick, they are dying, they have all kinds of problems, they need more than just some nice words, they need the miracle power of God to get them out of their trouble, their sickness and their death. Jesus told us: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He who believes on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father (John 14:12). The works of Jesus, is not for some special people; but for every believer, who is willing to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and His disciples.

When you are born again, you have believed on Jesus, so you are qualified to do the works of Jesus. Let no man deceive you, by telling you it is not for you. It is for all believers, who are willing to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and His disciples! If Jesus says it, believe Jesus and discard what man-made religion tells you; for man-made religion will rob you of your reward. People are not willing to pay the price of living a sanctified life; studying and doing the word of God, praying with fasting, and receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, with evidence of speaking in tongues. God is no respecter of persons, Peter says; but in every nation, everyone who fears Him and practices righteousness, is accepted by Him (Acts 10:34-35). You see after we are born again, the next step is to have the fear of the Lord, and to practice righteousness; the two combined is what living a sanctified life means. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7). The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the wicked mouth, do I hate (Proverbs 8:13). Of Jesus it is written: You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your fellows (Hebrews 1:9).”

Jesus cannot tell us to do something that is impossible, it is impossible to the people who are unsaved, but not to you, because you have believed on Jesus. Jesus says: With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27). God is now with you, nothing is impossible with Him, and furthermore Jesus says to you: if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes (Mark 9:23). My friend, you believe on Jesus, all things are possible to you; do the works of Jesus and greater works than what Jesus did. When the disciples could not cast out the demon from the epileptic boy in Matthew 17:14-21, Jesus scolded the disciples saying: O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him hither to Me (Matthew 17:17). If Jesus was the only one who could do the works of God, there was no reason for him to scold the disciples. He would have told them: “it is not your fault, these kinds of miracles only Me, the son of God can do them you cannot”. But Jesus scolded, because they could do the same works of Jesus, and so can you.

Another lie that religious people will tell you, is that you cannot do all the works of Jesus by yourself, but it is the entire body of Christ who will do that. Jesus says: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He who believes on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father (John 14:12). Jesus did not say:” they as a group will do the works that I do, each one will do a portion of the works. One will heal headache, the other will heal the blind, etc”. Jesus says you as an individual, you will do the works of Jesus. Why? Because Jesus now dwells in you, He is the same; He has not changed (Hebrews 13:8). You as an individual will be able to bring revival to an entire city, like Philip brought revival to the city of Samaria (Acts 8).

Many religious people have been deceived by the devil and they say things like: “I am just like John the Baptist, I want a great ministry of preaching, repentance and baptizing people, but I do not want miracles”. They are deceived by the devil and robbed of their inheritance in Christ Jesus. It is written: many came to Him (Jesus) and said John the Baptist indeed did no miracle, but all things that John said concerning this One [Jesus] were true (John 10:41). You must understand you are not a disciple of John the Baptist, but a disciple of Jesus. In the opening of the book of Romans, Paul explains it, saying: Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, an apostle, separated to the gospel of God (Romans 1:1). Paul used to be a Pharisee, and the Pharisees were disciples of Moses, for they reviled the blind man Jesus healed, saying: you are Jesus’ disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples (John 9:28).

When Paul is saying that he is a disciple and servant of Jesus, it is to tell us, that He is not the disciple of Moses, nor a disciple of John the Baptist, nor a disciple of any prophet of old, and certainly not a disciple of the Pharisees anymore; but the disciple of Jesus Christ. He follows and imitates Jesus wholly. We imitate the prophets of old, as long as they are imitating Jesus, and pointing us to Jesus. Yes, we preach repentance for the kingdom of God is at hand, like John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2), but on top of that, we heal the sick, we cast out devils, cleanse lepers, and we raise the dead like Jesus. For Jesus also preached, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand, like John the Baptist (Matthew 4:17); but on top of that He healed the sick, cast out devils, cleansed the lepers and raised the dead, and He commands us to imitate Him. As you go, proclaim, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received; freely give (Matthew 10:7-8).

After the resurrection of Jesus, in the days of Paul, some of the disciples of John the Baptist also believed in Jesus. And it happened in the time Apollos was at Corinth, Paul was passing through the higher parts, came to Ephesus. And finding certain disciples, he said to them, have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? And they said to him, We did not so much as hear whether there is a Holy Spirit. And he said to them, Then into what were you baptized? And they said, Into John’s baptism. And Paul said, John truly baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him coming after him, that is, on Jesus Christ. And hearing, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And as Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied (Acts 19:1-6).

Yes, those disciples were only baptized in the water baptism, which is for repentance. Yes, we need to do that to show the entire world, and tell ourselves that we have decided to die to the sinful person we used to be, and we are now raised in the newness of life, and have made a life commitment to follow Jesus, and never turn back. But Paul’s focus, was to tell people there is another baptism, the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire or power, that Jesus gives. John the Baptist Himself testified of Jesus: I indeed baptize you with water to repentance, but He who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11). Yes, the baptism of Jesus, is the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and fire or power. You need to receive it, and go and be an effective witness of Jesus Christ to the world around us.

The bible says: Therefore, when the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples) (John 4:1-2). You see Jesus was not baptizing people with water like John; His disciples were the ones doing the water baptism. Paul, very early in his Christian walk, understood that he should water baptize people; yet, Jesus did not send him to truly water baptize people. Therefore Paul says: I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest any should say that I had baptized in my own name. And I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides these, I do not know if I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize [to water baptize], but to preach the gospel; not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect (1Corinthians 1:14-17).

My speech and my preaching is not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (1Corinthians 2:4-5). I know when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ (Romans 15:29), not the gospel of John the Baptist but the gospel of Christ. In mighty signs and wonders by the power of God, I will also fully preach the gospel of Christ in your midst, like I did everywhere I have been (Romans 15:19). For Jesus commands me, saying: As you go, proclaim, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. You have received freely; freely give (Matthew 10:7-8). Every place the sole of my foot shall tread upon, the Lord has given me (Joshua 1:3). And this gospel of Jesus, will prosper wherever I go (Joshua 1:7), even in your midst; for the Lord my God is with me wherever I go (Joshua 1:9). For it is not me, but God who works in me, both to will and do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Jesus promised, saying: lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world (Matthew 28:20).

I-3-b) The secret of walking in God’s power: you must become like a baby.

I had a dream, and in that dream I was in a big Christian meeting and important people, leaders of churches, were invited as speakers, and I was also invited. They placed us in front of the congregation, and there was a long table in front of us. So each speaker was commenting on a specific subject, and they were very serious. But I noticed I was seated there holding a baby in my arms, the baby was about two years old. Someone in the congregation wanted to take that baby away from my arms, but I refused. The speakers were explaining scriptures with lots of eloquence; yet it seemed like I was not interested in that meeting. So I put the baby on the floor and the little baby ran among the congregation, I ran after the baby and lifted him in the air with my two hands. I lay on my back in the middle of the floor in the congregation, and was playing with the baby, throwing the baby into the air and catching him. I did not let the baby go anywhere, regardless of how serious the meeting was, it did not make any difference to me, I was not bothered about how people looked at me, or what they thought about me at that time.

When I woke up the Lord gave me a scripture; but I could not understand why I would not let go of the baby in the dream. I felt like it was God telling me to stick with the baby, and even ignore that meeting with those important men of God. And in the evening the Lord gave me the interpretation of the part with the baby. He told me: Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child (paidion: infant (a baby between a year old and two years old)) shall in no wise enter therein (Luke 18: 16-17). Verily I say unto you, except you be converted, and become as little children (paidion: infant (a baby between a year old and two years old)), you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3-4).

You and I need to become like that infant, we must become innocent, pure in our thoughts, in our motives, and our love for one another. Paul says: Let love be without dissimulation or hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good (Romans 12:9). A one or two year old can run naked outside before everybody’s eyes; he has nothing to hide, and is not ashamed. Of Adam and Eve before their fall it is written: they were both naked, the man and his wife; and they were not ashamed (Genesis 2:25). That is why I do not cover my sins, even my sexual sins. Read “David’s sexual sin exposed” bible study to discover everything about my blunders. When God rebukes me, and disciplines me, I let the world know. I stand naked before the people, like that two year old boy. I do not care about what people say and think about me. What matters is that I am accepted in the beloved Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:6).

Many times we know so many scriptures, but we do not believe any of them. Let us believe every scripture we read, even if it is only one line. Some Christians are like parrots, they can quote many scriptures, but do not have the understanding of those scriptures, and worse than that, they do not believe them at all. Paul says: For also we have had the gospel preached, as well as them. But the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it (Hebrews 4:2). You must believe what comes out of your mouth, if you do not, it will not profit you one bit! For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture says, whosoever believes on Jesus [and His written Word] shall not be ashamed (Romans 10:10-11).

Sister Funmilayo, from Glasgow, asked me on Sunday 15^th December 2013. “How do you know that you have faith for something, because I do not know if I have faith for something or not?” I explained to the church that faith, belief and reliance, are the same Greek word “pistis”. So when Jesus says: have faith in God, He is saying believe in God or rely on God (Mark 11:22). James tells us: faith, belief or reliance without works or actions, is dead, worthless or useless (James 2:20). Become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves (James 1:22). And Paul tells us: For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified (Romans 2:13). Many Christians have not understood it yet, when you act on something it means you believe in it, you rely on it. People say: I believe in God. Yes, but have you acted on it by giving your life to Christ? You believe that there is one God, you do well; even the demons believe and tremble. But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead (James 2:19-20)?

You and I believed in God or rely on God, and we acted on our belief, faith or reliance, by receiving Jesus as our Christ: our Lord, Saviour and God. We relied on His finished work at Calvary to deliver us from the power of darkness, and translate us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, and receive eternal life (Colossians 1:13, John 3:16). If you believe that God will prosper you financially, you will discover what God says about His “biblical prosperity” and act accordingly. If you believe that God ransomed you in full, you will read the Perfect Redemption Plan series, and the Application of The Perfect Redemption Plan, and decide to act on the revelation you have received. Even when you do not see the manifestations of that promise yet, but the fact that you have and are still acting on it, means that you believe in it, or have faith in it. When you read Hebrews 11, the chapter that Paul wrote on the heroes of faith; you will discover they all did something with what God told them, even if they had not seen the manifestations of the promise yet. The devil accuses us a lot, saying: “you do not have faith”.

If you are doing what God says to do, to have the manifestation of that specific promise, do not listen to the devil or religious people. But keep doing what you are doing according to the scriptures. The fact that I am typing these bible studies, means that I believe that God has given me those 50 nations, even the fifty nations of Europe; although I have not seen anything yet. For by faith Noah, having been warned by God of things not yet seen, moved with reverent fear, prepared an ark, to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith (Hebrews 11:7). Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel [Gery today] have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and you shall know that the LORD of hosts have sent me unto you. For who has despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel [Gery] with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth (Zechariah 4:8-10). Though your [Gery’s] beginning was small, yet your latter end should greatly increase (Job 8:7).

Now allow me to open a brief parenthesis. On Wednesday June 10^th 2015 at 6:23am; Sister Louise the prophetess of the Lord, sent me an email while I was on my knees praying. She copied and pasted the paragraph above, and then added the word reverent fear, instead of just fear. She emboldened and underlined it in Hebrews 11:7, saying: the word reverent was missing, giving the paragraph a different meaning. When I read her e-mail tears came out of my eyes; for once again the Lord had convicted me through the word of His prophetess. I wept and I said Lord forgive me because I lack that reverent fear of you.

Now what was happening in my life, was that I had been angry with the Lord for over a month; because of some delayed manifestations of His promises in my life, and the life of my disciples. And even the Wednesday before, I was praying with my younger brother Nell Malanda, the prophet of the Lord, and in my prayers, I was so angry that I was venting all my fears toward God. I said things like: God I do not care about religion, I do not care about Your church, as there is not the power the early disciples had, etc. I said many I do not cares, to the Lord in my frustrated prayer. And at the end, my Nell Malanda, the prophet of the Lord said to me: I just want to bring something to your attention; you have been saying , I do not care, I do not care. I know you are frustrated and angry, but that kind of language toward God is not good.

I was convicted only partially, and when I prayed again, I justified myself by saying: Lord, even Moses in Numbers 11 told You: Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favour in Your sight, so that You lay the burden of all this people upon me? Have I conceived all these people? Did I bring them forth, that You should say to me, Bear them in your bosom like a nursing father carries the sucking child, to the land which You swore to their fathers (Numbers 11:11-12)? He was also frustrated even to death! I did not fully repent of my irreverent prayer language toward God. Unknown to Sister Louise, God had revealed to her my lack of reverent fear of the Lord. That is why, when she sent me that e-mail, I wept and repented.

The Lord reminded me of what happened when we were growing up. Prior to our conversion to Christianity, my mother used to have an anger issue. When we did something wrong, she always used the rod to correct us, and I, Gery, was always the one breaking the rules of the house. I received many floggings from my mother. But when we became born again, God dealt with my mother’s anger, and she was no longer using the rod to correct us; but words. God also dealt with us children, especially me, I was no longer as naughty as I used to be. We used to have a house fellowship every Wednesday evening, some weeks at my aunt’s house, and other weeks at our house; it was always rotating.

That particular week, it was held at my aunt’s. When I arrived there; we were having a chit-chat before the fellowship began. My father and his younger brother had some hair loss issues. I started to make fun of hair loss problems, and how people try to cover them up. Everybody was laughing, and instead of shutting up, I continued talking. When we got home; my mother said to me: Pepito, it is not because we have become Christian, that we should no longer respect our parents: make fun of them and talk to them or about them with disrespect! They sent me to my room. But that night, I still remember it like yesterday, I was 13 years old. My parents were now loving and no longer using a rod to correct me, but words; instead of being thankful and respectful; I had thought it was a sign of weakness on their behalf, that they had gone soft! I repented of my behaviour that night in my bedroom with tears, and I never disrespected my parents again. I never got flogged again, nor did my parents raise their voices to me for the rest of my days in their house.

Paul says: What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and the spirit of meekness (1Corinthians 4:21)? Meekness is not weakness, but power under control; and the fact that I am not using a rod to make you obedient, but loving words should not make you think that I am a softie. Some children of ministers of the Gospel, or some spouses of ministers of the gospel; abuse verbally, even physically the ministers of the gospel; because they say, he or she will not repay me evil for evil. Some women married to the minister of the gospel, will refuse their husband to touch them for months; and they say he will never divorce me or have an affair, because he is a man of God. Ministers of God are meek, for God works on their character, like Moses, because he was the meekest man on the face of the earth; but do not think that meekness is weakness, and start abusing the minister of the gospel. God will deal with you! God allowed no man or woman to do them wrong; yea, He reproved kings for their sakes, saying, Touch not my anointed, and do My prophets no harm (Psalm 105:14-15).

When the Lord brought these facts to my remembrance, I realized that, I had not had, a reverent fear for the Lord my God. Yes, God is our Abba Father, our best friend; yet we should never forget that He is our God and King. If I were standing before Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, no matter how angry and frustrated I was, because things were not moving as fast as I planned; I would never dare say to her – I do not care about this and that in your kingdom. I would have found a respectful way to express my concerns and frustrations. We need to have a reverent fear of Abba Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. Some of the language we use in church settings and in prayer, are irreverent and even blasphemous. But even in our heart, when we pray, we must be reverent toward the Godhead. May God forgive us all, and convict each one of us; so that the reverent fear of God may come back in the church, and in our own relationship with the Godhead.

The fact that God is not using fiery judgment on us, like in the Old Testament, but loving words, should not make us irreverent; but instead more reverent toward Him. Do we want Him to cause people to drop dead in the church again, like Ananias and Sapphira, who lied to the Holy Ghost in Acts 5:1-11, before great reverent fear comes upon all the church again, and upon all who hear these things? Even the 13 year old boy Gery was smart enough to repent and respect his parents; for he did not want his mother to reintroduce the rod again to correct him. If you have been irreverent to the Holy Ghost, to Jesus and to Abba Father, it is high time for us to come back to the reverent fear of the Godhead.

I always stand on the scriptures of Noah building the ark, and Zerubbabel rebuilding the temple of God, for the writing of the bible studies. And God will not just give us the 50 European nations. Noah did not build the ark, and God use someone else to fill it, with all kinds of animals; no, Noah built it, he was also the one God used to fill it. Zerubbabel did not lay the foundation of the temple, and God ask someone else to finish it; no, the same hand of Zerubbabel that laid the foundation of the temple, also finished the building of that temple. Paul says: God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us (Ephesians 3:20). For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). Just like in the days of Noah, after he had finished building the Ark, God sent the flood, and the whole earth was filled with water, there was no dry spot on earth, so shall it be for the “My Weekly Milk” letters, since I have finished writing them; they will spread in more than these 50 European nations, and to the ends of the world.

My sphere of influence is the 50 European nations. Paul was called for the Gentile nations, so he focused on them. When he wanted to go to the Gentile nations beyond Ephesus, which is Turkey, the Holy Spirit forbade him, and asked him to come to Macedonia (Acts 16:5-10). So he was not called for the Gentile nation in Asia. God wants us to be focused on our assignment. Of course the letters and teachings of Paul, also went among the Jews and all over the world. But Paul focused on the sphere of influence God bestowed upon him, in his apostleship toward the Gentiles. Ezekiel was called by God as a prophet to Israel, so he focused on Israel, and prayed and fasted for the kingdom of Israel, and the kingdom of Judah. Jeremiah was called by God as a prophet to the nations, not just to Israel. Whenever God calls a prophet or an apostle, He gives him a sphere of influence in Paul’s wording, or in Jesus’ wording He bestows a kingdom upon him or her (2Corinthians 10, Luke 22:29).

Paul says to the people in his sphere of influence: If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord (1Corinthians 9:2). For God working in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, also worked in me to the nations. and knowing the grace given to me, James, and Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, gave right hands of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we go to the nations or Gentiles, but they to the circumcision or Jews (Galatians 2:8-9). You see every apostle knows his sphere of influence that God has called him to. They can focus on their assignment, their prayers and fasting, will be mainly for their sphere of influence. Paul says: I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making my request for you all with joy for your fellowship in the gospel, from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, even as it is righteous for me to think this of you all, because you have me in your heart, inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partakers of my grace (Philippians 1:3-7 ).

An infant believes every word his parents say. If they tell him a thing he does not need to read it in a paper, he believes his parents. When I was growing up, my mother used to call me by my nickname: Pepito. I thought Pepito was my name, because I had never been called by another name at home. And when I was five years old, I started going to primary school. For three months the teacher was calling pupils’ names out of her registry, and she would call: Gery Christel Malanda-Mbedi! And nobody would answer and for three months, every day she was checking that person absent. And she would ask me: have I called your name? I would say: no! She would ask me what is your name? and I would say: Pepito! And she added Pepito to the bottom of the registry. So for three months, everyday Gery Christel Malanda-Mbedi was absent; but Pepito was present. Therefore after three months, my parents received a letter that their son had not been coming to school at all for three months, so they would remove his name from the registry. So my parents went to the principal’s office with me, and the principle told them: Pepito is a good pupil and is always present every day, but this Gery Christel Malanda-Mbedi is always absent. My parents laughed and told them but it is the same person. And it was that day that I knew that my full name was Gery Christel Malanda-Mbedi, not Pepito!

So from that day, my mother gave me a copy of my birth certificate so that I would be reading it every day, to know my names and date of birth for I did not even know my date of birth! I still laugh about it, but you see an infant believes everything his parents say about him, even if he has never seen the birth certificate. My prayer is that as we read and re-read these series of the Perfect Redemption Plan and the Application of The Perfect Redemption Plan, you and I will no longer have an identity crisis. We need to become like that infant, and believe our heavenly Father. Everything He says about you in the bible is true, believe it and act on it. In your heart you must believe everything about your heavenly Father, you must trust Him that He knows everything, and nothing is impossible to Him; for this was how I felt about my parents when I was an infant.

Miracles and the entire salvation package can only be received, when we become like that little child, especially when it comes to miracles, because it is not logical, it is foolishness to the carnal mind. You must believe like that infant, that your Father knows better, and nothing is impossible to Him. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. If only we could believe every written word of God like an infant believes every word that proceeds from the mouth of his parents; we would be able to be great, even the greatest in the kingdom of God, and not only do the works of Jesus, but do greater works than Jesus did (John 14:12). So let us all be converted, and become as little children.

God said through Solomon: the simple (naïve, silly, foolish) believes every word (Dabar: spoken word): but the prudent man looks well to his going or his steps (Proverbs 14:15). You see that little boy that I was, was simple in mind, he did not need any other proof of his name, but the word of his parents. He believed every spoken word of his parents. When they called him Pepito, he believed that his name was Pepito. When they told him it was just a nickname, but his real full name was Gery Christel Malanda-Mbedi, he also believed the spoken word of his parents. It is the same thing for God’s word. God spoke those words, and holy men and women of God recorded them in the bible, it is as if a boss was dictating a message to his secretary. Paul says: I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (2Corinthians 11:3). Christ and His gospel are so simple; let us not complicate the gospel.

Isaiah who was one of God’s secretaries tells us: for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and does not return thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall My word (Dabar: spoken word) be, that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it (Isaiah 55:9-11).You see Isaiah is telling us, our Father God has no reason to lie to us, He is not a man that he should lie to us, nor a son of man that he should change His mind concerning what he has spoken to us, and His secretaries have put in writing in the bible, He spoke them, He will also do them (Numbers 23:19).

If you ask the child I was: how do you know that your name is Malanda? I would tell you: because my parents told me, and also wrote it on a piece of paper called a birth certificate. And if you ask that child: do you believe that what is printed on that birth certificate, is the truth, it might be a lie? The child would tell you: my parents have no reason to lie to me, I believe them. Children are simple in their minds, they believe every spoken word of their parents, and whatever they put in writing concerning them. I have sometimes been insulted by certain men of God whom I respect, they said to me: Gery, you are naïve, you should apply some wisdom! When I came home I wept and said to God: God I only told that man of God what You said about me in your bible, and he insulted me, he told me that I was naïve and needed to apply some wisdom, which is being prudent.

And that is when God gave me that scripture in proverbs: the simple (naïve, silly, foolish) believes every word (Dabar: spoken word): but the prudent man looks well to his going or his steps (Proverbs 14:15). On their part, I was naïve, even silly and foolish; because according to them I did not have worldly wisdom, and how to apply it: prudence; but on God’s part I was being simple like a child, believing every spoken word of My Father in Heaven, printed in the bible. No wonder Paul said: we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1Corinthians 2:13-14).

Some Christians, even those behind the pulpit, still have doubts about God’s word in some areas, and they would rather lean on their worldly wisdom and its knowledge, instead of the word of God. But God tells those Christians who put their trust in the wisdom and knowledge of the world, that contradict the word of God: Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise (according to God). For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He takes the wise in their own craftiness (1Corinthians 3:18-19). The worldly wisdom that contradicts the word of God, is not from God but from the devil. James tells us: this wisdom does not descend from above, but it is earthly, sensual and demonic (James 3:15). The devil is playing with our senses and our mind, telling us what we are seeing, will never change, we must put up with it, by so doing he is contradicting the word of God which says: with men it is impossible but not with God, for with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27). Nothing shall be impossible to you, because you believe in Christ Jesus (Mark 9:23). Just like a little child believes in his heart: his parents can do anything, there is nothing that is impossible for his parents. That is how I used to think about my earthly parents when I was a little child. Let us all trust in the LORD with all our heart; and lean not unto our own understanding. In all our ways acknowledge him, and He shall direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

I-3-c) Jesus healed all the sick, so shall you.

Many times we hear religious people tell us: God does not heal everybody you pray for; because He does not want you to be proud. That is a lie from the pit of hell, do not buy into it. God says: He forgives all your iniquities and He heals all your diseases (Psalm 103:3). And God does not heal those people for your sake, but for His own sake. I hear people pray: “God please heal this person that I am praying for, for my sake.” Samuel, whose words the Lord never let fall to the ground, but always brought them to pass according to 1Samuel 3:19, says: the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake: because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people (1Samuel 12:22). It was not primarily for the sake of Samuel that the Lord performed anything in Israel during his days; but primarily for the sake of His own great name. He is the I AM WHO I AM, meaning whatever redemptive name He revealed Himself to us, as we have studied the series of the Perfect Redemption Plan, that is who He is for us, and He will demonstrate it for His own Great Name’s sake.

David understood that it is always primarily for the sake of His own Great Name, that the Lord forgives all sins, all iniquities; heals all diseases, restores all our inheritance; everything God does, is always primarily for the sake of His own Great Name. David says: the Lord, who is my Shepherd, restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (Psalm 23:3). Everything that David listed in Psalm 23, that the Lord who is his shepherd did, He did it for His own Great name’s sake. For Your name’s sake, O Jehovah, pardon my iniquity; for it is great (Psalm 25:11). So David understood that God forgives all his iniquities, and heals all his diseases for His own name’s sake. For You are my rock and my fortress; and for Your name’s sake lead me and guide me (Psalm 31:3). All the divine guidance we receive from God, is for His own name’s sake. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; and deliver us, and atone for our sins, for Your name’s sake (Psalm 79:9). He saved them for His name’s sake, to make His mighty power known (Psalm 106:8). But You, Lord Jehovah, deal kindly with me for Your name’s sake; because Your mercy is good, deliver me (Psalm 109:21). Everything in our salvation package, and in all of the Perfect Redemption Plan, all the glory and the power God demonstrates, is for His own great name’s sake, to make His Great Name, and His Mighty Power known. Because it is for His own name’s sake, that is why He watches over His words to perform them; as it is written: Jehovah, the I AM WHO I AM, said unto me, You have seen well; for I will watch over My Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12).

People will say, but it is also written: I will not do it in your days, for David your father’s sake, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. Only, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son for David My servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen (1Kings 11:12-13). For Your servant David’s sake, turn not away the face of Your anointed (Psalm 132:10). For I will defend this city to save it, for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake (Isaiah 37:35). People will use these scriptures to say: you see God also does things primarily for our sakes! Like for the sake of our cities, not just primarily for His name’s sake! I told you: whatever God does, he does it primarily for His own Great name sake. David, the man after God’s own heart, when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered Uriah her husband, was punished by God and his throne was removed from him, and later God restored it to him (2Samuel 11 to 2Samuel 19).

The kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem, the city chosen by God, when the inhabitants no longer walked according to the counsel of the Lord, but according to the counsel of the pagan nations, and worshiped their idols. They were carried in captivity to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar (2Chronicles 36). And God brought some remnants back seventy years later in the days of Cyrus, for His own name’s sake, because He prophesied it through Jeremiah, and He has to perform His word (2Chronicles 36:22-23). Though God made the promise that Christ should come from the seed of David, and Solomon reigned instead of his father David, God gave the kingdom of Israel to David, but because Solomon multiplied women and polluted the land of Israel with the idols of his foreign wives; because he built an altar for every idol of his wives. Though he repented in his old age, yet God removed ten tribes from him and only left him with two tribes: Judah and Benjamin. Thus his son Rehoboam only reigned over two tribes instead of twelve.

Whatever God does is primarily for His own Name’s sake, and for His glory, and that His name be glorified, and the name of His Son, Jesus might be glorified, through the mighty power displayed in the name of Jesus. Jesus prayed: Father, glorify Your name. Then came there a voice from heaven saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again (John 12:28). These words Jesus spoke, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You (John 17:1). The dominion, glory, authority and power God gives us through His Son Jesus Christ, are primarily for His own great name’s sake; so that His Name and mighty power, will be known through us; because in the day of His power, the people will be willing to forsake their idols and evil ways, to serve the Lord God (Psalm 110:3). Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth, unto Jesus who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Jesus be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen (Revelation 1:5-6).

When we are walking in the steps of Jesus, which means being a doer of the word, not a hearer only, deceiving ourselves; God lets us share the glory with Jesus, the Mighty Power, the authority, the dominion with Jesus, the fame with Jesus. Jesus Himself said to the disciples in prayer: the glory which You, Father God, gave Me, Jesus; I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one (John 17:22). All authority and power is given unto Me, Jesus, by My Father God, you therefore go in My name (Matthew 28:18-19). Behold, I give unto you power and authority [the legal right to exercise power] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you (Luke 10:19).

May we stop praying prayers to God, like: “God heal for my sake; because I have been a good Christian, I fast twice a week, and I pay my tithe. God prosper and heal us for the sake of our church; because we preach prosperity, healing and deliverance. God do something for the sake of my ministry, or for the sake of the world!” Long before the world knew that it needed a Saviour; long before the world knew that it needed healing, deliverance, prosperity and peace; long before the world knew it needed forgiveness of sins, iniquities and transgression; long before any one of us was ever born, the bible says: the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing (Revelation 5:12).

Let us drill it into our mind and settle it in our heart, that it is always primarily for the sake of His own name, that His Great name and His mighty power might be known. If it is primarily for our sake, then God will have to examine our works closely, and not the finished work of Jesus at Calvary. We all fall short of the glory of God, or the standard God set; for all our self-righteousness which is based on the works of the law, is but filthy rags in the eyes of God (Isaiah 64:6). And it is only by grace [the unmerited favour of God or His mercy, and the empowerment of God] through faith in Christ Jesus, who fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the Law in us, that we receive the manifestation of the promises of God, which are in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23, Romans 8:4). None of us is used of God, because he is so good, or has perfectly obeyed God’s Law; but because of His infinite mercy. Thus if it is mercy and grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus; then it is only for His name’s sake, for HE IS WHO HE IS, even when we are faithless or do not believe, as long as we do what He commanded us to do in the scriptures, He remains the same or He remains faithful to who He is; because He cannot deny any of His seven redemptive names by which He revealed Himself unto us (2Timothy 2:13). God says: My name is I AM WHO I AM, and I do not change (Malachi 3:6). Heaven and earth or the world may pass away or may perish, but My words shall not pass away (Matthew 24:35). So whatever I do, is always primarily for My own Name’s sake, for My name is THE WORD OF GOD, and I have to watch over My Word (Revelation 19:13).

It is recorded four times in the gospels of Jesus, that He healed all the people who came to Him for healing. In Matthew 4:24 it is written: and His (Jesus’) fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those who were possessed with devils, and those who were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and He (Jesus) healed them. In Matthew 12:15 it is written: but when Jesus knew it, He withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed Him, and He (Jesus) healed them all. In Luke 4:40 it is written: now when the sun was setting, all those who had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto Him (Jesus); and He laid His hands on every one of them, and healed them. In Luke 6:17-19 it is written: and He (Jesus) came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

Peter who was a first class eye witness of the life and ministry of Jesus tells us: God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him (Acts 10:38). Paul and Moses gave us the same spiritual principle, that if you find something or a matter is written twice or three times in the bible, you need to establish it in your mind and settle it in your heart that it is always the will of God to do that thing or settle that matter in people’s lives (2Corinthians 13:1, Deuteronomy 19:15). We have seen five scriptures in which Jesus healed all the multitudes of all their sicknesses, all their diseases, and cast out all their demons. We must establish it in our mind, and settle it in our heart, that it is always the will of God to heal and deliver all who are oppressed by the devil.

Jesus himself confirms the spiritual principle Moses and Paul had, saying: take one or two more with you, so that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established (Matthew 18:16). So take two or three scriptures, or two or three people, who will speak in line with the written word of God. When something is repeated twice or three times, it is establish by God, and it will come to pass shortly. Even long before Moses was born, God had already given that spiritual principle to Joseph. Joseph said to Pharaoh: since the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass (Genesis 41:32).

It is the same Jesus, the Anointed One, who moved in you, He is the same today; He did not lose His Anointing, Authority and Power when He moved into you (Hebrews 13:8). The Anointing is the tangible manifestation of the power of the Holy Ghost, to have spiritual revelations and perform signs and wonders. He wants to heal everybody, of all manner of sickness and all manner of disease, through you. He wants to heal the multitudes. He wants the whole city to be brought to you, and you heal them, because He dwells in you. Works that He does, you shall do and greater works than these shall you do. Jesus says to you and me: whatsoever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again (Luke 10:5-6). And into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them: the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you (Luke 10:8-9). We have seen, in the four times recorded in the gospels, where Jesus healed everybody that was sick, of whatever sickness and whatever disease, and cured people of whatever demonic oppression. So He is telling us: go, do not pick and choose houses or cities; go everywhere, whatever house and whatever city, if you enter a house, heal the sick in that house, if you enter a city, heal the sick in that city.

James says: to him who knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin (James 4:17). Jesus knew that God executes righteousness and judgment for all who are oppressed (Psalm 103:6). So knowing that, He went about healing all who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38). If He did not do it, He would be sinning, and Jesus knew to do good, and did it. It is the same Jesus who dwells in you, and He never sins. He knows that healing is doing good, and it is always the will of God to heal everybody of whatever sickness or whatever disease. John tells us: He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil (1John 3:8). So Jesus never sins, for sin is of the devil, He only does good; sickness is one of the works of the devil, and Jesus was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. So if Jesus does not heal, it is sin to Him, the same Jesus dwells in you. If you lay hands on a person or pray for a person, and he is not healed, you know that it is not God’s will, for Jesus knows to do good. You must believe and pray again until the person is healed, for it is always the will of God, to heal everybody who is willing, of all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

The disciples of Jesus believed they would also heal all the sick and cast out all demons, so Luke records for us: also the multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed (Acts 5:16). In Acts 28:7-9, Paul was shipwrecked on the isle of Malta, he healed a man who had dysentery, and they brought to him the rest of the diseased people on that island, and he healed them; God wants us to heal an entire island, an entire city, an entire nation. He told us: Ask of Me, and I shall give the nations for Your inheritance; and the uttermost parts of the earth for Your possession (Psalm 2:8).

