Wednesday 16 October 2019

THE "WRIGGLE": :Window to your Freedom (PART 2)


The Biblical basis
In Proverbs chapter sixteen verse seven, the word of the Lord states, “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies be at peace with him.” (Amplified Bible). Conversely, if a man’s way does not please the Lord, I dare to say that what will happen to him will be the opposite, that is to say, his enemies will not be at peace with him. I think this could be the reason behind curses and the battle in a Christian’s life most of the times, though not always. Sometimes Satan fights the Christian for no just cause just as it is in Job’s case. Read Job 2: 1-8.
In all honesty how many Christians are living sinless lives? How many are blameless, and how many are holy? The bible says, “Without holiness, no man can see the Lord.” Sometimes one may even be ignorant of the fact that he or she has sinned. He that does not offend in words the bible describes him as a perfect man. (James 3:2). But the Holy Spirit whispers into our hearts saying my son, or my daughter, do you know that you have just missed the mark? Some people gave that a coinage and described it as “the sins of the saints!” As Christians many of us know that there are some sins that are obvious such as are mentioned in the Bible. For example, the book of Revelations chapter one, verse eight reads:
But as for the cowards and the ignoble and the contemptible and the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive, and as for the unbelieving and faithless, and as for the depraved and defiled with abominations, and as for murderers and the lewd and adulterous and the practicers of magic arts and the idolaters (those who give supreme devotion to anyone or anything other than God) and all liars those who knowingly convey untruth by word or deed) – [all of these shall have] their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death. (Amplified Bible).
But what will one say about a Christian who is being ruled by anger almost all the time? Even though he or she may not blow up the top of the lid but in that quietness, gently boiling with anger, sin is already recorded against such a fellow except he or she repents and asks God for forgiveness. This brings to my mind the case of a Christian sister who was bitter but she did not know until one remarkable day. She attended a Sunday service at a church and having been convicted by the Spirit of the Lord to amend her ways, she responded to an altar call for re-dedication of her life to Jesus Christ. As she was sitting down in the waiting room expecting to meet with one of the church counsellors, the Holy Spirit confronted her with this reality. It was as if someone spoke to her inwardly, “You are bitter against God.” The sister could not believe what she heard. She was so disturbed and after meditating on that sentence for a while she accepted that it was true and she broke down weeping. One of the counsellors on standby saw her sobbing but he did not interrupt her. That was a good quality of a counsellor. He allowed the sister to settle her case with her creator unhindered. The lady in question quietly confessed her sin of bitterness against God and asked God to forgive her.
Beloved, I was that lady! I brightened up after the prayer and I beckoned to the counsellor who had actually been watching the ‘drama,’ and I said to him, “Sir, I am alright. I want to go home.” The counsellor asked, “Are you sure you are o.k. or will you like to still meet with a counsellor? I put up a beautiful smile and assured him that “all is well.” The counsellor prayed with me and I left the Counselling hall liberated from the spirit of bitterness and I went home rejoicing. Reading through this story, many questions may likely be racing through the mind of the reader. How can someone be bitter against God? Is that really possible? I understand your confusion. I was also taken by surprise. How can I be bitter against my creator? But remember that the Holy Spirit searches through the heart of man and He sees what is there even when it is latent, I mean when it appears nothing is at stake.
Considering our story let us imagine if Satan had struck the sister with infirmity, chains of calamities et cetera, many would have judged wrongly.  Some people who knew her closely might even vouch for her that the sister is living right with God, how could such a thing happen to her? But the truth was that she was actually ‘swimming’ in an ocean of bitterness for years against her creator due to the challenges of life she was confronted with. The accuser, Satan, actually had a foothold to hold on to, confidently reporting to God saying something like this, “Have you seen your so-called daughter living in the sin of bitterness? I have every right to attack her. What do you have to say, Master?” This is just my imagination! Thank God for the blood, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some people may not be that fortunate to escape being struck by the devil even though they are born-again Christians. Deep-seated issues must be cleared with God’s mercy in order to scale through the accusation of the adversary.


THE "WRIGGLE" - Window to your Freedom (PART 1)




I have a message to put across. A message that may likely generate some questions, arguments, and counter-arguments among genuine Christians especially my friends in the theological field.
When I felt that the Spirit of the Lord was leading me to write on this “sensitive” topic in the year, 2012, I must confess that I trembled. The reason is simple. I am aware that many Christians still argue about a number of issues that are being exposed here, and I do not want to lead any child of God astray consciously or unconsciously. I dare say I am treading this terrain softly because many Christians have their biases about this discussion. Whatever I have written down are things that I believe God has given me the grace to share with the followers of Jesus Christ, globally.
 One day I was meditating on the word of God, and suddenly I found myself meditating on the word, “Warfare.” I began to ask myself the question, What is warfare? In my reflections, I see warfare as a war to be fought. That means there is a battle going on somewhere. With whom am I to fight this war? The powers of darkness! What does war connote? Violence of course! So since war has to do with violence that means it is not a matter of joke! Not at all! The meditation grew deeper. Can one fight any war silently?  I doubt it. There would always be noise I concluded. Now the next issue is since war calls for violence, can anyone pray spiritual warfare prayer as ‘silent prayer’? Is that how to fight a war?
            I do not know what others think, but the reflection jolted me to reality, and made the fact crystal clear to me that it is needful that one puts in all of one’s energy, by the power of the Holy Spirit to fight this type of war that has attracted the principalities and powers of hell to ‘crush’ someone spiritually, and physically if they can have their ways. Many supposed glorious destinies had been frustrated, ‘caged’ or completely ruined. Others started their journey in life with lofty promises of greatness in sight! Some mind-blowing prophecies had been declared on the lives of some others, but then no results at sight. Then the question pops up in one’s mind, “Where is the outcome of those promises and the fulfilment of those wonderful prophecies? Hun-uh, confusion sets in. Who is to blame? Satan, the individual, the society, the government of the land or who is responsible for this kind of supposed unfulfilled glorious future?
 At a period in my life, I began to ruminate over the unfulfilled promises and prophecies in my own life. As a regenerated soul, already washed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and walking in His ways, I was deeply disturbed and worried about my state. Spiritually, I was struggling to enjoy sweet fellowship with the Holy Spirit, as a result of loads of burdens, and doubts on my mind which I was not bold enough to share with close associates, how much more my spiritual overseers. What would they think about me? I will be presenting myself to them as a backsliding Christian if they get to know about my pains. But I was ‘dying.’ Stagnancy at all fronts! No progress at the place of work! By the time it appears as if progress was being made in the area of Christian Ministry, the devil would put up a wall again, and all hope would be lost.
I know that some of us Christians see “Dreams” as a lesser form of revelation. I was in your shoes before the Lord helped me to understand better by studying the scriptures. This write up is not about dreams, so I do not intend to teach on that, but suffice it to say that the dream that I had about a spiritual attack launched at my studies compelled me to begin some spiritual exercise such as fasting and praying. At the tail end of my studies, I almost experienced a set-back but the Lord intervened, then I appreciated God for the victory Jesus had won for me on the cross of Calvary.
 A Christian sister at my place of work gave me a copy of their church magazine, and after reading through some articles and testimonies that were printed there, I prayed and I saw the need to attend some of the prayer and deliverance programmes of the church. After some months, the Holy Spirit began to unfold some deep secrets to me about my life and the ministry that God has committed into my hands. On one occasion I received a message by the Spirit of the Lord, saying to me, “You will write a book for me,” and the title that was given to me that day is The "Wriggle."