Go, do the same, for it is the same Jesus who was in them then, that now lives in you. As we chose to embrace the sanctified life of Jesus, the revelation of the truth of His word, and become doers of the word, prayer with fasting, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues; we will do the same work of Jesus. God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should relent over His words; has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good (Numbers 23:19)? He told us: lay hands on the sick and they shall recover, go into the entire world and preach the gospel, heal the sick, cast out devils, cleanse the lepers and raise the dead. He cannot lie or change His mind. God watches over His word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12). Solomon said: As a mad man who casts firebrands, arrows, and death, so is the man who deceives his neighbour, and says: I was only joking or I was only playing (Proverbs 26:18-19)?

Jesus is not a mad man, neither is He a deceiver, He was not playing or joking when He gave us these promises. For He told us: I say unto you, that every idle (vain, useless, barren,) word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment (Matthew12:36). If the words of Jesus, and the promises of God through Jesus to us, were idle words, useless words, barren words, words that cannot produce the result they say they will produce; God will have to give account of those words. He meant every word He said. All His promises are yes and amen in Christ Jesus, to the glory of God by us (2Corinthians 1:20). God will perform His word for His Great Name’s sake! You and I know how to do good; my prayer is, that we will all stop sinning, for to him who knows to do good and does not do it, it is sin to him. Let us preach the gospel, heal the sick, cast out devils and raise the dead in the name of Jesus. What God is asking us to do, is to live a sanctified life; to receive the revelation of the truth of His word, and become doers of the word, to pray with fasting; and then to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost, with evidence of speaking in tongues; and then He will be able to flow more effectively through us, in manifestations of the Holy Ghost and in power.

I-3-d) Healing is for everybody all the time.

In Luke 9:11 it is written, the people, when they knew it, followed Him (Jesus): and He received them, and spoke unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing. Jesus is so good, that if you have need of healing and come to Him, He heals you. Even at the pool of Bethesda, the bible says: an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had (John 5:4). What matters is, that you jump into the pool first, after its water has been stirred up by the angel. And no mention of the kind of sickness or the kind of disease or the kind of demon-possession is made here; but whatsoever your sickness is, whatsoever your disease is and whatsoever your demon-possession is, if you can be the first person to jump into the pool after the angel has stirred its water up, you are made whole of whatsoever disease, sickness and demon-possession you have. You must be willing to be made whole though. If you are fully mentally capable, Jesus will not force healing or deliverance upon you. You must be willing to be made well. Jesus asked the man at the pool: do you want to be made whole (John 5:6)?

Now you do not need to wait for an angel anymore to receive your wholeness, yet if God decides to send an angel, praise the Lord! For greater than the angels is here, the Man Christ Jesus and He dwells in you. To which of the angels, did God say at any time, “Sit on My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool?” The answer is: to none of the angels, not even Michael or Gabriel. Why? Because angels are all ministering spirits or servant spirits, sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation [born again Christians] (Hebrews 1:13-14)? Only the Son, who is God, sits at the right hand of God the Father. God the Father said of Jesus, His Son: “You are My Son, this day I have begotten You?” And again, “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?” And again, when God the Father brings in the First-born into the world, He says, “And let all the angels of God worship Jesus My First-born (Hebrews 1:5-6).”

Angels worship Jesus Christ because He is God, and sits at the right hand of God. You are seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus at the right hand of God, if you are born again (Ephesians 1, and Ephesians 2). A born again Christian spiritually ranks higher than angels; please read the bible studies, “Abecedary of Prayer” and “Perfect Redemption Plan: Part I”, to know who you are in Christ Jesus and your spiritual ranking. You do not need to go to Jerusalem and visit the ruins of the temple, and the pool of Bethesda either; for greater than the temple, and all its pools is here: the Man Christ Jesus and He dwells in you. Jesus tells us: I say unto you, that in this place is One greater than the temple (Matthew 12:6).

So when we minister to people, it does not matter what their sickness or disease or demon-possession is, if they have a need of healing, Jesus in us heals them. David said: the Lord forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases (Psalm 103:3). David said: the Lord executes righteousness and judgment for all who are oppressed (Psalm 103:6). David understood that God is the Judge. The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; He will save us (Isaiah 33:22). When Jesus died on the cross God executed judgment for the entire world, Jesus bore our sins, iniquities, sicknesses and diseases. Satan was oppressing the world with sins, iniquities, sicknesses and diseases, and God executed judgment for the whole world, because they were oppressed by Satan. We are free, from the power of sins, iniquities, sicknesses and diseases.

Think of it this way, there has been a collision of two trains. One train was full of passengers, and the other train was transporting chemicals. Some people in the train died, some were injured, and some were intoxicated by the chemicals. A law firm decides to have a class action law suit against the train company. They gather the name of all the passengers in the train, and the people who have been affected by the chemicals in that area. When that Law firm wins the class action law suit, everybody who has been injured and killed, will receive money. Now it does not matter who you are, what your nationality is, or what your skin colour is, if you have been injured or someone in your family died in that collision, you will also receive the money.

That is why Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38). Jesus knows that God executed judgment for the oppressed, so He went everywhere; as soon as He found a person who was oppressed by the devil with sickness and disease, and that person was willing to be made whole, He healed him or her. He did not pick and choose who would be healed. Everybody, who comes to us, or accepts our prayer, ought to be healed; for Jesus, our advocate, won the heavenly class action law suit against Satan and his works: sin, sickness, disease and death. So when Jesus saw someone who had need of healing, and that person came or was brought to Him, or that person accepted ministration from Jesus, He healed him. When He saw the whole multitude coming to Him, with all manner of sickness and all manner of disease, He healed them all, for God who is the Judge, had executed judgment for all who are oppressed. Let us act like Jesus, understand our Perfect Redemption Plan, and act on it.

I-3-e) Believe God makes them whole immediately

When we read what Jesus said in Mark 16:18, they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. When we read, they shall recover, many people think it is a process, a progressive healing. Our problem is, that we read the bible in English. If you read your bible in French [French Louis Segond bible] that same verse says: they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall be healed. When Jesus spoke to His disciples He spoke to them in Hebrew, and they understood exactly what He meant. Jesus never said it was a progressive healing. People will tell you: Jesus meant a progressive healing. They will say: you see even Jesus prayed for a blind person twice in Mark 8:22-26. Yes, Jesus knows that according to the word of God, the blind man was supposed to receive his eye sight at once. So when the blind man told Jesus: I see men as trees walking. Jesus did not tell him to go home, and you will progressively see clearly. Jesus laid hands upon his eyes the second time, and he was restored and saw every man clearly. The words that are translated in English restore and recover, are the same Hebrew word alah (to recover at once, to restore at once, to rise up at once, to ascend up at once).

The Lord God said to Jeremiah: Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician (raphah: physician, healer, a person that can make one whole) there? Why then is not the health (arukah: soundness, wholeness, health) of the daughter of My people recovered (alah: recovered at once, restored at once, or rise up from their sick bed at once) (Jeremiah 8:22)? Gilead was famous for its balm (Genesis 37:25). People went there to be treated by their physicians, for balm was good for medicine. So God is saying to Jeremiah, My people have gone to Gilead to be treated by their physician, but they have not been made whole, made whole at once, they have not risen up from their sick bed at once; why is that? God said to Jeremiah to tell His people: I will restore (alah: recover at once, restore at once, or cause you to rise up from your sick bed at once) health (arukah: soundness, wholeness, health) unto you, and I will heal you of your wounds, says the LORD; because they called you an outcast, saying: this is Zion, whom no man seeks after (Jeremiah 30:17).

Jesus believes according to the scriptures; that is why He healed all who came to Him at once, he caused them to rise up from their sick bed at once. People will tell you: a blind man came to Jesus blind, and went back blind and received His healing later; so it was progressive healing! No, let us look at that instance in the bible. In John 9:1-7, a blind man came to Jesus. Jesus spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle, anointed his eyes and commanded him: go, wash in the pool of Siloam. When the blind man did what he was commanded, he came back from Siloam seeing. As soon as he washed, he received his eye sight at once. It is like the healing of Naaman the leper in 2Kings 5. Elisha gave him instruction to go and dip himself seven times in the river Jordan, and he shall be healed. As soon as Naaman did what he was commanded, his skin was restored like the skin of a babe, and he was cleansed of his leprosy. Both the blind man that Jesus sent to Siloam, and Naaman whom Elisha sent to the river Jordon, were healed at once, after they had washed as commanded. So when we lay hands on sick people, in our heart we must believe that God heals them at once, God makes them whole at once, for by Jesus’ stripes they were healed (1Peter 2:24).

Peter and John had that revelation, that is why when they met the lame man at the gate Beautiful of the temple, in Acts 3, Peter took the lame man by the right hand, and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength (Acts 3:7). Peter knew and believed that the lame man had been healed at once. Whenever Jesus cast devils out of a person, they came out, do not take no for an answer. Never say to a demon possessed person, go home and the demon will come out of you tomorrow! Jesus never did that nor did His disciples. So we should have the same belief, when it comes to healing and deliverance. Jesus and His disciples never said to a person, tomorrow you will receive your healing. Paul said: behold now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation (healing, deliverance) (2Corinthians 6:2). Now it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all parts of the country, that he came down also to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, and was paralyzed. And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ makes you whole: arise, and make your bed. And he arose immediately (Acts 9:32-34).

The apostles understood that God would heal people immediately, and that is what they believed in their heart. As a man or woman thinks in his or her heart, so is he or she (Proverbs 23:7). And Jesus tells us: do you believe that I am able to do this? If our answer to Him is: Yes, Lord. Then He will stretch forth His hand and touch the sick person we are praying for, saying, According to your faith [belief or how you think in your heart] be it unto you (Matthew 9:28-29). That is why the disciple prayed: now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto Your servants, that with all boldness they may speak Your word, By stretching forth Your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Your holy child Jesus (Acts 4:29-30).

People will say: what about the ten lepers? They came to Jesus for their cleansing, and left still leprous. Let us examine that instance. In Luke 17:11-19 the ten lepers came to Jesus to be cleansed. Jesus commanded them: Go show yourselves unto the priests. Just like in the example of Naaman who was sent to wash in the river Jordan, and the blind man who Jesus sent to wash at the pool of Siloam. If you act according to the command of the man of God, you will have what he said, under the authority of God. God has given such power unto men, those who are His sons and daughters; as it is written: when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, who had given such power unto men (Matthew 9:8). For God covenanted: He will confirm the word of His servant, and perform the counsel of His messenger (Isaiah 44:26). Do not worry about what comes out of your mouth, as long as it lines up with the written word of God, it shall be well with you; for the Lord is with you and will let none of your words fall to the ground (1Samuel 3:19). He watches over His word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12). As for our ten lepers, God is so good that He did not even wait for them to get to the priest, before performing the cleansing, as soon as they started to obey what Jesus commanded them, they were cleansed.

It is like in the day of Joshua. In Joshua 3:9-17, God was about to part the Jordan for the Hebrews to cross to the promised land. He told them: as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests, who bear the ark of the Lord, shall rest in the water of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, and they shall stand as a heap (Joshua 3:13). Yet what actually happened is: as the feet of the priests who bore the ark, dipped in the edge of the Jordan, the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and arose in a heap very far away (Joshua 3:15-16).

The feet of the priests were not even fully in the waters yet; they only dipped in the edge of the Jordan, and God performed the miracle. What happened for the parting of the Jordan, and for the healing of the ten lepers can be explained. In Mark 16:17, Jesus said: these signs shall follow those who believe. You simply believe in your heart, and obey what you have been commanded, and the signs will follow you. In other words you believe, and act first, and then you will see the miraculous manifestations. In the case of the blind man, whom Jesus anointed with clay and sent to wash at the pool of Siloam, if he had not gone there, he would remain blind, but as he went, the healing was following him, and caught up with him at Siloam, as he washed. So it was for Naaman the leper, the healing followed him, and caught up with him at the Jordan River, after he had dipped himself seven times.

Furthermore Moses tells us: And it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD your God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command you this day, that the LORD your God will set you on high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you, and overtake you, if, you shall hearken unto the voice of the LORD your God (Deuteronomy 28:1-2). The ten blind men hearkened diligently to the voice of the Lord, and did what they were commanded. The blessing of Healing, which is part of the blessings of the gospel of Christ, was following them, it came upon them on the way to the priests, and overtook them, and they were cleansed even before getting to the priests. The same thing happened to the priests who bore the Ark, they diligently hearkened to the voice of the Lord, and observed what they were commanded, the miracle working power of God, which is part of the blessings of the Gospel of Christ, followed them and came upon them, as their feet were dipped in the edge of the flooded Jordan. They were not even in the Jordan yet, but that miracle working power of God, overtook them and the flooded Jordan was parted.

Let us see as examples in the bible where King Herod and king Ahasuerus had to carry out their oath immediately, and apply it to the will of God, even healing and deliverance!

Mark 6:22 And when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced and pleased Herod, and those who reclined with him, the king said to the girl, Ask me whatever you desire from me, and I will give it to you.

Mark 6:23 And he swore to her, Whatever you shall ask from me, I will give it to you, to the half of my kingdom.

Mark 6:24 And she went out and said to her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.

Mark 6:25 And immediately going in with haste to the king, she asked, saying, I desire that you give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.

Mark 6:26 And becoming deeply grieved, the king, because of his oath, and those reclining together, he did not wish to reject her.

Mark 6:27 And immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in the prison,

Mark 6:28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl. And the girl gave it to her mother.

Esther 7:2 And the king said again to Esther on the second day of the banquet of wine, What is your petition, Queen Esther, that it may be granted you? And what is your request? And it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.

Esther 8:7 Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen, and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.

Esther 8:8 You write also for the Jews, as it pleases you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse.

First of all the daughter of Herodias pleased King Herod, so did Esther please King Ahasuerus. Solomon says: when a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him (Proverbs 16:7). If you want to please God, your ways must become the way of Jesus, what you call truth, must line up with the truth of Jesus, found in His word, and your life should no longer be conformed to this world, instead should be conformed to the sanctified life of Jesus (John 14:6, John 17:16-19, Romans 12:1-2, Romans 8:29). The sons of Eli, though they were priests, and burning incense in the temple, God was not pleased with them, because of their unsanctified life. Though they carried the Ark of the Covenant, they were defeated in battle and died (1Samuel 4). If you and I want to be greatly used of God in ministering to His people, we will need to be pleasing to our God.

King Herod and King Ahasuerus kept the word of their mouth. They immediately carried out what the daughter of Herodias and Esther asked at once; because of the oath they had made. Herodias’ daughter and Esther did their part of being pleasing to the King; and the King did his part of keeping his oath. God is a real King and a great King, better than Herod and Ahasuerus. Jesus is our King of Kings. If we do our part of pleasing Him, by embracing His way, truth and life (John 14:6), He tells us: whatever you may ask in My name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son (John 14:13). Unlike King Herod and King Ahasuerus who limited the request of the people, to only half of their kingdom; our God and Jesus Christ say to us, born again Christians: Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours (Luke 15:31); Therefore let no one glory in men. For all things are yours, whether it is Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s (1Corinthians 3:21-23).

A king cannot go back on his oath, even King Herod that wicked man. Herodias’ daughter did her part of pleasing the King; he could not change His words. God is a good King and he does good (Psalm 119:68). If the daughter of Herodias could believe the word of the oath of that wicked king Herod, and ask him to grant her heart’s desire at once, and King Herod brought it to pass immediately; how much more should we trust God, who is a good King and just God. Jesus says: If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father, who is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him (Matthew 7:11)? That evil King Herod was a man of his word, he kept his oath, and carried it out immediately, since Herodias’ daughter kept her part of pleasing him first; how much more, would a just and good King?

Has God given us an oath? Yes, not just an oath, but also cut a blood covenant with us. Men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability or unchangeableness of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: so that by two immutable or unchangeable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us (Hebrews 6:16-18). So God cannot lie to us, even that wicked and evil King Herod could not lie to the daughter of Herodias, because of the oath; how much more shall God give us the desire of our heart as we are pleasing to Him, and believe in our heart and confess with our mouth, His promises towards us. If Herodias’ daughter had asked her request to be answered tomorrow or in a week, that is what she would have received from King Herod; but she asked that her request be granted at once, and King Herod had to immediately grant her request. We are serving a true King, even our God and Father, who has exalted or magnified His word, above His own name (Psalm 138:2).

First of all, if we want to be used in ministering to the saints, living a life pleasing to the Lord, even a sanctified life is very important in the eyes of God. Then the way you believe in your heart, and confess with your mouth, is how it will be done unto you by God, who is our King and Father. We can see in the life of the two blind men who came to Jesus. As it is written: when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Son of David, have mercy on us. And when He was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus said unto them, Do you Believe that I am able to do this? They said unto Him, Yes, Lord. Then touched He their eyes, saying, According to your faith or belief be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly or strictly charged them, saying, See that no man know it (Matthew 9:27-30). You and I have to believe that the healings, deliverances and dead raising, will be done at once, and we should confess it with our mouth, and then we will see them taking place immediately, when we minister to people. Let us not limit the Holy One of Israel! You will need to command instant healing, instant deliverance, you will need to command things to take place at once. Paul tells us: We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak (2Corinthians 4;13).

We must expect the healing, and perfect wholeness to be instantaneous, at once, very speedily. Do not take no for an answer. If God tells you to do something, or go to a place, and as you get there you shall be healed. Believe God that it shall be so, as you get where Jesus sent you, you shall be healed. The truth is: there is no formula when it comes to healings or miracles. God will confirm the word of His servant, and perform the counsel of His messenger (Isaiah 44:26). And at times the Holy Spirit gives us words of knowledge, or words of wisdom, or discernment of spirits, and we pray in line with what the Holy Spirit tells us. Remember the Holy Spirit is God; if you ignore Him; you will suffer shipwreck. God watches over His word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12). God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: has He said, and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken, and shall He not make it good (Numbers 23:19)?

Jesus did not have to send that blind man to wash at the pool of Siloam, nor send the ten lepers to the priest. For He opened the eyes of blind Bartimaeus by simply speaking the word (Mark 10:46-52). The psalmist said: He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions (Psalm 107:20). He cleansed the lepers by simply touching them, and speaking the word. As it is written, Jesus put forth his hand, and touched the leper, saying, I will; be clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed (Matthew 8:3). You see you do not need to send people to wash, before they can receive their eye sight, or cleansed of leprosy, or spit on their eyes, to receive their eye sight. But at times the Holy Spirit, who is God, gives us instructions; we should not ignore the Holy Spirit. If He asks us to do something, or address something in the life of the people we are ministering to, we should be prompt in doing so. When you speak the word of God, believe the people will be made perfectly whole immediately. We must have the same knowledge and belief for healing the sick, casting out demons, cleansing lepers and raising the dead.

Jesus says of the Holy Spirit: when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8). Sometimes when you minister to people, the Holy Spirit will give you words of knowledge about the people’s sins, and what they should do to be pleasing to God. Do not ignore the Holy Spirit, but address those issues in the lives of the people. The Holy Spirit is the one performing the miracles; if you ignore Him; you can shout your lungs out trying to cast out demons or command healing, it will not happen. The Holy Spirit is Lord, He leads and we follow! Signs, wonders, miracles and manifestations of the Holy Spirit, are to draw people ever closer to God; so that they will have a close fellowship with God. They are to turn the hearts of the people to their Father God. Even Elijah understood it on Mount Carmel during the contest with the prophets of Baal in 1Kings 18. Fire coming down from heaven was not for a show, or a spectacle to wow and entertain people. It was so that they would make up their minds once and for all, who they will serve: God or Baal. And we see after the fire came down, the people shouted, Yahweh is God! Their hearts were turned back to God their Father.

John the Baptist, who came in the spirit of Elijah, as a forerunner of Jesus Christ, also turned the heart of the people to God their Father. (Malachi 4; Matthew 11:13-14). You and I, born again Christians, have also come in the same spirit of Elijah, to usher the second coming of Jesus Christ. We are to turn the hearts of the people back to God their Father, as did Elijah and John the Baptist. All those mighty signs, mighty wonders, miracles and gifts of the Spirit, God desires to work for us, and through us, have only one purpose, to turn back the hearts of the people, to the one and only true God, through His Son Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Ghost. They will repent of their sins, choose to live a sanctified life, and obey the truth of the word of God, for an ever closer and pleasing walk of faith, with the Godhead. If you have this purpose in the forefront of your mind, while ministering to people, you will do well!

The bible says: Do you think that the Scripture says in vain, The Spirit that dwells in us, yearns to envy? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:5-7). Some people who want healing and deliverance, are like Naaman the Syrian General, full of pride in their heart. They despise other people of lower social status, despise their country of origin, despise their accent, despise their race and nationality. They think because they are of a higher education, or higher social status, that they should receive special treatment from God, and from the man of God. They think that the man of God, should do things their ways, at the snap of their fingers.

And Naaman came with his horses, and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come to you, and you shall be clean. But Naaman was angry, and went away. And he said, Behold, I said within myself, He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of Jehovah his God, and strike his hand over the place and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean? And he turned and went away in a rage (2Kings 5:9-12).

God knew exactly the heart of Naaman. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Naaman had two choices: either to humble himself under the mighty hand of God, by submitting to His word, that came out of the mouth of His servant Elisha, or remain proud and keep his leprosy. If Elisha did what Naaman wanted him to do, and come out to lay hands on him, nothing would have happened, for Naaman was full of pride, and God himself was resisting him. The Holy Spirit is God; Elisha had to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Paul says: For now do I persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10). Know whose servant you are!

Smith Wigglesworth was once called into a beautiful mansion to go and pray for a very sick lady. He was holding a conference for a couple of days in that town, so he decided on the second day, to pay that sister a visit in her mansion. She was in bed and Smith Wigglesworth went upstairs to her bedroom, with the people who had asked him to pray for her. After just a few minutes of talking to her, Wigglesworth said to the people with him, she is not ready for me! So he left without even praying for her. He went to his conference, and taught and healed the sick. The people who invited him thought he was cold hearted and too hard. But Wigglesworth, being a man of the Spirit, knew the ways of God. Three days later the sister came to the meeting, to request prayer. What had happened was, that after Smith Wigglesworth left her home, the Holy Spirit convicted her of her sins and pride. She repented of them and came to be prayed for, to receive her healing. When Wigglesworth saw her, he had no knowledge of what had happened after he had left her home, but he knew that she was ready for him. He prayed and she was healed.

During Azusa street revival; a white preacher, who was sick, came to the mission to be healed. He was prejudiced toward William Seymour the black man, uneducated and son of a slave, whom God handpicked to bring the Pentecostal renewal. As he sat in that mission day after day, he saw miracle after miracle taking place, but he was not healed. Then he cried out to God and repented of his sin of being prejudiced toward Seymour, and the people of lower social status, whom God was using in that mission. He received his healing! When Jesus came to his own town, people were also prejudiced towards him; He did not say to them: be healed in your homes! No, only those who could humble themselves, and lay aside their prejudices to come and receive healing from Him were healed.

The bible says: Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor, except in his native-place, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And He could do no work of power there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick ones, and He healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. And He went around the villages, in a circuit, teaching (Mark 6:3-6). Those who were not offended at Jesus because of His background, came to receive their healing, and they were healed! Some even said: Can anything good come out of Nazareth (John 1:46)? Nazareth was in Galilee, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people who sit in darkness (Matthew 4:15-16). Jesus did not say to them: even if you are offended at Me, and do not want to come to Me to be healed, be healed in your homes! No, He only healed the few who came, and then left their town for another town, where people were not offended at Him.

When we are in Christ Jesus we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of God, who works all things according to the counsel of His will (Ephesians 1:11). We simply need to search the Holy Scriptures, which contain the will of God, and see what God says on that particular subject, that is the counsel of His will. And as we believe that counsel of His will, confess it and become doers of it, God will perform that counsel; for all our life has already been predestined, and everything pertaining to us and our inheritance, is written in the bible. As it is written: I come in the volume of the book and it is written of Me, to do your will O God (Hebrews 10:7). Now we understand why Jesus was always saying: it is written. He found the counsel of God in the bible, and then believed, confessed and acted on it, thus God performed it all the time. The writer of Hebrews says: God also was bearing witness of the message of salvation, spoken by Jesus and by His disciples, both with signs and wonders, with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His will (Hebrews 2:3-4).

When it comes to the will of God: Jesus clearly told us, that these signs shall follow those who believe. Then He listed those signs: healing the sick, casting out demons, cleansing lepers, raising the dead and speaking with new tongues. When we believe it, and act on it, they shall follow and come upon us, and overtake us. Wonders, various miracles and the manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Ghost, will also be experienced according to the written will of God. These signs are meant to advertise Christianity, so that people will come to Christ, and be born again, and have an ever closer and pleasing walk of faith with the Godhead. Think of it this way: when you drive on the motorway, you see those gigantic billboards which advertise cars, fast food, shopping malls, etc. They strategically place those billboards where everybody will see them, for their aim is to get more customers. That is why Jesus sent his disciples out to go to cities, villages, everywhere they could find people to perform those signs, so that it would attract people to Christianity. Jesus does not want these signs to only take place in church, but everywhere people are.

After you have prayed, ask them to do something they could not do before. As you read the four gospels and the book of Acts; when Jesus cleansed lepers, He sent them to the priests to check; for the priests were the medical authorities in those days, so that they could allow them back in society. So if it is something internal, ask the person to go and check with the earthly physicians. When Jesus healed a cripple, He told them take up your bed and walk. When He healed people with a withered hand, He told them to stretch out their hand. When He prayed for Peter’s mother-in-law, who was in bed with a fever, He prayed, and she came out of bed and cooked for them. Do something you could not do before, after they have prayed for you.

Jesus tells us the reason why we must believe that God will make people whole immediately, and Luke recorded it for us. It came to pass, as Jesus went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day, that they watched Him. And, behold, there was a certain man before Him, who had the dropsy or was paralyzed. And Jesus answering, spoke unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? And they held their peace. And He took him, and healed him, and let him go; and answered them, saying: which of you shall have an ass or a donkey or an ox, that has fallen into a pit, and will not immediately or straightway pull him out, on the Sabbath day? And they could not answer him again to these things (Luke 14:1-6).

Jesus says that if it were your donkey or your ox or any of your pet animals, that fell into a pit, would you not immediately pull him out of the pit? Of course you would do that immediately, regardless of the hour of the day, or the day of the week. You do that immediately. God also wants to heal people immediately, and He wants us, whom He uses, to do that; to believe Him that He wants to heal and deliver them immediately. We need to believe, that when we pray for a problem, God will answer us speedily. Jesus says: God avenges His own elect, who cry day and night unto Him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that God will avenge them speedily (Luke 18:7-8).

Peter tells us: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2Peter 3:9). But you shall call, and the Lord shall answer; you shall cry, and He shall say: Here I am (Isaiah 58:9). If the Holy Spirit tells us that He wants that person to repent of a specific sin, then let us tell that person to repent. Let us not also fall into the mistake of becoming sin finders in people’s lives. If the Holy Spirit has not told you a specific sin that that person needs to repent of, do not invent sins, neither sit down with that person to try to find out all their sins. Command that sickness to leave in the name of Jesus. I have met Christians who were sick, and the Lord told me to tell them to stop smoking and stop drinking. I told them, and they refused to stop. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

In February 2013, I was walking down to a supermarket from my home. When I got close to an ATM, I realized that there was someone in the pit. And he had his hands up asking for help to pull him out of the pit. There was one guy standing there trying to help him, but he was not strong enough to lift him out of the pit. When I came close to the ATM, the man in the pit stretched his hand toward me, and asked me to help him out of the pit, and he explained to me, though I did not ask him anything, that he wanted to withdraw some cash from the ATM, when his credit card fell into the sewer, so he removed the railing that was over the opening of the sewer, and jumped into the sewer, and picked up his credit card.

But the opening of the sewer was too narrow, and he could not come out of that pit by himself. I reached out with my hand, and in less than 30 seconds I pulled him out of that pit, with the help of the other guy, who was already there trying to help him without success. You see even if that guy had not told me how he got into that pit, him being trapped in that pit is not acceptable, and since it is in the power of my hand to do good, and in the power of my muscles to pull him out of that pit, I did not even think about it twice, I lifted him out of that sewer. I did not know the person who was there before me trying to help; but we both saw a fellow human trapped in a pit, so we joined hands and pulled him out immediately. We did not tell him wait, we will call the professional fire fighters, they have all the equipment to extract people trapped in pits safely. That is how we should be in the kingdom God, it is in the power of our hand to heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead, and God wants to do it immediately through us.

Do you think that brother Gery and that other stranger, who immediately lifted that guy out of the pit when they saw him, are better than God? Of course not, God is much better than them (Matthew 7:11)? That is why Paul tells us: behold now is the accepted time God will hear your prayer, and behold now is the day of salvation, of healing of deliverance, God will help you, and He will do it immediately, like you would have immediately pulled your animal or your fellow human out of a pit, if you encountered such a situation (2Corinthians 6:2).

Please, when you preach the gospel, represent God faithfully, and do not make humans out to be better than God, no, God is much better than humans. Even if you do not see the healing immediately, believe that God will do it, and keep pressing on until all the healings that you minister happen immediately; because that is the heart and will of God. Your words are as good as the words of Jesus; your presence in a place is as good as if Jesus were there physically: Jesus tells you, he who hears you, hears Jesus, and he who receives you, receives Jesus (Luke 10:16, John 13:20). It is because Jesus dwells in you and wherever you go He goes with you (Matthew 28:20).

What we believe when we pray, is what we will have as a result. Jesus tells us: Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be removed, and be cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he said. Therefore I say unto you: whatsoever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them (Mark 11:22-24). So what you believe in your heart when you pray, is very crucial for the kind of manifestations of the mighty power of God you will have. We will explain how God trained Moses to move from the faith of tomorrow, to a faith of right now, to see the miracles of God immediately. If you believe that it is a progressive thing, then you will be having only progressive miracles. We all need to start somewhere in faith; but even if you are seeing progressive miracles, in your heart believe according to the scriptures, that God wants to heal them immediately, and you will start seeing the same kind of manifestations.

That is why God says: Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues [to-tsaw-aw’: issues, borders, boundaries, limits and limitations] of life (Proverbs 4:23). And the Psalmist says: Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel (Psalm 78:41). So how did the Hebrews tempt God and speak against Him? The Psalmist tells us: they tempted God in their heart, by asking meat for their lust. Yea, they spoke against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness (Psalm 78:18-19)? That incident happened in Numbers 11, when the people were tired of eating Manna, and wanted meat like they had in Egypt. God was not angry with them for asking for meat. He was angry because they doubted and questioned, God’s ability, or capability to provide meat for them in the wilderness, even to furnish a table for them in the wilderness; and they also doubted God’s willingness to perform a miracle for them. They looked at things according to the flesh, and they realized that there was no human way to get meat out there in the wilderness.

Whenever we ask a question like: can God do this particular thing for me? Indirectly we are asking two questions. First: is God able or capable to do this particular thing for me? And second: is God willing to do this particular thing for me? By now according to the scriptures, we know that God is more than able or capable, for with God nothing shall be impossible. And by now, according to the scriptures, we know that as long as what we are asking from God is in line with His written word, and we have met the conditions God put to enjoy that promise, then He is always willing to do it for us. When you read your bible from Genesis to Revelation; you will see lots of “ifs” and “buts”; these are the conditions we need to meet, if we want to enjoy the rest of the promise we have just read. Many times Christians only read the promise, but they do not read the condition God placed, so that whosoever meets that condition, will be pleasing to God, and will have the manifestation of that promise.

When I hear people praying saying: God I know you can heal me, God I know you can prosper me, God I know you can deliver me, etc. It reveals what is in their heart, for from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. They indeed believe that God is capable or able to heal them, prosper them, save them, deliver them, etc. But they still have some doubts whether God is willing to do it for them! God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation, whosoever fears God and practices righteousness, is accepted by Him (Acts 10:34-35). If God ever did it for one person who met the condition God set, to be pleasing to Him in order to receive the manifestation of that promise; He will also do it for you, when you meet the same condition that pleases the Lord! The purpose of all these My Weekly Milk letters is to answer the two questions of the ability and willingness of God, in the particular aspect of things that pertain to our life and godliness; so that we can be fully confident, that God will do whatever we ask Him, as long as it is in line with the written word of God, and we have met the condition He placed, to be pleasing to Him, to enjoy that promise.

Even Moses, though he had worked a mighty miracle in the name of the Lord with the Rod of the Lord, could not comprehend how God could furnish a table in the wilderness, for the people to eat meat for an entire month? So Moses mentioned how impossible it was to God, saying: The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and You have said, I will give them flesh or meat, that they may eat a whole month. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD’S hand waxed short or is the power of God limited? You shall see now whether My word shall come to pass unto you or not (Numbers 11:21-23). The word of God came to pass as Moses diligently obeyed the voice of God, and went to tell the people that God would furnish a table in the wilderness for them, and they would eat flesh or meat for a whole month.

Had Moses not believed that there was no limit to the power of God, that miracle would not have happened. So whenever we question the ability or capability of God to perform a miracle, it truly offends God; for it is impossible with man, but with God nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37). One might say, I do not believe that God will heal and make people perfectly whole and perfectly sound at once, or immediately every time I minister to people. With his own belief of his heart, he has limited what God wants to do through him. He shall see other believers who have believed the full report of the word of God experiencing it in their ministrations; but he shall not experience it!

We have that example in the days of Elisha. Elisha said, Hear the Word of Jehovah! Thus says The Lord, Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold at a shekel, and two measures of barley at a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. And the third officer on whose hand the king leaned, answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if Jehovah would make windows in heaven, then this thing might be. And Elisha said, Behold, you shall see with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it (2Kings 7:1-2). It was God’s will for that officer to also partake of that miracle, not just to see other people partaking in it. But he, by the belief of his heart and the confession of his mouth, limited the power of God in his life!

There is no limit to the power of God. For the sake of our human understanding, let us liken the power of God to an electrical power plant. The electrical power plant has megawatts of energy, to power an entire city, region or nation. But the copper wires of houses, are too small to sustain all the megawatts of the electrical power plant. Those copper wires installed in the houses will melt if those megawatts of energy were to pass through them. That is why the electrical company installs a transformer, between the power plant and your house, to reduce all those megawatts into kilowatts, before they reach your house. Now depending on the amount of power you need to run your house, they will choose the diameter of the wires of your house. And they will install a fuse, so that you will never use more power than what your house electrical wires can sustain. In fact you will always be using less power in your house, than what your wiring can sustain. The fuse will limit the amount of power you can use in your house, if you try to exceed the limit of the fuse, you will blow that fuse.

So you see you have been limited three times. The first time, is by that transformer that delivers you only some kilowatts, instead of the megawatts generated by the power plant. The second time is the wiring you choose for your house, based on the amount of power you will use in that house. And the third time, is the calibre of the fuse you install in your house. Now the transformer can be likened to the teaching of the word of God which you receive. We want a 1/1 transformer, meaning the amount of megawatts generated by the power plant, is the same amount of megawatts delivered to your house. In other words, we do not diminish the word of God, water it down or add to it or take away from it, nor make it of no effect by adding the tradition of men, and self-imposed religion (Joshua 1:7-8; Deuteronomy 4:2, Mark 7:13, Colossians 2:23). By the grace of God in these Perfect Redemption Plan series, and Application, we have done our best to give you a one on one transformer. We have not limited the power of God, for the gospel of God is power (Romans 1:16).

You are the house of God, for your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. God is my witness and my conscience is pure, that I have not turned to the left, nor to the right from the word of God, I have delivered a 1/1 transformer of the power of God, or the gospel of God. You have to choose the wiring of your house, for the kind of power you want to use. In other words, you have to renew your mind. The wiring of your house is your mind renewal process. People can decide not to have the full perfect redemption plan of God and just be satisfied with bits and pieces of that perfect redemption plan. The reason why copper wires burn when you exceed the intensity of electricity that they are designed for, is because of the resistance. The resistance in the copper wire, heats the wire and causes it to melt down. Resistance is because of the impurity in the metal. For us resistance to the flow of the power of God in us, is sin.

In electricity they have super conductors of electricity, because they have low resistance. Gold is a super conductor, because it has low resistance. The more you remove impurities in your gold; its resistance also goes down to zero, which makes it a superconductor of electricity. You and I have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power might be of God, and not of us (2Corinthians 4:7). Spiritually God wired us with gold. It is our responsibility to purify our gold with fire, or to live a sanctified life, if we want to become superconductors of the power of God. Malachi prophesied of the New Covenant, saying: Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me [Jesus]: and the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight: behold, he shall come, says the LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, [why?] so that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness (Malachi 3:1-3).

So it is your choice, and my choice, to purify the gold that God put in us as a spiritual wiring, so that His power can flow through us. The higher the level of sanctification, the more power God will be able to channel through us. Moses started with sanctification at his first encounter with God (Exodus 3:5, Exodus 19, and Exodus 24). Jesus and His disciples also sanctified themselves first, and the power of God could be channeled mightily through them (John 17:16-19, Hebrews 1:8-9, Hebrews 12:14). That is why John the Baptist says of Jesus: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but Jesus who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire (Matthew 3:11-12).

So Jesus wants to purge us, purify our gold wiring, and even remove all impurities that create spiritual resistances in us, thus hindering the flow of an even greater power of God through us. When people say that they have been baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire, and there is not a greater level of sanctification in their life, instead they are still conformed to the world, they simply do not understand why they were baptized in the Holy Ghost and fire, and not merely unto repentance for the remission of sin. It was to purify them, bring them to an even greater level of sanctification, so that God’s power could flow without hindrance through them.

You and I are the ones who choose to install our own spiritual transformer, to limit the power of God, as we reject the knowledge of the word of God that was freely delivered to us. And we can also be selfish by refusing to live a sanctified life, so spiritually we wire our house with such small wires, though they are spiritually wired with gold, but we have refused to purify them, so they are still full of impurities that create spiritual resistance. That kind of spiritual wiring, can only sustain the power needed for our estimated personal needs. We install a fuse to prevent ourselves from ever going beyond the estimated personal need, saying that sanctification deal is for preachers; I just want to live in such a way I know that I have secured my eternal destiny.

We ought not to think that way, we ought to think this way: God purge me, purify my gold wiring, so that you will be able to channel an ever mightier power through me, to meet my own needs, and the needs of others, even nations. Jesus prayed: They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Your truth: Your word is truth. As You have sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes, I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for those also who shall believe on Me, through their word (John 17:16-20). We ought not to live for ourselves anymore, God wants us to become a channel of His blessing to the world around us.

I remember in Africa, especially the Republic of Congo [Brazzaville], though the electrical company had put a transformer, to only deliver domestic power to houses, and had installed fuses in the house, so that the house would never exceed the estimated power needed in that house. The occupants of the house knew that they could not change the transformer of the electric company, but they decided to remove the fuses installed by the electricity company in their house, and sometimes installed up to ten new cables, that brought electricity from their house to the neighbours’ houses. So many times in a suburb of a hundred houses, only ten houses officially had the electricity, but the ninety other houses were being powered by the ten houses. But God and His gospel are our power plant, and He dwells in us, by the grace of God you have received a 1/1 transformer, in the perfect redemption plan of God series and the Application.

Now you and I ought to renew our minds, and take away any personal fuses we have installed. The fuse is a safety installation, because we are afraid that we will burn the wires, and our whole house will be burned down. If we have superconductors, even purified gold, there will be no fear of that ever happening; for there is zero resistance in them; all the impurities in that gold wiring have been removed, as the gold has been purified. Some fuses are installed by ourselves, because of self-imposed religion and traditions of men, that makes the word of God of no effect. Yet some spiritual fuses are installed by God Himself. Why? Because you have not matured in the fruit of the Spirit yet; so that we can use that power to destroy people, because we do not like them. And because we are not humble, but full of pride and think we are now “gods” or “christs” or “Elijah the restorer “. For our own sake God will put a fuse to put a cap on His power flowing through us. We have dealt with those things in this bible study. If you are able to avoid those pit-falls, God will never put in a fuse. Not only you will do the works of Jesus, but even greater works; because God can entrust you to always ascribe the power, the glory, the holiness and the righteousness to Him (John 14:12-14). We need to sanctify ourselves, meaning purify our spiritual gold wiring, then we will not only be able to bring the light of the gospel and its power to our house, our family; but also to our neighbours houses and families, to our city, our nation and nations. The early disciples of Jesus did it, people like Paul, Peter, and John, etc.

I-3-f) Expect that God will perform His word, even though nobody else believes.

Jesus told us: Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be removed, and be cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass; he or she shall have whatsoever he or she says. Therefore I say unto you, whatsoever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them (Mark 11:22-24). Jesus is telling the person who is praying: you, have faith in God; it does not matter if the person you are praying for has faith or not, but you need to have faith in God! Many times in church they will ask the person who is sick to have faith. If they have it, thank God; but if not, it does not matter, you should have faith for them. They will often use the scripture in the book of Acts 3, in which the lame man was expecting to receive from Peter and John, but as you read it, you will see that the lame man was not expecting to receive healing from them, but money!

So Peter and John did not tell him, expect to receive healing, not money! It did not matter to them, they had expectation for that lame man, they had faith for that lame man to be healed, and he was healed! People will also use the scripture in the book of Acts 14:7-10; Paul was preaching the gospel at Lystra and he perceived that there was a man who had faith to be healed. Yes faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). So this man after hearing the gospel from Paul, faith rose in his heart. Yes, sometimes people will believe the word of God; but even if they do not believe, you and I need to believe for them. Jesus told us: you, have faith in God, do not go about asking people to have faith before you heal them, cast out their devils or raise their dead, if they have faith: praise the Lord but if not it does not change a thing. The reason, people are healed sometimes, and other times they are not healed, is because we bank on their faith, instead of believing for them every time.

Job had a problem in his belief system; for he was praying to God but was not expecting that God would answer him, and when God answered him, he was surprised that God would actually answer his prayers. He said: if I called and He (God) answered me, I would not believe that He was hearkening to my voice (that He actually listened to my voice and granted my petitions) (Job 9:16). Let us not be like Job, yes when we read the book of Job, we see how the devil oppressed him by destroying his farming business, destroying his family, murdering his children, and put sickness on him. So when he was looking at how big his calamity was, he thought that he was wasting his time praying to God, that God was not listening to his voice, and that God would certainly not grant his petitions. Let us come with expectation, no matter how impossible that situation or sickness or death looks in the eyes of man. God promises that He hears the prayers of the righteous (Proverbs 15:29). And even if we do not believe, God remains faithful because He cannot deny Himself (2Timothy 2:13). Do the praying part, even with unbelief in your heart, and let God do the rest! Man always ought to pray, whether he has faith or not, and not lose heart (Luke 18:1).

We have the account of the deliverance of Peter, when the church was praying for him. They were praying to God for the deliverance of Peter; yet they did not believe that God would actually answer their request. As it is written in Acts 12:1-17: At that time Herod the king stretched out his hands to oppress some from the church, and he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he went further to seize Peter also. (And they were the days of Unleavened Bread.) And capturing him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four sets of four soldiers, to keep him; intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. Then, indeed, Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer was made to God for him by the church.

And when Herod was about to bring him out the same night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Also guards were keeping the prison before the door. And behold! An angel of the Lord stood by, and a light shone in the building. And striking Peter’s side, he raised him up, saying, Rise up quickly! And his chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, Gird yourself and put on your sandals. And he did so. And he said to him, Throw your robe around you and follow me. And he went out and followed him. And Peter did not know, that this happening through the angel, was true, but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord. And they went out and passed on through one street. And immediately the angel departed from him.

And having come to himself, Peter said, Now I know surely that the Lord has sent His angel and has delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. And thinking about it, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose last name was Mark; where many had gathered together to pray.

And as Peter knocked at the door of the porch, a girl named Rhoda came to listen. And when she knew Peter’s voice, she did not open the porch because of gladness, but running in she reported Peter was standing before the porch. And they said to her, You are mad. But she kept on saying that it was so. And they said, It is his angel. But Peter continued knocking, and when they had opened and saw him, they were amazed. But, waving to them with his hand to be quiet, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go tell these things to James and to the brothers. And he departed and went into another place (Acts 12:1-17).

So even Peter himself thought he was having a vision or a dream when the angel came to free him, for in his mind it was impossible to escape from that prison, since Herod had even killed James. No wonder the psalmist says: When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD has done great things for them. The LORD has done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who goes forth and weeps, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him (Psalm 126:1-6).

This psalm was written when the Lord turned their captivity of seventy years in Babylon. They prayed about it, for the prophet Jeremiah prophesied it; but when it actually happened in the days of King Cyrus, they did not believe their eyes, they thought they were dreaming (2Chronicles 36)! Jesus commanded us saying: man or woman always ought to pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1). The disciples were weeping and praying in tears for Peter; because they had already been bereaved of James and now Peter was next! Yet, they prayed for His deliverance, that the Lord would turn the captivity of Peter around! Though their minds did not believe it; for they could not figure out how God could deliver Peter from the hands of Herod; yet they obeyed the command of Jesus to always pray the will of God, found in the Word of God, which is the precious or incorruptible seed of God, to be done on earth as it is in heaven (Luke 11:2, 1Peter 1:23).

We see in the case of Job, though he said: if I called and He (God) answered me, I would not believe that He was hearkening to my voice (that He actually listened to my voice, and granted my petitions) (Job 9:16). Yet, when his wife said to him: Do you still hold to your integrity? Curse God and die (Job 2:9)! Job refused to deny his faith and his God, and even when his friends made accusations against him, and all the physicians told him that his sickness was incurable, and his captivity would never be turned around, he said to them: you are forgers of lies, you are all physicians of no value. O that you would altogether hold your peace! And it should be your wisdom (Job 13:4-5). For I know that my Redeemer, Christ Jesus, lives, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth (Job 19:25). So Job did not lose heart but prayed for himself and for his friend, even while going through that calamity, and the bible records: the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before (Job 42:10).

Even when your situation is beyond hope in human eyes, and you have tears in your eyes, and you go forth weeping, because of what has happened to you or your loved one, I beseech you by the mercies of God to still pray, according to the written word of God, which is the will of God; even though you do not believe that anything will happen. As you do your part of praying, according to the written will of God; God will keep His part of the bargain; as He says: He or she who goes forth and weeps, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him; for even if we do not believe, God remains or abides faithful because He cannot deny Himself; the Lord will turn again your captivity (2Timothy 2:13, Psalm 126). The same Lord God who turned the captivity of Job, of the Hebrews who were in Babylon for seventy years, and of Peter, though they did not believe, yet they kept on praying according to the written will of God, will also turn your captivity if you keep on praying according to His written will found in the Word of God; for by the mouth of two of three witnesses every word must be established that this is the will of God and it will shortly come to pass in your life (Genesis 41:32, Deuteronomy 19:15, Matthew 18:16, 2Corinthians 13:1).

The devil might have come against you like he came against Job, and against Simon Peter. Remember what Jesus told Peter, and now He is telling you and me: Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not: and when you are converted, strengthen thy brethren (Luke 22:31-32). And even if you fall, pick yourself up and read the bible again and pray again according to the written will of God; for the righteous man or woman may fall seven times and rise up again (Proverbs 24:16). Jesus is praying for you, you are not on your own! The LORD says unto you, Peace be unto you; fear not: you shall not die (Judges 6:23). The Lord has shown you all these things, and has told you wonderful promises concerning your life and godliness, you will not die until you have seen the fulfilment of those promises (Judges 13:23). Jesus says to each one of us: I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in [you just like it was accomplished in] Me (Luke 22:37). Therefore you shall not die, but live and declare the works of the Lord (Psalm 118:17).

James tells us: My brothers and sisters, take the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering ill, and of patience. Behold, we count blessed those who endure. You have heard of the patience of Job, and you have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is full of pity and of tender mercy (James 5:10-11). The Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends. Also Jehovah added to Job all that had been his, to double (Job 42:10). So you see, Job thought he was wasting his time in prayer, you are never wasting your time in prayer! We should flee religion: as religion delights in the discipline of prayer, and does not expect God to answer any of their prayers. When we pray we must expect results. Jesus tells us: truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you shall ask the Father in My name, He will give you. Before now you have asked nothing in My name; ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full (John 16:23-24).

Even if you do not see the results right away, pray again, return to that sick person and lay your hand on that sick person again, because sometimes the devil resists us, like he resisted Moses. God spoke to Moses in Exodus 3, to go and tell pharaoh to let His people go! But as we read the book of Exodus we see Pharaoh, which means crocodile in Arabic, a picture of Satan, a cruel and voracious river monster. So it was not truly the physical Pharaoh that was resisting him, it was Satan, that was resisting Moses through Pharaoh. But Moses kept on going back to Pharaoh saying the same thing: let My people go! And after ten plagues in Egypt, Pharaoh let the people of God go. So keep praying for the same thing according to the scriptures; because that pharaoh of your life, will let both your people and your possessions go, not even a hoof that is yours will be left behind! And sometimes when we are set free from our problems or sickness, later the same problem tries to come back or the same sickness tries to come back. It is like that pharaoh who tried to pursue the children of God to overtake them and kill them, but you see what God did in Exodus 14. God utterly annihilated Pharaoh and all his army.

Do not fear. Stand still and see the salvation of Jehovah, which He will prepare for you this day. For the Egyptians, whom you have seen today, you shall never see them anymore. Jehovah shall fight for you, and you shall be silent (Exodus 14:13-14). The Lord is a Man of war; Jehovah is His name (Exodus 15:3). Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s (2Chronicles 20:15). May the Lord plead your case and deliver you according to His written word, in Jesus’ name (Psalm 119:154), Amen!

I-3-g) Whatever you ask God in the name of Jesus He will do it for you.

In the account of Lazarus being raised up from the dead, John tells us: Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You (John 11:21-22). Yes, whatever Jesus asks God, God will do it! We have no problem believing that about Jesus. Even if the person is dead for four days, but now Jesus tells us, whatever you ask God in My name, God will do it. Jesus tells us: Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater [works] than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it (John 14:12-14).

Again Jesus says to us: You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you (John 15:16). So it has nothing to do with us, it has to do with Jesus who chose us, and ordained us to be His representatives. As we ask God to do anything in the name of Jesus, it is God who works in us, both to do and will, for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Jesus tells us the condition to fulfill, if we want God the Father to give us whatever we ask in the name of Jesus. The condition is: we must bear fruit and that fruit must remain. Living a sanctified life is very crucial, as we have already explained. The fruit is the fruit of the Spirit, with its nine aspects, as listed in Galatians 5:19-26. God wants us to ever increase in the display of the aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, and not revert to the works of the flesh. And of course as we have explained, we need to embrace the way, the truth and the sanctified life of Jesus, if we want to become doers of the works of Jesus (John 14:6, John 14:12).

Jesus says again: in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full (John 16:23-24). So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened (Luke 11:9-10). John later tells us explicitly what the conditions we must meet are, so that God will do whatever we ask of Him, saying: if our heart accuses us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not accuse us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight (1John 3:20-22).

A Christian who practices sin, does not have confidence toward God, but his conscience is accusing him, and his heart is condemning him. If we keep the commandments of God, and do the things that are pleasing in the sight of God, then whatever we ask we receive from Him. In other words we need to embrace the sanctified life of Jesus, His truth and way, if we want God to do whatever we ask Him, that lines up with the Holy Scriptures. Peter also tells Cornelius, and the people who gathered under his roof to hear the words of Jesus, that God can use them the same way He used the apostles, provided that they meet the requirements of God. Peter opened his mouth and said, Truly I see that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation, he who fears Him, and works righteousness, is accepted by Him (Acts 10:34-35). The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, and to depart from evil (Proverbs 8:13, Proverbs 16:6). So if you fear God, and practice righteousness, God will work through you, the same way He worked through Jesus, the apostles and the prophets of old.

There are no limits to what God can do through you, provided we keep His commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in His sight: Jesus told us: With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). But now Jesus is telling every born again believer: If you can believe, all things [are] possible to him who believes (Mark 9:23). You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13). Whatever you can think of, God in you, through Christ Jesus, is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all you can ask or think, according to the miracle working power that works in you, and He is going to do it now (Ephesians 3:20)!

I-3-h) You do not need to have every word perfect, for God to perform a miracle through you.

King Hezekiah decided to return to the ways of the Lord, and not only asked Judah, but even Israel to return to the ways of the Lord. So he knew that the people were not meeting all the standards of God. And the bible records: For a multitude of the people, many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good LORD provide atonement for everyone [who] prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though [he is] not [cleansed] according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the LORD listened to Hezekiah and healed the people (2Chronicles 30:18-20). Basically the salvation of the souls, the healing and the deliverance of the people, depends on the person who ministers. The Passover is the shadow of the crucifixion of Jesus, when Jesus died He gave us the Perfect Redemption Plan of God. Remission of sins, of trespasses and iniquities and healing were paid for on the cross.

In the days of Moses it is recorded: they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, at twilight, in the Wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did. Now there were [certain] men who were defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron that day. And those men said to him, “We [became] defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the LORD at its appointed time, among the children of Israel? And Moses said to them, “Stand still, that I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you”. Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If anyone of you or your posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or [is] far away on a journey, he may still keep the LORD’s Passover. On the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (Numbers 9:5-11).

You see brothers and sisters: the law was given through Moses, [but] grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). Moses in the Law, told them if you are defiled you cannot keep the Passover with your brethren. You need to come a month later, when you have purified yourself. The law does not bend, it is rigid like an iron rod, but Hezekiah foresaw the day of Jesus, grace and truth would come, and it would not be based on our performances or us trying to have everything right; but God is a good God, and He knows those who trust in Him (Nahum 1:7). Hezekiah prayed for everyone both the clean and the unclean, that God may provide atonement for everyone. For us in the New Covenant we have remission of sins, not mere covering (atonement). Hezekiah said in His prayer everyone [who] prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though [he is] not [cleansed] according to the purification of the sanctuary. (2Chronicles 30:19)

It is the heart that matters. People who come to you for ministration, some live a sanctified life, meaning they are cleansed. But there are also those who come to you and do not live a sanctified life yet; but they are willing to forsake their sinful lifestyle to embrace the way, the truth and the sanctified life of Jesus. Do not turn them away; minister to them and God will heal them, deliver them and prosper them; because He has seen the willingness of their heart to sanctify themselves from this day forward. Paul says: for if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man has, and not according to what he does not have (2Corinthians 8:12). People come to Jesus the way they are, even to Jesus who is our Passover. As Paul explains: Purge out therefore the old leaven [the leaven of sin, the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy, the leaven of Herod, which is political intrigues, to get to power], that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1Corinthians 5:7-8).

As we have already explained: signs, wonders, miracles, manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and demonstration of the power of God, are not for a show; but to draw people to an ever closer walk of faith, and sanctified life with Christ. So people may come, still in their sin, but they must be willing to change their life, if they want to receive the blessing of Christ Jesus our Passover. We should not tell them to go back and first sanctify themselves, and then we will minister the blessings of Christ Jesus our Passover to them. But we should see the willingness in them, and minister to those who are willing to change their life.

Sometimes Christians do not want to cleanse their life, even after God has shown them His goodness. Paul says to them: do you despise the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But after your hardness and impenitent heart, you treasure up unto yourself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Romans 2:4-5). Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which, no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). Some people, even Christians, want to use God as they use a witchdoctor or a magician. Israel did that for many years, even four hundred and fifty years, during the days of the Judges (Acts 13:20). They lived like the heathens, and even worshiped their idols, at the same time they worshiped the God of Israel. And when they were in trouble, they ran to the God of Israel, to deliver them.

God delivered them over and over; but they despised the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; they did not understand that God was delivering them, so that they would realize that there is no help in their idols, and the ways of the heathens, and repent of their sins to serve the only true God, and Him alone. One day they came again thinking to use God to get their deliverance, and still live in their evil ways. And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and you cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. Yet you have forsaken Me, and served other gods: therefore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry unto the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation (Judges 10:11-14). They were impenitent people, even after God had done many miracles in their life! My prayer is, that you will not fall into that category of despisers of the Lord that Paul talked about, and the book of Judges illustrates.

Do not send the people home, and tell them to come in a month or on another day, after they have confessed all their sins, and then they would be able to be born again; no, but tell them the truth of the word of God, and then tell them to change their life after you have ministered to them. The thief on the cross did not even confess all his sins from his birth; he only acknowledged that he was a sinner, and that Jesus should remember Him in His kingdom, and he received eternal life (Luke 23: 39-43). Deep inside his heart, there was a willingness to change his lifestyle, if he were given another chance! Jesus looked at that willingness of his heart, his repentance was genuine. Jesus did not tell him: you have not confessed all your sins, come back another day!

The same thing applies for healing and deliverance. Do not send people home and tell them, when you have confessed all your sins, God will heal you, or do not tell them: I do not see enough faith in you, so come another day when you have enough faith to be healed. Be like Hezekiah who only considered the heart of the people, to change their life and cleanse themselves from the filth of the world, to live a sanctified life. The only thing they had to do was, to come to the Lord with a willingness to change, whatever does not please God in their life. Be like Hezekiah and have faith for the people, even when they are not right according to the law, even when they have sin in their life, but they are willing to change their sinful life, and live a sanctified life. Jesus never sent anybody home, telling him: you have not confessed all your sin, and your fathers’ sins to be saved or to be healed. He never told anybody: I do not see enough faith in you to be healed, come another day. But He had faith for the people to be healed.

In September 2014, I was conducting a healing service in Glasgow. And the Lord led me to read 1Corinthians 6:9-10. I wanted to preach on Luke 4:18; but He changed my message in that auditorium, to 1Corinthians 6:9-10. I preached against sins, and unholy lifestyle. I said there is no such a thing as a Christian who smokes; you are still conformed to the world! And one lady was weeping. At the end of the preaching, when she came forward for prayer, she told me that she was the lady the Lord was speaking about. She smokes, and now has cancer in her throat. I could see by how much she had cried, that she genuinely repented. I did not say to her, go home first and stop smoking, and then come back. No, I saw the genuine repentance, and nobody could doubt her willingness to change her lifestyle. I laid my hands on her, and her two deaf ears were instantly open, and I said to her, just like God has opened your deaf ears, he has also healed your cancer of the throat. She came back in November 2014 with a medical report confirming the healing of her cancer of the throat. Praise the Lord.

When the Lord changed my message from Luke 4:18 to 1Corinthians 6:9-10; I did not know what the lifestyle of anybody in the auditorium was, for 99% of them were Christians. And I did not want to cause anybody to weep at all, that was not my intention. Paul says: For even if I grieved you in the letter [or in my preaching], I do not regret; if indeed I did regret; for I see that that letter [or that preaching] grieved you for an hour. Now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you grieved to repentance. For you were grieved according to God, so that you might suffer loss by nothing in us. For the grief according to God, works repentance to salvation [healing, deliverance and salvation of the soul], not to be regretted, but the grief of the world, works out death. For behold this same thing (you being grieved according to God); how much it worked out earnestness in you; but also defense; but also indignation; but also fear; but also desire; but also zeal; but also vengeance! In everything you approved yourselves to be clear in the matter. Then, though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong, nor on account of the one who suffered wrong, but for the sake of revealing our earnestness on your behalf, for you before God (2Corinthians 7:8-12).

The same principle applies to the knowledge of the scriptures when we are ministering to people. You do not need to quote every scripture correctly, a parrot can quote them better and more accurately than you, but God sees your heart. In your heart, you want that person born again, you want that person healed, and you want that person delivered. I tell you God wants that person’s soul saved more than you do, He wants to see that person delivered from those demons, and healed more than you do. He just wants you to go and represent Him, and He will move through you. Hezekiah understood it, and he prayed for everybody who had a willing heart, to change their lives around, to be forgiven, and to be healed, and the bible tells us after Hezekiah had prayed: the LORD listened to Hezekiah and healed the people. So everybody whose heart was right, even though they were not clean according to the law, were forgiven and healed.

When I am in church, and I ask a member to pray, I listen to their prayer. So sometimes they do not remember the scriptures the exact way it is written in the bible, they look at me, thinking I will correct them. I do not correct them; because I know that their heart is right, and that is what matters to God. And God listens to their prayers and performs the miracle. I tell you, sometimes people will even lie to you, if they are suffering from an STD and even AIDS, and they are ashamed to mention it to you. They just give you one of the symptoms, but your heart is right, you want to see them made whole. So you just pray for that symptom, but because your heart was right, they are made whole, so that even the STD is taken care of. Was what they did right when they lied to you about their real sickness? Of course not, yet God is good, like Hezekiah understood, and even if the people are not doing everything according to the word of God, but they are willing to change their life, they will be healed.

God is not that capricious rock star who is offended when you do not do everything just right, and refuses to perform because of that. God is like that great humanitarian star, who knows how people are hurting, and He knows that sometimes the things we are going through are shameful and disgraceful. He knows we are ashamed to confess all our sins publicly; but he sees that in our heart we have purposed to forsake those sins. So He just wants our heart to be right, and we acknowledge that we are sinners and need Him in our life, as our Lord and Saviour. He knows some of the sicknesses and diseases are shameful, that we are afraid to tell people about them, lest they look down on us and judge us. So He tells us, if we have need of healing, He will heal us of all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

I was reading the bible in two of my mother tongues, namely Munukutuba and Lingala, and they are not literal translation of the Greek, or the Hebrew bible, but they are paraphrases of the French bible. They are not as accurate as the King James Bible, and sometimes the translators did not put the details of every flower, because those flowers do not grow up in tropical climates. Or they sometimes added words to try to explain to the people, what was happening in the bible stories. I tell you God is not a stickler, so that He will not perform His word, if the exact word or exact tree, or exact flower, or exact disease is not used! No, I tell you the truth, God does mighty miracles. In the days of my grandmother, the majority of the country used to be catholic, and the mass was in Latin, or in French; but who understood Latin? And the local people in villages, do not understand French!

But when Protestantism was brought into the country: the Protestants brought that New Testament, paraphrased in our mother tongue, and God did mighty miracles, like in the book of Acts. So I tell you, that you do not need to have the entire words just right. God is not a stickler [a person who insists on perfect accuracy of sentences, the way they are written in the bible]. He knows the thought and the intent of the heart. When I read my bible in French, it is not as rich as my bible in English, yet God still does miracles through the hands of my pastor who begot me in the Lord, and my parents and brothers, who only read their bible in French. Do not stumble over the fact that the person who is preaching, or praying, has a poor vocabulary, or poor grammar, or is making mistakes in his conjugation. God is not moved by these things. He knows the thought and the intent of the person who is preaching or praying. I had a friend who had English as his first language, but English is not my first language. So sometimes I do not have the right words in English to communicate my thoughts, and I do not have all those fancy words he has. So one day he told me harshly: “I wish you could speak in French and not in English, for you do not communicate your thoughts well!”

I told him: you do not speak French, so if I speak in French you will not understand what I am saying either! I went home, that day and wept that night. I said to God: why have you called me to share Your word in English? Do You not know that people see my speech as incompatible? God woke me up in the night, and gave me a name of a preacher whom that friend of mine respects a lot, and has all his books in his personal library. So I went onto YouTube, and typed the name of that preacher and listened to one of his testimonies. English was not his first language either; so when he and his parents moved from Israel to Canada, he had to learn English. And whenever he was reading his bible in English, he always had a dictionary, because he did not understand the majority of the words in the English bible. But today that pastor is all over the world, and God is using him mightily, he is one of biggest Television Evangelists in the USA. And it spoke volumes to me, because it was what I was doing. I always had my French-English dictionary with me, and it would take me one hour to read one chapter of my English bible; because almost one word out of four, I did not know the meaning of, or how to pronounce it, so I had to look at the meaning and the pronunciation.

God sent me people who did not care about my pronunciation or my grammatical mistakes. He sent me people who were in a mental institution. I was praying with them every morning, and sharing the word of God with them in English, for at least one hour every morning from 6am to 7am. God worked miracles in their lives, and they all came out of that mental institution. Many times they were the ones correcting my pronunciation in love. I like being corrected, but only when it is done in love. Then He sent me a dear sister who was not crazy, Sister Esther. I said to God: this one is not crazy, she might reject the word of God because my speech is contemptible! Thank God, she has the love of God in her, and overlooked my contemptible speech. She has been a blessing to me, more than I have ever been a blessing to her! And God has sent me people who loved me for who I was, and God did miracles, even though in my own eyes, my speech was contemptible.

Moses was stammering, Paul’s speech was contemptible to the Jews, because Hebrew was not his first language, for he was born in the land of the Romans, namely Tarsus. Greek was his first language, so when he spoke Hebrew he had an accent. But Paul said: my speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (1Corinthians 2:4-5). These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual (1Corinthians 2:13). Put them in memory of these things, charging them before the Lord, not to dispute about words to no profit, to the subverting of the hearers (2Timothy 2:14). So we may not have eloquent words, or our wording might not be perfect, or we may not quote the scriptures as well as a parrot can; but God knows the thoughts and the intents of our heart. The kingdom of God is not in grammar, but in power! Yet, it is not an excuse, not to improve my grammar and vocabulary either; for God who called me to preach, wants me to be able to communicate His gospel effectively.

I-3-i) How do I pray for healing or to raise the dead?

This is not a formula, but in a way it is a frame of mind. Many Christians, when it comes to praying for the sick, ask God to heal them. God will answer: I have already healed them, I said by Jesus’ stripes they were healed (1Peter 2:24). If you read the prayers of Jesus and of the disciples for healing the sick, they never prayed that God should heal the person. But they commanded healing. They spoke to the part of the body that was sick, and commanded it to do what they wanted. If for instance a person is blind, we can say to the person, receive your sight now in Jesus’ name. Or we can command the eyes, saying: eyes, I command you to be opened now in Jesus’ name. If a person is in a wheelchair, you can say to the person: rise up and walk in the name of Jesus; or you can command the legs, saying: legs I command you to function now! And then you take the person by the hand and lift him up out of the wheelchair, telling him – walk in Jesus’ name. If a person tells you what his sickness or disease is, you command that sickness or disease to leave the person’s body in the name of Jesus, and you command that organ or part of the body to do what it is supposed to do in a healthy body.

Jesus says: Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be removed, and be cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he said shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he said (Mark 11:22-23). The mountain in our case, is that sickness, disease, demon, or any other problem you have. You must speak to that mountain, command it to leave the body, and command the body to function. You are not to ask it, but command it, you are not to talk to God about that sickness or disease, but speak to that mountain about God, and the word of God, and command that thing to leave the body of that person, and command that body to be healed, to be made whole in Jesus’ name. We must know the will of God, and act on it. You must command healing, command the body to do what you want it to do, you must command the dead to live.

When it comes to laying hands on the sick, you do not necessarily have to lay hands on the afflicted part of the body. It can be very inappropriate. In the gospel and in the book of Acts, most of the time when they recorded how Jesus and the disciples laid hands on the sick, they took the sick people by the hand, and lifted them up (Matthew 8:14-15, Acts 3:6-7). For instance if you are a man, and a lady who is not your wife, has a breast cancer, or a man or woman has any sickness on his or her private part, do not lay hands on that diseased part of the body, Jesus never did it, nor did his disciples. You can just hold the hands of that person, and command that thing to leave the body, and command the body to be made whole in Jesus’ name. You can lay hands on a person’s eyes, or ears, or face, or neck, or foot, you do not have to lay hands on the head of that person, if they do not have a problem in their head.

What is in your heart, is what will be manifested, as you open your mouth and speak the word of God. Jesus said: a good man or woman, out of the good treasure of his or her heart, brings forth that which is good; and an evil man or woman out of the evil treasure of his or her heart, brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). We need to know what was in the heart of Jesus when He raised the dead, so that we can also believe the same way in our heart, and raise the dead at will.

Paul tells us: why should it be thought incredible by you, that God raises the dead (Acts 26:8)? The dead do not praise Jehovah, nor do any who go down into silence (Psalm 115:17). Regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken to you by God, saying, “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?” God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Matthew 22:31-32). We must learn to think, talk and believe according to the written word of God. It is one of the keys to experiencing the same results written in the bible, along with the master key of sanctification, prayer with fasting and baptism of the Holy Ghost. Jeremiah said to God: Ah Lord God! Behold you have made the heaven and the earth by Your great power, and Your outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard or too difficult for You (Jeremiah 32:17). And the Lord Himself answered Jeremiah saying: behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard or too difficult for Me (Jeremiah 32:27)?

The Prophet Elisha also thought, talked and believed that way, he said to the kings of Judah, Israel and Edom: thus says the Lord: you shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain, yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your animals and cattle may drink. And this is a simple matter in the sight of the Lord; He will also deliver your enemy, the Moabites, into your hand (2Kings 3:17-18). So Elisha knew that performing miracles of any kind, was a simple matter in the sight of the Lord, it was not a hard or difficult thing in His sight! And that is how Jesus also thought, talked and believed. He said: I with the finger of God cast out devils (Luke 11:20). So according to Jesus, God does not even need to use His full hand to deal with devils, that are oppressing people with sickness and disease, but only uses His finger to cast out those devils and their oppressions. In other words: it is a simple matter in the sight of the Lord!

Jesus says: For as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens (gives life to) them; even so the Son quickens or raises whom He will (thelo: will, choose, please, wish) (John 5:21). You are now a son of God since you believed in Jesus, and became born again: as many as received Jesus, to them He gave authority or the right, to become sons of God, even to them that believe on the name of Jesus (John 1:12). Beloved, now are we the sons of God (1John 3:2). Since you are also a son or daughter of God, you are like your elder brother Jesus; for He dwells in you. And as our Father raises up the dead, even so, you as a son or daughter of God, through Christ Jesus, will raise the dead at will, as you please, as you wish, as you choose. Jesus told us: verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live (John 5:25). You are a son or daughter of God, and Jesus, who is The Son of God, dwells in you, when dead people hear your voice, they shall live; for it is the Spirit of Jesus that is speaking through you (Matthew 10:20). Jesus the Son of God went to the tomb of Lazarus and said to Lazarus: Lazarus, come forth (John 11:43). Lazarus heard the voice of the Son of God, and came back from the dead, dead people will hear your voice, because you are a son or daughter of God through Christ Jesus, and they will live.

Jesus told us: marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in which all who are in the graves, shall hear His voice, And shall come forth (John 5:28-29). Now is the hour that people who are in the graves will hear your voice, as a son or daughter of God, through Christ Jesus, and they shall come forth from the dead as Lazarus did. This should not be a marvel unto us; but it should be a normal thing, because we are sons and daughters of God. Jesus told us: fear not; I am the first and the last: I am He who lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death (Revelation 1:17-18). Jesus, the Son of God is alive, He lives in you, when people hear your voice, they hear Him: he or she who hears you, hears Me, Jesus; and he or she who despises you, despises Me; and he or she who despises Me, despises God the Father who sent Me (Luke 10:16). Jesus is the same in you today, as He was when He walked on earth in His physical body (Hebrews 13:8). Nobody removed the keys of hell and of death from His hands. If we choose to imitate the sanctified lifestyle, the truth and the faith of the prophets of old, Jesus and His disciples, He will do the same miracles, signs and wonders through us today (Hebrews 13:7-8).

And He tells us: I give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever you shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19). Among the keys of the kingdom of heaven Jesus gave us, are the keys of hell and of death. So we are to raise the dead at will, or as we please; because we are in the Son of God, and it is His will to raise the dead as the Father raises up the dead. It is not the will of God that any should die in the prime of their life. Hezekiah knew this and said to God: in the cutting off of my days, or in the prime of my life, I shall go to the gates of the grave, I am deprived of the remainder of my years (Isaiah 38:10). For the grave cannot praise God, death cannot celebrate You: they that go down into the pit, cannot hope for Your truth. The living, the living man, he shall praise You, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known Your truth (Isaiah 38:18-19).

And as we read, God healed Hezekiah, nobody is to die in the prime of his life, nobody is supposed to have a miscarriage, for the Lord says: there shall nothing cast their young or suffer miscarriage, nor be barren, in your land: the number of your days I, God, will fulfil (Exodus 23:26). With long life will God satisfy each one of us, and show us His salvation (Psalm 91:16). Hence, O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory (1Corinthians 15:55)? Jesus, who dwells in us, is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory over death and the power of the grave or hell through our Lord Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 15:57). We shall live and fulfil the number of our days, and because we are sons and daughters of God the Father, who raises up the dead, we shall raise the dead at will; because it is the will of our Father and Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life, dwells in us and has the keys of hell and of death.

Bone issues: marrow, fractures, missing cartilage, bone cancer, etc.

If for instance a person has a problem with his or her bones, we can prove from the scriptures that the word of God promises to heal or make him or her whole and cured. Solomon says: It shall be health (riph’uth: a cure, make whole, health) to your navel, and marrow to your bones (Proverbs 3:8). The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and a good report makes the bones fat (Proverbs 15:30). Pleasant words are as honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health (marpe’: a cure, medicine, health) to the bones (Proverbs 16:24). Thus according to these few scriptures, the word of God, which is the good news, the good report and pleasant words, cures any problem one might have, with the marrow of their bones, be it a need for a marrow graft, or a cancer of the bones, a knee replacement, arthritis, etc; the word of God is the cure, and it will bring health to those bones and articulations.

If a person has a problem with their bones or skeleton, are missing a bone or part of their skeleton, missing a cartilage, have a fused neck, or a metallic bar has been placed to support their back, or a metallic plate, the word of God will make those bones whole. A new cartilage will be formed where there was none, a new bone or vertebra will be created, the iron bar or plate will be removed, and God will create new bone instead. So what is that word of God that does all these wonderful things? Here is that word: by Jesus’ stripes we were healed, made whole, and cured (Isaiah 53:5. 1Peter 2:24). So be healed, made whole and cured in your body of any bone issue now, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

Food allergies

If for instance a person is suffering from any food allergy, this is one of the ways to be healed instantly. You lay your hand on your body or their body to be healed, and you can pray for yourself if you are the sufferer, or for them if you are the one ministering healing. People have prayed this simple prayer and have been instantly healed of all their food allergies, and today they are enjoying food, everything that is set before them to eat. You can say out loud with me: Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me (John 11:41-42). The medical report of the physicians is a lie, for they are forgers of lies, they are all worthless physicians, oh, that they would be silent and it would be their wisdom (Job 13:4-5)! I believe the report of God which says by the stripes of Jesus I was healed (Isaiah 53:5; 1Peter 2:24). As it is written : there is nothing unclean or common, I can eat all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air, all kinds of fish including sea food (Acts 10:10-15).

I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that [there is] nothing unclean of itself (Romans 14:14). I eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; for “the earth [is] the LORD’s, and all its fullness. When any of those who do not believe invites me [to dinner], and I desire to go, I eat whatever is set before me, asking no question for conscience’ sake (1Corinthians 10:25-27). The Lord has brought me to a land flowing with milk and honey; so I enjoy all kinds of milk and honey for it is God’s will for me (Exodus 3:8).The Lord says: My son, eat honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate (Proverbs 24:13). So you food allergy, I command you in the name of Jesus, to leave my body at once in the name of Jesus, and body I command you, in the name of Jesus to be healed, you eat whatsoever is set before you in the name of Jesus, Amen. Now go and eat what you could not eat before in Jesus’ name!

Blood issues and genetic diseases

If for instance someone is suffering from a genetic disease or genetic disorder, or has a blood illness, blood issue, HIV, AIDS, sickle cell anaemia, leukaemia or any other disease that is running through a family history: the parents had that disease or sickness and the children and the grandchildren now also have the same thing. God wants to heal the parents, the children and the grandchildren at once. This is one of the ways. You lay your hand on your body or the body of that sick person to be healed and you can pray with me for yourself or for them:

Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me (John 11:41-42). The medical report of the physicians is a lie, for they are forgers of lies, they are all worthless physicians, oh, that they would be silent and it would be their wisdom (Job 13:4-5)! I believe the report of God which says by the stripes of Jesus I was healed (Isaiah 53:5; 1Peter 2:24). As it is written: no longer shall it be said in my life: the fathers ate the sour grape and the teeth of the children are set on edge (Ezekiel 18:2-3). Christ Jesus on the cross drank the cup of sour wine and said to me: it is finished (John 19:29-30)! Yes my genetic problem, which is a sour grape, is finished today!

Just like the woman with the issue of blood for twelve years touched the hem of your garment and was immediately healed of her issue of blood (Luke 8:43-48). Today Jesus Christ, the Sun of righteousness, has arisen with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2). For the blood of Jesus; that has washed even the smallest particle imaginable in my body (John 13:10), even at the DNA level; speaks better things for me, it speaks wholeness and perfect healing, even at the DNA level (Hebrews 12:24). I have overcome this sickness by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony which is the written word of God (Revelation 12:11). Jesus heals every sickness and every disease (Matthew 9:35). Today I have need of healing so Jesus has healed me (Luke 9:11). Jesus has seen me struggling in my blood and says to me in my blood: live! Yes, Jesus says to me in my blood, live (Ezekiel 16:6)! So I speak to you sickness [name that genetic disease, or issue of blood, leukaemia, sickle cell anaemia, or HIV, or AIDS, all the hepatitis family or hereditary illness, diabetes, etc] I command you, in the name of Jesus, to leave my body immediately! Body I command you to be made perfectly whole, even the smallest particle imaginable, even at the DNA level, in Jesus’ name! Amen. Now go and do what you could not do before and check with your earthly physician.

Allow me to tell you a testimony of a brother who had kidney problems. The reason why I share it, is because it might bless someone, for it is written: they overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, both the written word of God which is the testimony of God and their personal testimonies (Revelation 12:11). When people start having kidney problems they start detecting white blood cells in their urine; but this brother was past that stage, his kidneys were damaged badly, he was urinating blood and in three days he had lost six pints of blood which is about 3.4 litres. He was but skin and bone. He could not even stand on his feet anymore he was walking down on all fours.

But the brother believed that he did not need to be on dialyses or to have a kidney transplant. He believed that God was able to give him two new kidneys. So he laid his hands on his lower back and prayed this way: Father I thank you because you have heard me, I know you always hear me (John 11:41-42). I have heard the report of the medical doctors and I thank them for their knowledge, but I decided to believe the report of the Lord, for Your power will be revealed to me (Isaiah 53:1).

Those earthly physicians that say it is impossible, are forgers of lies; they are all worthless healers, worthless physicians. Oh that they would stop speaking entirely! And it would be their wisdom (Job 13:4-5). The report of the Lord says: the things that are impossible with man, including earthly physicians, are possible with God (Luke 18:27). With men it is impossible but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). And now all things are possible to me because I believe in Jesus Christ (Mark 9:23). I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). So I speak to you kidneys, I command the blood to stop flowing into my urine immediately, and I command a creation of two new kidneys now! Body, function properly now in the name of Jesus, be healed, be made whole; for by the stripes of Jesus you were healed (1Peter 2:24), in Jesus’ name, Amen!

When you are sick you do not pray nice flowery prayers, cute prayers; no, you want that thing gone! Be violent in your prayer. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of Heaven is taken by violence, and the violent take it by force (Matthew 11:12). That brother was sharing his testimony with a brother who is in the medical profession, that brother said to him: do not use that scripture of Job 13:4-5, it might offend some doctors, you should be “tactful”. Job who used it understood in what pain he was, he had painful sores all over his body. Physicians of his days had no cure for him. The next day the brother was now losing less blood, after three days there was no more blood in his urine and after ten days he was healed. The brother enjoys his life now. People will ask how can this be? the answer is: The Holy Spirit shall come on you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you, and the Holy Ghost will create what needs to be created and will heal what needs to be healed (Luke 1:35).

Private body parts issues

Many people have a private body part problem, but they think it is natural. They go to their doctors, and they tell them that some women have this problem or some men have that problem, and they are among the men or women who fall into that category. I will tell you what the report of the Lord says to those physicians: But you are imputers of lies; you are all worthless healers. Oh that you would stop speaking entirely! And it would be your wisdom (Job 13:4-5). My brother and my sister decide to believe the report of the Lord. God created mankind perfect, if there are some women who do not have that issue, but you have it, it means it is of the devil. If there are some men who do not have your issue, it means your issue is of the devil. For this purpose the Son of God was made manifest, to destroy the work of the devil in your body, even in your private body parts.

A sister called me, and told me that when she has her period it is always very painful, and sometimes she cannot go to work or to school. Her gynaecologist prescribed some pills, but it does not truly help. So I said to her, sister what does the report of the Lord say about your issue? She said she does not know, she thinks that it is normal that some women have painful menstruations, and they just have to manage them with some medication! I said to her: my sister, have you ever read Isaiah 53:4-5? She said: yes! I asked: so what does it minister to you? She said: I do not know?

So I detailed it to her, saying: Surely Jesus has (Nasa) borne as a punishment in our stead our (Choliy) malady, anxiety, calamity, disease, grief and sickness; and He has (Sabal) carried as a burden in our stead our (Makob) anguish, pain, sorrow; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. He was wounded or pierced through for our transgressions, He was bruised or crushed for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:4-5). And Peter says after the cross: by Jesus’ stripes we were healed (1Peter 2:24).

So your painful menstruations are part of the pains that Jesus carried as a burden in your stead. Thus since Jesus carried those pains, and died for them, why do you need to manage those pains with pills your entire life? If they were normal, all the women on earth would have those same pains. It is not just for the menstruation of women. Many people have migraine pains, or chronic pains in their body, and they are on medication to try to numb that pain, and manage it their entire life. It is not of the Lord, but of the devil. Jesus carried that pain for you. She prayed a simple prayer and she was healed, and I told her to do what she could not do before she did it, and the pain left.

You can pray this way: Father I thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross for me, and carry my pains as a burden, so that I would never be burdened with them anymore. I thank you, because by the stripes of Jesus I was healed of all pain. I command you pain, today you bow at the name of Jesus, I command you to leave my body immediately and never come back. Body I command you to line up with the report of the Lord, you are loosed of these pains, function normally from this day forward, in Jesus’ Name, Amen!

I know a brother who had a hernia and hemorrhoids; it was very scary because part of his intestines were out, and he was afraid to go to the toilet to do defecate (“to have a bowel movement”). Not only was it painful, but it was also bleeding, and it was as if the intestines were coming out more every time he had a bowel movement. I decided to keep the anonymity, of this brother whose first name is “Gery”. Oops! I have disclosed his identity? I know he will forgive me.

So the brother laid his hand on his private body part, since it was his own body and prayed this way: Father I thank you because you have heard me, and I know you always hear me (John 11:41-42). I thank you because I have believed your report, which says that by the stripes of Jesus I was healed (Isaiah 53:5, 1Peter 2:24). You heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease (Matthew 4:23). I speak to you issue of blood to stop immediately in the name of Jesus, and you growth and intestines that are out of place, I speak to you: my finger has become the finger of God, for God dwells in me. I command you to disappear and melt away like hills melt at the presence of the Lord (Nahum 1:5). Growth, I curse you in the name of Jesus, and command you to die and disappear immediately in Jesus’ name, Amen!

The bleeding stopped the same day, but the growth was disappearing progressively. I was a bit discouraged because for the three days it looked like the growth was not getting better, and I remembered in the book of Exodus, when Moses went to Pharaoh to tell him the word of God: let My people Go! Pharaoh resisted him, and the situation got even worse for the people, even Moses said to God: why have You sent me to Pharaoh? For since I said to him: let My people go! He has added tasks, and worsened the bondage of my people. But Moses kept going back and saying the same thing to Pharaoh: let My people go! And at the end they won and God utterly destroyed those Egyptians, and they saw them no more. So I laid my hand on myself every day, and after the fourth day, I started seeing some results, and on the seventh day, as I was taking my bath, to my great amazement it was gone, and everything was perfect again. I took a mirror to look down there, because I could not believe what my hand was feeling and my eyes needed to see!

Why am I telling embarrassing stories about myself? It is because I know there are many subjects which are taboo in church, and people keep their sickness. Now I said to you brother Gery is not your model of faith, it took him some days to get it done. As we read the bible, all the healings Jesus performed, were taking place the same day, so please believe according to the word of God. And even if you do not see the result immediately, be like Moses who went back to Pharaoh with the same profession: let My people go! Do not take back your words once they have gone out of your mouth. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith, without wavering (for He is faithful who promised) and let us consider one another, to provoke to love and to good works, (Hebrews 10:23-24). Since then we have a great High Priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (Hebrews 4:14).

Some women, after they have given birth, whether naturally or by C-section, have problems in their private body parts. Some would have constant pain, some would be in pain when they come together with their husband, some would not be able to hold their urine, and some would have difficulties having a bowel movement, which sometimes results in a hernia, because they now have to push so hard to have a bowel movement, and any other complications that women may have, because they gave birth. People say: it is because I gave birth, the physician says that is why I have this problem, or the doctor said it is because I had a C-section, that is why I have this problem. I will not enter into much detail, but sisters understand what goes on in their own body that they have been tolerating for years, and they give up hope of ever getting back to a normal life. The devil will lie to them saying: “you have had children, rejoice some people are barren, so if you have that pain or issue, it is okay.”

The bible says: Lo, children are the inheritance of The Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward. As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the sons of the young. Blessed and happy is the man or the woman who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate (Psalm 127:3-5). It is God who rewarded you with those children, they are His inheritance to you, and He says: blessed and happy are you because you have them. The bible also says: The blessing of Jehovah itself makes rich, and He adds no sorrow (from atsab: worry, pain, anger, displease, grieve, hurt, be sorry, vex) with it (Proverbs 10:22). God’s plan for you is not, after He has blessed you with those children, that you have sorrow, anger, hurt, vexations, displeasures, pains, or sicknesses. No, God adds none of them with His blessing of childbirth, but they came from the devil.

My sister, whatever problem is in your body because you gave birth or because the C-section went wrong, or because of any other complications, agree with me in prayer today. Lay your hand on yourself and pray this prayer out loud, for the very moment I am writing this letter to you, I am fasting for you, as David said: But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom (Psalm 35:13). You do not have to be angry with the doctor that messed up during the C-section; you do not need to be angry with the baby either, God is about to fix it now, so pray with me:

Father I thank you because you have heard me, and I know that you always hear me (John 11:41-42). Whatever I ask you in the name of Jesus, you do it for me, so that you are glorified in Your Son Jesus (John 14:13). Lo, My children are the inheritance you gave me and the fruit of my womb is a reward, you have blessed me and made me happy with them (Psalm 127:3-5). And Your blessing, O Lord, adds no sorrow with it, no hurt with it, no worry about my health with it, no pain with it, no anger with it, about anything that went wrong during the pregnancy or the delivery (Proverbs 10:22).

The devil comes but to steal, kill and destroy but You, Jesus, have come that I may have life, that I may actually enjoy my life, and have life more abundantly (John 10:10). For You have given me richly all things that I may enjoy, including my children and all the childbirth I had (1Timothy 6:17). I thank you, because I was healed of all kinds of sickness, and all kinds of diseases by the stripes of Jesus (1Peter 2:24, Matthew 4:23). My body, I speak to you to hear the word of the Lord, sickness you are not welcome in this body. I curse you in the name of Jesus, and I command you leave my body immediately, and never return here in the name of Jesus! Body I speak to you, I command any organ that has been damaged to be made whole immediately, to be recreated brand new, functioning normally from now on, in the name of Jesus, Amen!

Some men had their testicles removed, or were born without them, or they are not functioning properly. Some men and some women, before they were converted to Christ, had their male or female reproductive organ removed, to have a sex change. If you are one of them, repent of your sin, give your life to Christ, and God will reverse the sex change now. Some women had their ovaries removed, or were born without ovaries or those ovaries are not functioning properly. Some women’s wombs were removed or are too small to carry any pregnancy. All these are the works of the devil, and not the works of God. For God blessed them [man and woman starting with Adam and Eve]. And God said to them: be fruitful, and multiply and fill the earth, and subdue it. And have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the heavens, and all animals that move upon the earth (Genesis 1:28). God blessed Noah and his sons. And He said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth (Genesis 9:1). You shall be blessed above all people. There shall not be male or female barren among you or among your cattle (Deuteronomy 7:14). There shall nothing cast their young or there shall be no miscarriage, nor be barren, in your land: the number of your days I will fulfil [you will carry your pregnancy to its term] (Exodus 23:26).

If you are in those shoes, your day of deliverance has come and it is today! Join me in prayer, saying this prayer out loud. Father I thank you because you have heard me, and I know that you always hear me (John 11:41-42). You commanded mankind, both male and female to be fruitful and multiply and populate the earth (Genesis 1:28). Your plan has not changed; for you are the Lord and you do not change (Malachi 3:6). You formed my inward parts even my organs; and covered me in my mother’s womb. I praise you today, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works and my soul knows it very well (Psalm 139:13-14). All my organs and bones are written in Your book, and you have them in your storehouse in heaven, though they are missing in my body on earth (Psalm 139:16).

You commanded us to pray that your will that is in heaven be done here on earth (Luke 11:2). I command my body on earth to line up with its blueprint that You have in heaven. I command you organ [name your organ: testicle, reproductive organ, ovary or womb] to be recreated right now in the name of Jesus! I command you to function perfectly: be fruitful, multiply and populate the earth (Genesis 9:1). Barrenness and miscarriage you are not welcome in this body! I command you to leave my body immediately and never return;

womb you carry all pregnancy to its term (Exodus 23:26)! By the stripes of Jesus you were healed (1Peter 2:24). I command you organ [name your organ: testicle, reproductive organ, ovary or womb] to be made perfectly whole immediately in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen (Matthew 14:36)!

Some children are born with two genitals: the male reproductive organ and the female reproductive organ. And parents are either ashamed of such a child or blame themselves. They do not know how to raise that child, either as a girl or as a boy. It is the work of the devil, not of God. God created that child perfect; but the devil, the enemy of our God, came and planted the bad seed in the womb of the woman (Matthew 13:24-30). Parents should stop blaming themselves for who the child is, or what they could have done to prevent it from happening, or what sin they had committed that brought this on them. Above all things, they should never see that child as being a witch or a wizard who was planted in the mother’s womb. Even if the child is demon possessed, it is never the fault of the child, but the devil that possessed him or her. Many children born in that condition have been accused of sinning, even practicing the sin of witchcraft from their mother’s womb, and have been killed in some parts of the world. The disciples also thought that way; that either the parents sinned or the child was already sinning from the time he was in the mother’s womb, practicing witchcraft from the mother’s womb.

As it is written: as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from his birth [in our case we are talking about a man who was born with two genitals both the male and female genitals]. And His disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind [in our case, who sinned that this man was born with two genitals, the man while in his mother’s womb or his parents]? Jesus answered, Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents; [it is Satan, the enemy of our God, that did it by planting his bad seed in the womb of the mother (Matthew 13:24-40)]; but [I, Jesus, have come to destroy the works of the devil (1John 3:8)] so that the [original] works of God should be made manifest in him. I, Jesus, must work the [miraculous] works of Him [God] who sent Me (John 9:1-4). Jesus has come today to work a miracle in your life, to destroy the works of the devil in your life.

The same thing applies for men who have done a sex change and put breast implants in, or to women who have done a sex change. We should not despise them, but love them, for Jesus also died for them. They have been greatly deceived by the devil; but there is still hope for them, even Christ Jesus the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). If they give their life to Christ, and genuinely become born again: repent of their sin toward God and forsake their abominable ways (Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13), God will restore their reproductive organs, their breasts, and any other thing they tampered with in their bodies, to the way they were when He created them. Christians who are overly religious, only pick on homosexuals and people who have made a sex change, because what they have done and are doing, is an abomination to the Lord; but the truth is, there are some things in Christians’ lives, that are also an abomination to the Lord.

You shall not lie with mankind as with womankind. It is an abomination to God (Leviticus 18:22). If a man also lies with mankind, as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be on them (Leviticus 20:13). So from these two scriptures, we know that what they do, is an abomination to the Lord God. Let us see what other things are abominations to the Lord. The Lord says: you shall burn the graven images of their gods with fire. You shall not desire the silver or gold on them, nor take it for yourself, so that you may not be snared in it. For it is an abomination to Jehovah your God. And you shall not bring an abomination into your house, lest you be a cursed thing like it. You shall utterly hate it, and you shall utterly despise it. For it is a cursed thing (Deuteronomy 7:25-26). So idol worship is an abomination to the Lord, if you have them in your house, they bring their curses into your house. God has blessed you and has taken the curses contained in the Law out of your ways by nailing them on the cross in the body of Jesus (Galatians 3:13-14).

The children of Israel thought it was a joke. So when God gave them the victory over Jericho, Achan took some of the accursed things of the people of the land, and brought it into his tent. Because He took the accursed things, which were an abomination to God, he and Israel were also cursed like the things he brought into their camp. They lost the battle of Ai and were bereaved. It was only after they had removed the accursed things from their midst, that they could have the victory over Ai. God was not cursing them; for even Balaam the prophet of Baal said: how shall I curse, whom God has not cursed? Or how shall I defy, whom the LORD has not defied (Numbers 23:8)? God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: has He said, and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken, and shall He not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and He has blessed; and I cannot reverse it (Numbers 23:19-20).

The devil only wants us to take some of his idols, or practice some of the sins that are embedded in idol worship, so that the curses he speaks over us can work. One of the sins is sexual immorality, and the others are listed in 1Corinthians 6:9-10. And we have explained in “David’s Sexual Sin Exposed” and in “Abecedary of Prayer” how the sins mentioned by Paul in 1Corinthians 6:9-10 have been embedded in idol worship. And that is what Balaam taught Balak to do, in order to defeat Israel (Numbers 31:16). It was the accursed things that Israel had taken that brought them that calamity of Ai (Joshua 7, Joshua 8). Today some Christians worship idols and have those idols in their house: they have books of idol worship in their house: Quran, yoga books, eastern meditation, astrology, magic books, etc. All those books are an abomination to the Lord and those who have them in their house are doing abominable things in the eyes of God. That is why in the book of Acts, when people were born again, though they did not read those magic books again, but they brought them out of their house and burned them.

As it is written: many who believed came and confessed and showed their deeds. Also many of those practicing the curious arts, bringing together the books, burned them before all. And they counted the prices of them and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the Word of God grew mightily and prevailed (Acts 19:18-20). If you want the word of God to grow mightily in your house and prevail, get rid of those abominations that are in your house, no matter how expensive they are! I was dealing with a sister. I have never set my foot in their house in Stockport, Manchester, United Kingdom. Yet the Lord showed me a vision that they had an idol of Tutankhamen, who was an Egyptian pharaoh. The Egyptian pharaohs thought that they were gods and people worshiped them. When they died, their servants were buried alive in their pyramids. The Egyptians worshiped the sun, they were idol worshipers. And Tutankhamen literally means: the living image of the sun.

We have explained in the series of the Perfect Redemption Plan, that Satan was behind the pharaoh. So I called that sister and told her: the Lord told me you have an idol of an Egyptian demon in your house: Tutankhamen. She said it was their wedding gift and it is very expensive. I said to her, all your problems in your marriage are caused by that demon that you have in your house. Her husband and her, did not want to part from their wedding gift; so she removed it from her house and put it in the garden. So the Lord showed me another vision of her house. And I called her, and I said to her: sister, you have not got rid of that idol but put it in your back yard. She said: how do you know? I said: you are not lying to me, you are lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:4, Acts 5:9).

So she obeyed that time, and got rid of that Idol of Tutankhamen. And two weeks later, I had another vision of her house, and I saw another idol in her house on top of one of her pieces of furniture. So I called her again, saying: sister, you have an idol in your house. She told me: I got rid of that pharaoh statue I have nothing else. I told her: the idol is on top of one of your pieces of furniture. So she swept her whole house and found a Quran on top of her refrigerator. And she removed it from her house. What other things are abominations in the eyes of God? A man has done abomination with his neighbour’s wife; and a man has defiled his daughter-in-law in unchaste acts; and a man has humbled within you his sister, his father’s daughter (Ezekiel 22:11). You stand on your sword, you work abomination, each defiling his neighbour’s wife. And shall you possess the land (Ezekiel 33:26)? Adultery, fornication, incest, paedophilia, bestiality are abominations to the Lord; because their practice is rooted in the idol worship of Baal.

The Lord God says: take heed to yourself that you do not become snared, by following the people of the land, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not ask about their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods, that I too may do likewise? You shall not do so to Jehovah your God. For every abomination to Jehovah, which He hates, they have done to their gods; even their sons and their daughters they have burned in the fire to their gods. All the things I command you, be careful to do it. You shall not add to it, nor take away from it (Deuteronomy 12:30-32). So murder is an abomination to God, abortion is an abomination to the Lord, serving God the way the pagans serve their gods, is an abomination to the Lord. Balaam who was a prophet of Baal, was prophesying and cursing people for money. Jezebel who worshiped Baal, and persecuted and murdered the prophets of God, she was an abomination to God.

The mammon spirit or the spirit of greed or covetousness, is an abomination to God. Jesus says: no servant can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. And being money-lovers, all the Pharisees also heard all these things. And they derided Him. And He said to them, You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God (Luke 16:13-15). So gambling is an abomination to the Lord because it is under the spirit of mammon. So to sum it up, all the sins listed by Paul in 1Corinthians 6:9-10, are abominations to God, for those particular sins are rooted in idol worship as we have explained in the bible studies: “David’s Sexual Sin Exposed”, and “Abecedary of Prayer”.

Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor abusers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God (1Corinthians 6:9-10). So do not just pick on homosexuals and people who had a sex change performed, but love them and minister salvation to them, for just like you will minister salvation to a fornicator and an adulterer, who are also abominations in the eyes of God. For all have sinned, even committed an abomination in the eyes of God, and come short of the glory of God, But if we receive Christ Jesus, we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24).

Having clarified what God means by abomination, let us now pray for people who had a sex change operation, but have repented of their sin, and given their life to Christ, and for people who were born with two genitals. Father I thank you and I give you all the glory for your unconditional love toward us and especially toward me. Your infinite mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13). Indeed great is Your mercy toward me, Your loving kindness toward me, Your tender mercy toward me day after day. You are a good God and You do good (Nahum 1:7). I thank You Jesus, because You have come to destroy the works of the devil in my life, even my self-inflicted destruction. I know that the things which are impossible with men, are possible with God (Luke 18:27). Because I believe in Jesus Christ, now the things that are impossible to men, have become possible to me through Christ (Mark 9:23). In the name of Jesus, I command my reproductive organ to be created the way God made me from the beginning. I bind this work of the devil in my body, and I command it to leave my body immediately (Matthew 16:19). By the stripes of Jesus I was healed (1Peter 2:24).

I command perfect wholeness in my body immediately (Matthew 14:36). Everything in my body that my heavenly Father did not put in there, but the devil did, either directly when I was born, or indirectly through surgery, I command it to dematerialize and be removed from my body in the name of Jesus! As it is written: Every plant, which my heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up (Matthew 15:13). Everything that is supposed to be in a perfect body, as God designed Adam and Eve perfectly in the beginning, but the devil stole it from my body, either directly at birth or through surgery, I command it to be placed back where it belongs immediately, in the name of Jesus. My body be made perfectly whole now, according to the blueprint of God that is in His book in heaven, nothing missing, and nothing added that is not supposed to be there, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Eating disorders and Weight loss

In the west, people struggle a lot with their weight, one needs to be healthy, malnutrition is a sickness. Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating and purging, by consuming a large amount of food in a short amount of time, followed by an attempt to rid oneself of the food consumed (purging), typically by vomiting. It is of the devil! Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by immoderate food restriction, and irrational fear of gaining weight, as well as a distorted body self-perception. It typically involves excessive weight loss. It is of the devil! God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and of a sound mind (2Timothy 1:7). We do not have a distorted body self-perception, but a sound mind. And any eating disorder that you might know of, is not of God, but of the devil!

I was in Glasgow Scotland doing my prayer walk in the morning, and praying for the sick people in the streets. I met a lady whose name was Helen; she was walking with a crutch and was but skin and bone. I said to her: excuse me, I just want to know why you need that crutch? She said she was suffering from malnutrition, and her body was so weak that she needed that crutch to support her weight. I told her, do you mind if I pray for you, I am a Christian? She said; I do not mind. So I prayed in this manner: Father I thank you for the life of Helen, I give you the glory for her life because she is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). And she is the apple of your eye (Zechariah 2:8). And you love her. You malnutrition, I command you to leave the body of Helen in Jesus name now! Body of Helen, I command you to be healed of malnutrition, appetite be restored in this body in Jesus’ name, Amen! She thanked me and walked away, and when she walked away from me, she did not lean on that crutch again. After you have prayed this prayer, do me a favour, act on your faith and go and eat something in Jesus’ name!

If for instance you are suffering from obesity, it is also a sickness from the devil. Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated, to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems: particularly heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnoea, certain types of cancer, osteoarthritis and asthma. God said: with long life He will satisfy us and show us his salvation, healing, health (Psalm 91:16). So since obesity reduces life expectancy, and increases health problems, it can only be of the devil!

You can pray to be healed of obesity in this way, lay hands on your body and say out loud: Father I thank you for you have heard me and I know that you always hear me (John 11:41-42). I know that by the stripes of Jesus I was healed of Obesity 2,000 years ago (1Peter 2:24). Just like the inhabitants of Canaan: the Hittites, Perezites melted away, so does the cellulite and excess fat of my body melt away today. (Exodus15:15). The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth (Psalm 97:5). The excess fat and cellulite in my body, I command you, in the name of Jesus, to melt away like wax before fire, for my God dwells in me and He is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). And the word of God is a fire that melts you away (Jeremiah 23:29). I command you, excess fat and all cellulite in my body, melt away now, cellulite and excess fat, melt away like wax before a fire, in the name of Jesus. Stomach I command you, in the name of Jesus, be restricted from ingesting more food than what I need. Thank you Father for making me whole, and melting away my excess body fat immediately, in Jesus name, Amen! Now do me a favour, reduce your intake of food in Jesus’ name!

Dead raising

Why is it thought a thing incredible with you that God raises the dead (Acts 26:8)? Some Christians think that way too. Regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken to you by God, saying, “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?” God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Matthew 22:31-32). The dead do not praise The Lord, nor do any who go down into silence (Psalm 115:17). Jesus said to us, I am the Resurrection and the Life! He who believes in Me, though he die, yet he shall live (John 11:25).

If for instance you are facing a situation where a person has died, or a pregnant woman received the medical report that her baby in the womb is dead, or has given birth to a still born baby, or a person is in a coma, or has been declared brain dead. This is one of the ways you can pray. Lay your hand on the dead person or dead baby, or the brain dead person or the person in the coma, or you ask the pregnant woman to lay her hand on her womb, and you lay your hand on top of her hand, and you can pray in this manner:

Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me (John 11:41-42). The medical report of the physicians is a lie, for they are forgers of lies, they are all worthless physicians, oh, that they would be silent and it would be their wisdom (Job 13:4-5)! I believe the report of God which says: Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). And by faith women received their dead raised to life again (Hebrews11:35), Mary and Martha received their dead brother Lazarus raised to life again (John 11). The widow of Nain received her dead son raised to life again (Luke 7:11-17); Jairus received his dead twelve year old daughter, raised to life again (Luke 8:49-56). Jesus Christ is always the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

He told us: Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I [am] He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death (Revelation 1:17-18). And I thank you Jesus for giving me the keys of Hell and death as it is written: I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19). Father I thank you because the person before me is not dead but sleeping, and I have come to wake that person up (John 11:11). Jesus said to me: as the Father raises the dead and gives life to [them], even so the Son gives life to whom He will (John 5:21). Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live (John 5:25).

The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth (John 5:28-29). O death, where is your sting? O hell, where is your victory? Thank you God for giving me the victory over death and hell through my Lord Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 15:55-57). Therefore I say to you young man or young woman [if you know the name of the person, mention it] you shall not die, but you shall live, I bind death and the power of hell and the grave over you, and I command you to come back from the dead, and live in Jesus’ name. You shall not die but live to declare the resurrection power of God, in Jesus’ name, Amen (Psalm 118:17)!

I.4 You have life in you: give it away.

The Holy Spirit who dwells in you, is the Spirit of life; it is the very life of God, the very life of Jesus in you. Paul tells us: but you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you or if you belong to Christ, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness (Romans 8:9-10). For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). Sin and its by-products: sickness, disease and death should not rule in your life anymore, for the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ has made you free from sin, sickness, disease and death. When you received the Holy Spirit, you received the life of God, even the Zoe life of God. Jesus explains it to us saying: It is the Spirit that quickens or makes alive; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life (John 6:63). You have the life of God in you; because the Spirit of life dwells in you, so the words that come out of your mouth are not mere words, but they are Spirit and life because the Spirit of life is in you.

Think of the life that is in you, as embryonic cells. When a woman is pregnant, the baby is not even formed in the womb yet, but these embryonic cells start multiplying. These embryonic cells take the form of any organ, any tissue. They have life in them and they take the form of any part of the body of the baby. The Spirit of life that is now in you, can be likened to those embryonic cells, so when you speak, the words that you speak they are Spirit and life. Just like those embryonic cells develop into an eye, a lung, a heart, a brain, a leg, etc. Likewise the words that come out of your mouth, create what you say. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it, shall eat the fruit of it (Proverbs 18:21). Read the bible study on “The Power of Confession”. Christians should be careful using words; for they come to pass in their own life and other people’s lives. If you command a body to be healed, guess what? The body will be healed. If you command blind eyes to see, they will see. If you command a new organ to be created, a new organ will be created, if you command a new leg to grow, a new leg will grow. If you speak to your finances and command prosperity, guess what? You will prosper.

You have that life in you, go and give it away, pray for people. When they are sick you have the life in you, that will create whatever they need. Speak only blessings out of your mouth, for your words are creative words. People are always looking for the “anointing to heal cancer”, the “anointing to heal the lame”, the “anointing to prosper”, “the anointing for success”, etc. What you must realize is that you have life in you; the Holy Ghost you received is the Spirit of Life. He is like those embryonic cells, what you speak will be created by the Spirit of Life in you. You must believe what you speak in your heart, and you must mean it. Jesus says: O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things (Matthew 12:34-35). It is so easy to believe and wish people evil in our heart; for that is how we have been trained by the world system, which is influenced by the devil (1John 5:19). Christ Jesus has come to give us an understanding, that what we say comes to pass, what we think, comes to pass, and what we believe in our heart, comes to pass. Thus we should be thinking about ourselves and about people, according to the word of God (1 John 5:20, Ephesians 3:20).

If we believe something in our heart and confess it with our mouth; we will have the manifestation of what we have said (Romans 10:9-10). If we think about something God will do it for us (Ephesians 3:20). That is why it is crucial to renew our mind, according to the written word of God, so that our way of thinking, and the way of believing in our heart, are no longer conformed to the way of the world which is influenced by the devil; but is conformed to the way Jesus thinks in His mind and believes in His heart; for Jesus is The Way, The Truth and The Life (Romans 12:1-2, John 14:6). The quickest way to train your heart to believe the word of your mouth, is by manifesting the fruit of the Spirit, especially the aspect of faithfulness. Many believers do not walk in signs and wonders; because by their actions they have trained their heart not to believe a single word that comes out of their mouth. Their word is worth nothing! They never keep any of their promises to anybody; they are not faithful to what they say! What people do not know is that our actions demonstrate what we believe in our heart. Faith or belief or reliance without works, or corresponding action, is worthless or useless or dead (James 2:17).

We have seen in the bible study “The Power of confession” that confession starts by saying the same thing God says about us, and about our situation; thinking and believing the same way Jesus and God think and believe, which are always according to the Holy Scriptures, and then doing the things, or acting the same way God and Jesus do things, and act, in that particular situation; which again are always according to the written word of God. The last aspect of confession, which is acting on the word of God, is what demonstrates what we truly believe in our heart. Jesus likens it to a wise man or wise woman, a person who builds his or her house on the rock: the rock of hearing and doing or acting on the word of God (Luke 6:47-49). And many times the devil comes and accuses us saying: “you do not have faith, or you do not believe that particular promise of God”.

Your first answer to that devil’s accusation is what Paul tells you: We having the same Spirit of faith [that the prophets of old, the apostles and Jesus had], according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak (2Corinthians 4:13). So after you have quoted that scripture back to the devil, go and tell that promise of God, that the enemy is accusing you of not believing, to two or three people. Why tell it to two or three people? Because by the words of two or three witnesses, everything thing must be established (2Corinthians 13:1, Deuteronomy 19:15, Matthew 18:16, Genesis 41:32). Once you have spoken to at least two or three persons about that particular promise, it means, that in your heart, you have established that you believe it, even though your mind is still accusing you. And then you need to act on the revelation found in that particular promise of God you believe Him for, like James says: I will show you my faith by my works or corresponding actions (James 2:18). Show or demonstrate to the devil, the people around you, and your own mind, by your works or corresponding actions that you believe in that particular promise of God.

If you speak healing, you will have healing, it does not matter what kind of disease or sickness. If you speak prosperity, success, unity, peace, etc; and act according to the instruction found in the bible to have the manifestations of that particular promise of God, it will be materialized. You have life in you, and it takes the form of the words that come out of your mouth. Your words are Spirit and life. Give that life away; do not keep it to yourself. Speak the word of salvation around you, and the people will be saved, speak the words of healing around you, and the people will be healed, speak the words of prosperity around you, and the people will prosper, speak the words of success around you, and the people will be successful in their life, career, marriage, etc.

As it is written: “The first man, Adam, became a living soul,” the last Adam was a life-giving Spirit (1Corinthians 15:45). You and I are in the last Adam, who is Christ Jesus, we are no longer just living souls, but have also become a life-giving Spirit, for Jesus dwells in us, the words that we speak are now Spirit and life, they bring back to life everything that was dying (John 6:63). So when you open your mouth and speak, you give life to everything around you, as long as you speak in line with the written word of God, it is no longer you who are speaking, but the Holy Ghost is speaking through you (Matthew 10:20). Therefore God will watch over His Word that comes out of your mouth, to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12). God in the Garden of Eden, when He created man from the dust, blew the breath of life into that body, and Adam became a living soul (Genesis 2). But after the resurrection, Jesus who became a life-giving Spirit, appeared to His disciples and breathed on them, so that they would receive the Holy Spirit of God, so that they also would have the breath of God in them, and would be able to give life to everything dying around them, in the name of Jesus (John 20:22). Jesus Christ breathed the breath of life into every born again Christian, so that in Christ Jesus each one of them has become a life-giving Spirit; truly life and death is now in the power of their tongue, and those who love it will eat the fruit of it (Proverbs 18:21).

People will say: I have been speaking words of life into people’s lives, so why is not imparting life into them? God is no respecter of persons like Peter says; but in every nation everyone who fears God and practices righteousness is accepted by Him (Acts 10:34-35). God said to Cain: why have you angrily glowed? And why did your face fall? If you do well, shall you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at the door; and its desire is for you, and you shall rule over it (Genesis 4:6-7). It was the person of Cain that was rejected before his worship or service for God was rejected; it was the person of Abel that was first of all accepted before his service or worship was accepted. God said to Cain; I am no respecter of persons, if you do well or what is required, you as a person will be accepted, and so will your service and worship. We need to choose the sanctified or righteous life of those prophets, apostles and Jesus Christ, being doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves. A life of prayer with fasting, and the baptism in the Holy Ghost, if we want to be effective in imparting life to people and situations, with the words of our mouth. We are already accepted in the beloved Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:6). Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve or worship God acceptably, with reverence and Godly fear (Hebrews 12:28).

I.5 Healing by the Spirit of life within you

Paul tells born again Christians that we are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in us (Romans 8:9). So born again Christians are always in the Spirit, regardless of how they walk. Whether they walk in the flesh, which means to act according to the world and its lusts; or they walk in the Spirit, which means to act according to the written word of God; they are always in the Spirit and never in the flesh. The devil always lies to many believers; as soon as they miss the mark, he tells them: “you are not in the Spirit anymore, but in the flesh”. You might have walked or acted in the flesh; but you cannot come out of the Spirit unless you were not born again in the first place, or you are a backslider. If that be the case, then you were never in the Spirit at any time. The Spirit of God dwells in you 24/7, so you are always in the Spirit. Does it mean that because we are always in the Spirit, we can walk anyhow? The answer is no. Paul tells us: since born again believers live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). This I, Paul, say then, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). Walking in the Spirit is walking according to the written word of God, and doing the word of God!

My prayer is that we will stop chasing goose pimples, smells, physical sensations, and stand on the written word of God alone. We do not walk by sight, meaning all the five physical senses (smell, touch, eye sight, hearing, taste), nor by our emotions; but we walk by faith; and faith comes only by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (2Corinthians 5:7, Romans 10:17). If you are chasing goose pimples, to tell you that you have entered “the atmosphere of heaven”, you can also go to the supermarket and stand in the frozen food section, and you will get goose pimples. If for you, “the atmosphere of heaven” is when you smell the odour of roses and lilies, so when you smell that odour, you “prophesy” – “heaven has invaded this building, I can smell it, there is holiness and righteousness in this place, this is holy ground!” Someone can put an air-freshener in the church, and it is rose-lily odour, or you can go to the supermarket in the section of air-fresheners, and you can smell roses and lilies there.

And what if you are in that same church the next day and you now smell a foul odour? And you now “prophesy”: “the devil is in our midst;

I can smell his foul odour, the smell of uncleanness and sin in our midst, let us repent of sin, and cast out the devil from our midst”. But what you did not know is, that the foul odour you smelt was the gentleman in the nice three piece suit who sat beside you that farted silently. Brother Gery when he eats eggs and beans farts at times, so if he has his Scottish breakfast before coming to church and sits beside you, that morning in church you might not experience “the atmosphere of heaven”: smelling roses and lilies! Elijah, in His contest with the prophet of Baal at Mount Carmel in 1Kings 18, made fun of the worship of the prophets of Baal, their emotionalism: they danced, they whipped themselves, they shouted, they leaped.

There is nothing wrong with dancing; David danced before the Lord, whirled and leaped (2Samuel 6). There is nothing wrong with shouting Joshua and Israel shouted at the wall of Jericho at the command of the Lord (Joshua 6). There is nothing wrong with weeping also; David and all his men wept until they had no more strength to weep (1Samuel 30). What we should avoid is to use praise and worship, dancing, shouting and weeping as a manipulation to get God to move on our behalf. Manipulation is the sin of witchcraft (1Samuel 15:22-23).

Saul was commanded by God to kill all the Amalekites and take no plunder; but Saul changed the command of the Lord to his own selfish advantage and took the spoil. Samuel told Saul: because he had changed the command of the Lord, it meant that he had rebelled against the Lord, and rebellion is the sin of witchcraft, thus manipulation of the word of God is the sin of witchcraft. We should praise and worship God for who He is, not merely for what He has and what He can do for us. Whenever we act on the word of God, we are worshiping Him, or serving Him. Our life is to be a service or worship to God: meaning we are to be doers of the word; that is the true worship (Romans 12:1-2, Genesis 22:5, Hebrews 12:28)! Let us be genuine in our praise and worship, and with tears, not crocodile’s tears. Elijah told the prophets of Baal: your god cannot hear you, because he might be sleeping and needs to wake up, so shout louder; or he might be on a long journey so he is absent; or he might have finished eating and has gone to the toilet, you can smell the foul odour of his excrement, can’t you? After all he is a dungy idol!

God is good and He loves us. If you have been reading the My Weekly Milk letters, you have read many testimonies where the word of God came to me by one thing I saw, or what God caused me to smell, or any other physical sensation God gave me. And whatever God said, I always checked it with the written word of God. And I have not boxed God either, saying: whenever I will see something like that, or smell that particular odour, then it will always mean that God is saying this or that to me. People want formulas; God wants a relationship with His children. And many times people, because God spoke to them or gave them a miracle a particular way; they have yoked everybody in the church to be doing the same thing. You have also read some of the prophetic actions God asked brother Gery to do; yet Gery never asked anybody to do it? Because God spoke it to Gery, and God backed it up with the written word of God, and if God did not ask brother Gery to repeat it, brother Gery never repeated it.

As you read the books of the prophets, Jeremiah only repeated the prophetic actions God told him to do for a period, determined by God, and he did not ask the people to be doing them. The prophetic actions Isaiah did, when God instructed him, he did it for the period instructed, and after that he did not repeat them; and he did not ask people to be doing them. The prophetic actions Ezekiel did, as commanded by God, he did it for the period God told him, but after that he did not repeat them; nor did he ask the people to repeat them. The reason people want formulas, is because they do not want to have a personal relationship with God! David always inquired of the Lord, even when he faced the same enemy whom he had already defeated in the past; so should we always inquire of the Lord (2Samuel 5).

And it was the same thing for the prophetic actions God asked His prophets to do, they did it for the period God instructed them to, and did not repeat it unless God commanded them to do so. What has happened in the church today is that we are looking for formulas, so if last year we fasted for 10 days and God answered our prayers, so we no longer hear from God and decide to systematically fast ten days at the beginning of the year, for 70 years. The Jews made that mistake, and discovered God was not in their fast at all. The wall of Jericho fell down flat after they encircled it for seven days, and on the seventh day the people shouted, and the wall fell down flat (Joshua 6). God commanded them to do that to win Jericho, but for the other cities, God did not ask them to do the same prophetic action. We need to develop a relationship with the Godhead.

God was in the shout of the people of God on the seventh day, after they had encircled Jericho. And we see how those walls fell down flat and they had the victory over their enemies, for God commanded them to do so (Joshua 6). God was not in the shout of the people of God in the days of Eli, when his son carried the Ark of the Covenant to the battlefield against the Philistines. The people shouted so loudly that the earth shook. Yet the children of Israel were defeated, fled the battlefield, and the sons of Eli: Hophni and Phimehas, who carried the Ark of the Covenant, were killed and the Ark captured (1Samuel 4). God was not in their shout this time though it shook the earth! The carriers of the Ark, namely Hophni and Phinehas were not willing to live a sanctified life; but rather live in sexual immorality and corruption, and did not know the Lord (1Samuel 2:12-17).

Sanctification is the master Key if you want to enjoy fellowship with God, and victory through Jesus Christ against your enemies. Even before Joshua went to fight against Jericho, Jesus, who is the commander of the army of the Lord, appeared to him and reminded him of the importance of sanctification. And it happened, when Joshua was beside Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked. And, behold, there stood a Man in front of him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, Are You for us, or for our foes? And He said, No, but I have come as the Commander of the army of Jehovah. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and he worshiped and said to Him, what does my Lord say to His servant? And the Commander of Jehovah’s army said to Joshua, Take your shoe off your foot, for the place on which you stand is holy. And Joshua did so (Joshua 5:13-15).

Jesus is ready to fight any battle of ours, but He requires holiness from our part. If we do not choose a sanctified life, even though Jesus is in us, and with us, we will be defeated by our enemies, like the two sons of Eli and all Israel sadly discovered in 1Samuel 4, when they faced the Philistines in battle. For it had already happened as an example to all of us in the days of Joshua. Joshua and Israel discovered it at the cost of thirty-six dead people among their troops (Joshua 7:1-6). Someone took the accursed things of the city of Jericho, which God forbade them to do, so when they went to fight against Ai they were defeated. Joshua and all Israel fasted the whole day. God asked Joshua, why are you fasting and praying? Just get the accursed things from your midst, and I will continue to fight for you and give you the victory. They removed the accursed things which were found in the house of Achan (Joshua 7). And then after they had sanctified themselves, they won the battle of Ai and went on conquering the whole land.

Holiness was also the first thing Jesus, who is the Angel of the Lord according to Isaiah 63:8-9 and John 8:58, required from Moses, if he wanted to have a close relationship with the Godhead, and victory over Pharaoh, his magicians and his armies. The Angel of Jehovah appeared to him in a flame of fire, out of the midst of a thorn bush. And he looked. And behold! The thorn bush burned with fire! And the thorn bush was not burned up. And Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the thorn bush is not burned up. And Jehovah saw that he had turned aside to see, God called him out of the midst of the thorn bush, and said, Moses! Moses! And he said, Here I am. And He said, Do not come near here. Pull off your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground (Exodus 3:2-5). If you want to come close to God even enjoy a close relationship with the Godhead, you will need to choose a sanctified lifestyle!

Jehoshaphat praised the Lord with his army and God delivered their enemies into their hands in 2Chronicles 20. But we see nowhere else that God ask Jehoshaphat to dance and sing so that He would deliver him from his enemies. You are the sheep of the Lord and you hear His voice, like Joshua heard His voice, like Moses heard His voice, like Jehoshaphat heard His voice, like David heard His voice. God wants to speak to you and if He wants you to do a specific prophetic action, He will tell you directly and He will show you in the scriptures, that it is not violating His written word.

My prayer is that God will keep us from emotionalism, and every crooked spirit when we come together to worship and praise Him. That we will choose a life of sanctification like Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Jesus, His disciples and many other saints in the bible chose before us; so that we will enjoy a close fellowship with the Godhead, and God will fight all our battles, and give us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 15:57). We will no longer have to rely on formulas, because we have a personal relationship with God, and He speaks directly to us, always in line with the Holy Scriptures! May we always stand on the written word of God. I have much to say, but time will fail me. My advice to us is, when you do not feel comfortable doing something that the church leader is asking you to do, ask him where it is in the bible? And then if He cannot tell you where it is in the bible, do not do it until God tells you where it is in the bible. Be a Berean Christian!

Paul tells us: the Spirit of Him (God) who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He (God) who raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken (zoopoieo: revitalize, make alive, give life to, quicken ) your mortal bodies by His Spirit who dwells in you (Romans 8:11). Born again Christians must realize that they are always in the Spirit, for they live in the Spirit. God raised Jesus from the dead by the Power of His Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, dwells in every born again believer now. The Holy Spirit in you, will heal your mortal body, will revitalize your mortal body, and will give life to your mortal body. We must realize that the source of our healing is in us, we truly do not need another believer to lay hands on us, for the source of our healing is in us, that great Holy Ghost. Every believer can pray for himself and be healed; because the Spirit of God, who revitalizes, makes alive and quickens, dwells in each one of us and never leaves us.

When a believer is suffering from whatsoever sickness or disease, he can either lay hands on himself and command the healing or command directly the healing, without laying hands on himself. Jesus explains to us: It is the Spirit who quickens (zoopoieo: (zippoyo )revitalizes, makes alive, gives life, quickens); the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life (John 6:63). Whether you lay hands or not, it truly does not matter; what matters is that you speak the word of God over that sick body, diseased body or dead body. It is the Spirit of God in you, that does the miracle, He gives life to your mortal body or to the body of the person you are praying for. The words you are speaking are Spirit and they are life. So you can directly command healing, wholeness and life to your body, in the name of Jesus, and your body will be healed, made whole and come back from the dead. The psalmist understood it and said: He, the Lord, sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions (Psalm 107:20). The Lord now dwells in you, send the word of God to that sick or diseased part of your body, and the Holy Spirit in you, will make those words of your mouth alive.

That is why you can pray for people over the phone, you can cast out devils over the phone, you are just sending forth the word of God, and the Holy Spirit will give life to their mortal body, and deliver them from any destruction. Since you are never in the flesh, but always in the Spirit, there is no distance in the Spirit. In the flesh the person can be miles away from you; but you, as a born again believer, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. That is why you can pray for people over the phone, or just speak out a word and they will be healed. Jesus did not have a mobile phone in His days, so when the Roman centurion came to Him for the healing of his servant, Jesus only spoke the word, and the servant who was miles away, was healed (Matthew 8:1-13). The servant of the centurion never heard the voice of Jesus; but was healed that same hour Jesus spoke the word of his healing. So the distance does not matter and it does not even matter if the sick person can hear you. Our job is to speak the word. Otherwise deaf people will never be healed of anything, for they cannot hear what you are saying!

Your words are Spirit and life, they are not mere sounds. That is why you can pray for a person who does not understand your language, you are not talking to him, you are talking to his body and his body hears you, for your words are Spirit and life, not just mere sounds. The Canaanite woman came to Jesus for the healing of her daughter who was demon possessed. Jesus spoke the word of healing for her daughter, and she was made whole from the hour Jesus spoke those words (Matthew 15:21-28). That Canaanite woman’s daughter was miles away, and never heard the word of Jesus, but was delivered from that devil from that hour. I have even sent some people text messages, and the very moment they read my text message, they received their miracle. Brethren even the words that you text are Spirit and life, and the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead, will quicken people’s bodies when they read it, or will give them the miracle they have been asking God for, when they read it.

If we do not understand that we are Spirit; we will always have the limitation of the flesh. So it is written: the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening (zoopoieo: one who revitalizes, the One who makes alive, the life giving, quickening) Spirit (1Corinthians 15:45). Unsaved people still have the Adamic nature, that fallen nature, and are sinners. Born again believers, no longer have that Adamic nature, they are no longer sinners, but righteous, even the righteousness of God. When Adam and Eve fell, they became just soul and flesh, but their spirit was dead. The children they begot, were only soul and flesh, not spirit. But Christ Jesus our last Adam came, He did not fall, but obeyed God to the point of death. When we are born again, we are now in Christ the last Adam, and He resurrects or gives life to our spirit that was dead; we become spirit, soul and flesh. God resurrected our spirit; it is perfect, nothing will be changed in our spirit. In our spirit we are like Jesus, as He is, so are we in the world (1John 4:17). We need to renew our mind according to the scriptures. Our mind is part of our soul, not our spirit, as we renew our mind, it lines up with our spirit man who is complete in Christ. Once we have renewed our mind, we must now change our conversation or conduct, that is now walking in the Spirit, and not in the flesh.

Many Christians do not understand it, and they fail to renew their mind according to the word of God, and walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Born again people are perfect in the Spirit like Jesus, but if their mind is not renewed, they will still be sense ruled or carnal, and they will walk in the flesh, though they live in the Spirit. The purpose of all these bibles studies is to renew our mind, so that we will have the mind of Christ, and be walking in the Spirit. Not only did God make us perfect in the Spirit, as Jesus is, so are we in the Spirit, but God also made our members part of the body of Christ, His flesh and His bones (Ephesians 5:30), therefore God wants our spirit, soul and body to line up with the word of God, Christ is the Word made flesh (John 1:1). We must walk like Him, talk like Him, do the works He did, and think like Him.

So we are spirit, soul and body (flesh and blood). As a spirit you have no physical limitations. Jesus, who was Spirit, soul and body (flesh and blood); and now is Spirit, soul and flesh [no more blood just flesh] (Luke 24:39); has no physical limitations. When the evening was come, they brought unto Jesus many who were possessed with devils: and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick (Matthew 8:16). If you have a small group of people, you can lay hands on every sick person, and cast out devils one by one. But if you have the kind of crowds Jesus had, you cannot go and cast out devils one by one, or lay hands on thousands of people in one evening! The flesh profits nothing [truly people do not need the laying on of your physical hand] it is the Spirit that gives life and drives out devils; the words that you speak are Spirit and life. So in this case Jesus only spoke a word, and many who were possessed with devils, were set free and all who were sick were healed. If we do not realize that we are spirit and as spirit we have no physical limitation; we will limit what God can do through us, and many people will keep suffering because we have limited God.

The psalmist says: yes, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel (Psalm 78:41). The Psalmist was reminding the people how their fathers refused to go into the promised land, because they were afraid of the giants of the land. If we do not realize that we are spirit, God is Spirit, and that we must worship Him in Spirit and truth (John 4:24); we will always be looking at things in the physical and in the flesh. We will feel outnumbered by the enemy, or outnumbered by the people who need our ministration. And we will turn back. Jesus could have turned back and said to the multitude: I cannot pray for all of you by laying on of hands one on one, you are too many. But He understood that He was Spirit and the truth of the word of God says: He just needs to send the word and the word will heal the people, and deliver them from their destruction (Psalm 107:20). So He spoke the word, and all of them were healed and delivered from those devils.

Philip understood he was spirit, though he had a soul and body. And we see how he was supernaturally transported to Azotus, after he had finished water baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:40). Many born again believers would say: I do not know if I have the faith to pray for this kind of sickness or disease, I have never prayed for that in the past, I have never encountered someone who prayed for it before. Or they will say: I do not know if I can pray for someone to come back from the dead, I have never been in such a situation, and I know nobody who has raised the dead. I feel like I am not ready to pray for the sick and diseased yet, or to raise the dead yet, I am not ready. When we say those things, we are still looking at our flesh, our human limitations.

Moses was also looking at his human limitations. How could he feed millions of Hebrews with meat every day in the wilderness? He said to God: Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? And the LORD said unto Moses: Is the LORD’S hand waxed short? Or is the Lord’s power limited? You shall see now whether My word shall come to pass unto you or not (Numbers 11:21-23). God is Spirit and has no limitations, when we believe God and act on what He asked us to do, His words out of our mouth will surely come to pass. God asks Jeremiah, saying: Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me (Jeremiah 32:27)? And the answer of Jeremiah to the question is: Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heaven and the earth by Your great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard or too difficult for You (Jeremiah 32:17).

For this is the word of the Lord to all of us who worship Him in Spirit and truth: not by might (which means by the ability and strength of many people or of an army), not by power (which means by the ability and strength of one person) but by My Spirit says the Lord of Hosts (Zechariah 4:6). There is no mountain, no matter how great it is, that will be about to stand before you, the Spirit of the Lord through the words that come out of your mouth will pulverize it, and where that great mountain used to be, will become a plain (Zechariah 4:7). For the Spirit of God who is the Spirit of faith is in you (2Corinthians 4:13), and as you open your mouth and command that mountain to be removed and cast into the sea, it shall be done (Matthew 21:21). Brethren most of the time we will never feel ready or qualified or experienced to do what God is calling us to do. That is why it is called faith; if you can do it by your power you do not need God. The righteous or just shall live by faith, not by his own ability and strength or the ability and strength of the group of people he belongs to, but by faith in God (Habakkuk 2:4). Paul tells us: God also has made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (zoopoieo: revitalize, make alive, give life to, quicken) (2Corinthians 3:6).

God did not make a mistake when you became born again and He placed His Spirit in you. You are His able minister; you are qualified to minister to anybody at any time. You are a minister of the New Covenant or New Testament, a minister of the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is always in you and He is always ready to minister anytime and anywhere to anybody. Paul tells us: if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit who dwells in you (Romans 8:11).

So it is the same Spirit who dwells in Christ, that also dwells in you now. It is the same Holy Spirit that was involved in the creation of the world in Genesis, that dwells in you. It is the same Holy Spirit that performed all the miracles and healings recorded both in the Old Testament and New Testament. So if there had been any miracle, any sign, any wonder and any dead raising; it was the Holy Spirit who did it. For God said: it was not by might or by power but by the Holy Ghost. The same Holy Ghost dwells in you, you and I might not have been in a particular situation before, but the Holy Ghost has been. We might have never seen any dead being raised, but the Holy Ghost has seen and He was the one who raised them from the dead.

Jesus told us: for as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens (zoopoieo: revitalize, make alive, give life to, quicken) them; even so the Son quickens (zoopoieo: revitalize, make alive, give life to, quicken) whom He will (John 5:21). The Father raises the dead by the Holy Ghost, and heals the sick by the Holy Ghost, and performs signs and wonders by the Holy Ghost, so does Jesus, because He is the Son of God; Father God gave Him the Holy Ghost to do the same work He does. Jesus is God, and will always be God, everything was created by Him, for Him and through Him, things in heaven and on earth, things visible or invisible (Romans 11:36; Colossians 1:16). Yet when Jesus decided to come on earth to redeem us; He was born of a virgin named Mary, who later had other sons and daughters by meeting with her husband Joseph (Matthew 13:55-56). So Mary is no “Virgin” Mary any more, do not worship her, or pray to her. Pray to the Father in the name of Jesus. Have fellowship with the Father, Jesus and the Holy Ghost, not Mary; she is just a Human like us who found great favour in the sight of God.

When Jesus came on earth, He willingly came as a human being, who had the Spirit of God in Him. Jesus mostly functioned on earth as human even the Son of Man; but He only functioned as God on earth when He forgave sins, to tell the world that He was fully God and fully human; for only God can forgive sins (Luke 7:36-50, Matthew 9:1-8). And when He was baptized by John the Baptist, that is when the Spirit came upon Him, what we call the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Jesus came to show us that a sanctified born again Christian, who has the Spirit of God in Him, and receives the baptism of the Holy Ghost, can do the same works God the Father does.

So the works Father God does by the Holy Spirit, the Son of God does the same, because He has the Spirit of the Father in Him and upon Him. The Father God raises the dead and heals the sick by the Holy Ghost; even so the Son of God raises the dead and heals the sick by the same Holy Ghost of the Father. You and I are now sons of God through Christ Jesus our elder brother. We are no longer servants or slaves, but sons of God who serve our Father, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Galatians 4:7). As sons and daughters of God, through Christ, we raise the dead, and give life or quicken whomever we wish by the Spirit of God, like our elder brother Jesus and our Father God. The question is, how many people did our elder brother Jesus will, wish, desire to heal, or raise from the dead? The bible tells us: How God anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil, for God was with Him (Acts 10:38). The answer is, all who were willing to be made whole. So, as sons and daughters of God, our will or desire is to heal everybody, to raise everybody from the dead, to save every soul from hell fire.

Jeremiah said: Is not my word like as a fire? Says the LORD; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces (Jeremiah 23:29)? The word of God was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay (Jeremiah 20:9). For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God (Deuteronomy 4:24). We do not necessarily have to act like Elijah, who called down the fire of God to come and consume their enemy, their sickness and their problems (1Kings 18). But Moses tells us: our God is a consuming fire. He sends down fire, but in the New Testament since He dwells in us, He is a burning fire in each one of us. He wants His fire in you, the fire of the Holy Ghost is in you, and the way you release it, is first of all by receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire with evidence of speaking in tongues (Matthew 3:11) and then by speaking the word of God; for the word of God is fire. The word of God out of your mouth is Spirit, life and fire (John 6:63, Jeremiah 23:29).

Although at times we call the fire of God to fall upon the works of the devil and the altars of the devil, to burn them into ashes, God has something better for us in the New Covenant. God is saying: My word is fire, and you have shut it up in your heart, since it is abiding in you richly in all wisdom, because you have been reading it (Colossians 3:16). Now that you have received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire; I, your God, want you to speak it out in people’s lives and situations, and it will consume their problems, their sickness and all the works of the devil in their life. You and I, beloved, believe in Christ Jesus and nothing is now impossible to us, because of our belief (Mark 9:23). We can do all things now through Christ Jesus who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). Our faith is in Christ Jesus and His finished work on the cross, and is the victory that has overcome the world (1John 5:4).

Some people might think one must be very special, to be among those people who have overcome the world. No, you are wrong! Since you are born of God, meaning that you are born again, you are the one John is talking about. You are the person who has overcome the world, because you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (1John 5:5). And the moment you gave your life to Christ, you overcame the world by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of your testimony, even His written word (Revelation 12:11). Now that we are born again, we just need to be taught the written word of God, and be given the right understanding of it, and then go and act on it, and we will experience the same results. For these signs shall follow those who believe in Jesus. In the name of Jesus they will preach the gospel of the kingdom of God, or the gospel of the superiority and supremacy of the kingdom of God, over the kingdom of darkness and its evil works, and deliver countless souls from the power of darkness, to translate them into the kingdom of God. They will destroy the works of the devil, by healing all manners of sickness, all manners of disease, and casting out demons, and raising the dead at will (Matthew 10:7-8, Mark 16:15-20, Colossians 1:13, 1John 3:8).

I.6 Healing by Prayer cloths

God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them (Acts 19:11-12). The bible talks about handkerchiefs and aprons taken from the body of Paul. We call them prayer cloths. Paul literally wore those aprons and handkerchiefs; the power was not in the sweat of Paul! We have explained that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of life. Since the Spirit of life is in us, the life of God is emanating from us, either we know it or not. Everything we touch, and everything we wear, the very life of God impregnates them. Paul did not even pray for those handkerchiefs and aprons; he simply wore them. When they were brought to the sick, their diseases departed from them, if they were demon possessed, the demons left them. You see, whatever was the needed for the people, the Spirit of life, who impregnated the clothes, took the form of the need of the people, if they needed deliverance, they received it, if they needed healing they received it.

Many people try to make a big deal out of those prayer cloths. There is nothing special about them, it is the Spirit of life who impregnated them that matters. God is so determined to destroy the works of the devil, that He is willing to put His power on cloths, to heal and deliver as many people as possible. Paul could not visit everybody and pray for them, so he sent those prayer cloths, and they were healed and delivered from those demons. Paul never sold any of those prayer cloths, if someone sells prayer cloths to you, do not buy them; it is a witchcraft practice. So if God can use inanimate objects like handkerchiefs and aprons to heal the sick and cast out devils, He can certainly use you and me, who have His Spirit of life abiding in us. It is not Paul, but the Spirit of life in him. It does not need to be handkerchiefs and aprons, it can be anything: a shirt, a shoe, a scarf, a candy, a stone, a blanket, a chair, etc. You can simply lay your hands on that object and say for instance: “I impregnate this object with the Spirit of life, when people receive it, the Spirit of Life takes the form of their need, in Jesus’ name, Amen”.

If you receive a prayer cloth, take it from a person or minister you know, whom you are sure, without a shadow of doubt, walks with God, and is always pointing people to God, not to themselves or to those prayer cloths. Moses was instructed by God to make a serpent of brass, and everybody who was sick, who looked upon that serpent of brass on the pole, would be healed (Numbers 21:9). Moses did not have to pray for all the sick or lay his hands on all the sick; he did not even have to be there physically. God placed His Spirit of life on that serpent of brass, and as people lifted their eyes to that serpent of brass on the pole, they were healed. But the people, after the death of Moses, started to make a big deal out of that serpent of brass on the pole, and started to worship and burn incense to it, instead of worshiping God, who put His miracle working power onto that lifeless object.

King Hezekiah had to break that brazen serpent on the pole into pieces so that the people would no longer worship it (2Kings 18:1-6). Hezekiah trusted the Lord; He knew it was God who was the healer, not the inanimate object. Let us be like Hezekiah, who had the understanding that the source of the power and miracles was God. He worshiped God, not the object. Let us not make the mistake of worshiping those prayer clothes, or even the person who wore or prayed for the prayer cloths; it is a sin.

Sister Lynne Harlock, who is skillful with her hands in making all kinds of craftwork, asked me a question in 2014. She said, since she has become a Christian, she wants to use her skills to create art works, that also can be used also for healing, like prayer cloths, but it would be art works. The idea sounded good and noble; for what greater honour is there, than to put his skills for the furtherance of the gospel and the kingdom of God. But I immediately stopped her, and explained to her. God knows the heart of mankind always wants to make a physical representation of God. As we have seen the serpent of brass on the pole Moses erected in the wilderness, was a work of art, but it became a stumbling block in the faith of the people; because they started to worship it, instead of worshiping the God who used it, as a means to heal them, and a shadow of Jesus Christ who was to die on a cross for their salvation.

The same mistake has been done with the Taliths or prayer shawls. God did not command Jesus to make and wear Taliths or prayer shawls whenever He prayed. God commanded the children of Israel to make fringes or tzitzit to the four corners of their garments. And Jehovah spoke to Moses saying, speak to the sons of Israel and command them to make fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribbon of blue (Numbers 15:37-38). You shall make for yourself tassels on the four corners of your cloak with which you cover (Deuteronomy 22:12). It was to remind the people of the commandments of the Lord their God; His imputed righteousness, for their garments were of linen, which talks about righteousness; and to remind them of the healing power of God; for those tassels or fringes were symbolic of the wings, or protection of God.

Malachi says: you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise, and healing will be on His wings. And you shall go out and frisk like calves of the stall (Malachi 4:2). The fear of the Lord is to hate evil and depart from it; in other words, keep His commandments and live a sanctified life like Jesus who hated evil and loved righteousness (Proverbs 8:13, Proverbs 16:6, Hebrews 1:8-9). Jesus Christ is the Son of Righteousness. God was telling them: if you fear my name, as I have briefly explained, you will abide under My protection, as an eaglet abides under the shadow of her mother eagle. Moses in Psalm 91 tells us how God protects us as we abide under His shadow; For God is a great eagle who came to deliver Israel, His eaglet from the bondage of Egypt, and carried Israel on eagle’s wings. You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself (Exodus 19:4).

Over the years the Jews lost that revelation, and made all kinds of fancy designs on their garments, and invented the prayer shawls. Jesus said: they [the scribes and Pharisees] do all their works in order to be seen of men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments (Matthew 23:5). Today many Pentecostal ministries are selling prayer shawls: telling people they need to wear them for their healing, to abide under the shadow of God. You do not need to buy any prayer shawl. Those people are only after your money! Do not have a substitute when the substance which of Christ has come. Hate evil and depart from it; keep God’s commandments and love, and practice righteousness, and you will be abiding under His protection. We have seen how in the first battle of Ai, when the people did not sanctify themselves; but Achan took the accursed thing of the Babylonians, they were defeated. The tassels on the four corners of their garments did not protect them. And for four hundred and fifty years during the time of Judges; whenever they lived like the heathen; the fringes on the four corners of their garments did not protect them; they were defeated by their enemies.

You have been clothed with power from on high

Jesus told us: behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until you are endued, equipped or clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49). The promise of the Father was the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, which the disciples received on the day of Pentecost, with evidence of speaking in tongues. When you receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, you are clothed with power from on high. It is as though God puts an astronaut’s suit on you. You are inside that suit, people do not touch you anymore, when they touch you they touch that astronaut’s suit. That astronaut’s suit has been endued or equipped with power from on high, the very power of God. When you are born again, the Holy Ghost comes and dwells in you. It is as though you are constantly breathing through an oxygen mask. But when you receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire; it is as though you are now wearing that astronaut’s suit, and you are still breathing through that oxygen mask. The oxygen is the Holy Spirit. You are always in the Spirit now, since the Spirit of God is in you. But when you are baptized in the Holy Ghost and fire, you are clothed with the power of the Holy Ghost.

On the moon no human can live there because it does not have the atmosphere of earth, and the radiation will kill the person very quickly. But when you have the oxygen tank on, and are breathing through it, you can live on the moon. But you still have to deal with the radiation. When you put on your astronaut’s suit, you are protected from that deadly radiation; thus you can live on the moon, because you have reproduced the atmosphere of earth, your planet of birth, on the moon where you are sent to work. You and I, when we were born again, were born from above, even from heaven; our citizenship is now in heaven. We received the breath of God, or the Life of God in us, even the Holy Ghost. And God sends us to work in the world, we are no longer of the world, though we are in the world.

Therefore to protect us from the world and its deadly attacks even its fiery darts, Jesus told us, He will clothe us with a spiritual astronaut’s suit, so that we will have power to work in that hostile environment, in which He sends us to do the work of the ministry of reconciliation, even in the world! Please do not go and do the work of the ministry of reconciliation, without wearing your spiritual astronaut’s suit, which is receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire.

When people touch any part of your body, it is as though they touched a part of the suit you are spiritually clothed in. Jesus stood on a plain with His disciples, and a great multitude of people came to hear Him, and to be healed of their diseases; and they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him: for there went virtue or miracle working power out of Him, and healed them all (Luke 6:17-19). So the entire body of Jesus was working like a gigantic prayer cloth, people understood that Jesus was clothed with the miracle working power of the Holy Ghost, and they did not wait for Him to touch them; but they were the ones who sought to touch Him, and be healed and delivered. And all who touched Jesus, were healed of any sickness or any disease, and delivered of their unclean spirits.

So shall it be for you, your hands that you lay on people and the prayer cloths you give to people; for the same Jesus Christ dwells in you, and does the miracles through you. In another instance: Jesus came back to the region of Gennesaret where He had cast a legion of demons out of the person, and the people recognized Him. They ran through the whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those who were sick, where they heard He was. And wherever He entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought Him that they might touch, if it were but the border of His garment: and as many as touched Him were made whole (Mark 6:55-56).

Not just the body of Jesus, but also the garments He wore, were endued with the power from on high, or the miracle working power of the Holy Ghost. The people understood that Jesus was clothed with power from on high, His body and His garments were endued or equipped with miracle working power of the Holy Ghost. We also have the example of the woman with the issue of blood for twelve years. She came behind Jesus and touched the border of His garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched or stopped (Luke 8:43-44). She understood that the body and the garments of Jesus, were endued or equipped with the miracle working power of the Holy Ghost. And as she touched only the border of Jesus’ garment, she was healed. Many other people touched Jesus, even thronged Him, but they were not healed. For it is recorded: Jesus said: who touched me? When all denied, Peter and those who were with him said, Master, the multitude throng you and press you, and you say, who touched Me? Jesus said, somebody has touched Me: for I perceive that virtue or miracle working power is gone out of Me (Luke 8:45-47).

We have listed three examples in which people touched the garments of Jesus, and they were made perfectly whole of whatever sickness, whatever disease, and delivered from whatever demon possession. And we have mentioned the example of Paul, whose handkerchiefs and aprons, when brought to the people, they were healed of whatever sickness, whatever disease and delivered from whatever demon possession (Acts 19:11-12). And we know from the principle Moses taught us in Deuteronomy 19:15, and Paul repeated that same principle in 2Corinthians 13:1, saying that when something is repeated at least twice or three times, it means that the thing is established by God, it is always His will, and it will surely come to pass. Joseph also understood that principle and said to Pharaoh: since the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass (Genesis 41:32).

Jesus himself confirms the spiritual principle Joseph, Moses and Paul had, saying: take one or two more with you, so that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established (Matthew 18:16). God may use different wording or different scenarios to say the same thing, like He did in the dreams of Pharaoh; but as long as He is saying the same thing, settle it in your heart that it is always His will, and He will surely bring it to pass. The same Jesus dwells in you, and you have received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, God wants to do the same miraculous works through the laying on of your hands, and your prayer cloths. Believe God! Embrace the way, truth and the life of Jesus, and God will do the same works through you (John 14:6, John 14:12)!

You need to believe that the body, the garments and the clothes of a Spirit filled believer, who has embraced the way, truth and life of Jesus, are endued with miracle working power of the Holy Ghost, for you to experience the miracle, when you touch that believer or his clothes. Otherwise you will even be thronging that believer, but not experience a single miracle, like that entire multitude that thronged Jesus, and did not know that miracle working power was coming out of the body of Jesus. That is why you must believe that; as you embrace the way, truth and life of Jesus; your hands are endued or equipped with the miracle working power of the Holy Ghost; so that when you lay them on people, they are healed or delivered of the oppression of the devil. It has nothing to do with the person; though the person has to embrace the way, truth and life of Jesus, to be able to be used mightily by God; but it is God who dwells in that person, and the Holy Ghost who has clothed that person with His miracle working power. Just like Luke told us: God wrought or worked special miracles by the hands of Paul, So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them (Acts 19:11-12). And Paul himself confirms it, saying: it is God who works in us, both to will and do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

So it has nothing to do with Paul, it is God who worked those special miracles by the hands of Paul; it is the Father who has sent the promise of the Spirit to Paul, when He baptized him in the Holy Ghost and fire. Do not exalt Paul beyond measure, it is God who clothed him with power from on high when He baptized him in the Holy Ghost and fire. Every born again believer, who chooses to embrace the way, truth and life of Jesus, and is baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire or power, has been clothed with the miracle working power of the Holy Ghost. God wants to work special miracles through your hands, your body and your garments, your cloths. It is God who works in you both to will and do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). God is so eager to heal and deliver everybody around us, that He even uses unconventional means. If you are a Spirit filled born again believer; who embraces the way, truth and life of Jesus; you have been clothed with power from on high, and can do the same works of Jesus.

I.7 Healing by sending forth the word of God

The Psalmist said: He sent His word, and healed them, And delivered [them] from their destructions (Psalm 107:20). Sometimes you do not need to be there physically, to pray for a person or to minister the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The Roman centurion came to Jesus for the healing of his servant, Jesus did not go down to his house, but only spoke the word, and the servant, miles away, was healed (Matthew 8:5-13). The Canaanite woman came to Jesus for the deliverance of her daughter, who was miles away, and Jesus only spoke the word, and her daughter was delivered (Matthew 15:22-28). In both cases Jesus only sent forth the word to heal them and deliver them from their destructions. People who have prayed, even the prayer of the baptism of the Holy Spirit found in this study, have received it, because I am just sending forth the word of God,

People who have prayed the prayer in this bible study for food allergies have been healed. I am basically just sending forth the word of God to heal them, and deliver them from their destructions. Sometimes people call me and tell me, so and so is suffering from this sickness, how do you think I must pray for his or her healing or deliverance? I just text them scriptures or a prayer based on scriptures, and tell them what to do, and as they follow those instructions, and pray that prayer, the person is healed or delivered. Jesus made clay and anointed the eyes of a blind man and told him to go and wash at the pool of Siloam, and the man followed the instructions of Jesus and washed. He received his sight (John 9).

In another instance, ten lepers came to Jesus and Jesus told them go, show yourselves to the priest; as they obeyed the instructions of Jesus and went, they were cleansed of leprosy (Luke 17:12-19). Naaman the captain of the Syrian army who was leprous, came to Elisha to be healed of his leprosy in 2Kings 5. Elisha did not even come out of the house to meet Naaman; but sent forth the word in a form of an instruction by the mouth of his servant Gehazi. Naaman reluctantly followed the instruction; he dipped himself seven times in the Jordan River, and was cleansed of his leprosy. We have seen at least three examples in the bible, in which the word was sent forth to heal the sick, cast out devils, cleanse the lepers, thus according to the principle that Joseph, Moses, Jesus and Paul taught us in Genesis 41:32, Deuteronomy 19:15, Matthew 18:16 and 2Corinthians 13:1; it means that we should establish it in our heart, that it is always the will of God for you to send forth His word and His instructions, either over the phone, via e-mail, SMS or a messenger to heal the sick, cast out devils, cleanse lepers and raise the dead!

As people follow the instruction of Jesus, or of the man of God, as long as it lines up with the word of God, they receive their healing or deliverance. I like doing that with new believers; for as they follow the instructions, or pray the way I tell them to, God performs the miracles, and they are more confident that God can use them to perform miracles. That is how Jesus trained His disciples. He started by teaching them, and performing the miracles; they were watching him. Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17). Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people (Matthew 4:23). And then Jesus told them: you have heard My preaching and listened to My teaching, and seen how I minister healing, deliverance, raising of the dead, etc. Now as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give (Matthew 10:7-8).

As they follow the instructions of Jesus, they experience the same results Jesus had. Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name (Luke 10:17). That is always the response I have from new believers, after they have followed my instructions and God has performed the miracles through their hands. They are full of Joy, and tell me of how the entire family was healed, how people received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, etc. You see I do what Jesus did with His disciples after all He told me: I have given you an example, so that you should do as I have done to you (John 13:15).

I understand how Jesus trained His disciples by reading the word of God. Sometimes a sister calls me and asks me: how do I pray for this particular problem I am going through, or my friend is going through? I give her the scriptures which address that particular problem and the right understanding of those scriptures, and then I ask her to pray according to those scriptures and that understanding I gave her. When she goes and does accordingly, she calls me back rejoicing; because the Lord has performed a miracle. It has nothing to do with brother G, it is all about the written word of God, having the right understanding of it, and then God will perform His word. I am not special, Jesus in me is the special One, the Holy One of God, and He is in every born again believer and His Holy Spirit is also in every born again believer. And if you choose to embrace the way, truth and life of Jesus and choose to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire, you will also be clothed with power from on high.

The reason why it works, is because it is all based on the word of God. The LORD said unto me: you have well seen: for I will hasten or watch over My word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12). Does God hasten to perform the words that come out of the mouth of everybody? God says: the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro in all the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect or loyal toward Him (2Chronicles 16:9). Solomon says: Jehovah, the God of Israel, there is no God like You, in Heaven above or on earth beneath, who keeps covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their heart (1Kings 8:23). Having a loyal heart toward God or walking before God with all your heart, is simply embracing the way, the truth and the life of Jesus Christ, being conformed to the image of Jesus, and no longer being conformed to the world (Romans 12:1-2, Romans 8:29, John 14:6).

Jesus told me: Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven (Matthew 18:19). If we have chosen to walk before the Lord with all our heart or with a loyal heart; so that He can keep His Covenant and mercy with us; we need to agree with His way, truth and life and let them become ours. God said through Amos: can two walk together except they be agreed (Amos 3:3)? So the way I believe is the way Jesus believed. Jesus said: there is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true (John 5:32). I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me (John 8:18). And He told me: Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you (John 20:21).

So as long as I am only doing the word of God, only speaking the word of God; it does not matter if the person in front of me believes or is in agreement with me. Jesus who sent me is in agreement with me because He sent me, the Father who sent Jesus is in agreement with Jesus and the Holy Spirit is in agreement with me. We are four in agreement, so even if nobody on earth is in agreement with me; it does not matter to me! That is how Jesus thought. As long as it lines up with the written word of God, the three persons of the Godhead are in agreement with me, and They will back me up with mighty signs and wonders and demonstrations of the gifts of the Spirit.

Basically the prayer cloths work the same way. Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them (Acts 19:11-12). Jesus said: Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued or clothed or arrayed with power from on high (Luke 24:49). So Jesus bore witness that Paul was clothed with power from on high, the Father also was in agreement, and the Holy Spirit, who is the Promise of the Father, was also in agreement. Therefore as people received those cloths that were sent to them; they were healed, delivered, prospered, etc. When a person acts on the word of the son or daughter of God, who is serving his or her Father, and elder brother Jesus, with a loyal heart, and takes that cloth and puts it on the sick or on the diseased, or the demon possessed, they are set free.

I.8 Healing by anointing of olive oil and laying on of hands

James 5:14 Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them (the elders) pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

You can use olive oil, palm oil, peanut oil, any comestible oil is fine. God wants us to be healed so badly, that He gives us many methods for healing. It is your responsibility to choose one of the methods which you will believe, and you will have the manifestations of your healing. But the focus should never be on the method used, but on the word of God and on the Healer, even Jesus Christ. The only reason people get healed is, because it is written that by the stripes of Jesus Christ they were healed (1Peter 2:24, Isaiah 53:4-5). Christ Jesus is the Healer, He is the Saviour, He is the Lord, and He is the King. You and I are in Him and He is in us, without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). Therefore we should always ascribe everything unto Jesus and His Word; for Jesus Christ is the Word of God (John 1:1, Revelation 19:13).

Let us remove our eyes from the method used: laying on of hands, anointing oil, prayer cloths, etc. Let us never build an idol out of the methods God used, to channel His power. Let us also remove our eyes from the human vessel God uses, to manifest His mighty signs and wonders, and to demonstrate His gifts of the Spirit. Let us not make idols out of men or women of God. Let us all look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). No man or woman of God died on the cross for you, so that you can receive the Perfect Redemption Plan of God, except Christ Jesus. Paul said it is all by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). Grace is what God freely gave us by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Faith is our little part to play, to receive what was freely given to us by God. Those men and women of God, who are being mightily used by God, only embraced the way, the truth and the life of Jesus, that is why God is using them (John 14:6, John 14:14, Hebrews 1:8-9, John 17:16-19, John 4:34, James 1:21-25). If you and I choose to do the same, God will also use us mightily; for He is no respecter of persons, but if we fear Him and practice righteousness, we will be accepted by Him (Acts 10:34-35).

Having clarified where our eyes should look up to, unto Jesus Christ; let us now see the method of healing with anointing oil. Many times in church the leaders will pray over the oil, which is the same principle of the prayer cloths. There is nothing special about that oil, that is why you can use any comestible oil. In the Old Testament the oil, and especially the olive oil, was the symbol of the Holy Spirit. When priests and kings were anointed in their offices, they poured some anointing oil on their head (Exodus 29:7; 1Samuel 10), symbolizing that from that day they had been set apart to the Lord, and that the Spirit of the Lord would be coming upon them and moving them at times.

So people already had that knowledge of God, using olive oil for divine purposes. People sometimes make a big deal of the anointing oil, and almost start worshiping it like the Israelites worshipped the brazen serpent on the pole that Moses made, so that whoever looked on the serpent of brass on the pole, would be healed. We should never make an idol out of the anointing oil or prayer cloths. Anointing oil is just like the prayer cloths. The normal comestible oil has been impregnated with the power of the Spirit of God. Some Churches will use the same principles of the prayer cloths, Paul who was a leader of the church sent them to brethren. So churches also have their leader or leaders pray over some bottles of oil, or ask their members to bring their own bottles of oil, and the leader or leaders will pray over those bottles of oil. If you want some anointing oil, get it from men or women of God you know, or whom God told you: you can take their anointing oil. But the truth is: every believer can pray for their own anointing oil, in the same way they prayed for the prayer cloths. You can say for instance: in the name of Jesus, I impregnate this oil with the Spirit of God. Holy Ghost, come upon this oil and let the power of the highest overshadow this oil, in the name of Jesus. On whosoever this anointed oil is poured upon: devils come out of their body and they are healed of whatever sickness or disease in the name of Jesus, Amen!

James says, if a believer is sick in the church, he can call the elder of the church, and they will use that anointed oil, or oil impregnated with the power of the Spirit of God, pour it on him and the elders will pray the prayer of faith over him. The believer who is sick, does not need to pray at all for his healing when he comes to the elders. He does not even need to have faith for his healing, for if he had faith for his healing he would not need the elders to pray for his healing. He would already be healed, and would not have gone to those elders. So according to James the elders are supposed to have faith for you. So if you go to see a brother or sister who is in leadership in a church to pray for you, when you are sick, that person must have faith for you. If they, the elders, tell you: come back another day when you have faith, do not waste your time going back there! For they will only pray a prayer of unbelief and doubt, and not the prayer of faith!

The only thing you need is to go to those elders; Jesus healed everybody who came to Him, whether they had faith or not. The elders have to pray the prayer of faith, and not the prayer of doubt and unbelief. So if you go to an elder or church leader, and they pray like: “Lord, if it is your will, come and heal this man, but if it is not your will, we just thank you!” This is a prayer of doubt, unbelief and ignorance. They based it on the prayer of Jesus before He went to the cross: O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as You will (Matthew 26:39). O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, Your will be done (Matthew 26:42).

This is not a prayer for healing, or for casting out devils, or for raising the dead. This is a prayer of consecration: a person sets himself or herself apart, dedicates or devotes himself or herself to a service and worship of the Lord; he or she is yielding to God and His word, even if it is not pleasing to his or her flesh. And worship also means sacrifice according to Abraham in Genesis 22:5. Nobody in his or her right mind enjoys making sacrifices: denying himself or herself of his or her right for the furtherance of the kingdom of God. Nobody wants to suffer, and especially being beaten and crucified. So if there was another way less painful to redeem humanity please God tell Me Jesus asked. But there were no other ways, without the shedding of the blood, there is no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22). Okay, but if there is someone else that can shed his blood tell Me. Only the blood of the sinless Man, can redeem mankind, and there is but One sinless and perfect Man, the Man Christ Jesus. So Jesus said: okay Father, your will be done, I will go to the cross to save the world. Thus God made Jesus to be sin for us, who knew no sin; so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2Corinthians 5:21).

Paul also prayed a consecration prayer like Jesus did. In the book of Acts, God asked Paul to go to Jerusalem, but the Lord told Him, by the Holy Spirit, that there would be a lot of suffering. Even Agabus the prophet, prophesied to Paul, that they would bind him and put him in prison at Jerusalem (Acts 21). But God told Paul that he would have to go to Jerusalem and from Jerusalem God would bring him to Rome. The Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as you have testified of Me in Jerusalem, so must you bear witness also at Rome (Acts 23:11). The brethren were not willing to let Paul go and suffer like that, but Paul knew God had a great purpose, and there was no one else who could do what He had commissioned Paul for. So Paul said to the brethren: what do you mean to weep and to break mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 21:13).

Now you understand that the prayer of Jesus, before His passion, had nothing to do with healing the sick, casting out devils or raising the dead. It was a consecration prayer. Many times God will ask a person to go the extra mile, and it is not convenient for that person; but God knows that there is nobody like-minded who will truly or genuinely care for the state of those people. For all seek their own interest, not the things which are of God, and of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:20-21). For instance many of the Jewish disciples of Jesus looked down on the Gentiles, they did not want to associate themselves with the Gentiles; for according to them those Gentiles were unclean; even Peter himself thought that way (Acts 10). But Paul truly loved those Gentiles. God called Paul to be the apostle to the Gentiles, and he was not ashamed of it. Paul was ready to be rejected by the Jews, beaten by them at Jerusalem, because he associated himself with the Gentiles and preached to them. Paul became as gentle to the Gentiles, he truly cared for them. Paul says: I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my office (Romans 11:13).

Back to our prayer of faith, what then is the prayer of faith? If there is someone who has faith, we will all agree that it is Jesus, and His faith never fails. Jesus always prayed the prayer of faith that healed the sick, raised the dead and cast out devils. As we read throughout the four gospels. Whenever Jesus prayed for a person to be healed, it was either a commanding style of prayer, or a granting of a petition. Jesus never begged God to come and heal, He never asked God to come and heal anybody, He never questioned if it was the will of God to heal or set a person free. Jesus knows it is always the will of God to heal and deliver people. When people were sick He commanded healing.

A leper came to Him and said: Lord, if You will, You can make me clean. Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be cleansed. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed (Matthew 8:1-3). Blind Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus to have mercy on him. Jesus answered and said unto him, What do you want that I should do unto you? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go your way; your faith has made you whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way (Mark 10:46-52).

There are so many other examples of prayers of Jesus, all the prayers of Jesus are the prayers of faith; read them and be inspired by the way Jesus prayed for the sick, or when He raised the dead. They were short prayers not long ones. The reason why they were short is because when you know what God says about you, what He has done for you, and believe it, you will have short public prayers; because faith is already built up in you. The bible studies are long, so that people may have all the knowledge of how Jesus thinks, so that they can pray the same way Jesus prayed in faith and not in doubt. Prayer of faith is also granting people’s petitions. Like when Jesus asks people: what do you want? And they tell Him and then He says: receive what you have asked for. How could He grant people’s petitions? Because He knew God always hears His prayers, God is with His mouth, that as long as what people ask Him for, is lining up with the written word of God; when He says to them for instance: receive your sight or receive your healing: God confirms His words, because He is out there working in His Father’s field (Isaiah 44:26).

So after you have poured the anointing oil on a person’s head, or any part of his or her body, lay your hands on them, and pray the prayer of faith over them. If you are using that anointing oil on yourself, after you have poured it on yourself, lay hands on yourself, and pray the prayer of faith in Jesus’ name. This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us: And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him (1John 5:14-15). Healing is always the will of God, so you can have this confidence that God grants your petitions of healing, in Jesus’ name. The prayer of faith can be summed up in Mark 11:22-24.

Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering said unto them, Have faith in God or believe God, or rely on God.

Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be removed, and be cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he says.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, Whatsoever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.

First you need to identify what your mountain is? What the thing in your life troubling you is, that is stealing your righteousness, which is your right standing before God; so that when you come to Him in prayer, your conscience is not accusing you, or your heart is not condemning you, and making you feel guilty. Sin and practicing sin are the things that rob us of the confidence of having right standing or righteousness, and they put guilt, condemnations and accusations in our minds and hearts. We simply need to confess our sins and forsake them, and God is faithful and just to forgive us, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1John 1:9). We also need to identify what the thing in our life is, that is stealing our peace and joy: it might be finances, education, career, barrenness, children, divorce, work, sickness, disease, premature death, unfaithfulness in our spouse, a missing child, etc. The kingdom of God that is in us, is righteousness or right standing with God, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17, Luke 17:21).

Anything that is in our life and is disturbing that righteousness, peace and joy, is a mountain that needs to be dealt with, according to the scriptures. Once you have put a name on your mountain or your mountains, if you have many of them, you need to deal with them according to the written word of God. The second thing you need to do is to find out what the word of God says about your particular mountain or mountains. From Genesis to Revelation, find at least two or three examples in the bible, of how God dealt with a similar situation or mountain like yours, and use the principle Jesus, Moses, Paul and Joseph taught us: that if you have found something repeated at least twice or three times by God, it means it is established by God, and He will deliver you according to the counsel of His written Word, for He watches over His word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12, Deuteronomy 19:15, 2Corinthians 13:1, Genesis 41:32, Matthew 18:16). Once you have found out what the counsel of God about your mountain is, then put God in remembrance of His word, as we have taught everybody in the “Abecedary of Prayer” letter.

The third thing to do, is to speak to your mountain and command it to obey the counsel of the word of God, you have found in the bible. Speak to your mountain or mountains about God, and what His word says about it or them. Command that mountain to be removed. Do not negotiate with your mountain, do not make suggestions to your mountain either; but command your mountain to do what you have found in the counsel of the written word of God, and then God will perform His words. For God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: has He said, and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken, and shall He not make it good (Numbers 23:19)?

James says that when you come to the elders to be anointed with oil and prayed for; the elders can also ask you to repent of your sin, so that you can be forgiven (James 5:14-15). One of the main jobs of the Holy Spirit is to convict people of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8). So when people come for prayer, sometimes the Holy Spirit gives words of knowledge about the person’s sins. Those words of knowledge should not be ignored; the Holy Spirit is Lord and God; if He addresses something in the life of that person; confront that person! He is the one performing the healing; if we ignore Him; He is not bound to perform miracles. That is what we call yielding to the Holy Spirit. Acknowledge Him in all your ways even in ministration. Solomon says: trust in Jehovah with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear Jehovah and depart from evil. Healing shall be to your navel and marrow to your bones (Proverbs 3:5-8).

Of course we should not be sin finders in people’s lives. Yet there are times when the Holy Spirit, by word of knowledge, directly points to a particular sin in the life of the person that has come for ministration. If we ignore the Holy Ghost and go ahead pray for that person, He is not bound to perform the word of our mouth; but if we address that particular sin and the person repents of that, when we pray for their healing, the Holy Spirit will perform the word of our mouth. Some preachers simply are cowards; they are afraid of confronting sin in the life of the people. Jesus says: whoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My Words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man shall also be ashamed of him, when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels (Mark 8:38). Jesus says of the Holy Spirit: when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth. For He shall not speak of Himself, but whatever He hears, He shall speak. And He will announce to you things to come (John 16:13). So The Holy Spirit is speaking what Jesus says, and you are ashamed to say it to that person you are ministering to; yet you want to see the glory of God made manifest in your ministration to that person.

One of the symbols of the Holy Spirit in the bible is the wind. Elijah ascended to heaven in a whirlwind (2Kings 2). On the day of Pentecost the rushing mighty wind came in the upper room (Acts 2). Jesus says: The wind blows where it desires, and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it comes, and whither it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit (John 3:8). The wind is unpredictable: you do not know where it is coming from and where it goes. The wind is it own master: you cannot command it to blow in a particular direction; it blows where it desires, and you have to position yourself where it has desired to blow, if you want it. What is Jesus telling us about the Holy Spirit by using the example of the wind?

He is telling us that the Holy Spirit is unpredictable; you cannot box Him, so that He will always operate in a particular way. He will operate as He desires. People can come to you for healing, and He tells you to just grant their petition. In that case you do not need to command anything or to cast anything out. He can ask you to do a prophetic action found in the bible, as you are ministering to that person. He can ask you to sing a song. When I did not know the ways of the Holy Spirit, I would go to a family to minister to them. On my way I had a song in my spirit; but when I got to that family house, I opened the scriptures and preached my heart out. After the preaching, I saw that the people were still not touched in their hearts. So before I left, I said to the people: let us pray! I started by singing the song the Holy Spirit had dropped into my spirit on my way to that family. And immediately some of them started repenting and confessing their sins out loud. I have learned my lesson, and now I do what the Holy Spirit tells me first, before I do what I had planned. And sometimes I do not even touch what I have prepared, but only do what the Holy Spirit gives that very hour!

You can start commanding a sickness or demon to come out of a person; and the Holy Spirit interrupts you, and asks you to tell the person to forgive a person who offended him, or to confess a particular sin. Sometimes when people come to me for ministration, the Holy Spirit tells me what they are doing that displeases Him. I say to the person, especially when they profess to be born again Christians or pastors: please do not waste my time; the Holy Spirit told me you are living in sexual immorality or you are practicing witchcraft, etc. repent of your sins and forsake them; then I will pray for you. The Holy Spirit who is my Lord, has revealed these things about you; I cannot ignore Him. Otherwise I will be wasting my breath shouting and binding. I confess to you that sometimes I do not like addressing people’s sins, when the Holy Spirit by words of knowledge, reveals them; but since He is My Lord I have to obey what He commands (Luke 6:46).

Jesus is telling us, using the symbol of the wind for the Holy Ghost, that the Holy Spirit is God and Lord, you cannot command Him; we are to obey Him (Luke 6:46, Acts 13). People who see the Holy Spirit as a tool that God gave them to do the ministry, are blasphemous people. The Holy Spirit is Lord and God, not a tool. It is because they see Him as a tool, that when He tells them to confront sin in people’s lives, that they ignore Him and continue their own ministration. The Holy Spirit is not in that ministration. We know that Jesus gave us the great commission, and told us to go into the entire world and preach the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20). Yet the Holy Spirit who is Lord, is the one sending you there. Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon, that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus (Acts 13:1-4).

Luke also testified, saying: Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for, to preach the gospel unto them (Acts 16:6-10). So we see Paul was forbidden to go to Asia and Bithynia by the Holy Spirit; though Jesus told us to go into the entire world to preach. The Lord, Holy Spirit who called and sent Paul in Acts 13, had other people to go to Asia and Bithynia; He wanted Paul to go Macedonia. Paul obeyed. Paul did not do like Jonah, who decided to buy his own ticket and go to Tarshish instead of Nineveh, where the Lord wanted him to preach (Jonah 1).

If you want to be greatly used by God to turn the world upside down like Paul did, you will have to yield to the wind of the Holy Spirit (Acts 17:6). Think of yourself as being a big sail at sea. The sea represents the people, multitudes, tongues and nations; and being at the seashore or only a couple of feet deep in the sea, is touching only a few people in your ministration (Luke 5, Revelation 17:15). When the waters are not very deep, like in a lake; you can row your sailboat from one side of the lake to the other side with your own strength. But if you are at sea, you can only row for some time, and then you will realize, you need the wind to blow, so that it can propel your sailboat to the other side of the sea. And you will wait for the wind like in Acts 27:40 and when it comes, you hoist up the mainsail to the wind, so that you can make it toward the desired destination.

People like David always enquired of the Lord; and the sound of the wind of the Holy Ghost gave him which strategy to use if he wanted to defeat his enemies. Even when David had already defeated that enemy before, he still enquired of the Lord (2Samuel 5, 1Samuel 30). When Jesus says to Peter: Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch (Luke 5:4). He needed to rely on the wind of the Holy Ghost; he had already toiled all night long, and caught nothing; nevertheless at the word of the Lord, which is likened to the sound of the wind of the Holy Ghost, when Peter spiritually hoisted up his mainsail to the wind of the Holy Ghost, to make it toward the deep waters and let down the net for a catch; they had a miraculous net breaking and boat sinking catch of fish (Luke 5:5-10). Jesus was teaching, using their earthly knowledge of fishermen, how they can now become fishers of men. And we see at Pentecost onward, how Peter and the others truly became fishers of men; multitudes, tongues and nations came to Christ. They learned to hoist their mainsail to the wind of the Holy Ghost, and let it propel them to the deep, where they can let down their nets for a catch, not of fish this time, but of men.

Whatever the Holy Ghost tells you, will always be in line with the full counsel of the Holy Scriptures. You need to develop a relationship with God, if you want to impact your generation. People do not want to pay the price of developing a relationship with the Godhead, that is why they want formulas. Yes, when you have not heard any specific direction from the Godhead, act on the counsel of the written word of God. If you have heard a specific direction from the Godhead, always check whether it lines up with the written word of God, if it does, act on it promptly. For the voice of God or the spoken word from God, which we call Rhema word, comes first before the letters. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the spoken word of God or Rhema (Romans 10:17).

Jesus wants every born again Christian to be led by the Holy Spirit, not just act according to the counsel of the Holy Scriptures, but to also be able to receive direct instructions from the Holy Spirit. Marvel not that I said unto you, you must be born again or born from above. The wind blows where it desires and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it comes, and whither it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit (John 3:7-8). If you are struggling with hearing from the Godhead, please read the bible studies on “Abecedary of Prayer” and “Divine Guidance” to give you the foundation of the way God speaks, and how we communicate with the Godhead.

I-9 Healing by partaking of the Holy Communion

1Corinthians 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread:

1Corinthians 11:24 And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.

1Corinthians 11:25 After the same manner also He took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do you, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.

1Corinthians 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do proclaim the Lord’s death till He come.

1Corinthians 11:27 Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

1Corinthians 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

1Corinthians 11:29 For he who eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

1Corinthians 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep or are dying prematurely.

1Corinthians 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

1Corinthians 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

1Corinthians 11:33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, tarry one for another.

1Corinthians 11:34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that you come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

I-9-a) Partake of the Holy Communion with understanding

God rightly said through Hosea: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to Me: seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children (Hosea 4:6). The Corinthian church which was a carnal church (1Corinthians 3:1-3), did not have the understanding of what they were doing, when they were partaking of the Holy Communion. Paul had to break it down for them. Even today a lot of churches do not know what they are doing, when they partake of the Holy Communion. It is the enemy’s strategy to take away the knowledge of the mystery, so that it does not benefit us. But Paul says that mystery was revealed unto him, so he wants us to know all the mysteries of the gospel including the mystery of the Holy Communion (Romans 16:25-26) Jesus showed all the mysteries of the gospel to Paul by revelation, and he wrote them to the churches, including the mystery of the Holy Communion (Ephesians 3:3).

Think of it this way. A group of Congolese preachers from the Republic of Congo, went to India into the remotest part of India. They preached the gospel and got the local people saved. But they realized that the people had to walk 20 miles to the river to fetch some water. They had to walk 30 miles to go hunting. And they had to walk 15 miles to go and get some firewood. The Congolese preachers said: we have blessed these people with the gospel, but we also want to bless them materially. So they donated a brand new Ford pick-up truck to that remote Indian village. It had good satellite equipment; it was fitted with 3D DVD players and 3D screens, and a CD player, and an air conditioning system. The preachers were so excited about that car, that they showed the locals how to use all the gadgets in the car; but they forgot to tell the people what the main purpose of the car was. They assumed everybody knew what the use of a car is! So they left that region and came to Scotland where they are based.

Ten years later they decided to go back and see how that community had developed. But to their great amazement the Ford pick-up truck had not moved from that same spot. The villagers were still walking those long distances to fetch water, go hunting, and were still carrying firewood on their heads and their hunted game on their shoulders. But meanwhile they had learned everything about the world; for they had that 3D screen and a satellite reception in the car. They knew all the music in the world; for their satellite could pick up any radio station in the world, and any TV station in the world.

The Congolese preachers from Scotland were stunned. What they thought was obvious for everybody, was not obvious for these people. They did not know what the purpose of the Ford Pick-up truck was, and still do not after all these years. Brethren unfortunately that is the state of the church today. During the Holy Communion, we put our nice music on, we project on a giant screen for everybody to see the lyrics, and we dance. We even have Holy Communion live from the other end of the world, or from Jerusalem, or from Australia and we dance. But we do not know why Jesus told us to do it. The Corinthians thought it was a party, so they would be nicely dressed up, they would bring a lot of food into church, nice bottles of wine and some of them would even be drunk in the church. They would put nice music on and dance to the Lord, for they thought it was only a party. Paul says: you do not have the understanding of what you are doing. That is why you are not enjoying the benefits of partaking of the Holy Communion. Holy Communion is not a party, eat at home if you want to eat and drink at home, if you want to drink, knowing that no drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of God (1Corinthians 6:9-10).

The first Element: the bread.

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, he broke it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me (1Corinthians 11:23-24). The bread is the first element of the Holy Communion. The meaning of the bread and the type of bread in the scriptures, is very significant, and we have already done a succinct bible study on that subject named:” Leaven in bread”. Do refer to that bible study to know what the teaching of Jesus is on that subject. But in the Holy Communion, Jesus talks about His body, the bread here represents the flesh of Jesus, the body of Jesus. Jesus never committed sin. Leaven in the bread talks about sin, since Jesus never committed sin, the bread that is used for the Holy Communion is unleavened bread. Many people are sticklers (obstinate contenders about anything), they will make a big issue of the kind of bread one may use. If you can buy the kind of bread the Jews use for their Passover feast, praise the Lord! But if you cannot, any unleavened bread will do.

Many people in church think that when Jesus said the bread is His body broken for us; He was talking about the church, which is the body of Christ, being broken. So they will ask people, saying: “brethren if you have an aught (anything) against anybody in the church you need to forgive them. We want unity in our church, the body of Christ; we do not want our church to be broken by disunity, strife, and hatred”. These people who say such things, do not understand what the bread represents in the Holy Communion. First of all I have to say: if you are a born again Christian; you have no business having anything against anybody, whether in the church or outside the church! But in the Holy Communion, the bread which represents the body of Christ, is not talking about the church as a body of Christ. Because Jesus does not want His church to be broken, but to come to the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).

But the bread that was broken for us, was literally the physical body of Christ, or the flesh of Christ. The church was never broken for you, but the physical body of Christ was literally broken for you when they whipped Jesus, ploughed His back with that whip 39 times. Jesus’ body was broken for your healing. Isaiah prophesied: By Jesus’ stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Peter having witnessed the fulfilment of that prophecy when the physical body of Christ was broken by those lashes at the whipping post, tells us: by Jesus’ stripes you were healed (1Peter 2:24). That is what Jesus told those disciples of His: when you partake of the bread during the Holy Communion: do this in remembrance of Me. In other words, remember that My body was broken for your healing, that by My stripes you were healed. Your healing was paid for 2,000 years ago at the whipping post. You do not have to put up with any sickness or disease, for Jesus bore them for you. Isaiah prophesied: surely He, Jesus, has borne our griefs, maladies, diseases, sicknesses and calamities; and carried our sorrows, pains, anguishes and afflictions: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted (Isaiah 53:4). David tells us: forget not all His benefits, He forgives all our iniquities and He heals all our diseases (Psalm 103:2-3).

Jesus wants you to have this assurance that He bore all your sicknesses and all your diseases, so that you do not have to bear them. And that is what He is asking you and me to remember, and to never forget those benefits, when we partake of the bread During the Holy Communion. When we take that unleavened bread and break it in our hand, and pass it around, that is what Jesus wants us to remember Him for.

If one does not have this understanding, it will just be a religious ritual, and there is no power in religion. Now that unleavened bread is just symbolic of the body of Jesus, it is not literally the physical body of Jesus, when you eat it, it does not become the flesh of Jesus in your stomach. We are not cannibals. Cannibalism is an abomination to God. The Corinthian churches did not have this understanding and so they were just having a religious ritual, and Paul told them: For he who eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep or die prematurely (1Corinthians 11:29-30). Many people do not discern why the physical body of Christ was broken, why Jesus bore those stripes, so they are still bearing their sickness and disease and are dying prematurely, or are having miscarriages.

People will say: I think it is only a religious ritual; it has no healing power in it. How can I eat a piece of bread and be healed? Let me explain it to you according to the scriptures. In 2Kings 4:38-41, Elisha the prophet of God came to Gilgal, the land was experiencing a great famine and the sons of the prophets were also affected by the famine of the land. Elisha said to his servant put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets, And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered from it, a lapful of wild gourds, and came and sliced (shredded) them into the pot of stew, though they did not know what they were. Then they served it to the men to eat, now it happened, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said: Man of God there is death in the pot! And they could not eat it. In other words the stew was poisoned by those wild gourds, and people who had already eaten of the stew, were poisoned and were dying, because of that poison they had ingested, so they immediately stopped eating that stew.

But Elisha the prophet of God and the Man of God said to them: bring some flour. And he put it into the pot and said: serve it to the people that they may eat. And there was nothing harmful in the pot. The prophet of God or the Man of God, put some flour into the pot of stew, and it healed the stew, it was no longer poisoned. But the people who had ingested the poisoned stew were still poisoned, as they ate that healed stew which contained the flour Elisha had added; the same flour that healed the stew, also healed their bodies, so that they were no longer dying. Not only were they now healed, but they ate the stew. Those people had faith in Elisha the Man of God, they believed his word. When He told them I will put some flour into the poisoned stew, and it will be healed, they believed him and when he told them: if you eat that stew containing the added flour, you will also be healed, they believed him too.

I have to make a poor confession; if I were there I would have probably asked: how can flour remove the poison from the stew? Or how can I eat some flour and be healed? But Paul tells us: God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are; so that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption (1Corinthians 1:27-30). My friends it looks like foolishness to the carnal mind to eat flour or bread and receive healing, or heal a poisoned stew; but this is the spiritual wisdom Christ Jesus gives us.

It is the same thing with the Holy Communion, the bread is baked flour, so how can baked flour heal my body when I eat it? It is called faith! They believed Elisha the Man of God. God says He confirms the word of His servant and performs the counsel of His messenger (Isaiah 44:26). Mary said to the servant at the wedding of Cana: whatever Jesus tells you to do, do it (John 2:5). As they obeyed the instructions of Jesus, they had the miracle of water being turned into wine. Those sons of the prophets obeyed the instruction of Elisha to eat that flour and were healed. I have come to tell you that greater than Elisha is here, Christ Jesus the Son of God. Paul tells us that he is not the one who instructed us to do the Holy Communion, but Jesus did. For I, Paul, have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you (1Corinthians 11:23). Indeed the Lord says: I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it (Isaiah 46:11). Your healing shall spring forth speedily (Isaiah 58:8). I watch over My Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12).

So Paul tells you when you come to the Holy Communion, before you partake of the bread, you must have this understanding, and embrace it. Every Christian before partaking of the bread, needs to examine himself (1Corinthians 11:28). What are you suffering from? What sickness or disease are you suffering from? Many people will be putting up with sickness and disease in their body and say: I can bear that sickness or that constant illness. I am managing it with medication. I can put up with that food allergy; I just have to avoid some particular food or nuts. Jesus bore all of them, so that you do not have to bear any of them, at all! I used to have a lot of allergies including food allergies, until I had that revelation that God wanted me to eat whatever is set before me, I do not have to ask any questions about the food, whether there are some things I am allergic to in it, or not(1Corinthians 10:27)? I know Jesus bore all my allergies and by His stripes I was healed, so I do not put up with any sickness or disease at all; even if people say you can manage it.

I used to have lactose intolerance up to the age of 12, so from the day my mummy stopped breastfeeding me, I could not drink normal milk. So many times I had to have soya milk. And when there was no soya milk I could not have a good breakfast, I would have tea without milk. I cried out to the Lord, and when I was born again at 12, I read that the Lord brought us up out of the affliction of Egypt to a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:17). Brethren, since that day, I have enjoyed a flow of milk and honey, no more soya milk but cow’s milk. If a 12 year old can understand that God does not want him to have any allergy, you can surely understand it too. So sit down and examine your body, and list those sicknesses and diseases and bring them to Jesus. And allow Jesus to make you perfectly whole (Matthew 14:36).

After you have listed them, now give thanks to the Lord for your healing. When Jesus had given thanks (Eucharisteo: thankful, expressed gratitude [toward God]), He broke it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me (1Corinthians 11:24). Jesus first thanked God before breaking the bread. You must use your own words, and thank God for your healing. For instance you can say: “Father I thank you for sending Jesus Christ to bear all my sicknesses and all my diseases (list all of them to God) (Psalm 103:3). I do not have to bear any of them, Jesus bore them for me. I thank you that I am your son/daughter and healing is the bread of your children (Mark 7:27). I thank you because I receive my daily bread today, which is my healing (Luke 11:3). I thank you Jesus because by your stripes I was healed (1Peter 2:24)”. You can add your own words.

Read the bible study on “The Seven Hebrew Words for Praise” to understand everything about thanksgiving. That is why the bread of the Holy Communion is called in some denominations the Eucharist, they took it from the Greek word Eucharisteo: thankful, expressed gratitude [toward God]. So praise the Lord for what He did on the cross, and forget not all the benefits of His death, burial and resurrection, that were imputed or credited unto you.

Matthew who was with Jesus at the last supper, gives us the account of what took place around that table and says: And as we were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed (Eulogeo: spoke well of, prospered, invoked a benediction upon) it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said: take, eat; this is My body. And He took the cup, and gave thanks (Eucharisteo: thankful, expressed gratitude [toward God]), and gave it to them, saying, Drink all of it; for this is My blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:26-28). Matthew is careful to let us know that the way Jesus prayed for the bread, was not the same way He prayed for the wine. Jesus blessed the bread, but thanked God for the wine. For instance when God blessed Abraham, Paul tells us how it took place, saying: for when God made a promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, He swore by Himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless (Eulogeo: speak well of, prosper, invoke a benediction upon) you, and multiplying I will multiply you (Hebrews 6:13-14).

From the Greek word Eulogeo we have our English word Eulogy, which according to the Webster dictionary means: praise; encomium; panegyric; a speech or writing in commendation of a person, on account of his valuable qualities, or services. And in the series of the Perfect Redemption Plan we have explained how God preached the gospel to Abraham, how God explained to Abraham the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ according to the scriptures, though it was in shadows and types. And all the series of the Perfect Redemption Plan it was to tell everybody what Jesus Christ had done, when He was on earth, how He served God, what He has accomplished for us by His death, burial and resurrection. The inheritance that we have received from God through Christ Jesus, when we become born again, can now be given to us.

God spoke into the life of Abraham the inheritance that he had received by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, the Seed of Abraham, and it came to pass; for the words of God are Spirit and Life. God spoke prosperity in the life of Abraham, and he prospered not just in material things, but also in his body: he was healed of barrenness, so was Sarah His wife. So when Matthew says Jesus blessed the bread, it means Jesus spoke some words over that bread, so that whosoever partakes of that bread, will experience the word spoken over that bread, even the promises that we inherited, when the body of Christ was broken.

In other words, that bread was working like the prayer cloths which were impregnated with the Spirit of the Lord. We have explained in detail how those prayer-cloths work, and how one can pray over them or impregnate them with the very Spirit of God. Therefore since we know that the bread represents the body of Christ, which was broken for our healing, so one can hold the bread in his hand and bless it in this way. In the name of Jesus, I impregnate this bread with the very Spirit of life, the Holy Spirit of God, whosoever eats of this broken bread, will be healed of whatsoever sickness and of whatsoever disease, and will be made free of whatever demon possession, in the name of Jesus, Amen.

People ask: how can this be? How can it happen? The answer is: as you speak well over that bread, or bless that bread, or invoke God’s power over that bread; the Spirit of the Lord, who is the Spirit of life, will come upon that bread and the power of the Highest will overshadow that bread, and that bread will no longer be an ordinary thing; but a Holy thing, even a holy bread, bread clothed with the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). Now you understand why we call it Holy Communion! After having blessed the bread, you can break it, pass it around and eat it. Once you have eaten the piece of bread, you can for instance say: Jesus I thank you for your body that was broken for my healing. I believe according to your word I was healed.

Now you can speak to your body or to that part of your body that is sick or diseased. You can for instance say: Body I command you to be healed, to be made whole, to function properly, and to do your job in the name of Jesus! Or you can say: you sickness, you disease (name that sickness or disease); I command you to leave my body, and never come back in the name of Jesus! My body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, sickness and disease is not invited into this body; go, leave now in Jesus’ name! Or you can speak to your organ that is not working properly, saying: I command you organ (name the organ or organs) to function properly, do your job, be healed, be made whole, be created, be recreated now in the name of Jesus!

You command those sicknesses and diseases to leave your body now, at once or immediately in the name of Jesus. You must command your body parts or organs to function now, at once or immediately in the name of Jesus. You must command those devils to leave your body now, at once or immediately in the name of Jesus. For instance if you have a spirit of infirmity you say: you spirit of infirmity I command you in the name of Jesus to leave my body now and never come back; go in Jesus’ name!

You do not ask God to come and heal you; His answer to such requests will be: I have already healed you. I said through Peter: by Jesus stripes you were healed (1Peter 2:24). You must understand that God made you a king through Jesus the King of kings. And where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him: what are you doing (Ecclesiastes 8:4)? Your words have power, because Jesus the King of kings dwells in you, the devil and his sickness and disease cannot say to you: what are you doing casting us out of this body? You have authority and power over all of them, because you are in Christ Jesus. Therefore open your mouth and speak up, command those devils to come out of your body, those sicknesses and those diseases in the name of Jesus! Please understand you are not commanding God; no, no, we are commanding those devils and their sicknesses and diseases. God is the one who commanded us through Jesus to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out devils, cleanse the leapers or any other skin disease, We are obeying God’s command, when we command those devils, sicknesses and diseases to leave people’s bodies, when we are commanding those bodies to be made whole, when we are commanding those organs to be created or new skin to be created.

When you read in the New Testament how Jesus healed people, and how the disciples healed people, they never prayed to God for Him to heal anybody; but they understood God had invested His authority and power in them and they commanded healing in the body of those people, and they were healed. The only time, recorded in the bible, when Jesus prayed to God for a person’s body, was at the tomb of Lazarus in John 11. And when we read it, Jesus did not ask God to raise Lazarus, but thanked God saying: Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You hear Me always: but because of the people who stand by, I said it,that they may believe that You have sent Me (John 11:41-42).

And it is the same thing He told us to do before we eat the bread of the Holy Communion, we must thank God for His healing, because it is a done deal. Jesus thanked God at Lazarus’ tomb because He is the resurrection and life, and He knew that God always hears His prayers. But when Jesus spoke to the dead body of Lazarus, He did not say: God come and raise Lazarus for me; but He commanded the dead body of Lazarus to do something. He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth (John 11:43). And Lazarus came back from the dead. Unfortunately many Christians are still begging God to come and heal, or to come and raise the dead for them; instead of commanding healing, commanding the devil to leave, and commanding the dead to come back to life, in the name of Jesus. We must move from the begging style of prayer, to the commanding style of prayer, like Jesus and His disciples prayed, when it comes to healing the sick, casting out devils and raising the dead; if we want to experience the same results Jesus did.

The second element: the wine.

1Corinthians 11:25 After the same manner also Jesus took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament or New Covenant in my blood: do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.

Matthew 26:27 And Jesus took the cup, and gave thanks (Eucharisteo: thankful, expressed gratitude [toward God]), and gave it to them, saying, Drink all of it;

Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the New Testament or New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

The first element of the Holy Communion is the bread, because Jesus wants us to know, that healing has nothing to do with how we perform in the kingdom. As we have explained in length in the Perfect Redemption Plan bible study series, Jesus was whipped for our healing before bleeding to death for our sins. Healing is not a reward, but a gift of God, even a free gift of God, to everyone of us that puts his or her faith or relies on Jesus. The second element of the Holy Communion is the wine. Christians are more familiar with the wine, because they have been taught over and over again about the forgiveness of sins.

The wine, which represents the blood of Jesus, is not the literal blood of Jesus, but it is symbolic; that wine will never turn into human blood. Christians do not eat human flesh, nor drink human blood; it is an abomination to God. The bible says: God has made Jesus to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2Corinthians 5:21). God literally put all the sins of the world on Jesus. Jesus bled to death for the remission of the sins of the world. We are not talking about a mere forgiveness and atonement, which is a covering of those sins; but their remission. God literally expunged all our sins and removed the sinful nature in us, as we have explained in the Lord is my righteousness. He will remember them no more. God so loves sinners but He hates sin (John 3:16, Hebrews 1:9). There is no sin that is too big for God; He forgives all our sins, all our iniquities, all our transgressions. But does He want us to keep sinning? The answer is no!

Paul said to the Corinthians: whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord (1Corinthians 11:27). If unsaved people and Christians who practice sin, want to receive healing, they can be healed by any born again Christian laying hands on them, or the elders of the church anointing them with oil, and praying the prayer of faith over them. But unsaved people, and Christians who practice sin, should not partake of the Holy Communion, because they would be taking it unworthily. If an unsaved person wants to partake of the Holy Communion, he must be born again or born from above first, and then he can partake of it. If a Christian is practicing sin, he must repent of that sin, and then partake of it. The bread which represents the body of Christ, Paul tells us, that our body is now the temple of the Holy Ghost, God lives in us, we are not our own, but belong to God. We were bought with a price, Jesus bled to death, to ransom us in full or to redeem us; therefore we need to glorify God in our physical body, in our soul and in our spirit, which now belong to God (1Corinthians 6:19-20).

Since Christ now lives in us, and our body, soul and spirit belong to God; therefore our bodies are members of Christ, because God placed us in Christ. Christians should not be committing adultery, fornication and all sexual immorality, for by so doing, they are joining the members of Christ with harlots (1Corinthians 6:15-19). The Corinthian church had so many problems. But there is not a sin that is too big for God. John tells us: If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1John 1:9). Before we partake of the wine of the Holy Communion Paul tells us: let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup (1Corinthians 11:28). For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world (1Corinthians 11:31-32). God is not a fault finder, He is not there to condemn us; yet He wants us to become more Christ like, to have victory over sin. If we come to Him for forgiveness He will never say no to us.

God does not merely want us to ask for His forgiveness; but He wants us to repent. He wants us to renew our mind according to His word, to forsake our old ways, for that is true repentance; not just being sorry and remorseful, but forsaking our old ways. For instance, religious people will say: I will live my life anyhow and on Sunday morning I will go to church to ask for forgiveness. That’s religion, it is not Christianity. If a believer says in his heart: I will practice sin during the week, and I will come on Sunday and ask for forgiveness, and take the communion, and on Monday practice my sin again. That believer is partaking of the wine unworthily; he has no intention of repenting. And that was the case of the Corinthian church. The people were practicing sin, sometimes even more than pagans. Paul told them clearly: do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate or homosexuals, nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor Sodomites or male homosexuals. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God (1Corinthians 6:9-10).

We all were sinners saved by grace, even if we were not doing what Paul has listed above; now that we are born again, or born from above, we are no longer sinners but righteous. God has imputed the righteousness of Christ unto us, or credited us with the righteousness of Jesus. Now that we are saved, we should not go back to who we used to be, like a dog which returns to its vomit (Proverbs 26:11). Sin is no longer our nature, but righteousness is our new nature. That is the big difference between atonement and remission of sins; God dealt with our sinful nature when He remitted our sins. Please read the bible study: Perfect Redemption Plan, part I. Understand the difference between atonement of sin and remission of sins, it is crucial. Although some of us used to practice those sins: but now we are washed in the blood of Christ, but now we are sanctified, set apart, we no longer belong to the kingdom of darkness, but the Kingdom of light, but we are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, we are declared righteous in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God (1Corinthians 6:11).

We know that God said to Hosea: I will heal their backsliding, and love them freely (Hosea 14:4). What brings more joy to our Father God is, when we are loyal to His precepts, rather than constantly falling into ditches on purpose, for lack of knowledge, or because we have rejected the knowledge; and are constantly asking for forgiveness over the same matter. He wants us to have the knowledge of Him, and walking in that knowledge, rather than repenting all the time (Hosea 6:6).The way to have victory over sin and all the works of the devil, is to get the knowledge of what God says about us, and who God is in us, and go and do it; because when you know the truth and act upon it; it makes you free from the power of sin and darkness. If a Christian is still enjoying sin, it means he is not born again, or from above; for when you are born again from above, God gives you a new heart, He takes away the stony heart and replaces it with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). When a true born again Christian sins, the Holy Spirit convicts Him, and he feels so bad about that sin (John 16:8). Why does he feel that way? Because God and sin do not cohabit: sin is of the devil and righteousness is of God.

So when we have confessed our sins, made the decision to renew our mind and walked away from those sins, we must believe that God has forgiven us instantly, and God is no longer remembering our sins anymore, they have been remitted. Why is repentance so crucial in our walk with God? Think of it this way: when you apply for a Job with any secret service agency in the world: MI5, CIA, KGB, FBI, etc. They will first investigate your life. They want to know if you have an adultery problem, if you have an alcohol problem, if you have a gambling problem, if you have debts, if you have a drug problem, if you like prostitutes, if you are homosexual, etc. One might say: it is a secular Job, my private life has nothing to do with my ability to do my Job. This is not a church job and according to the law of the land I am of age, I can do whatever I want with my life! Wrong! You see, they want to know all those things, because they do not want their enemies to find out before they do. For if the enemy government knows what your secrets are they will blackmail you to get information from you.

Satan also knows that when we are born again or born from above, we are in the kingdom of God, and not in the kingdom of Satan. So he does his best to keep us sinning, so that we will be ineffective for the kingdom of God. A Christian who practices sin, does not pray because his conscience is accusing him all the time that God will not listen to his prayers (Romans 2:15). That Christian will not pray for anybody to be healed; because his conscience is telling him so many reasons why God should not use him, his heart is condemning him, though God is not condemning him (1John 3:20, Romans 8:1). So he has no confidence toward God, to heal that person. Satan wants us to be sinning, so that many people will still be sick and dying, because we have no confidence toward God to heal those people in the name of Jesus.

A Christian who practices sin, does not share the gospel with people; because his conscience is accusing him, saying”: you are not worthy to share the word of God; you are a fake Christian, etc”. So the result is, more people will be going to hell or struggling with their problems; because we are ashamed of sharing the gospel, our conscience is accusing us of all those sins we are practicing. And all those voices are not from God; but from the devil, who is blackmailing us. A Christian who practices righteousness, becomes ever bolder; because his conscience is not accusing him and his heart is not condemning him. He is confident that God always answers His prayers, which line up with the written word of God (1John 3:21). Sin is the weapon of the devil against the children of God. God’s dream, is for us to mature and become like Jesus and be able to say: Satan, the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in me (John 14:30).

Jesus took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink you all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:27-28). Many churches use red grape juice for their Holy Communion wine. Pour that wine (grape juice) into cups, and give it to the people partaking of the Holy Communion. Since you have already confessed your sins, drink the wine (grape juice) and now give thanks to God because He has forgiven you and remitted your sins. Thank Him in your own words, for the blood of the Lamb that was shed for the remission of your sins.

For instance when I partake of the wine (grape juice) I declare within myself or sometimes out loud: thank you Father for sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross, and shed His blood for the remission of my sins (you can name those sins). He who sins belongs to the devil, I thank You that I belong to God, and My elder brother Jesus shed His blood to destroy sin, and the sinful nature in my life which is the work of the devil (1John 3:8). I thank you for I am in Christ, and because I am in Christ, I am a new creation, old things are passed away; I am no longer that sinner I used to be; but all things have become new, and all things in me are of God, I am now the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. There is nothing of the devil in me, thank you Father for reconciling me to Yourself, by the blood of Jesus (2Corinthians 5:17-18). I thank you Father because I have overcome Satan and sin in my life, by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11).

I thank you because the blood of Jesus Christ, through the Holy Ghost, has cleansed and purged my conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14). My conscience is purged and is no longer accusing me. Thank you Jesus for the power of the blood, the blood prevails and sin has no more dominion over me (Romans 6:14). Jesus, the Son of God, by His blood, has made me free from sin and the power of darkness. I thank You Jesus because I am righteous, even the righteousness of God (Romans 3:21-22). I thank You for making me righteous, and because I know that You are righteous and dwell in me, I also practice righteousness, for I am born of God (1John 2:29), in Jesus’ name, Amen!

The easiest way to break the power of sin off of you, is to expose it. In our example of the secret service agency, if the agent comes clean, and tells his agency the very day he goes for the Job interview, and when he is employed, he tells his colleagues about his past life. He will never have to worry about the enemy trying to blackmail him with that information, or some of his colleagues trying to use his past life to intimidate him. So the secret is to come clean, confess it to God and expose the works of darkness that were still in you, first to trust worthy brethren and then to the whole world, as Gery has done in the bible study: David’s sexual sin exposed.

That is why James tells us: confess your faults, slides, slips, trespasses, one to another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). Many times when we read the bible, we think that the men listed in the bible were so “holy” and they did not struggle with what we are struggling with today. Only Jesus is Holy, and did everything perfectly, the others have the same challenges we have; yet they overcame them by the power of the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony (Revelation 12:11). And they wrote it for us, so that we can learn from them and comfort ourselves with this hope, that if we apply what they did in our life, we will have the same victory (Romans 15:4). James tells us that the great Elijah, who shut the heavens for three years and six months, so that it did not rain on the land, was a man subject to like passions as we are, he had the same nature we have (James 5:16). Paul tells us to prove what is acceptable to God, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them and rebuke them (Ephesians 5:10-11).

And as we read the epistles of Paul, we see him exposing the unfruitful works of darkness that were in his past life: how he persecuted the churches of God, and how he was a chief sinner; but now God has saved him. He is no longer that person, but a new creation, all things are of God now. I tell you it did not go well with the people who knew him before; they had a hard time believing he had changed. I have confessed my sins, which were strongholds, to some believers I trusted, and it broke the power of sin immediately. And when I felt like it was not working fast enough, I even stood up in front of the church and confessed it, and immediately it was broken off of me. That sin no longer has dominion over me. For instance when I used to drink, smoke and go into night clubs every weekend, when I became born again, everything in my body was telling me to do them again. So I confessed them to God, and I also stood up before the church; I told them what kind of person I used to be, and God had delivered me. I exposed the unfruitful works of darkness; those sins have no more dominion over me.

When I was alone in the street, unsaved people who knew me were telling me, we no longer see you in the night club. As soon as they said it, I had those desires again, but the very day I started telling people who were not born again, that I was born again, and that drinking, smoking, going to pubs and clubbing were the works of the devil; but now I am a new creation, all things in me are of God. That is when I started having total victory. Yes, truly we overcame Satan by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony, as we expose his unfruitful works of darkness Satan flees from us. And I tell some of those people in the streets what my past life used to be, and I pray for their sicknesses and they are healed. The answer of Paul to every problem in the church, whether sin or sickness or any other thing is: you do not know who you are in Christ. And in all the epistles of Paul, he always points them back to what Christ has done for them, by his death, burial and resurrection, and who they now are in Christ Jesus. Paul’s answer to every problem in the church can be summed up this way: understand the perfect redemption plan of God and become a doer of it.

I-9-b) Father Abraham partook of the Holy Communion.

Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and He was the priest of the Most High God.

Genesis 14:19 And He blessed him (Abram), and said: Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth:

Genesis 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. And he (Abram) gave Him (Melchizedek) tithes of all.

First of all David prophesied of Jesus that He is Melchizedek; for David witnessed the conversation in heaven between God the Father and the Lord Jesus, and he recorded what God the Father said to Jesus for us: The LORD (God the Father) has sworn, and will not repent, You (Jesus) are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4). Second Paul explains to us that this Melchizedek is the pre-incarnated Christ Jesus. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him. To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abides a priest continually (Hebrews 7:1-3).

Jesus is God and was never created; He has no beginning of days or end of life for He is God. He is our Prince of peace and our righteousness (Isaiah 9:6; 1Corinthians 1:30). So after God had given Abraham the victory through Jesus, over the confederacy of kings who had plundered Sodom and Gomorrah, and captured Lot his nephew; Jesus came to Abraham with bread and wine, our New Testament Holy Communion. Jesus, who is Melchizedek, pronounced a blessing over Abraham. And in return Abraham gave Him his tithe. Paul tells us: now consider how great this Man (Melchizedek) was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: But He (Melchizedek) whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better (Hebrews 7:4-7).

After Abraham had taken bread and wine, Jesus blessed him, and his life was transformed. Abraham was barren so was his wife. God healed his barrenness, and we can read in Genesis16, he had Ishmael, and in Genesis 21 he had Isaac, and after the death of Sarah, Abraham took Keturah as his wife and had six other sons with her (Genesis 25). You see, Abraham was healed of his barrenness. Since Jesus blessed Abraham, when he had partaken of the bread and wine of the Holy Communion; so should we do to each other, after we have partaken of the bread and wine. Jesus pronounced blessings on Abraham, and part of the blessing of Abraham was financial prosperity. As soon as Jesus had blessed him, he gave Him his tithe. We have explained that the bread represents the body of Jesus. In the Perfect Redemption Plan series, we have explained that they placed that crown of thorns on the head of Jesus, so that you should no longer eat by the sweat of your brow, which was one of the curses in the garden (Genesis 3:19).

They drove nails through His feet, so that every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, the Lord has given unto you (Joshua 1:3). They drove the nails through His hands so that whatever you lay your hand to do shall prosper (Psalm 1:3). They drove those nails through His hands and feet, so that all the curses contained in the law, may be rendered obsolete. He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross, And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:14-15). When we read Deuteronomy 28, the list of the curses and the blessings, a lot of the curses have to do with poverty, sickness and being defeated by our enemies. But the good news is, His body was broken to do away with poverty, sickness and defeat in your life. One of the curses was that your spouse is taken by someone else (Deuteronomy 28:30).

Even that, Christ has redeemed you from the curse of the law being made a curse for you, that the blessing of Abraham may come to you (Galatians 3:13-14).You are now to triumph in every area of life, for Christ Jesus always leads you in triumph (2Corinthians 2:14). The soldier took a spear and thrust it through the side of Jesus and pierced His heart; water and blood came out to the last drop (John 19:34-37). His heart was broken and so that your broken-heartedness can be healed. As He said: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord (Luke 4:18-19). No matter how devastating your divorce has been, or how you have been abused by men, Jesus has made the provision for your broken-heartedness to be healed.

You can receive peace and restoration in your life and healing in your heart; for surely Jesus has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:4-5). Therefore when you partake of the bread and the wine of the Holy Communion, everything contained in the Perfect Redemption Plan is yours, and you claim everything, not just healing. That is why we spend a lot of time explaining the Perfect Redemption Plan of God. And when you claim it, go and act on it, Abraham received the blessing for prosperity, and He acted on it by giving his tithe to Jesus.

I-9-c) The Jewish Passover: shadow of our Holy Communion

The Jewish Passover feast was instituted by God, so that they would remember how God delivered them from the house of bondage of Egypt. In Exodus 12 on the day of Passover, the night before they left Egypt, the Hebrews were instructed to kill a lamb in every house. They roasted that lamb and ate it with unleavened bread. They put some of the blood of the lamb on the lintel, and the two doorposts of their houses. When the angel of death came to kill the firstborns of Egypt, he passed over the Hebrews houses, for a lamb was slain on their behalf, and roasted. Now this was a shadow of what God would do, by the death of Jesus. The lamb was talking of Jesus the Lamb of God, the unleavened bread was talking of Jesus the bread of life, the bread without sin, without hypocrisy (leaven of the Pharisees) and without political agenda (leaven of Herod in Mark 8:15) that was broken for our sins, He who knew no sin was made sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2Corinthians 5:21). And the blood was of course the blood of Jesus, for we overcame Satan our adversary, by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11).

Jesus charges all of us, His disciples, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod (Mark 8:15). Now the leaven of the Pharisees is hypocrisy. As it is written: In the meantime, when they were gathered together, an innumerable multitude of people, in so much that they trod one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy (Luke 12:1). Paul tells us: Let love be without hypocrisy or dissimulation, or hidden agenda, shrinking from evil, cleaving to good (Romans 12:9). The leaven of Herod is also hypocrisy and manipulation; but for political agenda. We do not have to be hypocrites and flatter people to get their promotion or exaltation. We should never compromise their faith like Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Daniel showed us; For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: He puts down one, and sets up another (Psalm 75:6-7).

This is not to say that Christians should not do secular politics; on the contrary they should be involved in the political decisions of their nations and communities, they should be lights in a world of darkness. William Wilberforce [24^th August 1759 – 29^th July 1833] was a young politician who became a born again evangelical Christian in 1785 through the ministry of John Newton [4^th August 1725 – 21^st December 1807]. John Newton, who used to be a sailor, captain of slave ships, was converted to Christianity, and later became an evangelical Anglican cleric. He served in Olney, Buckinghamshire for two decades, and also wrote hymns; and one of them is Amazing grace. William Wilberforce, when he was converted, wanted to stop being a member of parliament, because, all the politicians were liars and hypocrites. But John Newton explained to him, that he should stay there and fight for the abolition of slavery. The two worked hand in hand to abolish slavery. And their campaign for complete abolition of slavery, led to the Slavery Abolition Act 1833, which abolished slavery in most of the British Empire. And later on the whole world was forced to abolish slavery.

You can watch the Movie of the life of William Wilberforce and John Newton; they were the Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Daniel of their days. When a person is truly born again and filled with the Holy Spirit; He cannot be in support of slavery, or of racism or of segregation. In Azusa Street revival which began 9^th April 1906 and continued until roughly 1915; there were the Jim Crow laws. Now the Jim Crow laws were racial segregation, state and local laws. They started in 1890 and continued in force until 1965, mandating de jure racial segregation in all public facilities. Charles Fox Praham, who started the bible study group that lead to the revival, was a sincere man, who loved the Lord and wanted to see the primitive faith being restored in their days. Yet he and his group were afraid of the Jim Crow laws; and they decided not to let Brother William Seymour sit in the same classroom with the other students, because he was black and the laws of the land forbade it. So they opened the window of the classroom, and Seymour could listen to the lesson and write down notes from the window.

Jesus says: whoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My Words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man shall also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels (Mark 8:38). Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Daniel, when the laws of the land were against the word of God, they refused to bow to it, even to the peril of their own life. Because they were not ashamed to stand on the word of God, God also manifested Himself through them mightily. God used that black man, William Seymour to bring the revival. And it was the first integrated church in the history of the USA: blacks, whites, browns, reds, yellows, mixed races, all came together and worshiped in the same public facility, openly violating the Jim Crow laws. When we are truly born again and filled with the Holy Ghost; there will be no racism, no segregation, no sexism, no slavery; we will see each other as equals, regardless of our background, our education. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6)!

What happened in the Azusa street revival, is still what God wants to do, even a fully integrated church, where people meet together from all nationalities, all backgrounds, and all skin colours. As you read the book of Acts of the Apostles, God was pushing the Jewish Christians to die to their national pride, die to their customs and traditions in order to integrate the gentiles into the worship of God, through Christ Jesus. But better than that, also bring the gentiles into church leadership. As you read the Book of Acts, you see Paul working with Titus, who was a Gentile, whom he appointed to appoint elders among the gentiles. Many times in some churches, it is only one group of people that is dominating the church leadership. And when they appoint one person, who represents the other groups that are not dominant in the church, it is to secure the tithes and offerings of the people in the groups that are not dominant in the church.

They truly do not value the input of those leaders whom they have appointed among the non-dominant groups in the church. They are playing with the feelings and emotions of the people; which is manipulation! This used to be done to women in churches. Women are more faithful than men when it comes to church attendance, tithes and offerings, and involvements in church activities. Yet women were not allowed in church leadership for a long time. So many women wanted their opinion to be valued and started to withhold their tithes and offerings. So some churches now made them deaconesses to start with, and progressively some churches appointed women associate pastors. I have been in some churches where, though they had female associate pastors, yet in the key meetings of pastors, their wives were never there. It was not written in black and white on paper; yet I never saw any female pastor in those key meetings, where real decisions on the direction and vision for the church were taken.

Let me take another example. If for instance the main leader of the church, under Jesus Christ, is Congolese from the Republic of Congo, and that church is filled with Congolese. What tends to happen is, that he surrounds himself with people from his own country. When there are other nationalities in the church, he gives one of them a position in leadership, because he wants to secure the tithes and offerings of the people of the other nationalities. Or if for instance the main church leader is white, and he also has blacks and Asians in his church, he will appoint one black or one Asian into leadership to secure the tithes and offerings of those two groups, but truly does not value the input of that person, and does not believe in him or her. We have been in church and seen all those practices done. Or sometimes churches try to apply the positive discrimination of the secular world into the church. I find nothing wrong with positive discrimination; but when we bring it to church, the criteria Paul gave to Timothy and Titus for the choice of leaders, must come first.

And we have seen in some churches, because they wanted to blindly apply the positive discrimination of the world into the church, they have put women in leadership, or they have appointed people who were from the non-dominant groups in the church, but those people did not even know the scriptures. This was only done to please the women in the church and to please the non-dominant groups in the church. I remember when I started ministry; many people wanted to be ministering along by my side in the healing services. Some of them had gone to bible school and graduated from bible school. They were leaders in other ministries. When they came to me, I told them they cannot minister by my side; they need to sort out their life first of all, before I allow them to minister by my side. Because if they minister by my side in church, it means I have approved of their person and their lifestyle. Some accepted to change their lifestyle to meet the standard of the Holy Scriptures, others refused. Those who accepted the need to change their life, after they had sorted out what was not right, I kept my words and allowed them to minister by my side.

Paul, still on the subject of appointing people into leadership said to Timothy: the sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious, cannot remain hidden forever (1Timothy 5:24-25). Now some people also started working with me; what they were doing in their closet was not obvious at first, but as I was working with them, God started to reveal to me that they were not living a sanctified life. So I confronted them, and explained according to the scriptures, that what they were doing, was not in accordance with the teaching of sanctification found in the Holy Scriptures. Some chose to sanctify themselves, others refused, and we had to part ways! A little leaven leavens the whole lump (Galatians 5:9). If you are so desperate for labourers in your portion of the vineyard the Lord has appointed unto you, and you willfully ignore the counsel of the Holy Scriptures, and appointed people into leadership, who ought not to have been there, when the church grows in numbers, and you try to remove those leaders, whom you knew from the beginning, did not meet the criteria of the bible, it will cause a great schism in the church. If you knew they did not meet the criteria of the bible back then, why did you appoint them into leadership? And now that your church has grown, you want to remove them! You are a hypocrite and a manipulative person! You should have stood for the truth of the word of God back then, when there was nobody in the church.

What will happen is that you will compromise the truth, and a lot of members in the church will also live the ungodly life of those leaders. You must be willing to walk and stand alone, if push comes to shove when the people do not want to live a sanctified life, knowing that you are not truly on your own; for the Lord Jesus who sent you, is always with you even to the end of the world (2Tomothy 4:17, Matthew 28:20).

Even if everybody is being scattered from you, do not succumb to the pressure of the ministry and of the people, so that you compromise the command of the Lord, found in the Holy Scriptures. King Saul compromised the command of the Lord, because the people were being scattered from Him; yet Jesus did not compromise the command of the Lord, when all the masses and His twelve disciples were scattered from Him (1Samuel 15, John 6:60-71, John 16:32). Paul also did not compromise, because of the pressure of ministry, or because everybody was being scattered from him (2Timothy 4:16). You need to pray for the Holy Spirit, who is the Lord of the Harvest, to send you true labourers after God’s own heart; for if you rely on the Holy Spirit, he has found for you men and women [black, white, yellow, red, brown and mixed race] after His own heart, who shall fulfil all His will (Matthew 9:38, Acts 13:22). Remember that before Isaac, the son of the promise comes, there is an Ishmael, who is a temporary fix, in case Isaac never came. Ishmael is that which is born of the flesh, and it will always fight Isaac, that which is born of the Spirit; cast out what is born of the flesh, so that what is born of the Spirit, will grow up unhindered. But if you do not deal with what is born of the flesh, it will always try to destroy what is born of the Spirit (Galatians 4:22-31).

Paul says: For now do I persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10). Behold, a third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not burden you, for I do not seek your things [your tithes, your offerings, your gifts], but you. For the children ought not to lay up treasure for the parents, but the parents for the children (2Corinthians 12:14). There cannot be Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is no male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28). Do not lie to one another, having put off the old man with his deeds, and having put on the new, having been renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, foreigner [Barbarian], Scythian, slave or freeman, but Christ is all things in all (Colossians 3:9-11).

So although the desire of God is to have a fully integrated church, as it is written: My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations, and for all people (Isaiah 56:7). Yet we should not try to be pleasers of men, and blindly appoint people into leadership. For if you blindly apply positive discrimination in the church, they are now even asking you to employ homosexuals and people from other religions into your church. People must meet the criteria of the bible to be appointed into leadership, regardless of their skin colour, gender, nationality, background; they must meet the bible criteria. In the United Kingdom for instance, the government has been threatening churches, that if they do not apply their twisted positive discrimination: meaning employing homosexuals and people of other religions, among their church staff, the government will cut off the tax return that the church is receiving every year; for churches are registered as charities in the United Kingdom. If push comes to shove, churches will have to make their stand, either to be pleasers of the world that lies under the influence of the devil, or to obey God’s word, at the peril of no longer receiving tax returns from the government, or being sued by homosexuals and atheistic groups, or being written off from the list of charities in the United kingdom.

The answer of the church to such ungodly government is this: we have no need to return a word to you on this matter. If it is so that our God whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, then He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods nor worship the golden image which you have set up (Daniel 3:16-18). O son of the Devil, full of all deceit and all craftiness, enemy of all righteousness, will you not stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is on you. And you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a while (Acts 13:10-11). You shall all be removed from your office, and it will be given to another; for every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up. You are all blind leaders of the blind. And you and all your followers are blind, both shall fall into the ditch (Matthew 15:13-14). Then you will know that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men!

Any person you appoint into church leadership must meet the criteria of the bible. No matter how you are being pressured by some factions in your church, to appoint one of them into leadership, you need to make sure that that person meets the criteria of the Holy Scriptures. If you have at this time nobody among them who meets the criteria of the Holy Scriptures for leadership; then take some of them and disciple them, so that you can appoint them into leadership, that is what the early church did. And even after you have trained them and discipled them, pray and fast before appointing them into leadership according to Acts 13. Jesus prayed all night long before appointing His twelve apostles; He had many disciples yet He sought the counsel of God in prayer before appointing the twelve (Luke 6:12-16). And no matter how eloquent and talented a man or woman might be; if the Holy Spirit tells you, you should not appoint that person into your leadership, do not appoint him or her against the opinion of the multitudes.

If we had to choose according to the flesh, none of us would have chosen any of the twelve disciples of Jesus, as Apostles. The same thing happened to Samuel, after the flesh he would not have chosen David as the next king of Israel, for David’s brothers were well trained and experienced soldiers.

1Samuel 16:6 And it happened as they came in, Samuel saw Eliab and said, Surely Jehovah’s anointed is before Jehovah.

1Samuel 16:7 But Jehovah said to Samuel, Do not look on his face, nor on his height, because I have refused him. For He does not see as man sees. For man looks on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart.

1Samuel 16:8 And Jesse called Abinadab, and he passed him before Samuel, but he said, Also Jehovah has not chosen this one.

1Samuel 16:9 And Jesse passed Shammah by, but he said, Also Jehovah has not chosen this one.

1Samuel 16:10 And Jesse passed seven of his sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, Jehovah has not chosen these.

1Samuel 16:11 And Samuel said to Jesse, Are all the young men here? And he said, There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he keeps the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and bring him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.

1Samuel 16:12 And he sent and brought him in. And he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and good form. And Jehovah said, Arise, anoint him. For this is he.

1Samuel 16:13 And Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the spirit of Jehovah came on David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

The Church is a spiritual entity; Jesus Christ is the owner of the Church. Everything in the church must be done according to the pattern revealed unto us in the Holy Scriptures (Hebrews 8:5, Exodus 25:9). Jesus says: I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). You need to ask Jesus, the owner of the Church, who He has appointed in leadership. It does not mean that the brothers of David were not qualified naturally. In fact they were more qualified naturally than David. God looks at the heart first of all; skill can be acquired and developed with a good training. We should never despise training and teaching; for it is necessary in order to make disciples (Matthew 28:20).

God said to Isaiah: this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips honour Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the command of men (Isaiah 29:13). God says again: the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong or mighty on behalf of those whose heart is perfect or loyal toward Him (2Chronicles 16:9). Many deacons, deaconesses, elders and associate pastors, are appointed because of their financial giving to the church, or their social status. We must please God first; we should never compromise on the truth of the word of God. Males, females, black, white, yellow, red, brown, mixed race, foreigners, rich, poor, Jews and non-Jews should minister and worship side by side as equals before God and before all men and all women. We should honour one another and value the input of everyone, as long as it accords with the general counsel of the Holy Scriptures (Romans 12:10).

Sometimes flattery can be misconstrued as honour; but it is not honour. Christians should not flatter one another. Those who flatter their neighbours are spreading nets for their feet (Proverbs 29:5). Sometimes people flatter you to get into leadership, or to get you to do what they want. Their honour toward you is with hypocrisy and dissimulation; it is mere flattery. As long as you do what they want you to do, they will keep flattering you or “honouring” you; the moment you do not do what they want, they stop “honouring” you; that is when you know that their honour was but flattery. Sometimes God asks you to do something different, and they do not like it because it frustrates their personal agenda; thus they stop “honouring” you and they even see you as their enemy.

You should only seek the honour that comes from God. Jesus tells the Pharisees who were hypocrites, saying: I do not receive honour from men. But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me. If another shall come in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, you who receive honour from one another and do not seek the honor that comes from God only (John 5:41-44)? As long as you are doing what the written word of God says, and following the word God spoke to you, that lines up with the Holy Scriptures, you are safe! We have the story of the young prophet and the old prophet in 1Kings 13; the young prophet heard clearly from the Lord; he did not come in his own name, but in the name of the Lord; but the old prophet deceived him and came in his own name; unfortunately the young prophet received the old prophet who came in his own name. It was a tragic story of disobedience to God’s command; for the young prophet was killed by the lion because he disobeyed God’s command, when he received the word of the old prophet who came in his own name.

I am not telling anybody to ignore the advice of elders in the church and in ministry. If you ignore their advice, you will suffer unnecessary shipwreck like Rehoboam the son of Solomon, who rejected the wise counsel of the advisors of his late father, and acted on the counsel of the young men who grew up with him. He ended up losing ten tribes out of twelve (1Kings 12, 1Kings 13). Have you never read what Solomon said: foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; the rod of correction shall drive it far from him (Proverbs 22:15). The rod of correction Solomon is talking about here, is the rod of the word of God, even Jesus Christ who is the word made flesh! I, Gery, learned it long ago from my father Marc Malanda. Most of my friends are of the age of my father or my grandfather. I do not want to repeat the mistakes they made in life, and especially in ministry; for foolishness is bound in the heart of Gery!

What the elder brothers and elder sisters in the faith should do, is to point the younger brothers and younger sisters to the written word of God. It should not become a situation of control over the life of the young brother or young sister. And they also should know that God speaks also to young believers; God even spoke to the little boy Samuel to go and prophesy to the elderly high priest Eli (1Samuel 3). Jesus says: Yes, have you never read, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings You have perfected praise (Matthew 21:16)?” And again He says: I thank You, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the sophisticated and cunning, and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight (Matthew 11:25-26). We must reach a balance in the relationship between the elder brothers and sisters in the faith, and the younger brothers and sisters in the faith; where the elders are not belittling the revelation of the younger believers, that lines up with the written word of God, and the younger believers do not despise the elder believers, because they are being overly protective over the younger believers.

I dream of the church where three generations: grandchildren, parents and grandparents are worshiping the Lord side by side; for that is what God wants; He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. When Abraham died he was 175 years old, and his grandson Jacob was 15 years old; for Isaac had him when he was sixty years old (Genesis 25:7, Genesis 25:26). The Lord Jesus, who visited Abraham with two angels, said: shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him (Genesis 18:17-19). So Abraham made sure that even His household after him received the word of God, and was walking in his steps. Paul says to Timothy: When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice; and I am persuaded is in you also (2Timothy 1:5).

Azusa street revival was a fully integrated church, even in the aspect of age groups: elderly people, young people and children were worshiping together and ministering side by side. William Seymour was 34 years old when the revival started; God bless his heart, he carried everybody, all the age groups along, that is what God truly wants. Today we have churches of young people. When a church is labelled as such, it means they are against holiness and practicing righteousness; they view holiness as being old fashioned! They have been deceived by the devil and are suffering great shipwreck. I know that the teaching on holiness among some Christian groups turned into legalism, and self-imposed religion, false humility, and the neglecting of the body; but that is not something new, it was already in the early church.

Paul addressed it in primitive Christianity: “Touch not; taste not; handle not; which all are to perish with the using; after the commandments and doctrines of men. Which things have indeed an appearance of wisdom in will, worship or self-imposed worship, or religion, and false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the satisfying or indulgence of the flesh” (Colossians 2:21-23). There is a true holiness, as we have explained in all these bible studies! We should not throw the baby [holiness] out with the bath water! It is the water, even the teaching on holiness that had been polluted with rules and regulations of men, self-imposed religion, false humility and neglect of the body, that needs to be thrown away; but we should keep the baby, even Holiness!

Nebuchadnezzar discovered the hard way that God rules in the kingdom of men, when he was humbled because of his pride, as it is written:

Daniel 4:30 The king spoke and said, Is this not great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the honour of my majesty?

Daniel 4:31 While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from Heaven, saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken. The kingdom has departed from you.

Daniel 4:32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen, and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He will.

Daniel 4:33 The same hour the thing was fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar. And he was driven from men, and ate grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens, until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.

Daniel 4:34 And at the end of days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes to Heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honoured Him who lives forever, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His rule is from generation to generation.

Daniel 4:35 And all the people of the earth are counted as nothing; and He does according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the people of the earth. And none can strike His hand, or say to Him, What are You doing?

Daniel 4:36 At that time my reason returned to me. And the glory of my kingdom, my honour and brightness returned to me. And my advisers and my lords came for me, and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me.

Daniel 4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and exalt and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth and His ways judgment. And those who walk in pride He is able to humble.

So when we partake of the Holy Communion, not only should there be no leaven of sin in us; but there should be no leaven of hypocrisy either, and no leaven of Herod, or political manipulations, to be promoted to church leadership. Christians should not be hypocrites, or playing politics in church, to be promoted. Jesus hates the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod, the same way He hates sins, iniquities and transgressions. And in Matthew 23, Jesus addresses hypocrisy harshly saying: woe unto you, woe unto you, and again woe unto you. Jesus hates leaven in our bread: the leaven of sin, the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy and the leaven of Herod, which is manipulation to be promoted both in the secular world, and in church leadership (Hebrews 1:8-9, Matthew 23, Mark 8:15). Remember manipulation lies under the spirit of witchcraft (1Samuel 15:10-30). Our relationships with people must be genuine, without ulterior motives!

The roasted lamb is the picture of Jesus the Lamb of God who received the fiery judgment of the wrath of God for our sins; so that we can be justified freely, declared once for all righteous. He did not just die, but He was also burned spiritually! In other words He endured the fire of the wrath of God in our stead; so that when we receive Jesus in our life, we do not have to worry about hell fire anymore; we passed from death to life, for whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:15). And this is the record, that God has given to us, eternal life, and this life is in His Son (1John 5:11). Though the day of the Lord’s return is coming as a thief in the night, you and I, when we are born again, as long as we are not practicing the sins leading to death listed in 1Corinthians 6:9-10, do not have to worry about that day; for God has already given us eternal life. We are not in darkness that the day of the Lord should overtake us as a thief. We are children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore we will not sleep like do others but we will watch and be sober (1Thessalonians 5:1-6).

When they came out of Egypt they received the full redemption plan of God, money was part of it, for they plundered the Egyptians (Exodus 12:36). They gloriously triumphed over Pharaoh the king of Egypt and his army, when God drowned them in the red sea (Exodus 14, Exodus 15). Basically they had everything we have detailed in the Perfect Redemption Plan series, only they were not sons and daughters of God individually, but as a nation they were the son of God. And you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord: Israel is My son, My first-born (Exodus 4:22). They had not received eternal life yet, and God was not in them, but with them; we have it better in the New Covenant. But even with that shadow of what we have, they did pretty well. God instructed Moses to tell the people to do this Passover feast once a year, in remembrance of what He did for their fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage (Deuteronomy 16:5-6).

The problem is that down the line, many Hebrews did not know why they were instructed to do it? They thought it was just another party, a time for the family to come together, a time of pilgrimage to Jerusalem. A time to play games with children: the parents hide crumbs of leavened bread and the children search them out. A time to clean the cooking utensils: they would use a blowtorch to remove the crass from their metallic cooking utensils, which was symbolic of God purifying our vessels with fire, even sanctification. The reason God told them to do it, was so that they would not forget what He had done for them, who they were with Him on their side, and what His benefits were. David says: Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfies your mouth with good things; so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD executes righteousness and judgment for all who are oppressed (Psalm 103:2-6).

That is the main point of partaking of the Passover, it was not just about eating; but renewing our mind, getting sin, hypocrisy and manipulation out of our life, purging ourselves in order to be sanctified. The reason it was done only once a year, was to remind them that the Lamb died once for all. It was symbolic of what Jesus would do, for Jesus died once for all, for the sins of the world, and does not die again. For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He lives, He lives unto God (Romans 6:10). Many Christians, like the Corinthian brothers and sisters, are making the same mistake the Jews made; they thought the Passover was about eating and drinking, playing games with children and singing hymns. No, it was about re-appropriating what God has done for us, by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. It is about personalizing it to your life, for what He did for them, is the same thing He did for you and does for you.

I-9-d) Partake of the Holy Communion as often as you can

1Corinthians 11:24 And when Jesus had given thanks, He broke it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

1Corinthians 11:25 After the same manner also He took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

Matthew 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

Matthew 26:27 And Jesus took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink all of it;

Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

1Corinthians 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do proclaim (kataggello: promulgate, show, teach, preach, proclaim, speak of) the Lord’s death till He comes.

So Jesus instructed us to partake of this Holy Communion, as often as we can; for He wants us not to forget all His benefits, what He did for us by His death, burial and resurrection. Paul says whenever we partake of it, we use that opportunity to teach about the Perfect Redemption Plan of God. It freshens us, and we renew our mind. The Passover was the seven day feast; so for seven days they had plenty of time to be reminded of all the benefits of what was freely given to them. People, who do not truly know why Jesus died for them, and who they are in Christ, can learn those things that have been freely given to us, in the Perfect Redemption Plan series. People, who are struggling with sin, or who are having a hard time renewing their mind, will use it to confess their sin to God, and expose the works of darkness, and have a good confession of faith. People, who are sick, will be healed. And basically everything in the Perfect Redemption Plan of God is ours, and we use that time to renew our mind to the Perfect Redemption Plan and its Application. We do that in remembrance of Jesus, and because we know what He has done for the world, we go and share this good news with the world around us. We heal the sick, cast out devils and raise the dead, cleanse lepers and get people saved.

Jesus Himself told us: do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do proclaim (kataggello: promulgate, show, teach, preach, proclaim, speak of) the Lord’s death till He comes. The question is how often is often? Some people think we have to copy the Jewish Passover which was the shadow of our Holy Communion, and only do it once a year, even on the day the Jews do their Passover. If that is their belief, praise the Lord! Be it unto them according to their belief. Some other people say: in our church we do it once a month, praise the Lord! Be it done to you according to your belief. Some say: we do it in our church once a week, praise the Lord! Be it done to you according to your belief. The problem is not primarily how often you do it, but doing it with understanding, that is what matters! If you do not have the understanding of it, it is only a religious rite, and has no power in it; but if with the understanding, there is power; for you know the truth and the truth will make you free (John 8:32).

Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily, such as should be saved.

Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

From the book of Acts we see that the disciples of Jesus, including Paul and the Gentile converts to Christianity, were not waiting for the day of Passover to partake of Holy Communion, which is called in the bible breaking bread. People were being added to the church daily, so they were breaking bread daily from house to house. The Jews had the temples, but the Christians did not have temples, only their houses. Their houses were the churches. Jesus said: I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). But what does Jesus consider as being a church? Jesus said: for where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20). That is why God says: your house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations, or all people (Isaiah 56:7). So even if it is only you and your baby, you are already two that are the church of God. Your house is the church of God. The fact that you share the word of God in your own words with your family members, friends and break bread in your house, that is what Jesus expects from you.

We are all priests and kings in the New Testament (Revelation 1:6); do not wait for the apostle to come and break bread in your house! Break your own bread at home, as often as you want: daily, every other day, weekly, monthly, it is up to you; but do not do it once a year. As soon as you lead someone to Christ, break bread with them in your home or in their homes, and right there pray for their healing, for their finances, and for anything they have need of. My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).That is how believers were added to the church daily in the book of Acts of the Apostles. Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth concerning anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them, by My Father who is in heaven (Matthew 18:19). Break bread with your family and with your friends you led to Christ, and pray for them right there on the spot: for verily I say unto you, whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matthew 18:18). I say unto you: your heavenly Father will stretch out His hand to heal and signs and wonders will be done through the name of Jesus (Acts 4:30).

People will say: G, what if I am on my own, can I break bread? I have good news for you: you are never on your own! Jesus said: lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (Matthew 28:20). I will send the Comforter to you (John 16:7), He will abide with you forever (John 14:16). My Father loves you, and We have come unto you, and made our abode with you (John 14:23). So I am not alone. I break bread with Jesus, the Comforter and the Father, Hallelujah!